It's August 1st and were are officially in the home stretch. As is tradition around here, its time to start the Official SunBeltbbs Power Ratings Series. We're kicking it off with a special Training Camp Edition. By nature, this edition also covers Week 1. The next set will be the Week 2 Power Ratings.

Without further ado, here's mine.

1. Arkansas State
2. Georgia Southern
3. Appalachian State
4. Troy
5. Georgia State
6. Louisiana
7. South Alabama
8. Idaho
9. Texas State
10. New Mexico State
11. Louisiana Monroe

Notes: High profile transfers will play a big role this season. Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Troy and USA all have a few big names that will contribute to their success. I hesitate to put USA as low as I did. The Jaguars recently signed two monster graduate transfers at D-Line and a superstar JUCO DL who was going to transfer has decided to stay at USA. Expect them to rise a few spots in this ranking as it matures.

1. Arkansas State
2. App State
3. Georgia Southern
(gap)
4. ULL
5. Georgia State
(gap)
6. USA
7. Idaho
8. Troy
9. New Mexico State
(gap)
10. Texas State
11. ULM

1. Appalachian State
2. Arkansas State
3. Georgia Southern
4. Troy
5. UL-Lafayette
6. South Alabama
7. Idaho
8. Georgia State
9. New Mexico State
10. Texas State
11. UL-Monroe

1a. Arkansas State
1b. Georgia Southern
3. Appalachian State
4. Louisiana
5. Georgia State
6. South Alabama
7. New Mexico State
8. Troy
9. Idaho
10. Texas State
11. ULM

1-App state
2 Georgia southern
3-Arkansas st
4- ULL
5- Troy
6- Georgia st
7- South Alabama
8- Idaho
9-New Mexico st
10- ULM
11-Tex st

1- APP
2- ASU
3-GS
4-Troy
5-ULL
6-USA
7-Idaho
8-GSU
9-Texas State
10-New Mexico State
11- ULM

Top Tier
1. App State
2. Arkansas State
3. Georgia Southern
4. Troy?

Second Tier
4. Troy?
5. ULL
6. Georgia State
7. Idaho
8. Texas State
9. South Alabama

Bottom Tier
10. New Mexico State
11. ULM

1. App - too much returning at key positions
2. stAte - Solid defense, but questions at QB
3. Southern - only question mark is new coaching staff
4. Ga State - solid wr corp, but question at qb and RB.
5. Troy- not really sure why people seem to be so big on Troy.
6. ULL - question mark at QB, but I think they will still rebound
7. Idaho- that offense is coming together
8. USA
9. TXST
10. ULM
11. NMSU

Ric Flair said it best, to be the man you gotta beat the man. With that said wolves up brah...

1. Arkansas state
2. App state
3. Georgia southern
4. Georgia state
5. Troy
6. La-La
7. USA
8. NMSU
9. Idaho
10. Texas State
11. ULM

Not true this year.

We will be better at QB this year no matter which of the two win the job. Fredi was really strong in certain areas but his limitations really took away a huge part of the passing game. That will not be the case this year. There is a good chance that our best deep threat from last year will be more of a possession guy this year thanks to the new WRs.

Are these power rankings or predicted order of finish?

POWER RANKINGS:
1. Arkansas State
2. App State
3. Georgia Southern
4. ULL
5. Ga State
6. Troy
7. Idaho
8. USA
9. NMSU
10. ULM
11. TXST

PREDICTED FINISH:
1. Georgia Southern
2. everyone else

(08-01-2016 09:29 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  It's August 1st and were are officially in the home stretch. As is tradition around here, its time to start the Official SunBeltbbs Power Ratings Series. We're kicking it off with a special Training Camp Edition. By nature, this edition also covers Week 1. The next set will be the Week 2 Power Ratings.

Without further ado, here's mine.

1. Arkansas State
2. Georgia Southern
3. Appalachian State
4. Troy
5. Georgia State
6. Louisiana
7. South Alabama
8. Idaho
9. Texas State
10. New Mexico State
11. Louisiana Monroe

Notes: High profile transfers will play a big role this season. Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Troy and USA all have a few big names that will contribute to their success. I hesitate to put USA as low as I did. The Jaguars recently signed two monster graduate transfers at D-Line and a superstar JUCO DL who was going to transfer has decided to stay at USA. Expect them to rise a few spots in this ranking as it matures.

At the beginning of the season, I'd rank USA around 7. Hopefully, we will improve as the season progresses.

We will probably have a rough start. We're inexperienced. Mainly because our early schedule is brutal. (@Miss State, Ga Southern, @ULL, Nichols, SDSU, @Ark State). Our most likely record out of that...1-5. The key for us is for us to keep the team together, try to steal a win somehow in that stretch and, be ready to pounce when the schedule turns to (Troy, Ga State, @ULM, @LSU, @Idaho, and NMSU). In the beginning, I'm looking at how well our new QB and O-line hold together. The keys for us...avoiding injuries in the first half of the season, stealing a win in the first half of the season, and getting better as the season progresses. The Troy game is critical.

