ESPN Way Too Early Rankings Are Out
1 Bama
2 Clemson
3 OSU
4 OU
5 UGA
6 Wisco
7 Miami
8 Washington
9 MSU
11 PSU
13 Michigan
18 Stanford
20 Notre Dame
25 South Carolina
MSU at 9 is a bit surprising but they only lose 3 key players apparently and return 10 on offense, 9 on defense and 2 STs.
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/21902794/alabama-crimso…
January 9th, 2018 at 6:34 PM ^
This was our least meaningful game of the season and plenty of people said that before the game. The only thing of interest was really Peters, who disappointed. The outcome was 100% irrelevant. Of any loss in Harbaugh's time, this was the one I cared least about followed by FSU last year. Bowl games just don't matter with the playoffs. In fact it's your age that probably makes you care about an Outback bowl game on the same day as the playoffs.
January 9th, 2018 at 7:34 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 8:34 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 9:08 PM ^
If the coaches bring in recruits and say, Son, we are the reigning Outback Champs, what kind of players are you going to get? Not the ones who who get fired up when you smash a runner up trophy.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:50 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 4:59 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 5:22 PM ^
so that's a more legitimate excuse. Other than fumble recoveries, the TOs in that game were 100% our fault and the result of us not being good. So yeah, it's a terrible excuse.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:34 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 6:10 PM ^
Reread the last sentence. Should answer your question.
January 9th, 2018 at 6:23 PM ^
I don't had a strong stake in either side of the debate, but one could argue that a variable like rain can increase a game's randomness, and that kind of variation charger is expected to favor the underdog, as underdogs tend to require "bounces to go their way" to complete upset bids and weather-induced randomness is all about increasing the n of "bounces."
Of course, I am excluding the possibility that one team can be intrinsically more adept at playing in bad weather conditions than they are to play in good weather conditions. However, which that take is tenuous, which is why it's not my go-to, it is entirely plausible.
January 9th, 2018 at 7:59 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 5:26 PM ^
I agree with you if it's about this year. We were 8-5, period. I agree with that.
When we're looking at next year, it's a factor though. Youngest team in the country was 8-5, that means we're probably on the right track. Deeper analysis gives more indication of that
January 9th, 2018 at 5:53 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 4:20 PM ^
Maybe a bit high for Michigan, but totally reasonable. I'm a little surprised Washington is ranked as high, but I guess someone from the Pac-12 has to be really good. WVU as #10 seems like fool's gold as well. And OU at #4 seems high as well.
On the other hand, VT is going to be better than people give them credit for, and are a legit competitor to win the ACC.
January 9th, 2018 at 6:12 PM ^
PAC 12 sucked top to bottom this year. USC, WSU, Stanford and Washington were the best of the conference and they mostly got destroyed in their bowl games. USC was at least competitive in theirs and Stanford blew a huge lead against TCU.
January 9th, 2018 at 9:53 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 4:20 PM ^
Hoping ND is top 15. Top 15 match up to kick off the year.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:25 PM ^
No chance. Notre Dame always starts out the year lowly ranked.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:31 PM ^
lost their defensive coorodinator, most of their o line, best WR, starting RB and Brian Kelly still coaches there.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:58 PM ^
Do we have any ND fans on this board that are familiar with what they are losing.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:23 PM ^
easy to find the underclassmen that have declared, easy to find the depth chart for seniors.
January 9th, 2018 at 6:24 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 4:21 PM ^
@Occam - - - I am more surprised to see UM ranked in the top 15 than I am to see MSU ranked in the top 10.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:22 PM ^
Michigan @13 is too high IMO, but optimism isn't a bad thing I guess
January 9th, 2018 at 4:25 PM ^
Michigan is ranked a bit too high and I would prefer ND ranked ahead of us prior to our matchup; would be nice to play with a chip on our shoulder. Not sure how much more chips on the shoulder we need given:
a) our last matchup with ND
b) how ND played us in scheduling (would much rather play a rebuilding Arkansas than a resurgent ND)
c) the 2017 season...
January 9th, 2018 at 4:28 PM ^
Re B: I was thinking the same during/after the South Carolina game. I'd feel much better about 2018 with Arkansas on the schedule as opposed to Notre Dame.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:52 PM ^
But good coaches like Harbaugh always have a way to convince the team they're the underdog and they are going to lose if they don't bring it to that game
January 9th, 2018 at 4:27 PM ^
Wow, 13? That's really high considering how poorly our season ended and how basically the entire offense is a question mark. I'm guessing a big part of it is due to a lot of respect being thrown Don Brown's way for losing 10 starters and still fielding an elite defense with a bunch of RS freshmen and sophomores. Losing Hurst will hurt, but apart from him and McCray everyone is coming back.
