CBS Sports Predictions

[appchicago]

If we start anywhere near there for the AP or coaches, there's a really good chance we roll into Chapel Hill as a top 25 team. If not, hopefully we roll out of there on our way to the top 25.

I highly doubt we climb into the top 25 with wins over ETSU and Charlotte (assuming we get those. no whammies no whammies.) followed by a week off. Last year, two G5 teams (UCF and Boise State) started out in the top 25. Boise State dropped out after a week 3 loss to Oklahoma State, leaving UCF as the lone G5 until week 7. (Unless I missed something. I just looked this up.) It took that long for USF and Cincinnati to climb into the rankings, and that was with P5 wins.

So by that measure, even if we do beat UNC, I wouldn't expect to jump into the rankings right away, necessarily.

[sixtoes9134]

I say if we are undefeated after the Louisiana game, it's highly likely we will sneak in early October.

[APPdiesel]

If we start anywhere near there for the AP or coaches, there's a really good chance we roll into Chapel Hill as a top 25 team. If not, hopefully we roll out of there on our way to the top 25.

I highly doubt we climb into the top 25 with wins over ETSU and Charlotte (assuming we get those. no whammies no whammies.) followed by a week off. Last year, two G5 teams (UCF and Boise State) started out in the top 25. Boise State dropped out after a week 3 loss to Oklahoma State, leaving UCF as the lone G5 until week 7. (Unless I missed something. I just looked this up.) It took that long for USF and Cincinnati to climb into the rankings, and that was with P5 wins.

So by that measure, even if we do beat UNC, I wouldn't expect to jump into the rankings right away, necessarily.

Maybe with some help from teams ahead of us. #19-25 teams that could lose in week 1: #22 Boise St (vs Florida State), #23 Utah (@ BYU), #24 Northwestern (@ Stanford). App could also inch up a little closer if #28 Auburn stumbles vs Oregon or #29 Cincinnati vs UCLA.

[Rick83]

We were getting a lot of respect from a quite a few AP voters at the end of last year. The coaching staff change is of course a big question mark. Finishing 26th last year should merit some decent looks earlier on I would think...

[BUTCH1991]

Just win

[bigdaddyg]

Dumb ranking. Fun to discuss but pointless. What exactly does our downward trend of 3 mean?

[AtlAppMan]

Dumb ranking. Fun to discuss but pointless. What exactly does our downward trend of 3 mean?

It means we are down 3 from their final poll last year. Probably fair since we have a lot returning but with a new coach. Why is that dumb?

[bigdaddyg]

Dumb ranking. Fun to discuss but pointless. What exactly does our downward trend of 3 mean?

It means we are down 3 from their final poll last year. Probably fair since we have a lot returning but with a new coach. Why is that dumb?

The rankings are dumb. Meaningless and arbitrary but whatever it’s fun to discuss

[Yosef84]

Exactly. Once you get past the top few teams, all pre-season ranking are dumb. Welcome to the off season. Sometimes even the top ones don't make sense.

[APPdiesel]

Exactly. Once you get past the top few teams, all pre-season ranking are dumb. Welcome to the off season. Sometimes even the top ones don't make sense.

We had Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel on last week and I asked the question "there are a lot of message board warriors who think pre-season rankers don't put any real work into the bottom half...care to dispel that rumor?" He said his research begins as soon as the national title game is played. Take that with a grain of salt if you wanna, but he assured me it's not just a throw darts and take a guess.

[AppStFan1]

If we start anywhere near there for the AP or coaches, there's a really good chance we roll into Chapel Hill as a top 25 team. If not, hopefully we roll out of there on our way to the top 25.

I highly doubt we climb into the top 25 with wins over ETSU and Charlotte (assuming we get those. no whammies no whammies.) followed by a week off. Last year, two G5 teams (UCF and Boise State) started out in the top 25. Boise State dropped out after a week 3 loss to Oklahoma State, leaving UCF as the lone G5 until week 7. (Unless I missed something. I just looked this up.) It took that long for USF and Cincinnati to climb into the rankings, and that was with P5 wins.

So by that measure, even if we do beat UNC, I wouldn't expect to jump into the rankings right away, necessarily.

Maybe with some help from teams ahead of us. #19-25 teams that could lose in week 1: #22 Boise St (vs Florida State), #23 Utah (@ BYU), #24 Northwestern (@ Stanford). App could also inch up a little closer if #28 Auburn stumbles vs Oregon or #29 Cincinnati vs UCLA.

I was about to respond to someone above until I saw this and I would say it depends on 3 things. Would have to believe that a combo of where we start, who loses in the 18-25 range, and our margin of victory (assuming we beat both ETSU and UNC) would dictate if we got in early. I just want to win and don't care where we are ranked until the end of the season. With that said, if we make it to 5-0 after Louisiana or 6-0 after Monroe for sure. I just hope our guys stay focused and ignore the polls.

