College Sports Madness Top 44 - Countdown

[Cataholic]

Soo... if MSU appears on the list at all, then at this point that would mean we’re in the top 25.

We won't be. We were 5-6 last year, lost our starter at QB, and picked 8th in conference by media and coaches.

You just described Davis and they were picked at #29...

UC Davis didn't lose their QB, they have a stud QB.

That stud quarterback led them to a 3-5 conference record with only one win over a team with a winning record: non scholarship San Diego.

[Cledus]

Soo... if MSU appears on the list at all, then at this point that would mean we’re in the top 25.

We won't be. We were 5-6 last year, lost our starter at QB, and picked 8th in conference by media and coaches.

You just described Davis and they were picked at #29...

UC Davis didn't lose their QB, they have a stud QB.

That stud quarterback led them to a 3-5 conference record with only one win over a team with a winning record: non scholarship San Diego.

In fairness it was Hawkins's first year.

[BleedingBLue]

Soo... if MSU appears on the list at all, then at this point that would mean we’re in the top 25.

We won't be. We were 5-6 last year, lost our starter at QB, and picked 8th in conference by media and coaches.

You just described Davis and they were picked at #29...

UC Davis didn't lose their QB, they have a stud QB.

That stud quarterback led them to a 3-5 conference record with only one win over a team with a winning record: non scholarship San Diego.

In fairness it was Hawkins's first year.

And they had an anemic defense.

[codecat]

#24 Illinois State 2018 FCS Preview (Redbirds)
#5 Missouri Valley
http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16478

[codecat]

#23 Wofford 2018 FCS Preview (Terriers)
#3 SoCon
http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16481

[codecat]

#22 Montana State 2018 FCS Preview (Bobcats)
#4 Big Sky
http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16484

Imagine they had their selections set a while back as they still list Chris Murry as the returning QB.

[mslacatfan]

[Catsrgrood]

Not going to lie, I have to laugh about this a little bit. I realize they probably did these sometime in the last month or so, so I get they’re not going to have the most recent info.
Murray and Jabarri obviously aren’t playing this year.
Konkol is at safety now.
Collins is a LB again, not buck.
Some of the potentially high impact transfers (Sterk, Sparaco, etc) aren’t listed
And 3 of the top 9 recruits they listed didn’t make it to fall camp.
So... not the most accurate in the details of their prediction.

[Rich K]

If we combine College Sports Madness and Football Gameplan this year's Cat-Griz game will feature the Chris Murray leading the Bobcats into MIssoula to face a dUMb team lead by Gresch Jensen. I hope Coach Ash can figure out a way to beat Stitt.

[Cledus]

#22 Montana State 2018 FCS Preview (Bobcats)
#4 Big Sky
http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16484

Imagine they had their selections set a while back as they still list Chris Murry as the returning QB.

Soo... if MSU appears on the list at all, then at this point that would mean we’re in the top 25.

Not in the same league as Nostradamus, I get it. The synopsis says pretty much what we here have been saying all along. Choate's building a strong team, close losses last year could turn around this year, and we're trending in the right direction.

From a total offense standpoint, if we lose 100 ypg on the ground but make it up through the air then we're not really worse off.

[codecat]

Not going to lie, I have to laugh about this a little bit. I realize they probably did these sometime in the last month or so, so I get they’re not going to have the most recent info.
Murray and Jabarri obviously aren’t playing this year.
Konkol is at safety now.
Collins is a LB again, not buck.
Some of the potentially high impact transfers (Sterk, Sparaco, etc) aren’t listed
And 3 of the top 9 recruits they listed didn’t make it to fall camp.
So... not the most accurate in the details of their prediction.

Not trying to come down on you, but these guys put this together with the facts they have at the time for a 120+ teams in the FCS, and they do provide some good factual information that is as up to date as possible for the time frame they have to work with. Hell, we didn't know that 3 of the 9 recruits wouldn't make it here until the last couple weeks and one them was just removed from the latest roster a few days ago. Not to mention, and not dis him, is the fact that coach Choate moves guys around like play toys in a sand box. How are they supposed to have that information when they have had to evaluate all 120+ teams, make their decisions, and do their write-ups at least before July 18th when the countdown started (but most likely do it around spring camp time and after the bulk of the recruiting year)? I'm choosing to appreciate some of the write-ups of the factual information they provide on opponents that will meet this year and those we could meet otherwise, as well as the sheer amount of time they have put in to provide the little extra they add to the pre-season speculation of this game.

