Pre-Season College Football Coaches Poll

[WSUCougar]

1. USC (44)
2. OKLAHOMA (12)
3. LSU (5)
4. GEORGIA
5. MIAMI
6. FLORIDA ST
7. MICHIGAN
8. TEXAS
9. OHIO ST
10. FLORIDA
11. WEST VIRGINIA
12. IOWA
13. KANSAS ST
14. TENNESSEE
15. CALIFORNIA
16. CLEMSON
17. MISSOURI
18. AUBURN
19. VIRGINIA
20. MARYLAND
21. UTAH
22. WISCONSIN
23. (tie) MINNESOTA
24. (tie) PURDUE
25. OREGON

Hmmm, let’s see if my counting is correct here. Six Big Ten teams, five ACC teams, five SEC teams, four Big 12 teams, and (barely) three Pac-10 teams. Uh-huh. :p

[duckman]

What! Oklahoma isn't number 1! This is a travesty! ;)

[Celeval]

I still don't get Clemson at 16....

[Buzzbee]

I still don't get Clemson at 16....

I believe they finished the year pretty strong last year, and probably didn't have very many seniors.

Seems pretty high to me too, but just offering up possible 'splanations.

[FBPro]

Go UGA!! #4's not bad.

[Cuckoo]

Question to the LSU fans: Who's your quarterback going to be? Mauck went out, right? It looks like a stretch to me for LSU to get five first place votes after losing their quarterback, but I have no idea what kind of talent they have in the wings.

I also think Clemson is too high at 16, and Auburn should be a little higher. Maybe people feel burned by having them so high last year.

[Ben E Lou]

#16 is about right for Clemson. Count on it.

Hopefully, #4 is too low for the Dawgs.

[WSUCougar]

I know LSU had an awesome recruiting class, but I wondered about their returning talent, too. They lost Clayton at WR. I'd put UGA ahead of them.

I personally don't think 16th is too high for Clemson.

[Tigercat]

LSU has plenty of talent at WR, although unproven. I think Skylar Green and Dewayne Bowe have enough starting experience as the starting 2. The Returning starting talent is about the same as Oklahoma, some key loses, but a good number of returning stars.

As far as QB, LSU has Marcus Randall, who has starting experience. He looked a little rusty filling in for Matt Mauck in 2002, but by the Cotton Bowl against Texas he finally started pulling it together, and was nearly the only player ready to win that game for LSU. He even had a 75 yard run against Texas on a bum ankle! Hes a redshirt senior so he has plenty of experience, I think he will be a big surprise for the college football world. He will make his share of mistakes, but he has a great arm, very good wheels, and a great running game to fall back on.

I would say LSU is underrated. They didn't lose that much more talent than the other top 4 teams, and they were 3-0 against other teams in the top 4 last year.

[Butter]

None of you folks questioning Clemson's rank must've watched the Peach Bowl at the end of last year. They beat a top-10 Tennessee team pretty easily, and also finished the year with a demolition of a decent South Carolina team in a rivalry game.

(My wife went to Clemson, so I have to keep up.)

Ohio State and Michigan are both way too high.

[Ben E Lou]

(My wife went to Clemson, so I have to keep up.)A good friend's son is on the team, so likewise.

[WSUCougar]

Texas, Ohio State and Michigan are both way too high.
I corrected that for ya. :D

[Neuqua]

NIU, BGSU, Toledo, and Miami All recieved votes in the poll.

[Butter]

A good friend's son is on the team, so likewise.

Who's that?

[Ben E Lou]

Who's that?Gene Pate. (Yes, the one who broke his leg...)

[Butter]

Aw, I feel bad for that kid 'cause that run down the hill is kinda tricky. About killed myself simulating it once a few years back.

[Franklinnoble]

Hmmm, let’s see if my counting is correct here. Six Big Ten teams, five ACC teams, five SEC teams, four Big 12 teams, and (barely) three Pac-10 teams. Uh-huh. :p
The PAC-10 may have only three, but they've got the #1 overall.

I think this is a make-or-break year for Dirk Koetter at ASU... since Danny White is no longer coaching the AFL Rattlers, a lot of folks think he should get a shot at the head coaching job for his alma matter.

[primelord]

It's so cool to see Missouri in the top 20 of a pre-season poll. They may not be a power house, but Pinkel really has that program going in the right direction.

[Cuckoo]

LSU has plenty of talent at WR, although unproven. I think Skylar Green and Dewayne Bowe have enough starting experience as the starting 2. The Returning starting talent is about the same as Oklahoma, some key loses, but a good number of returning stars.

