Athlon Sports "Very Early Top 25 for 2016"
Athlon has come out with its "Very Early Top 25 for 2016". Notables:
1. Bama
4. OSU
6. Notre Dame
7. Michigan
11. MSU
17. Iowa
http://athlonsports.com/college-football/very-early-college-football-top-25-2016
Should be a fun year.
January 6th, 2016 at 2:50 PM ^
That's not a top 4 team right now.
January 6th, 2016 at 2:52 PM ^
The writer acknowledges the 9 underclassmen departures, so it is current. Apparently just a lot of confidence in Meyer's recruiting and ability for the youngins to step in and succeed.
January 6th, 2016 at 2:53 PM ^
January 6th, 2016 at 4:24 PM ^
very well may be an experienced starter. Barrett hasn't lit the world on fire consistently, but he knows Urban's offense and will have talent, although unproven, surrounding him. Given all OSU's losses, though, tough to not see them take a slight step back.
January 6th, 2016 at 2:55 PM ^
January 6th, 2016 at 2:59 PM ^
Why are we as unproven as Ohio State? They bring back 6 starters and we bring back 15 starters.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:05 PM ^
OSU has been beating everyone not named OSU for a few years. They'll get a push in the polls until they start derping.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:53 PM ^
I do not disagree, but then why is staee ranked so low relatively speaking as they have been relatively solid (unfortunately) for the last few years, except for their last game (YES!)??? Mike will cue up the disrespekt meme during the offseason.
January 6th, 2016 at 4:04 PM ^
You said it: Mike D lacks the respekt. OSU has more pedigree in the ashtray of JT Barrett's loaner car than MSU's entire program.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:03 PM ^
of the ball than OSU right now. OSU has the greater unknowns as we write. That can change by the end of September obviously, but right now UM has the "better" team. That means nothing in January.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:39 PM ^
I generally agree with this take but I'd counter, for the sake of argument, that OSU's success is mostly system driven and that system operates seamlessly in plug n play fashsion with top national talent (albeitt mostly unproven for next year). Their QB's proved this in 2014 and they seem to have a new 1st round RB emerge every 2-3 years. By contrast Michigan's system and the talent comprising it (outside of excellent WR/TE playmakers) are currently emergent (albeit ascending).
January 6th, 2016 at 4:42 PM ^
Totally agree. Give Erbz props for having developed a pretty riduculous system on offense that puts his players in position to constantly gobble up dozens of yards at a time. Once we overcome his offense system (very tall order, ask Alabama), game on.
January 7th, 2016 at 2:43 AM ^
People forget that in addition to easily replacing 2! starting QBs due to injury in 2014, OSU took a weak, inexperienced OL (that got crushed by VT in September), and turned it into a strength by the end of the season.
They have a very good track record of replacing lost talent with new equally-good talent. They are the top dog in the B1G until proven otherwise.
We'll get to have something to say about that.
January 6th, 2016 at 4:45 PM ^
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January 7th, 2016 at 8:26 AM ^
I don't get the negs on this. It was stated in fine English and is a reasonable take. I think the gap between U-M and OSU is not quite as large as 42-13 showed, and I think their departures likely make the 2016 Game a dead heat for now. However, I don't expect the ESPN types to write off 42-13 so quickly.
EDIT: Now I notice the poster has -117 points currently on a new account, so maybe he is a known troll and is getting fallout negs. Still doesn't make sense to me.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:02 PM ^
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January 6th, 2016 at 4:07 PM ^
Here are their recruiting rankings per 247 for the past 5 years:
2012 - 5th
2013 - 2nd
2014 - 3rd
2015 - 7th
2016 - 2nd
AVG. - 4th
As you can see, while OSU will be inexperienced, they will still be among the nation's most talented teams. They also return Barrett so they won't have to deal with breaking in a new QB. Further, there is no one in the B1G that can touch OSU talent wise save for Michigan and that game doesn't come until the end of the season when OSU will no longer be inexperienced. The toughest game early in the season when OSU will be most vulnerable is Oklahoma, but that comes in week 3, giving OSU 2 weeks to work out any kinks. I'm also not impressed with Oklahoma after their 20 point loss to Clemson or the Big 12 where defense is optional.
