Invisible on the Prairie (ESPN Way Too Early Top 25)

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everybody knows my name

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I really think the Gophers, 9-4 in 2022, are going to be better next year, but they got left out of the ESPN Way Too Early Top 25.

Who's in? #25 Iowa Hawkeyes (8-5 in 2022), #24 James Madison Dukes (8-3), #22 UTSA Roadrummers (11-3), #19 Tulane Green Wave (11-2).

I know, polls are meaningless. And I'm not upset, or I won't five minutes from now. But it's worth a mention, if only to illustrate the extent to which Minnesota's default setting remains invisible on the national scene. And that's annoying.
 
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I hear ya, but until Minnesota wins something significant, wins consistently, and starts beating Iowa and Wisconsin on a regular basis we will always be dismissed. There have been several times over the years where guys like Herbstreit, Forde, et al have given Minnesota some preseason love only to be kicked in the shins by the Gophers and their tiresome ability to crap the bed as the season rolls along. Preseason prognosticators have been fooled too many times by our squad and will continue to shy away from us until we can prove we deserve it.
 



With the portal, NIL and coach movement. How can anyone take this year's records into account when looking at next year?

TCU was 5-7 last year got a new coach and went to the Title game with their back-up QB.

Schedules change, balance of home and away conference games change. Teams are in year zero, teams have new coordinators, etc. etc.

Good Luck with the predictions.

Preseason vs Final AP poll this year.

  • 15 teams in the top 25 ended the season unranked and only 2 even got votes (NC State (8-5) and Cinci (9-4))
  • 5 of top 10 ended up in the top 10. Alabama, tOSU, Georgia, Utah, and Michigan
  • 2 other teams in top 10 ended up still ranked. Clemson, Notre Dame.
  • 3 top 10 teams fell completely out. Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Baylor
  • 3 teams ranked outside the top 10 were still ranked at the end of the year. Oregon, USC, and Pittsburgh.
  • Clemson and Utah were only P5 teams to be highest preseason ranked and win their conference championship.
  • Of the 15 that started ranked and didn't end up ranked, 3 did not make a bowl. Texas A7M, Michigan State and Miami (All were 5-7)
 

MaxyJR1 said:
With the portal, NIL and coach movement. How can anyone take this year's records into account when looking at next year?

TCU was 5-7 last year got a new coach and went to the Title game with their back-up QB.

Schedules change, balance of home and away conference games change. Teams are in year zero, teams have new coordinators, etc. etc.

Good Luck with the predictions.

Preseason vs Final AP poll this year.

  • 15 teams in the top 25 ended the season unranked and only 2 even got votes (NC State (8-5) and Cinci (9-4))
  • 5 of top 10 ended up in the top 10. Alabama, tOSU, Georgia, Utah, and Michigan
  • 2 other teams in top 10 ended up still ranked. Clemson, Notre Dame.
  • 3 top 10 teams fell completely out. Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Baylor
  • 3 teams ranked outside the top 10 were still ranked at the end of the year. Oregon, USC, and Pittsburgh.
  • Clemson and Utah were only P5 teams to be highest preseason ranked and win their conference championship.
  • Of the 15 that started ranked and didn't end up ranked, 3 did not make a bowl. Texas A7M, Michigan State and Miami (All were 5-7)
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Preseason polls have always been pretty worthless except as a means of speculation and fun. I think they still serve that purpose well.
 




Five Toes said:
On the plus side North Carolina at #21. Excellent chance for an early statement game.
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Unfortunately, Tarheels may be 0-2 when we pull into Chapel Hill. Play South Carolina and App State. They barely beat Appy this year. South Carolina is good.
 

swingman said:
USA Today's Myerberg did one....love for Iowa (13), Wisconsin (25)....a little for Illini (others).

www.usatoday.com

Way-too-early college football Top 25: Georgia, Michigan out front in look at 2023 season

The book has been closed on the 2022 college football season which means it's time to make our too-soon predictions for next year's Top 25 teams.
www.usatoday.com
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I get having Iowa or Wisconsin ranked just based on history and excitement.
Don’t get Illinois. An 8-5 team that had two bad losses and finished poorly who loses everything?

I think Illinois missing a bowl game next year is more likely than a top 25 season.
I would pick them at 5-7 or 6-6.
 

Some guy said:
Preseason polls have always been pretty worthless except as a means of speculation and fun. I think they still serve that purpose well.
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I still wish they would hold off on rankings until about week 3, but I know it'll never happen because of clicks. Takes forever for a team unranked in the preseason polls to crack the top 25 all while watching a two-loss SEC teams continue to be ranked.
 

FredCoxRocks said:
I hear ya, but until Minnesota wins something significant, wins consistently, and starts beating Iowa and Wisconsin on a regular basis we will always be dismissed. There have been several times over the years where guys like Herbstreit, Forde, et al have given Minnesota some preseason love only to be kicked in the shins by the Gophers and their tiresome ability to crap the bed as the season rolls along. Preseason prognosticators have been fooled too many times by our squad and will continue to shy away from us until we can prove we deserve it.
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Exactly.
Beat Iowa. Or dont lose to Bowling Green. People say these loses don’t matter, but they do if you care about rankings.
 



You can’t take too much stock in preseason top 25s but there are a few automatics.

Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson, USC, Oregon, LSU, Texas and Notre Dame are all going to be in it.

Penn State, Florida State, Miami, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas A&M, Wisconsin and Iowa are usually going to be in it.

Nebraska has dropped from the usual suspects and Utah has been added.

This will be the case until these teams have sustained bad seasons like Nebraska to push them out of the voter’s minds.

The rest is filler on who they think may be decent.