[Rich K]

Not going to lie, I have to laugh about this a little bit. I realize they probably did these sometime in the last month or so, so I get they’re not going to have the most recent info.
Murray and Jabarri obviously aren’t playing this year.
Konkol is at safety now.
Collins is a LB again, not buck.
Some of the potentially high impact transfers (Sterk, Sparaco, etc) aren’t listed
And 3 of the top 9 recruits they listed didn’t make it to fall camp.
So... not the most accurate in the details of their prediction.

Not trying to come down on you, but these guys put this together with the facts they have at the time for a 120+ teams in the FCS, and they do provide some good factual information that is as up to date as possible for the time frame they have to work with. Hell, we didn't know that 3 of the 9 recruits wouldn't make it here until the last couple weeks and one them was just removed from the latest roster a few days ago. Not to mention, and not dis him, is the fact that coach Choate moves guys around like play toys in a sand box. How are they supposed to have that information when they have had to evaluate all 120+ teams, make their decisions, and do their write-ups at least before July 18th when the countdown started (but most likely do it around spring camp time and after the bulk of the recruiting year)? I'm choosing to appreciate some of the write-ups of the factual information they provide on opponents that will meet this year and those we could meet otherwise, as well as the sheer amount of time they have put in to provide the little extra they add to the pre-season speculation of this game.

You're spot on, of course. I think the underlying criticism is more that these polls are based on very limited information, and even the best informed of these is ranking on a very limited basis. So things like a returning coach or the unexpected loss of a star player can weigh very heavy.

In spite of all of that 22nd is, imo, a about where I'd place the Cats to start the season. After the first two games we could be anywhere from 6th to "others receiving votes".

[Catsrgrood]

Not going to lie, I have to laugh about this a little bit. I realize they probably did these sometime in the last month or so, so I get they’re not going to have the most recent info.
Murray and Jabarri obviously aren’t playing this year.
Konkol is at safety now.
Collins is a LB again, not buck.
Some of the potentially high impact transfers (Sterk, Sparaco, etc) aren’t listed
And 3 of the top 9 recruits they listed didn’t make it to fall camp.
So... not the most accurate in the details of their prediction.

Not trying to come down on you, but these guys put this together with the facts they have at the time for a 120+ teams in the FCS, and they do provide some good factual information that is as up to date as possible for the time frame they have to work with. Hell, we didn't know that 3 of the 9 recruits wouldn't make it here until the last couple weeks and one them was just removed from the latest roster a few days ago. Not to mention, and not dis him, is the fact that coach Choate moves guys around like play toys in a sand box. How are they supposed to have that information when they have had to evaluate all 120+ teams, make their decisions, and do their write-ups at least before July 18th when the countdown started (but most likely do it around spring camp time and after the bulk of the recruiting year)? I'm choosing to appreciate some of the write-ups of the factual information they provide on opponents that will meet this year and those we could meet otherwise, as well as the sheer amount of time they have put in to provide the little extra they add to the pre-season speculation of this game.

You're spot on, of course. I think the underlying criticism is more that these polls are based on very limited information, and even the best informed of these is ranking on a very limited basis. So things like a returning coach or the unexpected loss of a star player can weigh very heavy.

In spite of all of that 22nd is, imo, a about where I'd place the Cats to start the season. After the first two games we could be anywhere from 6th to "others receiving votes".

Yes, this is all I was really getting at. I’m not putting down the people that have put it together. I also appreciate reading all of these, learning a little about these teams and the sheer amount of time it took to do it.

Most of these changes are relatively recent events that I know they would have had no knowledge of. That’s just what I found funny, a lot of the basis for their ranking is no longer factual. Not their fault, just how it goes.
Didn’t mean to come off as saying their garbage or anything.

[iaafan]

If MSU is fourth, then who’s the top three and who’s left out between So. Utah, UM, EW and NAU?

[Rich K]

If MSU is fourth, then who’s the top three and who’s left out between So. Utah, UM, EW and NAU?

In my opinion, UM should be left out, but NAU will be left out.

[BleedingBLue]

If MSU is fourth, then who’s the top three and who’s left out between So. Utah, UM, EW and NAU?

In my opinion, UM should be left out, but NAU will be left out.

I think it will be UM. Cookus and Butler alone make the pollsters giddy.

[codecat]

#21 South Dakota 2018 FCS Preview (Coyotes)
#4 Missouri Valley
http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16487

[codecat]

#20 Furman 2018 FCS Preview (Paladins)
#2 SoCon
http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16490

[codecat]

#19 Austin Peay 2018 FCS Preview (Governors)
#2 Ohio Valley
http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16493

[Cledus]

#19 Austin Peay 2018 FCS Preview (Governors)
#2 Ohio Valley
http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/16493

Austin Peay... now there’s a school you rarely hear anything about.