My 2015 Pre-Season Thread

[BigdaddyQH]

May as well start this off now. So far I have two teams that should be pretty much locked into the Playoffs. Ohio State (who will probably play in the Orange Bowl) and TCU (who should get the Cotton Bowl). It is hard to find two losses for either one of these teams. Ohio State's schedule is full of a bunch of nobodies. Their away schedule is very easy. Only Michigan State has a slight chance of defeating this team. TCU's road is a bit more difficult, having to go to Oklahoma twice in two weeks, but they do end the season at home against what I think is an over-rated Baylor team.

The other two spots will probably be filled by a PAC 12 team and a SEC team, but that is not etched in stone. We will give Oregon a very slight edge in the Pac 12 because they play in the easier of the two divisions, but games at Michigan State and Arizona State, plus a game at home against USC and the CC game can certainly pose problems. In the South, it is anyone's guess. USC probably has the best overall talent, but the HC is still unproven. UCLA has a ton of talent returning, but loses it's QB and team leader. The two Arizona's will be tough.

The SEC has a similar problem. East favorite Georgia gets Alabama at home, and goes to Auburn in their crossover games. They also go to Tennessee and Georgia Tech. In the West, Auburn looks like the favorite, IF they can find a QB and do something about that terrible defense. Alabama has lost most of their offense, and also will have to depend on it's defense. Going to UGA, A&M, and Auburn does not help matters. This team is very good, but has lost a lot of the luster it had two seasons ago. The survivors of the two divisions must play in a CC game also.

This opens the door for the ACC. Florida State has one of the Top 5 HC's in the business in Jimbo Fisher and a doable schedule. Two games stand out. At Georgia Tech and at Clemson are probably the only roadblocks in the way of another ACC Championship. FSU lost a ton of talent on offense, but the defense looks better than last year's version. Clemson returns a lot on offense, but has a questionable defense. They have a three game stretch starting at Lousiville, then hosting Notre Dame and Ga. Tech. They also have to learn how to beat Florida State. Georgia Tech is the favorite in the Coastal Division, but games at Notre Dame, Duke and Clemson in a 4 week stretch loom large. They also play Florida State and Georgia at home.

 

[cloverleaf]

In the SEC, I like Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss in the WEST and in the EAST Georgia leads with either Texas A&M, Tennessee or Florida offering the best challenge.

My view now but who the hell knows until some of these quarterback situations sort out.

ACC has to be Florida State again...talent wise it ain't close.

Big 12 may have the best competition, at least who wins the conference title. For some reason, I believe we will all be surprised when the dust settles in that conference.

Pac 12, don't have a favorite but like Stanford to be the surprise/impact team.

 

[BigdaddyQH]

Clover, did you mean Mizzou in the East. A&M is in the West.

 

[cloverleaf]

Yeah, we would have a scoop if A&M were in the East.

Today, could change before season starts...I like Bama in the West and Georgia in the East to meet in Atlanta for the title game.

I view Tennessee, Florida and Missouri all about equal in their challenge of Georgia.

 

[BigdaddyQH]

I have to go with Auburn in the West. They get Georgia and Alabama at home. "Bama must play Georgia and Auburn on the road. 'Bama also has to sandwich an away game with A&M between two tough home games, Arkansas and Tennessee. Auburn gets their last 3 games at home. Don't sell A&M short. They have 8 starters returning on both sides of the ball, a QB that has some experience, and a schedule which includes both Alabama schools at home and only 3 away games, one being against Vandy. They play Arkansas in Arlington.

 

[Addicted2quack]

A lot of good points in this thread thus far but I don't buy this whole "believe in Stanford " hype that seems to be gaining momentum. I get it, Stanford is the most physical team in the pac 12 and one of the more physical teams in the country. That's all nice and cozy, but there's still a huge problem.....they have almost zero offensive talent..their skill players are bottom of the barrell and they survive solely on defense, running the football and controlling every second of the clock. That's an outstanding strategy when you have the offense to move the chains, but I think they've lost that ability a season ago. Having the best defense in the nation is great but if you can't score in today's college football landscape you will lose some of the many close games. Case and point to this last season was Clemson who literally had the best defense in the country from a statistical standpoint. Their offense was atrocious and it cost them mightily. This is stanfords problem, their days of being a powerhouse per say are long gone. They will always be formidable, but until they get legit playmakers they won't ever make it to the playoffs in my opinion. Stanford will probably beat quite a few teams this season but I bet they get ran over by Oregon again because the ducks just have to many guys to match up with every play and that tempo wears people down while they actually get stronger...I'd be surprised to see Oregon lose to Stanford this season. They may not make it back to the playoffs but I believe they will repeat as conference champs and that's where I'll play my money. They won't stun anyone with defense so it will have to be an offensive onslaught every game to repeat as champs

