Message Board Preseason Poll

[lynchmob42]

Here's how it works. Give us your 1 through 10.

1st place - 46 points
2nd - 37
3rd - 29
4th - 22
5th - 16
6th - 11
7th - 7
8th - 4
9th - 2
10th - 1

I don't care what criteria you use for ranking. Personally, I'm going to go through the entire conference schedule, pick a winner for each and come up with a final ranking based on W/L, and head-to-head.

[lynchmob42]

My predictions:

1. OSU (9-0)
2. TCU (8-1)
3. OU (7-2)
4. KSU (6-3)
5. BU (5-4)
6. UT (4-5)
7. KU (2-7)
8. WVU (2-7)
9. TTU (1-8)
10. ISU (1-8)

I've basically got three groups, the top 3, the second three, and the bottom four. Inside those groups the games were largely chosen based on home field (except KSU @ UT, because K-State beats Texas wherever they play)

[archie]

1- Oklahoma - 7-2
2- Oklahoma State - 6-3
3- TCU - 6-3
4- Texas - 5-4
5- Kansas State - 5-4
6- Baylor - 5-4
7- Texas Tech - 4-5
8- West Virginia - 4-5
9- Iowa State - 2-7
10- Kansas - 1-8

[archie]

Jul 25, 2013 13:50:18 GMT -5 lynchmob42 said:

9. TTU (1-8)
10. TT (1-8)

I assume one of these two is Iowa State?

[Mohawk]

The Jayhawks are waiting on 2013 eligibility word on a couple of big prospects, so its a bit early but:

1. OSU (8-1)
2. TCU (7-2)
3. OU (6-3)
4. Baylor (6-3)
5. Texas (5-4)
6. KSU (5-4)
7. KU (3-6)
8. WV (2-7)
9. TT (2-7)
10. ISU (1-8)

[tetonhawk]

I will play but too early for me. I'LL BE BACK

[lynchmob42]

So without your big prospects, KU is 3-6. What if everyone is eligible? 5-4?

[archie]

I thought my expectations for Tech were low, clearly nobody has any fear of this team!

There are definitely holes in the team, there's not a lot of big play potential on defense, but the offense is still loaded with skill position talent and there's a major upgrade a QB. Predicting one or two wins is selling them short a little bit. In the 5 losses last year, two of them (Texas and Baylor) were winnable in the 4th quarter but we didn't have a QB who could make a big throw. Two were manageable at halftime (KSU and OU) but turned into blowouts in the 2nd half. Only one time (OSU) did we get outclassed. So we were competitive in every game but one, and we did win 4 games outright. So I don't see them taking a step back, I just don't see them taking a step forward either.

[Mohawk]

LM, 3-6 is my absolute best case scenario prediction assuming everyone is cleared and all the highly touted Juco players work out. 2-7 is probably more realistic but if all the stars align,,, well you know.

Archie, I guess TT is probably the biggest unknown out there this year. I was going by last years KU game where they trailed most of the game and got a double OT win at home. I really think KU is the conference's most improved team (that may not be saying much after going 1-11) and easily wins that game this year. Other things to look at with TT are the loss of a 4 year QB who had great numbers at Tech along with a starting receiver and a starting RB. I know Leach used to plug new QBs in every year and not miss a beat, but it remains to be seen with Kingsbury.

[archie]

I agree Kansas is a much improved team, and we were very fortunate to win that game last year. I think the Tech-KU game will be a swing game for both teams. It's KU's first conference game, a win to snap a long conference losing streak could really give them momentum on the season. For Tech, it's the first conference road game, with a backloaded schedule for us, a loss could make a bowl game pretty difficult to get.

Losing Seth Doege is addition by subtraction for us. He was an accidental starter who got his opportunity to play by because of the roster turnover due to the coaching change. Michael Brewer is the QB of future, he nearly won the job last year as a true freshman, but the coaches went with the experience of Doege over the skill of Brewer. RB's and WR's won't be a problem with this team. The real problem will be the same one we've always had, a defense that can't stop anybody. You can run the ball ALL DAY LONG on this defense! We're also allergic to turnovers. We were dead last in the conference by a mile in turnovers forced last season.

[lynchmob42]

Aug 1, 2013 11:40:43 GMT -5 Mohawk said:

Archie, I guess TT is probably the biggest unknown out there this year. I was going by last years KU game where they trailed most of the game and got a double OT win at home. I really think KU is the conference's most improved team (that may not be saying much after going 1-11) and easily wins that game this year. Other things to look at with TT are the loss of a 4 year QB who had great numbers at Tech along with a starting receiver and a starting RB. I know Leach used to plug new QBs in every year and not miss a beat, but it remains to be seen with Kingsbury.

This is where I was on Tech, also. Mostly, they're an unknown. I saw their games vs. K-State and KU, which didn't show well for them. Lastly, there's schedule. I feel like Tech plays a lot of the teams they should be competitive with, on the road.

On the other hand, KU plays Tech and West Virginia at home, which are the games I think they can win.

[cynicalpuppet]

I'll post mine tomorrow evening.

[lynchmob42]

Aug 3, 2013 22:29:02 GMT -5 cynicalpuppet said:

I'll post mine tomorrow evening.

"Well?! ....... We're waiting."

[lynchmob42]

Aug 1, 2013 11:40:43 GMT -5 Mohawk said:

LM, 3-6 is my absolute best case scenario prediction assuming everyone is cleared and all the highly touted Juco players work out. 2-7 is probably more realistic but if all the stars align,,, well you know.

What contribution, if any, do you anticipate from LB Jenkins-Moore?

[archie]

Aug 2, 2013 14:50:55 GMT -5 lynchmob42 said:

This is where I was on Tech, also. Mostly, they're an unknown. I saw their games vs. K-State and KU, which didn't show well for them. Lastly, there's schedule. I feel like Tech plays a lot of the teams they should be competitive with, on the road.

That is a good point about the schedule. Kansas and West Virginia are two road games that could determine if we go to a bowl or not, and I like our chances much more at home than on the road. Biggest thing about our schedule is that it's front loaded. We start off with TCU at home on a Thursday night, then it's @kansas, Iowa State, @west Virginia, then we close with the top 5 teams in the conference all in a row. I could see us starting anywhere between 7-0 and 3-4.

That week 3 game against TCU will tell us a lot about Tech. If we get handled easily in that game, then it could be a long season. If we play well, or even win, then we can build momentum as the season goes on.