From the Tampa Bay Times:
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/my-p...ot/2189335
Quote:My preseason AAC ballot
Joey KnightJoey Knight, Times Staff Writer
Monday, July 21, 2014 11:13am
The following is my projected order of finish in the American Athletic Conference, submitted upon request to the league office earlier today. The official preseason poll will be released at the conference's media day July 29 in Newport, RI (Yes, football is here.).
To elicit debate, I've added a one-sentence rationale for each team's position in the standings.
1. Cincinnati.
'Cats are loaded offensively, and Tommy Tuberville's defenses are traditionally rugged
2. UCF
I waffled here because of the Knights' uncertainty at QB, but nine starters return on defense
3. East Carolina
For my money, Shane Carden's the league's best QB, and Justin Hardy's the top wideout
4. Houston
Lost amid the Cougars' pass-happy style is a defense that forced a nation-best 43 turnovers in '13
5. Tulane
The Green Wave, who made a bowl game last year, possess an outstanding secondary and promising freshman QB
6. USF
Stronger, speedier Bulls will at least double their '13 win total. I just don't know if they'll triple it.
7. SMU
Mustangs have some replenishing to do, but the newcomers are promising and June Jones knows his stuff
8. Temple
My sleeper team in the league. In their last five games of '13, Owls tied or led entering fourth quarter
9. Connecticut
All signs suggest new coach Bob Diaco will get it done in Storrs. But offseason loss of workhorse TB Lyle McCombs hurts
10. Memphis
Tigers made defensive strides in '13, but the offense scored more than 21 points only three times
11. Tulsa
The Golden Hurricane, 3-9 last year, must replace virtually their entire offensive backfield
The preseason poll will likely be UC or UCF at 1 or 2, Houston and ECU at 3 or 4 and then the rest.
Underrated: Tulsa/Memphis - Both could be as high as 6th. Memphis avoids UCF and ECU and has Houston at home. They will get smacked around out of conference though.
Overrated: Tulane - I'd put them at 11th. Big schedule upgrade from last year. Play UC, @UCF, @Houston, @ECU. Could see them being a 1 or 2 win team.
I don't get the reason for any optimism for UConn this season. I think the Huskies are going to be awful and I have no confidence in Diacco at this point.
I think UConn will be lucky to win more than two games.
Looks reasonable - but only if Kiel performs as expected.
(07-21-2014 11:35 AM)BearcatJerry Wrote: [ -> ]I don't get the reason for any optimism for UConn this season. I think the Huskies are going to be awful and I have no confidence in Diacco at this point.
I think UConn will be lucky to win more than two games.
I agree - UConn's football season looks to be about as promising as UCF's upcoming basketball season...
Agreed. Clear top 2 of UC and UCF. UC honestly should win this league. It's too bad they don't play each other.
(07-21-2014 11:28 AM)UC KMF Wrote: [ -> ]Underrated: Tulsa/Memphis - Both could be as high as 6th. Memphis avoids UCF and ECU and has Houston at home. They will get smacked around out of conference though.
Overrated: Tulane - I'd put them at 11th. Big schedule upgrade from last year. Play UC, @UCF, @Houston, @ECU. Could see them being a 1 or 2 win team.
While I'd agree 5th is a bit opptimistic for the Green Wave, I don't see them finishing 11th. Tulsa is flat out terrible and some other teams have a lot more questions about them. Tulane will be riding the wave of playing in an upgraded conference, new on campus stadium and returning their starting QB (some kid named Montana) , RB ,WR and and a ton of playmakers on defense. They'll likely finish worse than the 7-6 they ended up with last year just on conference change alone, but they are not going to go 0-8 in the AAC this year.
(07-21-2014 11:35 AM)BearcatJerry Wrote: [ -> ]I don't get the reason for any optimism for UConn this season. I think the Huskies are going to be awful and I have no confidence in Diacco at this point.
I think UConn will be lucky to win more than two games.
UConn has the talent and the schedule to get to a bowl game. Huskies have always have one of the better home field advantages in the league.
Army and Stony Brook should be automatic wins. I think they should be good enough to pull one or two upsets at home agains their four top level opponents in UCF, Cincinnati, BYU, and Boise State. SMU and Temple are home games they should be slight favorites in. They only play four true road games. Only one of them is against a decent team, ECU. The rest are at Memphis, Tulane, and USF. Somehow I think UConn gets to a bowl game.
SMU will be lucky to be 2-4 to start the season. At Baylor, At North Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, At ECU, and Cincinnati is not easy way to start a season.
I don't see the American getting more 5 teams in bowl games and right now I give UConn a slight advantage over the rest of the have nots.
(07-21-2014 12:52 PM)CliftonAve Wrote: [ -> ] (07-21-2014 11:28 AM)UC KMF Wrote: [ -> ]Underrated: Tulsa/Memphis - Both could be as high as 6th. Memphis avoids UCF and ECU and has Houston at home. They will get smacked around out of conference though.
