CFN's BCS Challengers

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

CFN's BCS Challengers

Ok, only two SEC teams in this mix, which means, yes, there will be four SEC teams in the Top Ten (LSU, UT, Florida and your Auburn Tigers.)

Here are the third place Division teams according to CFN. Take it for what it is worth.

One of the top four will be a complete bust. I am predicting that it will be LSU. UT will not be in the Top Ten at the end of the year, but they will recover next year.

Feel free to opine.

20. Alabama    2005 Record: 10-2

Why to get excited: The offense can’t be more lame, so it’s hard to think there will be much of a drop-off from QB Brodie Croyle to sophomore John Parker Wilson. The injury problems on the offensive line gave several players some experience, which will obviously come in handy this year. RB Ken Darby is a solid back to revolve the offensive around, while all the receivers return. The defense won’t be the same killer it was over the last few seasons, but it’ll hardly be bad. PK Jamie “Money†Christensen returns. The non-conference schedule is a flat-out joke playing Hawaii, UL Monroe, Duke and FIU.

Why to be grouchy: The offense have better show some improvement because the defense won’t be as good without LB DeMeco Ryans, FS Roman Harper, DE Mark Anderson, and several others. The SEC schedule is brutal with road trips to Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee and LSU.

Why Alabama isn’t listed among the national title contenders: The Tide could easily lose all four SEC road games. The defense won’t finish second in the nation in total D and first in scoring defense again.

Realistic, feet-on-the-ground, goal to shoot for: SEC West champions

The number one thing to work on is: Scoring. It’s a bit of a broken record as the team had to hear it over and over and over again last year, but the offense was able to move the ball well without actually putting a lot of points on the board. The punting game could improve after only netting 32.63 yards per boot.

Biggest offensive loss: QB Brodie Croyle

Biggest defensive loss: LB DeMeco Ryans

21. Georgia    2005 Record: 10-3

Why to get excited: The Dawgs have the second best returning backfield in America (behind Texas) with Thomas Brown, Danny Ware and others powering behind a patched up, but sure-to-be-solid line. No one is better at reloading than the Bulldogs who have athletes to burn at all positions. Playing Ole Miss and Mississippi State from the West is a major break, and Tennessee has to go to Athens. However …

Why to be grouchy: … the Dawgs have to go to Auburn and the non-conference slate isn’t a total breeze. There’s the opener against Western Kentucky before the road trip to South Carolina, and then there’s UAB, Colorado, and the season ender against Georgia Tech. Even though Georgia has decent replacements ready to step up, the talent loss is painful highlighted by the graduation of QB D.J. Shockley. OG Max Jean-Gilles, FS Greg Blue and TE Leonard Pope are just a few of the NFL bound Dawgs.

Why Georgia isn’t listed among the national title contenders: The schedule is a bit too tough and Joe Tereshinski isn’t D.J. Shockley. It’s asking way too much to win at South Carolina, Colorado, Tennessee, Florida, at Auburn, and Georgia Tech.

Realistic, feet-on-the-ground, goal to shoot for: SEC East champions

The number one thing to work on is: Getting more points. Even with the loss of Shockley, there’s way, way too much talent here for the offense to struggle as much as it has over the last few years. By struggle, that means not averaging well over 400 yards and around 35 points per game. Too often the O took a while to get revved up, and that proved deadly against West Virginia.

Biggest offensive loss: QB D.J. Shockley

Biggest defensive loss: FS Greg Blue

[WarTiger 3,901]

The SEC schedule is brutal with road trips to Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee and LSU.

They play OUR tigers In a place called Tuscaloser on Tommy Tuberville field...shouldn't this be a road game for them too..

[WarTim 3,456]

Let uat LOSE to one of those "easy-pushover" teams and flipper will be shown the door DURING the "season".

[WAR EAGLE!!! 0]

Ok, only two SEC teams in this mix, which means, yes, there will be four SEC teams in the Top Ten (LSU, UT, Florida and your Auburn Tigers.)

You think that UT will really be in the top ten after the disaster of last season?

[WarTiger 3,901]

Ok, only two SEC teams in this mix, which means, yes, there will be four SEC teams in the Top Ten (LSU, UT, Florida and your Auburn Tigers.)

You think that UT will really be in the top ten after the disaster of last season?

213972[/snapback]

Looks that way based on previous CFN postings...We haven't seen them ranked yet, so they must be...doesn't mean they will finish there...I don't see Florida finishing in the top 10 either... This love affair with UF is mind boggling to me...meyer has proven nothing, so i see no justification for a top 10 ranking to start the season..

[AWK 0]

I have an unholy fear of this preseason hyp crap after 2003, maybe i need to start some medication

[WarTiger 3,901]

when will they release 1-10??

