College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

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codecat
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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Fri Aug 02, 2019 10:45 am

Rich K wrote:
Fri Aug 02, 2019 7:58 am
codecat wrote:
Fri Aug 02, 2019 7:38 am
#28 Central Arkansas FCS Football-2019 Preview (Bears)
#4 Southland
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17669

Finished 2018 outside Stats, Hero, and CSM polls.
The Bottom Line:
The landscape in the Southland Conference changed last season. In the recent past it has been all about Central Arkansas and Sam Houston State. Last year Nicholls won the regular season title and Incarnate Word and Lamar both made their playoff debuts. UCA plays those three playoff teams on the road. The competition is getting tougher and the conference seems to be much more balanced. That will again make it difficult for Central Arkansas to reach seven wins and have a chance at returning to the playoffs.
This will hit them a bit I think:
It can't help but hurt a little - their defense was their weaker side of the ball last year, and he led the team in both sacks and tackles for loss.


London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, Bye-Bye Fauci!

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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Sat Aug 03, 2019 7:38 am

#27 Colgate FCS Football-019 Preview (Raiders)
#1 Patriot
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17672

Finished 2018 #8 in Stats, #7 in Hero, and #8 in the CSM polls.
Colgate’s two losses last season came against Army and North Dakota State in the playoffs. That included wins against New Hampshire, William & Mary and James Madison. Coach Dan Hunt has quite a few big names to replace, but the Raiders are still the clear favorite to win the Patriot League.
2018 Defensive Stats
Rushing Defense: 100.8 (7 in nation, 1 in conference)
Pass Defense: 136.9 (2, 1)
Total Defense: 237.7 (1, 1)
Scoring Defense: 9.3 (1, 1)


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Sun Aug 04, 2019 7:47 am

#26 Eastern Kentucky FCS Football-2019 Preview (Colonels)
#3 Ohio Valley
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17675

Finished 2018 just outside the Stats poll, and not mentioned int he Hero or CSM polls.
Eastern Kentucky just missed out on the playoffs last season, finishing 7-4 overall and 5-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Two of those four losses came against FBS opponents Marshall and Bowling Green, and the Colonels played well in those two contests. With eight starters returning on offense and eight on defense, EKU has the potential to push for their first playoff appearance since 2014.


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Mon Aug 05, 2019 7:18 am

#25 The Citadel FCS Football-2019 Preview (Bulldogs)
#4 SoCon
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17680

Finished 2018 outside Stats, Hero, and CSM polls.
After back-to-back 5-6 seasons, The Citadel will hope to return to their former glory in 2019. With ten starters back on offense and seven on defense, this group now has the experience to make a serious push towards the top of the Southern Conference standings.


London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, Bye-Bye Fauci!

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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Tue Aug 06, 2019 10:23 am

#24 Kennesaw State FCS Football-2019 Preview (Owls)
#1 Big South
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17683

Finished 2018 #5 in Stats, #9 in Hero, and #6 in CSM polls.
The Bottom Line:
The Owls should have a pretty easy time in the Big South. Their November 2nd home date with Monmouth should be the toughest on the conference slate. The real question is how far the offense drops off. Kennesaw State runs a system that often allows them to plug in new players without missing a beat. But it is going to be extremely difficult for this offense to be as a productive this season and that will keep Kennesaw State outside of the elite teams in the FCS.


London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, Bye-Bye Fauci!

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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Wed Aug 07, 2019 8:36 am

#23 Northern Iowa FCS Football-2019 Preview (Panthers)
#5 Missouri Valley
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17686

Finished 2018 outside the Stats poll, #11 in the Hero, and #17 in the CSM poll.
Northern Iowa has been a consistent playoff team and the Panthers are never afraid to test themselves in non-conference play. Last season they played Montana and Iowa on the road and this year they play Iowa State, Southern Utah, Idaho State and Weber State.


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Thu Aug 08, 2019 7:59 am

#22 Lamar FCS Football-2019 Preview (Cardinals)
#3 Southland
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17689

Finished 2018 just outside the Stats poll, out of the Hero, and #25 in the CSM poll.
During Coach Mike Schultz’s first season leading Lamar, the Cardinals were 2-9 and 1-8 in Southland play. Year two went much better. The team was 7-5 overall and 6-3 in conference action and reached the playoffs for the first time in program history. And once there, the Cardinals played quite well, losing a tough game at Northern Iowa 16-13.


