Wake Forest (17th), Pitt (23rd), Rutgers (33rd), Notre Dame (59th) and Ball State (68th) are all ranked higher than Navy, while Air Force (81st), Duke (93rd), SMU (98th), Northern Illinois (106th), Temple (109th) and Army (111th) are ranked lower.

The most talented team on Navy’s schedule is Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are led by cornerback Alphonso Smith, a Preseason First-Team All-American selection, and outside linebacker Aaron Curry, a Preseason Second-Team All-American.

Smith, who is the nation’s leader in career interceptions (14) and interceptions returned for a touchdown (4) is ranked as the second-best cornerback in the country, while Curry, who had interception returns for touchdowns of 57, 77 and 84 yards a year ago, is ranked as the second-best outside linebacker in the country. Wake safety Chip Vaughn is ranked as the 10th-best safety in the nation after his team-high 105 tackles a year ago.

The Demon Deacons will be tough on offense as well with running back Josh Adams (14th-best running back in the country), who was the ACC Rookie of the Year last fall, and quarterback Riley Skinner (the 17th-best quarterback in the country), who has completed 69.5 percent of his passes in his career. Kicker Sam Swank, who is an amazing 9-of-12 on field goals over 50 yards, is ranked the second-best kicker in the country.

Wake Forest’s backfield is ranked as the sixth-best backfield in the country, while their linebacker corps is ranked as the fifth best unit in the country.

Linebacker Scott McKillop, a Preseason First-Team All-American selection, and running back LeSean McCoy, who is a Preseason Second-Team All-American, will lead Pitt into Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Oct. 18.

McKillop, who averaged a nation’s-best 12.58 tackles per game last year, is ranked as the third-best inside linebacker in the country. McCoy, who rushed for 1,328 yards last year as a freshman, is ranked as the third-best running back in the country and has many pundits around the country comparing him to the great Tony Dorsett.

Rutgers is considered to have the fifth-best wide receiving corps and seventh-best defensive backs in the country. Wide receiver Kenny Britt, who set a school record last year with 1,232 receiving yards, is ranked as the 10th-best wide receiver in the country. Safety Courtney Green, who has amassed 299 career tackles, is ranked as the seventh-best safety in the country.

Notre Dame should be much improved this year, especially on the defense, with outside linebacker Maurice Crum and safety David Bruton. Crum is ranked as the 11th-best outside linebacker in the country, while Bruton is tabbed as the 12th-best safety.

The best offense the Mids will see all year just might reside in Muncie, Ind., where the Ball State Cardinals possess two legit first-day NFL prospects in wide receiver Dante Love (100 receptions for 1,396 yards) and tight end Darius Hill (65 catches, 11 touchdowns). Hill is a Preseason Second-Team All-American and is ranked as the second-best tight end in the country, while Love is ranked as the seventh-best wide receiver in the country. Cardinal quarterback Nate Davis, who will be throwing to the 10th best wide receiver group in the country, is ranked as the 18th best quarterback in the country and is considered one of the top draft prospects in 2010. Punter Chris Miller is ranked as the third best punter in the country.