ESPN: First 2019 Way-Too-Early Top 25

It's an arbitrary shot in the dark 4 months before the season actually starts that holds zero merit on anything that will actually happen during week 1.  By week 2, the pre season poll from May will be a fart in the wind.  Every year someone gets worked up that we aren't high enough or that we are too high and haven't earned it.  It's even dumber when you consider that the only pre season poll that actually may matter are the ones that come out right before the season, even then they are mostly just a way to push the idea specific teams are better than they are so that when they play the favorites and lose it will look like some sort of achievement.

Talk to me in week 6 about top 25 rankings, until then I'll enjoy the love the talking heads toss our way, even if we haven't "earned" it.

 
I think it's really easy to believe Nebraska doesn't belong in these types of listings, and I'd be inclined to agree even if it is a preseason list, but we also have to keep in mind that other teams are also going through roster turnover, too. Other teams have big questions and concerns like Nebraska does. In fact, there are very few teams in the country with enough depth and talent to remain consistently good year over year. I'm often guilty of focusing too much on Nebraska's weaknesses over the weaknesses of other teams.

The season will obviously answer those questions. Admittedly, I don't have a solid gauge of other college football teams save a select few, but it stands to reason that some teams on that list might end up having bad seasons, and there may be an unlisted team that wins 11 games in 2019.

 
After back-to-back 4-8 seasons I have a hard time seeing how they warrant a top 20 rating this year. Especially considering the lack of a standout RB, depth at WR and a questionable OL. Plus the defense is a concern overall IMHO with some big holes in the back 8. I'll be happy if they can pull off a 7-5 season and just get to a bowl.

 
Dogs In A Pile said:
After back-to-back 4-8 seasons I have a hard time seeing how they warrant a top 20 rating
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Redux said:
It's an arbitrary shot in the dark 4 months before the season actually starts that holds zero merit on anything that will actually happen during week 1.  By week 2, the pre season poll from May will be a fart in the wind.  Every year someone gets worked up that we aren't high enough or that we are too high and haven't earned it.  It's even dumber when you consider that the only pre season poll that actually may matter are the ones that come out right before the season, even then they are mostly just a way to push the idea specific teams are better than they are so that when they play the favorites and lose it will look like some sort of achievement.

Talk to me in week 6 about top 25 rankings, until then I'll enjoy the love the talking heads toss our way, even if we haven't "earned" it.
Click to expand...

 
I'm obviously biased but I don't see why someone would look at Iowa, Ohio State, and Nebraska and not think Nebraska will improve the most this season. And we almost beat both of those teams.

 
This seems way too high for a consecutive 4-8 team even if they seem like they are on the upswing.  I would have preferred to be ranked outside the top 25 and earn our way into it.  Regardless, is it September yet?  Go Big Red!!

 
Someone thinks the Husker Hype is a bit premature.  Some thinking in the opposite direction.


 


5 teams that are getting too much national love in post-spring Top 25 rankings



5. Nebraska


Rankings: No. 17 (CBS Sports), No. 19 (USA Today)

Ah, the Husker hype train. It’s a beautiful, beautiful thing. It often starts chugging along with such promise and hope, only to get derailed after big-game losses. But just for fun, let’s ride the Husker hype train and see where it takes us.

Did Nebraska finish 4-2 with nail-biter losses on the road against a pair of teams who finished in the Top 25? Yup.

Do the Huskers return a preseason Heisman Trophy contender quarterback in Adrian Martinez who has all the makings of a star? Yup, yup.

Do they have Scott Frost, AKA the guy who led UCF to an incredible, undefeated season in Year 2? Yup, yup and yup.

So why is Nebraska not worth being a top 20 team to start the year? Well, a few things.

One of which is the elephant in the room. Despite that impressive finish, it was still a 4-win team. An extremely flawed 4-win team, at that. The Huskers were atrocious from a discipline standpoint (No. 116 in penalty yards per game). For a team that essentially attempts to play bend-don’t-break defense, that doesn’t work. This team, which ranked No. 88 in scoring defense last year, has major questions to answer on that side of the ball, which isn’t exactly Frost’s area of expertise.

And yeah, while this is Year 2 with Frost, Penn State and Purdue are actually the only teams in the Big Ten who return less of their production from 2018 (top receiver Stanley Morgan, leading rusher Devine Ozigbo and top defensive playmaker Luke Gifford are all gone).

There are a lot of teams worthy of being ranked to start the season. Nebraska just isn’t one of them.
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