FSU?

[BlckNGldHwk]

How did FSU surge into the national title hunt this year? Didn't realize they were returning to the glory years.

Would love to face the noles I'm a bcs game this year!

 

[tm3308]

They're no different than Notre Dame, Nebraska or Michigan. The media yearns for the day when such teams return to their past glory. They're going to be good, but I don't see them as NC contenders this year.

 

[VintageHawkeye]

F$U won't even win the ACC.

 

[TecmoBowl]

I think its based off returning a lot of starters, and the perceived notion they will blaze through the ACC. That flame has burnt through college football, and now the writers think they beat OU and that sets up the stage to go undefeated.

 

[hawkeyescott]

How did FSU surge into the national title hunt this year? Didn't realize they were returning to the glory years.

Would love to face the noles I'm a bcs game this year!

How did Iowa surge into the national title hunt at this time last year?

 

[brett108]

I think its based off returning a lot of starters, and the perceived notion they will blaze through the ACC. That flame has burnt through college football, and now the writers think they beat OU and that sets up the stage to go undefeated.

They won't beat OU. Primarilly because everyone knows how good a QB Landry Jones is. How good is EJ Manuel? My guess is not good enough to beat a veteran QB that early in the season.

 

[tm3308]

How did Iowa surge into the national title hunt at this time last year?

By going 11-2 and winning the Orange Bowl. FSU went 10-4 and won the Chik-fil-A Bowl. Not exactly apples to apples.

 

[thejumper5]

The interesting thing is that if you national message boards, FSU fans don't really think they will be a player in the NC hunt. They think they should compete for an ACC title, but they think they are a year away.

 

[thejumper5]

By going 11-2 and winning the Orange Bowl. FSU went 10-4 and won the Chik-fil-A Bowl. Not exactly apples to apples.

But they beat 2 SEC teams, so those are pretty much double wins. They were basically a 12-win team.

 

[RADMAN]

They're no different than Notre Dame, Nebraska or Michigan. The media yearns for the day when such teams return to their past glory. They're going to be good, but I don't see them as NC contenders this year.

Wrong!! FSU is very good and does a great job recruiting. I would not be suprised to see them knock off OU. Even if they lose to OU, the will win at least 10 games. They are legit and Jimbo Fisher is a pretty good coach. Their D will be solid and if Manuel is as good as advertised they will win the ACC.

 

[tm3308]

Wrong!! FSU is very good and does a great job recruiting. I would not be suprised to see them knock off OU. Even if they lose to OU, the will win at least 10 games. They are legit and Jimbo Fisher is a pretty good coach. Their D will be solid and if Manuel is as good as advertised they will win the ACC.

And Notre Dame/Michigan suck in recruiting? Fail.

I didn't say they're going to be mediocre. But a top 5 team in the preseason? I'm just not buying them being THAT good yet. The big reason that they are that high is because the media wants them to be that good again. Just like how Notre Dame is always ranked in the preseason.

 

[ISUhawk]

They were 10-4 last year and beat South Carolina in a bowl last year. Their recruiting classes have been pretty good the last few years too! I bet they are pretty good

 

[olivecourt]

First of all, there's no sense in talking about a "national title hunt" until at least week 6 or so.

Second, you've got to find someone to put in the top 5. I don't think there's been a comparable year in my lifetime in which so many elite programs had such major problems in the off-season-- new coaches at Michigan, Florida, and Ohio State, allegations and suspensions at Miami, etc. Texas is coming off of a very tough year. USC is still on probation. No one really knows what to expect from Nebraska in the Big Ten. There is a lot of consensus around Alabama and Oklahoma, but after that I don't know that there's a team that anyone could guarantee you will win 9 games or more.

Third, there is a real sense that Florida State (having gone through there big turmoil last year with Bowden's retirement) is terrifically poised to fill the Florida vacuum. It got pretty bad during the last few years of the Bowden era in terms of attention to detail, etc., and they were kind of a sleeping giant. They've recruited well, they have a great coach, they have a lot of starters back, and even though they lost Ponder he was hurt so frequently that Manuel has experience.

