What It Means to Beat Bama - OU as Preseason #1 in '14

Rush · May 1, 2014

TRU said:
That will depend to a large extent on whether CNS and CKS figure out a way of effectively defending the HUNH.

THIS ^^^^^^^

BamaJama17 · May 1, 2014

TRU said:
That will depend to a large extent on whether CNS and CKS figure out a way of effectively defending the HUNH.

I'm not too worried...you can only keep an edge on CNS for so long. Sooner or later he is going to figure it out. It's takes perfect execution along with some dumb luck/fluke plays to beat Alabama.

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Blindside13 · May 1, 2014

I have never been a fan of pre-season polls. Some teams with high expectations are not as good as people think and teams that are not supposed to be good end up suprising everyone. It happens every season. All that being said since we do have polls at the start of the season, it would seem teams would start where they ended last year just my opinion. The polls should not even come out until teams have played a few games. As some people have already stated though the one at the end is the only one that counts.

dadleyblane5 · May 1, 2014

Yeah, I saw that too and needed a good laugh.

MOAN · May 2, 2014

Alasippi said:
Moon, you may be right, and I can see where that could be the case--play it close to the vest on offense, play great defense, and just win. But I think to be a title contender or close, we have to have both offense and defense, and I'm really worried about our O at this point.
Trust me, I'll be beyond happy if I'm completely and 100% wrong on this one.
sip

I think all of us Bama fans are nervous about the Offense, especially the number 1 position, QB, at this point in time. But from what I seen of the A-day game this team could easily lose 2 games just from the kicking team side. The only way to nullify that situation is to score touchdowns instead of field goals.

Back to the offense worries...

owenfieldreams · May 2, 2014

TouchThatThang said:
It's true.

Channeling John Nance Garner....being ranked #1 in the pre-season is about as worthless as a warm bucket of spit. I would take exception to the idea that the OU win over the Tide was it's biggest since the 2000 NC game. I think there are several wins over the years that would rank higher, the blowout of TT in 2008 probably the highest. That game pretty much propelled us into the NC game vs Florida.

There is no doubt that the victory in the Sugar Bowl has made an impression on folks but honestly, we have a lot of talent coming back, we are in our second year of the newly installed systems (The Pistol & the 3-4),our toughestnon-conference game is also in Norman. There are 2 road games that could get dicey.....WVU & TT but if we can't win these games we don't deserve to be ranked #1.

There are two keys to our success. First, Knight has to demonstrate consistency and stay healthy. Second, we must avoid the kind of injury bug we experienced last year. We are loaded where it counts, on the LOS and this could be our best D since we had Tommy Harris & Roy Williams roaming Owen Field.

My prediction based on returning starters and schedule for the final 4 is:

1.FSU
2.UCLA
3.OU
4. Michigan State.

I would have put the Tide or Auburn in the group but I think in Alabama's case, the QB situation is problematic & in Auburn's case, they had a lot of luck last year and their road schedule this year is brutal. FSU has the most talent overall but all 4 teams on my list have very favorable schedules.

rgw · May 2, 2014

WVU got a similar treatment when they stomped Clemson with Geno Smith a few years ago. I think Oklahoma is less likely to disappoint though.

BamaMoon · May 2, 2014

owenfieldreams said:
My prediction based on returning starters and schedule for the final 4 is:

1.FSU
2.UCLA
3.OU
4. Michigan State.

I would have put the Tide or Auburn in the group but I think in Alabama's case, the QB situation is problematic & in Auburn's case, they had a lot of luck last year and their road schedule this year is brutal. FSU has the most talent overall but all 4 teams on my list have very favorable schedules.

Your concern about Bama is what many of us are worried about. It's hard to be near the top without capable qb play. We also are concerned about our kicking game, which usually will win/lose you a game or two a year.

Concerning your top 4, you have put more thought into it than me at this point. However, if the SEC has managed to have a team (two in '11) in the top two for 7 straight years in the BCS, I'd be pretty surprised that the SEC wouldn't be able to have at least one team in the top four next year.

