Lindy's pre-season top 25

[kocurt]

1. USC (right on)
2. Texas (too high)
3. LSU (should be 2)
4. Wisconsin (too high by about 10)
5. West Virginia (bout right)
6. Florida (too low)
7. Oklahoma (too high with no QB)
8. Michigan (eeehhhhhh)
9. Virginia Tech (too high)
10. Rutgers (not a believer...yet)
11. Cal 9too low)
12. tOSU
13. Louisville (this low with Brohm back?!)
14. UCLA (huh)
15. Georgia Tech
16. Georgia (too low)
17. Penn State
18. Nebraska
19. Hawaii (ranked with THAT schedule!?!?)
20. Tennessee
21. Auburn
22. Oregon State
23. Texas A&M (these guys just keep getting ranked. why!?)
24. Miami
25. TCU

Whatcha think?

[FLORIDA HERD FAN]

If Lindy's is correct that Hawaii is the 19th-best team in the country, where should they be ranked? Should Lindy's rank schedules or teams?

[Blue Hen]

You don't offer any specific reasons why these Lindy ratings are too high or low for certain teams. Concerning Hawaii's schedule : If USC or LSU were to play that schedule this coming season...does that mean they would be undeserving of being ranked in some magazine ?

[Akahikea]

That schedule is probably exactly why they're ranked. They might be one of the 25 best teams, though we'll never know because they barely play anybody with a pulse. They'll be undefeated going into the Boise State game, and probably until they play Washington, and they're likely to win that, and no matter how easy the schedule is, they'll be ranked if they're undefeated. Does Lindy's specify if it's best teams, or where they think they'll end up? Most likely the fact that Hawaii has the best chance in the country to go undefeated likely factors in, even if it is against nobodies.

[kocurt]

If Lindy's is correct that Hawaii is the 19th-best team in the country, where should they be ranked? Should Lindy's rank schedules or teams?

Good point.

Hawaii could be a top 25 team, or they COULD be somewhere between 80-120. With that schedule we wont ever know, they dont play ANYONE all season. I dont think they make the BCS even undefeated. A USC or LSU with 3 losses would still trump them imo.

PS. I think OU is sitting on a national championship team if they just find someone to hand the ball off and pass even a little bit.

[Rupturedduck]

do not subscribe to this garbage, instead put the money to good use and ONLY buy PHIL STEELE'S CF PREVIEW, this might be my last warning to you'se out there.

[FLORIDA HERD FAN]

I don't know cokurt -- CFN projects Hawai'i for the Sugar Bowl.

Outside of Washington, the Warriors did load up on OOC softballs. But, running the table in the WAC would be a noteworthy accomplishment. Hawai'i has the good fortune to play Fresno and Boise at home.

But, a 16-team playoff would end the guessing games. It would be unlikely for any undefeated D-IA team not to be among the seeded teams.

[Tyler Durden]

do not subscribe to this garbage, instead put the money to good use and ONLY buy PHIL STEELE'S CF PREVIEW, this might be my last warning to you'se out there.

That is indeed the bible of college football. Especially for those who bet on the games

[Blue Hen]

Actually, Hawaii's last 4 opponents have a pretty good collective 'pulse' and SJS is improving. No way to assess schedule strength in June. Let's check it out as season's end.

[ZOOMBAG]

Where's Boise St. Guess losing their QB is expected to really hurt. Who has Hawaii got to give them a #19?

Nebraska will be all about how Sam Keller works out at QB.

[jeff4bucks]

I don't any real problem with this. Hard to tell in June the schedules. Wisconsin sure is getting a lot of talk. Don't they have a new QB to break in? So does "Ellis Eww". Rutgers in the top 10 is interesting, would like to see them do well. OSU at 12 is probably about right.

[FLORIDA HERD FAN]

Phil Steele has Hawai'i at #12.

[JamesHowell]

> Hard to tell in June the schedules.

Not really. Only Ohio and Western Kentucky (in a transition year) have easier schedules than Hawaii. Now, the may change a little, but Hawaii is almost assured of having their (excluding a bowl) schedule in the bottom ten at the end of the regular season.

[FLORIDA HERD FAN]

Hawai'i certainly didn't take much of a risk with its OOC scheduling. The only OOC test would be Washington, which some project to be a middle-of-the-Pac10-pack team. Hawai'i won't have much in terms of conference tests either, beyond a home game vs. Phil Steele's #31-ranked Boise.

Nevertheless, the question remains: if Phil Steele believes that Hawai'i is the 12th-best team, should he rank Hawai'i according to his analysis of the quality of the team or according to its schedule?

[CJHawkeyes]

Hawai'i certainly didn't take much of a risk with its OOC scheduling. The only OOC test would be Washington, which some project to be a middle-of-the-Pac10-pack team. Hawai'i won't have much in terms of conference tests either, beyond a home game vs. Phil Steele's #31-ranked Boise.

Nevertheless, the question remains: if Phil Steele believes that Hawai'i is the 12th-best team, should he rank Hawai'i according to his analysis of the quality of the team or according to its schedule?


The question demonstrates the stupidity and uselessness of subjective rules. Preseason magazines for other sports list teams in predicted order of finish based on known rules. Of course, the predicted order of finish is likely based on which teams are believed to be better. However, whether Hawaii is believed to be the 12th best team or expected to finish 12th based on the value of their predicted performance versus their particular schedule is ultimately meaningless because the "rules" in place do not allow us know where teams will finish given known game results.

[EvilVodka]

I don't any real problem with this. Hard to tell in June the schedules. Wisconsin sure is getting a lot of talk. Don't they have a new QB to break in? So does "Ellis Eww". Rutgers in the top 10 is interesting, would like to see them do well. OSU at 12 is probably about right.

LSU's QB helped guide the tigers to a 40-3 victory over Miami in the Peach Bowl a couple years ago...and with the talent around him, I don't expect much of a drop-off

Rutgers will eventually get in the top 10 with Schiano at the helm...once they start getting top recruits, they're going to really become a powerhouse...

[EvilVodka]

Michigan is low IMO

I'd have as my top 5:

1. Florida
2. LSU
3. USC
4. Michigan
5. West Virginia

As always, the #1 team from last year should have their opportunity to defend their ranking till they lose

[Blue Hen]

Why would only the previous #1 team get a free #1 ranking the following season ? Shouldn't the previous #4 team, for example, also get to defend it's #4 ranking ?



Better idea - completely eliminate idiotic 'rankings'.....pre season, in season, post season....all of the mythical $hit.

[CJHawkeyes]

Michigan is low IMO

I'd have as my top 5:

1. Florida
2. LSU
3. USC
4. Michigan
5. West Virginia

As always, the #1 team from last year should have their opportunity to defend their ranking till they lose


Last season should have nothing to do with this season.

[FLORIDA HERD FAN]

In an ideal world the only rankings that would matter would be the NCAA seedings for D-IA playoffs.

[tigercpa]

Actually, Hawaii's last 4 opponents have a pretty good collective 'pulse' and SJS is improving. No way to assess schedule strength in June. Let's check it out as season's end.

SARCASM FILTER ON:

But Hen, Rivals clearly says that the SEC has 5 of the Top 10 "toughest schedules" because, well, it's so tough "in conference."

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=681852

SARCASM FILTER OFF.