FB Dive

August 15th, 2022 at 3:03 PM ^

Yeah, the polls have their problems, but they're not a pro-ESPN conspiracy. Most of the voters are local beat reporters. Here's the breakdown of the voters and how they ranked the teams.

Some Syracuse journalist had us at 18, three people had us as high as 4. One of the Ohio State guys had Penn State ahead of us. The Texas guy didn't rank Texas at all lol.

Joined: 08/03/2019

MGoPoints: 14550

TrueBlue2003

August 15th, 2022 at 2:21 PM ^

The QB has a way higher ceiling than Jack Coan.  No guarantees he hits it but word from camp is he's playing really well.  And it's not like Coan was much of a difference maker.  Likely to be an upgrade.

I think the staff is still a question mark, but they're likely to carry a lot of Wile E Coyote momentum even if the staff aren't great.

Joined: 01/05/2010

MGoPoints: 38075

ThadMattasagoblin

August 15th, 2022 at 12:25 PM ^

I don't get all of the hype for OSU. Sure they will be good but I don't think they are the 72 Dolphins or anything. There is a lot of faith in Knowles to turn things around and Marvin Harrison and Julian Fleming to be Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave 2.0. Neither Harrison or Fleming or Egbuka did much last year until they faced a Utah team playing a backup RB at corner.

Joined: 08/24/2011

MGoPoints: 64336

trueblueintexas

August 15th, 2022 at 12:54 PM ^

OSU's passing game is a system without many answers, I've only seen about 42 - 27 of them. 

As long as you can keep plugging talent into the system, the numbers and results won't change drastically. When the season is complete Smith-Njigba, Harrison, Fleming, and Egbuka will put up numbers within 10-15% of what Wilson, Olave, and Smith Njigba put up last season. Will that 10-15% difference cause two losses like they had last year? Will most of the production come against lesser teams? Probably, because the new guys will need to get acclimated in the first 3-4 games of the season, but the passing attack is not going to take huge steps backward. 

Joined: 11/10/2008

MGoPoints: 36820

Vasav

August 15th, 2022 at 4:46 PM ^

I'm in agreement here - I don't think they "step back," I don't see them winning less than 10 before the bowls - but for them to make the playoff they need to step UP from last year. Their D was torched by 3 of the 4 ranked teams they played (credit is due for MSU), as well as Minnesota. They're OL wasn't better than M's last year, and their running game wasn't either as a result. Stroud and the receivers more than make up for it against most everyone. I think a preseason ranking is fine because ultimately, if you win the Big Ten you're going to the playoff so who really cares. But it's fair to say that they'll need to be better than last year to win the Big Ten.

Joined: 12/13/2009

MGoPoints: 19473

Perkis-Size Me

August 15th, 2022 at 1:21 PM ^

If you don't get the hype for OSU by now, then I'm not sure you ever will. 

I hate them with a fiery passion of 10,000 suns and I hope they implode into oblivion, but like Alabama they have earned (at least on offense) the benefit of the doubt as far as the ability to reload and not experience any noticeable drop-off. They have a complete plug-and-play offensive system where the next guy just comes in and produces. They recruit that well and their talent is just that far ahead of almost everyone they play. Now it may take Harrison, Fleming, and the other receivers a few games to get acclimated to being starters. They may not set the world on fire right out of the gate, but by the end of the year they almost certainly will be. 

There is room to ask questions about whether or not Knowles will be able to turn that defense around within one year. That can certainly be debated. But if he can get them to even just be average, or not complete sieves in big games, that's really all OSU needs. They don't need an elite defense. They need one that's just good enough, because the offense is going to do the rest in just about every other game. 

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 106167

Vasav

August 16th, 2022 at 12:40 PM ^

I looked this up and crazily enough, they didn't play a single playoff team in their first 14 games. However, the playoffs back then were less than 1/3 of all teams. And they did then win 3 playoff games, with the latter two being (by regular season record) the 2nd best team in the AFC and the best team in the NFC. All those wins were by 1 score, as were 3 regular season wins. They came from behind in the 4th Q in the WC game and twice in the regular season. And this is the NFL - not CFB, the talent disparity isn't as high. So they were really good, no team has done it since and crazily, no team has done it before in the NFL (a fair amount of teams finished undefeated but with ties, and some in other leagues finished with perfect records).

Joined: 12/13/2009

MGoPoints: 19473

Kilgore Trout

August 15th, 2022 at 12:26 PM ^

If you look at the point totals, spots 4,5,6,7, and 8 are all very close. Michigan at 8 is about the same amount of points away from being #3 as they are to being #9. I am pretty comfortable that Michigan belongs in the next group after Alabama, OSU, and Georgia. 

Joined: 02/20/2009

MGoPoints: 13204

JMo

August 15th, 2022 at 12:27 PM ^

Embedded for ease of access.

 

Also, here's 2021's just for reference how these preseason polls turn out. One notable Final Four team was barely even mentioned going into the season.

 

Joined: 12/14/2011

MGoPoints: 21179

JimmyFresh

August 15th, 2022 at 12:46 PM ^

Michigan is probably a top 6 team.  Like many of you, I’d rather be underestimated than over hyped at the start of the year.   The 2019 season comes to mind….very underwhelming start to that season after a lot of preseason chatter.  This year’s team is much more proven…..absolutely loaded on offense and has many defensive guys who played a lot last year coming back, plus the special teams should be…well, special.  I love this roster and schedule…other than going to Columbus. GO BLUE!  

Joined: 10/20/2015

MGoPoints: 1570

MGoBlue96

August 15th, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^

Not that preaseason polls matter, but having Utah, Texas A&M, Clemson and ND all ahead of UM seems silly to me. Feels like alot of people nationally are underestimating just how good UM's offense is going to be, top 20 scoring offense already last year that brought back almost everyone and got better with the additions of Bell back and Oluwatimi. Loaded is not a word to throw around lightly but UM's offense is absolutely loaded this year, you got a potentially all Big Ten first or second team player at minimum at almost every position.

The thought that UM's defense will  completely drop off a cliff is odd to me as well, I don't know if it will quite as good as last year but they will still be a solid unit at minimum and still have good talent overall. Solid defense is something we have been able to count on having ever since Harbaugh has been here, even in years with player losses or coaching changes. Paired with the amount of points the offense should score and solid will certainly do.

Joined: 12/26/2010

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