Athlon Sports Names Oregon No. 4 in 2012 Preseason Top 25 Poll

Athlon Sports, publisher of the No. 1-selling college football magazine, continues the release of its preseason Top 25 poll at www.athlonsports.com. The countdown commences every year in early May and leads to the on-sale date of Athlon's category-leading college football preseason annuals.

To celebrate the Oregon Ducks being named No. 4, AthlonSports.com will devote an entire day to the program, including a look at the Top 10 Players for 2012, the Greatest Players since 1967 and a Team Preview. (Direct links are included below.)

Chip Kelly’s Oregon Ducks continue the countdown at No. 4 with three preseason All-Americans and 11 players selected as All-Pac-12 performers. Athlon Sports predicts Oregon will finish first in the Pac-12’s Northern Division. In the five year period from 2007-11, Athlon Sports was one of the most accurate preseason magazines in prediction accuracy.*

“Heisman candidates Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas, plus an improved defense have Oregon looking like the clear favorite in the North Division,” says Athlon Sports Managing Editor Mitch Light. “The Ducks lost some big-time offensive stars, but Chip Kelly has built this program into a perennial title contender.”

Three Oregon standouts were named preseason All-Americans, with De'Anthony Thomas being voted to the first team at the all-purpose position. Defensive back John Boyett was named to the second team, and running back Kenjon Barner made the third team. In addition, the Ducks running backs unit was ranked No. 3 nationally and best in the Pac-12. The defensive line was rated No. 9 in the country and tops in the conference, while the offensive line was tabbed No. 8 and the linebackers’ group No. 10 in the nation.

Eleven Ducks earned preseason All-Pac-12 honors, including Boyett, Barner, defensive lineman Dion Jordan, linebacker Michael Clay and Thomas at both all-purpose and kick returner on the first team. Offensive lineman Nick Cody, defensive lineman Taylor Hart and punter Jackson Rice were named to the second team, while offensive lineman Carson York, linebacker Kiko Alonso and defensive back Terrance Mitchell garnered third-team honors.

Oregon Team Preview

Oregon's Top 10 Players of 2012

Oregon’s 10 Greatest Players Since 1967

 *Stassen.com analysis of college football preseason publications.