Historic 1st Preseason G5 Top 25 Football Poll 2014

I would like to thank everyone that has worked and assisted with the G5 Top 25 Poll. A tremendous number of hours have been dedicated to the planning, preparation and the final execution to make this a reality. One individual has been absolutely amazing and the catalyst that created most of the mechanics behind the curtain so everything will work. I wish to express my deepest thanks to Aaron, from AGS (Any Given Saturday) for his extraordinary help and endless patience without which this Poll would not have been possible. There have been many others who have shared this vision from the start of the blog and including the members who registered and finally voted. I sincerely appreciate everyone’s hard work.

The Overall Rank is listed to the far left. The tabulation of points are listed under Grand Total and I have listed all the teams that received 1st place votes and the number on the far right

I would encourage everyone to post the results on their boards and web sites, FEEL FREE to just copy and paste the Poll so your board can debate and discuses this Top 25 Preseason Poll outcome. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO POST a link from the blog to share the results. The poll is for everyone to enjoy and have fun with.

Thanks again.

Congrats on the First Poll produced for the non P-5! Excellent Work! Now, since big media pays so little attention to our 63 universities; we need to spread the word about this initial ranking! Remember; if we don't promote ourselves we can't depend on anybody else to do it!

Please take "State" off of our name.

I never understand why no one ever includes it on Bowling Green but always does to us. We don't use it...ever for athletics.

No Air Force? Hm.

No Arkansas State? Hm.

(08-07-2014 10:37 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Please take "State" off of our name.

I never understand why no one ever includes it on Bowling Green but always does to us. We don't use it...ever for athletics.

You are so right. It confuses us for the uninformed with "Tennessee State", an HBCU playing at the 1-AA level. Although TSU has a pretty impressive Athletic History, they are not Middle Tennessee either academically or athletically. I blame the Tennessean newspaper, ESPN and that Orange school in East Tennessee for the continued insistence on "State", when referring to Middle Tennessee. This is, of course, because they don't want to admit that we are THE UNIVERSITY OF (and for) MIDDLE TENNESSEE!!!

(08-07-2014 11:27 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  No Arkansas State? Hm.

Shifty, take a second look.

(08-07-2014 12:17 PM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  

(08-07-2014 11:27 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  No Arkansas State? Hm.

Shifty, take a second look.

Touche sir. My B

(08-07-2014 11:26 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  No Air Force? Hm.

The Air Force that ended 2012 at 6-7 after getting thumped by Rice in the Armed Forces Bowl? The Air Force that was 0-8 in conference, and 2-10 overall in 2013 and ended in the waiting list in The Bottom Ten?

What makes you think they turn it around in 2014?

A good first effort. Congrats on pulling it off. After the kinks are out maybe you can get it into the ESPN poll list.

(08-07-2014 12:59 PM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(08-07-2014 11:26 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  No Air Force? Hm.

The Air Force that ended 2012 at 6-7 after getting thumped by Rice in the Armed Forces Bowl? The Air Force that was 0-8 in conference, and 2-10 overall in 2013 and ended in the waiting list in The Bottom Ten?

What makes you think they turn it around in 2014?

Because they almost always do. Last year was certainly the exception rather than the norm.

I think some voters didn't study some of these teams. These are my unbiased opinions of this first ranking.

Ranked Too Low

Northern Illinois is too low. They bring back 9 offensive starters from last seasons 12-2 team. They should be in the top 5.

Houston is too low. They are stacked this season. 8 returning offensive and 9 defensive starters return from a team that won 8 games last season. I think they win the AAC. I gave them my first place vote.

Tulane should have made the top 25 too.

Ranked Too High

UCF... Yes, they were great last season, and they are loaded on defense this season, but they had one of the best QBs in the nation last season. He isn't at UCF anymore. Plus, Houston only lost to them by 5 last season, and that was in Orlando. I ranked Houston ahead of them. Plus there is a very strong possibility that UCF starts the season 0-1.

Who are the ULL homers that ruined this poll by giving them first place votes? In my opinion, the top spots in this poll are for teams that have a legitimate chance at earning the spot in the access bowl. ULL plays both Ole' Miss and Boise on the road. I don't think they can win either of those games, but even if they pull a split, I don't see a one loss ULL earning the access spot. I do think ULL has a good team. They return a lot of talent (8-offense,9 defense) from a good 9 win team. I think they will go undefeated in the Belt this season. I just don't believe ULL is a top 10 team.

I also don't believe Utah State is a top 10 team. They only return 3 starters on offense, and 5 on defense. Not saying they are bad, just not top 10.

I also think ECU is too high. They only bring back 5 offensive and 4 defensive players from their 10 win team. I'm sure they will still be good, but I don't see them winning as many games as they did last season. I believe ECU is a top 25 team, just not a top 10 team.

Chuckie Keeton alone is good enough reason to put USU in the top 10.

(08-07-2014 02:38 PM)mufanatehc Wrote:  Chuckie Keeton alone is good enough reason to put USU in the top 10.

I like Chuckie too, but he still needs experienced players around him. No other team on this list returns fewer returning starters than Utah State.

Sideshow,

I haven't studied both teams closely, but seems you're putting a lot of focus on UCF losing Bortles, but entirely glaze over NIU having to replace Lynch.

Bortles may have been the better pro prospect, but Lynch is as big or bigger of a loss from my perspective.

(08-07-2014 12:02 PM)BlueRaiderBoy Wrote:  

(08-07-2014 10:37 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Please take "State" off of our name.

