Way too early top 25

[AppStFan1]

A win at Wisconsin would be the second best win ever for our program. I expect to be a double digit dog.

A win at Wisconsin would be a big deal. My primary question is who backs up Jonathon Taylor? If Wisconsin is like Penn State and just piles guys in one after another, it could get interesting. With Wisconsin's under center style of ground and pound depth is going to be of paramount importance across the entire front 7. I'd like to be wrong but this seems like a very poor match-up for App's style of defense.

They probably aren't as good as Taylor but I'm sure they are pretty good. One of our own, John Settle, is the RB coach and knows how to pick good backs. He develops them well, too.

[ericsaid]

A win at Wisconsin would be the second best win ever for our program. I expect to be a double digit dog.

A win at Wisconsin would be a big deal. My primary question is who backs up Jonathon Taylor? If Wisconsin is like Penn State and just piles guys in one after another, it could get interesting. With Wisconsin's under center style of ground and pound depth is going to be of paramount importance across the entire front 7. I'd like to be wrong but this seems like a very poor match-up for App's style of defense.

They probably aren't as good as Taylor but I'm sure they are pretty good. One of our own, John Settle, is the RB coach and knows how to pick good backs. He develops them well, too.

There is one commonality working here for us. App performs well against the Big 10, apparently. Wisconsin will be coming off of a Rose Bowl appearance and Big 10 Championship loss, looking to still get over that hump with a coach that can get them to the cusp of great but not over, a la Lloyd Carr in the 2000's.

Predicting a win here for App.

[Black Saturday]

A win at Wisconsin would be the second best win ever for our program. I expect to be a double digit dog.

A win at Wisconsin would be a big deal. My primary question is who backs up Jonathon Taylor? If Wisconsin is like Penn State and just piles guys in one after another, it could get interesting. With Wisconsin's under center style of ground and pound depth is going to be of paramount importance across the entire front 7. I'd like to be wrong but this seems like a very poor match-up for App's style of defense.

They probably aren't as good as Taylor but I'm sure they are pretty good. One of our own, John Settle, is the RB coach and knows how to pick good backs. He develops them well, too.

There is one commonality working here for us. App performs well against the Big 10, apparently. Wisconsin will be coming off of a Rose Bowl appearance and Big 10 Championship loss, looking to still get over that hump with a coach that can get them to the cusp of great but not over, a la Lloyd Carr in the 2000's.

Predicting a win here for App.

Didn't B1G Michigan curb stomp us a few years before we played Penn State close? I hope we win too.

[Overcashed]

Didn't B1G Michigan curb stomp us a few years before we played Penn State close? I hope we win too.

That was literally our first game in FBS against a school actively seeking revenge. Aside from that game and the Miami game where we just decided to not show up we have played very well against P5 competition.

[ericsaid]

A win at Wisconsin would be the second best win ever for our program. I expect to be a double digit dog.

A win at Wisconsin would be a big deal. My primary question is who backs up Jonathon Taylor? If Wisconsin is like Penn State and just piles guys in one after another, it could get interesting. With Wisconsin's under center style of ground and pound depth is going to be of paramount importance across the entire front 7. I'd like to be wrong but this seems like a very poor match-up for App's style of defense.

They probably aren't as good as Taylor but I'm sure they are pretty good. One of our own, John Settle, is the RB coach and knows how to pick good backs. He develops them well, too.

There is one commonality working here for us. App performs well against the Big 10, apparently. Wisconsin will be coming off of a Rose Bowl appearance and Big 10 Championship loss, looking to still get over that hump with a coach that can get them to the cusp of great but not over, a la Lloyd Carr in the 2000's.

Predicting a win here for App.

Didn't B1G Michigan curb stomp us a few years before we played Penn State close? I hope we win too.

Transition year, doesn't count.

[EastHallApp]

#21 Navy about to beat K-State; could be close between us and them in the final poll.

[hapapp]

#21 Navy about to beat K-State; could be close between us and them in the final poll.

I anticipate that they will.

[AppStFan1]

#21 Navy about to beat K-State; could be close between us and them in the final poll.

