There’s a few programs out there that I think could grow into something special if they could make the right hires and begin winning consistently, winning over their NFL-free markets in the process:

UCF
Memphis
San Diego St
UTSA

What says the rest of you? Anyone you think deserves to be in the Sleeping Giant category?

(12-13-2021 06:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  There’s a few programs out there that I think could grow into something special if they could make the right hires and begin winning consistently, winning over their NFL-free markets in the process:

UCF
Memphis
San Diego St
UTSA

What says the rest of you? Anyone you think deserves to be in the Sleeping Giant category?

Houston

I would dare say UCF and Houston aren’t sleeping giants at all in the sense that they actually have maximized their success quite a bit over the past several years. I always think of sleeping giants as programs that are way more down in the dumps compared to them.

P5 flagship/flagship-equivalent schools in large markets/states with tons of recruits that have severely underachieved are always what I think of as sleeping giants: UCLA, Rutgers, my Illinois Fighting Illini, Maryland, Cal, Colorado, etc. They’re the schools where they could easily be contenders if they could just keep a greater share of their hometown/state recruits at home.

(12-13-2021 06:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  What says the rest of you? Anyone you think deserves to be in the Sleeping Giant category?

With Allegiant Stadium, UNLV has a lot of upward mobility.

(12-13-2021 09:09 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  I would dare say UCF and Houston aren’t sleeping giants at all in the sense that they actually have maximized their success quite a bit over the past several years. I always think of sleeping giants as programs that are way more down in the dumps compared to them.

P5 flagship/flagship-equivalent schools in large markets/states with tons of recruits that have severely underachieved are always what I think of as sleeping giants: UCLA, Rutgers, my Illinois Fighting Illini, Maryland, Cal, Colorado, etc. They’re the schools where they could easily be contenders if they could just keep a greater share of their hometown/state recruits at home.

Miami would fit in that category as well.

I'm not sure I'd include programs like Rutgers, Illinois, Maryland, Cal, Colorado at all. Rutgers, Illinois, and Maryland are always going to play 2nd/3rd fiddle to programs like Ohio St, Michigan, and Michigan St(not to mention Penn St).

(12-13-2021 06:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  There’s a few programs out there that I think could grow into something special if they could make the right hires and begin winning consistently, winning over their NFL-free markets in the process:

UCF
Memphis
San Diego St
UTSA

What says the rest of you? Anyone you think deserves to be in the Sleeping Giant category?

New Mexico State.

(12-13-2021 09:21 PM)rtist Wrote:  

(12-13-2021 06:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  There’s a few programs out there that I think could grow into something special if they could make the right hires and begin winning consistently, winning over their NFL-free markets in the process:

UCF
Memphis
San Diego St
UTSA

What says the rest of you? Anyone you think deserves to be in the Sleeping Giant category?

New Mexico State.

FAU. Never underestimate the ability to keep folks from Palm Beach and Broward Counties at home.

Many teams in the ACC/Pac-12/new Big 12 would qualify.

I agree with Frank. When I think of sleeping giants the schools that come to mind are Miami, Texas and USC and to a lesser extent Nebraska, Tennessee, Penn State and Pitt. Each of these schools had runs as a national power. I would've listed Michigan, but I tend to think their ship is actually on the right path and is awakening. Florida and FSU are also hibernating.

I don’t mean to pick on anyone here but I think calling Rutgers a sleeping giant demonstrates a tremendous misunderstanding of that university’s culture.

I am not a young man and I remember being very young and being in a bar with my father and his friends, who, looking back on it, were probably in their late 20s at the time. Weird thought, I know.

It must’ve been before a Pitt/Rutgers game because they were talking about the Scarlet Knights and how they were a sleeping giant. This was easily 40+ years ago. They were using all the same rationale that people are using now on message boards. They were saying that it was a good school, which it is, and it is located in a very talent-rich state, New Jersey. The thinking then, as now, was man, if they could just keep all of those kids at home instead of letting them all go to Penn State, Pitt, Syracuse or Boston College, they could really become a monster. Now, you still have those schools but you also have Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, etc

However, it never happened because there’s a lot more that goes into it than just the superficial elements.

