SP FCS Top 25 Preseason Rankings

[youcanbankit]

SP FCS top 25 preseason predictions.

http://www.southernpigskin.com/socon/way-too-early-fcs-top-25/ (http://www.southernpigskin.com/socon/way-too-early-fcs-top-25/)

Southern Pigskin's Robbie Ross releases his way too early top 25 for the FCS.



James Madison
North Dakota State
Eastern Washington
South Dakota State
Richmond
Wofford
Jacksonville State
Sam Houston State
Samford
Villanova
Youngstown State
The Citadel
Chattanooga
North Dakota
Central Arkansas
Montana
Northern Arizona
New Hampshire
Northern Iowa
Mercer
Lehigh
Illinois State
Furman
William and Mary
Kennesaw State

[cx500d]

That actually looks reasonable...


SP FCS top 25 preseason predictions.

http://www.southernpigskin.com/socon/way-too-early-fcs-top-25/ (http://www.southernpigskin.com/socon/way-too-early-fcs-top-25/)

Southern Pigskin's Robbie Ross releases his way too early top 25 for the FCS.



James Madison
North Dakota State
Eastern Washington
South Dakota State
Richmond
Wofford
Jacksonville State
Sam Houston State
Samford
Villanova
Youngstown State
The Citadel
Chattanooga
North Dakota
Central Arkansas
Montana
Northern Arizona
New Hampshire
Northern Iowa
Mercer
Lehigh
Illinois State
Furman
William and Mary
Kennesaw State

[RichH2]

As good a preseason as any.

[Milktruck74]

Lots of love for the SoCon....about 2 or 3 teams too much. But Preseason is just a guess anyway.

[JSUSoutherner]

Lots of love for the SoCon....about 2 or 3 teams too much. But Preseason is just a guess anyway.
Agreed.

I would have UT Martin in before I would consider Furman.

Mercer has an argument to be there but they did last year too and went on to do not much at all with their season.

[Redbird 4th & short]

This top 10 is very reasonable as preseason rankings go. But would expect to see YSU and Citadel both finish lower - both lost too many good players. And would have put my ISU Redbirds closer to 15 to start the season. And this is first poll I've seen this year where I don't see any completely stupid entries in Top 25.

SP FCS top 25 preseason predictions.

http://www.southernpigskin.com/socon/way-too-early-fcs-top-25/ (http://www.southernpigskin.com/socon/way-too-early-fcs-top-25/)

Southern Pigskin's Robbie Ross releases his way too early top 25 for the FCS.



James Madison
North Dakota State
Eastern Washington
South Dakota State
Richmond
Wofford
Jacksonville State
Sam Houston State
Samford
Villanova
Youngstown State
The Citadel
Chattanooga
North Dakota
Central Arkansas
Montana
Northern Arizona
New Hampshire
Northern Iowa
Mercer
Lehigh
Illinois State
Furman
William and Mary
Kennesaw State

[F'N Hawks]

That is actually a pretty solid preseason poll. EWU may be bit high due to coaching/player losses.

[citdog]

Lots of love for the SoCon....about 2 or 3 teams too much. But Preseason is just a guess anyway.

samford WAY too high. They should worry about getting by East Tennessee State.

[Catatonic]

Lots of love for the SoCon....about 2 or 3 teams too much. But Preseason is just a guess anyway.

A little regional bias seems understandable coming from Southernpigskin.

[ST_Lawson]

That is actually a pretty solid preseason poll. EWU may be bit high due to coaching/player losses.

I agree, a few minor things, but not too bad overall. Nothing jumps out as completely outlandish.

Although, I'd bet some UNI fans will say they're rated way too high.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GodHelpTheBears]

2, 4, 11, 14, 19, 22

The cellar door seems to be made of steel

[Redbird 4th & short]

Lots of love for the SoCon....about 2 or 3 teams too much. But Preseason is just a guess anyway.
now that you mention it .. Mercer and Furman are way over-ranked. but still not bad overall compared to the other polls which feel obliged to represent all conferences no matter what,

[Gangtackle11]

2, 4, 11, 14, 19, 22

The cellar door seems to be made of steel

Good showing, but you have company with 5 current MVFC teams. (UND still in Big Sky - nice try)

1,5,10,18,24

[GodHelpTheBears]

Good showing, but you have company with 5 current MVFC teams. (UND still in Big Sky - nice try)

1,5,10,18,24

How many of those five have been awful at football for 25+ years?

