So the poll was released today, and I have to say I agree with many of your sentiments regarding the questions posed on Monday. I have a few more questions, but they are slightly more specific than yesterday. First, here’s the rankings:
1 Georgia
2 Ohio St
3 Oregon
4 Texas
5 Alabama
6 Ole Miss
7 Notre Dame
8 Penn St
9 Michigan
10 Florida St
11 Missouri
12 Utah
13 LSU
14 Clemson
15 Tennessee
16 Oklahoma
17 Oklahoma State
18 Kansas State
19 Miami
20 A&M
21 Arizona
22 Kansas
23 USC
24 NC State
25 Iowa
Again, I’d say many of us were spot on with our observations, but here’s some questions based on insights shared in the aftermath of the release.
- On only two occasions (2004 USC and 2017 Alabama) has the starting #1 team won the national title.
- Ohio State has never won the national title when starting as #1 or #2.
- Last time Texas started the year in the top 5, they finished the year in ranked.
- The national champ for the past 20 years with the exception of FSU in 2013 and Auburn in 2010 has been from the starting top 7.
- For the past twenty one years except for 2019, one team from the top ten finishes the year unranked.
- For the past thirty years, except twice, a team that began the season outside the top 25 finished in the top 10.
This is starting to read like an LSAT question as I write it, but here’s the questions for the day:
- Based on the info above, who is your likely pick to win the national championship? How much does the CFP expansion impact the way these stats above could change?
- Who is starting in the top 10 who will likely be unranked by season’s end?
- Who is unranked and could finish in the top 10?
I’m going to still believe Georgia has has the best chance to win the national championship, but might take the non-traditional route to get there. If not Georgia, I think Oregon has a shot to make a serious run. I’m still not convinced Ryan Day can put it all together.
I’m sticking with Penn State as the most likely top 10 to finish unranked. Texas would be my second choice, they already are getting nipped by injuries and I don’t believe they have a defense until they prove me otherwise.
Unranked but possible top 10? The only one I can see right now is Nebraska, super soft schedule and voters love the blue bloods of college football, so I can see them getting the benefit of the doubt and a lofty ranking if Rhule can put it together this year.
What’s your thoughts?
I agree that Penn State ends up unranked. I would love to include Florida State there but they’re schedule is such a joke I think they would have to get creative to find a way to end up unranked.
Dawgs win it all. I’m calling it now. They beat the preseason dark horse darlings, Ole Piss, Texas, and Tennessee but lose at Bammer.
No idea about an unranked team that ends up higher. To be honest I just about don’t pay attention to anybody Georgia doesn’t play anymore.
I’m going all in on the Dawgs. Betting the house, the farm, the kids, the cattle and the hogs. I truly believe that if this team gels and finds their “why” and makes that team “family” connection, then they have the talent to be one of the most dominate teams in recent history. I am doing my best to be objective and temper my expectations because I have had my heat broken so many times in the past, but it is difficult knowing what is on the pasture; we are loaded. I have drank the koolaid, and I just think Kirby is painting his masterpiece. He has great balance and depth all across his offense. An offensive line built like the 1980’s Redskins “Hogs” He has a defense that is as talented as any he has had, but they have a bonus, a decided “chip” on their shoulder. The front seven has been called “underperforming” by the media and that is a prime Kirby Smart secret potion. Not just one or two super studs to rely on or be targeted by opponents, but a collection of more than capable well coached players. This team has a real chance to be special. I could be dead wrong, so you experts talk me down or tell me different.
Texas is over hyped and I know you meant unranked not “in ranked” and I have them losing to Mich, OU, UGA and maybe even Florida. Yes Florida.
Tennessee climbs into the top 10 and makes the CFP
Auburn makes a nice run methinks. Gets close to top 10
Florida State drops out of top 10
Bama has a good chance to disappoint. I think DeBoer might be a really good coach, but the pressures and expectations of Tuscaloosa and the SEC can chew up a dudes first experience in the SEC. At UT, at LSU at Oklahoma….They very well could finish 10-2 or 9-3 OR even worse if a few things go wrong.
Thats my .02 This and another $3.99 and you can get a sausage biscuit and a coke at Mr Biscuit in Rocky Face Ga.
