Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

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long green
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Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by long green »

OK, time to begin the hard work of bad predictions for this season.

My pick this year is Arizona. I expect them not to win their conference but to be solid and possibly win their division. UCLA is a year away under Kelly and I don’t trust USC’s coach (nor do any USC fans). Arizona has the most exciting player in the PAC 12, a manageable non-con slate, five home conference games, and they avoid the two best teams in the other division (UW & Stanford). If Sumlin was not the greatest hire he is not some left-field weirdness like the hire made by UA’s in-state rival. Sumlin has a track record of doing well with inherited QB’s so there you go.

I would nominate Arkansas as a hedge pick. They also have a slightly softer schedule and bring back a lot of good players. I also like that they will be doing something similar to what worked for them under Bobby Petrino as opposed to being unable to recruit a defense that can make a power running offense stand up.
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by Johnny Mac »

going to be hard to argue with Arizona for all of the reasons you mention

not sure it's going to be a "surprise" but Kiffin is going to steamroll CUSA this year
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by Poseidon »

Iowa. Always a good bet. Beyond that what exactly do you mean by surprise team. Surprise top 10 team, playoff team, conference champs, or just big turnaround going from loser to winner?
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by long green »

Poseidon wrote:Iowa. Always a good bet. Beyond that what exactly do you mean by surprise team. Surprise top 10 team, playoff team, conference champs, or just big turnaround going from loser to winner?
It's a subjective topic, so subject away.
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by Poseidon »

long green wrote:
Poseidon wrote:Iowa. Always a good bet. Beyond that what exactly do you mean by surprise team. Surprise top 10 team, playoff team, conference champs, or just big turnaround going from loser to winner?
It's a subjective topic, so subject away.
Big Ten:1/4 Years Iowa surprises. They are due.
ACC: Duke, will finish 2nd in their Divison behind Miami and have one big upset.
Big 12: TTU. will have a top 4 finish in the big 12 and a big upset.
PAC 12: UCLA. will win the South.
SEC: Ole Miss. They will win 8 games and upset a top 15 team.
AAC: Memphis. They will run the table or finish with just one loss.
Last edited by Poseidon on Fri Aug 24, 2018 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by Roller »

Of course, I'll stick with an undefeated Tulane, for now.
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

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long green wrote:
Poseidon wrote:Iowa. Always a good bet. Beyond that what exactly do you mean by surprise team. Surprise top 10 team, playoff team, conference champs, or just big turnaround going from loser to winner?
It's a subjective topic, so subject away.
I'm thinking Nebraska !!
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by tulaneoutlaw »

TTU is a bold pick Poseidon. I don't see it, so it would certainly surprise me. I would believe Memphis with one loss before that one.

Mississippi St. will be really good this year. Wouldn't shock me to see them beat Bama. I'll take North Carolina to make a bowl as a surprise.
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by Fan Since '54 »

Roller wrote:Of course, I'll stick with an undefeated Tulane, for now.
Well, to start off, this selection is not a surprise. And while Tulane is undefeated (and winless also...see the following) as of now, so is everyone else. And since we're talking of surprises, well, a suprise would also include teams that move into a surprise in the opposite direction. So, I'll give y'all a my (non) surprise in honor of Roller's choice. LSU...2-10 would be a pleasent surprise for the school upriver. Oh wait, in honor of Roller's choice I guess I better go all the way . 0-12. :roll:

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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by Poseidon »

tulaneoutlaw wrote:TTU is a bold pick Poseidon. I don't see it, so it would certainly surprise me. I would believe Memphis with one loss before that one.

Mississippi St. will be really good this year. Wouldn't shock me to see them beat Bama. I'll take North Carolina to make a bowl as a surprise.
Reading my post again, it was misleading. I meant top 4 finish in Big 12, not overall. I will edit that. That said I think a top 4 finish in the big 12 would still be a surprise.
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by tulaneoutlaw »

Poseidon wrote:
tulaneoutlaw wrote:TTU is a bold pick Poseidon. I don't see it, so it would certainly surprise me. I would believe Memphis with one loss before that one.

