(04-03-2015 04:24 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  I say Dark horse means someone from the bottom half of the conference that will end up in the top 3 of the conference (so at minimum, a 3 place increase in standings).

That eliminates Georgia Southern, App, the Cajuns, stAte, and Texas State (USA is on the cusp).

Out of the remaining list, I remove Georgia State, Idaho, New Mexico. that really leaves Troy, ULM, and USA on the cusp.

Troy: New coach. Rough recruiting the past couple of years. Not this year for them.
USA: Lost quite a bit. But they have the X-factor in FBS transfers.

That leaves me with ULM. So they are my choice.

A 3 spot jump would put TXST in first. Therefore, by your own definition, TXST is a dark horse candidate.

(04-03-2015 07:15 PM)NCeagle Wrote:  

(04-03-2015 04:24 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  I say Dark horse means someone from the bottom half of the conference that will end up in the top 3 of the conference (so at minimum, a 3 place increase in standings).

That eliminates Georgia Southern, App, the Cajuns, stAte, and Texas State (USA is on the cusp).

Out of the remaining list, I remove Georgia State, Idaho, New Mexico. that really leaves Troy, ULM, and USA on the cusp.

Troy: New coach. Rough recruiting the past couple of years. Not this year for them.
USA: Lost quite a bit. But they have the X-factor in FBS transfers.

That leaves me with ULM. So they are my choice.

A 3 spot jump would put TXST in first. Therefore, by your own definition, TXST is a dark horse candidate.

Ah, but as we finished in the top half, (by my definition, which is 100% arbitrary) is left ineligible.

(04-03-2015 04:48 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  I think ULM finishes 4-8 at best. Because that's the best they have done under their current HC without Browning

I don't seen ULM doing anything be firing their coach

Last year's 4-8 was the only year the current head coach has had without Browning so, yeah, that would be the best-and-worse they've done so far. This will be the second year without KB15 but it's going to be hard to get more than 6 wins...maybe seven since we're playing 13 games. Berry could well be on the hot seat depending on how this year goes.

(04-03-2015 09:14 PM)SOT1977 Wrote:  

(04-03-2015 04:48 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  I think ULM finishes 4-8 at best. Because that's the best they have done under their current HC without Browning

I don't seen ULM doing anything be firing their coach

Last year's 4-8 was the only year the current head coach has had without Browning so, yeah, that would be the best-and-worse they've done so far. This will be the second year without KB15 but it's going to be hard to get more than 6 wins...maybe seven since we're playing 13 games. Berry could well be on the hot seat depending on how this year goes.

I hope yall do well, I've always wanted to see ULM do well. Except when playing Troy but I don't think berry is a good HC.

He is 56-93 as a HC

2010 at ulm went 5-7
2011 went 4-8
2012 went 8-5 (brownings break out year)
2013 went 6-6 (browning senior year)
2014 went 4-8

I think it is a three way tie between Georgia State, Idaho, and New Mexico State as to who would really be a dark horse.

I'd say TX St is the dark horse.

USA has too many questions. With ULM you never know, but the odds are too low to call them a dark horse.

Troy,GaSt,Idaho,NMSU have no chance.

Dark horse in sports means nobody is even mentioning you at all. In fact you had a losing record or are a perennial loser and if mentioned in connection with winning anything in preseason people should laugh. Think Braves worst to first in '91. GS in MBB this year. So there are really only three teams that qualify in football.

(04-04-2015 07:32 AM)panama Wrote:  Dark horse in sports means nobody is even mentioning you at all. In fact you had a losing record or are a perennial loser and if mentioned in connection with winning anything in preseason people should laugh. Think Braves worst to first in '91. GS in MBB this year. So there are really only three teams that qualify in football.

Nope, by definition it means not expected to win. The Braves before that season were considered to have zero chance at winning, so nobody would have picked them as a dark horse to win.

I would not consider Kentucky a dark horse to win the sec as they have zero chance.