Moe, I love your enthusiasm and optimism! There are two position groups that I am concerned about. 1. defensive line and 2. wide receivers. We watched an average DL last year and I do not see any upgrades heading into this year. Our WR/TE room took a few major hits that I don’t foresee this squad replacing. What am I not seeing?
Is Oscar Delp going to be Brock Bowers? No. Does he need to be? No. The Stanford guy was All Pac 12 before being hurt off and on last year. Lawson Luckie could turn heads as he did last preseason before getting hurt. Riddell is going to be a player.
Can McConkey’s production be replaced? Possibly. I love Dom Lovett coming back along with Bell. Colbie Young could be that red zone threat.
I concur with the question about the DL, but I’m not worried at all about our pass catchers especially when you put Etienne and Frazier in particular with the WR/TEs.
Your handle is apropos.
Yeah. I have been chugging the kool aid I guess.
I hope that you are right, and this squad is ridiculously talented. We are all entering a new era with the 12 team playoff…8 too many if you ask me.
My #1 wish for this year is for Kirby to tell the team that ESPN and the cfp committee knew saban was retiring last year and hosed UGA to give him a last shot at a natty. Then, I hope the team takes that frustration out on the tahd. I hope they beat them so badly the entire bama team decides to quit football altogether. Buck Fama!
With the new playoff money grab, I don’t know that the past finishes of the Pre-Season poll really matter. Especially considering it’s from AP Writers (a largely ceremonial pool of low quality individuals) and not the followers of this blog that tend to know more and hold a higher degree of character and understating of the sport. Most AP pollsters know about as much about football as they do fornicating. I realise that snitching out the claims of UGA PD and leering at the door to Toppers to see what freeborn scholarship athletes are doing generates clicks for the self appointed guardians of the College Football Republic, but lets be real – they don’t know anything.
You’re far too kind. Sport’s media represents the lowest form of life on Earth. They are not even human fucking beings. They are unorganized grab-asstic pieces of amphibian shit! Those nabobs. I hate them. How I hate them…
Unless someone shows me some unstoppable qb/2 wr combo who shows up with a defense with a pulse, given the 15 game grind, the LOS teams and teams that can withstand injury issues with depth, have to be favored to win it all.
That’s UGA, OSU and Alabama. If those teams fail to develop explosive offenses, that opens the door a crack to someone joining the party. I have to assume one of these three will go into the playoffs posting 40+ an outing and overwhelming anyone else in the field. Against each other, things could get interesting.
Basically, I’ll echo what I said in the next post here. Dawgs are still my favorite to win the tournament, though I think we’ll have 1-2 losses in the regular season. However, we avoid the meaningless CCG and go on to sweep the tournament.
I would agree with the majority. With the new tournament format the pressure of starting the season #1 and having to go wire to wire are released. With no pressure and room for error I don’t see a team that has the experience and culture mixed with the talent of UGA. If Saban were still around I’d say Alabama, but he’s not and the culture over there is likely not to be the same and year 1 with a new head coach is tough.
1- My pick for winning the national championship is Georgia, but I’m a homer. Other than UGA, Ohio State has the best chance to make playoff and win it because the Big 10 is not as tough this year, and they have the depth to make it through the playoffs. (Objectively, I really do think UGA has a better chance because we have a better QB.)
2- Michigan has the best chance to fall out of the top 25 while starting in the top 10. I think the wheels might fall off there. New coach (who is apparently under investigation by the NCAA), new qb, an major turmoil.
3- Auburn could be that sneaky unranked team to climb into the top 10. Good coach, good recruiting on the transfer portal, and typical Auburn luck.
We do have a tough schedule. It’s not just about the teams that we have to play; it’s about where and when we have to play them. But there is a bright spot – we don’t play Missouri this year. I’m not kidding. I just watched last year’s game that we played at home. Thank Dawg for Stackhouse and Bullard. And the game the year before in Missouri was worse.
That said, all SEC teams have multiple games against ranked teams, because they are SEC teams and have to play each other. I get the love for Oregon except the supposed key piece is the 5th year transfer QB. Hmmm, isn’t that what they said about Nix? Isn’t that similar to what the Gamecocks said about Rattler?
We’re 17-0 (or whatever the number is) from where I sit, and either way we’re in it until we ain’t. Go Dawgs!