[quietfan 233]

UGA:

I'm a little surprized at the defending conference champions being that low. I'd put in Georgia in the mid-teens, 13th-16th, at least. Sure Shockley is a big loss, but the same was said about David Greene when he left. As the article says itself: "No one is better at reloading than the Bulldogs who have athletes to burn at all positions". I'd certainly have to put Georgia above Tennessee.

[but then we don't know Tennessee 's going to end up in the Top-10 yet. However I have to agree with aupcola that I can't see UT being unranked so that makes you think they'll show up in the Top 10.]

...

UAT:

JP Wilson will not be a Brodie Croyle his first starting year, but it's hard to see how the Bama offense can go anywhere but up. IF, and it's a big if, Prothro makes it back by fall I don't see him being 100% his old self (perhaps in 2007 if he redshirts next fall--probably the smarter move for him, IMHO.) and I'm not sold on any of their other receivers. Still, surely their O-line will have learned something from experience. Whatever gains they might make on offense, though, their losses on defense will more than overshadow those gains. With their road schedule, 9 regular season wins out of 12 would be an amazing season, IMO. But 3 SEC losses, if they do that well, won't give them even a sniff at Atlanta.

So much for my $0.02...

[WarTiger 3,901]

UGA:

I'm a little surprized at the defending conference champions being that low.  I'd put in Georgia in the mid-teens, 13th-16th, at least.  Sure Shockley is a big loss, but the same was said about David Greene when he left.  As the article says itself: "No one is better at reloading than the Bulldogs who have athletes to burn at all positions".  I'd certainly have to put Georgia above Tennessee.

[but then we don't know Tennessee 's going to end up in the Top-10 yet. However I have to agree with aupcola that I can't see UT being unranked so that makes you think they'll show up in the Top 10.]

...

UAT:

JP Wilson will not be a Brodie Croyle his first starting year, but it's hard to see how the Bama offense can go anywhere but up.  IF, and it's a big if, Prothro makes it back by fall I don't see him being 100% his old self (perhaps in 2007 if he redshirts next fall--probably the smarter move for him, IMHO.) and I'm not sold on any of their other receivers. Still, surely their O-line will have learned something from experience.  Whatever gains they might make on offense, though, their losses on defense will more than overshadow those gains.  With their road schedule, 9 regular season wins out of 12 would be an amazing season, IMO.  But 3 SEC losses, if they do that well, won't give them even a sniff at Atlanta.

So much for my $0.02...

213990[/snapback]

The difference in UGA is that there isn't a QB that got any significant playing time except the one game Shockley missed.. When greene left, everybody knew Shockley already..they had seen him on the field quite a bit, and he had gotten valuable exposure... The QB they have coming in, is largely untested...Shockley had proven himself to be a quality QB.. Slink can probably answer better than this, but thats the way i see it..

[SouthLink02 8]

The same was said about Auburn's QB situation heading into 2005 and that didn't turn out too shabby

[AUChizad 0]

when will they release 1-10??

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

when will they release 1-10??

214011[/snapback]

Probably tomorrow.

[abrnfanatc 6]

The same was said about Auburn's QB situation heading into 2005 and that didn't turn out too shabby

214008[/snapback]

Yes, and it IS another Cox we are talking about.

The only possible difference IMO is that Brandon was a few years older with an extra year in the system than Joe will have going for him next year. I tend to agree though with quietfan, that they should be around 13 or so, and definitely should start ahead of Tennessee.

[SouthLink02 8]

The chances of Joe starting next year are very slim, imo.

Richt will continue to state that Joe T is the front runner but I think it will come down to Stafford and Cox with Barnes coming in 3rd.

[abrnfanatc 6]

Thanks for the info. I had assumed that Joe C. would be the one based on Tereshinsky's performance against UF.

Does that mean that you think Stafford would come in and beat out Cox for the job?

[SouthLink02 8]

I honestly don't know.

From what people tell us on the UGA boards, Cox destroyed 1st/2nd team D's all year long on the practice squad and has a chip on his shoulder about not being looked upon as a favorite...so he has been working his ass off so far this short off-season.

Blake Barnes was a 4-Star QB from Miss that will be a RS Sophmore next year but by all accounts he hasn't panned out in the least.

Stafford is All-This & That per recruiting rankings but fact is he is only 17-18 and has yet to play a down in college. He has the best arm I have ever seen for someone his age but so what? Every Internet UGA fan seems to think he will automatically pick up the starting job but I doubt it. Hell, I bet he struggles mightily at first....it is VERY rare to see true freshman just pick up a starting job at a major university. Chris Leak is a rare exception as are some others I am sure I am forgetting.