Next Year’s Top 25

ESPN has an early look at a projected Top 25 for the 2007 College Football season. (Link) Doesn’t look like folks are expecting much from the ACC next year. The highest ranked ACC team is Virginia Tech. The only other ranked team is Wake Forest. Odds are that someone in the league is being overlooked. Is it Maryland? Maybe Boston College?

Quick question – when was the last time that Florida State wasn’t in a preseason Top 25?

Even more unique would be the last time that both Florida State OR Miami was not in the preseason Top 25.

We don’t expect FSU to be this far ‘down’ for a long time. The recent announcement that Jimbo Fisher will be the Seminole’s offensive coordinator will pay huge dividends both on and off the field with recruiting. If Chuck Amato truly does re-join the staff then you can expect FSU to make big noise sooner, rather than later.

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General NCS Football

24 Responses to Next Year’s Top 25

  1. RedTerror29 01/10/2007 at 1:14 PM #

    I expect almost every team in the ACC to be better next year, except for Duke, BC, and GT. VT should be the class of the ACC and finish in the top-15. They have a chance to make it through the ACC unbeaten and possibly get a shot at the BCS championship (but I doubt it). Wake Forest will be a better team, but will be hard pressed to match this years record. NCSU, UNC, Miami, and FSU will all be dramatically better.

    Final Predictions:
    Teams from ACC ranked in final top-25: FSU, WF, VT
    ACC championship game: FSU vs. VT (VT wins)
    Wolfpack finish: 3rd in the division

  2. BoKnowsNCS71 01/10/2007 at 1:51 PM #

    I suspect that FSU will be much better next year with the addition of Jimbo Fisher as OC and Chuck Amato maybe coaching linebackers.

    Can’t really believe that Miami won’t be better.

    I was impressed with the GT QB who played for Reggie Ball in the bowl game. He scored some points. With a good coach and a defensive genius on staff — GT should be good again next year.

    Wolfpack also brings in some talent and a new coach. Should be an interesting year.

  3. VaWolf82 01/10/2007 at 2:15 PM #

    VT’s QB is extremely suspect. They might make the ACC championship game, but I will be surprised if they do.

    In cross-divisional games, VT plays at Clemson while hosting FSU and BC….not an easy draw.

  4. Elrod 01/10/2007 at 2:23 PM #

    What’s this world coming to? Neuter Dame not in the pre-season Top-25?

  5. CarnifeX 01/10/2007 at 2:48 PM #

    Since we’ve started this already, what kind of expectations do we have for next year, obviously a “rebuilding” year, but what does that mean in our particular context?

  6. TNCSU 01/10/2007 at 3:00 PM #

    We’ll go at least 6-6 and be bowl eligible in if I had to guess. I think we’ve got a good chance to go 7-5.

  7. gopack968 01/10/2007 at 3:28 PM #

    Team will be better disciplined, and that could win us a couple of more games right there. Defense is fairly solid, though losing Tank is hard. Secondary is a concern. Offensive line should be better and wideout and running back are good, potentially really good.

    The real question that remains: Which kid is our QB for next season? Young Daniel has the heart, but maybe not the body or speed. Young Justin is, well, a complete unknown at this point. (Marcus is still hanging around as well.) If one clearly wins out in spring practice and learns fast and early from mistakes then a 6 or 7 win season is not a stretch. But if TOB get caught between the two with no clear solution then it could be a long season.

  8. BoKnowsNCS71 01/10/2007 at 3:32 PM #

    What is our schedule for 2007?

  9. burnbarn 01/10/2007 at 3:58 PM #

    I think FSU will have a very good season next year. I think they will win their division.
    I think we will really struggle particularly on defense. We have no one to replace Tank at this point. We lose our #1 tackler on a poor tackling team and we lose our best cover guy. I know we have some talent on that side of the ball but overall we do not have experience.

    Our biggest offensive issue ON THE FIELD was lack of QB play. We have no solution for that next season either. Even if it is Burke, he will be playing his first season and we all know what it is like having a rookie QB. I would pick us AGAIN last in the division and hope that we can suprise.

  10. BoKnowsNCS71 01/10/2007 at 3:59 PM #

    The ACC says we play Md, Clemson, at Wake, at FSU, at BC, Va, UNC and at Miami. I think we also play So Carolina, not sure if Tenn is next year or if we play ECU again for the 2 extra games.