 

[BigdaddyQH]

Stanford has a bunch of injuries in the Spring. Their offense is really lacking, so once again it will be up to the defense to win games. This is getting old, as Stanford found out last season. Shaw is quickly headed in the direction of becoming an over-rated Head Coach. Three away games in September will determine their fate. I do not see 5 losses this season, but I do not see a Pac 12 North title for Stanford either. Oregon still has too much talent for Stanford to challenge.

 

[Addicted2quack]

I agree, the south is a monster.... That might be one of if not the toughest divisions in all of football this upcoming season.... I would hate to be in that position. USC probably has the best chance just because their the only one who returns their starting qb.... Arizona has Anu Solomon returning I guess, but reports say he will be challenged this summer by another guy so who really knows...

 

[BigdaddyQH]

Could you imagine a conference with the Pac 12 South teams and the SEC West teams in it? Thirteen teams and 12 would make some kind of bowl game.

 

[cloverleaf]

As far as I can tell 2quack, I'm the only poster here at RX that has shown any love/interest in Stanford.

Being honest, I prefer we keep it that way. You know how public perception works in the gaming world.

I've never said the Cards will win the conference even though they have as good a chance as anyone else.

Who out there picked Arizona to win the Pic 12 South last year??

 

[GoSooners]

I believe the Pac-12 south is the second best division in football behind the SEC West. It is a very good division, but I wouldn't call it great until it produces a national champion. Something the Pac-12 hasn't done in 11 years. It would be even better if that national champion wasn't USC. It would add some more clout to the division and the conference overall if somebody else gets in on the act...

 

[BigdaddyQH]

The problem is that the only other Pac 12 team with any chance at all to win it all this season is Oregon, and not only are they in the North, but they have had two chances and lost both of them. The Auburn game was close. The Ohio State game was a game where Oregon got it's tail handed to them big time. If not for Mariota, the game is a bigger rout than it was. As far as I am concerned, the only thing Oregon has proven is that they cannot win the Big Game. It will take another 5 years for the Pac 12 to develop a team like USC, who has the ability to compete every year. Oregon has a shot, but Oregon is a proven loser. Like you said, someone other than USC is going to have to win the Big Game.

 

[CoachCB]

If Tennessee stays healthy, I suspect they will challenge UGA for the East. They return their entire OL, have a potentially star QB, and a very good RB. Their D will be solid as well. They took their lumps last year playing 5 new starters along the OL and several new DL starters. All those guys return.

I've said this before, I think FSU wins the ACC....IF the QB position is solid. And Bama wins the SEC outright if they can find a suitable QB. I think Bama will be fine. FSU I'm not so sure. Bringing in Golston was a head scratcher. I thought McGuire would be fine.

 

[BigdaddyQH]

Tennessee is the "it" choice in the SEC East and well they should be. They have a ton of talent returning. They also have a rather difficult schedule, but most of that difficulty being played at home. They get Oklahoma, Georgia and Arkansas at home. Only four away games for this team, but two are at Alabama and Missouri, the most forgotten team in the SEC East. If Jones cannot come up with at least 8 wins, he probably will be in trouble.

One of the major problems that Clemson will have to overcome is their inability to defeat Florida State. Swinney is just 1-4 against Jimbo Fisher and that is simply not going to cut it. This is the year when Florida State faces it's most difficult ACC schedule in a while, going to both Clemson and Georgia Tech. If Dabo is finally going to make a move, now is the time.

 

[GoSooners]

If they throw a decent line out there I'll probably be on Tennessee when they play Oklahoma. I've seen the first OU/Tenn game on film a couple times and basically the only difference between the two teams last year was OU's punt return for a TD that sealed it. Otherwise the game was very much in doubt in the closing minutes. That was with the Vols playing with a group of freshmen lines and OU with a veteran OL and two very good defensive lineman. This year OU loses those linemen and almost the entire OL, and now have to go on the road in their second game with what will most likely be a new QB along with a new OL. I see some problems for OU early in the year until they can get some traction with Riley's system and rebuilt OL.

 

[BigdaddyQH]

I have not seen the GOY lines yet, but I will be very surprised if OU is the favorite. This is a do or die season for Tennessee and this is test #1.