In short, top 5 is just about right for OSU.
January 7th, 2016 at 2:46 AM ^
Damn that's impressive for a cold-weather school not in the SEC footprint.
It sucks. Oh well, if they can do it, we can do it.
January 7th, 2016 at 9:48 AM ^
preseason polls. While i understand the purpose of them, I do not like them. Just like I hate the first couple of playoff polls that are released I think they are released too early, there is still too much football to be played. Think of how much anticipation there would be if the only playoff poll released is the final one. Just gives talking heads something to do in my opinion.
January 6th, 2016 at 2:50 PM ^
Apparently, we weren't the only ones impressed by the bowl win. I like it.
January 6th, 2016 at 2:51 PM ^
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January 6th, 2016 at 5:42 PM ^
Something something playoffs, big ten, beat Michigan, beat Ohio State, disrespected, no respect, fire, blah blah blah
January 6th, 2016 at 2:52 PM ^
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January 6th, 2016 at 2:53 PM ^
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January 6th, 2016 at 2:55 PM ^
While I would typically agree and share your concern (with teams coached by lesser men), Harbaugh is not the coach that will let his players believe the hype and get complacent.
January 6th, 2016 at 2:55 PM ^
If the young guys develop like all the guys leaving early we may have a shot at that by the end of the year.
Gotta think it is way too high to start though. Say number 10 or so
I think ND is too high.
I'm not sure what I think about your number 7 ranking. Part of me thinks it is fair, but then again you are breaking in a new QB and you guys still haven't found a running game.
I think preseason, you guys should be 10-12 If you get good QB play (would have to come from O'Korn right?) then I think 7 is about the ceiling. So all in all not too far off.
MSU seems really high to me. Although I expect their defense to be a little better loosing Cook has to really hurt. They have a nice stable of backs now so that will help. Their OL takes a hit though.
I don't care about Iowa.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:02 PM ^
Not with a veteran-laden team with a much greater grasp of Harbaugh's system. The issue is O'Korn. If he lives up to the hype(a big if) Michigan ceiling is the playoff. If not, then we are looking at a 8-10 win team.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:05 PM ^
Sounds like you're another one of the "Rational Buckeyes" we hear tell of. (The user who goes by "Rational Buckeye" adds good value here too.) It's good to have your perspective on this.
I think you're right about us - we have to see how the QB situation shakes out before we have confidence as to where we should be ranked. Not sure, though, that 7 is the ceiling, though - as we have a lot of our talent coming back and we saw vast improvement on the O-Line in the Citrus Bowl.
Also agreed that MSU is too high (not only do they have to break in a new QB, their star OT just announced he's entering the draft). I expect next year to be a step back for them.
January 8th, 2016 at 10:58 AM ^
Granted this is all pre-pre-pre-season thinking and development will determine the accuracy but I don't think it is crazy to say 7 is probably the ceiling.
You guys might be good enough to make the playoff if everything clicks.
However, who knows what O'Korn brings. Talent yes. But decision making has been an issue. I live in Houston where he originally played and there's a good chance he will make you guys say "wow" one minute and then "wow, what was he thinking" the next minute.
The running game is still iffy in my opinion. That would have to develop to climb above the 7 spot I think.
Defensive line and Secondary should be great strengths but aren't you guys basically playing Who?, Who? and Who? at linebacker. Someone could step up, but you aren't exactly filling those spots with 5 star players. I think that is a huge question mark.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:10 PM ^
I agree with you except for the 7 is our ceiling. I think the buckeyes should be ranked higher than ten though with the way they recruit. It's all a crap shoot anyways. Auburn started in the top 10.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:20 PM ^
I read it as "7 is the ceiling for the preseason rankings." Not for the actual season itself. In which case, I totally agree. 7 in the preseason with unkowns at QB and all 3 linebacker spots is about as high as we will be ranked in the preseason. If O'korn (or whoever) proves to be as good as Rudock, and we have servicable linebackers, I don't know if there is a ceiling for the 2016 season.
January 6th, 2016 at 2:56 PM ^
What? No "way too early" bowl match up predictions?
