***Official Preseason Polls Thread***

[NUance]

One guy’s Top 25

BY SAM MCKEWON | 2:51 PM, THURSDAY, AUG. 18 | POSTED IN BIG RED TODAY

 

1. Oregon: The Ducks are a risky No. 1, if only because they face a national title knockout game with LSU on the opening weekend at Cowboys Stadium. I think UO wins there and runs the Pac-12 table. Oregon is young on defense, but very, very fast.

2. Alabama: With ten returning starters, the Tide’s defense could be coach Nick Saban’s finest. The schedule is tough, and there’s no experienced quarterback, but even if Alabama drops a game, I predict a SEC title will be more impressive than Boise State finishing undefeated

3. Boise State: Nothing quite succeeds like success, and the Broncos play beyond their talent level because of confidence. Kellen Moore is one of the nation’s best quarterbacks, and the defensive line is scary good.

4. Oklahoma: OU is loaded with talent, but its inconsistency on the road guarantees a loss somewhere, to someone, at least once per season. It’ll happen again. Maybe twice.

5. Stanford: Quarterback Andrew Luck is worth several close wins by himself. Stanford wisely kept staff continuity even though Jim Harbaugh left The Farm for the 49ers.

6. Arkansas: Tyler Wilson will be every bit as good at quarterback as Ryan Mallett – maybe better – as coach Bobby Petrino, ruthless-but-effective, fields his most talented team yet.

7. LSU: The Tigers are talented, but let’s be honest: They were lucky not to lose five games in 2010. The schedule – Oregon, at Mississippi State, at West Virginia, at Alabama, Arkansas – is just too tough for such an inconsistent team to run the table.

8. Virginia Tech: The dream schedule entry. The Hokies win ten games per year in their sleep, and their toughest games in 2011 – Miami, Clemson – are at home.

9. Florida State: In just his second year as head coach, Jimbo Fisher has said and done all the right thing to get the Seminoles on the right track. He now needs quarterback E.J. Manuel to be as good as high school hype.

10. Texas A&M: The Aggies are now where Nebraska was last year: An enemy of the Big 12 state who lost its best player to the NFL (linebacker Von Miller) but have plenty of experience otherwise. A&M 2011 has one advantage over NU 2010: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

11. Nebraska: The Huskers’ speed will take the Big Ten by surprise. Ohio State’s tattoo nightmare created a leadership vacuum in the league; NU will help fill it.

12. Wisconsin: The Badgers will fill that leadership vacuum, too, thanks to the one-year loan of North Carolina State quarterback Russell Wilson. UW and Nebraska will square off twice in 2011.

13. Oklahoma State: I should trust the Cowboys – who have 14 returning starters – more. But I don’t. Big 12 defenses will find a way to slow down Justin Blackmon this year. And OSU’s defense wasn’t any good last year.

14. Georgia: The dream schedule entry, part two. The Bulldogs avoid Alabama, LSU and Arkansas from the SEC West. Can Mark Richt cool down that hot seat with an upset – yes, upset – win over Boise State in the season opener? He has the quarterback, Aaron Murray, to do it.

15. Michigan State: A fabulous array of offensive skill talent and one of the nation’s best defensive lines can’t fully overcome a brutal schedule: games at Nebraska, Notre Dame, Iowa and Ohio State. But this is Mark Dantonio’s most complete team in his five years.

16. Notre Dame: Before you wig out, Husker fans, remember: The Irish beat Utah, USC and Miami to end last season, 17 starters return, and Brian Kelly is cut from a whole different cloth than Charlie Weis and Tyrone Willingham before him. Reminiscent of Frank Leahy, Kelly is obsessed with winning, not caught up with pinching himself over his good fortune.

17. USC: The Trojan two-deep is obscenely talented. Good thing – because there isn’t much depth behind it. Matt Barkley is Paul McCartney to Andrew Luck’s John Lennon and the Good Kiffin – that’s dad Monte – will have this defense breathing fire. Games at Notre Dame and Oregon are tough to win, though.

18. Texas Christian: With just eight returning starters, TCU takes a step back in 2011. The schedule probably gets the Horned Frogs ten win, though.

19. Ohio State: From top three to this, with the stroke of a tattoo needle and the click of “send” on an school email account. The defense still has plenty of juice. The offense is hitting the reset button.

20. Florida: The Gators are one year away, although don’t be surprised if Will Muschamp’s run defense holds teams below 100 yards per game. UF gets home games with Alabama and Florida State. The Gators stage an upset in one of them.

21. Miami: Five-win game management skills mixed with 11-win talent. Neither result would surprise me.

22. South Carolina: The Ol Ball Coach Steve Spurrier has the nation’s best receiver in Alshon Jeffrey (88 catches 1,517 yards) but exceedingly inconsistent quarterback and offensive line play.