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Fri Aug 09, 2019 8:08 am

#21 Southeast Missouri State FCS Football-2019 Preview (RedHawks)
#2 Ohio Valley
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17692

Finished 2018 at #15 in the Stats, outside of the Hero, and #15 in the CSM polls, and starting 2019 at #17 in the Stats, about #36 in the Hero, and #21 in the CSM polls.
Southeast Missouri has not had too much success since joining the FCS in 1991, but the program finally appears to be having consistent success. Last year the Redhawks reached the playoffs for the second time ever and won their first ever playoff game, a 28-14 victory over Stony Brook, and they have the tools to repeat that success.

The Bottom Line:
If Southeast Missouri can again have such a terrific turnover margin, they will get back to the playoffs. That is not an easy thing to do, but with a consistent quarterback and a defense full of playmakers, the Redhawks can certainly have the best turnover margin in the country again. The schedule may be the bigger issue. SEMO starts with games against Southern Illinois, Montana State and Missouri and that is not an easy way to start the season.


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Sat Aug 10, 2019 7:55 am

#20 Yale FCS Football-2019 Preview (Bulldogs)
#1 Ivy
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17695

Finished 2018 outside the Stats, Hero, and CSM polls. Entering 2019 outside the Stats poll, but at #17 in Hero,and #20 here.
Yale can basically throw out last season. The Bulldogs struggled to a 5-5 overall record and went just 3-4 in Ivy League play. But injuries were a huge problem in 2018 and this group now returns a lot of the players that led the program to an Ivy League title in 2017.


London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, Bye-Bye Fauci!

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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Sun Aug 11, 2019 7:51 am

#19 Furman FCS Football-2019 Preview (Paladins)
#3 SoCon
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17698

Finished 2018 just outside the top 25 in the Stats, and not mentioned in the Hero or CSM polls.
The Bottom Line:
Furman has a good chance of making the playoffs in 2019. It is a talented group that has the potential to win the SoCon if they can find a quarterback. That is a big question though. Early trips to Georgia State and Virginia Tech could put the Paladins at 1-2 and that gives them little margin for error in a tough SoCon.


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:40 am

#18 Montana State FCS Football-2019 Preview (Bobcats)
#5 Big Sky
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17701

Finished 2018 at #17 in both the Stats and Hero, and #16 in the CSM polls.
After two losing seasons, Coach Jeff Choate is getting Montana State back on track. Last year the Bobcats returned to the playoffs for the first time since Coach Choate took over the program prior to the 2016 campaign. Montana State was crushed by North Dakota State in the second round of the playoffs after beating Incarnate Word at home, but it was a good step in getting the program back to their former prominence.
The Bottom Line:
Montana State has all the pieces. If the quarterback situation can get sorted out quickly, the Bobcats could not only compete for a spot in the playoffs, but also a Big Sky title. The schedule is quite kind too. Montana State does not play Eastern Washington and Weber State and their contests against UC Davis and Montana are during the last two weeks of the regular season. That means the Bobcats should be able to stay in the conference title race until the very end and that they have plenty of time to work through any potential issues in the passing game.


London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, Bye-Bye Fauci!

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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by Rich K » Mon Aug 12, 2019 8:20 am

codecat wrote:
Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:40 am
#18 Montana State FCS Football-2019 Preview (Bobcats)
#5 Big Sky
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17701

Finished 2018 at #17 in both the Stats and Hero, and #16 in the CSM polls.
After two losing seasons, Coach Jeff Choate is getting Montana State back on track. Last year the Bobcats returned to the playoffs for the first time since Coach Choate took over the program prior to the 2016 campaign. Montana State was crushed by North Dakota State in the second round of the playoffs after beating Incarnate Word at home, but it was a good step in getting the program back to their former prominence.
The Bottom Line:
Montana State has all the pieces. If the quarterback situation can get sorted out quickly, the Bobcats could not only compete for a spot in the playoffs, but also a Big Sky title. The schedule is quite kind too. Montana State does not play Eastern Washington and Weber State and their contests against UC Davis and Montana are during the last two weeks of the regular season. That means the Bobcats should be able to stay in the conference title race until the very end and that they have plenty of time to work through any potential issues in the passing game.
The "Bottom Line" is fairly accurate. However, #18 and 5th in the Big Sky is just silly.