As far as QB, LSU has Marcus Randall, who has starting experience. He looked a little rusty filling in for Matt Mauck in 2002, but by the Cotton Bowl against Texas he finally started pulling it together, and was nearly the only player ready to win that game for LSU. He even had a 75 yard run against Texas on a bum ankle! Hes a redshirt senior so he has plenty of experience, I think he will be a big surprise for the college football world. He will make his share of mistakes, but he has a great arm, very good wheels, and a great running game to fall back on.

I would say LSU is underrated. They didn't lose that much more talent than the other top 4 teams, and they were 3-0 against other teams in the top 4 last year.

Thanks for the info. I would say they're about right at number three. I was just surprised they got five first place votes when both USC and OU retained their quarterbacks.

OU actually didn't have many losses at all on offense. They took some blows on defense, losing Strait, Harris, Lehman, and Everage, but early word is their replacements are stout as well. In addition, they say White lost fifteen pounds since he was finally able to do conditioning in the offseason and that he's gained a lot of his mobility back. That should be very interesting if true, but USC still deserves the top spot in my mind, especially if they can get Williams his eligibility back.

[Logan]

Where the hell is Rutgers in that poll?

[WSUCougar]

What does it mean when I get to the bottom of this thread and see that Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are among the guys viewing it?

[GrantDawg]

It usually means nude chicks, but since there was none I guess they went away.

[Franklinnoble]

What does it mean when I get to the bottom of this thread and see that Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are among the guys viewing it?
It means that John Kerry isn't a college football fan.

[IMetTrentGreen]

west virginia at 11? that seems high. texas seems about right. ou, michigan, iowa, and missouri are all too high, by varying degrees

[The_herd]

WVU ranked 11th. :)

No sign of Marshall. :(

[Tigercat]

Thanks for the info. I would say they're about right at number three. I was just surprised they got five first place votes when both USC and OU retained their quarterbacks.


And thats a fair concern. If Jimbo Fisher wasn't around(the guy who made Mauck what he was anyway) coaching the offense and/or if Randall wasn't a senior with starting experience, then I wouldn't even think LSU should be in the top 7. Although it would be hard for a major conference caliber QB to do badly at the helm of LSU right now, with the running game and the defense in as good a shape as it was last year.

[MrBug708]

USC lost a Heisman winner at QB and started a kid who was 4th on the depth charts the previous year and never threw a snap. I'd say Leinart turned out pretty good for the condoms

[VPI97]

west virginia at 11? that seems high.They only play three teams that will finish with a winning record. They're going to end up in the top 25 by default.

[Huckleberry]

They only play three teams that will finish with a winning record. They're going to end up in the top 25 by default.

Even more reason not to start them out artificially high.

[Swaggs]

I am suprised to see no Va Tech in the top 25 and very interested in seeing what happens to Va Tech in the next few seasons.

I think moving to the ACC may end up being a bad move for the increasingly high profile of Va Tech football, even though I can't blame them for joining the super conference.

If they were still in the Big East, they would be in the top 15 or 20, I think. I can't fault them for taking the safety of the ACC, but I think, as an individual program, they could have had better shots at going undefeated and playing for championships by staying in the Big East and playing schools on near-equal footing like Syracuse, WVU, Louisville, and Pitt. In the ACC, I will be suprised if Miami and FSU don't win the conference 8 out of every 10 years, and in their down years, Tech will still have to compete with near-equals Maryland, UVA, NC State, Ga Tech, BC and Clemson. If/when Frank Beamer leaves, I think Va Tech could be in trouble.

As a WVU fan, I wish they would have stuck around in the Big East because I think it would have been interesting to see them as a part of the non-Miami (Miami and the Seven Dwarves) Big East and to see how a conference with good (but not yet great) programs like Tech, WVU, Pitt, Syracuse, Louisville would have grown.

[Warhammer]

Where's the love for Conference USA? No Louisville, no Memphis? Heck, Memphis may have the best team in the state this year!

*Runs and hides from Big Orange Nation*

[primelord]

USC lost a Heisman winner at QB and started a kid who was 4th on the depth charts the previous year and never threw a snap. I'd say Leinart turned out pretty good for the condoms
And that is likely to happen everywhere.

[dawgfan]

...and (barely) three Pac-10 teams. Uh-huh. :p

Well, outside of USC there really aren't any surefire worldbeaters in the Pac-10 (again) this year, on paper at least. California is probably the best of the rest, and after that I would think WSU, Oregon, Washington and UCLA probably have the best shots at a bowl. Oregon State and ASU I suppose could slip in there as well. Arizona - I'm not sold yet on Mike Stoops, and he's got a lot of work to do, and Teevens has yet to prove he's worthwhile at Stanford.

