Way-Too-Early Top 25

rebeljim · Tue Jan 07, 2014 3:41 pm

20. Ole Miss Rebels
After going 8-5 this past season, Rebels coach Hugh Freeze can look forward to talented freshmen such as defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, safety Tony Conner and receiver Laquon Treadwell being older and wiser in 2014. Unfortunately, Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Texas A&M aren't leaving the SEC West anytime soon. Ole Miss will have to replace three starting offensive linemen as well as junior receiver Donte Moncrief, who announced he's turning pro. Quarterback Bo Wallace is coming back for his senior season, after throwing for 3,346 yards with 18 touchdowns this past season. The Rebels might lose only two defensive starters: end Cameron Whigham and linebacker Mike Marry. Ole Miss opens the season against Boise State in Atlanta and they'll play Alabama and Auburn at home. The Rebels will play difficult SEC road games at Texas A&M and LSU.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... 5-rankings

Early top 25 poll for 2014

No. 25 Ole Miss

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/b ... ,full.post

Rebchuck18 · Tue Jan 07, 2014 4:05 pm

I think that's about right. If anything maybe a little low given how many SEC teams will be breaking in new QBs.

Titles 'R Us · Tue Jan 07, 2014 7:14 pm

If Manziel comes out, we'll learn a lot about Sumlin. I am certain that A & M would have lost half-a-dozen or more additional games the last two years without him there, including the two he won by himself against Ole Miss in Oxford. So both A & M and LSU will be breaking in new QB's. Actually, so will 'Bama. As for Auburn, I grant you that Malzahn is a good coach and hire for Auburn, but there is no way they have the good fortune in so many games that they had last year. State, Georgia and 'Bama were all half an eyelash away from victories over them. I'm not saying that Auburn won't be good, but you don't get two miracle seasons in a row like the one they had this year.

Considering that our young talent this past year will have grown up considerably, I do think we'll be a tough out for anyone. Note that we will not be playing Georgia, Florida, South Carolina or Missouri from the East. We get Vandy and Tennessee. (Still waiting to see if Franklin stays at Vandy, BTW, and Tennessee was a very senior-heavy team last year. From an experience standpoint, they should definitely not be as good.

I expect Freeze and staff to continue the upward trend this fall and win at least 9 regular season games. I do not think that is an unreasonable expectation. It's time to realize that even though the SEC West is the toughest in the country, we may very well be one of the toughest in the West this fall. There is not a team in the West that we cannot compete with, and we showed that on the field this year. Close a couple more this fall that we let get away in 2013, and we're there. Upper tier.

mascott · Wed Jan 08, 2014 2:19 pm

Evans is leaving! Don't know if Manziel shouldn't be far behind. Unless he knows he has some quality receivers to take their place.
scott

rebeljim · Wed Jan 08, 2014 2:27 pm

mascott wrote:Evans is leaving! Don't know if Manziel shouldn't be far behind. Unless he knows he has some quality receivers to take their place.
scott

Report: Johnny Manziel chooses agency to represent him

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-foo ... ith-agents

A10Rebel · Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:01 pm

we don't need to be ranked, imo.

Rebchuck18 · Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:04 pm

I think being ranked gets us in the conversation, which helps in recruiting and other areas.

Titles 'R Us · Wed Jan 08, 2014 9:38 pm

LSU's top two WR's--Landry and Beckham, Jr. declared. So did lineman Ego Ferguson. With Mettenberger gone, their new QB won't have the same experience to throw to. I like our chances at LSU as usual.

RebnPhilly · Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:23 pm

Not that any of this matters but Mark Schlabach has revised his way-too-early Top 25 and now Ole Miss has been bumped out of the Top 25. He based the changes on coaching changes and underclassmen going pro. We had no coaching changes but are losing Moncrief although we should be well staffed at WR.

Titles 'R Us · Fri Jan 17, 2014 10:06 pm

What coaching changes would affect us negatively? Franklin leaving Vandy is a positive for us. Freeze's third year versus a new system for Vandy. Lane Kiffin was hired at 'Bama. I'm waiting to see how that works out, since I haven't seen a positive result yet for any program hiring him. At any rate, it's Saban that we haven't beaten, and he's still there, so I don't see how that changes anything. Georgia has a new DC, but we don't play them. What coaching changes is Schlabach referring to? LSU has again had some vital cogs declaring, whereas Moncrief was really our only early loss of consequence. But, as other posters have said, we're strong at WR. Not that being dropped out of a 'way-too-early' Top 25 is a big deal. I just don't see what Schlabach is talking about.

JustBlues · Sat Jan 18, 2014 12:31 pm

Coaching changes at other schools are neither positive nor negative for us. They do not affect how good we are.

Rebchuck18 · Sat Jan 18, 2014 1:43 pm

I think Schlabach's changes were for either coaching changes OR players leaving early and in our case with one of the best WRs in the conference leaving early he downgraded us slightly. Don't think it had anything to do with coaches at all.

Titles 'R Us · Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:02 pm

I think we can all agree that we were not a one-player wonder team with Moncrief this past year. Other players came into their own, and I see us being better all around with two more camps ahead.

JustBlues · Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:16 pm

Titles 'R Us wrote:I think we can all agree that we were not a one-player wonder team with Moncrief this past year. Other players came into their own, and I see us being better all around with two more camps ahead.

If Morris and Tunsil get healthy and the linemen stay healthy, it could be quite a year.