And the GRAND PRIZE WINNER IS - FAU.

The Owls are my pick to win the regular season. True, the loss of Royster leaves a big hole, but if they can fill it even part way, I do not see anyone else looming out there that is a shoe-in to knock them out of the top spot, so I will leave them there.

WKU, NT, MTSU and Little Rock all have outstanding recruiting classes. In fact, it looks like all those classes might be the best those respective schools have had in a while. So, the future of the SBC looks a little brighter than it has. (Of course, with our lofty ranking as the 24th conference last season, it wouldn't take much of a glimmer to look brighter.) I am going to guess that one of those classes will put it together early and break out a year ahead of schedule. Who will it be?

U.A.L.R.!

Just as a suggestion, instead of having all of Pappy's predictions pinned at the top maybe just this one could be pinned with links to all of the other threads? It would make reading this board a little easier.

Overview

#6 East - Troy

#5 East - FIU

#4 East - WKU

#3 East - USA

#2 East - MTSU

#1 East - FAU

#6 West - ULM

#5 West - ULL

#4 West - Little Rock

#3 West - North Texas

#2 West - Arkansas State

#1 West - Denver

And just for completeness's sake here is the Sunbelt board thread on Pappy's 2011 picks:

Sunbelt discusses Pappy's Picks

(08-27-2011 06:35 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Just as a suggestion, instead of having all of Pappy's predictions pinned at the top maybe just this one could be pinned with links to all of the other threads? It would make reading this board a little easier.

+1

(08-26-2011 07:04 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  And the GRAND PRIZE WINNER IS - FAU.

WKU, NT, MTSU and Little Rock all have outstanding recruiting classes. I am going to guess that one of those classes will put it together early and break out a year ahead of schedule. Who will it be?

Agree that FAU is the team to beat this year, especially in the regular season. Over the grind of the regular season the cream tends to rise to the top but in the craziness of Hot Springs anything is possible. But of course I don't have to tell you guys that.

As far as the four with big recruiting classes I tend to think MTSU has the best chance just because they have the best nucleus returning. Those newbies are there to add depth and fill holes and will be allowed to grow into thier roles. North Texas would be second because of the experience of thier transfers. I have seen first hand though how transfers don't always pan out right away. For WKU and to some extent UALR those newbies will be thrown into the fire from the start. That can be a double edged sword because getting talented new comers playing time early can mean big pain early and big reward come March (when the freshman are essentially sophmores).

They seem to be very optimistic down in Lafayette. Hope they are right. The Belt needs them to bounce back.

You could make a case that Louisiana should be higher. They finished second in the West last year. Granted that was a race that came down to the last week didn't it?

But they have a lot of upperclassmen this year. They do have a case.

And of course, no one like the Denver prediction, including me.

Actually, Royster's leaving may hurt FAU more than I realized. He is the all-time blocks leader in SBC history.

http://www.ualrtrojans.com/ViewArticle.d...=205322661

Looks like the coaches essentially agreed with me in the East. Their main disagreements with me in the West were that I put Denver too high and ULL too low.

(10-26-2011 11:51 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  http://www.ualrtrojans.com/ViewArticle.d...=205322661

Looks like the coaches essentially agreed with me in the East. Their main disagreements with me in the West were that I put Denver too high and ULL too low.

I was just about to post, but you beat me to it, that the coaches picked us right were just about everybody else has- 5th in the West. Can we beat that prediction? I have no idea, but I am hopeful we have enough young talent to compete with most teams in the league.

(10-26-2011 12:12 PM)mjs Wrote:  Can we beat that prediction?

Absolutely. They underestimated our class, and, as always Steve Shields (and in this case, Big Joe).

(08-27-2011 06:51 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Overview

#6 East - Troy

#5 East - FIU

#4 East - WKU

#3 East - USA

#2 East - MTSU

#1 East - FAU

#6 West - ULM

#5 West - ULL

#4 West - Little Rock

#3 West - North Texas

#2 West - Arkansas State

#1 West - Denver

FAU was the biggest miss in the East. Picked 1st, finished 4th. On the other five I was within one place.

I did not do as well in the West (thankfully). I missed ULL, LR and ASU by at least two slots.

(04-03-2012 11:14 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(08-27-2011 06:51 AM)Hilltopper2K Wrote:  Overview

#6 East - Troy

#5 East - FIU

#4 East - WKU

#3 East - USA

#2 East - MTSU

#1 East - FAU

#6 West - ULM

#5 West - ULL

#4 West - Little Rock

#3 West - North Texas

#2 West - Arkansas State

#1 West - Denver

FAU was the biggest miss in the East. Picked 1st, finished 4th. On the other five I was within one place.

I did not do as well in the West (thankfully). I missed ULL, LR and ASU by at least two slots.

Biggest flops- ASU and FAU. Biggest surprise in the positive direction- UALR

Don't these people ever learn? We never win it all, but we're always normally going to be in the top four or five in the league when it's all over.