I suspect that outside of USC, there's going to be a lot of Pac-10 teams beating up on each other and a lot of teams with 3 or more losses.

[Noop]

Florida State is too high. The season will end something like this.... Co- Champs again watch it will be the ACC having two champs.

[Ksyrup]

I was thinking either FSU is too low or way too high. I think it's going to be an all-or-nothing season.

[Noop]

I was thinking either FSU is too low or way too high. I think it's going to be an all-or-nothing season.
What do you predict? I have always wondered if you dont mind give me what you think for the season. I can offer mine for almost every team well the major ones....

[pennywisesb]

USC #1, nuff said :D

[Noop]

USC #1, nuff said :D
Will they end that way?

[Ksyrup]

What do you predict? I have always wondered if you dont mind give me what you think for the season. I can offer mine for almost every team well the major ones....
I think we're either going 10-1/11-0 with a shot at the title, or 8-3/7-4.

[pennywisesb]

Will they end that way?
You don't really think I'm gonna jinx SC right now do you Noop? ;)

[pennywisesb]

Dola On paper they do look very good right now though, even if MW doesn't get to come back. If he does, it could just get nasty this year :cool:

[tucker342]

Good to see Iowa at #12:)

I think Iowa will finish 2nd or 3rd in the Big Ten this year. I think that they'll beat Ohio State at home, but they'll lose to Michigan on the road.

[JW]

LSU has plenty of talent at WR, although unproven. I think Skylar Green and Dewayne Bowe have enough starting experience as the starting 2. The Returning starting talent is about the same as Oklahoma, some key loses, but a good number of returning stars.

As far as QB, LSU has Marcus Randall, who has starting experience. He looked a little rusty filling in for Matt Mauck in 2002, but by the Cotton Bowl against Texas he finally started pulling it together, and was nearly the only player ready to win that game for LSU. He even had a 75 yard run against Texas on a bum ankle! Hes a redshirt senior so he has plenty of experience, I think he will be a big surprise for the college football world. He will make his share of mistakes, but he has a great arm, very good wheels, and a great running game to fall back on.

I would say LSU is underrated. They didn't lose that much more talent than the other top 4 teams, and they were 3-0 against other teams in the top 4 last year.

You should also note the two redshirt freshman QBs, JaMarcus Russell and Matt Flynn. Some people think Russell, who some say is the next Vick, will be starting before the heart of the season arrives. I watched the spring game, and Russell showed a great arm but looked like he has a lot to learn. Randall did not look really great, but he did move the team. Some are high on Flynn. I think QB will be a very interesting position, and that the defense will carry the team until we see one of the QBs come forward. The defense is indeed going to be solid, and we have Vincent and a whole stable of very good running backs coming back. All in all, I hope Randall does a great job. If he can play well, LSU can go a long way again. I think Russell is still a year away. Geaux Tigers!

[MrBug708]

You don't really think I'm gonna jinx SC right now do you Noop? ;)


Sure (for the sake of jinxing SC)

[The_herd]

WVU is a legit 11. Rich Rodriguez is doing an incredible job at WVU and is one of the most underrated coaches in the country. He's building a talent base that had run low in Nehlen's last few seasons. They won 8 games last year and barely lost to Miami. With 8 starters returning on offense and 7 on defense, they'll be pretty good.

I also think there's a good chance Marshall will be ranked again by the end of the season. They'll take their lumps early, travelling to Ohio State and Georgia. But a healthy Stan Hill gets them through the conference schedule and back into a bowl.

[Eaglesfan27]

Question to the LSU fans: Who's your quarterback going to be? Mauck went out, right? It looks like a stretch to me for LSU to get five first place votes after losing their quarterback, but I have no idea what kind of talent they have in the wings.

I also think Clemson is too high at 16, and Auburn should be a little higher. Maybe people feel burned by having them so high last year.