If Harbaugh can make the offense even just average next year....just good enough to where it doesn't constantly make stupid mistakes, can improve week by week, and can stop getting its own way....that's good enough to contend for the conference. That was what we had in 2016 and we came within one inch of going to Indy.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:32 PM ^
MSU will finish unranked as they will not have the element of surprise and the weather won't and the same next year to get through games.
PSU is about right, however will finish 8-4.
OSU will lose in Arlington to TCU, will drop 2 in conference as well. The collapse Urban had a Florida will begin in Columbus next season.
Wisconsin, will be Wisconsin
January 9th, 2018 at 4:35 PM ^
Seriously? One of the top D's in the country? And the O will get at least marginally better.
If we don't get Shea approved for next year, still, people keep forgetting that Peters was playing decently and improving before the Outback Bowl. Clearly the concussion affected his development.
13 seems about right to me
January 9th, 2018 at 5:09 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 5:28 PM ^
he had training wheels on against some terrible opponents, and looked like just a guy, maintained that for the half of the Wisconsin game he played and the first half of the bowl game, then when asked to actually do something in the second half of the bowl game, he wasn't very good.
It became obvious why he wasn't playing over JOK earlier in the season.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:29 PM ^
But he's a RS freshman and he just hasn't played that much.
He was before the concussion hitting way more open receivers than Speight or O'Korn.
He was way worse in the Bowl. I'm not saying he was still concussed, but I am thinking the concussion set him back in preparation.
I think Patterson would be great for Peters if he can play because otherwise Peters is going to have huge pressure this year
January 9th, 2018 at 6:10 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 5:42 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 4:36 PM ^
I wish you were right about OSU, but I think they will be really good in 2018. From the small sample we saw of Haskins this season, it looks like their passing game will be much improved. Sadly, next year's offense will look more like 2nd half Alabama, and less like first half Alabama.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:51 PM ^
From the small sample of JoK we got, he was Tom Brady...except not.
Lets see Haskins through n>1 game.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:32 PM ^
That's also not the only data point. Haskins was a near 5-star out of high school. John O'Korn was an AAC player out of high school that was benched at said AAC school and then transferred to Michigan when Harbaugh was looking for any available QB. JOK's one good game against Purdue was an aberration when viewed in context with all other data on him; Haskins's one game was not an aberration.
January 19th, 2018 at 3:17 PM ^
This makes no sense. Your arguments talk about stars etc rather than field performance. Both had 1 game where they looked good. Lets see more data before crowning him Brady.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:04 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 5:43 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 9:21 PM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 9:33 PM ^
If Cam Newton wasn't an idiot there's a high probability that Urban would have won another championship at Florida.
All things considered, if winning 2 national championships and thengoing 8-5 after replacing Tim Tebow (and Percy Harvin) with John Brantley instead Cam Newton is considered a collapse, then... sign me up.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:32 PM ^
MSU at #9 is too high. They enjoyed a bit of fools' gold this year. The +5 turnover game versus Michigan they won by 4, the Penn St game with a 3 hour rain delay they eaked, blowouts in 2 of their 3 losses. I think they'll retun to 8-4 next year.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:58 PM ^
Eh I think they'll be good. Lewerke and Felton Davis are going to be really good. Lewerke has shown the ability to make plays with his feet, which is almost a must-have now in CFB.
Their defense will be really good again.
Like most teams, their season will depend on how well their OL performs (they lose their center, Brian Allen).
They really don't lose much on either side of the ball, so I think they'll be better next year than they were this year.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:39 PM ^
something to build on for 2018
Shea Patterson/Brandon Petters /Dylan McCaff make up for a nice QB tandem
Love the D that returns
Good times!
Go Blue!
January 9th, 2018 at 4:52 PM ^
Just to be "that" guy:
Locking in "Petters" and the inability to finish typing the 3rd QB's name "Dylan McCaff(rey).
Now to add my too sense:
The QB battle between Patterson, Peters, and McCaffrey will yield a much better on-field product than the battle between (an injured/PTSD) Speight, O'Korn, and (a raw) Peters.
January 9th, 2018 at 5:00 PM ^
HA, PTSD Speight!
Pretty sure after Shea's transfer here was reported about 3/4ths of the forum said Peters would be the starter next year. He still can be, but its amazing how fast this fan base can turn on you. I still think Shea looks to be the best QB on the roster, but Brandon Peters can play. Shea is just punched from the mold that CFB greatness is made from.
That being said I think I'm probably more excited about what could be on the OL with the guys we had reshirt this year. Just never seemed like the right side of the line played well this year.