A Sea Of Red

https://athlonsports.com/college-footba ... pring-2019

Saved you a click. Liberty at 108 barely missing passing Rutgers and Kansas on this list.

Syracuse #27
@Louisiana #78
Buffalo #98
Hampton (FCS)
New Mexico #117
@New Mexico State #126
Maine (FCS)
@Rutgers #107
@UMass #128
@BYU #53
@Virginia #32
New Mexico State #126

Average FBS Opponent Rank # 89.2

It's definitely worth clicking to see some of the teams that LU is ranked ABOVE:

Navy
East Carolina
ODU
Charlotte
Kent State
Akron
Bowling Green
GA State
Coatal
UTEP
UMass
UConn
Rice

How many of those are Sun Belt Schools?

Cider Jim wrote:It's definitely worth clicking to see some of the teams that LU is ranked ABOVE:

Navy
East Carolina
ODU
Charlotte
Kent State
Akron
Bowling Green
GA State
Coatal
UTEP
UMass
UConn
Rice

How many of those are Sun Belt Schools?

Conference Average Rank
SEC #31
B1G #39
Big XII #44
Pac-12 #45
ACC #50

AAC #76
Mountain West #81
Sunbelt #92
CUSA #99
MAC #103

Bottom of the ACC really holding them back

University of Virginia at #32, made me laugh. That in itself creates some doubt as to accuracy of this poll.

ballcoach15 wrote:University of Virginia at #32, made me laugh. That in itself creates some doubt as to accuracy of this poll.

UVA should have a pretty good team this year I think 32 is slightly too high but not far off. They should be right around 40.

With our recent surge into the national spotlight in college basketball one of our football coaches tweeted something like, "this is just the beginning". I love to see stuff like this as it shows the expectation of these coaches that receiving votes in the AP or Coaches poll in college football would also NOT be unrealistic.

Two scenarios where this could happen in 2019:

Scenario 1: We beat Syracuse and rattle of 8 more wins and travel to BYU 9-0. How could we NOT have votes in either poll or even be ranked in top 25.

Scenario 2: We lose to Syracuse but win the next 8 and travel to BYU with an 8-1 record. Again, how could we NOT have votes in either one of the major polls.

I think either scenario depends a lot on how Syracuse does. Scenario 1 - is a top 15 potential IF Syracuse is decent and Rutgers has won 3-4 games. Scenario 2 - if we play them close - we will be ranked in one poll - not just getting votes - but bottom end of top 25. ON PAPER per Athlon we are scheduled to start 0-3 and end up 6-6...

Scenario 1: We would not have votes in either poll if no one voted for us.

Scenario 2: We would not have votes in either poll if no one voted for us.

You asked how....

FlamesHighontheTide wrote:With our recent surge into the national spotlight in college basketball one of our football coaches tweeted something like, "this is just the beginning". I love to see stuff like this as it shows the expectation of these coaches that receiving votes in the AP or Coaches poll in college football would also NOT be unrealistic.

Two scenarios where this could happen in 2019:

Scenario 1: We beat Syracuse and rattle of 8 more wins and travel to BYU 9-0. How could we NOT have votes in either poll or even be ranked in top 25.

Scenario 2: We lose to Syracuse but win the next 8 and travel to BYU with an 8-1 record. Again, how could we NOT have votes in either one of the major polls.

Here is last years AP poll after 9 games ( not many 1 loss teams left at that point ). Utah State had lost to Boise week before but then trounced UNT and only BYU as a P5 ( equivalent )

https://www.foxsports.com/college-footb ... =12&poll=1

tyndal23 wrote:

FlamesHighontheTide wrote:With our recent surge into the national spotlight in college basketball one of our football coaches tweeted something like, "this is just the beginning". I love to see stuff like this as it shows the expectation of these coaches that receiving votes in the AP or Coaches poll in college football would also NOT be unrealistic.

Two scenarios where this could happen in 2019:

Scenario 1: We beat Syracuse and rattle of 8 more wins and travel to BYU 9-0. How could we NOT have votes in either poll or even be ranked in top 25.

Scenario 2: We lose to Syracuse but win the next 8 and travel to BYU with an 8-1 record. Again, how could we NOT have votes in either one of the major polls.

Here is last years AP poll after 9 games ( not many 1 loss teams left at that point ). Utah State had lost to Boise week before but then trounced UNT and only BYU as a P5 ( equivalent )

https://www.foxsports.com/college-footb ... =12&poll=1

Oops - this link better ( after 9 games not 10 )
https://www.foxsports.com/college-footb ... =11&poll=1

And looking at the top 25 plus those receiving votes you find 9 non-power 5 teams. It would be hard to believe that if we beat a preseason top 20 team in syracuse and then rattle off to tune of 9-0 going to BYU that we wouldn't be somewhere in that ball park of ranked or receiving votes for the polls.

FlamesHighontheTide wrote:And looking at the top 25 plus those receiving votes you find 9 non-power 5 teams. It would be hard to believe that if we beat a preseason top 20 team in syracuse and then rattle off to tune of 9-0 going to BYU that we wouldn't be somewhere in that ball park of ranked or receiving votes for the polls.

Dream on.

I'm not saying it is going to happen, but I am proposing a scenario that if it happens we SHOULD be atleast receiving votes in both major college football polls.

Honestly, I think we easily go 8-4 next year but I could see us also going 10-2. I think Freeze is that good of a coach to add 4 wins from a 6-6 team.