I never understand why no one ever includes it on Bowling Green but always does to us. We don't use it...ever for athletics.

You are so right. It confuses us for the uninformed with "Tennessee State", an HBCU playing at the 1-AA level. Although TSU has a pretty impressive Athletic History, they are not Middle Tennessee either academically or athletically. I blame the Tennessean newspaper, ESPN and that Orange school in East Tennessee for the continued insistence on "State", when referring to Middle Tennessee. This is, of course, because they don't want to admit that we are THE UNIVERSITY OF (and for) MIDDLE TENNESSEE!!!

I'm confused here. You have MTSU under your user name. So what does it say on the diplomas that are issued when you graduate? Not trolling just curious. Isn't there a State in your name?

(08-07-2014 03:51 PM)olliebaba Wrote:  

(08-07-2014 12:02 PM)BlueRaiderBoy Wrote:  

(08-07-2014 10:37 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Please take "State" off of our name.

I never understand why no one ever includes it on Bowling Green but always does to us. We don't use it...ever for athletics.

You are so right. It confuses us for the uninformed with "Tennessee State", an HBCU playing at the 1-AA level. Although TSU has a pretty impressive Athletic History, they are not Middle Tennessee either academically or athletically. I blame the Tennessean newspaper, ESPN and that Orange school in East Tennessee for the continued insistence on "State", when referring to Middle Tennessee. This is, of course, because they don't want to admit that we are THE UNIVERSITY OF (and for) MIDDLE TENNESSEE!!!

I'm confused here. You have MTSU under your user name. So what does it say on the diplomas that are issued when you graduate? Not trolling just curious. Isn't there a State in your name?

It's not a question of the university's name - it IS Middle Tennessee State University. Instead, it's branding - we want to be called MT or Middle Tennessee rather than MTSU or Middle Tennessee State in athletic circles. It's somewhat similar to Georgia Tech being called GT or Georgia Tech rather than GIT or Georgia Institute of Technology, even though G.I.T. is their actual name.

Also, is it possible to get a "Receiving Votes:" category? That would be nice.

(08-07-2014 03:30 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  Sideshow,

I haven't studied both teams closely, but seems you're putting a lot of focus on UCF losing Bortles, but entirely glaze over NIU having to replace Lynch.

Bortles may have been the better pro prospect, but Lynch is as big or bigger of a loss from my perspective.

I think Bortles is a bigger loss. In UCF's win over BIG12 Champ Baylor, Bortles threw for 300 yards 3 TDs and run for another, though he also tossed 2 picks. Lynch was a great for NIU, but his legs did a lot of work. His passing numbers were nothing to write home about. The team only averaged around 220 of passing yards a game (77th in the nation). NIU is more of a running team. They averaged 297 yards on the ground and were 7th in the nation running that ball last season. Bringing back nine starters from a team that could run the ball like that is big. I just think Bortles was a larger loss for UCF.UCF was much better at passing the ball last season. They ranked 26th in the nation, while they were 75th in rushing, and Bortles legs accounted for some of that too. That is why I think Bortles was the bigger loss. Don't get me wrong, both are big loses, and both teams are at the top of the G5s. I voted them NIU#4 and UCF#5. Just my opinion.

(08-07-2014 02:28 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  I think some voters didn't study some of these teams. These are my unbiased opinions of this first ranking.

Ranked Too Low

Northern Illinois is too low. They bring back 9 offensive starters from last seasons 12-2 team. They should be in the top 5.lost their QB

Houston is too low. They are stacked this season. 8 returning offensive and 9 defensive starters return from a team that won 8 games last season. I think they win the AAC. I gave them my first place vote.

Tulane should have made the top 25 too.

Ranked Too High

UCF... Yes, they were great last season, and they are loaded on defense this season, but they had one of the best QBs in the nation last season. He isn't at UCF anymore. Plus, Houston only lost to them by 5 last season, and that was in Orlando. I ranked Houston ahead of them. Plus there is a very strong possibility that UCF starts the season 0-1.

Who are the ULL homers that ruined this poll by giving them first place votes? In my opinion, the top spots in this poll are for teams that have a legitimate chance at earning the spot in the access bowl. ULL plays both Ole' Miss and Boise on the road. I don't think they can win either of those games, but even if they pull a split, I don't see a one loss ULL earning the access spot. I do think ULL has a good team. They return a lot of talent (8-offense,9 defense) from a good 9 win team. I think they will go undefeated in the Belt this season. I just don't believe ULL is a top 10 team.

I also don't believe Utah State is a top 10 team. They only return 3 starters on offense, and 5 on defense. Not saying they are bad, just not top 10.

I also think ECU is too high. They only bring back 5 offensive and 4 defensive players from their 10 win team. I'm sure they will still be good, but I don't see them winning as many games as they did last season. I believe ECU is a top 25 team, just not a top 10 team.

For ECU it depends on how you count starters, most sites went off the bowl game. Well, there is an issue with that. We rotate WR's constantly and use a 24 man rotation on D. And had a D line mane suspended for half the year and his back up and the 3rd stringer played, lost two WR to injury that return that aren't counted as starters, but were. I'll break it down for you,

Offense returners with starts and played in a min. Of 6 games

QB
3 OL
5 WRs Dayvon Grayson started 6 games last year a true freshman went out with an injury.

By my count that's 9

Played but not starts all games

2 RB
5 WRs

D returners with starts

2 DL
3 LB
1 CB

D returners played in all games or have played for more than year as a starter (Terry Williams)

5 DL
5 LB
2 CB
2 S

We have plenty of experience returning.