TideEngineer08 · May 2, 2014

BamaMoon said:
Your concern about Bama is what many of us are worried about. It's hard to be near the top without capable qb play. We also are concerned about our kicking game, which usually will win/lose you a game or two a year.

Concerning your top 4, you have put more thought into it than me at this point. However, if the SEC has managed to have a team (two in '11) in the top two for 7 straight years in the BCS, I'd be pretty surprised that the SEC wouldn't be able to have at least one team in the top four next year.

The SEC as a whole is going to suffer from major QB talent drain next season. When Nick Marshall is your conference's top returning QB, you've got problems.

Tideflyer · May 2, 2014

Alasippi said:
Looking at our O-line performance at the end of last season and our O-line and QB play in spring, I'd have to agree. We've got a long way to go to be anywhere close to top 20, much less number 2.

Sip, glad you agree, I guess, but I`m not quite that pessimistic! Granted, we have work to do on the OL, but the vast majority is on one side (left). If we have one or two guys step up (Jackson? Maybe even one of the frosh? and get even adequate QB play, I can see us in the top 10, no problem. By season`s end, who knows?

BamaJama17 · May 2, 2014

TideEngineer08 said:
The SEC as a whole is going to suffer from major QB talent drain next season. When Nick Marshall is your conference's top returning QB, you've got problems.

For now. UGA and Mizzou backup QB's showed some promise last year. Coker with the WR's Alabama has has the potential to be a 2800 yard passer if he turns out to be the QB most think he is. NM may be the preseason 1st team All SEC QB but I'd be surprised if he is after the season.

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257WBY · May 2, 2014

I found it hard to believe that the team that beat Alabama was the team that Baylor beat so soundly in mid-season. OU is a solid team, but they don't have the talent level to hold #1. Agree that FSU will start at the top.

Alasippi · May 2, 2014

owenfieldreams said:
Channeling John Nance Garner....being ranked #1 in the pre-season is about as worthless as a warm bucket of spit. I would take exception to the idea that the OU win over the Tide was it's biggest since the 2000 NC game. I think there are several wins over the years that would rank higher, the blowout of TT in 2008 probably the highest. That game pretty much propelled us into the NC game vs Florida.

There is no doubt that the victory in the Sugar Bowl has made an impression on folks but honestly, we have a lot of talent coming back, we are in our second year of the newly installed systems (The Pistol & the 3-4),our toughestnon-conference game is also in Norman. There are 2 road games that could get dicey.....WVU & TT but if we can't win these games we don't deserve to be ranked #1.

There are two keys to our success. First, Knight has to demonstrate consistency and stay healthy. Second, we must avoid the kind of injury bug we experienced last year. We are loaded where it counts, on the LOS and this could be our best D since we had Tommy Harris & Roy Williams roaming Owen Field.

My prediction based on returning starters and schedule for the final 4 is:

1.FSU
2.UCLA
3.OU
4. Michigan State.

I would have put the Tide or Auburn in the group but I think in Alabama's case, the QB situation is problematic & in Auburn's case, they had a lot of luck last year and their road schedule this year is brutal. FSU has the most talent overall but all 4 teams on my list have very favorable schedules.

I can assure you, there will not be a four team playoff that doesn't include the SEC Champion--no how--no way--not possible. sip

bamabryan · May 2, 2014

Tideflyer said:
Nobody loves the Tide more than me, but no way I`d put us at # 2 to start `14.

I agree with you.

BamaMcGowin · May 2, 2014

bamagradinATL said:
OU ranked #1 preseason, gives them more credit for beating us than F$U gets for winning the title.

Yeah, but FSU did beat the barn, so that sounds about right.

MOAN · May 3, 2014

And Auburn was predicted where preseason last year?

Preseason rankings are fun and give us something to look forward to but that is all. To me FSU starts out number 1 until someone beats them. As far as I am concerned the preseason rankings start out as the rankings ended last year.

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What It Means to Beat Bama - OU as Preseason #1 in '14

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