Why isn’t South Carolina ever any good? How can Clemson do it but the Aldi’s USC can’t? Georgia can do it but South Carolina can’t? There are 12 million players in South Carolina and Georgia and the Gamecocks can never get any of those guys? It’s not just an SEC thing either. They were mediocre for years as an independent too. There must be something wrong with that institution.

I don’t even know what a sleeping giant is in the current context? I think you probably have to be in the SEC to be one. I do think that UCF, Cincinnati and Houston will likely improve in the Big 12. I think adding those three schools plus BYU is the smartest thing the Big 12 has done in a long time. I also think they are going to soon add Memphis and South Florida, not Boise State, but time will tell. That league has made a lot of terrible decisions over the years but its most recent expansion actually makes long-term sense.

Again though, I don’t know that any of those schools are “sleeping giants,” per se. However, I do know that they can absolutely compete with just about anyone in the Power Five conferences and I fully expect all three of those schools to regularly compete for Big 12 championships

(12-13-2021 09:25 PM)whittx Wrote:  

(12-13-2021 09:21 PM)rtist Wrote:  

(12-13-2021 06:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  There’s a few programs out there that I think could grow into something special if they could make the right hires and begin winning consistently, winning over their NFL-free markets in the process:

UCF
Memphis
San Diego St
UTSA

What says the rest of you? Anyone you think deserves to be in the Sleeping Giant category?

New Mexico State.

FAU. Never underestimate the ability to keep folks from Palm Beach and Broward Counties at home.

FIU is a bigger school than FAU; does that make them a sleeping giant?

(12-13-2021 09:09 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  I would dare say UCF and Houston aren’t sleeping giants at all in the sense that they actually have maximized their success quite a bit over the past several years. I always think of sleeping giants as programs that are way more down in the dumps compared to them.

P5 flagship/flagship-equivalent schools in large markets/states with tons of recruits that have severely underachieved are always what I think of as sleeping giants: UCLA, Rutgers, my Illinois Fighting Illini, Maryland, Cal, Colorado, etc. They’re the schools where they could easily be contenders if they could just keep a greater share of their hometown/state recruits at home.

We've had one great season in six years, we've hardly maximized our success

(12-13-2021 06:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  There’s a few programs out there that I think could grow into something special if they could make the right hires and begin winning consistently, winning over their NFL-free markets in the process:

UCF
Memphis
San Diego St
UTSA

What says the rest of you? Anyone you think deserves to be in the Sleeping Giant category?

North Texas. To me, they are the next "UCF"

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

I don't consider college football programs that have been "giant-esque" in the past as current "sleeping giants" that could awaken. But obviously, some folks disagree with me on that.

Rather, I see the "sleeping giants" as "non-traditional-power" programs that have shown the ability to beat the big boys, recruit well, garner some national acclaim, etc., and — in the process — become nationally relevant over a significant time span.

There are about 10 to 15 of those type programs, and most of them are G5. One exception to the G5 rule is P5 N.C. State. I always considered that football program as offering huge potential — with all the trappings and "built-in advantages" to be a consistent Top 25-type.

Clearly, UTSA is a sleeping giant. I'm impressed. North Texas is similar.

I'm hoping we look back 15 years from now and note Cincinnati was a sleeping giant at the time Luke Fickell took over and the university was preparing to transition to the Big 12. But I'm biased. And I'm biased toward Memphis, which is located in a part of the country that offers a huge African-American population (the city itself, West Tennessee, East Arkansas and all of Mississippi) for luring Black recruits and developing Black fans. Similarly, UAB (particularly with its new stadium and looming AAC membership) could be a sleeping giant (it offers the "African-American component" that Memphis shows).

