I'm not sure I believe much in these things at this point in time, (well I am sure, actually...not much) but it is an interesting early look at possible relative strength of all football teams for next season.

Here is the link for the entire list

http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_...380/102380

From the post itself on ESPN: FPI is an estimate of team strength – not a ranking of who will have the highest win total (which is dependent on schedule) and not who is most likely to make the College Football Playoff. Preseason FPI is calculated using three major components for each FBS team: prior years’ offense, defense and special teams efficiencies; returning starters and head coach information; and recruiting rankings.

For C-USA, there are some interesting placements. I think Marshall is too high and UTEP too low, for example. Very interesting ranking for FIU. But here is what ESPN Predicts at this junture in terms of relative strength for next year:

49 Marshall
57 Western Kentucky
61 LaTech
86 Middle Tennessee
87 FIU
96 Rice
103 Old Dominion
107 Southern Mississippi
108 FAU
109 North Texas
113 UTEP
120 UTSA
126 Charlotte

Take it for what it's worth.

How is Marshall ranked too high? Did you watch a game last year and notice how much talent on both sides of the field we have coming back?

Haha 126...damn.

(03-11-2015 02:30 AM)SApuro Wrote:  Haha 126...damn.

Ya'll are only 6 spots higher and this is your 3rd season in FBS so ...... damn.

Preseason RPI is just throwing something against the wall to see if it will stick. They have Marshall too high and Rice too low IMHO.

While totally worthless, they do seem like reasonable predictions, though I wouldn't have thought UTSA would be that bad.

(03-11-2015 02:21 AM)Herd_fever Wrote:  How is Marshall ranked too high? Did you watch a game last year and notice how much talent on both sides of the field we have coming back?

You're ranked ahead of several P5 schools and everyone knows that even their worst teams are better than a CUSA team.

(03-10-2015 11:13 PM)Cnelson203 Wrote:  From the post itself on ESPN: FPI is an estimate of team strength – not a ranking of who will have the highest win total (which is dependent on schedule) and not who is most likely to make the College Football Playoff. Preseason FPI is calculated using three major components for each FBS team: prior years’ offense, defense and special teams efficiencies; returning starters and head coach information; and recruiting rankings.


96 Rice

This is ridiculous at this point. If this is even close to being where Rice ranks during and after the upcoming season then I would think its time for Rice to look for a new Head Football Coach. In Season 9 of his coaching tenure, for a team that has yet to beat even one team ranked in Top 50 of RPI in all that time, and with only one "home field advantage" Conference USA title during that whole time (outcome likely different if 2013 Champ game played at Marshall in Huntington, WV instead of in Houston at Rice), this is just inexcusable.

Surely Rice should be doing far better after almost 10 years of "building" in a G5 conference under David Bailiff. He has been a very polarizing coach who has done some good but also has arguably underachieved his whole career. Will be watching this season very closely, especially our OOC games against name teams.

It's past time for some big upset wins for Rice football and for our football coach to adopt the motto our new Men's Head Basketball Coach, Mike Rhoades, has used this year to jump-start a moribund team into being a rising program with a positive near-term future: "no excuses."

I know we will be better this year, but just how much remains to be seen. I say we will break even @6-6, but get left out if the bowl picture for the last time in awhile.

Rice, UTEP, and FAU are too low

(03-11-2015 07:27 AM)benny_t Wrote:  

(03-11-2015 02:30 AM)SApuro Wrote:  Haha 126...damn.

Ya'll are only 6 spots higher and this is your 3rd season in FBS so ...... damn.

Besides GA State, UTSA is our best chance for a FBS win.

Not in CUSA, but App St at 54 seems very high. I guess we'll find out when they visit ODU. I expect a pretty even matchup that could go either way.

USM will go bowling this year. Book it.

Rice is a hell of a lot better than that. Its all a crap shoot right now. I actually think we are about right. Holliday thinks we have the pieces to be better than last year. Serious.

(03-11-2015 09:26 AM)monarx Wrote:  Not in CUSA, but App St at 54 seems very high. I guess we'll find out when they visit ODU. I expect a pretty even matchup that could go either way.

That does seem high. They seemed to pick up in the second half of the season last year and I think they have the most returning starters in the country. It may be tough with a new QB but I expect a good game.

(03-11-2015 09:32 AM)EagNBran Wrote:  USM will go bowling this year. Book it.

Hope you are right, but I won't book it, that is for sure.

(03-11-2015 10:58 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(03-11-2015 09:26 AM)monarx Wrote:  Not in CUSA, but App St at 54 seems very high. I guess we'll find out when they visit ODU. I expect a pretty even matchup that could go either way.

That does seem high. They seemed to pick up in the second half of the season last year and I think they have the most returning starters in the country. It may be tough with a new QB but I expect a good game.

I think their offensive stats skew their rating 30 of so spots but they did finish strong.

Georgia State is too high.

(03-11-2015 09:26 AM)monarx Wrote:  Not in CUSA, but App St at 54 seems very high. I guess we'll find out when they visit ODU. I expect a pretty even matchup that could go either way.

You jerks better beat the crap out of those hillbillies!

So based on Preseason RPI, we will have a rematch in the Championship Game?