Ranking every conference going into 2019

Not sure about them picking UAB as a contender with all they lost, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

UAB should be better in 2019 than 2017.
2017 was 8 wins and 5 losses. 2 conference losses on the road in OT and by 3 on the road to West conf champ North Texas 46-43.
Schedule is favorable for developing team. OL and WR are big unknowns in 2019.
Entire team was a big unknown in 2017. We may be favored in first 7 games this year.
Big finish in November will determine season. At USM,Tenn, and N Texas and home vs UTEP and La Tech. 5 weeks and 5 games.
Coaching and new facilities are championship worthy. Team may be as well.
Go Blazers!

(07-12-2019 04:29 PM)notnow Wrote:  UAB should be better in 2019 than 2017.
2017 was 8 wins and 5 losses. 2 conference losses on the road in OT and by 3 on the road to West conf champ North Texas 46-43.
Schedule is favorable for developing team. OL and WR are big unknowns in 2019.
Entire team was a big unknown in 2017. We may be favored in first 7 games this year.
Big finish in November will determine season. At USM,Tenn, and N Texas and home vs UTEP and La Tech. 5 weeks and 5 games.
Coaching and new facilities are championship worthy. Team may be as well.
Go Blazers!

I just don't see it. You guys return 36% of your production from last season. That is last in FBS. I think the 2019 Blazers will be okay, but I wouldn't pencil them in for a season as successful at 2017.

Athlon Sports have us ranked at the 8th spot as well.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/athlonsport...ings%3famp

UAB didn't run away with it like FAU did the year before. There wasn't any great separation in the west division. Phil Steele can't find any in the top 4 of USM, UNT, La Tech, and UAB. I think La Tech and UAB lost a little too much to win the division, but neither will fall farther than 4th. UNT needs to show depth. If they can protect Fine, they're in every game. Without him, they looked dead in the water. You're thinnest on defense, but you're good enough to outscore a lot of teams. UNT visits the Rock this year. That should be a fantastic game.

UTEP and Rice have a long way to go, and UTSA hasn't proven they aren't slipping further.

FIU's schedule reminds me of UAB's. You could be favored in every game until November. If you don't smoke Tulane, you're soft, and you should probably give up the sport.

Marshall SHOULD have depth. That's on Holliday. I'm wondering about the interior DLine. I see senior DEs and that prevents a big dropoff, but I don't see much size at DT and NG. Still strong. Green is the key. If he gets that completion percentage above 60%, you're going places. I've been saying that about JMar for 2 years now.

FAU seems likely to take a bashing early with OSU and UCF, but then should reel off some wins before hosting Marshall in October. That's an important matchup. Robison looked pretty good for a freshman. He, like Green, has to progress. I don't think Emmons can fill Singletary's shoes. Transfers are rarely top-tier talent. Still enough talent to push for contention. Also capable of train wreck.

WKU has 10 offensive starters returning. That has to mean something good, right? MTSU could be 1-7 at the beginning of November. ODU might have a lame duck coach like UTSA. Charlotte is starting over. Let's see how far they slip before improving.

The 247 Conference rankings seem about right to me. We're better overall than MAC and the Belt. And, despite having the best Bowl record in 2019 (No thanks to my Raiders); we still trail MWC and the AACK at the top end of our respective conferences. My guess on MT's record at the beginning of November. Worst case scenario for us will be 2-5. Best case scenario 3-4.

Can someone explain to me what I'm missing about FAU and UAB?

UAB is dead last on SB Nation's returning production and 127th in Phil Steele's experience chart. They benefited from a freakishly mature team. FAU is 96th in SB Nation's returning production and was 5-7 with a defense that wasn't that great.

No offense to either, but I'd pick WKU to win their division before either of those teams. Their problem was 100% bad coaching. I look for them to be what Fresno State was in 2017 and what Georgia Southern was last season.

(07-13-2019 09:41 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  Can someone explain to me what I'm missing about FAU and UAB?

UAB is dead last on SB Nation's returning production and 127th in Phil Steele's experience chart. They benefited from a freakishly mature team. FAU is 96th in SB Nation's returning production and was 5-7 with a defense that wasn't that great.

No offense to either, but I'd pick WKU to win their division before either of those teams. Their problem was 100% bad coaching. I look for them to be what Fresno State was in 2017 and what Georgia Southern was last season.

UAB picks are based on coaching, stil players got to play, so I agree with you. FAU lost a bunch of close games and were in contention to win the East until very late in the season. Luck usually turns though, so the thought is they will win more close games this year.

(07-13-2019 09:41 AM)EigenEagle Wrote:  Can someone explain to me what I'm missing about FAU and UAB?

UAB is dead last on SB Nation's returning production and 127th in Phil Steele's experience chart. They benefited from a freakishly mature team. FAU is 96th in SB Nation's returning production and was 5-7 with a defense that wasn't that great.

No offense to either, but I'd pick WKU to win their division before either of those teams. Their problem was 100% bad coaching. I look for them to be what Fresno State was in 2017 and what Georgia Southern was last season.

Agree with your WKU pick. I think a lot of teams in CUSA are overhyped and teams flying under the radar could surprise. Wouldn’t be shocked to see WKU vs La Tech/Southern Miss in the Championship game. Also think UTSA could surprise as well. I don’t think many people were picking UAB vs MTSU last year.

The two things that were obvious with FAU last season are as follows:

1. Luck. yes, we lost three very close conference games (had we scored 7 more points, we would have won the division at 8-4, instead of 5-7)
2. I guess, the drop-off from an experienced (and smart) senior QB to a (not too bright) freshman QB is huge. Robison has all the talent in the world. Will he improve on previous year's hot-and-cold showing? we'll see.

That's why I see FAU having crazy potential both ways. Robison doesn't have to progress much for FAU to be good. Missing Spring wasn't good though.

(07-13-2019 03:51 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  The two things that were obvious with FAU last season are as follows:

1. Luck. yes, we lost three very close conference games (had we scored 7 more points, we would have won the division at 8-4, instead of 5-7)
2. I guess, the drop-off from an experienced (and smart) senior QB to a (not too bright) freshman QB is huge. Robison has all the talent in the world. Will he improve on previous year's hot-and-cold showing? we'll see.

The reality is that a number of teams were just a few plays away from having a winning record. In FIU’s case, we were just a few plays away from being 11-2 and playing in the Championship game representing the East

Damn, I thought NT at least had a chance; but according to this article, apparently not.

(07-13-2019 06:05 PM)CivilEng Wrote:  

(07-13-2019 03:51 PM)goliath74 Wrote:  The two things that were obvious with FAU last season are as follows:

1. Luck. yes, we lost three very close conference games (had we scored 7 more points, we would have won the division at 8-4, instead of 5-7)
2. I guess, the drop-off from an experienced (and smart) senior QB to a (not too bright) freshman QB is huge. Robison has all the talent in the world. Will he improve on previous year's hot-and-cold showing? we'll see.

The reality is that a number of teams were just a few plays away from having a winning record. In FIU’s case, we were just a few plays away from being 11-2 and playing in the Championship game representing the East

As I have stated multiple times. We have achieved significant parity, both in the West and in the East, which means at least half a dozen teams can expect to have strong chances to win the conference. That means we, once again, are not going to have the one dominant team that could hope to play in the New Year Bowl, but it also means we have a lot of competent squads.