NUC likes the SoCon

[FUBeAR]

This will be the third consecutive year that the National Underclassmen has compiled a weekly FCS Top 25. And this is the earliest that the Preseason Poll has come out.

3 SoCon Teams ranked (#6, #22, #25). Not MVC standards yet, but having almost 40% of a Conference's Teams ranked is a long way from the 'Death' that I saw so many predict a couple of years ago. I understand it's a PRE-season poll, but it's still good news. If FU and Woffy get their swagger back and Mercer continues to rise as I (and more than a few others) expect they will, we might see 6 SoCon Teams 'in the hunt' before too many moons.

http://nucsports.com/nucsportsmagazine/nuc-college-2015-nuc-fcs-preseason-poll/

[PaladinFan]

SoCon is far from dead. The Conference was clearly going to endure a transition period. Even without the upheaval, the national profile had been somewhat tarnished, though given how often SoCon teams were in the running for national titles, any step back would seem like a fall.

As I noted elsewhere, I do believe that week 1 matchups with UCA/Samford, UTC/JSU, and FU/CCU could do a lot to raise the SoCon's national profile. Three big OOC games against three respected FCS programs (two of which are top ten).

[tenNesseeCat]

3 SoCon teams, with WCU @ 22!!! xthumbsupx

[AshevilleApp2]

The Southern Conference evolves, it doesn't die. Best of luck this year!

[The Cats]

This will be the third consecutive year that the National Underclassmen has compiled a weekly FCS Top 25. And this is the earliest that the Preseason Poll has come out.

3 SoCon Teams ranked (#6, #22, #25). Not MVC standards yet, but having almost 40% of a Conference's Teams ranked is a long way from the 'Death' that I saw so many predict a couple of years ago. I understand it's a PRE-season poll, but it's still good news. If FU and Woffy get their swagger back and Mercer continues to rise as I (and more than a few others) expect they will, we might see 6 SoCon Teams 'in the hunt' before too many moons.

http://nucsports.com/nucsportsmagazine/nuc-college-2015-nuc-fcs-preseason-poll/


If you can't access the poll....

NUC FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll
1. North Dakota State (ND) Bison
2. Illinois State (IL) Redbirds
3. Sam Houston State (TX) Bearkats
4. Villanova (PA) Wildcats
5. Coastal Carolina (SC) Chanticleers
6. Chattanooga (TN) Mocs
7. New Hampshire (NH) Wildcats
8. Montana (MT) Grizzlies
9. Eastern Washington (WA) Eagles
10. James Madison (VA) Dukes
11. Northern Iowa (IA) Panthers
12. Jacksonville State (AL) Gamecocks
13. Liberty (VA) Flames
14. Montana State (MT) Bobcats
15. Eastern Kentucky (KY) Colonels
16. Indiana State (IN) Sycamores
17. Youngstown State (OH) Penguins
18. South Dakota State (SD) Jackrabbits
19. Southeastern Louisiana (LA) Lions
20. Richmond (VA) Spiders
21. Fordham (NY) Rams
22. Western Carolina (NC) Catamounts
23. Idaho State (ID) Bengals
24. William & Mary (VA) Tribe
25. Samford (AL) Bulldogs

Just Outside:
Alcorn State (10-3); Bethune Cookman (9-3); Cal Poly (7-5); Charleston Southern (8-4); Eastern Illinois (5-7); Harvard (10-0); McNease State (6-5); Sacred Heart (9-3); South Carolina State (8-4); Southern (9-3); Stephen F. Austin (8-5)

[slostang]

If you can't access the poll....

NUC FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll
1. North Dakota State (ND) Bison
2. Illinois State (IL) Redbirds
3. Sam Houston State (TX) Bearkats
4. Villanova (PA) Wildcats
5. Coastal Carolina (SC) Chanticleers
6. Chattanooga (TN) Mocs
7. New Hampshire (NH) Wildcats
8. Montana (MT) Grizzlies
9. Eastern Washington (WA) Eagles
10. James Madison (VA) Dukes
11. Northern Iowa (IA) Panthers
12. Jacksonville State (AL) Gamecocks
13. Liberty (VA) Flames
14. Montana State (MT) Bobcats
15. Eastern Kentucky (KY) Colonels
16. Indiana State (IN) Sycamores
17. Youngstown State (OH) Penguins
18. South Dakota State (SD) Jackrabbits
19. Southeastern Louisiana (LA) Lions
20. Richmond (VA) Spiders
21. Fordham (NY) Rams
22. Western Carolina (NC) Catamounts
23. Idaho State (ID) Bengals
24. William & Mary (VA) Tribe
25. Samford (AL) Bulldogs

Just Outside:
Alcorn State (10-3); Bethune Cookman (9-3); Cal Poly (7-5); Charleston Southern (8-4); Eastern Illinois (5-7); Harvard (10-0); McNease State (6-5); Sacred Heart (9-3); South Carolina State (8-4); Southern (9-3); Stephen F. Austin (8-5)
Cal Poly plays:
#8 Montana
#9 EWU
#11 UNI
#14 MSU
#23 Idaho State

[smallcollegefbfan]

This will be the third consecutive year that the National Underclassmen has compiled a weekly FCS Top 25. And this is the earliest that the Preseason Poll has come out.

