#Hokies are ranked 17th in the preseason coaches poll. Labor Day night opponent Florida State is 19th. https://t.co/oqMF7U8TBA— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) August 2, 2018
Sure I'll take it but WHY?
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Now that I'm actually looking at some preseason polls and paying attention to other teams again I'm feeling like this could be an especially topheavy season.
When I scroll down the list of teams below us I would have maybe half of them getting ranked ahead of us. Probably a couple of also-receiving-votes teams as well, but we'd still be ~21 or so.
Clearly the coaches are looking to inflate our rankings so ESPN can have better ratings on Labor Day.
Well our game is under attack. One more ranked matchup to cap off Labor Day weekend can't hurt.
Who knows? It might stop the whole country from going down.
I can't stop laughing.
Leg for you
But what happens if it rains?
I don't think it's been proven that rain causes flooding. We don't really know that. Are there chances for flooding? Of course. There are rains. But the weather is safer than it's ever been.
Those 65 NCAA coaches clearly have not been reading enough TKP this offseason
Would be very surprised if we ended up there at the end of the season.
Cause we'll be in the top 15.
/s o hope this comes true
I wouldn't. We only need to beat one of the big 3 on our schedule to have a shot at it going into bowl season. I think it's more likely we beat one than none
You're assuming we win the rest...that's a very large assumption, imo.
Historically we've had an issue winning all of those games.
That's not assuming we win the rest. We can drop another game and be 9-3 ranked 17. Our O/U in Vegas is 8.5. If it's so obvious we won't hit 9 wins go make some easy money
I plan to tomorrow.
We probably need to beat one of them and avoid more than one stinker. In fuente's first two years with far more experienced teams, we've failed to do either of those things. We haven't won a game against a team of the caliber of those three teams (outside of maybe WVU st the time) and we haven't been able to avoid the head scratchers. This team is talented but is extremely young. I badly want to be wrong, but I just don't see a way that we'll finish better than 8-4.
I didn't like your last sentence, but I agreed w/ the rest of your post (because it's correct) so here, take yer leg.
I'd agree with the winning the high-caliber games but I'd argue that we beat Miami and Notre Dame Fu's first year. Last year we just happened to play Clemson which is on a totally different level than ND, FSU or Miami. I easily see us winning 1 of those 3 and dropping one out the other 8 very winnable games. 9-3 should be a realistic expectation , but that should put us in the 21-25 range at season's end.
While that ND game was fun to watch (second half anyways) and it was at their house, it's only impressive on paper. That was not your typical ND team, and it seems highly unlikely that the team coming to Blacksburg this year will be anywhere near that bad.
I agree it was an off year for them but I don't think with an inexperienced O-Line, no standout QB or RB, that they are a surefire loss for us this year. Losing 2 generational linemen up front should allow us to cause havoc up front and keep our LB's and CB's more free.
They were 4-8. It wasn't impressive at all
And WVU went 7-6 last year in a mediocre Big12, yet many (including the starter of this string - sort of) seem to continue to believe and repeat the mantra that beating WVU on a neutral field last year was a real quality win.
WVU was a good 7-3 team until Grier went down.
But not you, Marc.
Smarter than the average bear, you are.
Yeah, that one ended up being not very impressive in retrospect. However, it was certainly important at the time. WVU started the season off as a much better team than when they finished.
Remember, let's not have a double standard. OSU finished the season much better than the we beat at the horseshoe, but most would consider that one of our best wins ever simply because they ended up with the Natty.
ND was 4-8. Miami was 8-4. I'll be surprised if any of the three teams we play this year will be worse than 9-3. All three of those teams are better than any team we have beaten under Fuente.
And don't think that this is me bashing on Fuente. I think he's done a good job so far. Are there things he can improve on and has he made decisions that I disagree with? Yes, but I still think he has us headed in the right direction.
What do you think about conditioning as a factor? Looks like these guys will be some of the best conditioned of any group we've had in the last 10 years
via GIPHY
See we are still good...hope for the season...one game at a time
via GIPHY
I mean, cool, but I'll be surprised if we finish higher than 8-4. Glad we're getting respect, but I'm worried we're gonna squander it.