I anticipate that they will.

Glad for Navy to get the win. It was a really good game!

[spacemonkey]

Texas is going to as well.

[EastHallApp]

Texas is going to as well.

Nah. Texas isn’t going from zero votes to the top 20.

[savoyspecial21]

People get on the kick of knocking or criticizing the AP voters and go nuts because "they don't watch the games". Who on earth watches every single game every week? Do we honestly expect every writer/voter to have an absolute knowledge of App and every other team? Voting is absolutely subjective. We will never really achieve a top 10 ranking even at 14-0. Even if we run the table next year we will have 6-8 wins against losing teams to include most of our conference opponents. The reality is that there probably will be several very good P5 teams who go 8-4 in the regular season but are still at least as good as we will be. Personally I am fine with us showing up in the top 25 of any ranking. Just to see our name listed among the blue bloods and national powers is really cool. If a ranking of 20 or so at any season's end is our watermark that is pretty damn nice.

Because of the credibility that is slowly building as a perennial Top 30 program, and coming off a 13-1 record, if they go undefeated next year, they will absolutely finish in the Top 15, zero doubt. With the Top 10 within reach depending on what kind of seasons Wisconsin and Wake gave.

Of course these are some Howard's Knob sized "if's."

[ah59396]

Texas is going to as well.

Nah. Texas isn’t going from zero votes to the top 20.

Pollsters love the Longhorns. I wouldn’t be shocked if they are at least ranked.

Alternatively, was there a more overrated team than Utah this year??? Everyone good they played, they lost to. Their best wins were against 8-5 ASU & UW. And they were a playoff hopeful going into conference championship weekend. Getting that P5 bump for sure.

[AppStFan1]

Texas is going to as well.

Nah. Texas isn’t going from zero votes to the top 20.

Pollsters love the Longhorns. I wouldn’t be shocked if they are at least ranked.

Alternatively, was there a more overrated team than Utah this year??? Everyone good they played, they lost to. Their best wins were against 8-5 ASU & UW. And they were a playoff hopeful going into conference championship weekend. Getting that P5 bump for sure.

I am thinking the Pac-12 is a very weak conference when you are talking CFP. They don't have anyone who should be considered in the top 5 for sure and I would barely put Oregon in the top 9-11. Utah should be around 17-20 and then Washington should be ranked just ahead of Boise at the bottom of the top 25.

Texas should be ranked ahead of Utah. That much we know for sure. So if Texas should not be top 20 then Utah better fall behind App, Memphis, Iowa, etc.

[bigdaddyg]

Back during our FCS Championship runs I often looked at the existing G5 conferences and felt that our squads (at that scholarship and division level) could easily compete with many of those schools- MAC, CUSA, etc. Maybe not be at the top but certainly 7-5 or 8-4 type records. Some folks countered with a lack of the same depth and that injuries against better and bigger guys could derail us later in the season- maybe. That being said I’m convinced that our program as it stands now could slug it out with plenty of the current P5’s and had we been slotted in 10 or so other bowls this year we would have won. I fully believe we are top 20 worthy and should have legit top 25 ranking next year.

[AppStFan1]

Back during our FCS Championship runs I often looked at the existing G5 conferences and felt that our squads (at that scholarship and division level) could easily compete with many of those schools- MAC, CUSA, etc. Maybe not be at the top but certainly 7-5 or 8-4 type records. Some folks countered with a lack of the same depth and that injuries against better and bigger guys could derail us later in the season- maybe. That being said I’m convinced that our program as it stands now could slug it out with plenty of the current P5’s and had we been slotted in 10 or so other bowls this year we would have won. I fully believe we are top 20 worthy and should have legit top 25 ranking next year.

The big difference is scholarships when FCS plays FBS so while we had talent on the field we were very thin in terms of backups who could truly do well against a FBS team. Like NDSU now, I think we could have beaten several of them but we could not have taken many injuries. Had we lost 2-3 key players on one side of the ball we would be in trouble. If Brian Quick had gone down that would have been a huge setback. Now, we lose Sutton, who is comparable, and did not really see one because we have so many weapons.

