Things you probably won't overhear in New England’s fall sports season:

"Hey, how about that Colonial Athletic Conference? Man, UNH and Maine sure are taking it down to the wire! I wonder if either has a legitimate shot at a Football Champion Subdivision playoff berth."

Or …

"Jeez, if only Darius Butler didn't hurt himself. UConn’s secondary lost a big playmaker. That’s for sure!"

And I haven't heard anyone on local talk radio say …

"All everyone talks about is B.J. Raji. It's B.J. Raji this, and B.J. Raji that. What about Ron Brace? That guy is the heart and soul of the Eagles' defense, not to mention Brian Toal. And don’t even get me started on Kevin Akins."

The truth is that college football doesn't just take a backseat in New England. It's more of a moped on the region's busy athletic road.

That said, there is some serious talent playing cold-weather football in the college ranks in frosty New England this season. With the regular season(s) winding down -- some are already complete -- let's take a well-deserved look at the region's top talent on the college gridiron. Part one will focus on the offense. I'll follow up with my defensive picks, and my special teams players in the coming days.

Best quarterback
Chris Pizzotti, Harvard, senior
In nine games this season, Pizzotti has completed 63 percent of his passes for 2,381 yards and thrown 17 touchdowns to just four interceptions. He leads the Ivy League and ranks high nationally as well. The quarterback is 11th in the nation with a 149.51 passer efficiency rating, ninth in total offense, 13th in passing yards per game (265), 23rd in completions per game (20) and 24th in total passing yards.

The Reading, Mass., native was also named to the list of Walter Payton Award finalists, as one of the top 16 players in Div. I-AA, er … the Football Championship Subdivision. Pizzotti (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) is fast becoming a top NFL prospect after his brilliant season. Can he make it at the next level despite being an Ivy Leaguer with only one full season as a starter under his belt? (He did pass for 2,134 yards last season, throwing 14 touchdowns in nine games.)

Former Crimson quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and Joe Flacco of Delaware are currently starting in the NFL. Fitzpatrick is leading the Cincinnati Bengals, while Flacco has been solid as the Ravens' signal-caller in his rookie season.

Honorable mention
Liam Coen, UMass, senior
Coen is the finest quarterback in Minuteman history and owns 30 school records.

Chris Crane, Boston College, senior
Crane stepped into Matt Ryan's huge shoes and has been solid, if not spectacular, in the tough ACC. He threw for 428 yards and two touchdowns in the Oct. 4 win at N.C. State, but has tossed 13 picks against 10 touchdowns this season.

Best running back
Donald Brown, UConn, junior
This isn’t even close. Brown is the best running back to play at a New England  college/university since William Green broke records at BC from 1998 to 2000. Brown's 1,500-plus rushing yards and 16 touchdowns have made the 5-foot-10, 210-pounder a Maxwell Award finalist (nation’s top offensive player). But even he realizes the unlikelihood that a kid from UConn could wrestle one of the sport’s major awards from the Tim Tebows of the world.

"I think, eventually, down the line, the chances of that happening will increase as we start getting more respect around the country," Brown said. "Right now, we don't get much respect outside of this building."

With remaining games against South Florida and Pittsburgh, Brown is expected to eclipse 1,800 yards on the ground and will likely become the Huskies' all-time leading rusher this weekend. Going into these games, Brown leads the nation with 153.7 rushing yards per game.

Honorable mention
Tony Nelson, UMass, junior
He’s the CAA’s only 1,000 yard rusher this season and has 10 touchdowns with one more game to play. The UMass ground game hardly misses the legendary Steve Baylark, who recently worked out for Mike Shanahan's Broncos.

Deron Brown, MIT, junior
Yes, they have a football team. Yes, this guy makes my list over other notables like Northeastern bulldozer Alex Broomfield. I don’t care who he played against. Brown rushed for 1,816 yards and 22 touchdownss for the Engineers this season. I’m willing to wager he’s the only player with a double major in electrical engineering and computer sciences on this list.

Best wide receiver
Victor Cruz, UMass, junior
This is a thin crop. I’m going with Cruz, the only player in the CAA with 1,000 receiving yards. He also has 16 touchdowns, which is a gaudy number in this conference, even if you are catching passes from Liam Coen. Cruz is a nice player, but like all other receivers in New England, probably won’t be paid to play at the next level, especially at 5-foot-11.

Honorable mentions: Did I mention this was a thin crop?
Bobby Sewall, Brown, senior
Sewall has hauled in 63 catches for the Bears this season. His 72 points leads the league. He’s a native of Portsmouth, R.I. He's no Sean Morey, but few are.

David Benoit, Westfield State, junior
A Division-III player. I know nothing about this guy, but he deserves props for a season in which he posted 65 receptions, 1,046 yards and 16 touchdowns. A 16-touchdown season is an accomplishment at any level.

Best tight end
Ryan Purvis, BC, senior
Nobody felt the effects of Matt Ryan’s departure like Purvis. Last year, the 6-foot-4, 260-pounder caught 54 passes for 553 yards and four touchdowns, and was subsequently named to the 2008 John Mackey Award watch list.

This season, he has spent more time protecting Chris Crane than catching passes from him -- his 19 grabs are the lowest output since his freshman year. While he hasn’t caught a touchdown this season, he’s still considered a top talent. Count on him catching on as a rookie free agent with an NFL team in 2009 if he isn’t scooped up late in the draft.

Best offensive lineman
William Beatty, UConn, junior, left tackle
At 6-foot-6 and listed at 310 pounds (he may be bigger), the monstrous, yet athletic Beatty (pronounced Bee-Tee) is drawing NFL interest. After springing Donald Brown all season, Beatty looks to be a late-round draft pick this April with a solid combine showing. Along with BC's solid senior guard Cliff Ramsey, Beatty is one of the few offensive linemen prospects playing in New England who have an NFL chance.

As mentioned, two other installments of New England’s top college players will follow (defense, special teams). Feel free to leave comments and opinions.