Good stuff as usual. Pre Snap's preview is...together with Blue Ribbon's....in my opinion, the most in depth one in terms of proper research for our conference.

Blue Ribbon Magazine/ESPN rankings are out, with very detailed previews of each team, preseason players of the year in offense, defense, and "Newcomer Player of the Year", along with "All Sun Belt Team" players. Good stuff as well.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/stor...ns#sunbelt



Sun Belt Conference

1. FIU
2. Arkansas State (Free)
3. Louisiana-Lafayette
4. Troy
5. Middle Tennessee
6. Western Kentucky
7. ULM
8. North Texas
9. Florida Atlantic


All-Sun Belt Team

Offense
WR: Javone Lawson, Louisiana-Lafayette
WR: Josh Jarboe, Arkansas State
OL: Caylin Hauptmann, FIU
OL: Cyril Lemon, North Texas
OL: Sean Conway, WKU
OL: Adam Smith, WKU
OL: Jaron Odom, Louisiana-Lafayette
QB: Ryan Aplin, Arkansas State
RB: Kedrick Rhodes, FIU
RB: Jyruss Edwards, ULM
TE: Jack Doyle, WKU


Defense
DL: Tourek Williams, FIU
DL: Jamarcus Allen, WKU
DL: Isame Faciane, FIU
LB: David Hinds, FAU
LB: Andrew Jackson, WKU
LB: Winston Fraser, FIU
LB: Nathan Herrold, Arkansas State
DB: J. Cheeseborough, FIU
DB: Jemarlous Moten, Louisiana-Lafayette
DB: Jonathan Cyprien, FIU
DB: Brynden Trawick, Troy


Specialists
K: Brett Baer, Louisiana-Lafayette
KR: Brelan Chancellor, North Texas
P: Will Atterberry, North Texas
PR: Darryl Surgent, Louisiana-Lafayette


Offensive Player of the Year
Kedrick Rhodes, RB, FIU


Defensive Player of the Year
Jonathan Cyprien, S, FIU


Newcomer of the Year
Drayton Calhoun, RB, Middle Tennessee

ESPN Blue Ribbon is loaded and FIU solidifies its favor among the sports writers. Overall FIU, stAte, & Louisiana keep a strong hold on the top three spots, while Western, Troy, & ULM make up the middle. Pre-Snap still has yet to rank FIU and Louisiana. Pre-Snap is roughly half done with its ranking so both will be keeping good company.

SBC Composite Rankings

Pre-Snap Read has ranked Louisiana at #63 in the Nation and 2nd in the Sun Belt. Hence, FIU has taken the top ranking by this publication also; congrats FIU! From top to bottom this year looks to be the SBC's strongest group of teams since its introduction of football in the league. Good luck to all SBC teams.

SBC Composite Rankings

Pre-Snap Read

If any posters feel the need to offer their own prognostications, I will record those also. Beware, there is a twist. There are three posters' predictions recorded already (see tabs at the bottom).

Posters' Rankings

Thanks for keeping us updated BamaCajun.

These preseason prognostications might not mean much with respect to what will actually happen this fall - but they are an indicator of the improvement of the Sun Belt, both in actuality and in perception.

BamaCajun doing a great job in these days of summer.....Thanks for putting it together.

Another ranking by a national publication I just saw posted in our board. This time from faniq.com by writer Tyler Waddell: http://www.faniq.com/blog/2012-Sun-Belt-...Blog-52036

Just for giggles, here is another sportswriter's prediction that does get a little attention south of the Mason-Dixon line. Troy fans will love this one. This guy actually thinks Troy's home opening winning streak will stay intact!

Dixiefiredsports Sunbelt Preview

Sunbelt Composite Rankings

(08-21-2012 10:15 AM)BamaCajun Wrote:  This guy actually thinks Troy's home opening winning streak will stay intact!

Good for him, he's a smart guy for saying so.

(08-21-2012 10:18 AM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  

(08-21-2012 10:15 AM)BamaCajun Wrote:  This guy actually thinks Troy's home opening winning streak will stay intact!

Good for him, he's a smart guy for saying so.

I agree.

(08-21-2012 11:37 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(08-21-2012 10:18 AM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  

(08-21-2012 10:15 AM)BamaCajun Wrote:  This guy actually thinks Troy's home opening winning streak will stay intact!

Good for him, he's a smart guy for saying so.

I agree.

Actually his intelligence rivals that of Joe Biden.

Z

(08-21-2012 10:15 AM)BamaCajun Wrote:  Just for giggles, here is another sportswriter's prediction that does get a little attention south of the Mason-Dixon line. Troy fans will love this one. This guy actually thinks Troy's home opening winning streak will stay intact!

Dixiefiredsports Sunbelt Preview

Sunbelt Composite Rankings

This is the first year that the Cajuns open the season on the road with a reasonable road opener since 2008 against USM(7-6) and 2004 La Tech(6-6). A little more difficult than Troy's home openers over that same time frame.


Troy's home openers for the last ten year are as follows.

2012 Louisiana vs Troy (my prediction is 35-28 Louisiana)
2011 MTSU vs Troy 38-35 W
2010 Bowling Green vs Troy 30-27 W
2009 UAB vs Troy 27-14 W
2008 Alcorn St vs Troy 65-0
2007 Okie State vs Troy 41-23 W (Impressive!)
2006 Alabama St vs Troy 38-0 W
2005 Cal Poly vs Troy 27-10 W
2004 Mizzou vs Troy 24-14 W (Impressive!)
2003 SLU vs Troy 28-0 W
2002 Southern Utah vs Troy 45-15 W

The Cajuns road openers over that same time frame are as follows.

2012 Louisiana vs Troy (my prediction is 35-28 Louisiana)
2011 Louisiana vs #9 Okie State 61-34 L
2010 Louisiana vs #23 Georgia 55-7 L
2009 Louisiana vs #9 LSU 31-3 L
2008 Louisiana vs USM 51-21 L (hurricane hit Lafayette on gameday)
2007 Louisiana vs South Carolina 28-14 L
2006 Louisiana vs LSU 45-3 L
2005 Louisiana vs Texas 60-3 L
2004 Louisiana vs La Tech 24-20 L(phantom call much like the UAB game)
2003 Louisiana vs South Carolina 14-7 L
2002 Louisiana vs Texas A&M 31-7 L