To me, the dark horse is the one that isn't in the top three or four in pre-season picks. You can finish high in 2014 and be picked low in 2015 and be a dark horse. Likewise a low finish in 14 but several pick the team up high in 15 is not a dark horse.

Right now the best threats for dark horse in my opinion are:

TXST who I don't think we will be top 3-4 in most picks. If the Bobcats are still hanging around in middle ground at the end of the season I will nod my head in agreement when Bobcat fans complain about Fran. This should be the "had enough time to get it done" season.

Troy where the conventional wisdom has been Larry let the talent level in recruiting fall may not be that bad. I watched parts of several Trojan games last year and never got much a feel for the athletic ability. I was too distracted noticing receivers whose arms were really short when thrown to in traffic and RBs who blocked with the enthusiasm for it of a man walking to the death chamber. I saw linebackers extend an arm to stop a running back rather than going full body for center mass. They may have been less talented and less willing to work for Larry or they may be just as talented as the rest of the league and need someone they believe in. We saw that transition of don't believe in the coach to believing in the coach 2010-2011 at AState.

App State cannot be a dark horse by definition and I absolutely refuse to believe GSU has any possibility of winning the league. That leaves Troy and USA as the most probable dark horses.

Seriously I think the dark horses are Troy, USA, and Texas State.

TXST close second USA. Some folks need to figure out the meaning of darkhorse. App is the favorite and people voted for them smh

(04-04-2015 10:02 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  App State cannot be a dark horse by definition and I absolutely refuse to believe GSU has any possibility of winning the league. That leaves Troy and USA as the most probable dark horses.

Seriously I think the dark horses are Troy, USA, and Texas State.

Let me say this. I don't think ULM is going to win the league, but to think we aren't in the running is crazy. We have a fantastic defense and our O is questionable. We can compete with anyone in the league though. We could win it or finish next to last.

(04-03-2015 05:22 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  

(04-03-2015 04:58 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  

(04-03-2015 12:55 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  Im going with App State. Return most of the team and their end of the season surge was impressive.

Espn F+ has them #1 preseason, so dark horse would not apply.

ULM,Usa, Tx at, troy, GaSt, NMSU, Idaho are the only "dark horse" options available.

How do you classify "Dark horse" though?

Top 4 projected are ineligible for dark horse title?

I voted for App as the dark horse to go to the access bowl. The poll didn't specify what the dark horse was for.

Georgia Southern to go undefeated again.

(04-03-2015 12:55 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  Im going with App State. Return most of the team and their end of the season surge was impressive.

That wouldnt be a dark horse pick. App may be the favorite to win the conf this year. Not dark horse.

(04-06-2015 11:25 AM)eagle9098 Wrote:  

(04-03-2015 12:55 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  Im going with App State. Return most of the team and their end of the season surge was impressive.

That wouldnt be a dark horse pick. App may be the favorite to win the conf this year. Not dark horse.

I don't think the conference will vote them as the favorite. I think they place App Around 4th

(04-06-2015 11:32 AM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  

(04-06-2015 11:25 AM)eagle9098 Wrote:  

(04-03-2015 12:55 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  Im going with App State. Return most of the team and their end of the season surge was impressive.

That wouldnt be a dark horse pick. App may be the favorite to win the conf this year. Not dark horse.

I don't think the conference will vote them as the favorite. I think they place App Around 4th

with as many guys they have returning, as well as getting southern, Lafayette, and ark state at home, they will most definitely be getting voted top 2 or 3.

The term "dark horse" - as its used in this thread - to me, means "who do you think could win the conference that isn't widely regarded as a favorite to win the conference?"

A dark horse is a little-known person or thing that emerges to prominence, especially in a competition of some sort[1] or a contestant that seems unlikely to succeed.[2]


so basically, anybody that is not expected to win.

If App finishes forth or worse, it will be considered a wasted season.