2013 Preseason Rankings Based on What We Know Topic

1. Alabama - only 8 seniors and a handful of underclassmen will be leaving - looking at potential 3peat
2. Texas A&M - all depends on who returns, but Manziel is incredible
3. Georgia - QB is returning and loads of talent coming back
4. Oregon - best team outside of the SEC and the reason Chip Kelly came back for his final season at Oregon
5. Florida - loads of talent coming back
6. Ohio State - lot of talent coming back and lots of playmakers, just not sure if they have enough team speed yet
7. USC - this was a dissapointing season but loaded at all positions moving forward, plus big time recruiting class
8. Louisville - i think they lack the depth to play every week against the big boys but they will be really solid
9. South Carolina - their defense will be lethal
10. Clemson - lot of playmakers coming back

Teams that will drop off a little
LSU - expect LSU drops to 3rd in the West Diviison next season
Notre Dame - losing 25+ seniors and I expect the Irish to drop off a little bit from this season.  they will lose a couple next season
Florida State - losing several assistant coaches which will be a bigger issue than the players they lose
Stanford - the cardinal won't drop too much, but expect them to be 3rd in the PAC12
Oklahoma - something missing with the program, not enough playmakers
Kansas State - losing too many guys and tough to keep mixing that many JUCOs to substain long term success

Prediction
Alabama beats Oregon in the Rose Bowl
1/8/2013 1:50 AM (edited)
I'd be surprised if Ohio State wasn't unbeaten again next year.  Not sure they will have the overall talent to win the national title, but unless there are 2 other major unbeatens, I can't see how they aren't playing for the national title (their schedule is pretty weak next year so they would more than likely be the 3rd unbeaten and behind any unbeaten team from the SEC, Big 12, Pac 12, and maybe even ACC).
1/8/2013 8:16 AM
I expect Alabama to 3Peat, their schedule is tough next season but somehow they will be in the title game.  It was interesting listening to Urban Meyer last night, he kept talking about the difference in team speed at all positions (linemen and skilled positions) and I am sure he knew his team at Ohio State still isn't SEC fast.  Meyer is doing a heck of job recruiting but he knows there is still another level of speed he has to get on his roster if Ohio State is going to beat one of these SEC Teams in a National Title game.

I said it once and will say it again, non National Title Bowl Games are not a good measure of football teams.
1/8/2013 9:56 AM
I'd put Oklahoma St in the top 10 if Joseph Randle (RB) comes back.

I'll predict an Oregon over Ohio St championship.
1/8/2013 11:21 AM
Its not a national championship until you beat an SEC team.  You know it and I know it.
1/8/2013 6:40 PM

 

Date Opponent Site
Aug. 31 Virginia Tech Atlanta, Georgia
Sept. 14 *at Texas A&M College Station, Texas
Sept. 28 *Ole Miss Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 5 Georgia State Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 12 *at Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky
Oct. 19 *Arkansas Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 26 *Tennessee Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 9 *LSU Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 16 *at Mississippi State Starkville, Mississippi
Nov. 23 Chattanooga Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 30 *at Auburn Auburn, Alabama

 

*Southeastern Conference (SEC) opponent

 

1/9/2013 2:51 AM (edited)
Alabama still has to add one more non conference game. But TXAM - Alabama week 2 is incredible. I look for Bama to 3peat
1/9/2013 10:15 AM
Posted by JAMESA on 1/9/2013 2:51:00 AM (view original):

 

Date Opponent Site
Aug. 31 Virginia Tech Atlanta, Georgia
Sept. 14 *at Texas A&M College Station, Texas
Sept. 28 *Ole Miss Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 5 Georgia State Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 12 *at Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky
Oct. 19 *Arkansas Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 26 *Tennessee Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 9 *LSU Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 16 *at Mississippi State Starkville, Mississippi
Nov. 23 Chattanooga Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 30 *at Auburn Auburn, Alabama

 

*Southeastern Conference (SEC) opponent

 

Nov 16!! this is the year the Bulldogs bring down the Tide in the Battle for Highway 82!

o_O
1/9/2013 11:57 AM
Posted by kilabe on 1/9/2013 11:57:00 AM (view original):
Posted by JAMESA on 1/9/2013 2:51:00 AM (view original):

 

Date Opponent Site
Aug. 31 Virginia Tech Atlanta, Georgia
Sept. 14 *at Texas A&M College Station, Texas
Sept. 28 *Ole Miss Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 5 Georgia State Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 12 *at Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky
Oct. 19 *Arkansas Bryant-Denny Stadium
Oct. 26 *Tennessee Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 9 *LSU Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 16 *at Mississippi State Starkville, Mississippi
Nov. 23 Chattanooga Bryant-Denny Stadium
Nov. 30 *at Auburn Auburn, Alabama

 

*Southeastern Conference (SEC) opponent

 

Nov 16!! this is the year the Bulldogs bring down the Tide in the Battle for Highway 82!

o_O
Does that mean they are going to bring in another coach to gameplan.  Dan Mullen is a suberb recruiter, but his gameplanning stinks?
1/9/2013 12:00 PM

I'm not sure. I think he is going to start giving more playcalling responsibilities to Les Koenning though. At least I hope he does. I don't really know what happened to them this year, they had some very good talent but I never saw them play with any sort of spark like they had in the past couple seasons. I think there was some internal issues coaching/players/whathave you that weighed them down. You could tell around game 3 or 4 that they were just out there going through the motions. The second half of the season you could tell they(the players) just wanted to get the games overwith. It was weird and painful to watch. We've never had super QBs, and if we did have one, they were run threats as opposed to pass threats. Tyler is coming along, but he still needs team help to make plays. They are still having growing pains converting from a run first (only) to a spread offense.

I personally think there was infighting between Mullen and Chris Wilson the co-DC who got demoted right before the GatorBowl. I personally like Chris Wilson but it doesn't seem like he was doing well with the defense in regards to the talent he had. Everyone points to him being brilliant in 2010 as the co-DC when State played so well, but that really isn't the case. That was Manny Diaz's defense. He was the DC and Chris Wilson got bumped to co-DC when Manny started shopping for a new home. Now that Chris is gone to GA as the DL coach, I think you might see some of that consistency come back to the D. 

Don't get me wrong. State is not an elite team, but we are mid-level SEC capable of over reaching on occaison and getting a big win. I've been a Bulldog for a long, long, long time and even though I'm disappointed in this season, I'm happy that they did post 8 wins and have done pretty well since Mullen got there. We may never be an elite team but we will start to be competitive on a more consistent basis.

all the Bulldog analysis you never wanted to know and didn't ask for   

1/9/2013 12:25 PM
MSST has all kinds of talent, but they have to get better assistant coaches and they need to get more money from the program to pay their assistant coaches more money.  MSST has always been towards the bottom of the conference in regards to assistant coaches pay and I think it is one the key items that has been holding back that program. 
1/9/2013 1:30 PM
Not a top 25 question, but will Duke make program history by going to back-to-back bowls for its first time?

I say YES, as Duke has an easy non-conference schedule (NC Central, Memphis, Navy, possibly Troy) and does not play FSU or Clemson.
1/18/2013 1:17 PM
2013 Preseason Rankings Based on What We Know Topic

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