Houston has enjoyed some impressive national success over the years. But with Big 12 membership — watch out. Strong potential. That giant could easily be awakened. Same for UCF.

Carver College
Upper Iowa
UChicago

I suppose sleeping giant wasn’t the proper term—basically I’m looking at programs outside of the established power structure that could gain strong followings and merit inclusion in the club. I tend to think of programs who share markets with NFL teams as being handicapped in this regard because pro teams tend to soak up band wagon entertainment dollars more readily from folks within a market that don’t have a direct connection to the school. I think this hampers programs like Houston and Temple.

If you’re thinking of a sleeping giant as an underachieving program that could become a frequent national title contender, that wasn’t the conversation intended.

Missouri State seems to be a sleeping giant in the sense that its sitting in FCS while neighboring states like Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma have their 2nd state schools sitting in the Big 12.

I guess you could say the same about Colorado State. If they could get their sh!t together, they would already be in the Big 12.

Looking at smaller states, Boise St, New Mexico, Arkansas State all have potential for growth. Maybe become Big 12 worthy some day.

SUNY Buffalo could become a big atraction if the Bills ever leave for a new NFL home in another city.

I used to think that maybe NIU had that potential, being close to Chicago, but the local support just is not there. Now it seems that Illinois state or even UIC have better long term potential for growth while NIU is shrinking. If the Bears leave for an indoor stadium in Arlington Heights, maybe UIC can start a football team that plays at soldier field. OR Maybe NIU can start playing some MACtion weeknight games at Arlington Heights stadium.

(12-13-2021 10:11 PM)rtist Wrote:  

(12-13-2021 09:25 PM)whittx Wrote:  

(12-13-2021 09:21 PM)rtist Wrote:  

(12-13-2021 06:24 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  There’s a few programs out there that I think could grow into something special if they could make the right hires and begin winning consistently, winning over their NFL-free markets in the process:

UCF
Memphis
San Diego St
UTSA

What says the rest of you? Anyone you think deserves to be in the Sleeping Giant category?

New Mexico State.

FAU. Never underestimate the ability to keep folks from Palm Beach and Broward Counties at home.

FIU is a bigger school than FAU; does that make them a sleeping giant?

FAU is far enough from Miami that it can be away from being "the second school in Miami" while finding plenty of folks that would favor Boca over West Miami.

(12-13-2021 10:32 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  Carver College
Upper Iowa
UChicago

Hey, you missed Sewanee and West Texas A&M.

(12-14-2021 12:40 AM)goofus Wrote:  Missouri State seems to be a sleeping giant in the sense that its sitting in FCS while neighboring states like Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma have their 2nd state schools sitting in the Big 12.

I guess you could say the same about Colorado State. If they could get their sh!t together, they would already be in the Big 12.

Looking at smaller states, Boise St, New Mexico, Arkansas State all have potential for growth. Maybe become Big 12 worthy some day.

SUNY Buffalo could become a big atraction if the Bills ever leave for a new NFL home in another city.

I used to think that maybe NIU had that potential, being close to Chicago, but the local support just is not there. Now it seems that Illinois state or even UIC have better long term potential for growth while NIU is shrinking. If the Bears leave for an indoor stadium in Arlington Heights, maybe UIC can start a football team that plays at soldier field. OR Maybe NIU can start playing some MACtion weeknight games at Arlington Heights stadium.

I am biased but I agree with Missouri State being included. We need to make it back to the tournament in basketball, but with Petrino on the sidelines in football we will be a perennial contender. There is some rumor in JUCO coaching circles that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats could pursue Petrino if their current head coach heads to the Washington Huskies as rumored but I think he could just be leveraging that to get more money from Missouri State.

NIU has a really underrated campus there in the extreme western Chicago suburbs. It's in a geographically desirable location, much more fun city than Champaign or Normal. Their football stadium isn't special but they just won the MAC so maybe they can capitalize on that with Illinois and Northwestern being down.