Why top 25 matters??? Unfortunately

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

This is the one conversation I think we always start too early......

I agree. We should be discussing the upcoming Wisconsin game.

[EastHallApp]

This is the one conversation I think we always start too early......

I literally started talking about this and the NY6 as we were walking out of the Superdome last December.

If we come up short, so be it. I'll be disappointed whether I talked about us having a great year or not. Might as well have some fun and dream big along the way.

[Rick83]

Just being ranked one week does not help much but most definitely if ranked consistently it helps. UCF is able to recruit against many P5s now because they have money and are ranked every week. That is where I want to be. Hopefully we can bring in more money and be ranked every week. It is time we start seeing some legit 4 star talent players show up in Boone!

Dude, we all want to be ranked every week! But, if we only get in a week or two that's better than not at all. Just enjoy the ride . Just because we want to get ranked sooner, rather than later, doesn't mean that we don't want to ranked every week, or make a NY6 bowl, or get invited to the AAC as you mentioned elsewhere...we all want that and we enjoy discussing how close we are to being ranked.
And for the umpteenth time, nothing we post on this board has any influence on our getting ranked or not ranked...

And I said before. Control what you can control. You just said nothing we post will effect one way or the other. I guess I feel like hey let's just post it when we are ranked instead of counting the votes and spending hours speculating what we need to get ranked. If we keep winning the fact is we will end up being ranked.

This isn't a job for me or any kind of work. Following App sports (specifically football) is about my biggest, and definitely most passionate, hobby that I've stayed active in. "speculating what we need to get ranked" is FUN for me and others. I choose to spend a significant amount of time thinking, posting, reading, and talking (to the annoyance of my family and friends at times) about App. This is an interest, a hobby, it's a fun thing.

Wish I could triple-like this post. Spot on for me too.

Thanks, and it just occurred to me that the more our program progresses, the more I end up spending, like a long weekend in New Orleans last December. I've already informed my family that if we get invited to a NY6 bowl, that we're packing our bags and going. They asked where the game would be, I replied; "it doesn't matter."

[AppStFan1]

Interesting activity for those who like to debate the top 25. Take an hour and look at the resumes of all the teams in the top 40 of Massey and Sagarin and add anyone receiving votes or ranked in just the AP or Coaches Poll.

One reason our lines have been what they are is that none of them think we are top 25. We likely would have been a 25 point favorite over CCU if they thought we were.

Where would we fall based purely on the resume and how good the teams are played? Our SOS is 142 according to vegas style ones. I just did it this morning for the first time this year and I had us at 34th.

[Appstate88]

Any 4-0 team that is #57 in team offense + #95 in team defense does not equal = Top 25 ranking IMO.

Just win Apps 1-0

[WASU 93]

Any 4-0 team that is #57 in team offense + #95 in team defense does not equal = Top 25 ranking IMO.

Just win Apps 1-0

But, we do have the nation's 3rd longest win streak (Behind Clemson and Ohio State)

We are #7 in Scoring Offense, 23rd in Rushing Offense, 21 in Passing Efficiency, Tied for 1st in Fumbles Lost (Zero), Tied for 15th in Red Zone Efficiency BUT, #109 in Time of Possession. So, effectively, we score quickly, score often, score when we should, and put our defense on the field for a long time. Of the other Top 25 Rushing Teams, only Central Florida and UCF are ranked 90th or worse in Time of Possession.

We are Tied for 13th in Turnover Margin.

Special Teams--We are Tied for 1st Nationally in Blocked Kicks, 6th in Kickoff Returns, 16th in Net Punting, 11th in Punt Returns AND Tied for 1st in the Nation in Punt Return Defense (-9 Yards allowed for the season). Other than a couple of long KO returns allowed to Carolina and Charlotte, we are seeing STELLAR SPECIAL TEAMS PLAY.

Defensively, our bright spots are T4 in Defensive TD's and T34 in Tackles for Loss.

Where we are struggling is 95th in Team Defense (as you mentioned), 79th in Third Down Efficiency Defense--allowing 39.3% of Third Downs to be converted, 110 in Fourth Down Efficiency Defense--allowing 71.4% and unlike previous years, we are #117 in Red Zone Percentage Allowed--Allowing 13 scores, including 11 TD's in 14 Opponent Visits in the Red Zone.