Mississippi St. will be really good this year. Wouldn't shock me to see them beat Bama. I'll take North Carolina to make a bowl as a surprise.
Reading my post again, it was misleading. I meant top 4 finish in Big 12, not overall. I will edit that. That said I think a top 4 finish in the big 12 would still be a surprise.
That's how I took it. I didn't think you meant top 4 nationally. I agree, that would be a big surprise and would certainly move Kingsbury off the hot seat.
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by long green »

Poseidon wrote:
long green wrote:
Poseidon wrote:Iowa. Always a good bet. Beyond that what exactly do you mean by surprise team. Surprise top 10 team, playoff team, conference champs, or just big turnaround going from loser to winner?
It's a subjective topic, so subject away.
Big Ten:1/4 Years Iowa surprises. They are due.
ACC: Duke, will finish 2nd in their Divison behind Miami and have one big upset.
Big 12: TTU. will have a top 4 finish in the big 12 and a big upset.
PAC 12: UCLA. will win the South.
SEC: Ole Miss. They will win 8 games and upset a top 15 team.
AAC: Memphis. They will run the table or finish with just one loss.
Iowa does have an experienced QB so they could surprise people.
Duke also has a veteran QB but I think 2nd is ambitious.
UCLA’s new QB would have to be a blockbuster for them to win the South, IMO.
TTech and Ole Miss play each other in the opener so the loser will be up against it early. Ole Miss is more settled at QB and has a killer set of starting WR’s.
Memphis has the schedule to run the table if the QB is good but I can’t see them repeating last year’s production and execution.

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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by Poseidon »

long green wrote:
Poseidon wrote:
long green wrote:
Poseidon wrote:Iowa. Always a good bet. Beyond that what exactly do you mean by surprise team. Surprise top 10 team, playoff team, conference champs, or just big turnaround going from loser to winner?
It's a subjective topic, so subject away.
Big Ten:1/4 Years Iowa surprises. They are due.
ACC: Duke, will finish 2nd in their Divison behind Miami and have one big upset.
Big 12: TTU. will have a top 4 finish in the big 12 and a big upset.
PAC 12: UCLA. will win the South.
SEC: Ole Miss. They will win 8 games and upset a top 15 team.
AAC: Memphis. They will run the table or finish with just one loss.
Iowa does have an experienced QB so they could surprise people.
Duke also has a veteran QB but I think 2nd is ambitious.
UCLA’s new QB would have to be a blockbuster for them to win the South, IMO.
TTech and Ole Miss play each other in the opener so the loser will be up against it early. Ole Miss is more settled at QB and has a killer set of starting WR’s.
Memphis has the schedule to run the table if the QB is good but I can’t see them repeating last year’s production and execution.

Daring picks, all told.
So LG, do put put much stock in having a good QB?
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by long green »

Some teams surprise without an experienced, productive starter, but yeah. :lol:
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

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Fan Since '54 wrote:
Roller wrote:Of course, I'll stick with an undefeated Tulane, for now.
Well, to start off, this selection is not a surprise. And while Tulane is undefeated (and winless also...see the following) as of now, so is everyone else. And since we're talking of surprises, well, a suprise would also include teams that move into a surprise in the opposite direction. So, I'll give y'all a my (non) surprise in honor of Roller's choice. LSU...2-10 would be a pleasent surprise for the school upriver. Oh wait, in honor of Roller's choice I guess I better go all the way . 0-12. :roll:

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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by 1309th WAVE »

Mississippi State has the most talented roster they've ever had and a very smart offensive minded HC that will utilize it well. There's room to move up in the SEC West this year that has been hard to come by in recent years.
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by long green »

Boom! Can I pick them or what?
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

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long green wrote:Boom! Can I pick them or what?
Duke?
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by OGSB »

windywave wrote:
long green wrote:Boom! Can I pick them or what?
Duke?
Arizona? So pink it didn’t have to be pink
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by windywave »

OGSB wrote:
windywave wrote:
long green wrote:Boom! Can I pick them or what?
Duke?
Arizona? So pink it didn’t have to be pink
Duke isn't pink, they won today
Using big words is not a personal attack
#cousins don't count
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by OGSB »

windywave wrote:
OGSB wrote:
windywave wrote:
long green wrote:Boom! Can I pick them or what?
Duke?
Arizona? So pink it didn’t have to be pink
Duke isn't pink, they won today
But he started the thread saying his pick for biggest surprise is Arizona. They’re 0-2 and were never in the game with Houston.
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by tulaneoutlaw »

I said UNC would make a bowl. Oops
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

Post by Fan Since '54 »

Well, no one picked Boston College. But right now they are 3-0 while having scored 158 (52.7 ppg) and giving up 69 (23.0 ppg). Their schedule hasn't exactly been a murderers row, but at this point in time I give them the nod. But as we all know, " It's not how you drive, it's how you arrive".

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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

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Victory is never permanent
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Re: Biggest surprise team in college football for 2018?

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I didn’t have Northwestern winning the Big 10 West.
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