Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
- long green
- Cornerstone
- Posts: 29134
- Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:34 am
- Location: New Orleans
Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
I think I might have picked Arizona last year but I know I singled out Arkansas as a possible surprise team so good job me.
This is a smidge early for this year but hey! Two weeks from tomorrow there is real college football on TV! Miami and Florida. It’s like having the Kickoff Classic back. That’s not the only game that day, either.
My favorite surprise pick for this year is Minnesota. That’s a vote of confidence in P.J. Fleck, who is starting his 3rd year there. They got better as last year went on (they did have some letdowns) and they were playing a lot of young guys late last year. This year they should have the traditional Gopher hot start but the league schedule gives them five home games with one of the four roadies being Rutgers, who Minny did not play last year. That’s a manageable division with Wisconsin receding from “national contender” status.
If I had to pick a runner-up I’d pick Washington. I think they may upgrade from their long-time QB with Jacob Eason and though they have to replace a lot of guys on defense Chris Peterson has his program going. They also get a slightly easier start to this year to get Eason and the new defenders going.
So bet heavily against both UMinn and UDub this year.
This is a smidge early for this year but hey! Two weeks from tomorrow there is real college football on TV! Miami and Florida. It’s like having the Kickoff Classic back. That’s not the only game that day, either.
My favorite surprise pick for this year is Minnesota. That’s a vote of confidence in P.J. Fleck, who is starting his 3rd year there. They got better as last year went on (they did have some letdowns) and they were playing a lot of young guys late last year. This year they should have the traditional Gopher hot start but the league schedule gives them five home games with one of the four roadies being Rutgers, who Minny did not play last year. That’s a manageable division with Wisconsin receding from “national contender” status.
If I had to pick a runner-up I’d pick Washington. I think they may upgrade from their long-time QB with Jacob Eason and though they have to replace a lot of guys on defense Chris Peterson has his program going. They also get a slightly easier start to this year to get Eason and the new defenders going.
So bet heavily against both UMinn and UDub this year.
And may our enemies, if they exist, be unconscious of our purpose. - From The Lady Vanishes
- MNAlum
- Coach Level
- Posts: 2038
- Joined: Wed Jul 21, 2004 8:42 am
- Location: Denver. CO and St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... definitely
FYI, MN QB vying for starting spot out for possibly the season.
FYI, MN QB vying for starting spot out for possibly the season.
- tulaneoutlaw
- Regent's Circle
- Posts: 8895
- Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:49 pm
- Location: Greeneville, TN
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Baylor under Matt Rhule has quietly been building. They might surprise some folks.
Virginia is my pick to win that side of the ACC. Their QB Perkins is pretty good.
Virginia is my pick to win that side of the ACC. Their QB Perkins is pretty good.
- GreenieBacker
- Emerald Circle
- Posts: 20886
- Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: New Orleans
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Baylor is on the cusp, but may still be a year away. Rhule is a good fit for them though........
A magic dwells in each beginning- H.H.
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
I have two picks for this year - Utah and Kentucky. Both should be very good defensively.
- tulaneoutlaw
- Regent's Circle
- Posts: 8895
- Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:49 pm
- Location: Greeneville, TN
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
tjtlja wrote:I have two picks for this year - Utah and Kentucky. Both should be very good defensively.
Utah has been a media darling this offseason. I wouldn't really consider them a surprise as they are picked to win the Pac-12 South again this year, but I agree they could have a special season.
Kentucky was great last year, but they lost a ton including three of their best defenders to the draft. If they win big again it would be a big surprise to me and I would bet success comes from improved offense as much as their defense.
- long green
- Cornerstone
- Posts: 29134
- Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:34 am
- Location: New Orleans
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Baylor is a solid pick.tulaneoutlaw wrote:Baylor under Matt Rhule has quietly been building. They might surprise some folks.
Virginia is my pick to win that side of the ACC. Their QB Perkins is pretty good.
And may our enemies, if they exist, be unconscious of our purpose. - From The Lady Vanishes
- Rotorooter
- President's Circle
- Posts: 4933
- Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2004 7:33 pm
- Location: Marietta, GA
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
I think Wisconsin will at least surprise you !! Thinking ball control & men in trenches.long green wrote:I think I might have picked Arizona last year but I know I singled out Arkansas as a possible surprise team so good job me.
This is a smidge early for this year but hey! Two weeks from tomorrow there is real college football on TV! Miami and Florida. It’s like having the Kickoff Classic back. That’s not the only game that day, either.
My favorite surprise pick for this year is Minnesota. That’s a vote of confidence in P.J. Fleck, who is starting his 3rd year there. They got better as last year went on (they did have some letdowns) and they were playing a lot of young guys late last year. This year they should have the traditional Gopher hot start but the league schedule gives them five home games with one of the four roadies being Rutgers, who Minny did not play last year. That’s a manageable division with Wisconsin receding from “national contender” status.
If I had to pick a runner-up I’d pick Washington. I think they may upgrade from their long-time QB with Jacob Eason and though they have to replace a lot of guys on defense Chris Peterson has his program going. They also get a slightly easier start to this year to get Eason and the new defenders going.
So bet heavily against both UMinn and UDub this year.
