Recruiting rankings are useless for Bowden. He gets half his recruits after signing day.

(05-13-2013 03:15 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  Kent and BG clean up in Cleveland.

I do believe they got a couple kids this offseason, but IMO Kent State does poorly in Cleveland considering the proximity. Other MAC schools pull more and better talent out of the city than the Flashes.

EMU is next at #117.

Quote:UP NEXT

— Who is No. 117? This program has won more than four games in a season only once since 1996.

(05-13-2013 02:32 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  

(05-13-2013 02:24 PM)jjmc85 Wrote:  UMass beats Akron at Akron last year, Akron does NOT win a game against FBS competition at all last year and yet Akron is ranked ahead of UMass.

Something doesn't add up.

PM does his rankings based on how well he thinks the teams will do this year, not how they finished last year. Akron, because they don't have to deal with all of the challenges of transitioning to a new conference and a new classification, and have a more experienced head coach in Bowden, should be slightly ahead of UMass in the growth curve this year. I like Molnar but he's still a new coach and he still has a team of mostly FCS recruits, those are additional challenges Akron doesn't have to deal with.

Still don't buy it. UMass will have less FCS players this year than last. UMass had tons of inexperience last year. There were only a few players (Grad transfers) who had any FBS experience at all last year. Never mind a new coach. They played last year with two freshmen QBs who had never played a down of college football ever at any level. I think they will be improved. UMass will be at home for the game this year as well.

(05-15-2013 12:16 AM)jjmc85 Wrote:  

(05-13-2013 02:32 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  

(05-13-2013 02:24 PM)jjmc85 Wrote:  UMass beats Akron at Akron last year, Akron does NOT win a game against FBS competition at all last year and yet Akron is ranked ahead of UMass.

Something doesn't add up.

PM does his rankings based on how well he thinks the teams will do this year, not how they finished last year. Akron, because they don't have to deal with all of the challenges of transitioning to a new conference and a new classification, and have a more experienced head coach in Bowden, should be slightly ahead of UMass in the growth curve this year. I like Molnar but he's still a new coach and he still has a team of mostly FCS recruits, those are additional challenges Akron doesn't have to deal with.

Still don't buy it. UMass will have less FCS players this year than last. UMass had tons of inexperience last year. There were only a few players (Grad transfers) who had any FBS experience at all last year. Never mind a new coach. They played last year with two freshmen QBs who had never played a down of college football ever at any level. I think they will be improved. UMass will be at home for the game this year as well.

I don't doubt that UMass will be improved, but Meyerberg is guessing Akron will be more improved. Beating a team last year doesn't mean you'll be better than them this year.

Either way we're splitting hairs, its possible that this game will decide who finishes 1-11 and who finishes 0-12. Both teams may be making progress but this won't be the year either team gets over the hump.

^

The Minutemen are about 4 years away from getting over that hump. Rankings mean nothing unless you are in the top 25.

Paul probably sees both Akron and UMass only getting a win or two and it came down to which team he thought would win their head-to-head. Is this really a #120 vs #124 debate?

(05-15-2013 10:26 AM)TARDledo Wrote:  Paul probably sees both Akron and UMass only getting a win or two and it came down to which team he thought would win their head-to-head. Is this really a #120 vs #124 debate?

When you're starving, 2 bread crumbs are better than 1 bread crumb.

No. 117: EMU (MAC)

Summary posted in the original post.

Memphis is next at #116.

Quote:UP NEXT

— Who is No. 116? This program shares its nickname with four other FBS teams; of the five, this team has the fewest career victories.

LSU Tigers - 744 wins
Auburn Tigers - 721 wins
Clemson Tigers - 669 wins
Mizzou Tigers - 637 wins
Memphis Tigers - 442 wins

Colorado is next at #115.

Quote:UP NEXT

— Who is No. 115? This program has lost eight more games over the last four years than it lost in the entire decade of the 1990s.

Losses last 4 years: 37
Losses in 90's: 29

Remember when Colorado used to be good?

UNLV is next at #114.

Quote:UP NEXT

— Who is No. 114? The last forward from this university to be taken among the top 10 picks in the NBA draft went on to become a four-time All-Star, which bodes well for a prospect set to be taken very high on June 27.

Shawn Marion chosen #9 in 1999, 4 time All-Star.

Anthony Bennett projected very high.

(05-16-2013 04:25 PM)mufanatehc Wrote:  Remember when Colorado used to be good?

No.

(05-15-2013 08:46 AM)EmeryZach Wrote:  ^

The Minutemen are about 4 years away from getting over that hump. Rankings mean nothing unless you are in the top 25.

In 1 more year you'll be ranked ahead of Boston College. BC only a few ahead of you right now. That will be nice to sell, UMass as the best team in the state of Massachusetts.

The MAC will have the best FBS team in Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts. Also best team in Indiana (sans ND, but better than Indiana and Purdue)

That would be a realistic and achievable goal to hang on to.

(05-17-2013 11:00 AM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  

(05-15-2013 08:46 AM)EmeryZach Wrote:  ^

The Minutemen are about 4 years away from getting over that hump. Rankings mean nothing unless you are in the top 25.

In 1 more year you'll be ranked ahead of Boston College. BC only a few ahead of you right now. That will be nice to sell, UMass as the best team in the state of Massachusetts.

The MAC will have the best FBS team in Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts. Also best team in Indiana (sans ND, but better than Indiana and Purdue)

That would be a realistic and achievable goal to hang on to.

I'm going to say that Syracuse is better than Buffalo...

So basically, we have the best team in one state and a lot of wishes.

(05-17-2013 11:54 AM)axeme Wrote:  So basically, we have the best team in one state and a lot of wishes.

And NIU's hold on "best in the state" is tenuous at best.

And there are only 2 schools in Illinois that have FBS football?

(05-17-2013 01:44 PM)axeme Wrote:  And there are only 2 schools in Illinois that have FBS football?

3

NIU>Northwestern>Illinois
.

While the Huskies had a great season in 12 and should in 13, NU also won 10 including 2 double digit wins over SEC teams, one in their bowl. NIU/NU would be a very tight matchup.