[ngineer]

Not bad overall. About where I think we should be to start the season.

[F'N Hawks]

Good showing, but you have company with 5 current MVFC teams. (UND still in Big Sky - nice try)

1,5,10,18,24

Non-conference game Sept 9th.

[clenz]

I agree, a few minor things, but not too bad overall. Nothing jumps out as completely outlandish.

Although, I'd bet some UNI fans will say they're rated way too high.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Shouldn't be in the top 75

[Gangtackle11]

How many of those five have been awful at football for 25+ years?

My bad. I misunderstood the reason for your post. I get it now. Good luck with that schedule.

[ST_Lawson]

Shouldn't be in the top 75

At this point, I feel like all I know about UNI is:
1. new turf
2. do they have coaches in Cedar Falls?

[TheKingpin28]

Shouldn't be in the top 75

Is UNI the new McNeese? All about those sandbags, no wins.

[slostang]

I think Cal Poly will be there by the end of the season.

[Catatonic]

Is UNI the new McNeese? All about those sandbags, no wins.

May have to put together a Sandbag Top 10 soon.

Right now McNeese is the Alabama of Sandbaggers. Either wins it outright or is right there near the top year after year. Nice to see someone give em some competition.

[JSUSoutherner]

I think Cal Poly will be there by the end of the season.
I'm sure a Cal Poly fan or two may live near Frisco and decide to come see that NC game. So you may be right.

[Gil Dobie]

EWU will be good and might end up #3, but I'm a little skeptical with the coaching change.

[TheKingpin28]

May have to put together a Sandbag Top 10 soon.

Right now McNeese is the Alabama of Sandbaggers. Either wins it outright or is right there near the top year after year. Nice to see someone give em some competition.

I do feel bad for clenz. Farley for every game but NDSU cannot get out of his own way or has a QB who cannot throw. Then comes the NDSU game and it is as if the past X amount of games had no influence on that one.

[cx500d]

I know one.


I'm sure a Cal Poly fan or two may live near Frisco and decide to come see that NC game. So you may be right.

[ST_Lawson]

May have to put together a Sandbag Top 10 soon.

Right now McNeese is the Alabama of Sandbaggers. Either wins it outright or is right there near the top year after year. Nice to see someone give em some competition.

I wonder if there's a name for someone who consistently thinks their team is going to be middle-of-the-pack? I think that'd be me...then again, that's kinda where we've been the last handful of years...usually behind NDSU, SDSU, Illinois State...sometimes YSU and UNI. Usually ahead of SIU, Indiana State, MSU, USD.

[cx500d]

It'll be interesting where you fall out when the f'n hawks start league play.


I wonder if there's a name for someone who consistently thinks their team is going to be middle-of-the-pack? I think that'd be me...then again, that's kinda where we've been the last handful of years...usually behind NDSU, SDSU, Illinois State...sometimes YSU and UNI. Usually ahead of SIU, Indiana State, MSU, USD.

[ST_Lawson]

It'll be interesting where you fall out when the f'n hawks start league play.

http://springhillnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/sandbags.jpg

[Catatonic]

I wonder if there's a name for someone who consistently thinks their team is going to be middle-of-the-pack? I think that'd be me...then again, that's kinda where we've been the last handful of years...usually behind NDSU, SDSU, Illinois State...sometimes YSU and UNI. Usually ahead of SIU, Indiana State, MSU, USD.

Excellent question.

Middle of the pack would be a huge step forward for us. That's my optimistic prediction for ACU this year: We will be at the top of the second tier of the SLC.

[GodHelpTheBears]

EWU will be good and might end up #3, but I'm a little skeptical with the coaching change.

There's always reason to be skeptical about continued success with coaching changes, but I don't think we'll know from non-con play. They'll struggle with your team (like pretty much every FCS team would) and should put Texas Tech and Fordham away without many problems.

