College Football

[soccer10k]

When do the preseason polls usually come out?

 

Soon.

 

When I first looked at this it said 'you should come out with one'. Now it says soon and it wasn't edited. Am I going crazy?

 

I am not sure when they will be out, but all the ones I have seen in magazines have OSU at #1.

 

Notre Dame is getting some also, and Athlon's has Oklahoma. They all have their flaws and there's no one that's a clear cut leader, but I like both of those two more than Ohio State.

 

As an ND fan it pains me to say this, but they are not a #1 team. No way at all.

 

I don't think they are either, but who really is this year? Certainly once we get into the season there will be some teams who step up and are deserving of being #1. There just aren't any teams that look convincing at all as preseason #1.

 

I like Notre Dame better than Ohio State, but I would be shocked if either went undefeated. Ohio State's offense will be damn good, but I think people are overestimating how good it will be because of the Fiesta Bowl. Most importantly they're going to have to replace a stacked back 7 on their defense AND play at Texas and at Iowa before October. By the end of the year they'll be tough, but I don't think they have enough time to gel in order to win two extremely tough road games in the first month.

 

Agreed. I'm not really sold on any team this year as a National Champion or #1 team. Last year it was USC and Texas. But this year every team has some serious question marks. ND's defense. OSU replacing defense. Oklahoma's QB. USC replacing offense. Texas replacing Vince Young. Will somebody stand out in the SEC rather than teams all beating up on each other? Every team has bigtime question marks. The key game, just like last year, will be the Texas-OSU matchup in the beginning of the year. But I wouldn't be surprised if no team went undefeated this year.

 

As for early on, I would give ND the nod for #1 because they have a majority of their players returning. The defense wasn't that good last year, but at least Weis knows what he's going to get out of them in a game situation. If you have first year starters in the game, you don't know how they are going to react once the game starts. I like it this way because you don't know who is going to win as opposed to last year when virtually everybody had Texas-USC in the title game.

[soccer10k]

Ohio State #1? I just dont see it, sure they are good but thats a tad bit too high. They are losing too many starters and good starters on the defense for me to believe they are #1. The offense is good and probably will be better than last years team. Yeah, yeah i know the defense has talented players filing the positions of the starters who have left but they are losing 9 starters. Thats a helluva lot to fill and too much for my taste to be ranked #1. OSU is top 5 material no doubt but not #1.

 

I can see LSU at #1 more than OSU.

 

I wouldn't argue with that. But LSU has way too many injury questions to be considered number one. In fact, a lot of prognosticators are picking Flordia or Auburn ahead of LSU in the SEC.

 

I like LSU's chances, but they will have a lot of doubters early in the season.

 

That's how I see it as well which I believe I stated earlier in this thread. My reasoning was the schedule and LSU has to play at both Florida and Auburn.

[snoodmonger]

It's criminal that Pinkel is still coaching Mizzou. They've had quite a bit of talent the last few years and continue to play mediocre football. Can't say I'm upset about it, but I really don't understand how he wasn't fired.

[CuseCubFan69]

I love the college football season and I'm jealous as heck at teams that can win and have 70-100 thousand fans at each game.

 

Well the Cuse/Iowa series starts up this fall. You'll get to see another one of those teams up close.

 

We used to do really well against Big 10 teams until the last Purdue game...yikes. I'm looking forward to the Iowa and Northwestern series we have coming up.

 

As for top team, who did Penn State lose? I thought they had a heck of a team too.

 

I will be at the Pitt/Syracuse game this year. It will be my first time in NY, and I am really looking forward to it.

 

I believe PSU lost a rather large chunk of their starters. Don't know the exact numbers, but I am sure that Truffle or Derwood will be able to fill that part in.

 

Why are you coming to Syracuse?

[sethuel1]

I love the college football season and I'm jealous as heck at teams that can win and have 70-100 thousand fans at each game.

 

Well the Cuse/Iowa series starts up this fall. You'll get to see another one of those teams up close.

 

We used to do really well against Big 10 teams until the last Purdue game...yikes. I'm looking forward to the Iowa and Northwestern series we have coming up.

 

As for top team, who did Penn State lose? I thought they had a heck of a team too.

