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(01-11-2022 09:16 AM)bcat1997 Wrote:  Houston 13!!, Cincy 19, Arkansas 20
https://www.espn.com/college-football/st...all-top-25

That is a big starting position and first game matchup!

Next year is going to fun with some new guys stepping in and hopefully up. I don't want too high of expectations in my head so I'm going with 9 regular season wins as my successful season mark.

AP Weekly Appearance Streaks: Top 25 / Active only
Rk Team Polls First-Last
1. Alabama 228* 2008-2021
2. Georgia 81* 2017-2021
3. Notre Dame 77* 2017-2021
4. Cincinnati 43* 2019-2021
5. Ohio State 29* 2020-2021
6. Oklahoma 25* 2020-2021
7. Iowa 20* 2020-2021

These are the only multi-year streaks.

Man, Arkansas faces a tough schedule next year.

Their rotating SEC East opponent is USC (pre-season ranked #25). Out of conference against Cincinnati, @BYU, Liberty, and FCS Missouri State (coached by Bobby Petrino, and who almost knocked off #7 Oklahoma State this year).

Huber announces his return:

I would take that ranking in a heartbeat...

(01-11-2022 08:56 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  I would take that ranking in a heartbeat...

ESPN has us ranked #19 in their "Way Too Early" top 25...

They have Houston ranked #13.

(01-11-2022 08:56 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  I would take that ranking in a heartbeat...

Death, Taxes, and Texas somehow being in every preseason Top 25

Bearcats open with the 10th best odds to win the CFP at 40-1...a better number than they had in the early stages of the '21 preseason.

(01-12-2022 08:47 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  Bearcats open with the 10th best odds to win the CFP at 40-1...a better number than they had in the early stages of the '21 preseason.

And all we need to do is pull off yet another perfect season.

(01-11-2022 11:04 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  Death, Taxes, and Texas somehow being in every preseason Top 25

I know, right? They should rename them the Texas Ben Franklins.

CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd has us ranked a more pedestrian #23...

Dennis Dodd Way To Early 2022 Rankings

That said, I'm not going to complain because I remember not so long ago when we NEVER started ranked in the Top 25. Good times are going to keep on rollin'...

I think borderline Top 25 is fair...we have a ton of questions at important positions and my guess is that at year's end we'll be in the 20's and sitting at 9-3 or 10-2. Luckily, unless the AAC roughs up their standard two year off-team schedule, we won't have Houston or Memphis on the schedule until the CCG if we make it, which will help us immensely. Having games at UCF, SMU, Tulsa and Temple is going to suck though.

(01-12-2022 09:58 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  I think borderline Top 25 is fair...we have a ton of questions at important positions and my guess is that at year's end we'll be in the 20's and sitting at 9-3 or 10-2. Luckily, unless the AAC roughs up their standard two year off-team schedule, we won't have Houston or Memphis on the schedule until the CCG if we make it, which will help us immensely. Having games at UCF, SMU, Tulsa and Temple is going to suck though.

They ditched that when Uconn left. After Uconn left they set up a 2 year schedule where everyone played every team at least once (COVID may have interfered with it, but we were scheduled to play every team in 2020 and 2021).

The conference did not have a scheduling agreement for 2022. I have no idea how they'll do it this time.

And.....Whyle is back.

The returning leadership, key transfers and ridiculously talented underclassmen is going to make next year so fun.

I'm starting to think this can be a top 10 team again next year. I think the front seven as a whole might be better (though nobody like Sanders) and the offense has the potential to be just as explosive and more consistent (deeper on the line, flush with weapons, really depends on the QB production which I feel good about with Bryant raising the floor). There has to be a dropoff at corner, but I'm really interested to see how those guys do.

(01-12-2022 06:31 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  I'm starting to think this can be a top 10 team again next year. I think the front seven as a whole might be better (though nobody like Sanders) and the offense has the potential to be just as explosive and more consistent (deeper on the line, flush with weapons, really depends on the QB production which I feel good about with Bryant raising the floor). There has to be a dropoff at corner, but I'm really interested to see how those guys do.

Good take. After a rocky first season, Fickell's teams have been a picture of consistency and the talent just keeps getting better. This isn't the SEC either and while there are a number of teams that can spring an upset in the American, I could see 1-2 losses over the conference season (max) and a loss to Arkansas. A three loss UC team would likely be in the CCG once again and will have the conference's best experience when it comes to winning under pressure after back to back CCG victories.

(01-12-2022 09:58 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  I think borderline Top 25 is fair...we have a ton of questions at important positions and my guess is that at year's end we'll be in the 20's and sitting at 9-3 or 10-2. Luckily, unless the AAC roughs up their standard two year off-team schedule, we won't have Houston or Memphis on the schedule until the CCG if we make it, which will help us immensely. Having games at UCF, SMU, Tulsa and Temple is going to suck though.

Having games at UCF, SMU, Tulsa and Temple is going to suck though?

Did you get an early AAC schedule?

We skip 2 AAC schools each year. You are assuming every home game last year will be a road game this year? I do not think so! We could skip one or two of those. Come on man!

This is going to reminiscent of the Sugar Bowl year I think...offense has every ounce of firepower they'll need to outscore everyone on the schedule, and they might if the replacements in the defensive backfield aren't to snuff replacing Cook, Bryant and Gardner (Underwood, DeLo, and Mickens).

I'm really interested to see if the new guy on the headset can utilize the offensive talent in a "better" way.

(01-12-2022 06:51 PM)doss2 Wrote:  

(01-12-2022 09:58 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  I think borderline Top 25 is fair...we have a ton of questions at important positions and my guess is that at year's end we'll be in the 20's and sitting at 9-3 or 10-2. Luckily, unless the AAC roughs up their standard two year off-team schedule, we won't have Houston or Memphis on the schedule until the CCG if we make it, which will help us immensely. Having games at UCF, SMU, Tulsa and Temple is going to suck though.

Having games at UCF, SMU, Tulsa and Temple is going to suck though?

Did you get an early AAC schedule?

We skip 2 AAC schools each year. You are assuming every home game last year will be a road game this year? I do not think so! We could skip one or two of those. Come on man!

See Mark's response to my post, i was operating under the assumption that the AAC was continuing the 2-year schedule rotation that they had been up to this year, but it sounds like that is changing now. I do know we will be at UCF this coming year, no way that game isn't on the TV schedule and no way that is at Nippert two years in a row.

(01-12-2022 06:31 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  I'm starting to think this can be a top 10 team again next year. I think the front seven as a whole might be better (though nobody like Sanders) and the offense has the potential to be just as explosive and more consistent (deeper on the line, flush with weapons, really depends on the QB production which I feel good about with Bryant raising the floor). There has to be a dropoff at corner, but I'm really interested to see how those guys do.

I’m also getting excited, but am tempered bc of the leadership we are losing. We heard stories of Dez at halftimes and Coby Bryant huddling the defense during the Houston game etc. Heck coach has loved Dez’s leadership since he was a freshman.

Perry Eliano to the Buckeyes. Not happy for UC case but they needed a good DB coach bad so not surprised.

https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-stat...-coach?amp