By: WALLY HALL (NWANews.com) –
Just for fun, here’s one man’s view of the top 10 college football programs of today, three that have slipped, and 10 more that look ready to be a weekly regular in the Top 25.

Some of these are longtime greats, others have worked hard to have a program that is consistent and don’t seem to know the term “rebuilding,” instead just saying, “next.”

1. FLORIDA Winning two of the past three BCS national championships is proof enough, but the Gators also live in one of the most recruiting-rich states in the country.

2. SOUTHERN CAL Pete Carroll has it going. He borrowed the idea from Butch Davis when he was at Miami of having a staff of mostly former NFL coaches, and it has worked. USC has become Quarterback U, but that’s just the icing on the cake. Within 50 miles of the USC campus – or a two-hour drive – are enough players to win every year.

3. LSU Per capita, Louisiana turns out the second-most NFL players of any state in the country. Great high school football and the Tigers looming as the flagship school are a great combination.

4. TEXAS The Longhorns do more choosing than recruiting in a state that turns out the most Division I players. The only people who will be unhappy with a No. 4 ranking are the 100,000 assistant coaches who sit in the stands every Saturday.

5. OHIO STATE Jim Tressel could be the most underrated coach in college football. Forget how many national championship games he’s lost, the man has the Buckeyes in the hunt every year.

6. OKLAHOMA Nothing underrated about Bob Stoops. He has the Sooners in a BCS game almost every year. They don’t win them all, but they are there, and that makes them an elite program.

7. PENN STATE This is not about whether it is time for Joe Paterno to retire, it is about having a great football team more times than not. The Nittany Lions have been on the radar for a long time and appear ready to stay there for a while. Paterno should go out on his terms.

8. GEORGIA Mark Richt is not coming off the season people expected, but he’s locked up recruiting in Georgia, cherrypicks in Florida, and the Bulldogs are competitive in the toughest football league in the country.

9. VIRGINIA TECH Over the past five seasons, the Hokies have won 52 games. And if they aren’t back in the Orange Bowl this season, it will be because they are in Pasadena, Calif., playing in the BCS championship game. Frank Beamer has done an incredible job.

10. ALABAMA Granted, Nick Saban seems to have had a very successful personality bypass, but he knows how to win and he turned the Tide around much quicker than anyone expected.

A few that would have been here but have slipped: Tennessee, Miami and Florida State (although see below about the Seminoles).

The Top 10 up-and-coming programs:

1. NORTH CAROLINA Davis has an NFL staff that loves to recruit.

2. NEBRASKA The jump to 9- 4 buy drugs online in Bo Pelini’s first season was strong. 3. UTAH Doesn’t have to go undefeated, but it needs 10 victories, minimum. 4. OKLAHOMA STATE Mike Gundy seems to be growing into the job. 5. OLE MISS The Rebels finished strong and have 13 starters back. 6. BOISE STATE Needs to be in a tougher conference. 7. KANSAS May not be just a basketball school anymore. 8. BRIGHAM YOUNG The Cougars have a killer schedule this season. 9. ARKANSAS Bobby Petrino and Co. appear to live to recruit. 10. FLORIDA STATE Could be ready to return to prominence.

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