Surprised we are ahead of FSU.
My thoughts, depicted by someone much better looking-
"Huh? For real? Ok, they dont think our offseasons has been as bad as we do. Hey 32 days, fuck yeah"
Most of our offseason has been bad for the defensive secondary. I think nationally, there is this perception that Bud is a sorcerer who conjures up ridiculous performances and can make freshman world beaters.
The D-Line doesn't have me as worried for this season, I'm sweating for the next two.
Bud's defense, in my opinion, has always been strong because he could take 2*-3* players, have them buy in for 2-3 years, and be dramatically improved for Junior/Senior campaigns. It was the process, the system that worked.
This is the first time I can remember where it isn't really "his" guys going out there. He hasn't had as long to instill a mindset to the point where it is second nature.
Can he do it? I have zero clue. Bud is a legend for a reason. This is going to be a huge test.
Agreed. I'm usually in the camp that puts my faith in the defense and just hope the offense doesn't fuck it up. This year after this offseason... I dont want to say I dont have any faith, because I absolutely do, and you're right, it's mostly been DB related. But in an era where most teams are throwing alot, I'm definitely going to have more bourbon on hand than usual.
I'm not worried about DLine for the next 2 years yet. I dont need anymore stress right now.
Just beat Virginia and make it to a bowl and win the national championship.
Big deal.
Been there done that, been there done that, been there...ok, you got me.
I thought we had a gentleman's agreement with the pollsters to start every season at 25
If FSU is ranked behind us, I hope Vegas gives them points because I would bet the house on that. As of now, it's FSU -6 which I am going back and forth on. If it stays like that, I think I'll take FSU straight up for an emotional hedge bet.
I'll just point out that in 2005 Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi were first time starters at linebacker.
In 2005 our defense managed to finish #1 in the country in total defense (yards - #2 in scoring D).
I see some similarities in the 2018 team. New, highly regarded starters at LB... now of course in 2018 we also have some new starters at DB which perhaps indicates a #1 season is not in the cards, but I think our D has a solid chance of being top 25 by the end of the year. Our offense is also going to be loaded this year, with a good OL, a good QB, plenty of experience at RB and a lot of talent at WR, and I would not be surprised to see a top 25 total offense ranking by the end of the year.. put those together and you get a good to great season.. so 8-4, 9-3, 10-2 range.
The 2005 team was a top10 ranking preseason and finished right around there (#12) after losing to Miami and then FSU in the ACCG. I think it's completely plausible that we finish in the 15-20 range after being ranked in that ballpark preseason...
Eh, most people figured we were going to be great in 2005. Vince Hall actually started 12 games in 2004, Adibi played almost 200 snaps on defense despite a torn bicep, and we were returning 6 starters on D (including All-American Jimmy Williams), had Rouse, Powell, and Chris Ellis who had breakout potential, and we were getting a 5* freshman on Macho Harris.
I still think this year is closer to '97, with potential for a special next year or two.
Yeah, 2004 was the first year for those guys. Interesting piece of information...
In the 2004 USC game, we held that extremely potent Trojan offense in check until Adibi went out with that torn bicep. After that, Reggie Bush destroyed us out of the backfield.
I still have nightmares about Blake Warren trying to cover Bush on that wheel route.
Flag for offensive pass interference and thread hijack, walk yourself back to the OP thread topic.
love Trevon Hill's tweet
they sleeeeeping on uss......
That's the spirit!
Well at least nothing bad has ever happened when we were ranked 17th.
*Ducks*
Hey, that was 2016's curse.
Though, if we lose I am all for claiming it's back.
2008 and 2014 ECU I know for a fact, I know there are a few more in addition to the 3 2016 games, but would have to look it up
I was more referring to the Curse of 17 that affected all of college football most of that year:
https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/5cchbq/with_17_north_carolinas_los...
I'm sure if you look in the archives, you'll find that we have occasional poor results at most of the spots we've been ranked.