Penn State lost its QB, and most of the O-line, D-line and secondary

[CuseCubFan69]

I love the college football season and I'm jealous as heck at teams that can win and have 70-100 thousand fans at each game.

 

Well the Cuse/Iowa series starts up this fall. You'll get to see another one of those teams up close.

 

We used to do really well against Big 10 teams until the last Purdue game...yikes. I'm looking forward to the Iowa and Northwestern series we have coming up.

 

As for top team, who did Penn State lose? I thought they had a heck of a team too.

Penn State lost its QB, and most of the O-line, D-line and secondary

 

Well...that would do it.

[Andy]

I like it this way because you don't know who is going to win as opposed to last year when virtually everybody had Texas-USC in the title game.

True story: My freshman year college roommate bet his best friend last year that Alabama would make the national title game, with the bet being that his friend would go to a strip club shirtless with "I LIKE MEN" painted on his chest if it happened. Scared the living crap out of him until they finally lost to LSU on November 12.

[Derwood]

I love the college football season and I'm jealous as heck at teams that can win and have 70-100 thousand fans at each game.

 

Well the Cuse/Iowa series starts up this fall. You'll get to see another one of those teams up close.

 

We used to do really well against Big 10 teams until the last Purdue game...yikes. I'm looking forward to the Iowa and Northwestern series we have coming up.

 

As for top team, who did Penn State lose? I thought they had a heck of a team too.

Penn State lost its QB, and most of the O-line, D-line and secondary

 

but returning theur starting HB, FB, TE, LB's, WR's and special teams. Losing 4 starters on the O-Line worries me most

[adamb0719]

I love the college football season and I'm jealous as heck at teams that can win and have 70-100 thousand fans at each game.

 

Well the Cuse/Iowa series starts up this fall. You'll get to see another one of those teams up close.

 

We used to do really well against Big 10 teams until the last Purdue game...yikes. I'm looking forward to the Iowa and Northwestern series we have coming up.

 

As for top team, who did Penn State lose? I thought they had a heck of a team too.

 

I will be at the Pitt/Syracuse game this year. It will be my first time in NY, and I am really looking forward to it.

 

I believe PSU lost a rather large chunk of their starters. Don't know the exact numbers, but I am sure that Truffle or Derwood will be able to fill that part in.

 

Why are you coming to Syracuse?

 

A good friend of mine who went to Syracuse (I worked with him here in Indy) just moved to Albany and I am going to visit him. Going to that game, and going to take a train to NYC for a day so I am pretty excited about it.

[Jon]

Northwestern will be naming Randy Walker's successor today at 12:15. There are some rumors that it'll be Pat Fitzgerald, which would be a pretty surprising move, although a little less so considering it is believed that Murphy will not use an interim tag. Most people want him to be the future of the program, but he's only 31. I believe he'd be the youngest coach in college football by 5 years.

 

Unfortunately I'll be on campus working out during the press conference, most likely, but I hope to hear something while I'm there.

[hawkeyecub]

Could they really turn it over to Fitzgerald already? If they plan to have him be the man long-term, wouldn't it make more sense to promote someone else as the interim coach for this season while grooming Fitzgerald to take over next year.

 

This would be an extremely difficult situation to begin his career under, and he really had no time to prepare.

[Jon]

Could they really turn it over to Fitzgerald already? If they plan to have him be the man long-term, wouldn't it make more sense to promote someone else as the interim coach for this season while grooming Fitzgerald to take over next year.

 

This would be an extremely difficult situation to begin his career under, and he really had no time to prepare.

Wow, looks like they did (according to rivals.com). I'm pretty surprised with Murphy on this one. It's quite a bold move.

 

I probably speak for most NU fans when I say that a large part of me wanted Fitz to be named the head coach. I don't know if it's the best move, but according to at least one column, Murphy made it pretty clear that he thought having an interim coach for an entire season would have very negative consequences on the program for several years (in terms of both recruiting and the possibility of assistant coaches leaving). I can't disagree with that. There's also been a lot of worry about losing Fitzgerald for good when he would have left for head coaching experience.

 

We'll have to be patient with Fitz and the team, but I'm sure the players are thrilled with it. He seems like the guy that Walker would have wanted. I think the pick will be meaningful to everyone and he's one heck of a recruiter already. It'll be a very tough spot for him, but have no doubts about whether or not he has it in him.