[youcanbankit]

A realist.....if anything, i tend to be too positive!
http://www.anygivensaturday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=25117&stc=1


I wonder if there's a name for someone who consistently thinks their team is going to be middle-of-the-pack? I think that'd be me...then again, that's kinda where we've been the last handful of years...usually behind NDSU, SDSU, Illinois State...sometimes YSU and UNI. Usually ahead of SIU, Indiana State, MSU, USD.

[cx500d]

Texas Tech is beatable, and it will be interesting to see what they have since their quarterback is gone. I bet Mike Leach is going for EWU...


There's always reason to be skeptical about continued success with coaching changes, but I don't think we'll know from non-con play. They'll struggle with your team (like pretty much every FCS team would) and should put Texas Tech and Fordham away without many problems.

[F'N Hawks]

Texas Tech is beatable, and it will be interesting to see what they have since their quarterback is gone. I bet Mike Leach is going for EWU...

When UND joins the MVFC you guys will see some major baggin. Slowly over the next three years expectations are going to slide.

UND is overrated now anyway.

[GodHelpTheBears]

Texas Tech is beatable, and it will be interesting to see what they have since their quarterback is gone. I bet Mike Leach is going for EWU...

I feel strongly that Texas Tech has a significant talent deficiency, and a rough schedule next season. I personally would be surprised if they win more than 2 games.

[Daytripper]

Texas Tech is beatable, and it will be interesting to see what they have since their quarterback is gone. I bet Mike Leach is going for EWU...

And Kliff Kingsbury is not a very good coach.

[Iridebikes]

Texas Tech is beatable, and it will be interesting to see what they have since their quarterback is gone. I bet Mike Leach is going for EWU...

A fair amount of love going to EWU after your comment (actually its more like Texas Tech disgust) and while I hope the EAGS can go down there and pick up a win, I'm not counting on it. Its tough to go on the road and beat someone in their stadium when they have 20 some odd more kids on scholarship. That's the battle that all FCS teams have when they play an FBS school, especially one out to a major conference. But that's the challenge and it sure is sweet when you get a victory against one of the "power five" schools.

[Schism55]

And Kliff Kingsbury is not a very good coach.
Not sure I'd go that far.
Gotta be nigh impossible to get good recruits there. Lubbock is an armpit.

[NorthChuckSouth]

Kennesaw State is in and we aren't?? C'mon now

[cx500d]

The chicks dig him.


And Kliff Kingsbury is not a very good coach.

- - - Updated - - -

Mike Leach did OK there.


Not sure I'd go that far.
Gotta be nigh impossible to get good recruits there. Lubbock is an armpit.

[Bucs2016]

Cant wait for Charleston Southern to prove the doubters wrong, again.

[Bucs2016]

Kennesaw State is in and we aren't?? C'mon now

Thats what I thought too. CSU is gonna prove many wrong. Coach Tucker brought this offense to CSU, not Chadwell. He was Chadwells coach at ETSU. Our defense front 7 is among top 5 in FCS. Recruiting has been great. We have 2 QBs who have started the past 2 years. We've had 3 RBs in a row break the last ones school record, we are a RB machine.

But I get it. Lost coaches so everyone assumes the run is over. Its not.

[citdog]

Thats what I thought too. CSU is gonna prove many wrong. Coach Tucker brought this offense to CSU, not Chadwell. He was Chadwells coach at ETSU. Our defense front 7 is among top 5 in FCS. Recruiting has been great. We have 2 QBs who have started the past 2 years. We've had 3 RBs in a row break the last ones school record, we are a RB machine.

But I get it. Lost coaches so everyone assumes the run is over. Its not.

I particularly like the fact that prior to the Playoffs last year y'all were all over Chadwell's nuts and thinking he was an East Tennessee White Trash Knute Rockne. Now.....Cheatwell didn't REALLY do much it was Tucker all along...

[clenz]

Cant wait for Charleston Southern to prove the doubters wrong, again.

Going to win more than 6 D1 games this year?

Nice.

[cx500d]

Going to win more than 6 D1 games this year?

Nice.

So a great year by uni standards....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Schism55]

Going to win more than 6 D1 games this year?

Nice.
Haha, beat me to it. Well played sir!

[clenz]

So a great year by uni standards....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Difference is UNI fans are telling people UNI shouldn't be ranked and are bad.

