This is probably a week or 2 old but it's worth posting because Phil does a better job with his predictions that anyone else. 7 ACC schools in the top 40 including ND and Louisville. 6 in the top 25. 5 in the top 15.

http://www.philsteele.com/

#40 North Carolina
#39 Kansas St
#38 Marshall
#37 BYU
#36 Baylor
#35 Tulsa
#34 Penn St
#33 Boise St
#32 Northwestern
#31 UCLA
#30 Washington
#29 Oregon St
#28 Mississippi
#27 Arizona St
#26 Northern Illinois
#25 Miami, Fl
#24 Michigan
#23 Michigan St
#22 Fresno St
#21 TCU
#20 Wisconsin
#19 Oklahoma
#18 Florida
#17 LSU
#16 Nebraska
#15 Clemson
#14 South Carolina
#13 Texas A&M
#12 Virginia Tech
#11 Stanford
#10 Notre Dame
#9 Georgia
#8 Oklahoma St
#7 Louisville
#6 USC
#5 Oregon
#4 Texas
#3 Florida St
#2 Ohio St
#1 Alabama

Let's see:
BCS Title Game: Alabama vs. Ohio St
Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Nebraska
Orange Bowl: FSU vs. Notre Dame
Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs USC or Louisville
Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. Louisville or USC

RATS! No BCS at-large bid
Chick-Fil-A Bowl: Va Tech vs. Texas A&M
Russell Athletic Bowl: Clemson vs. Rutgers or Cincinnati
Sun Bowl: Miami vs. Stanford

I dunno... suppose it COULD happen that way?

The projections are laughable. VT will not be better than Clemson. FSU is not the#3 team. USC is not top 10. Michigan at #24?? UNC is closer to 25 than 40. It actually wouldn't surprise me if the Heels ended up ranked at the end of the year.

I think an underestimate of Miami is happening, as usual. I predict the Canes will be top 10 at the end of the year - IF - we happen to beat UF and FSU...

I think both Northwestern and NIU deserve to begin the season in the top 25.

I think that ND was a legitmate top ten team prior to QB Everett Golson being suspended.

They also lost Gunner Kiel to transfer so they are a bit thin at QB.

Senior Tommy Rees may do a decent job. They may have to pull the redshirt from highly rated true fresh Malik Zaire.

(07-20-2013 04:33 AM)TerryD Wrote:  I think that ND was a legitmate top ten team prior to QB Everett Golson being suspended.

They also lost Gunner Kiel to transfer so they are a bit thin at QB.

Senior Tommy Rees may do a decent job. They may have to pull the redshirt from highly rated true fresh Malik Zaire.

If VT can be #12 with no QB I don't see why ND couldn't be #10 with an average one.

(07-19-2013 10:46 PM)Ole Blue Wrote:  I think an underestimate of Miami is happening, as usual. I predict the Canes will be top 10 at the end of the year - IF - we happen to beat UF and FSU...

I think only Miami fans predict that. And, uh, two huge if's.

(07-20-2013 09:49 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(07-20-2013 04:33 AM)TerryD Wrote:  I think that ND was a legitmate top ten team prior to QB Everett Golson being suspended.

They also lost Gunner Kiel to transfer so they are a bit thin at QB.

Senior Tommy Rees may do a decent job. They may have to pull the redshirt from highly rated true fresh Malik Zaire.

If VT can be #12 with no QB I don't see why ND couldn't be #10 with an average one.

I was hoping to place a bet on Logan Thomas for Heisman but he was lumped into the field bet.

(07-20-2013 09:49 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  If VT can be #12 with no QB I don't see why ND couldn't be #10 with an average one.

If Clemson can be #15 with a porous defense, I don't see why VT can be #12 with a good one.

(07-20-2013 02:24 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  

(07-20-2013 09:49 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  If VT can be #12 with no QB I don't see why ND couldn't be #10 with an average one.

If Clemson can be #15 with a porous defense, I don't see why VT can be #12 with a good one.

70

Thanks for making my point for me.

The past two years have been the two worst defensively at Clemson in my lifetime. A Logan Thomas led VT has had three opportunities to play that defends an has averaged 10 points per game.

(07-21-2013 07:26 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  

(07-20-2013 02:24 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  

(07-20-2013 09:49 AM)Kaplony Wrote:  If VT can be #12 with no QB I don't see why ND couldn't be #10 with an average one.

If Clemson can be #15 with a porous defense, I don't see why VT can be #12 with a good one.

70

Thanks for making my point for me.

The past two years have been the two worst defensively at Clemson in my lifetime. A Logan Thomas led VT has had three opportunities to play that defends an has averaged 10 points per game.

so it seems the MAIN point is that both teams are incomplete - whichever one puts together a complete team will challenge for the national championship. For VT the missing piece has been the offense for some years now.