23. Houston: Case Keenum could throw for another 5,000 yards while the Cougars cross their fingers for a Big 12 battlefield promotion.

24. Southern Mississippi: Know this name: Larry Fedora. He’s USM’s coach. After the Golden Eagles win 11 games this year, he’ll be a hot name on the coaching carousel. Georgia, perhaps?

25. Penn State: The Nittany Lions are more experienced on defense and at quarterback in 2011. Plus key games – Alabama, Nebraska, Iowa – come before the tough road games at Ohio State and Wisconsin to end the season.

LINK

*bump*

 

Here's Sam McKewon's top-25. I think he has the Huskers pegged about right at #11. But the Ducks at #1?? Come on now.

[knapplc]

Huskers are #10 in the AP preseason Top 25. Your list, courtesy of Sipple/LJS:

 

 

Ladies and gents, your preseason Associated Press Top 25, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2010 records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and 2010 final ranking:

 

1. Oklahoma (36);12-2;1,464;6

2. Alabama (17);10-3;1,439;10

3. Oregon (4);12-1;1,330;3

4. LSU (1);11-2;1,286;8

5. Boise St. (2);12-1;1,200;9

6. Florida St.;10-4;1,168;17

7. Stanford;12-1;1,091;4

8. Texas A&M;9-4;965;19

9. Oklahoma St.;11-2;955;13

10. Nebraska;10-4;910;20

11. Wisconsin;11-2;900;7

12. South Carolina;9-5;848;22

13. Virginia Tech;11-3;821;16

14. TCU;13-0;690;2

15. Arkansas;10-3;686;12

16. Notre Dame;8-5;530;NR

17. Michigan St.;11-2;519;14

18. Ohio St.;12-1;443;5

19. Georgia;6-7;369;NR

20. Mississippi St.;9-4;361;15

21. Missouri;10-3;258;18

22. Florida;8-5;228;NR

23. Auburn;14-0;219;1

24. West Virginia;9-4;207;NR

25. Southern Cal;8-5;160;NR

 

Others receiving votes: Texas 114, Penn St. 75, Arizona St. 67, Miami 32, Utah 25, Southern Miss. 20, Iowa 19, BYU 15, NC State 15, Air Force 14, Houston 13, Pittsburgh 9, Michigan 7, Tennessee 5, UCF 5, Hawaii 4, N. Illinois 4, Tulsa 3, Arizona 2, Maryland 2, Nevada 1, Northwestern 1, Washington 1.

[jsneb83]

I would say we should pin this so we don't have to keep scrolling down to find, but with it being so close to the start of the season, we probably won't need this thread for very long.

[talaricohusker]

Thanks Knapp i didnt know it was already posted i was on espn today and notice it was there so i thouhgt i should post it

[talaricohusker]

this is a good spot for us not to hight and not to low where we dont have a shot at the title. i really hope we meet OU in the title game that would be awesome just drinking the

[Haspula]

I like our spot. Anyone else think Auburn is too low in the rankings?

[The Dude]

I like our spot. Anyone else think Auburn is too low in the rankings?

Not really. Cam Newton was about 90% of their team last year.

[huskerscott]

Quite frankly seeing Okie Lite and A&M in the top 10 makes me wanna throw up in my mouth alittle.

 

 

Honestly I think this could be the most wide open race for the NC in college football in recent memory. As I look at the pre season rankings I dont see one team that is clearly above the rest.

 

2 weeks!!!!

[Husker_x]

Nebraska at #10 is a little high. I'm guessing every ounce of that comes from the defense. Team speed is great, but our offense was horrendous last season.

[OmahaPlaya]

10 is just right for us. As I said with the Big XII going round robin they will knock each other around as the season goes.

[Haspula]

In case you guys missed it

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YFrhzzhHdQ

[AR Husker Fan]

I would say we should pin this so we don't have to keep scrolling down to find, but with it being so close to the start of the season, we probably won't need this thread for very long.

Just as a reminder to everyone - the 2011 HuskerBoard Schedule and Results page has links to the various polls, so it can be a quick, easy one stop shop for the polls throughout the year. Besides the link above, we have a link to it on each page (look for the black band just below the logo and teh "2011 Schedule" link).

[shabizzle]

So after a very generous ranking last year at #3, LA Times has got ahold of the red coolaid again putting NU at #7 for the 2011 preseason.

My link

[da skers]

http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/fan_club_friday_college_footballs_preseason_top_25_hotties/6377275?refmod=backyard

 

 

And I think I'm now a 'Bama fan.

[GMoose]

Until we have proven we don't lose games we have no business losing, anything higher than 13 is too high IMO