Last year in his first season as head coach, Jimbo Fisher led the Seminoles to their first 10-win season since 2003. And off that and with 16 starters expected back, they will be in everyone’s preseason Top 10 in the nation. The offense does have to replace quarterback Christian Ponder — the first ACC player selected in this spring's NFL draft — and All-America offensive guard Rodney Hudson. But new starting QB E.J. Manuel has shown signs of being a dual-threat star in limited playing time the past two years. Manuel has completed 67.3 percent of his career passes. But he needs to cut down on his interceptions. The Seminoles return their top five running backs, all of their top receivers other than Taiwan Easterling. The offensive line is a bit in flux, however, due to injuries and the loss of Hudson and starting center Ryan McMahon.

The FSU defense, which was one of the worst in the nation in 2009, rapidly improved under new coordinator Mark Stoops last year. The Noles are starting to churn out major playmakers on that side of the ball. This year, keep an eye on guys like defensive end Brandon Jenkins, a second-team All-America last year, and cornerbacks Greg Reid and Xavier Rhodes. Reid is one of the top athletes in the country in the mold of former LSU star Patrick Peterson, who was taken No. 5 overall in this year’s draft. Like Peterson, Reid is a shutdown corner and stellar return man. Rhodes was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2010.

FSU’s over/under win total at Bodog is 10. The Noles open their season Sept. 3 vs. Louisiana-Monroe. Big the biggest game of the season could well be Sept. 17 in Tallahassee against preseason national title favorite Oklahoma. If FSU wins that one, a trip to the BCS title game is very much possible.

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