Quote:we're not close to Top 25.

Still, it is nice to start getting some recognition, and it is good that we are top25 in some people's minds.

Surprised no more speculation on the Jimbo Fisher rankings..

Either he knows DB, was watching the game in the hotel before their game with Duke and concluded our thumping of Marshall was big since Marshall thumped ECU who thumped NC and NC State, saw how good Marshall was from Va Tech film, or he has ties to something else in C-USA to be such a fan. That is aggressive for the #1 team to be voting Rice for #19. It does not serve him in any way to do that.

As a side, good to see DB's boy, Kevin Sumlin, throw him a bone at #25. Surprised Mack did not do the same. Alot of 'bro culture' in head coaching looking after their relationships. One of the reasons (in addition to statistical significance) I think the coaches poll is not the best place to go for rankings on anything.

Question: In 2008, when we "received votes", was that prior to the bowl win or only afterwards?

(12-08-2013 08:48 PM)Traveler413 Wrote:  Question: In 2008, when we "received votes", was that prior to the bowl win or only afterwards?

Only afterwards. The HUGE difference between the two teams (2008 vs. '13) is the current squads defense, which is legitimately ranked in the Top 25 - 30. Yes, the '08 club had a more consistent and potent offense (thanks largely to Beatty's play calling), but it's not as if this year's offense doesn't have similar potential. Certainly, we now have a far more powerful running attack and, consequently, a more balanced attack. Our defense in 2008 kept the opposition in virtually every game we played; it was up to our offense to outscore them.

Don't know if coaches can vote for their own team or not. It used to be the "gentlemanly thing" not to vote for yourself or your team. Don't know if that even exists today. Great to see Tulsa voted for us--and North Texas, even after they beat us. UNT would have been justified in their minds by not doing that because they beat us on Halloween.

Also nice to see that Jimbo Fisher--the #1 team in the country--and Kevin Sumlin of the Ags, who we lost to--both voted for us. That's two votes in my book.

(12-08-2013 08:55 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  The HUGE difference between the two teams (2008 vs. '13) is the current squads defense, which is legitimately ranked in the Top 25 - 30. Yes, the '08 club had a more consistent and potent offense (thanks largely to Beatty's play calling), but it's not as if this year's offense doesn't have similar potential. Certainly, we now have a far more powerful running attack and, consequently, a more balanced attack. Our defense in 2008 kept the opposition in virtually every game we played; it was up to our offense to outscore them.

Beatty? Hermann was the offensive co-ordinator at the time.

Seems that Jimbo chose to award conference champions (Rice, BGSU) that wouldn't have otherwise gotten votes, by voting them ahead of teams that did not win their conference's champions. Although, interesting that he voted us ahead of Fresno, but I'm not complaining.

(12-08-2013 10:51 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  Seems that Jimbo chose to award conference champions (Rice, BGSU) that wouldn't have otherwise gotten votes, by voting them ahead of teams that did not win their conference's champions. Although, interesting that he voted us ahead of Fresno, but I'm not complaining.

Fresno State would struggle mightily to beat Rice. Their schedule was as soft as ours because the Mountain West was unusually weak this season.

Fresno State did defeat Boise State, but I think that we would give both of those teams a game if we played them right now.

We're a lot closer to it than in 2005......just saying. That seems like yesterday and a lifetime ago now.

(12-08-2013 07:21 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

Quote:we're not close to Top 25.

Still, it is nice to start getting some recognition, and it is good that we are top25 in some people's minds.

Tale a look at Doyel's final CBS Power Poll:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...ff-that-is

24. Rice (NR): Reason No. 5,213 why we love college football. You couldn't tell the difference between Florida State and the plucky Owls in their locker rooms after Rice won its first outright conference title since 1957 (over Marshall in C-USA title game). In the past 18 games the Owls are 15-3. The only schools with fewer losses over that span are Ohio State, FSU, Alabama, Louisville and Fresno. Bowl: Liberty vs. Mississippi State.

More pub!

(12-09-2013 03:32 PM)WIowl Wrote:  Tale a look at Doyel's final CBS Power Poll:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...ff-that-is

24. Rice (NR): Reason No. 5,213 why we love college football. You couldn't tell the difference between Florida State and the plucky Owls in their locker rooms after Rice won its first outright conference title since 1957 (over Marshall in C-USA title game). In the past 18 games the Owls are 15-3. The only schools with fewer losses over that span are Ohio State, FSU, Alabama, Louisville and Fresno. Bowl: Liberty vs. Mississippi State.

More pub!

Apropos, in the "Others receiving votes":

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...ff-that-is Wrote:Matt Sign and Steve Hatchell of the National Football Foundation

Way out rumor ( admittedly started by adversary, completely unverified ): Wake Forest after DB…
anyway, another sign that Rice football is becoming relevant and opponents getting jealous and paying attention to us.
Would not be surprised by DB being in Wake's short list.

(12-09-2013 03:32 PM)WIowl Wrote:  Tale a look at Doyel's final CBS Power Poll:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...ff-that-is

24. Rice (NR): Reason No. 5,213 why we love college football. You couldn't tell the difference between Florida State and the plucky Owls in their locker rooms after Rice won its first outright conference title since 1957 (over Marshall in C-USA title game). In the past 18 games the Owls are 15-3. The only schools with fewer losses over that span are Ohio State, FSU, Alabama, Louisville and Fresno. Bowl: Liberty vs. Mississippi State.

More pub!

It was Dennis Dodd's poll, but noteworthy, nonetheless.

(12-09-2013 08:12 PM)Viejobuho Wrote:  Would not be surprised by DB being in Wake's short list.

That would not be surprising. Odds are that someone will look very closely at David Bailiff this year. Honestly, a year ago, I'd have liked to see him replaced, but I think he's done a very good job this year in most, if not all phases of his job. I'd like to see what he can do next year... this shouldn't be the case of 2009 where it was obvious there would be a big dropoff. Granting that Rice loses a lot of seniors, next year will be a struggle. But, it's clear that there is young talent at most positions.

Recruiting footprint is something that probably would not be an ideal match for DB at Wake. Dave Clausen (now at Bowling Green, previously successful at Richmond, another private school with some academic standards) is rumored to be a strong target for Wake.

DB would be a good hire at Wake. He has proven that he can have winning seasons at a school with strict academic standards, so he would know how to deal with Wake. This time though he would have the benefit of being in the ACC for recruiting.

My only question is how well he can recruit outside the state of Texas.

Football Scoop reporting that Wake has made an offer to Dave Clawson.

(12-09-2013 08:12 PM)Viejobuho Wrote:  Way out rumor ( admittedly started by adversary, completely unverified ): Wake Forest after DB…
anyway, another sign that Rice football is becoming relevant and opponents getting jealous and paying attention to us.
Would not be surprised by DB being in Wake's short list.

Wake hired BG head coach.

http://footballscoop.com/news/11881-dave...ake-forest