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by Long Time Cat » Mon Aug 12, 2019 8:33 am

Rich K wrote:
Mon Aug 12, 2019 8:20 am
codecat wrote:
Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:40 am
#18 Montana State FCS Football-2019 Preview (Bobcats)
#5 Big Sky
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17701

Finished 2018 at #17 in both the Stats and Hero, and #16 in the CSM polls.
After two losing seasons, Coach Jeff Choate is getting Montana State back on track. Last year the Bobcats returned to the playoffs for the first time since Coach Choate took over the program prior to the 2016 campaign. Montana State was crushed by North Dakota State in the second round of the playoffs after beating Incarnate Word at home, but it was a good step in getting the program back to their former prominence.
The Bottom Line:
Montana State has all the pieces. If the quarterback situation can get sorted out quickly, the Bobcats could not only compete for a spot in the playoffs, but also a Big Sky title. The schedule is quite kind too. Montana State does not play Eastern Washington and Weber State and their contests against UC Davis and Montana are during the last two weeks of the regular season. That means the Bobcats should be able to stay in the conference title race until the very end and that they have plenty of time to work through any potential issues in the passing game.
The "Bottom Line" is fairly accurate. However, #18 and 5th in the Big Sky is just silly.
I think this also means they have the Griz higher than the Cats. Which is also silly.


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:43 am

#17 Maine FCS Football-2019 Preview (Black Bears)
#4 CAA
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17704

Finished 2018 #4 in the Stats, #16 in the Hero, and #4 in the CSM polls, and begin 2019 at #7, #4, and #17 respectively.
Maine returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2013 and made a nice playoff run too. The reigning CAA champions knocked off Jacksonville State and Weber State before falling to Eastern Washington in the semifinals. The Black Bears had to deal with their coach leaving for an assistant job at Minnesota, but they promoted offensive coordinator Nick Charlton to take over the program and it should be a very smooth transition.
The Bottom Line:
This is an experienced and talented team, but there are some questions. But after last year’s surprisingly brilliant campaign, do not be surprised if Maine ends up back at the top of the CAA. The Black Bears will be tested early. After a home date against Sacred Heart, Maine heads to Georgia Southern, hosts Towson and then travels to Colgate. There are also trips to Liberty and Elon. The Black Bears may lose a few games along the way, but this is a group that can make another deep playoff run.
Last edited by codecat on Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:45 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by codecat » Wed Aug 14, 2019 7:47 am

#16 Chattanooga FCS Football-2019 Preview (Mocs)
#2 SoCon
https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/17707

Finished 2018 outside of the Stats, Hero, and CSM polls, but starting 2019 just outside of the Stats, #19 in the Hero, and #16 here.
Chattanooga will once again have to break in a new coach. Tom Arth moved to Akron and Rusty Wright will take over the program. Chattanooga has missed the playoffs the last two seasons, but there were a lot of close losses last year. With a bevy of experience returning, those close losses could turn into wins this year and that will put this team into the playoffs.


London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, Bye-Bye Fauci!

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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by WalkOn79 » Wed Aug 14, 2019 2:28 pm

So the have the Griz #15 or better. Ridiculous :)


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by catscat » Wed Aug 14, 2019 2:33 pm

WalkOn79 wrote:
Wed Aug 14, 2019 2:28 pm
So the have the Griz #15 or better. Ridiculous :)
Kinda makes the whole thing suspect, eh??


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by ilovethecats » Wed Aug 14, 2019 2:36 pm

WalkOn79 wrote:
Wed Aug 14, 2019 2:28 pm
So the have the Griz #15 or better. Ridiculous :)
I love it. Love the fact anyone would think that the Griz are a top 15 team right now. Will make the events this fall even more fun.



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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by coloradocat » Wed Aug 14, 2019 3:02 pm

WalkOn79 wrote:
Wed Aug 14, 2019 2:28 pm
So the have the Griz #15 or better. Ridiculous :)
Are you not aware they are coming off a 2001 championship season?


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Re: College Sports Madness-2019 Top 44 Countdown

Post by kennethnoisewater » Wed Aug 14, 2019 3:08 pm

I feel like some of you have never seen their mascot dance and it shows. Top 10 easy.


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