[AtlAppMan]

If we start anywhere near there for the AP or coaches, there's a really good chance we roll into Chapel Hill as a top 25 team. If not, hopefully we roll out of there on our way to the top 25.

I highly doubt we climb into the top 25 with wins over ETSU and Charlotte (assuming we get those. no whammies no whammies.) followed by a week off. Last year, two G5 teams (UCF and Boise State) started out in the top 25. Boise State dropped out after a week 3 loss to Oklahoma State, leaving UCF as the lone G5 until week 7. (Unless I missed something. I just looked this up.) It took that long for USF and Cincinnati to climb into the rankings, and that was with P5 wins.

So by that measure, even if we do beat UNC, I wouldn't expect to jump into the rankings right away, necessarily.

Maybe with some help from teams ahead of us. #19-25 teams that could lose in week 1: #22 Boise St (vs Florida State), #23 Utah (@ BYU), #24 Northwestern (@ Stanford). App could also inch up a little closer if #28 Auburn stumbles vs Oregon or #29 Cincinnati vs UCLA.

I was about to respond to someone above until I saw this and I would say it depends on 3 things. Would have to believe that a combo of where we start, who loses in the 18-25 range, and our margin of victory (assuming we beat both ETSU and UNC) would dictate if we got in early. I just want to win and don't care where we are ranked until the end of the season. With that said, if we make it to 5-0 after Louisiana or 6-0 after Monroe for sure. I just hope our guys stay focused and ignore the polls.

Let's not be naive. The earlier we get into the poll the higher our ceiling. It IS important to crack in as quickly as possible. Yes, it does depend on who loses in front of us and how we win. The old belief that style points don't matter is no longer accurate. It does make a difference throughout the season and where we land at the end of the season.

[Black Saturday]

Very true. If we give a crap about where we rank and want to end up playing in the post season- if it is greater than conference affiliation-, style is important this season, when we "realistically" have an opportunity to win all the games on our schedule .

[AppStFan1]

If we start anywhere near there for the AP or coaches, there's a really good chance we roll into Chapel Hill as a top 25 team. If not, hopefully we roll out of there on our way to the top 25.

I highly doubt we climb into the top 25 with wins over ETSU and Charlotte (assuming we get those. no whammies no whammies.) followed by a week off. Last year, two G5 teams (UCF and Boise State) started out in the top 25. Boise State dropped out after a week 3 loss to Oklahoma State, leaving UCF as the lone G5 until week 7. (Unless I missed something. I just looked this up.) It took that long for USF and Cincinnati to climb into the rankings, and that was with P5 wins.

So by that measure, even if we do beat UNC, I wouldn't expect to jump into the rankings right away, necessarily.

Maybe with some help from teams ahead of us. #19-25 teams that could lose in week 1: #22 Boise St (vs Florida State), #23 Utah (@ BYU), #24 Northwestern (@ Stanford). App could also inch up a little closer if #28 Auburn stumbles vs Oregon or #29 Cincinnati vs UCLA.

I was about to respond to someone above until I saw this and I would say it depends on 3 things. Would have to believe that a combo of where we start, who loses in the 18-25 range, and our margin of victory (assuming we beat both ETSU and UNC) would dictate if we got in early. I just want to win and don't care where we are ranked until the end of the season. With that said, if we make it to 5-0 after Louisiana or 6-0 after Monroe for sure. I just hope our guys stay focused and ignore the polls.

Let's not be naive. The earlier we get into the poll the higher our ceiling. It IS important to crack in as quickly as possible. Yes, it does depend on who loses in front of us and how we win. The old belief that style points don't matter is no longer accurate. It does make a difference throughout the season and where we land at the end of the season.

I will gladly take that ranking in the preseason or any time they want to give it to us now because our team has been ranked so we should not be high on that ranking and get pounded this year. I'm saying I don't think we will or should be ranked before we go 5-0 but if we lose to UNC the only shot we have is winning every game after that and getting in after South Carolina. However, I don't see us doing better than 9-3 in regular season with a loss to UNC.

If a G5 team goes undefeated the difference in whether they go to a NY6 or finish top 15 can be heavily based on if they are ranked 20-27 or not receiving votes in the preseason.

One thing we can't control is how many teams ahead of us lose though and we will still need plenty of that. The only reason we snuck into the top 25 last year for a week was because of so many teams in the 18-27 range or so losing that allowed us to narrowly sneak in at 25. Had we started out around 20-25 in the preseason I think we probably finish ranked, even with the loss to GSU.