ESPN FBS tiers
Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2022 2:18 pm
https://www.espn.com/college-football/i ... 022-season
Tier 9: Plucky upstarts
"I can't promise I'll try, but I'll try to try."
Five teams: Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina, UCLA
Louisville QB Malik Cunningham is as electric as any player in the country. UNC's Josh Downs caught 101 balls last year. By leaving Nebraska, Adrian Martinez broke the curse put on him by the ghost of Bo Pelini, and he can finally blossom into a terrific player for Kansas State. Across the board, this tier is rollickingly fun. And yet, you can also count on them to completely collapse a few times a year. Don't ask too much, and you won't be disappointed.
Tier 10: The system is rigged
"Somehow I just never made it to the big time. ... Why not? ... Because I got knocked out 40 times in a row. That, and the politics. You know, it's all politics."
Eight teams: Air Force, Appalachian State, Army, Boise State, Coastal Carolina, Fresno State, San Diego State, UCF
Coastal Carolina went 11-2 last season. Its two losses came by a combined five points. It returns one of the nation's most prolific QBs in Grayson McCall. There's a reasonable path toward an undefeated season for the Chanticleers. App State has a schedule that mirrors Cincinnati's from 2021 with genuine tests against North Carolina and Texas A&M that, if they somehow won both, the Mountaineers would certainly be the talk of college football entering October. Air Force is favored to win every game it plays this season. This whole group represents some genuinely good teams from outside the Power 5, and yet, you can sum up their playoff chances as approximately zero. Why? Well, for one, any of them would likely lose to Alabama by 50. But also politics. It's all politics.
Tier 9: Plucky upstarts
"I can't promise I'll try, but I'll try to try."
Five teams: Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina, UCLA
Louisville QB Malik Cunningham is as electric as any player in the country. UNC's Josh Downs caught 101 balls last year. By leaving Nebraska, Adrian Martinez broke the curse put on him by the ghost of Bo Pelini, and he can finally blossom into a terrific player for Kansas State. Across the board, this tier is rollickingly fun. And yet, you can also count on them to completely collapse a few times a year. Don't ask too much, and you won't be disappointed.
Tier 10: The system is rigged
"Somehow I just never made it to the big time. ... Why not? ... Because I got knocked out 40 times in a row. That, and the politics. You know, it's all politics."
Eight teams: Air Force, Appalachian State, Army, Boise State, Coastal Carolina, Fresno State, San Diego State, UCF
Coastal Carolina went 11-2 last season. Its two losses came by a combined five points. It returns one of the nation's most prolific QBs in Grayson McCall. There's a reasonable path toward an undefeated season for the Chanticleers. App State has a schedule that mirrors Cincinnati's from 2021 with genuine tests against North Carolina and Texas A&M that, if they somehow won both, the Mountaineers would certainly be the talk of college football entering October. Air Force is favored to win every game it plays this season. This whole group represents some genuinely good teams from outside the Power 5, and yet, you can sum up their playoff chances as approximately zero. Why? Well, for one, any of them would likely lose to Alabama by 50. But also politics. It's all politics.