The SB prediction, as bad as it was got me thinking there should be a poll...

BSU or MW champ. Am I partial...yes, but I believe the teams the AAC is picking up and losing will affect the perception and strength of the conference.

NIU

Utah State. They finished second in the MWC and took down NIU in their bowl game, all without injured QB Chuckie Keeton. With Keeton back in the lineup next year they'll have an offense to go with their 12th-ranked defense. And they have a shot at two wins against P5 opponents in 2014, opening at Tennessee and hosting Wake Forest in Logan.

I like San Diego State from the Mountain West, or Cincinnati from the American Athletic Conference.

I'm just going to be a homer and pick ECU. I honestly have no idea who will. We do return a lot of good players so we shouldn't be a bad team at all. Could probably be any of UH, UCF, MU.

Rice

(01-28-2014 08:15 PM)jml2010 Wrote:  Rice

well they will probably get there before you guys....

Louisiana the beat Boise State early and run the table in the SBC .
Three straight bowl wins plus a undefeated or one loss season should do it .

Marshall would be my second pick
Both come from similar conferences and have the building momentum .

(01-28-2014 06:25 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Utah State. They finished second in the MWC and took down NIU in their bowl game, all without injured QB Chuckie Keeton. With Keeton back in the lineup next year they'll have an offense to go with their 12th-ranked defense. And they have a shot at two wins against P5 opponents in 2014, opening at Tennessee and hosting Wake Forest in Logan.

I believe they have three starters returning

(01-28-2014 06:44 PM)ncbeta Wrote:  I'm just going to be a homer and pick ECU. I honestly have no idea who will. We do return a lot of good players so we shouldn't be a bad team at all. Could probably be any of UH, UCF, MU.

MU has got to get past Ohio if they want a shot an Access Bowl.

WKU

It will be Cincy, Houston, or UCF

(01-28-2014 08:24 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(01-28-2014 08:15 PM)jml2010 Wrote:  Rice

well they will probably get there before you guys....

They occasionally play the big boys in Texas which will help them in the conference they play in. How often does Ohio St play their little brother?

Not a single unbiased person has posted yet.

I'm going to pick UCF because they return most of their defense, WR's, and have a strong recruiting class. Second I'm going with Houston because they are going to have a deadly offense. And third it would be a toss up between Utah State and Cincinnati.

(01-28-2014 09:06 PM)jml2010 Wrote:  

(01-28-2014 08:24 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(01-28-2014 08:15 PM)jml2010 Wrote:  Rice

well they will probably get there before you guys....

They occasionally play the big boys in Texas which will help them in the conference they play in. How often does Ohio St play their little brother?

Well that would be next season in Columbus

I think Marshall has a great shot. They have all the pieces in place for an undefeated season and their OOC is absolutely pathetic. I think the problem the AAC will face next year is parity. The top teams...UCF, UH, UC, ECU are going to grind each other up and I do not see a team that will come through the Conference undefeated.

(01-28-2014 08:49 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(01-28-2014 06:44 PM)ncbeta Wrote:  I'm just going to be a homer and pick ECU. I honestly have no idea who will. We do return a lot of good players so we shouldn't be a bad team at all. Could probably be any of UH, UCF, MU.

MU has got to get past Ohio if they want a shot an Access Bowl.

payback's coming

(01-28-2014 09:55 PM)ShoreBuc Wrote:  I think Marshall has a great shot. They have all the pieces in place for an undefeated season and their OOC is absolutely pathetic. I think the problem the AAC will face next year is parity. The top teams...UCF, UH, UC, ECU are going to grind each other up and I do not see a team that will come through the Conference undefeated.

It's going to depend on the schedules. Some of them may not even play each other this year. I voted for UCF since they'll be the highest ranked G5 to start the season. It's theirs to lose.

My Top Finishers Per G5 Conference:

AAC: UCF
MWC: Utah State
CUSA: Marshall
MAC: Bowling Green
SunBelt: ULaLa

Whoever wins the AAC. I think as a whole they have the strongest teams and stronger schedules than any other g5 conference. Marshall is a good team but they don't play anybody that could set them apart. it least ulala has ole miss. Not to familiar with the MW teams