    The current team with no offense played most of these teams close. So we could with new coaching and a new offense beat Md, Clemson, BC, Va, UNC. If Wake has a letdown and the other coaches figure them out, they might be ripe for an upset. Miami — who knows what their team will do? FSU we play good but Fisher and CTC might make that a tight game.

    Although we have no proven quarterback, I am a lot more confident with the talent that was red shirted this year and with the change in the management of the offensive game plan. Last year I figured we’d win 2 or 3 for sure and all the rest were question marks. I’d still have to make those “question mark plus” this year but I’m going with my gut that this team has something to prove.

    I’ve seen the Pack respond to first year coaches in the past (under Holtz 9-3, Sheridan 8-3, and CTC 8-4). Of course, there were some others who did not fare so well but I feel good about TOB. 6-6 is doable but I don’t see a lot of folks packing up to go play on that blue field with that record.

  11. highonlowe 01/10/2007 at 4:04 PM #

    I have to agree with Schalbach’s top 5, except for Florida. Until Tebow reads a defense before throwing a pass, consider him a fullback that can make a 10 yder

  12. Trout 01/10/2007 at 4:15 PM #

    Schedule next year:

    Home: Wofford, Louisville, Central Florida, UNC, Clemson, Maryland, UVA

    Away: East Carolina, Miami, Wake Forest, Boston College, FSU

  13. highonlowe 01/10/2007 at 4:34 PM #

    Wofford has a football team. Who knew?

  14. E-RO 01/10/2007 at 6:28 PM #

    We can win 7 games next year.

  15. burnbarn 01/10/2007 at 6:59 PM #

    that is a tough schedule for a first year coach with either no or mediocre QB experience.

    6-6.. I’ll take it..gladly!

  16. wolfpacker420 01/10/2007 at 7:24 PM #

    BC wins the conference after losing what was holding them back…. Their Coaches!!!!!

  17. BJD95 01/10/2007 at 7:25 PM #

    It will be nice to be Amato-free in 2007!

  18. CarnifeX 01/10/2007 at 7:40 PM #

    So has anything in TOB’s past show us that he can utilize what strengths that we do have on offense (read: RB’s) and make up for places where we are lacking (QB).

    Also whats the take on Dunlap, I know he caught some attention with a last second catch in the end zone (where/when it matters), however through the rest of the season I noticed a few balls that should have been caught ending up on the ground. Any more depth at that position?

  19. highstick 01/10/2007 at 8:15 PM #

    Wofford really isn’t a pushover. I watched them play South Carolina early in the year and they really are a ball control team and grind it out on the ground. Don’t know what they have coming back, though. Standing joke in South Carolina is that the average SAT scores at Wofford are higher than the enrollment!

  20. highstick 01/10/2007 at 8:16 PM #

    State plays South Carolina in 2008 and 2009 if I’m not mistaken.

  21. legacyman 01/11/2007 at 7:08 AM #

    Last season I said 6-6 would be a good season having no decent QB and an iffy Oline. This season I will say the same thing, 6-6 will be a good season and anything less will make me wonder why we changed coaches. Anything better and TOB will justify his new job.

  22. BoKnowsNCS71 01/11/2007 at 8:50 AM #

    Home:
    Wofford, W
    Louisville, L
    Central Florida, W?
    UNC, W
    Clemson, W?
    Maryland, W
    UVA W
    Away:
    East Carolina, W
    Miami, L?
    Wake Forest, W?
    Boston College, W?
    FSU L

    Real tough to guess. No idea of who will be our QB. I’d go with 5 wins for sure. Possible 4 more. Two sure losses and one “maybe” loss.

    Of course I have nothing to back this up with and 6-6 would “meet expectations” for a transition year. 7-5 or 8-4 would be impressive as well as make a statement. This is just a WAG.

    Once I see how spring practice breaks out and we start getting closer to August, maybe SFN will bring this back and give us a chance to re-think our optimism or pessimism.

  23. highonlowe 01/11/2007 at 10:19 AM #

    i have to agree, anything over 6-6 beats expectations

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. StateFans Nation » Blog Archive » Odds to win 2007 College FBall Title - 01/22/2007

    […] College Football’s preseason Top 25 is shaping up and being discussed here. Relatedly, the odds for the 2007 National Champion are also out. […]

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