Thought I'd share with the rest of the TKP fam. It's nice to at least be on the "radar," as a dark horse candidate, even if it is bleacher report journalism.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2766889-college-footballs-2018-final-four-dark-horses
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oh hey, we're getting some preseason hype! [sees that it's bleacher report] ...FML
I'm shocked that the article wasn't a slideshow.
Well not THAT shocked.
The Casablanca Reference is exactly that. The police are "shocked" that gambling is happening in the bar, as the guy hands him his cut of the winnings.
Seeing Northwestern on there was a surprise
Seeing Florida State and Michigan State on there was a surprise... for an entirely different reason.
Agreed on Northwestern, no way are they going through that schedule with less than 2 losses.
Pretty sure Florida State will be dropped from the list after they lose opening weekend.
I'm just saying... FSU and MSU are 2 schools that should be on everyone's National Title radar every year based on their historical play and their recruiting. Forget what happened last year, their pedigree shouldn't have them on any dark horse list anytime soon.
A team that barely went bowling last year and has a new coach with a new system this year? Even for FSU, putting them as a dark horse is probably a big high right now. Losing your starting QB on a team that stacked shouldn't have resulted in a season that went so poorly.
You're right but they have the player talent to bounce back.
Disagree on MSU... They have to play OSU, Mich, and PSU each year. Very tough right now when all three programs are top 15(ish) teams. Plus, they haven't been the same since Bama spanked them in the CFP.
Depends. I think the top of the Big10 is severely overrated so they get a quality win/loss without really playing one of the best teams in the country.
The article has one glaring omission: the defense has to replace Tim Settle also.
We'll have a good start if we can "steal a victory" in Tallahassee? FSU shouldn't be favored by more than a touchdown.
Early line has FSU -6. I like that bet, a lot.
I feel like we have been a dark horse almost every year for the past 10 years lol. Barring a couple near the end of Beams years.
There are a lot of questions to be answered before that is even a consideration. With defensive line concerns and inexperience at corner and linebacker, and so many offensive injuries that "we expect" to be healed, yet it seems like often aren't healed come September, this team is a work in progress.
Hopefully the young, athletically gifted youngsters that have been added in the last two years take a major step forward. A typical step forward that comes with a second year in the program may not be enough to avoid the status quo or a small step backwards.
Yeah I think there are too many question marks heading into the season, I think the LB's and WR's will need one more year to compete on that level. As much as it sucks losing Settle and the Edmundi early, it will utlimately allow young guys to develop and for us to be a legit playoff candidate in 2019. A realistic 2018 hope is to get to that 10 win mark again.
I think being on this list in 2019 and 2020 would make more sense.
But according to my recent time machine visit to 2016, this is going to be the year our talent that just left for the NFL takes us to the playoffs.
I'm anticipating a little step back this year, TBH. There is just too much youth and inexperience on both sides of the ball to expect 10 wins. This year was honestly the true rebuilding year (had the guys who should have returned on offense done so last year, we have a special team and are in the Orange Bowl or a decent shot at the playoff.) We have recruited pretty well the last few years, so we have a ton of talented youth. But there will likely be growing pains through the mid part of the season. QB play may make the difference this year in what our true ceiling can be.
But look out in 2019/2020.
That's right. Just keep pushing it back.
Barring injuries to Hill or Walker i think thed line is in better shape than most believe. The returning production is better than 3 of the past 5 years.
I think the schedule plays out nicely for us even with our relative youth at a lot of positions. Get a rebuilding FSU to start the season and then Miami and Notre Dame at home. I could easily see a trip back to the ACCCG, or another 8-9 win season.
It's funny because I've been really bullish on us the last couple of years when most people were projecting 7-8 wins. This year people seem to be higher on us, or at least mentioning us as a pre-season nationally ranked team, and I'm much less optimistic.
We ended up losing an immense amount of talent on the defensive end and our offense is a question mark at best going into the season. I hate being a Debbie Downer but I think it's more likely we take a small step back this year before having some great years under Hooker/Patterson.
I agree with you. It struck me that the expectations for this season should probably be reevaluated after Fuente's comments about our youth.