ESPN way too early 2015 poll: ND #12

[NDohio]

That seems about right.

I am mostly concerned about the three game stretch of Clemson - Navy - USC. Texas could surprise me, but they seem to still be in rebuilding mode and Ga Tech lost all of their offensive weapons. I am glad ND didn't play them this year.

 

[dad4aa]

That seems about right.

I am mostly concerned about the three game stretch of Clemson - Navy - USC. Texas could surprise me, but they seem to still be in rebuilding mode and Ga Tech lost all of their offensive weapons. I am glad ND didn't play them this year.

My biggest fear as well. Hat playing USC after Navy. Would have been much better to have the bye between Nacy and USC rather than between USC and Temple.

 

[Irish#1]

Top five rushers back? This guys needs to do some homework.

 

[IrishinSyria]

That seems about right.

I am mostly concerned about the three game stretch of Clemson - Navy - USC. Texas could surprise me, but they seem to still be in rebuilding mode and Ga Tech lost all of their offensive weapons. I am glad ND didn't play them this year.

Texas worries me because the first game of the year's always a little unpredictable. Sometimes a team you're not expecting a lot out of surprises you (2012) and sometimes a team that looks like it should be stacked loses to USF. No matter how good the prep is, there's inevitably cobwebs that have to get shaken off.

 

[Cali_domer]

Way-early Preseason Power Poll: Ohio State, TCU lead off for 2015 - CBSSports.com

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Top 25 teams rankings 2015 college football season preseason

247 has us at #7.

 

[BeauBenken]

Way-early Preseason Power Poll: Ohio State, TCU lead off for 2015 - CBSSports.com

Aren't in the preaseason poll, still tagged in the post. Thanks CBS.

 

[ulukinatme]

Wait, I just looked at our own schedule for 2015: are we really saying 10 wins + or bust?

Texas is always loaded with talent, it's just a matter of time before things click there. Clemson could be good. Georgia Tech is good. USC should be good. Stanford shouldn't suck.

It's a little easier, but there's definitely some tough games in there.

That's kind of my feeling. 2015 may not be Texas's year yet, but they've cut the fat last season and will be getting better from here on out. 2016 against the Horns could be difficult in Austin. Everyone kept pointing to the 2015 season as something that could be big, but I agree that the schedule isn't the cakewalk some have made it out to be. Certainly it's easier than some other years, but this year's schedule wasn't as difficult as we thought either when all was said and done...and we still wound up 8-5 with a close upset against LSU at the end.

 

[NCND]

Irish are projected top 10 in 247, Fox Sports early projections.

 

[wizards8507]

Irish are projected top 10 in 247, Fox Sports early projections.

I wouldn't be shocked if we finish the season there, but if we open anything better than 15-20, that's a bit ridiculous.

 

[luckathe1]

The ball's in ND's court. They have a choice. Either keep churning forward and to hell with Urban and Harb*tch, or curl up in the fetal position and let the midwest be dominated by the two most unlikeable faces in the sport.

Like em or not, they have history of success.
Kelly is "Country Club" and they are "Blue Collar" kids like the toughness of "Blue Collar"
ND football used to be "Blue Collar"

 

[Cali_domer]

I wouldn't be shocked if we finish the season there, but if we open anything better than 15-20, that's a bit ridiculous.

I'm thinking 17-18 is about right

 

[irishfan]

So, I've got:

ESPN: 12
Fox: 10
247: 7
CBS: unranked

 

[BobbyMac]

You guys are some of the biggest sandbaggers in the world. I just got done having this discussion with a group of friends of FB that know the game as well as you all and not one of them had ND out of the top 10. I'm talking 20+ non-ND fans too. How anyone can come up with next year's team being outside the top 10 with who's returning to South Bend vs. what's returning for other teams and the their schedules is beyond me.

15-20? Come on man.

.

 

[wizards8507]

You guys are some of the biggest sandbaggers in the world. I just got done having this discussion with a group of friends of FB that know the game as well as you all and not one of them had ND out of the top 10. I'm talking 20+ non-ND fans too. How anyone can come up with next year's team being outside the top 10 with who's returning to South Bend vs. what's returning for other teams and the their schedules is beyond me.

15-20? Come on man.

You just described everything that's wrong with the preseason rankings. You shouldn't get to be a top ten team because of what you THINK you'll be able to do as the season plays out. You get into the top ten when you actually DO it. It's not a projection of where you think they'll be at the end of the season, it's about where you think they are here and now.

We lost to Northwestern dude, put down the green pixie dust.

 

[greyhammer90]

You just described everything that's wrong with the preseason rankings. You shouldn't get to be a top ten team because of what you THINK you'll be able to do as the season plays out. You get into the top ten when you actually DO it. It's not a projection of where you think they'll be at the end of the season, it's about where you think they are here and now.