Gophers just aren’t in these groups.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
With the portal, NIL and coach movement. How can anyone take this year's records into account when looking at next year?
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There's the catch-22 for schools like Minnesota. If you can't take the previous season's record into account, then you're left ranking schools based on reputation and recruiting. But reputation and recruiting create a ridiculous cycle that props up certain teams.

I know, win on the field. And I'm first in line to say that the Gophers didn't compile great meaningful wins this season. But a 9-4 record and lots of returning players ought to count for something, especially for a major conference school.
 

swingman said:
Unfortunately, Tarheels may be 0-2 when we pull into Chapel Hill. Play South Carolina and App State. They barely beat Appy this year. South Carolina is good.
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That would be our luck. Just like playing MSU this past year and getting zero credit for the win against a team over hyped in the preseason
 

everybody knows my name said:
There's the catch-22 for schools like Minnesota. If you can't take the previous season's record into account, then you're left ranking schools based on reputation and recruiting. But reputation and recruiting create a ridiculous cycle that props up certain teams.

I know, win on the field. And I'm first in line to say that the Gophers didn't compile great meaningful wins this season. But a 9-4 record and lots of returning players ought to count for something, especially for a major conference school.
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Fleck should have a reputation that after year 2 he has won 8+ games each season at both schools.

Nationally they will see 3 OL, senior QB, RB, Safeties, LB etc. leaving. They look at the schedule and say 6-6. We see 9+ wins the last 3 regular seasons and Fleck able to navigate the portal with some plug and play guys and think next year's team might be better.
 


FredCoxRocks said:
I hear ya, but until Minnesota wins something significant, wins consistently, and starts beating Iowa and Wisconsin on a regular basis we will always be dismissed. There have been several times over the years where guys like Herbstreit, Forde, et al have given Minnesota some preseason love only to be kicked in the shins by the Gophers and their tiresome ability to crap the bed as the season rolls along. Preseason prognosticators have been fooled too many times by our squad and will continue to shy away from us until we can prove we deserve it.
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18th best win percentage in the nation over the last 4 years.
 

PoockItInfor6 said:
18th best win percentage in the nation over the last 4 years.
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Just so we're on the same page, we're talking about pollsters views towards Minnesota. That stat you mentioned means nothing to the them when sizing up the Gophers. I can't think of anything else to say other than read my post again. That, and what Replacement Gopher said in post #13 (don't lose to the Bowling Greens) is what is keeping Minnesota from getting any respect.
 

FredCoxRocks said:
Just so we're on the same page, we're talking about pollsters views towards Minnesota. That stat you mentioned means nothing to the them when sizing up the Gophers. I can't think of anything else to say other than read my post again. That, and what Replacement Gopher said in post #13 (don't lose to the Bowling Greens) is what is keeping Minnesota from getting any respect.
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You said until the win consistently in your post. Just pointing out that they already do that.
 

FredCoxRocks said:
Just so we're on the same page, we're talking about pollsters views towards Minnesota. That stat you mentioned means nothing to the them when sizing up the Gophers. I can't think of anything else to say other than read my post again. That, and what Replacement Gopher said in post #13 (don't lose to the Bowling Greens) is what is keeping Minnesota from getting any respect.
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Since about 2014 Minnesota has lost to “bowling greens” less than almost anyone in the country
 


Some guy said:
Since about 2014 Minnesota has lost to “bowling greens” less than almost anyone in the country
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Okay. Tell the pollsters that. That's what this is all about.
 
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FredCoxRocks said:
I hear ya, but until Minnesota wins something significant, wins consistently, and starts beating Iowa and Wisconsin on a regular basis we will always be dismissed. There have been several times over the years where guys like Herbstreit, Forde, et al have given Minnesota some preseason love only to be kicked in the shins by the Gophers and their tiresome ability to crap the bed as the season rolls along. Preseason prognosticators have been fooled too many times by our squad and will continue to shy away from us until we can prove we deserve it.
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You're spot on about winning significantly and consistently. Wisconsin and Iowa gets favorable treatment because it isn't unheard of for them to be playing on Jan 1 bowl games.

I do think you are wrong about beating Iowa and Wisconsin - yes, it is a huge deal for our program, but nationally no one cares who wins between Iowa and Minnesota significantly.
 

FredCoxRocks said:
Okay. Tell the pollsters that. That's what this is all about.
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The pollsters aren’t about that at all.
Texas and Nebraska find themselves in the preseason top 25 more seasons than not. As do some average USC teams.

It’s about the last 30 years of national relevance more than random non conference games from the last 10 years.
those random non conference games are included in the whole evaluation of the last 30’years obviously

But Minnesota doesn’t have very many bad losses the past 9 years or so
 

The only ranking that is going to count in 2023 is the one that gets into the top four of the CFP.
In 2024 the only ranking to have meaning is getting into the top 12 and into the CFP.
 

Plato said:
The only ranking that is going to count in 2023 is the one that gets into the top four of the CFP.
In 2024 the only ranking to have meaning is getting into the top 12 and into the CFP.
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So a top 25 finish next year would be meaningless with so many saying we’ll be fortunate to make a bowl?
 

Plato said:
The only ranking that is going to count in 2023 is the one that gets into the top four of the CFP.
In 2024 the only ranking to have meaning is getting into the top 12 and into the CFP.
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Top 12 won’t all make it unless 6 different conference champions are in the top 12


This year it would’ve been the top 11 + tulane
 

Some guy said:
Top 12 won’t all make it unless 6 different conference champions are in the top 12


This year it would’ve been the top 11 + tulane
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In 2024 the top teams in the US, ranked by who in the hell knows, will be in the CFP.
I expect three to four will come from the SEC and the BIG.
The other conference will fill in the other six to four slots.
 

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