January 6th, 2016 at 2:59 PM ^
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January 6th, 2016 at 9:32 PM ^
January 6th, 2016 at 3:02 PM ^
January 6th, 2016 at 3:02 PM ^
Also surprised MSU is 11. They're breaking in new WRs, OL, TEs, a QB, DL, and their dbs never were that good to begin with. Seems more like a 17 or 18 to start the year.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:05 PM ^
Predictions in January are pure garbage. They're essentially the final rankings from the previous year, with each team shuffled up or down a few spots based on how impressive they looked in their bowl game and how many returning players they have. But they'll never make a radical move like dropping MSU from the top ten to the twenties because they lost most of their good offensive players, or dropping OSU into the teens because literally all their established stars went to the NFL.
January 6th, 2016 at 4:19 PM ^
a borderline Top 25 team. Their D will be OK, but the offense loses a ton. I see the 2016 MSU team a lot more like their 7-6 2012 team than the teams of the last 3 years.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:03 PM ^
Hot Take: MSU wont even be ranked at the end of next season.
January 6th, 2016 at 5:44 PM ^
I've just seen Dantonio field too many inexplicably good teams.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:13 PM ^
the passing tree with Chesson, Butt, and co. ASAP. I'm excited about the future of UM football!
January 6th, 2016 at 3:16 PM ^
What about bracketology for 2018?
January 6th, 2016 at 3:17 PM ^
ND is the team that I'll be interested to watch. The only decent teams they play will all be starting a new QBs. (Standford, USC, MSU) Texas is a wreck, Virginia Tech isn't the VT we are used to, Navy won't put up a fight next year without Keenan Reynolds. I can see ND's record making them look better than they really are. Could be another case where a team gets into the playoffs but isn't one of the top 4 teams and gets their doors blown off like MSU this year (or the last time ND played in the BCS Championsip).
January 6th, 2016 at 3:17 PM ^
ND is the team that I'll be interested to watch. The only decent teams they play will all be starting a new QBs. (Standford, USC, MSU) Texas is a wreck, Virginia Tech isn't the VT we are used to, Navy won't put up a fight next year without Keenan Reynolds. I can see ND's record making them look better than they really are. Could be another case where a team gets into the playoffs but isn't one of the top 4 teams and gets their doors blown off like MSU this year (or the last time ND played in the BCS Championsip).
January 6th, 2016 at 4:54 PM ^
We would have lost Rudock, De'veon Smith, Ryan Glasgow, and Jarrod Wilson all by week 2. Then throughout the year we would also have lost Drake Johnson and Jourdan Lewis.
Not so sure we're winning 6 games let alone the 10 games they won. That team has talent. The team that finished that game against Ohio State was essentially the Cavs vs GS in the finals. I will say replacing Will Fuller, Jaylon Smith, Sheldon Day, and Ronnie Stanley will be a tall order.
If this year's ND team was healthy they would have beat the hell out of that 2012 team.
January 6th, 2016 at 10:46 PM ^
January 7th, 2016 at 2:23 AM ^
Their schedule was weak and they were a good matchup with MSU. MSU has proven enough over the past half decade to warrant a degree of respect and Kelly obviously has the roster filled with football players. OSU, in spite of their major losses has recruited and performed far above the norm, so I see nothing wrong with this. MI's performance in the bowl game demonstrated clearly they had the right mixture of coaching and available talent when, the new staff finally had time to concentrate on their shortcomings, was far ahead of Florida, a program going through the same growing pains.
Clemson, Bama, OSU, FSU and probably a couple of others have proven they are at the reload, instead of rebuild level so although it is difficult to place a number beside their name, it's obvious they belong somewhere in any preseason top 20. Kelly, I think, has ND stocked the way he likes his team so they should be good going forward.
I think Harbaugh is just that good that I think we'll be a tough out until he has it where he wants it and then we willl be included in that elite group mentioned above. So, yeah, IA is the only team that seems to be getting too much love, given they are still IA under Kirk.
January 6th, 2016 at 3:27 PM ^
January 6th, 2016 at 4:21 PM ^
Nothing official that I've seen though.