We lost to Northwestern dude, put down the green pixie dust.

Take it up with your company. They're the ones who decided to keep us out of the top 25 in the 2012 preseason poll because "that schedule is just too hard", and consistently ranks FSU preseason top ten because "they should be able to run the table with that schedule".

 

[BobbyMac]

You just described everything that's wrong with the preseason rankings. You shouldn't get to be a top ten team because of what you THINK you'll be able to do as the season plays out. You get into the top ten when you actually DO it. It's not a projection of where you think they'll be at the end of the season, it's about where you think they are here and now.

We lost to Northwestern dude, put down the green pixie dust.

No you don't. If OSU and TCU both had 22 starting seniors they wouldn't be ranked.

What you did only matters in what you return weighed against what others return in this poll.

.

 

[wizards8507]

Take it up with your company. They're the ones who decided to keep us out of the top 25 in the 2012 preseason poll because "that schedule is just too hard", and consistently ranks FSU preseason top ten because "they should be able to run the table with that schedule".

You know that Mark Schlabach articles don't ACTUALLY hold any power over the actual rankings, right? You comprehend that AP voters and college football coaches are not the same as "my company"?

 

[greyhammer90]

You know that Mark Schlabach articles doesn't ACTUALLY hold any power over the actual rankings, right? You comprehend that AP voters and college football coaches are not the same as "my company"?

If you honestly think that the worlds monopoly on sports information and media has no effect on preseason rankings (which are mostly hype to begin with) of a sport that for all purposes they own, then you are beyond delusional.

 

[wizards8507]

If you honestly think that the worlds monopoly on sports information and media has no effect on preseason rankings (which are mostly hype to begin with) of a sport that for all purposes they own, then you are beyond delusional.

 

[greyhammer90]

.

Where did I say there was a conspiracy? Please show me. I said that ESPN bases most of their preseason polls on a flawed logic and that their widespread affect on the perception of college football has normalized this flawed logic. I'm not saying they did it because they're EVIIIIIL!!!! So get your panties out of a bunch.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Tin foil hats, and bunched panties . . . YUM!

 

[palinurus]

You guys are some of the biggest sandbaggers in the world. I just got done having this discussion with a group of friends of FB that know the game as well as you all and not one of them had ND out of the top 10. I'm talking 20+ non-ND fans too. How anyone can come up with next year's team being outside the top 10 with who's returning to South Bend vs. what's returning for other teams and the their schedules is beyond me.

15-20? Come on man.

.

I've got two words for you: North Western

ND is virtually certain to lose one BS game. Other than 2012, they do it just about every year. Plus they'll lose a game or two to good teams. I hope I am wrong. It's certainly possible they run the table. I just don't see it. Sincerely.

 

[GoldenDomer]

Worse than 11-1 is a failure.

 

[Wild Bill]

You guys are some of the biggest sandbaggers in the world. I just got done having this discussion with a group of friends of FB that know the game as well as you all and not one of them had ND out of the top 10. I'm talking 20+ non-ND fans too. How anyone can come up with next year's team being outside the top 10 with who's returning to South Bend vs. what's returning for other teams and the their schedules is beyond me.

15-20? Come on man.

.

The QB position isn't stable enough to be that optimistic, in my opinion.

 

[Nick Setta]

We won't be ranked at the end of the season my gut feelings are changing.

 

[gkIrish]

Preseason pollsters likely look at 4 things:

1. Prior regular season performance
2. Bowl performance
3. Returning starters
4. Name recognition of school

#s 2-4 are much more relevant to voters than #1. We make a great case for a top 10-15 ranking based on our bowl performance, returning starters, and just who we are. I will be shocked if we are outside the preseason top 20 and not surprised at all if we are in the top 12.

 

[NDohio]

The QB position isn't stable enough to be that optimistic, in my opinion.

After watching the bowl game, I actually feel a lot better about the QB position.

When EG was going through his disastrous end of the year breakdown, I didn't have confidence in MZ coming in and performing well. Now that I have seen MZ, I am not as concerned to go to him if EG falls apart again.

 

[wizards8507]

Preseason pollsters likely look at 4 things:

1. Prior regular season performance
2. Bowl performance
3. Returning starters
4. Name recognition of school

#s 2-4 are much more relevant to voters than #1. We make a great case for a top 10-15 ranking based on our bowl performance, returning starters, and just who we are. I will be shocked if we are outside the preseason top 20 and not surprised at all if we are in the top 12.

How is this different than the things everyone complains about when it comes to the SEC?

 

[gkIrish]

How is this different than the things everyone complains about when it comes to the SEC?

It's not....What's your point?