Would I be shocked if they stunk against Oklahoma and ended up winning 7 or 8 games? Not really, but I also wouldn't be shocked if they beat or played close with Oklahoma and ran rampant in the ACC. Just a weird year to predict.

 

[kicker22]

Wrong!! FSU is very good and does a great job recruiting. I would not be suprised to see them knock off OU. Even if they lose to OU, the will win at least 10 games. They are legit and Jimbo Fisher is a pretty good coach. Their D will be solid and if Manuel is as good as advertised they will win the ACC.

The thing is that if they lose they will essentially be out of the NC hunt. I agree that they are more legit than Notre Dame and Michigan, but a one loss ACC team will most likely not play for a national championship.

 

[KKHawk1]

Its only a matter of time until their kicker misses a critical kick wide-right. History always repeats itself.

On another related note, did you know the term "wide right" has made its way into Wikipedia? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide_Right_I

 

[tm3308]

They were 10-4 last year and beat South Carolina in a bowl last year. Their recruiting classes have been pretty good the last few years too! I bet they are pretty good

Again, I never said they were mediocre. But it's no different than Tiger on the PGA tour, or the Yankees in MLB. There are certain programs/teams/players where the game just isn't the same unless they are in contention. Florida State, Notre Dame, and Michigan (among several other programs) are programs like that. Florida State hasn't been as bad as Notre Dame over the last decade or Michigan over the past couple years, but they haven't been in contention, either.

I think this year, the media is just jumping the gun a bit because Florida State is one of those programs that it's just weird if they aren't contending. They're going to be good, but I just don't see top-5 good.

I'm like many of their fans (according to an earlier poster): I think they're a year away from truly being Florida State again.

 

[RADMAN]

And Notre Dame/Michigan suck in recruiting? Fail.

I didn't say they're going to be mediocre. But a top 5 team in the preseason? I'm just not buying them being THAT good yet. The big reason that they are that high is because the media wants them to be that good again. Just like how Notre Dame is always ranked in the preseason.

Duh!! I didn't base my post on recruiting alone. They have taken a giant step up in coaching. Bowden hurt them the last few years of his coaching career and now they have a stable of good coaches. They are blessed with one of the most fertile recruiting grounds and they were very competitive last year. I have friends from FSU that watch Iowa games with me and in turn I watch FSU. We all hated Florida. They breakdown players and coaches just as we do and I felt I got a lot of good info on FSU over the summer. Who knows, maybe we will be in the hunt for a BCS bowl and maybe, if my friends and I have our way, Iowa will play FSU.

 

[olivecourt]

I think this year, the media is just jumping the gun a bit because Florida State is one of those programs that it's just weird if they aren't contending. They're going to be good, but I just don't see top-5 good.

I'm like many of their fans (according to an earlier poster): I think they're a year away from truly being Florida State again.

I am inclined do agree with a lot of your points, but which five teams would you put ahead of them in terms of pre-season rankings?

 

[tm3308]

I am inclined do agree with a lot of your points, but which five teams would you put ahead of them in terms of pre-season rankings?

In no particular order:

Oklahoma
Alabama
Oregon
Boise State
Stanford
LSU (pending the outcome of their arrests)

And I'd also give Oky State and Texas A&M some strong consideration.

I can see FSU sneaking into the top 10 with a bowl win, but like I said, I'm not seeing top-5 or better until next year.

 

[tm3308]

Duh!! I didn't base my post on recruiting alone. They have taken a giant step up in coaching. Bowden hurt them the last few years of his coaching career and now they have a stable of good coaches. They are blessed with one of the most fertile recruiting grounds and they were very competitive last year. I have friends from FSU that watch Iowa games with me and in turn I watch FSU. We all hated Florida. They breakdown players and coaches just as we do and I felt I got a lot of good info on FSU over the summer. Who knows, maybe we will be in the hunt for a BCS bowl and maybe, if my friends and I have our way, Iowa will play FSU.

You see to think that because I don't feel FSU is a top-5 team this year, I must think they're just awful. That's not the case, and I've said as much several times now. Being a top-15 team is hardly something to sneeze at. Which is what I'm expecting from FSU this season (anywhere between 10-15). NEXT season is when I see them taking that next step.