We have also given up 10 First Downs via penalty (which is 14th worst in the nation)

Essentially, we are winning 2 of the 3 phases of the game handily. However, our quick strike, efficient offense is putting our defense on the field for most of the game. And, when the defense is on the field, if it can't produce a turnover, it struggles to get off the field. Our former, "bend, but don't break defense" is now Swiss cheese in the Red Zone.

PS--This again what a masterful job Coach Drink did at Kenan, by taking the air out of the ball and milking the clock over the final 16+ minutes.

Also, if our Defense improves, we are easily Top 25 material.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

Any 4-0 team that is #57 in team offense + #95 in team defense does not equal = Top 25 ranking IMO.

Just win Apps 1-0

But, we do have the nation's 3rd longest win streak (Behind Clemson and Ohio State)

We are #7 in Scoring Offense, 23rd in Rushing Offense, 21 in Passing Efficiency, Tied for 1st in Fumbles Lost (Zero), Tied for 15th in Red Zone Efficiency BUT, #109 in Time of Possession. So, effectively, we score quickly, score often, score when we should, and put our defense on the field for a long time. Of the other Top 25 Rushing Teams, only Central Florida and UCF are ranked 90th or worse in Time of Possession.

We are Tied for 13th in Turnover Margin.

Special Teams--We are Tied for 1st Nationally in Blocked Kicks, 6th in Kickoff Returns, 16th in Net Punting, 11th in Punt Returns AND Tied for 1st in the Nation in Punt Return Defense (-9 Yards allowed for the season). Other than a couple of long KO returns allowed to Carolina and Charlotte, we are seeing STELLAR SPECIAL TEAMS PLAY.

Defensively, our bright spots are T4 in Defensive TD's and T34 in Tackles for Loss.

Where we are struggling is 95th in Team Defense (as you mentioned), 79th in Third Down Efficiency Defense--allowing 39.3% of Third Downs to be converted, 110 in Fourth Down Efficiency Defense--allowing 71.4% and unlike previous years, we are #117 in Red Zone Percentage Allowed--Allowing 13 scores, including 11 TD's in 14 Opponent Visits in the Red Zone.

We have also given up 10 First Downs via penalty (which is 14th worst in the nation)

Essentially, we are winning 2 of the 3 phases of the game handily. However, our quick strike, efficient offense is putting our defense on the field for most of the game. And, when the defense is on the field, if it can't produce a turnover, it struggles to get off the field. Our former, "bend, but don't break defense" is now Swiss cheese in the Red Zone.

PS--This again what a masterful job Coach Drink did at Kenan, by taking the air out of the ball and milking the clock over the final 16+ minutes.

Also, if our Defense improves, we are easily Top 25 material.

I’ve been thinking of commenting along the lines of our defense suffering from the short time of possession. Satterfield has a heavier run approach which helped rest the defense. Our guys are not getting the needed rest for our style of defense to be as effective as years past.

[BeauFoster]

I’ve been thinking of commenting along the lines of our defense suffering from the short time of possession. Satterfield has a heavier run approach which helped rest the defense. Our guys are not getting the needed rest for our style of defense to be as effective as years past.

Not only the rest part, but the same goes for adjustments. Offensive drives are so short sometimes that when the d comes off, they barely have time to take a seat and get some fluids, much less provide feedback to coaches and receive the adjustments.

Don't get me wrong-it's a good problem to have. And I suspect as the players continue to gain comfort in the system, it will be easier to make adjustments on the fly. But it's definitely something to think about as a contributing factor.

[AppinATL]

It's better to have been ranked and lost than to have never been ranked at all.

True. Even with our ever-so-brief moment at the 25 spot last year, i have heard us referred to many times in the media as “top 25 program,” even now. If you can get in there and stay for awhile, it can do wonders for our national recognition.

[Appstate88]

Win by 14 or more... we will be ranked.

[t4pizza]

Much like last year, I think our ranking will be more dependent on the number of teams ahead of us that lose and can fall out of the top 25 as opposed to how much our margin of victories are. As long as we keep winning, eventually enough other teams will fall out and open up a space for us to move into the Top 25. Hopefully at some point in the near future, we will have a similar reputation as Boise State and UCF have built and be able to get ranked earlier and based more on our own play versus other teams ahead of us losing.

[T-Dog]

Deserves has nothing to do with Top 25 rankings. Poll voters are human and almost all of them don't watch our games. Twitter users had a role in getting App ranked last season. And as long as App wins, it's all good.

It's a great thing for the program. Every App fan should be trying to do this, even if you believe App shouldn't be ranked. Eventually, teams that stick around like Boise are just ranked because of name value.