I'm a USC fan first but an LSU fan also. Besides having Marcus Randall return, LSU has a potential college stud QB in JaMarcus Russell. Russell redshirted last year and was one of the most highly rated H.S. QB's. I got to watch one spring practice and he looked great. He also has been receiving rave reviews in most practices. Here is a brief bio on him:

One of the nation's top rated quarterbacks ... A consensus top five national pro-style quarterback by every major recruiting publication ... The all-time leading passer in Alabama history, throwing for 10,744 yards, eclipsing the mark set by current Crimson Tide quarterback Brodie Croyle ... Rewrote the record books with 84 touchdown passes ... Connected on 219 of 372 passes for 3,332 yardsand 22 TDs as a senior ... On the ground, added 400 yards and five TDs in 2002 ... Passed for 1,850 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior ... Great coverage reading ability ... Outstanding arm with pinpoint accuracy ... Timed at 4.7 40-yard dash speed ... Bench presses 235 pounds and squats at 475 pounds ... A standout basketball star as well, averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists as a junior ... Measured with a 31-inch vertical leap ... Coached by Bobby Parrish ... Born on Aug. 9, 1985.

From "Meet the Tigers"

JaMarcus Russell is 6'5 236 and I think he is going to beat out Marcus Randall.

As others have mentioned Skyler Green looks great, and I actually think LSU's receivers will be better than last year. If either QB falters early on, they have a great group of RB's to lean on as well behind a very good offensive line. I certainly think LSU is deserving of the rating, and I also think USC deserves their rating and I hope they meet in the national championship so my loyalty can really be tested (I would root for USC) :)

[IMetTrentGreen]

and I actually think LSU's receivers will be better than last year

no way. last years were pretty damn good

[Eaglesfan27]

I agree that last year's wide receivers were very good. At least in spring practice this year's group looks great, and if they play to their potential they could be absolutely dominating :)

[Tigercat]

LSU has as much talent at WR than the school has ever had, the problem is there are a number of guys that are unproven.

You've got a freshman in Xavier Carter who might end up being the fastest player ever to play college football, at least in the last 2 decades. Hes going to be a star Olympic sprinter one day. And on top of that hes 6'3"(a 6'3" sprinter, when does that happen?) and can catch the ball. Unlike LSU's current WR thats sprinting in the Olympics this year, Bennie Brazell, who doesn't have consistent enough hands to get the ball thrown at him. You also have the top rated WR/athlete in last years recruiting class Early Doucet. He doesnt have the speed to keep up with the Olympic sprinters, but he has tons of athletic ability. There are also 3 very talented sophmores/redshirt freshman at WR. Those 3 guys(Hill, Bowe, and Davis) were all rated among the top 15 WRs in the recruiting class of 2003. Now the problem with the WR position is the only guy with lots of experience is Sklar, the position is going to take some time to develop.

[JW]

LSU has as much talent at WR than the school has ever had, the problem is there are a number of guys that are unproven.

You've got a freshman in Xavier Carter who might end up being the fastest player ever to play college football, at least in the last 2 decades. Hes going to be a star Olympic sprinter one day. And on top of that hes 6'3"(a 6'3" sprinter, when does that happen?) and can catch the ball. Unlike LSU's current WR thats sprinting in the Olympics this year, Bennie Brazell, who doesn't have consistent enough hands to get the ball thrown at him. You also have the top rated WR/athlete in last years recruiting class Early Doucet. He doesnt have the speed to keep up with the Olympic sprinters, but he has tons of athletic ability. There are also 3 very talented sophmores/redshirt freshman at WR. Those 3 guys(Hill, Bowe, and Davis) were all rated among the top 15 WRs in the recruiting class of 2003. Now the problem with the WR position is the only guy with lots of experience is Sklar, the position is going to take some time to develop.

Yes, interesting that in some ways this is a rebuilding or transition year for the offense. I think next year the offense will have much more pop with a more mature Russell (or Flynn) at QB and more mature wideouts, along with that stable of RBs. The defense will be critically important this year.

[nilodor]

I'm not sure if anyone else meantioned this but I hate seeing polls this early in the year. I understand their value for TV and for school spirit and such but I believe that they hurt teams later in the year. Every year it seems that there is a team deserving of being in the top 5 in week 7 or 8 but they are not because they are not even on the radar when the preseason polls come out. This makes it near impossible for the teams to get into the BCS. I would like to see the first polls come out in week 8 when the BCS comes out, just to make the system fairer(sp).

[The_herd]

This argument has been made for the past few seasons and I don't think it really has an affect on teams outside the BCS conferences. 3 of the national champions since 2000 have been ranked 13th or lower to start the year (Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma). The fact is, if you beat ranked teams you get the attention of voters. If you don't, you move up slower. I can't think of one instance where I thought, "that team would have played in a BCS game if the polls had started later in the season".

Like it or not, the BCS is set up for the BCS conferences. Teams outside of those conferences don't have a chance to get into a BCS game. Starting the polls later isn't going to get these teams into those games.