CSU fans have strong butt hurt over their ranking.

[Bucs2016]

I particularly like the fact that prior to the Playoffs last year y'all were all over Chadwell's nuts and thinking he was an East Tennessee White Trash Knute Rockne. Now.....Cheatwell didn't REALLY do much it was Tucker all along...

Not true at all. HE made the hires and did the recruiting. I compare him to an FCS Dabo Swinney. Made brilliant hires for his assistants and won big. That said, I do want to see what the new defensive staff is like. But on defense, talent matters so much more than schemes, whereas on offense its almost the opposite. We have talent on D. If the new DC just sticks with the basic schemes we have won with we'll be fine, especially against the triple option which we have dominated for 3 years.

Dont get me wrong. Chadwell was the best coach in our history. He brought in Tucker and our former DC Staggs. But with Tucker staying and our talent on D I dont see much dropoff if any coming. All of the new defensive guys have winning track records and great recruiting pedigree at D1 level.

[Bucs2016]

Difference is UNI fans are telling people UNI shouldn't be ranked and are bad.

CSU fans have strong butt hurt over their ranking.

Nah we are used to being disrespected. And with our humble history and pathetic resources its most times fair. But looking at our resume the last 3 years, if you wanna say we arent top 25 go for it, I can argue otherwise. But ranking fellow Big South member Kennesaw over us? Slap in the face.

[clenz]

Nah we are used to being disrespected. And with our humble history and pathetic resources its most times fair. But looking at our resume the last 3 years, if you wanna say we arent top 25 go for it, I can argue otherwise. But ranking fellow Big South member Kennesaw over us? Slap in the face.
Against D1 scholarship teams the last 3 years you are

6-4 - 0 top 25 wins
9-3 - 1 top 25 win
5-4 - 0 top 25 wins

Sure, that's over .500 at 20-11 but 1 top 25 win, 1 playoff win (your only top 25 win) and no "resume" win.

In non-Big South D1 scholarship games over the last three years CSU is

0-2
2-3 (one of the wins was a first year ETSU program so that barely...and I mean barely...counts as a scholarship win)
0-1 (Yeah, 2014 CSU played Point University, Newberry, Campbell and Georia OOC...wow. No wonder they had 8 wins)

2-6 against scholarship D1 programs outside of the Big South.

I mean..come on.

Meanwhile, over that same period UNI, against scholarship D1 teams went (one of the worst 3 year periods in UNI football history)
5-6 - FBS win
9-5 - 5 top 25 wins - 2 playoff wins
9-5 - 4 top 25 wins - 1 playoff win

23-16
Non-MVFC schedule scholarship D1 teams

1-2 - FBS win
4-1 - all 4 were top 25 wins
3-2

8-5

No one actually believes UNI is a top 25....hell 50....program going into this year. Yet their resume beats the living piss out of anything CSU has done. What's the bragging point from last year? "Oh, we played NDSU close."? So did UNI (actually lost by less, not that it really means much...a loss is still a loss).


CSU is probably a top 25 team simply because there aren't 25 teams worth ranking. There are maybe 15-17. After that it's a bunch of has been and never was programs trying to be an 1/8th of an inch taller than the program next to it.

[Bucs2016]

Against D1 scholarship teams the last 3 years you are

6-4 - 0 top 25 wins
9-3 - 1 top 25 win
5-4 - 0 top 25 wins

Sure, that's over .500 at 20-11 but 1 top 25 win, 1 playoff win (your only top 25 win) and no "resume" win.

In non-Big South D1 scholarship games over the last three years CSU is

0-2
2-3 (one of the wins was a first year ETSU program so that barely...and I mean barely...counts as a scholarship win)
0-1 (Yeah, 2014 CSU played Point University, Newberry, Campbell and Georia OOC...wow. No wonder they had 8 wins)

2-6 against scholarship D1 programs outside of the Big South.

I mean..come on.