3 SoCon Teams ranked (#6, #22, #25). Not MVC standards yet, but having almost 40% of a Conference's Teams ranked is a long way from the 'Death' that I saw so many predict a couple of years ago. I understand it's a PRE-season poll, but it's still good news. If FU and Woffy get their swagger back and Mercer continues to rise as I (and more than a few others) expect they will, we might see 6 SoCon Teams 'in the hunt' before too many moons.

http://nucsports.com/nucsportsmagazine/nuc-college-2015-nuc-fcs-preseason-poll/


Not sure who predicted death because anyone with a brain knew that the league would not die. Will the league ever have the dominance it had from Marshall, App, and GSU over that long stretch? Probably not. However, you can expect the league to bounce back and have 2-4 teams in the playoffs. Western Carolina is improving and UTC has finally done what they should have years ago and become a top 25 team. With the others gone they are going to lead the pack. Samford, Wofford, and Mercer all have the potential to boast a top 25 program a good bit. Furman will always have a shot to be a top 15 team.

The SoCon may have taken a step back but I expect a couple of teams to be in the top 15 this year and UTC should make it to the semi-finals.

[PaladinFan]

Not sure who predicted death because anyone with a brain knew that the league would not die. Will the league ever have the dominance it had from Marshall, App, and GSU over that long stretch? Probably not. However, you can expect the league to bounce back and have 2-4 teams in the playoffs. Western Carolina is improving and UTC has finally done what they should have years ago and become a top 25 team. With the others gone they are going to lead the pack. Samford, Wofford, and Mercer all have the potential to boast a top 25 program a good bit. Furman will always have a shot to be a top 15 team.

The SoCon may have taken a step back but I expect a couple of teams to be in the top 15 this year and UTC should make it to the semi-finals.

You forgot a team.

[smallcollegefbfan]

You forgot a team.

I did not mention Furman in that because they are still in the league. I was just mentioning the teams who have left.

I just realized now that the NUC poll spelled McNeese State wrong. Do they usually do a good job weekly? This is the first time I have ever seen the poll.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Not sure who predicted death because anyone with a brain knew that the league would not die. Will the league ever have the dominance it had from Marshall, App, and GSU over that long stretch? Probably not. However, you can expect the league to bounce back and have 2-4 teams in the playoffs. Western Carolina is improving and UTC has finally done what they should have years ago and become a top 25 team. With the others gone they are going to lead the pack. Samford, Wofford, and Mercer all have the potential to boast a top 25 program a good bit. Furman will always have a shot to be a top 15 team.

The SoCon may have taken a step back but I expect a couple of teams to be in the top 15 this year and UTC should make it to the semi-finals.

App and GSU are losses, but as I have said before, them being gone also creates opportunities.

There's no doubt in my mind that there have been quite a few SoCon teams that have sat at home for the playoffs that were every bit as good as last year's UTC team. With more room at the top it's going to be easier for SoCon teams other than Wofford and Furman to get into the playoffs and show what they can do, and in turn having some postseason appearances to show can help recruiting.

[PaladinFan]

App and GSU are losses, but as I have said before, them being gone also creates opportunities.

There's no doubt in my mind that there have been quite a few SoCon teams that have sat at home for the playoffs that were every bit as good as last year's UTC team. With more room at the top it's going to be easier for SoCon teams other than Wofford and Furman to get into the playoffs and show what they can do, and in turn having some postseason appearances to show can help recruiting.

Its hard to make across the board comparisons, really. In the last 15 years, FCS and low-level FBS has seen a groundswell of new programs, especially in the deep south. You add up all of the scholarship spots at Mercer, Coastal, Georgia Southern, App State, Kennesaw, Georgia State, South Alabama, ETSU, etc. that only recently existed, it probably brings the whole SoCon landscape into a lot more parity.

Competition for players is big, and these kids have so many more options than they did 10-15 years ago, that it may be difficult in the SoCon for teams to really become so talent rich to dominate the rest of the conference as App, GSU, and Furman did for so long.

No question they are losses. I just think it is not fair to compare the 2015 SoCon to, say, the 2005 SoCon. It is just a new normal.