Phil Steele's Top 25 features 5 Big Ten teams

[huKSer]

Here is a look at Steele’s complete Top 25 rankings.

1. Florida State

2. Alabama

3. Oklahoma

4. LSU

5. Clemson

6. Ohio State

7. Tennessee

8. Washington

9. Notre Dame

10. Stanford

11. TCU

12. Michigan

13. Michigan State

14. Iowa

15. UCLA

16. Boise State

17. Ole Miss

18. Baylor

19. Miami

20. Houston

21. Louisville

22. Nebraska

23. Georgia

24. Texas

25. USC

Others to consider: Penn State, Wisconsin

http://btn.com/2016/06/28/five-big-ten-teams-ranked-in-phil-steeles-preseason-top-25/

5 SEC teams

I don't think Baylor will finish 18th

 

[Scratchtown]

No Oregon?

I believe they were around 29.

I'm not surprised after taking a quick look at their potential depth chart. They are going to have a lot of new starters to break in. Huskers should win that game.

New starters yes, but not playing time. Oregon plays SOOOOO many guys every game. The "starters" they are breaking in ALL have tons of playing time. It won't be a big deal like it is with other teams.

Yes I love Oregon, but this is not a bias comment. It is what it is. Oregon is down but they are a top 15 talented team, though, they still may finish around 20. The Pac12 is very good right now up and down.

 

[BIG ERN]

I think there is a good chance that the last week of CFB could determine the West and East winners for the B10...Iowa vs Nebraska and Ohio St vs Michigan

I give Iowa and Michigan the edge though at this point.

 

[cm husker]

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :dunno :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.
I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

Wait, what? 100x QB play? How do you reach that conclusion, other than hype?

 

[NUance]

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :dunno :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

 

[Scratchtown]

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :dunno :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.
I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

It was a reference to improvement. Why does NU improve so much but Tennessee doesn't?

 

[NUance]

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :dunno :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.
I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

It was a reference to improvement. Why does NU improve so much but Tennessee doesn't?

I dunno. Maybe people look at all of our close losses last year and figure we were more like a four or five loss team than a seven loss team? You have to admit, we were snakebit last year when it came to dropping close games. :dunno :

 

[Huskerzoo]

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :dunno :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.
I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

It was a reference to improvement. Why does NU improve so much but Tennessee doesn't?

I dunno. Maybe people look at all of our close losses last year and figure we were more like a four or five loss team than a seven loss team? You have to admit, we were snakebit last year when it came to dropping close games. :dunno :

We were in a position for a lot of coinflips.

 

[Saunders]

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :dunno :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.

I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

Nobody's predicting Nebraska to be in the top ten. Meanwhile, Tennessee is getting hyped (again) because they blew out a crappy Northwestern team again in a bowl.

 

[Scratchtown]

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :dunno :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.
I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

It was a reference to improvement. Why does NU improve so much but Tennessee doesn't?

I dunno. Maybe people look at all of our close losses last year and figure we were more like a four or five loss team than a seven loss team? You have to admit, we were snakebit last year when it came to dropping close games. :dunno :

Right but coin flips with illinois, purdue, BYU aren't exactly the programs that games should be close with in the first place when talking about top tier teams in a given year.

 

[Huskerzoo]

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :dunno :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.
I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

It was a reference to improvement. Why does NU improve so much but Tennessee doesn't?

I dunno. Maybe people look at all of our close losses last year and figure we were more like a four or five loss team than a seven loss team? You have to admit, we were snakebit last year when it came to dropping close games. :dunno :

Right but coin flips with illinois, purdue, BYU aren't exactly the programs that games should be close with in the first place when talking about top tier teams in a given year.

I agree. I think being in our second year with better buy in will help. I worry about our line play on D and secondary. If those get fixed we're a force this year. If not it's going to be another long season. Too many unknowns for me to feel comfortable making a prediction.

 

[Saunders]

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :dunno :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.
I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

It was a reference to improvement. Why does NU improve so much but Tennessee doesn't?

I dunno. Maybe people look at all of our close losses last year and figure we were more like a four or five loss team than a seven loss team? You have to admit, we were snakebit last year when it came to dropping close games. :dunno :

Right but coin flips with illinois, purdue, BYU aren't exactly the programs that games should be close with in the first place when talking about top tier teams in a given year.

Tennessee is getting hyped again, when they didn't beat any great teams last year (and don't tell me Georgia and Northwestern were great). Bowling Green, Western Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, North Texas, Mizzou, Vandy, and Northwestern. That's not a top ten resume.

Again, nobody is arguing NU should be in the top ten. You're comparing apples and oranges.

 

[NUinID]

Why is everyone so high on Tennessee this year? Sure they have most of their starters back. But they're back from a squad that dropped four games last year. I'm guessing they drop at least three or four games again this year. And finish around 20th or so. :dunno :

So, why is everyone here so ready to crown NU at 10-2? They return less than Tennessee and NU lost 7 games last year.
I think Tennessee has WAY more talent stock piled than NU and QB play that trumps NU's 100 times over. Maybe you are endorsing the SEC as being tough?

The operative word in your question is "here"? Because we're Husker fans, that's why. (btw, I doubt we go 10-2. A more reasonable prediction would be three or four losses.)

Steele has us at #22. I think the Huskers at #22 is more reasonable than Tennessee at #7. /JMHO

It was a reference to improvement. Why does NU improve so much but Tennessee doesn't?

Same reason you see Oregon being really good, but I don't. We discussed this last year also. You thought the Ducks lose 1-2 games and I said no less than 3. I think they lost 4 didn't they? I see Oregon starting a slide to a team that is a 3-4 loss team most years and a 5-6 loss team thrown in the mix on occation. They will also have the 10-2 season in there also. Helfrich isn't Chip Kelly, heck I don't even think he is as good as Bolotti.

Oregon doesn't go without a great QB. They were at the pinnicle with Mariota. With good QB the offense can still be really good. There QB and defense is a huge question mark this year. Personally I think they lose 4 game again. They could be better, but I think they lose to Nebraska and Stanford.

 

[admo]

Steele is great. I don't agree with FSU & Alabama as 1 and 2. The Seminoles have a Heisman contender at RB, are returning just 4 on offense. Their QB (Sean Maguire) went 4-2 in the games he started (lost to Clemson and ugly against Houston). And Alabama is returning 3 players on offense. They have to replace Coker at QB and Henry at RB. That's a ton of production on offense. Even though they have great coaching staffs, that's an uphill climb.

Not buying into LSU. They went 2-3 in their last 5 games (against good teams they struggled) and even though they have the best RB in the nation (possibly, see Stanford as it is debatable), I don't think they have a QB that is good enough to take some of the pressure. They do have a lot of guys returning on offense (9 starters) so that should help. Tennessee has a good coach, a light schedule with a tough stretch of 4 games which will decide their fate. Lots of talent, and 18 starters returning from a team that had a lot of close losses, mostly because of youth and growing pains.

Stanford has 9 returning starters, including McCaffery as another Heisman contender, but needs to find a new signal caller, game manager. Notre Dame should be up there most of the year too, but I think OU, Clemson, and Ohio State are the favorites to make the playoffs. Coaching, returning talent (both sides), and accurate QBs that are dangerous throwing or running.

 

[admo]

As for our Huskers, hey 22 sounds pretty good to me! (preseason rank after 7 tough losses last season)