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
SI weighs in after 4 weeks:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb ... spartanntp
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb ... spartanntp
Max Meyer
I’ll go with an under-the-radar pick: SMU. The Mustangs went 5–7 in Sonny Dykes’s first full season as head coach, and scored at least 30 points four times. SMU has scored at least 37 points in all four games this season, with the most recent being a 41–38 road win over No. 25 TCU. In fact, this is the first time that SMU has started 4–0 in 36 years. Texas transfer Shane Buechele has looked sharp thus far, as his 8.8 YPA is the same as his former teammate Sam Ehlinger down in Austin. A tough road game at Memphis looms, but without UCF on the schedule, SMU is a threat to contend in the AAC.
Victory is never permanent
- GreenieBacker
- Emerald Circle
- Posts: 20886
- Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: New Orleans
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
So is Baylor the biggest surprise? Currently undefeated and ranked above Texas. Not sure anybody saw that coming. And SMU, as much as I hate them, would be another candidate still not sure how they're doing it.
A magic dwells in each beginning- H.H.
- tulaneoutlaw
- Regent's Circle
- Posts: 8895
- Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:49 pm
- Location: Greeneville, TN
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
I did, about 8 posts up. I agree SMU has been a big surprise so far. The other biggie is Minnesota which now has the inside track in the Big Ten west. It probably won't last but still a good story.GreenieBacker wrote:So is Baylor the biggest surprise? Currently undefeated and ranked above Texas. Not sure anybody saw that coming. And SMU, as much as I hate them, would be another candidate still not sure how they're doing it.
- GreenieBacker
- Emerald Circle
- Posts: 20886
- Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: New Orleans
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
outlaw you're right, Baylor was your pick. I thought they were still a year away. But I was thinking nationally, not sure the national pundits saw that coming.
Baylor has a terrific QB in Charlie Brewer that has really sparked their Offense. Brewer, BTW, is from Austin, comes from a Texas Longhorn family but never got a scholarship offer from Texas which is how he ended up at Baylor.
As for SMU maybe I'm a cynic but I wonder if there isn't something behind the scenes fueling their big turnaround.
Baylor has a terrific QB in Charlie Brewer that has really sparked their Offense. Brewer, BTW, is from Austin, comes from a Texas Longhorn family but never got a scholarship offer from Texas which is how he ended up at Baylor.
As for SMU maybe I'm a cynic but I wonder if there isn't something behind the scenes fueling their big turnaround.
A magic dwells in each beginning- H.H.
- PeteRasche
- Cornerstone
- Posts: 30949
- Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:52 am
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- GreenieBacker
- Emerald Circle
- Posts: 20886
- Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: New Orleans
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Radical out of nowhere turnarounds usually require radical measures
A magic dwells in each beginning- H.H.
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Minnesota.
Next question
Next question
Using big words is not a personal attack
#cousins don't count
#cousins don't count
- GreenieBacker
- Emerald Circle
- Posts: 20886
- Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: New Orleans
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Well I guess Minnesota is for real. They beat a very good PSU team.
A magic dwells in each beginning- H.H.
- GreenieBacker
- Emerald Circle
- Posts: 20886
- Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: New Orleans
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
And not to be out done, Baylor beats an average TCU team in 3 OT’s to go 9-0.
A magic dwells in each beginning- H.H.
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
TCU got frick on that overturn in OTGreenieBacker wrote:And not to be out done, Baylor beats an average TCU team in 3 OT’s to go 9-0.
Using big words is not a personal attack
#cousins don't count
#cousins don't count
- GreenieBacker
- Emerald Circle
- Posts: 20886
- Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: New Orleans
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
I hate TCU so screw them. Felt a little sorry for PSU. So does either Minnesota or PSU play Ohio State during the regular season?
A magic dwells in each beginning- H.H.
- tulaneoutlaw
- Regent's Circle
- Posts: 8895
- Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 10:49 pm
- Location: Greeneville, TN
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Psu has to. Same division. Minnesota does not. They have @Iowa @Northwestern and Wisconsin leftGreenieBacker wrote:I hate TCU so screw them. Felt a little sorry for PSU. So does either Minnesota or PSU play Ohio State during the regular season?
- TUPF
- Emerald Circle
- Posts: 21455
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2004 11:36 am
- Location: Maryland Eastern Shore & sometimes Philly
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Never. Had to put up with way too many JoePa PennStaters throughout the years who still felt like Sandusky was fake news.GreenieBacker wrote:Felt a little sorry for PSU.
Fan since 1974 living in Phelps seeing the upper bowl of Tulane Stadium
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Why do you hate them?GreenieBacker wrote:I hate TCU so screw them. Felt a little sorry for PSU. So does either Minnesota or PSU play Ohio State during the regular season?
Using big words is not a personal attack
#cousins don't count
#cousins don't count
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Just finished whipping Texas, 24-10 (Texas TD came with :01 left). Going to the Big 12 title game.GreenieBacker wrote:So is Baylor the biggest surprise? Currently undefeated and ranked above Texas. Not sure anybody saw that coming.
Victory is never permanent
- GreenieBacker
- Emerald Circle
- Posts: 20886
- Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:53 am
- Location: New Orleans
Re: Biggest Surprise in College Football 2019
Rhule has really done an amazing job and he took a massive train wreck of a Program
A magic dwells in each beginning- H.H.