The release of EA Sports' latest installment of NCAA Football will be on shelves in roughly two months. Reports have already surfaced about the Top 25 teams in NCAA '09 and the beta team ratings have even been posted on OS. So today I will give my own personal take on who the the Top 25 teams should be and how their top players should stack up once the ratings are officially completed.

But before doing that, I must add in this one little caveat. Several major issues have cropped up throughout spring practices on campuses across the country. However, the real question becomes whether or not EA Sports will factor in these circumstances when it is time to finalize rosters for the July release date. For the purpose of this article we will assume that all injured (and dismissed or suspended) players will still be on their respective teams’ rosters.

So without further delay, now let’s countdown from number 25 to 1.

25. Oregon Ducks – The Ducks lost their best two playmakers with the departures of quarterback Dennis Dixon and running back Jonathan Stewart. The biggest concern will be how well returning runner Jeremiah Johnson returns to form. His rating will probably be in the mid 80's but his injury rating could be low after suffering a knee injury last year. Figure on quarterback Justin Roper to be in the low 80’s ratings wise.

24. Wake Forest Demon Deacons – Wake has 14 starters back from last season including star quarterback Riley Skinner; Skinner should hit the 90 mark this year. If that doesn’t happen his rating should at least be in the high 80’s. With all of the returning players back the Demon Deacons should be as well rounded as any team in the game.

23. South Carolina Gamecocks – The ol' ball coach is doing some fine work and this upcoming season should be no exception. Defense could be the name of the game in Columbia, SC this fall as safety Emanuel Cook, defensive back Captain Munnerlyn, and linebacker Eric Norwood have already been added to the Nagursky Trophy (given to the best defensive player in college football) watch list and should be highly rated. Keep an eye on wide receiver Kenny McKinley who was first team All-SEC last year.

22. Alabama Crimson Tide – It should be a better year for Alabama football and it all starts up front with the offensive line. Linemen Andre Smith and Antoine Caldwell are solid in the trenches and should give John Parker Wilson some time to throw. Add in a nice set of receivers and the Tide could be formidable.

21. Virginia Tech Hokies – Normally a solid defensive team, the Hokies come into the season having lost three of their best defenders. Still, look for Macho Harris to be solid in the game since a high 80’s rating shouldn’t be out of the question for him. Questions arrive offensively as running back Brandon Ore was dismissed from the team. If he is left on the roster he should have a rating in the high 80’s, if not the low 90’s. Quarterbacks Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor should both be rated in the mid 80’s.

20. Brigham Young Cougars – BYU has already compiled a slew of preseason award nominees, including six preseason All-Americans. The offense should once again be prolific with signal caller Max Hall back to build on a strong sophomore season. He should be rated in the high 80’s. The offensive line is led by Ray Feinga and Dallas Reynolds, who should both be rated in the 90’s. There could be some questions defensively but the offensive fire power should be enough to win plenty of games.

19. Pittsburgh Panthers – Head coach Dave Wannstedt is known for his defensive prowess and this year’s team should ride on the shoulders of linebacker Scott McKillop. Running back LeSean McCoy should be a highly rated player as well. Pitt’s success is going to depend largely on quarterback play. It will be interesting to see how EA grades QB Bill Stull. High 70’s isn’t out of the question but I predict an 82 overall rating for Stull.

18. Illinois Fighting Illini – Yes, they lost running back Rashard Mendenhall but I think quarterback Juice Williams will be able to pick up the slack. Williams could become a cult favorite with his scrambling ability. He should be highly rated especially after leading the Illini to a win over Ohio State last year. Defensive back Vontae Davis should get some love in the ratings department and could create some havoc in the secondary.

17. Kansas Jayhawks – After an amazing run last year you can bet that the Jayhawks will get some serious ratings boost across the board and it starts with quarterback Todd Reesing; he should be one of the greatest beneficiaries of the ratings jumps, so look for Reesing to crack the 90’s. Nine starters return on defense and the offense should still be able to put up points despite losing several key players.

16. Tennessee Volunteers – The Vols need to get it together for Coach Phil Fulmer…and soon. Tennessee has recently installed the spread offense and has a quarterback in Jonathan Crompton that is very capable of running it. Crompton did undergo elbow surgery after spring drills but I doubt that factors into NCAA '09. Receiver Lucas Taylor will have to make plays and so will running back Arian Foster. This team could be highly rated but the loss of linebacker Jerod Mayo will hurt. Watch for defensive back Eric Berry and defensive end Robert Ayers to make some noise though.

15. Wisconsin Badgers – I’ve seen the Badgers rated as high as nine. I just don’t see it…yet. Depending on how the ratings fall, Wisconsin could end up being that team that wins the National Championship during your simulations. Running backs Zach Brown and P.J. Hill will be a knockout 1-2 punch and should both be highly rated. Matt Shaughnessy should be the highest rated defensive player for the Badgers.

14. Arizona State Sun Devils – Quarterback Rudy Carpenter should be one of the highest rated quarterbacks in the game. That’s great and all, except for the fact that the offensive line probably won’t have high ratings in pass blocking after giving up a school record number of sacks last year. The defense will be solid with defensive end Dexter Davis and safety Troy Nolan leading the way. Look for those two to be rated in the high 80’s with one possibly sneaking into the 90’s.