I agree on 8-4 as a reasonable expectation. If we can win 2 of our first 3 games that would be solid. Louisiana and Buffalo are both going to be tough outs. (Hope they get beat up physically at Miss St and Penn St respectivelly the week prior to LU ) Rutgers I expect to win. BYU comes as a 3rd straight road game ( tough ) and UVA is after a week off ( UVA is better than BYU but a bye week might give us a punchers chance - I think our O really gave that game away last year). Just hoping HF cures us of losing to New Mexico schools and UMASS. Syracuse - just don’t think we can hang with them in the trenches regardless of new QB plus we are installing a whole new system so our guys may not be on the same page yet.

Realistically speaking, Syracuse only beat 2 wining teams last season. I live in upstate New York and the jury is still out on SU. We are still not convinced!

tyndal23 wrote:I agree on 8-4 as a reasonable expectation. If we can win 2 of our first 3 games that would be solid. Louisiana and Buffalo are both going to be tough outs. (Hope they get beat up physically at Miss St and Penn St respectivelly the week prior to LU ) Rutgers I expect to win. BYU comes as a 3rd straight road game ( tough ) and UVA is after a week off ( UVA is better than BYU but a bye week might give us a punchers chance - I think our O really gave that game away last year). Just hoping HF cures us of losing to New Mexico schools and UMASS. Syracuse - just don’t think we can hang with them in the trenches regardless of new QB plus we are installing a whole new system so our guys may not be on the same page yet.

What trenches are you referring too? SU is a mixed bag team. Dungee carried the load and was the leading rusher last season. They picked up a 3rd stringer RB transfer, but I don't think you should give them too much credit after 1 winning season in the past 7 or 8 seasons...REALLY?

Their O Line vs our D Line. They have 3 new starters ( but a lot of game reps experience ). More athletic but might be a push in the passing game since their 1st game working together ( always the slowest group to develop together of all position groups ). If Dino watches any tape he will try and run it down our throat and force us to stop the run and keep his new QB in easy throwing opportunities.
Their D Line vs our O Line - we have pretty good experience -but they have the best D Line we will face all season.
Their weaknes is LB.
Secondary - might be better than UVA last year all 4 starters back.
QB - pocket passer - their O will look quite a bit different this year.
We wil definitely have a long shot chance at beating them - but we will be at least 17 point home dogs. I just don’t think we have the horses / depth to stop an ACC consistent run game. And Syracuse plays real physical ( just go watch Clemson game from last year )

tyndal23 wrote:Their O Line vs our D Line. They have 3 new starters ( but a lot of game reps experience ). More athletic but might be a push in the passing game since their 1st game working together ( always the slowest group to develop together of all position groups ). If Dino watches any tape he will try and run it down our throat and force us to stop the run and keep his new QB in easy throwing opportunities.
Their D Line vs our O Line - we have pretty good experience -but they have the best D Line we will face all season.
Their weaknes is LB.
Secondary - might be better than UVA last year all 4 starters back.
QB - pocket passer - their O will look quite a bit different this year.
We wil definitely have a long shot chance at beating them - but we will be at least 17 point home dogs. I just don’t think we have the horses / depth to stop an ACC consistent run game. And Syracuse plays real physical ( just go watch Clemson game from last year )

They definitely will be one of the best D-Lines we play. The loss of Chris Slayton is a huge loss. While his numbers werent anything crazy, he was constantly double teamed, he will more than likely be playing in the NFL next year. There is plenty of talent and they should push around our O-Line.

Yes Ewglenn, he is a big loss, however they do like their DT redshirts and recruits, running up the gut might be our key- their 2 D Ends are studs. Rewatched the 2018 Clemson game last night - not as physical on O Line as they were in 2017 - ( they just blew holes open all night in 2017 ) and I wasn’t as impressed with their secondary as they were touting, but bottom line they have a new standard and winning mentality with Dino - they will probably be overranked early but still not the Syracuse of the past 15 years or so who always found a way to lose before Dino came in. BTW - Syracuse has 53,54,53 ranked classes last 3 years - LU non ranked, 134 going in - ( I don’t put too much weight on classes but clearly they have a 2 deep advantage on athletes ) I also watched Buffalo and researched who they have coming back -they are losing a ton of players - feeling better about that one.

tyndal23 wrote:Yes Ewglenn, he is a big loss, however they do like their DT redshirts and recruits, running up the gut might be our key- their 2 D Ends are studs. Rewatched the 2018 Clemson game last night - not as physical on O Line as they were in 2017 - ( they just blew holes open all night in 2017 ) and I wasn’t as impressed with their secondary as they were touting, but bottom line they have a new standard and winning mentality with Dino - they will probably be overranked early but still not the Syracuse of the past 15 years or so who always found a way to lose before Dino came in. BTW - Syracuse has 53,54,53 ranked classes last 3 years - LU non ranked, 134 going in - ( I don’t put too much weight on classes but clearly they have a 2 deep advantage on athletes ) I also watched Buffalo and researched who they have coming back -they are losing a ton of players - feeling better about that one.

Buffalo’s offense is going to be a work in progress. They are losing a ton of talent so I think we win that one.

HF high on O Line and Secondary as position groups coming out of Spring Ball. O line - no surprise - Secondary - big surprise - if that carries over to Fall and our incoming D Line guys can contribute - could be a special season...

247 has us a trap game for Rutgers

Rutgers: vs. Liberty, Oct. 26 — When you’re Rutgers, you really can’t take anyone for granted. This is a game that the Scarlet Knights could and should win, but the Hugh Freeze-led Flames could very well hand Rutgers a brutal loss.

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/c ... 31151383_1