As bad as we are likely to start, I think its better that our season is hard early rather than hard late.

(08-01-2016 10:38 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Are these power rankings or predicted order of finish?

These are power ratings. Overall team strength going into the season, regardless of schedule. During the season, results from games impact these ratings going forward. If a team does poorly, especially two or three weeks in a row, they are less likely to perform well in the coming weeks, and their power ratings drop.

Sometimes, a team may finish higher or lower than their power rating due to their schedule and timeliness of losses. A team with two losses early could end up with a higher power rating than a no loss team at the end of the season. Margin of victory also plays a role. As an example, if two teams are unbeaten, and one is clobbering their opponents 52-3, and one is winning 28-21, with a couple OT wins, it's clear which one is higher in the power ratings, despite having an equal record.

(08-01-2016 10:38 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Are these power rankings or predicted order of finish?

POWER RANKINGS:
1. Arkansas State
2. App State
3. Georgia Southern
4. ULL
5. Ga State
6. Troy
7. Idaho
8. USA
9. NMSU
10. ULM
11. TXST

PREDICTED FINISH:
1. Georgia Southern
2. everyone else

I.got Idaho winning another conference title possible split title.

1. App St.
2. Arkansas St.
3. Georgia Southern
4. Idaho
5. Troy
6. ULL
7. NMSU
8. Georgia St.
9. Tx. St.
10. USA
11. ULM

4-8 could really be ranked in any order and since these rankings are mine I'm putting Idaho on the top of the middle. I think NMSU might be a bit better than some believe.

POWER RANKINGS:
1. Arkansas State
2. App State
3. Georgia Southern
4. Louisiana
5. Troy
6. Georgia State
7. Idaho
8. USA
9. NMSU
10. ULM
11. Texas State

Conference Power Ranking from someone who doesn't know enough for it to matter:

1. Arkansas State

This is based on the fact that they have been the pride of the conference (in conference games) for the past five years. They struggled without Knighton last season which, in my opinion, is the reason the game against Toledo wasn't competitive and they ultimately dropped a close game to Missouri. The fans seem to think they will be fine with the QB transfer so I will take their word for it.

2. Appalachian State

Returning 17 starters including Taylor Lamb, Marcus Cox, John Law and Eric Boggs while having guys who can fill the voids left by departing seniors should not be understated. I am of the opinion, after finally watching the Arkansas State game again, that the primary reason App didn't finish 8-0 in conference last season was because of an injury and subsequent poor decision on how to replace him in game. Regardless, until a full conference season can be put together without a hick-up, the edge still goes to Arkansas State as coaching matters as much as the players.

3. Louisiana

With the multiple transfers they received and full acclimatization of the team to the new facilities, I believe that they will bounce back. They missed steady play at quarterback and the ability to get off the field on third and short last season which led to them being gassed by the end. If this can be fixed, the talent is in place on the roster, when compared to the rest of the Sun Belt, to make a run at the conference championship.

4. Troy

Neal Brown is a young, fiery coach, much in the same way that Satterfield is. The results were in place last year for the offensive side of the ball and with Silvers playing in his second season in a quick strike system, I expect Troy to not only be a tough out, but favored to win many of their games. Along with Louisiana, the talent is in place, it's just a matter of putting it all together.

5. Georgia Southern

A new coach, defensive minded, who wants to throw the ball more (not necessarily more efficiently), has spelled doom for Southern in the past. While he doesn't have the intentions of moving to a more traditional spread offense, the desire to throw the ball 20 times a game would suggest that this will be a more balanced attack and it would appear that Ellison and Upshaw aren't quite equipped to handle that. I believe that the defense will be okay as Southern as recruited well and has some of the conferences top athletes on that side of the ball.

I understand this will upset some people however any time I see a coach come in without roots in the triple option I get concerned. Running an offense dissimilar to what Southern is known for has never worked out well. We may call it the Curse of Erk. He demands that you run.....a lot.

6. Georgia State

It's hard to place this team after losing a 4 year starter at quarterback. It is also possible that last season was an aberration. I expect the defense to be better as a whole due to the transfers from UAB having a season under their belt in the GSU system.

7. South Alabama

They beat San Diego State and finished the season without being bowl eligible. Many fans seem to be pessimistic about this season and i'll take their word for it.

8. Idaho

Linehan coming back for his third season, as well as anger about being at Idaho when the move down was unannounced could add extra motivation for this team to perform. They could replace GSU in this list however one thing still remains.....they are Idaho.

9. NMSU

Defense need not apply

10. Texas State

Truly a conundrum. How could a school in beautiful San Marcos simply not have the athletes to compete? New coach is in coming which means that this team could also range anywhere from five to eleven.

11. ULM

I don't know why Idaho is moving down yet the War Hawks aren't.

why is everyone so high on troy?

(08-01-2016 12:39 PM)NCeagle Wrote:  why is everyone so high on troy?

Huh? You picked them 5th and no one has picked them higher than 4th.