This site is pretty cool for getting a looksee into the fall preseason rankings: http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2011.html#national AJ>...CHECK IT OUT!!! Big Red top ranked Big 10 team!!!! I also think OSU's status will keep dropping in future rankings with today's TP announcement so NU looks like a clear cut favorite to win the conference.
I'm sitting here with two mags: Athlon and Lindy's. As I've read through them, there isn't much agreement about anything, so I'm not sure how helpful a "consensus" is. The only point of agreement that the preseason "experts" have come up with is who the top three teams are. Athlon picks them in this order: 1. Alabama 2. Oklahoma 3. Oregon Lindy's list: 1. Oklahoma 2. Alabama 3. Oregon After those three, all bets are off. Athlon's Top 10 includes Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, and Ohio State who aren't included in Lindy's. Meanwhile, Lindy's Top 10 includes Okie State, Stanford, and Arkansas, which don't appear in Athlon's. I'm really suspicious of everything this year. There's just too much out there that nobody knows about. We've had conference realignments, scandals, coaching changes and all kinds of stuff that could impact the season in a dramatic way. Here's the few things that I think I know for sure: 1. I agree with the Top Three. Alabama, Oregon and Oklahoma are loaded, well coached and they recruit well. All the ingredients are there on paper. 2. All three could be upset: Alabama is at Penn State; at Florida; and at Auburn. Oklahoma is at Florida State; at Dallas for Texas; and at Okie State. Oregon is at Arizona; at Washington; and at Stanford the week before they play USC. 3. Colorado is going to get killed in the 12Pac. Their program will need a few years to catch up in both recruiting and facilities. 4. Notre Dame will be better. The question is, how much? 5. The dark horses are Stanford and Florida. They're loaded, but they have new head coaches, which raises questions for this year. Either one or both could sneak into the Top Three by beating their conference rivals, Oregon and Alabama, who they have at home. It's doable, but will they do it? 6. I don't believe in Oklahoma or "Big Game Bob." 7. Boise State will find the sledding much tougher in the Mountain West than it was in the WAC. They open with Georgia and have other non-cons with Tulsa, Toledo and Navy. In league they have TCU, Nevada and Air Force at home and they're at San Diego State, Fresno State and Colorado State. If they go undefeated with THAT schedule, then they really will deserve a BCS game. I don't think they're going make it. 8. I have no idea how Nebraska will do in the Big Ten. I suspect that they will do OK, but have some trouble on the road with away games at Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan. I will be watching the Huskers progress with great interest. 9. I still don't think that Les Miles has any clue about coaching, but his teams have great individual talent, which makes them hard to predict. 10. Texas A&M and Virginia Tech (see Notre Dame.) 11. Wild Cards: Arizona State; Auburn; Texas; USC; Ohio State; and Florida State. 12. Enough talent to upset apple carts and piss everybody off: Tennessee; Washington; Utah; Okie State; Michigan; Miami.
Why? Because he said UF could upset somebody?.......THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE TRAIN LADIES....The Flop on the River Card couldn't have come at a more perfect time.....you know it, and I can't wait for it.
The Huskers will find down home midwest welcomes at Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa, and, yes, Ohio State. As great a program as Nebraska is, I predict that they will not win the Big 10 in their first year. :wink:
A modest question for Huskerman... Has Nebraska ever played in stadiums as large as Michigan or Penn State outside of bowl games?
I wouldn't worry too much if Iwere Nebraska about playing in Big Ten stadiums. Playing at Michigan is a softie crowd wise and probably only Penn St, OSU and Wisky offer anything comparable to at Norman or Austin.
Outside of those two, OSU, and a few others no one has stadiums that "big" (100k+). Last year they played in front of 90k at Kyle Field, so is 10k more really significant? I doubt it. With that said, I don't think NU is going to be good enough to win the league next year. (Guess I'm off the card list too!) :twisted:
I've been to Austin. It was noisy, but not that big. I still have some doubts that the Huskers will do well on the road in the Big10...
re: Michigan I wonder why their crowds are soft? Many years ago, I had a pal who's brother-in-law was a pitcher for the San Diego Padres. He told me that when the Pads played the Detroit Tigers in the World Series in Detroit, the fans lined the streets and pelted his bus with rocks, bottles, bricks and shot out the windows with pellet guns as the bus neared the stadium. Remember, this was the family bus that followed the players bus! That's a rough crowd! Are the Michigan fans different from the Tigers fans? [/i]
Scott, I haven't been to A&M's home stadium, but I went to two Cotton Bowls in the early 90s when they played ND. I was taken aback by the noise level and spirit of their fans. Based on that two-game experience, I'm guessing that the noise generated by 90,000+ Aggies is far louder than whatever happens in Michigan's 100,000+ stadium. I never would infer that the B10/11/12 crowds are more raucous that the B12/10 crowds. My point was that NU will receive a raucous welcome in the B10/11/12 stadiums as well as quality opponents who will give them every bit the tussles that they had in the B12/10.
Jim, When were you in Austin? That stadium has been through a recent expansion. It does get pretty loud... not as loud as Neyland, but pretty loud.
FWIW...that game that JO'Co attended was in a newly expanded stadium and at that time was the largest crowd ever to see a Texas football game. I believe it was also the largest crowd ever to see a football game in the state of Texas. Of course the Stadium has been enlarged twice since 1996. But Texas crowds are not known for being loud, and lots of posters on my Texas boards make complaints that we have too many old alums at games who shout down in front!