Southern Cal might have won more than one national championship in January.

They claimed the 2004 national championship by overwhelming Oklahoma 55-19 in the Orange Bowl. They gained ground on the 2005 title in the two weeks that followed.

First, USC coach Pete Carroll told the San Francisco 49ers he wasn't interested in their coaching vacancy. Then, Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Matt Leinart followed his coach's lead. He eschewed an early entry into the NFL for the good times of college and a shot at a history-making third consecutive national championship.

Carroll's disinterest in the 49ers is understandable. He has more Pro Bowl prospects at USC.

Not only will USC be favored to three-peat. Leinhart is the leading candidate to win another Heisman. And if he doesn't, USC running back Reggie Bush is the next best bet.

The Trojans' biggest loss was offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who took a similar job with the Tennessee Titans. But USC's offensive talent could make any play-caller look good.

In addition to Leinhart and Bush, the Trojans have a talented group of young receivers; four starters return in the offensive line.

The defense lost two All-American defensive linemen, but Carroll's great recruiting means help is on the way.

1. USC: Don't bother telling the Trojans about the increased parity in college football. In winning back-to-back national titles, they have beaten parity as well as the competition.

And they're good enough to do it again.

2. Ohio State: The Buckeyes will return 18 starters from a team that finished strong. Experience will be crucial against a September schedule that includes home games against Texas and Iowa.

3. Texas: The Longhorns are experienced and talented in the offensive and defensive lines. So what if quarterback Vince Young has been inconsistent as a passer. He compensates by running like Michael Vick

4. Tennessee: The Vols have the experience and talent to return to the top 10 for the first time since 2001. But they will have to overcome a daunting road schedule that includes trips to Florida, LSU, Alabama and Notre Dame.

5. Michigan: The Wolverines return 17 starters, including freshman stars Chad Henne at quarterback and Michael Hart at tailback. Their toughest road games are at Iowa and Wisconsin.

6. LSU: Few new coaches have ever stepped into as good of a situation as Les Miles, who will reap the benefits of former LSU coach Nick Saban's recruiting.

7. Miami: Heralded Kyle Wright finally gets his chance at quarterback as the Hurricanes retool an offense that lost several key starters. The defense is loaded.

8. Oklahoma: Never mind that the Sooners will return only eight starters. They have recruited too well under coach Bob Stoops to fall from the top 10.

9. Iowa: The Hawkeyes lost five running backs to injuries last season and still won 10 games. That's a tribute to coach Kirk Ferentz, who invariably makes the most of his talent, and quarterback Drew Tate.

10. Louisville: The move from Conference USA to the Big East won't affect the Cardinals' status. They're still No. 1 in their conference.

11. Florida: The Gators have to tighten up their defense and hope star quarterback Chris Leak adjusts well to coach Urban Meyer's offense.

12. Purdue: The Boilermakers lost quarterback Kyle Orton but return their entire defense. Their Big Ten schedule doesn't include Ohio State or Michigan, and they get Iowa at home.

13. Georgia: The Bulldogs lost four-year starting quarterback David Greene and their top two wide receivers, but the starting offensive line and three proven running backs return.

14. Auburn: The Tigers lost four first-round draft picks, including quarterback Jason Campbell. A defense built for speed and one of the SEC's top offensive lines should help make up for the loss in star power.

15. Virginia Tech: The Hokies, who won their last eight regular-season games, could finish considerably higher if quarterback Marcus Vick turns out to be as good as his older brother.

16. Fresno State: Paul Pinegar will give the Bulldogs a four-year starter at quarterback, and eight other offensive starters return from a team that averaged 53.4 points per game during a season-ending, six-game winning streak.

17. Texas A&M: The Aggies struggled down the stretch last season against one of the toughest schedules in the country, and there's still plenty of work to be done on defense. But 17 returning starters bode well for a program on the rise.

18. Florida State: This former top-five mainstay lacks a proven quarterback and must rebuild its offensive line against a tough schedule that begins with Miami and ends with Florida.

19. California: The Golden Bears must replace eight starters on defense and break in a new quarterback. But nobody in the country has a better record developing quarterbacks than coach Jeff Tedford.

20. Boise State: The Broncos will return 14 starters from a team that ranked second nationally in scoring and was third in rushing defense.

21. UCLA: Despite playing in the shadow of USC, the Bruins are making headway under third-year coach Karl Dorrell.

22. Arizona State: The Sun Devils got a boost in January when defensive backs Emmanuel Franklin and R. J. Oliver were granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA.

23. Pittsburgh: New coach Dave Wannstedt inherits a team with nine returning starters on offense and seven on defense.

24. Alabama: A healthy Brodie Croyle at quarterback is the key for the Tide, whose offense was riddled by injuries last season.

25. Colorado: The Buffaloes are the best of a mediocre lot in the Big 12's Northern Division.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.