Top 5 College Football Defenses in 2012 NCAA Football

2012 College Football Defense Rankings – Top 5 Defenses: There is an old saying that says offense wins games, but defense wins championships. It was certainly true last year as the top two defenses in the country played for the national title, with the top-ranked defense of Alabama eventually winning out over the second-ranked LSU defense. Looking back over the last decade, nine of the last 10 national titles have been won by a team with a top-15 defense against the run. During the stretch, five national titles have gone to teams with a run defense ranked third or better. The numbers don’t lie, winning a national title with a poor defense just doesn’t happen very often. With that crucial stat in mind, here is a look at some of the top defenses in college football for the upcoming season

Top 5 College Football Defenses in 2012 NCAA Football

1.      LSU Tigers

A ton of talented starters return to a unit that ranked second in the country last season in both points allowed per game (10.5) and yards allowed (252.1). Nose tackle Bennie Logan and sack artists Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo form what is likely the top defensive line in the country, and the LSU secondary features elite safety Eric Reid and Heisman finalist Tyrann Mathieu. The Tigers are going to dominate opponents up front, and playmakers are lurking in the secondary to force game-changing turnovers. This unit is absolutely loaded.

2.      Georgia Bulldogs

Last season, the Bulldogs’ defense allowed the third-fewest yards per game in the country while intercepting an SEC-leading 20 passes. With all the major players back from that unit, this year’s bunch could be one of the best in program history. Massive nose tackle John Jenkins leads one the largest three-man front in the country, and the big boys up front pave the way for a linebacking core that returns all four starters, including defending SEC sack leader Jarvis Jones. The secondary has to deal with some early season suspensions, but All-American safety Bacarri Rambo and company will be back in time for the big games. The Bulldogs defense is for real.

3.      Florida State Seminoles

In 2011-12, the FSU defense ranked sixth in yards allowed and fourth in points allowed. The unit also joined Alabama as the only defense to allow less than 1,000 yards on the ground for the year. Senior defensive end Brandon Jenkins may be the best pure pass rusher in the country, and he is joined on the defensive line by two other experienced upperclassmen. The secondary features two excellent cornerbacks in Xavier Rhodes and Greg Reid and a veteran safety. This group ranked in the top 25 against the pass last year, while picking off 16 passes. The Seminoles stuff the run, put pressure on opposing QBs and force turnovers. What more can you ask for?

4.      Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans were rock solid on defense last season, finishing in the top 10 nationally in points allowed and in the top five in yards allowed. Michigan State also led the Big Ten with 18 interceptions last season. The freakishly athletic William Gholston is the star of the defensive line, and fellow edge rusher Marcus Rush is coming off a great freshman season. The linebackers are even better, with Max Bullough doing the dirty work in the middle and Denicos Allen making big plays off the edge. In the secondary, Johnny Adams  is one of the best cover corners in the conference, and the group as a whole has been very opportunistic. There just aren’t any weaknesses with this bunch.

5.      Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama’s defensive unit last season will go down as one of the best in college football history. In an era of high-powered offenses, the Crimson Tide led the country in points allowed (8.8) and yards allowed (191.3), while surrendering the fewest rushing yards and touchdowns in the nation. Yes, a lot of starters made the jump to the NFL following the national title, but a bunch of former five-star recruits are waiting to expand their roles. Nico Johnson and C.J. Mosley are playmakers at linebacker, and safety Robert Lester will provide the leadership for a talented secondary. It is going to be a while before any defense puts up the type of numbers Alabama’s group did last year, but the 2012-13 version is still stout.

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