SI: Top 25 Preseason Rankings
I think SI did a decent job with this list. They seem to have done their research. Here's a bit on their player to watch for Michigan:
Player you need to know: Junior defensive end Chase Winovich is a former high school quarterback who started two games last season and had eight TFLs and five sacks while playing in the shadow of the now NFL-employed Taco Charlton on a loaded defensive line. Ask Wolverines team leaders who they expect to have a breakout 2017—aside from defensive tackle Rashan Gary—and a lot will stump for Winovich. In hopes of becoming more than primarily a third-down edge rusher, Winovich bulked up in the offseason, adding 10 pounds, so that he now checks in at 6' 3", 245. Offensive tackle Mason Cole, who faces Winovich at practice every day, said of his seemingly tireless teammate, “He has the best motor I’ve ever seen.”
The full article is here.
EDIT: Michigan ranked 11. Other notable rankings include:
OSU-3
PSU-8
Wisconsin-12
Florida-18
August 9th, 2017 at 10:50 AM ^
Michigan comes in at 11.
August 9th, 2017 at 10:53 AM ^
August 10th, 2017 at 5:33 AM ^
I don't buy anyone in the Big 12 being in the top 10.
August 10th, 2017 at 9:43 AM ^
Agreed. They should relegate the B12 for a couple years.
Now that Baylor has cratered, I think Okie State and OU are picking up the torch for most hyped team until the last month of the season.
August 9th, 2017 at 10:56 AM ^
I've been here a while, but rarely ever created board content. I will learn through trial and error.
August 9th, 2017 at 11:44 AM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
I think a lot of PSU's being ranked that high is due to people assuming that McSorley's arm-punts are not flukes. Whether they're right or not only time will tell.
As for us, I think our success will largely depend upon how much our OL is improving w/ the "addition by subtraction" theory, and on whether our incredible DL can provide enough stress on the QB in the early half of the season to allow our raw DBs time to mature a bit by the time PSU/Wisconsin show up on the schedule.
into our 1524th "is PSU overrated and why?" thread of the summer.
the higher their ranking the higher our SOS, so it's fine until we beat them.
And if we came within seconds of the Rose Bowl, returned our QB and preseason offensive B1G POY and Heisman candidate...we would be talking about we should be top 4.
OSU, Wisconsin, and PSU should all be ranked ahead of us...some folks should take off the maize and blue shaded glasses. Now, just go beat all 3 teams and win the B1G!!!
August 9th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 12:33 PM ^
Wow, thanks for pointing that out. I never realized the bass didn't go to 11. That reminds me of a radio interview I heard several years ago. The members of the band were discussing what they did after the Rockumentary came out. Derek Smalls briefly went to Japan, but things didn't pan out too well for him over there. Turns out, "the Japanese don't like the bass. It's too low for them."
August 9th, 2017 at 10:53 AM ^
Don't know how much research they did by calling Chase a Junior.
The Florida game could move us +- 5 spots. Only a few more weeks....
August 9th, 2017 at 10:54 AM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
He was listed on our website as a Junior last year, so I would expect him to be called a Senior by the analysts on Saturdays. Really just nitpicking, but I guess this is why we call it the offseason!
August 9th, 2017 at 11:40 AM ^
Losing could certainly drop us about 5 spots, but moving up 5 slots after beating Florida would require a total bloodbath among teams ranked #1-#10.
August 9th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
Where we move up significantly after beating Florida in a big way. You are right that teams in the Top 10 would have to lose or barely sneak by. I wouldn't put it past us to stomp Florida and erase early doubts about what our young team is capable of.
August 9th, 2017 at 10:54 AM ^
Wouldn't make the top 25 for sports magazines...
That aside, I like us around 15 to start the season and build and move up as the season progresses until we climb to the top on 11/25.
GO BLUE!!
August 9th, 2017 at 10:55 AM ^
That seems really light?
August 9th, 2017 at 12:15 PM ^
are light. Vic Beasley played at 230 a couple years ago at Clemson and was a top 10 pick. Arden Key played at 235 last season at LSU. As long as you can put pressure on the QB, weights don't mean shit.
you also have to be able to hold the edge against the run game (which gets tested on the edge a lot against college offenses) if you aren't going to be just a 3rd down guy. One can still do that at a lower weight, just saying that pressuring the QB isn't the only thing you ask from your every down WDE.
DE. If you have a DE who can put pressure on the QB about 15-20% of the time, coaches will live with it because pressures/sacks are a great equalizer. It forces the offense to change their game plan a little bit.
I much rather have a DE who can get me 10-15 sacks in one season but can't set the edge over a DE who can set the edge but can't put pressure on the QB.
August 9th, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^
Wormley and Taco were heavier but they have a different body type.
6'3" 245 is perfect in college for that hybrid DE/LB position. Like the Texan's use Clowney who's 6'6" and 265.
Exactly. Winovich is more like Vic Beasley than Clowney or Ryan Kerrigan.
August 10th, 2017 at 4:35 AM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 10:56 AM ^
11th? I guess I can live with that. But no Sparty in the top 25 shall lead to DISRESPEKT and CHIPS! Lots and lots of CHIPS!!!
August 9th, 2017 at 12:12 PM ^
You're a little light on quantity there. MOAR CHIPS!!!
August 9th, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 12:36 PM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 10:57 AM ^
bunch of presents under the tree, unsure what each will be, but know that most/all will be good and some will be amazing and can't wait to find out which is which.
While it may be a "down" year, I'm as excited as, if not moreso than other seasons because there will be so many new players - talented players - getting time.
August 9th, 2017 at 10:58 AM ^
Holy shit that website is unusably bad. The video that follows you down the page made me want to murder a puppy.
August 9th, 2017 at 11:17 AM ^
I feel like so many websites do that these days (SI, FB, many news sites, etc.), and I can't ever remember finding it useful and actually watching the video.
August 9th, 2017 at 11:42 AM ^
It's not about whether you find it useful. It's about whether they can demonstrate to advertisers that that model gets more eyeballs/clicks and therefore more $$.
August 9th, 2017 at 11:00 AM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 11:36 AM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 12:16 PM ^
Unless Northwestern has something to say about it.
NW has won 2 of the last 3 vs. Wisconsin.
Northwestern misses both Ohio State and Michigan; gets to play Penn State at home in Evanston. Northwestern has also won two in a row vs. PSU/Franklin. They also get Iowa at home and their only road game in the Big Ten East is @Maryland.
August 9th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
Reason #9 why I hate the unbalanced schedule. Cap the conferences at 10 teams and everyone plays everyone. Goddammit.
and get off your lawn?!?!?!?!?!
it would be a lot better than what we have now.
Two permanent rivalries for each team, rotate the other 7 games, top two play in the conference title game. No one except Wisconsin and maybe Iowa/Nebraska would be upset with that.
August 9th, 2017 at 11:02 AM ^
Chase was a QB in HS?!
August 9th, 2017 at 11:04 AM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
I guess they factored in Barrett's lack of deep ball accuracy.
Here’s a prediction… they drop a game early. Receivers bitch publicly about their lack of involvement. Urban brushes off the chatter outside the lockerroom and says "everyone needs to look in the mirror."
August 9th, 2017 at 12:19 PM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 11:05 AM ^
August 9th, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^
There's been quite a bit of chatter on the board regarding PSU and how they are likely overrated, but what is everyone's take on Wisky this year?
I honestly don't know much about this year's squad, but we were in a close one with them last year. Curious to hear some opinions.