I'm with you that we could beat several P5 teams but taking that pounding with our current roster week in and week out would have been tough if we faced injuries. I feel like games against Washington, Iowa, Iowa State, USC, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, etc. would be very tough for us but I feel like going in we could certainly play with those teams.

For example, Tennessee beat UAB 30-3 and we beat them 31-17. I feel like we need some more players with the talent of Gaither, Fehr, Thomas, Sutton, Malik Williams, Cooper Hodges, etc. Texas A&M beat South Carolina 30-6 and we got lucky to beat them 20-15 after a horrible second half. Good P5 teams don't have a bad half like that against a G5 team or 4-win P5 team. That is something we have to clean up and improve on next year.

[ah59396]

So as far as end of season ranking is concerned:


#25 Oklahoma State - L
#24 Virginia - L
#23 Navy - W (P5 win)
#22 USC - L
#21 Cincinnati - ? (Boston College)
#20 App State - W
#19 Boise State - L (Blowout)
#18 Minnesota - Tied with Auburn
#17 Memphis - L
#16 Iowa - W
#15 Notre Dame -W
#14 Michigan - ?
#13 Alabama - ?
#12 Auburn - Tied with Minnesota
#11 Utah - L (Blowout)
#10 Penn State - W

I think it’s possible but unlikely that Cincy or Navy leap us. So I’m going to say neither do.

I think Michigan and Minnesota will lose. I’m confident we’d jump Minnesota and we have an outside shot of jumping Michigan if Alabama hammers them.

We definitely jump Boise, Memphis and frankly I think Utah falls far enough that we have a shot at leaping them.

If everything goes as noted above, we’d finish 15th in the nation. Pretty unbelievable. Fingers crossed.

[hapapp]

So as far as end of season ranking is concerned:


#25 Oklahoma State - L
#24 Virginia - L
#23 Navy - W (P5 win)
#22 USC - L
#21 Cincinnati - ? (Boston College)
#20 App State - W
#19 Boise State - L (Blowout)
#18 Minnesota - Tied with Auburn
#17 Memphis - L
#16 Iowa - W
#15 Notre Dame -W
#14 Michigan - ?
#13 Alabama - ?
#12 Auburn - Tied with Minnesota
#11 Utah - L (Blowout)
#10 Penn State - W

I think it’s possible but unlikely that Cincy or Navy leap us. So I’m going to say neither do.

I think Michigan and Minnesota will lose. I’m confident we’d jump Minnesota and we have an outside shot of jumping Michigan if Alabama hammers them.

We definitely jump Boise, Memphis and frankly I think Utah falls far enough that we have a shot at leaping them.

If everything goes as noted above, we’d finish 15th in the nation. Pretty unbelievable. Fingers crossed.

So far, neither Minnesota nor Michigan are cooperating.

[AppStFan1]

So as far as end of season ranking is concerned:


#25 Oklahoma State - L
#24 Virginia - L
#23 Navy - W (P5 win)
#22 USC - L
#21 Cincinnati - ? (Boston College)
#20 App State - W
#19 Boise State - L (Blowout)
#18 Minnesota - Tied with Auburn
#17 Memphis - L
#16 Iowa - W
#15 Notre Dame -W
#14 Michigan - ?
#13 Alabama - ?
#12 Auburn - Tied with Minnesota
#11 Utah - L (Blowout)
#10 Penn State - W

I think it’s possible but unlikely that Cincy or Navy leap us. So I’m going to say neither do.

I think Michigan and Minnesota will lose. I’m confident we’d jump Minnesota and we have an outside shot of jumping Michigan if Alabama hammers them.

We definitely jump Boise, Memphis and frankly I think Utah falls far enough that we have a shot at leaping them.

If everything goes as noted above, we’d finish 15th in the nation. Pretty unbelievable. Fingers crossed.

I don't see voters putting us that high, even if that stuff happened. I would guess 17 or 18 but with Michigan losing by double digits we could pass them for sure. I don't think we should but it could happen.

