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5. Nebraska Cornhuskers Picking the fifth and final team for this article was a difficult choice. Alabama loses stars and All-Americans at every level of its defense. Sparty up in East Lansing loses a three-time captain at quarterback (Kirk Cousins) and its top three wideouts and tight end. Houston loses its coach and sixth-year gunslinger. However, although Nebraska's attrition numbers are not as large as those of some of its aforementioned peers, it is the caliber of the players the Huskers are losing, in addition to the departure of a key assistant, that launches them ahead of the rest. Bo Pelini has had two nine-win and two 10-win seasons in his four seasons as Nebraska's coach, and that would be more than satisfactory in many locales on the college football map. But not in Lincoln. Losing three of five games down the stretch -- and suffering blowout defeats by Wisconsin, Michigan and South Carolina -- simply isn't acceptable in the state where Cornhuskers football dominates conversation. One of the continuing points of consternation in Lincoln is when the "blackshirts" will return on defense, and the fact that the Cornhuskers' three biggest playmakers on that side of the ball in 2011 will all be playing on Sundays next season means that won't be happening any time soon. The departures of Jared Crick, Lavonte David and Alfonzo Dennard mean that Nebraska will be losing a key playmaker at every level of its defense heading into 2012, and Carl Pelini's leaving to take the Florida Atlantic Owls head-coaching job doesn't help, either. As a result, the Cornhuskers' offense will have to be much more productive in 2012. Although nearly all of the wide receivers and running backs return, the challenge for offensive coordinator Tim Beck will be trying to find balance in an offense that ranked 104th in passing a season ago. Taylor Martinez must make like Tim Tebow this offseason and work on refining a delivery that limits a passing game and burdens a run game by not scaring away safeties from the line of scrimmage. The good news for the Huskers is that Wisconsin and Michigan will travel to Memorial Stadium in 2012. The challenging news for Pelini is that nine or even 10 wins will not be good enough to satisfy the devoted hometown faithful's expectations in Year 5 of his regime. ---ESPN Insider