Meanwhile, over that same period UNI, against scholarship D1 teams went (one of the worst 3 year periods in UNI football history)
5-6 - FBS win
9-5 - 5 top 25 wins - 2 playoff wins
9-5 - 4 top 25 wins - 1 playoff win

23-16
Non-MVFC schedule scholarship D1 teams

1-2 - FBS win
4-1 - all 4 were top 25 wins
3-2

8-5

No one actually believes UNI is a top 25....hell 50....program going into this year. Yet their resume beats the living piss out of anything CSU has done. What's the bragging point from last year? "Oh, we played NDSU close."? So did UNI (actually lost by less, not that it really means much...a loss is still a loss).


CSU is probably a top 25 team simply because there aren't 25 teams worth ranking. There are maybe 15-17. After that it's a bunch of has been and never was programs trying to be an 1/8th of an inch taller than the program next to it.

I'll keep it short.

1 top 25 win jn 3 years? You cite our 2015 playoff win over Citadel as that 1 win. Ummm...we played and beat them twice that season. So your numbers are immediately suspect because that would be 2. Also...wasnt Coastal ranked the 3 times we beat them? In fact, they were #1 in the nation in 2015 when we beat them. In 2014 we beat #17 Liberty. In 2016 Kennesaw State was ranked 22nd I believe when we beat them and Liberty was 25th when we beat them, they may have finished unranked because they ended season losing to us. I dont have all 3 years numbers handy, but yours obviously are off because off the top of my head I recall maybe 6 or so wins over ranked teams vs the 1 you credit to us.

Sorry. If you're gonna rip my team at least have your numbers in order. As for UNI I simply dont care. I care about teams down here that affect us. You guys could be 0-11 or 11-0 and I wouldnt care either way. I just felt Kennesaw shouldnt be at #25 over us.

[UNIFanSince1983]

At this point, I feel like all I know about UNI is:
1. new turf
2. do they have coaches in Cedar Falls?

Sounds about right.

At this point we are simply ranked because of our name recognition. Similar to how McNeese starts every season ranked.

Also it isn't sandbagging if you think your team will be bad and actually is...

[Daytripper]

Sounds about right.

At this point we are simply ranked because of our name recognition. Similar to how McNeese starts every season ranked.

Also it isn't sandbagging if you think your team will be bad and actually is...


^^^^^^^^^

[clenz]

Sounds about right.

At this point we are simply ranked because of our name recognition. Similar to how McNeese starts every season ranked.

Also it isn't sandbagging if you think your team will be bad and actually is...
What he said.

1. We do have new turf. The abomination that we had is now gone. Thank whatever higher being your believe exists! The new turf is ****ing dope. It looks like they are finishing up the Iowa outline by the end of the week (?)
1a. It's a good thing the turf looks dope, because the play on it won't.

https://twitter.com/sjsUNI/status/870007449872474112

2. We think we have coaches. We have 8 assistants listed on the website. They all have positions listed. However, there has been no official announcement from the program, or AD, on them. Of the 8 there are 5 new ones. Almost all of them came from losing programs....so...we're doing good (not that their programs are reflective of their coaching ability, of course).

I have a, we'll call it a hunch, that barring some miracle turn around this year we may see 9 new coaches on the roster next year.

[NorthChuckSouth]

I particularly like the fact that prior to the Playoffs last year y'all were all over Chadwell's nuts and thinking he was an East Tennessee White Trash Knute Rockne. Now.....Cheatwell didn't REALLY do much it was Tucker all along...

Put it this way - Chadwell got the players fired up each week with the weekly trophies and other tactics.. A lot of our success is due to him. I think if Tucker is able to get the emotional side of the of player we should be fine.

Realistically, my expectations are not as high as last year but I think we'll still be successful.

[Bucs2016]

Put it this way - Chadwell got the players fired up each week with the weekly trophies and other tactics.. A lot of our success is due to him. I think if Tucker is able to get the emotional side of the of player we should be fine.

Realistically, my expectations are not as high as last year but I think we'll still be successful.

Those 2 rings you have are great. I have a 2005 one. Ours was nowhere near as nice haha.

Im more optimistic about this season, if for no other reason than we ARE the favorite by default bc Coastal and Liberty are gone. The Big South will be quite weak this year so we should win it. Should make 3rd in a row playoff appearance. Kennesaw will be tough. GWU is never an easy game. But otherwise I see no reason if we win those 2 why we shouldnt be the favorite. Front 7. QBs. WRs. All very solid. Replace some DBs and plug a new RB and lets roll.