13. Texas Tech Red Raiders – This group will put some points on the board with quarterback Graham Harrell back; Harrell should be rated in the 90’s. Receiver Michael Crabtree could be the highest rated receiver in the game. Red Raider users better hope the defense gets some love because a Big 12 schedule might be unfriendly.

12. West Virginia Mountaineers – The Mountaineers could be devastating on offense with quarterback Pat White and running back Noel Devine back. White should be one of the highest rated quarterbacks and Devine’s speed will surely be in the high 90’s. These two alone should make West Virginia a fan favorite. Reed Williams is back to lead the defense and should be rated in the mid to high 80’s.

11. LSU Tigers – This may be a stretch but maybe not; it all depends on if Ryan Perrilloux is on the roster (though EA has enough time and should fix this issue). Without Perrilloux the Tigers will still be good but I’m not sure how good. Glen Dorsey is gone as is receiver Early Doucet and quarterback Matt Flynn. LSU’s defense is always highly rated and should be enough to keep them near the top. Users may struggle with Jarrett Lee at quarterback though.

10. Penn State Nittany Lions – Yes, this is a little high for Penn State but linebacker Sean Lee will almost certainly still be on the roster when NCAA '09 is released and he’s a defensive playmaker. Daryll Clark at quarterback could be shaky but if he can get the ball to his receivers like Derrick Williams and Deon Butler things will be just fine. Keep an eye on running back Stephfon Green since his speed could make him a favorite of gamers.

9. Auburn Tigers – The Tigers will be led defensively by Antonio Coleman and Sen’Derrick Marks, both of whom have already been nominated for the Nagurski award -- that combo will be hard for users to contend with up front. Auburn has some nice weapons on offense but how will they adapt to the spread offense? Wide receivers Montez Billings and Rod Smith should have chances to make plays and should be decently rated. However, the QB position could be an issue. Kodi Burns appears to be the front-runner to start but don’t look for him to be highly rated.

8. Clemson Tigers – Lions and Tigers galore! The third Tigers team mentioned in the last four picks could be outstanding on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Cullen Harper returns as do running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller. Davis will have a high rating but could struggle if the new guys on the offensive line have lower than expected run blocking ratings. Safety Michael Hamlin leads the defense.

7. Texas Longhorns – Texas will have to find a way to replace running back Jamaal Charles who left school early, but quarterback Colt McCoy returns and will be rated in the 90’s. Defensive end Brian Orakpo has made several preseason All-American lists and will lead the defense.

6. Florida Gators – The Dynamic Duo will once again lead the Gators. Receiver-slash-all-everything guy Percy Harvin and quarterback Tim Tebow will be rated in the high 90’s. In fact, Tebow will likely be the highest rated quarterback in the game, and Harvin’s speed will once again torment opponents. Chris Rainey is faster than a speeding bullet as well. The defense has eight starters back and they should be rated fairly high this season. Look for the overall defensive awareness to be increased as well.

5. Missouri Tigers – Four words for you…Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin. Need you say more about Mizzou? Daniel should be rated right behind Florida’s Tim Tebow as far as quarterbacks go. Maclin is well-rounded and could cause most of his damage on kick returns especially with the new running styles and moves. The defense faced several injuries during the spring but that shouldn’t affect the ratings on NCAA '09.

4. USC Trojans – USC simply reloads. This year is no different. Quarterback Mark Sanchez finally takes over but should only be rated in the 80’s. Watch out for Mitch Mustain though since he could be just as highly rated as Sanchez and could overtake him for the starter’s role. Joe McKnight was determined to be ineligible in the spring but you can guarantee he’ll be on the final roster come July. McKnight will be fearsome as his ratings should be in the 90’s. The defense will be tough, led by linebacker Rey Maualuga who should be one of the highest rated defensive players on the release day rosters.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes – Defense will lead the way for the Buckeyes. Linebackers James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman will control the field while defensive back Malcolm Jenkins will hold down the secondary. All three could very well be rated in the 90’s with Laurinaitis being the highest rated defensive player in the game. The offense will be led by quarterback Todd Boeckman…at least at the start. Freshman Terrelle Pryor will be one of the more highly rated freshmen and could easily replace Boeckman in user’s eyes because of his speed and agility.

2. Oklahoma Sooners – Sam Bradford took the nation by storm last year and will definitely be rated in the 90’s. The loss of receiver Malcolm Kelly will hurt but Juaquin Iglesias is poised to have another big year. Running back could paint an interesting scenario though. DeMarco Murray is back and should be highly rated but true freshman Justin Johnson will see the field as well. The defense will be top-notch as well.

1. Georgia Bulldogs – The offense will be potent with quarterback Matt Stafford, running back Knowshon Moreno, and receiver Mohammed Massaquoi. Watch out for Asher Allen and Jeff Owens defensively. In any case I think the Bulldogs will battle the Sooners for NCAA '09 supremacy this year, but look for Georgia to capitalize on the strong finish from last year.

Agree or disagree? That’s my take on things. I’d like to hear your thoughts on who should be the top team and player(s) when the game is released this July.