Athlon: Pre-Spring Rankings for 2016

Saunders

Saunders

Heisman Trophy Winner
41. Nebraska

Reason for Hope: Last year’s 6-7 mark wasn’t quite as bad as some may believe. A minus-12 turnover margin and six losses by one score suggest Nebraska could make a quick turnaround in the win column. Quarterback Tommy Armstrong should benefit from another season under coach Mike Riley and coordinator Danny Langsdorf. Jordan Westerkamp is one of the Big Ten’s top receivers.

Reason for Concern: The trenches. Nebraska loses three starters up front and has to generate more production from its ground attack. On defense, tackles Maliek Collins and Vincent Valentine won’t be easy to replace. The secondary has room to improve after ranking 78th nationally in pass efficiency defense last year.

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-pre-spring-1-128-team-rankings-2016#sthash.Xqr2Orwo.dpu
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How high were these guys when they came up with this list?

 
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I would say number 41 is pretty high for a team coming off a 7-6 season and needing to replace bunches in the lines. I guess I view this as pretty positive really. Do I think we can do better? Yes, but to finish number 41, we will need atleast 9 or 10 wins. Can we end up in the top 25? Long shot but maybe with a little more GOOD luck this season.

Could we end up number 55? Yup. Not out of line at all. That would require us to win 7 or so. I don't know where we would have been 'ranked' last year after the bowl game but probably around number 60. So this is a good jump up in my view.

 
84HuskerLaw said:
I would say number 41 is pretty high for a team coming off a 7-6 season and needing to replace bunches in the lines. I guess I view this as pretty positive really. Do I think we can do better? Yes, but to finish number 41, we will need atleast 9 or 10 wins. Can we end up in the top 25? Long shot but maybe with a little more GOOD luck this season.

Could we end up number 55? Yup. Not out of line at all. That would require us to win 7 or so. I don't know where we would have been 'ranked' last year after the bowl game but probably around number 60. So this is a good jump up in my view.
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Oops - 6-7 season I meant to say.

 
84HuskerLaw said:
84HuskerLaw said:
I would say number 41 is pretty high for a team coming off a 7-6 season and needing to replace bunches in the lines. I guess I view this as pretty positive really. Do I think we can do better? Yes, but to finish number 41, we will need atleast 9 or 10 wins. Can we end up in the top 25? Long shot but maybe with a little more GOOD luck this season.

Could we end up number 55? Yup. Not out of line at all. That would require us to win 7 or so. I don't know where we would have been 'ranked' last year after the bowl game but probably around number 60. So this is a good jump up in my view.
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Oops - 6-7 season I meant to say.
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You think we would need to win 9 or 10 games to finish "ranked 41st"?

 
Sounds fair to me. Nebraska was by no means a "good" team last year, at least in my opinion. I'm a big believer that you are pretty much what your record says you are. My only wish is that we were more experienced/deep along the lines but I feel like I've been saying that for half a decade now.

 
This is quasi interesting but at the same time doesn't mean anything.

This is opinions based on simply looking at our record last year and making a guess.

If the over/under for Nebraska in Vegas is 41, I'M DEFINITELY taking the bet that we end up better than 41.

 
84HuskerLaw said:
I would say number 41 is pretty high for a team coming off a 7-6 season and needing to replace bunches in the lines. I guess I view this as pretty positive really. Do I think we can do better? Yes, but to finish number 41, we will need atleast 9 or 10 wins. Can we end up in the top 25? Long shot but maybe with a little more GOOD luck this season.

Could we end up number 55? Yup. Not out of line at all. That would require us to win 7 or so. I don't know where we would have been 'ranked' last year after the bowl game but probably around number 60. So this is a good jump up in my view.
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41 would be about 8-5 for a team from the Big Ten

9 or 10 wins in the Big Ten would be ranked in the range of 10-28

Based on the way we played last season it would be fair to say our record could have ranged from 4-8 (no bowl game ) to 11-2

I think 41 would be on the low side for my prediction.

Win over Oregon and we go 12-2 (bowl loss or ccg loss)

Loss to Oregon and we go 9-4 (bowl win and no cc game)

 
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41 is about right, but I think there is a lot of uncertainty. I don't see us finishing any better than 20, but a 7 win season would not surprise me either. We have enough talent at the skill positions, but both lines concern me.

 
Those rankings are straight up just a final 2015 ranking. Every year the "pre-season" rankings are based on the results of last year which almost never prove to mean much by week 7 anyway. There's a few in there that are trendy, like Tennessee. But Athlon sports is also based in Nashville so that might explain that one. Basically the dude who made those rankings took no risk and just reiterated the results of last year.

If Nebraska gets to the 9-10 win Mark they will easily be in th top 25. 10 wins and I have them at 14. 9 wins probably more like 22.

 
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