For what it's worth......... 2012 pre-season rankings from College Football News. Enjoy ***** Moan

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1149737.html

My God,

Its JANUARY for petes sake.

I love College Football as much as anyone, but recrutiing isnt done, NSD hasnt happened, No spring game yet, no injurys from offseason workouts.

Thats just nuts to put one out already.

Good to finally see the Jags in the line up.

Go stAte . . Go SBC !!

(01-18-2012 12:12 PM)ManzanoWolf Wrote:  Good to finally see the Jags in the line up.

Go stAte . . Go SBC !!

I know!! I cannot wait for this season!

CFN with bad information? What a shock!

We only lose one starter at LB and naming Murphy the starting QB? He started two games in 2011. The starter will likely be Kilgore, but if it's not I think r-FR Shaun White has as good a shot as Murphy to take the job.

Also no mention of key transfers coming off redshirt RB Drayton Calhoun and CB Jajuan Harley.

(01-18-2012 12:47 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  CFN with bad information? What a shock!

We only lose one starter at LB and naming Murphy the starting QB? He started two games in 2011. The starter will likely be Kilgore, but if it's not I think r-FR Shaun White has as good a shot as Murphy to take the job.

Also no mention of key transfers coming off redshirt RB Drayton Calhoun and CB Jajuan Harley.

No respect for the Blue Raiders !

(01-18-2012 01:06 PM)MG61 Wrote:  

(01-18-2012 12:47 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  CFN with bad information? What a shock!

We only lose one starter at LB and naming Murphy the starting QB? He started two games in 2011. The starter will likely be Kilgore, but if it's not I think r-FR Shaun White has as good a shot as Murphy to take the job.

Also no mention of key transfers coming off redshirt RB Drayton Calhoun and CB Jajuan Harley.

No respect for the Blue Raiders !

I have no problem with where they picked us based on the season we had, but it's just full of inaccuracies which is nothing new from CFN.

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again, but Bleacher Report is the best thing that ever happened to CFN. CFN was viewed as the pits of football reporting for years until BR came along.

100 bucks says we don't end up in last place!

GO OWLS!

(01-18-2012 01:13 PM)NCowl Wrote:  100 bucks says we don't end up in last place!

GO OWLS!

Aside from South Alabama who isn't eligible for anything this year(and very well may surprise a few teams anyhow) who do you see your Owls finishing ahead of? No disrespect intended, just wondering. I wouldn't bet $100 on anyone finishing last just because one close game can mean the difference between last and next to last, but I expect another long season down in Boca.

Howell's early 2012 rankings.

1. Arkansas State
2. FIU
3. ULL
4. Troy
5. ULM
6. WKU
7. North Texas
8. Middle Tennessee
9. FAU
10. South Alabama

and

Sun Belt passes WAC

http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cf2012.htm

(01-18-2012 01:46 PM)MG61 Wrote:  Howell's early 2012 rankings.

1. Arkansas State
2. FIU
3. ULL
4. Troy
5. ULM
6. WKU
7. North Texas
8. Middle Tennessee
9. FAU
10. South Alabama

and

Sun Belt passes

http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cf2012.htm

I think this one will be closer to accurate. Troy will finish top 4.

(01-18-2012 02:10 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  

(01-18-2012 01:46 PM)MG61 Wrote:  Howell's early 2012 rankings.

1. Arkansas State
2. FIU
3. ULL
4. Troy
5. ULM
6. WKU
7. North Texas
8. Middle Tennessee
9. FAU
10. South Alabama

and

Sun Belt passes

http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cf2012.htm

I think this one will be closer to accurate. Troy will finish top 4.

Not sure how you can make such definitive statements after the season you just had. Don't get me wrong, I'd say Troy has a pretty good shot at a bounce back season, but this time last year all the talk was about "the six pack" or whatever you guys were calling your already counted 2011 championship.

(01-18-2012 01:32 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(01-18-2012 01:13 PM)NCowl Wrote:  100 bucks says we don't end up in last place!

GO OWLS!

Aside from South Alabama who isn't eligible for anything this year(and very well may surprise a few teams anyhow) who do you see your Owls finishing ahead of? No disrespect intended, just wondering. I wouldn't bet $100 on anyone finishing last just because one close game can mean the difference between last and next to last, but I expect another long season down in Boca.

I honestly couldnt tell you. FAU is a great unknown right now. Pelini is putting in a whole new offense, switching back to a 4-3 on D, and there is new fire and passion that comes with a whole new coaching staff.

We may take a few 'Belt teams by surprise because I think everyone is used to what FAU always did. (Pro style, Drop back QB) That playbook has gone away.

Last wouldnt surprise me but, i would hope to see 4-5 wins next year.

I can guarantee you Arkansas State will not lose to FAU next year

Im not sure on those predictions. I have a hard time seeing FIU and ASU swapping places like that. I could see either being 2nd or 3rd but not where they have them.

TROY should be much improved from last year. I don't think we'll be on top, but I do believe we'll finish in the top 4. This is our first year with 6 home games since joining Div 1-A.

The Trojan Empire will rise again! GO TROY!

(01-18-2012 02:20 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(01-18-2012 02:10 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  

(01-18-2012 01:46 PM)MG61 Wrote:  Howell's early 2012 rankings.

1. Arkansas State
2. FIU
3. ULL
4. Troy
5. ULM
6. WKU
7. North Texas
8. Middle Tennessee
9. FAU
10. South Alabama

and

Sun Belt passes

http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cf2012.htm

I think this one will be closer to accurate. Troy will finish top 4.

Not sure how you can make such definitive statements after the season you just had. Don't get me wrong, I'd say Troy has a pretty good shot at a bounce back season, but this time last year all the talk was about "the six pack" or whatever you guys were calling your already counted 2011 championship.

Yes but we return a good QB back, we return all of are WR's back and on top of that get the ones back from academic ineligibility, the defense can't possibly be worse, and we get Montrell Conner eligible this season to help the run game.

On top of that the teams that should beat us will be playing in Troy so finishing 4th or above with 6+ wins won't be so unbelievable with the new round robin schedule.

The way I look at Troy's season. And thank goodness we don't have Clemson, Arkansas, Navy all as away games as non conference. That would have killed any team in the Sun Belts bowl chances.

UAB Win

Miss St loss (but you never know it could be the first sold out game ever because Troy usually brings 17k traveling fans and no fans from the other team and I'm sure an SEC team will bring more of our fans and they will bring some)

Middle Tenn Win

ULM Loss

ULL win

FIU loss

Navy loss

UNT win

FAU win

WKU Loss

South Alabama Win

ASU Loss

And any of those losses could become wins because last season you may have said our offense was all freshman and sophomores. We lost most our WR's to graduation and the NFL then to lose two more starters to academics was a huge wound because the literal bottom of the depth chart was forced to play last season. Then factor in our QB battled a shoulder injury.

After winning the conference five straight years everyone was probably jumping in joy that we went down the way we did but Troy is no one trick pony. That stretch of success was in no way something new and we will be back up this season.

(01-18-2012 11:47 AM)MG61 Wrote:  For what it's worth......... 2012 pre-season rankings from College Football News. Enjoy ***** Moan

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1149737.html

Red Wolves picked 4th - I like the spoiler role!

(01-18-2012 08:28 PM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  Red Wolves picked 4th - I like the spoiler role!

If I could pick a spot, I'd pick 3rd or 4th every year. We always do better as an underdog.

On 2nd look I could see why they put us there, defensively we have very little left, and we're not exactly loading up on defensive recruits...Malzahn still is short 2 defensive coaches.