Overrated: Tulane - I'd put them at 11th. Big schedule upgrade from last year. Play UC, @UCF, @Houston, @ECU. Could see them being a 1 or 2 win team.
While I'd agree 5th is a bit opptimistic for the Green Wave, I don't see them finishing 11th. Tulsa is flat out terrible and some other teams have a lot more questions about them. Tulane will be riding the wave of playing in an upgraded conference, new on campus stadium and returning their starting QB (some kid named Montana) , RB ,WR and and a ton of playmakers on defense. They'll likely finish worse than the 7-6 they ended up with last year just on conference change alone, but they are not going to go 0-8 in the AAC this year.
I'm mainly going off of USA Today's preseason countdown
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca...y/8819991/
They are saying that Tulane losses its top 2 RBs, Its top WR (who accounted for 43% of its recieving yards), and Montana is 3rd on the depth chart at QB (which might be where he belongs IMO). I think there offense could really be a problem. I don't think they will stand a chance vs the top 4 teams. They could beat UConn at home in an ugly game and maybe Memphis at home or Tulsa in the opener. I can only give them credit for maybe 1 or 2 conference wins.
(07-21-2014 01:26 PM)UC KMF Wrote: [ -> ] (07-21-2014 12:52 PM)CliftonAve Wrote: [ -> ] (07-21-2014 11:28 AM)UC KMF Wrote: [ -> ]Underrated: Tulsa/Memphis - Both could be as high as 6th. Memphis avoids UCF and ECU and has Houston at home. They will get smacked around out of conference though.
Overrated: Tulane - I'd put them at 11th. Big schedule upgrade from last year. Play UC, @UCF, @Houston, @ECU. Could see them being a 1 or 2 win team.
While I'd agree 5th is a bit opptimistic for the Green Wave, I don't see them finishing 11th. Tulsa is flat out terrible and some other teams have a lot more questions about them. Tulane will be riding the wave of playing in an upgraded conference, new on campus stadium and returning their starting QB (some kid named Montana) , RB ,WR and and a ton of playmakers on defense. They'll likely finish worse than the 7-6 they ended up with last year just on conference change alone, but they are not going to go 0-8 in the AAC this year.
I'm mainly going off of USA Today's preseason countdown http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca...y/8819991/
They are saying that Tulane losses its top 2 RBs, Its top WR (who accounted for 43% of its recieving yards), and Montana is 3rd on the depth chart at QB (which might be where he belongs IMO). I think there offense could really be a problem. I don't think they will stand a chance vs the top 4 teams. They could beat UConn at home in an ugly game and maybe Memphis at home or Tulsa in the opener. I can only give them credit for maybe 1 or 2 conference wins.
More bullish on either Temple or USF having a surprise year.
(07-21-2014 10:50 AM)eroc Wrote: [ -> ]Quote:My preseason AAC ballot
3. East Carolina
For my money, Shane Carden's the league's best QB, and Justin Hardy's the top wideout
Carden may well be the league's best
returning QB. But I have a feeling that Gunner is going to steal the show this year.
(07-21-2014 04:37 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote: [ -> ] (07-21-2014 10:50 AM)eroc Wrote: [ -> ]Quote:My preseason AAC ballot
3. East Carolina
For my money, Shane Carden's the league's best QB, and Justin Hardy's the top wideout
Carden may well be the league's best returning QB. But I have a feeling that Gunner is going to steal the show this year.
Agree that! I don't have a crystal ball but I have a hunch he will show what a former five star recruit that is hungry to play and prove his worth and be coached can do with the freegin' WR "smorgasbord of depth" that he has to work with this year.
Kinda OT but Miami was picked to win the ACC Coastal Division.
(07-21-2014 07:16 PM)ThinkBigPine Wrote: [ -> ]Kinda OT but Miami was picked to win the ACC Coastal Division.
Kinda?
(07-21-2014 07:39 PM)ctipton Wrote: [ -> ] (07-21-2014 07:16 PM)ThinkBigPine Wrote: [ -> ]Kinda OT but Miami was picked to win the ACC Coastal Division.
Kinda?
Well, we DO play them.
So I guess also kinda OT, OSU has already been given the crystal football and Urban has earmarked his NC bonus for a new swimming pool. Hope we end up making him settle for jelly of the month club.
(07-21-2014 08:03 PM)Bearcat85 Wrote: [ -> ] (07-21-2014 07:39 PM)ctipton Wrote: [ -> ] (07-21-2014 07:16 PM)ThinkBigPine Wrote: [ -> ]Kinda OT but Miami was picked to win the ACC Coastal Division.
Kinda?
Well, we DO play them.
So I guess also kinda OT, OSU has already been given the crystal football and Urban has earmarked his NC bonus for a new swimming pool. Hope we end up making him settle for jelly of the month club.
LOL. No problems.
ECU plays a really nice OOC schedule to start the season with South Carolina, UNC and VaTech. They have UCF at home. Their game here may determine the the league champ.