 

With McGee (33) becoming offensive coordinator this season after Dunbar's departure, this is one young coaching staff.

 

http://www.jonmdavis.net/fitzgerald1.jpg

[hawkeyecub]

Crazy.

 

Yeah I can understand the reasoning behind that. I guess I was just thinking of something like Wisconsin had last year, where Bielema was named the head coach for the 2007 season and beyond. Obviously it's different because they had Alvarez there for his final year to make the transition smooth, but still Fitzgerald has never even been a coordinator.

 

Regardless he should be a great fit there, he'll just need some patience. He was a hell of a player that was easy to respect and had much more class than his coach at NU had.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

How is Fitzgerald 31? My God, I'm getting old.

[CuseCubFan69]

How is Fitzgerald 31? My God, I'm getting old.

 

Wait until you go to a Dr. and he looks like your kid.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I think this is a fantastic move by NU and Fitzgerald will be a great coach in a few years.

[Jon]

Crazy.

 

Yeah I can understand the reasoning behind that. I guess I was just thinking of something like Wisconsin had last year, where Bielema was named the head coach for the 2007 season and beyond. Obviously it's different because they had Alvarez there for his final year to make the transition smooth, but still Fitzgerald has never even been a coordinator.

 

Regardless he should be a great fit there, he'll just need some patience. He was a hell of a player that was easy to respect and had much more class than his coach at NU had.

Yeah, I think so. It'll be a process for everyone this season, but I think this is the best for the program now and for the future.

 

I haven't seen it yet, but he supposedly gave a very good press conference earlier this afternoon.

[soccer10k]

Watching ESPN Classic this morning reminded me of another team that has a shot at the National Championship game: West Virginia. Their only loss last year was to Virginia Tech and they more than held their own against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. They return Pat White (QB) and Steve Slaton (RB) as well as their top 2 WR's. They had a fairly young team last year. And they play in the Big East. Not saying they will, but I figured I would throw them out there since nobody has mentioned them yet.

[hawkcub]

You are probably right there. They could be a factor for a long time if the Big East sustains there automatic BCS invitation.(Which they should lose but won't) The thing about WV is if they were in the SEC or ACC they are a 3 loss team easily.

[Andy]

Oddly enough, the ACC is the conference currently most likely to lose their BCS bid because of some bylaw about being in the top 12, because twice in the last four years, FSU has gotten a bid with eight wins or fewer.

[hawkcub]

I know what you are talking about but I just don't see the NCAA taking away the ACC's bid with some of the teams they now have.

[adamb0719]

I know what you are talking about but I just don't see the NCAA taking away the ACC's bid with some of the teams they now have.

 

It will be interesting to see if that new rule ever comes into effect. The main factor in that (if I understand it correctly) is conference strength. I Big East and ACC could face some troubles there. Probably the Big East more than the ACC, but both have a pretty big drop off in talent after the top few teams.

[CuseCubFan69]

You are probably right there. They could be a factor for a long time if the Big East sustains there automatic BCS invitation.(Which they should lose but won't) The thing about WV is if they were in the SEC or ACC they are a 3 loss team easily.

 

Good point. They beat the SEC champ in SEC country with a young team so they must be a little above average. Plus...if they played in the SEC they could play 3 tough out of conference teams like Tennessee Tech or Cleveland State instead of Virginia Tech or Marshall.

Edited July 9, 2006 by CuseCubFan69

[hawkcub]

You are probably right there. They could be a factor for a long time if the Big East sustains there automatic BCS invitation.(Which they should lose but won't) The thing about WV is if they were in the SEC or ACC they are a 3 loss team easily.

 

Good point. They beat the SEC champ in SEC country with a young team so they must be a little above average.

 

That's one game, not a whole season.

[CuseCubFan69]

You are probably right there. They could be a factor for a long time if the Big East sustains there automatic BCS invitation.(Which they should lose but won't) The thing about WV is if they were in the SEC or ACC they are a 3 loss team easily.

 

Good point. They beat the SEC champ in SEC country with a young team so they must be a little above average.

 

That's one game, not a whole season.

 

In college football sometimes that's all you get. Since many SEC teams won't schedule power conference teams what makes them the wonder they are?