It would look great to be ranked 15 but I think we all know that we are not a top 15 team right now. I feel like 19-20 is about where we belong. We played the weakest team of anyone in the top 25 and only won by 14.

[EastHallApp]

So as far as end of season ranking is concerned:


#25 Oklahoma State - L
#24 Virginia - L
#23 Navy - W (P5 win)
#22 USC - L
#21 Cincinnati - ? (Boston College)
#20 App State - W
#19 Boise State - L (Blowout)
#18 Minnesota - Tied with Auburn
#17 Memphis - L
#16 Iowa - W
#15 Notre Dame -W
#14 Michigan - ?
#13 Alabama - ?
#12 Auburn - Tied with Minnesota
#11 Utah - L (Blowout)
#10 Penn State - W

I think it’s possible but unlikely that Cincy or Navy leap us. So I’m going to say neither do.

I think Michigan and Minnesota will lose. I’m confident we’d jump Minnesota and we have an outside shot of jumping Michigan if Alabama hammers them.

We definitely jump Boise, Memphis and frankly I think Utah falls far enough that we have a shot at leaping them.

If everything goes as noted above, we’d finish 15th in the nation. Pretty unbelievable. Fingers crossed.

Remember those are CFP rankings you’re using, but they don’t do a postseason poll. So AP is probably more relevant, and Navy is 21 there.

Also Memphis is 15, so that makes it a bit more questionable whether we jump them.

OTOH Michigan is 17, so good chance we could pass them if they lose and it’s not an absolute nail biter.

[AppStFan1]

So as far as end of season ranking is concerned:


#25 Oklahoma State - L
#24 Virginia - L
#23 Navy - W (P5 win)
#22 USC - L
#21 Cincinnati - ? (Boston College)
#20 App State - W
#19 Boise State - L (Blowout)
#18 Minnesota - Tied with Auburn
#17 Memphis - L
#16 Iowa - W
#15 Notre Dame -W
#14 Michigan - ?
#13 Alabama - ?
#12 Auburn - Tied with Minnesota
#11 Utah - L (Blowout)
#10 Penn State - W

I think it’s possible but unlikely that Cincy or Navy leap us. So I’m going to say neither do.

I think Michigan and Minnesota will lose. I’m confident we’d jump Minnesota and we have an outside shot of jumping Michigan if Alabama hammers them.

We definitely jump Boise, Memphis and frankly I think Utah falls far enough that we have a shot at leaping them.

If everything goes as noted above, we’d finish 15th in the nation. Pretty unbelievable. Fingers crossed.

Remember those are CFP rankings you’re using, but they don’t do a postseason poll. So AP is probably more relevant, and Navy is 21 there.

Also Memphis is 15, so that makes it a bit more questionable whether we jump them.

OTOH Michigan is 17, so good chance we could pass them if they lose and it’s not an absolute nail biter.

Michigan is a very close game. I think we all know Alabama would beat us by 25+ so if they lose by 5-12 I don't see how they would deserve to drop that far. Alabama falling out of the top 10 was a joke. Their backup QB comes in and they are still close to as good as without them. LSU clobbers Oklahoma and barely beats Alabama. We are at a point where you can't just slot teams down when they lose. If you are 15 and play a top 10 team within a few points you should not drop like you should if you are playing an unranked team.

Here are the final polls last year with their movement: https://www.espn.com/college-football/r ... asontype/3

Based on how those went we can for sure say USC and Oklahoma State are dropping out but no clue how to rank the rest. There are going to be cases where a ranked team loses and does not drop possibly. I think you can only vault a team way up if they pull an upset over a ranked team or beat the crap out of someone. I feel like if we had beat UAB by 30 then we could have moved up to 15-16. My guess is we may end up 16-17 but that feels so high. It sure looks good though and should help in recruiting.

Here is the big movement last year. Utah State clobbered North Texas and re-entered, Northwestern and Iowa were RV and beat a ranked team and they moved in. That tells me Texas A&M and Washington have a good shot and both should be ranked. Cincy moved in after beating a P5 ACC team who had been RV.