2015 Athlon Top 25 countdown

selmaborntidefan

TideFans Legend
Mar 31, 2000
36,432
29,735
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MSU had 15 senior starters last year and not sure they will be a better team this year. I look for them to take a step backwards this year team and record wise.
I'm not sure they will, either - it's certainly possible (we don't know what's behind what left). I wouldn't bet on it, but my point had more to do with the fact they won't sneak up on anyone this year.

In general terms, the number of lost seniors is a good guide. 13 of those 15 were starters, for example, so that doesn't bode well, particularly on their defense, which was very good until the end last year.

Last year is going to pay huge recruiting dividends two years up the line.
 

81usaf92

TideFans Legend
Apr 26, 2008
35,306
31,375
187
South Alabama
And realize something else about MSU - do you realize that might actually be a BETTER TEAM this year and not even come close to their fun of last year? It's one thing to do that when you sneak up on everyone - it's another thing altogether to do it when folks are gunning for you. (This is what makes our three in four so phenomenally wonderful).

In 2010, Auburn snuck up on everybody. The next year one can argue they were basically "regressing to the mean" of what Auburn football is. In 2012, they sunk so low that nobody took them seriously - and the result was a BCSNCG in 2013. Last year, folks took them seriously again and they went right back to being Auburn. Not only did they go right back to their normal 8-5, but they should have lost the Ole Miss game (without the most freak injury at the most consequential time perhaps in history). Plus, K-State would have beaten them had they had a kicking game and South Carolina would probably have won had it been in Williams-Brice.

My point being that teams are what they are and you can actually be BETTER than the previous year and yet have a worse record because you cannot sneak up on people. MSU was unbeaten going into the 2012 Alabama game - something none of them expected and several even told me they'd find out how good they were against us. It turned out......not so great. Then they regressed to slightly above the normal in 2013 but got hot at the end. Then - in 2014 - they had a talented team, got a few breaks, and played slightly above their abilities and with enthusiasm.

Go back and look at how much more pressure they were under when they nearly lost to UK (who was not very good at all) and then did lose to us compared to when they were beating LSU and Auburn. Since Dak is back, I expect MSU to be a pretty good team this year, but in the SEC West only four plays often separates the division champion from the leader of the bottom half.

I fully expect Auburn to be a 9-4 or 8-5 team this year and the calls for Malzahn's scalp will begin. They don't have a week off after October 10 and their schedule coming down the stretch is AT Arkansas, hosting Ole Miss, AT aTm, and hosting UGA. This is after they've already opened against Louisville and then played AT LSU and hosted MSU in September.

Anything less than 10-2 and the natives get restless. You watch, especially if they lose early. This is a team that fired (er, he resigned but only to avoid being fired) their greatest ever coach only 2 years after he had them at #3 in the nation (he bought time by beating us four years in a row, 1986-89, and taking the Iron Bowl to JHS), fired another coach six games after he won their first-ever SEC West title, and fired yet another only two seasons removed from a national championship.

He'll probably make it into next year even with a four-loss year, but calls for his head will arise immediately, especially if we're back on track. MSU? They'll keep Mullen there as long as they get a decent bowl game and beat Ole Miss every other year or so.
Idk if auburn fans will call for Gus's head til he has 3 straight losses to bama. As far as teams sneaking up on people I think that will most likely be reserved for Texas a&m. Call me crazy but they get everybody on a good week and they have talent. They get us and the barn at home and practically a home game vs arky. I don't think they will win the west but they will wreck someone's season and will probably land in a good bowl
 

selmaborntidefan

TideFans Legend
Mar 31, 2000
36,432
29,735
287
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Idk if auburn fans will call for Gus's head til he has 3 straight losses to bama. As far as teams sneaking up on people I think that will most likely be reserved for Texas a&m. Call me crazy but they get everybody on a good week and they have talent. They get us and the barn at home and practically a home game vs arky. I don't think they will win the west but they will wreck someone's season and will probably land in a good bowl
I agree with this.
 

Redwood Forrest

Hall of Fame
Sep 19, 2003
11,042
907
237
76
Boaz, AL USA
I won't start a new thread on this one but interesting: The Sporting News magazine I just bought has 1. Ohio State 2. TCU 3. Auburn 4. Oregon 5. Alabama 6. USC 7. Baylor 8. Mich St 9. FSU and 10. Notre Dame
 

crimsonaudio

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 9, 2002
63,414
67,193
462
crimsonaudio.net
Top 25 teams being released at Athlon.

1 OSU
2 ALABAMA
3 Baylor
4 Auburn
5 TCU
6 USC
7 Mich St
8 Oregon
9 FSU
10 Georgia
11 Mississippi

12 Notre Dame
13 Arizona State
14 Clemson
15 LSU
16 Arkansas

17 Oklahoma
18 Ga Tech
19 Wisconsin
20 Tex A&M
21 Miss St
22 Tennessee

23 UCLA
24 Stanford
25 Boise
As expected, OSU and BAMA fill out the top two spots...
 

deliveryman35

Hall of Fame
Jul 26, 2003
12,998
1,194
287
55
Gadsden, AL
I think the future is bright for us but in 2015 I think the barn has more upside than we do. Their tough games are at home while ours are on the road, plus they return more experience. I look for us to take a step back this yr and for the barn to dominate. That being said, I still think we'll be very good.
 

ALA2262

All-American
Aug 4, 2007
4,977
393
102
Cumming, GA
If UGA signs Greyson Lambert, then their QB situation has to be questioned to the point that their inclusion in the Top 10 and whether or not they are a CFP contender has to be questioned also.
 

davefrat

Hall of Fame
Jun 4, 2002
5,169
3,884
282
Hopewell, VA
Nebraska, Penn State, Texas, Michigan and Virginia tech are all ranked lower than the 11th best team in the SEC.
tech has stagnated under beamer, but the problem for tech is that it's just not an appealing place to coach.

sure, the fans are pretty passionate and supportive, but it's not the easiest place to recruit, the school and town are downright drab, and it's in the middle of nowhere.

they're nearing a crossroads as a program.
 

davefrat

Hall of Fame
Jun 4, 2002
5,169
3,884
282
Hopewell, VA
If UGA signs Greyson Lambert, then their QB situation has to be questioned to the point that their inclusion in the Top 10 and whether or not they are a CFP contender has to be questioned also.
the qb coaching and play at UVA is a joke.

heck, mike london's a joke.
 

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