[GodHelpTheBears]

Sounds about right.

At this point we are simply ranked because of our name recognition. Similar to how McNeese starts every season ranked.

Also it isn't sandbagging if you think your team will be bad and actually is...

Shut the hell up, y'all won by 54 last year. You've been spoiled and don't know what actual bad football looks like.

[POD Knows]

Shut the hell up, y'all won by 54 last year. You've been spoiled and don't know what actual bad football looks like.Yes we do, we see it at least once a year.

[GodHelpTheBears]

Yes we do, we see it at least once a year.

So playing the Trees isn't as much fun as you'd like, we get it...

[Thumper 76]

I'll keep it short.

1 top 25 win jn 3 years? You cite our 2015 playoff win over Citadel as that 1 win. Ummm...we played and beat them twice that season. So your numbers are immediately suspect because that would be 2. Also...wasnt Coastal ranked the 3 times we beat them? In fact, they were #1 in the nation in 2015 when we beat them. In 2014 we beat #17 Liberty. In 2016 Kennesaw State was ranked 22nd I believe when we beat them and Liberty was 25th when we beat them, they may have finished unranked because they ended season losing to us. I dont have all 3 years numbers handy, but yours obviously are off because off the top of my head I recall maybe 6 or so wins over ranked teams vs the 1 you credit to us.

Sorry. If you're gonna rip my team at least have your numbers in order. As for UNI I simply dont care. I care about teams down here that affect us. You guys could be 0-11 or 11-0 and I wouldnt care either way. I just felt Kennesaw shouldnt be at #25 over us.
He's likely going off of how the teams finished the season, not the "at the time" rankings. There have been plenty of "big wins" for SDSU that ended up not being that big when it came to be playoff selection time cause the team actually sucked.

[Bucs2016]

He's likely going off of how the teams finished the season, not the "at the time" rankings. There have been plenty of "big wins" for SDSU that ended up not being that big when it came to be playoff selection time cause the team actually sucked.

Ok. Well in 2015 Coastal and Citadel made playoff and finished ranked, and we had 3 wins over those teams in that season. He said we had 1 ranked win in 3 years. We had at least 3 in 2015. Not sure how many others finished ranked those 3 years, but KSU and LU were ranked in final 2 weeks when we played them so if they didnt finish ranked its bc they ended season w a loss to us.

Dont mind him criticizing our team, just needs have his numbers right if he is.

[clenz]

Ok. Well in 2015 Coastal and Citadel made playoff and finished ranked, and we had 3 wins over those teams in that season. He said we had 1 ranked win in 3 years. We had at least 3 in 2015. Not sure how many others finished ranked those 3 years, but KSU and LU were ranked in final 2 weeks when we played them so if they didnt finish ranked its bc they ended season w a loss to us.

Dont mind him criticizing our team, just needs have his numbers right if he is.
There are a large number of posters you can criticize for lack of research and just throwing crap out there - I'm not one of them...

[Bucs2016]

There are a large number of posters you can criticize for lack of research and just throwing crap out there - I'm not one of them...

Ok. Im sure you arent. But your numbers on that one topic obviously werent accurate. Truce. No need to covfefe

[FormerPokeCenter]

May have to put together a Sandbag Top 10 soon.

Right now McNeese is the Alabama of Sandbaggers. Either wins it outright or is right there near the top year after year. Nice to see someone give em some competition.


How is it Sandbagging when we haven't had a playoff win since 2002?

I only ask because...well...I think that's relevant....

You guys think we're sandbagging, but most of the McNeese posters who frequent here understand when we're good and...more importantly...when we're NOT ;)

[McNeese72]

How is it Sandbagging when we haven't had a playoff win since 2002?

I only ask because...well...I think that's relevant....

You guys think we're sandbagging, but most of the McNeese posters who frequent here understand when we're good and...more importantly...when we're NOT ;)

It's hard to be sandbagging when there is nothing of value behind the sandbags. It might just be a long season this year. Anybody got any good spare offensive linemen??

Doc

[clenz]

It's hard to be sandbagging when there is nothing of value behind the sandbags. It might just be a long season this year. Anybody got any good spare offensive linemen??

Doc
Seconded.