Southern Cal is going to be pretty darn good. Ohio State and Georgia are nearly unstoppable. Florida has Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin back. Oklahoma is poised for another Bowl Championship Series bowl.

Blah, blah blah. That’s all pretty boring, if you ask me.

The fun of college football really comes in trying to figure out the impossibilities.

It’s about the underdogs. The teams that have no business being there. The programs that a few years ago loved receiving big paydays to get blown out but now can’t find a decent opponent to schedule. It’s the schools that blow up the BCS and give us more reasons to hate the powers holding back a playoff.

And as crazy as last season was, we get to see if 2008 can top it.

It never matters the year or how talented the top dogs are. There will always be upsets and teams that appear from the ashes. Think Kansas and Missouri last season. Remember Hawaii playing in the BCS last year or Boise State upsetting Oklahoma in 2006.

So, let’s talk crazy for a moment. Forget the Trojans, Bulldogs, Gators or any of the popular versions of Tigers.

Here are some teams worth following on their road to the top:

SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS

West Virginia is a team I’d love to put in this category, but it’s just received way too much attention the past few years. Everyone knows quarterback Pat White, and if you haven’t heard of Noel Devine, you will by the end of Week 1. But, there’s another team in the Big East waiting to reach that same level of respect: South Florida.

Sure, the Bulls reached No. 2 last season before pulling a South Carolina down the stretch and falling out of the rankings at season’s end.

The Bulls — which return 17 starters, including versatile quarterback Matt Grothe and NFL-ready defensive end George Selvie — are the second best team in the state of Florida. Coach Jim Levitt has found a way to snag talent from Florida State and Miami on their own territory. If Levitt can get the Bulls believing they’re that good, an upset of the Mountaineers at the end of the season could spell BCS.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

When it comes to sexy sleepers, coach Mike Leach’s team is as attractive as it gets. We all know he’s got a certifiable Heisman candidate in quarterback Graham Harrell and an incredible receiver in Michael Crabtree.

But the rub lies with the defense. As many as eight starters return from a unit that’s held the Red Raiders back when it came to league titles. If the defense can just play decent and force some turnovers, the offense will do the rest and lead to a lot of victories.

The downside for Texas Tech is that its in the same division as Oklahoma, meaning a Nov. 22 upset in Norman will likely be the only way the Red Raiders make the Big 12 Championship game. This team has come a long way since 2002’s thrashing of Clemson in the Tangerine Bowl.

MID-MAJOR TEAMS

Every non-BCS team dreams of being Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl two years ago. Three of those teams this year are in the same conference. BYU, Utah and Texas Christian will battle for the Mountain West crown and possibly a chance to be a BCS buster. The Cougars bring back nine starters on offense from an 11-2 team in 2007, while the Utes and Horned Frogs return plenty of talent.

Speaking of Boise State, the Broncos bring Ian Johnson back for another season, and with their schedule, undefeated isn’t out of the question. A road game against Oregon is the only roadblock for the boys from the blue turf.

Despite breaking in a new quarterback, Tulsa’s abundance of offensive talent and lack of anyone noteworthy on the schedule gives the Golden Hurricanes a chance to be the first Conference USA team in the BCS.

It’s now time to forget the travesty known as the BCS and sit back and enjoy the ride of the teams that aren’t supposed to be there.