Michigan #3 in ESPN way too early top 25
Without a stud QB I think 3 is pretty high... although, if ol Doc Brown can dial up the defense we're all hoping for... you never know.
Oh yeah, that's right, not Jim Harbaugh.
This year, we win ALL THE GAMES.
think the reference was to 2012 when we were the fakest #7 ranked team of all time. We were five in 2007 and that also did not go very well at all, good coach and all.
2007 never happened.
ESPN's way too early polls are CLEARLY more reasoned and well thought out than Phil Steele's way too early polls.
And Stewart Mandel's poll isn't as well thought out as ESPN's but more rational than Phil Steele's.
I just don't see Clemson being as good as everyone thinks. They've lost so many starters the last 2 years. That's going to catch up with them. I'm sure they'll be good, but it's hard to see them getting into the playoffs. You basically need to go undefeated in the ACC to get in, and I think that defense will lose a game for them at some point.
They've lost a lot of good players but they have demonstrated that they can reload.
More importantly, they still have Deshaun Watson. A QB like that makes up for a lot of flaws. As long as he's healthy, every accolade they get is deserved.
Just to clarify, are you talking his AP projection or his rankings? The AP projection is just how he thinks the teams will actually be ranked after talking to voters.
with that schedule, gonna have to win all games for a shot at the playoff...
i expect to beat STAEE this year, but haven't won at ohio since 2000 and iowa is really tough on the road at night
In 2007 we were ranked #5 preseason.
SEC teams almost never have anything remotely resembling a qb, let alone a stud that actually throws forward passes, yet it never stops people from ranking LSU and Alabama, or whichever random SEC team that's yet to lose as the season progresses, in the top 5 every year.
Alabama has lacked stud a QB for at least 20 years and it hasn't slwoed them down much.
I get what you are saying/referencing, but in the last 20 years Bama has had records of:
1997: 4-7
2000: 3-8
2003: 4-9
2004: 6-6
2006: 6-6
Everyone forgets that Bama went through a total shit period not 20 years ago. So yeah, not having an elite QB does hurt when you don't also have one of the greatest college coaches of all time and your 2nd string OL and DL's wouldn't start at any other program in the country.
"Houston transfer John O'Korn was thought to be the favorite to take over at quarterback, but sophomore Wilson Speight seems to have the edge heading into the summer."
Stud QB? We've got Wilson Speight.
Defenders will be on an island against him
Yet to see? Guess you didn't watch the Minnesota game last year.
that about nails it.
all that is missing is the link to click on to learn more.
I think that ranking makes sense for our end-of-season ceiling, but as a pre-season ranking it's a little high. I would feel fine with a 10-15 pre-season rank.
Yeah, these look like projected end-of-season rankings. But then they still don't make sense because you will not have both Clemson and FSU in the top 4.
Whatever. All I know is that they are clearly picking Michigan to win the Big Ten and go to the Playoff.
So, Yippee!
I guess ESPN is waiting to see which Tennessee and Georgia players are going to get kicked off their teams before finalizing the rankings.
(On mobile, can't embed.)
I think it's a coded message to a silent 5-star commit that has been stolen away from Ohio State.
He's just saying we have a ton of TE's and use them a lot, so other schools' TE games are a joke.
Jay's just enjoying eating a bag of M&Ms is all.
The What are Thoooooose tweet is a reference/nod to a Drake lyric off his new album. Jay is pretty up to date with the hippity hop.
If they call a penalty, it'll be on Michigan for targeting.
Intent to deceive
Seems to be a little bit high to me. I think the pre-season 7-12 range is about right. The defense will be top 10. Still some OL depth issues, but loaded at TE/WR/RB. QB will not be a problem. It sure is nice to be back in the national conversation! Recruits will take notice too.
the QB whisper, did not get to work early enough with Rudock to make him an excellent QB early in the season. It took half a season before Harbaugh transformed Rudock. He has had a full season to work with the other QBs. I'm sure one of them will be great this season!
I like the way you think.
I do not think that you can place the Michigan State loss on Rudock in any way. That is very unfair. He was serviceable.
Besides the special teams fiasco at the end, the running game was poor (definitely worse than the passing game) and the defense definitely had a few large lapses (like MSU's 80 yard TD fullback play/the fact that as soon as we had our first significant lead of the day we immediately surrended 7 points back to State).
Also, coaching was not without its faults. Again, besides the special teams fiasco/sending runners despite MSU having no return man, we were not aggressive on offense when on MSU's end of the field and settled for a lot of field goals.
All in all, we were solid in every category in the MSU game (besides maybe run offense), but weren't spectacular in any category, including defense.
The only loss that was Rudock's fault (at least in large part) was Utah.
I actually think we do have a stud QB. LT is the only real position of worry for me right now, but without an all-star DE on the schedule until OSU I think we will be fine. Looking at schedules and stuff a couple weeks ago I think the playoffs will be:
1. LSU
2. Michigan
3. Florida State
4. Oklahoma
Given the strengths of those teams, we could easily win the whole thing. This is also a playoff prediction in early May so who fuckin knows.