USA Today College Football Countdown | No. 80: Louisiana Tech

[Greenrex]

I'm beginning to think that they straight out forgot about us. I love me some UNT football, but there is no way I would rank a team not in the power 5 higher than 70 if they lost 6 of their front 7 on D, much less if they lost their starting QB, RB, and 2 WRs to go along with it.

That would be pretty embarrassing if they actually left us out of the countdown.

You may be on to something here.

[LongJim]

I'm beginning to think that they straight out forgot about us. I love me some UNT football, but there is no way I would rank a team not in the power 5 higher than 70 if they lost 6 of their front 7 on D, much less if they lost their starting QB, RB, and 2 WRs to go along with it.

I am beginning to think the same.

[Harry]

Why must we always take good news and turn it into piss water? If they did forget us -- and I highly doubt they did - then I will be the first to jump off the bridge. The more likely scenario is they saw us finish strong last year with a bowl and 9-win season, played #10 at the time Georgia tough and have bought into what Mac is doing with the program. They are not going to rearrange their list to put us back 10 spots folks. It ain't going to happen.

It amazes me sometimes what a decade of futility can do to ones self esteem. You need to believe in Mac. He is taking us to the promised land! GMG!

[pastorgrant]

Why must we always take good news and turn it into piss water? If they did forget us -- and I highly doubt they did - then I will be the first to jump off the bridge. The more likely scenario is they saw us finish strong last year with a bowl and 9-win season, played #10 at the time Georgia tough and have bought into what Mac is doing with the program. They are not going to rearrange their list to put us back 10 spots folks. It ain't going to happen.

It amazes me sometimes what a decade of futility can do to ones self esteem. You need to believe in Mac. He is taking us to the promised land! GMG!

This. Thank you, Harry.

[LongJim]

This. Thank you, Harry.

Why must we always take good news and turn it into piss water? If they did forget us -- and I highly doubt they did - then I will be the first to jump off the bridge. The more likely scenario is they saw us finish strong last year with a bowl and 9-win season, played #10 at the time Georgia tough and have bought into what Mac is doing with the program. They are not going to rearrange their list to put us back 10 spots folks. It ain't going to happen.

It amazes me sometimes what a decade of futility can do to ones self esteem. You need to believe in Mac. He is taking us to the promised land! GMG!

Sagarin (USA Today) had UNT ranked #63 after the bowl in January.

Hey, I'm all for UNT being ranked even higher than #70 considering what they lost, but it would be a surprise, frankly. I don't consider that making piss-water.

[GOMG2013]

So far only 7 teams with winning records have been listed. The rest were 6-6 or less.

Winning records

Vandy 9-4

Syracuse 7-6

Buffalo 8-5

Bos coll 7-6

Wku 8-4

ODU 8-4

UNLV 7-5

I would not rank many teams that have been listed ahead of us. Vandy is a surprise, but they lose a lot like us.

Welcome to winning fellas. I guess it makes a lot of difference. Returning players means nothing if the team is losing.

[GrayEagle]

Well, we're not #73 either. Their first opponent in 2014 was their second opponent in their inaugural season. UTSA?

[MeanGreenD]

Well, we're not #73 either. Their first opponent in 2014 was their second opponent in their inaugural season. UTSA?

Nope, doesn't lineup with the schedule on ESPN no matter which one you consider inaugural. Played UH in 2013 but was 4th game for UTSA.

[Harry]

I bet we are 72

[GrayEagle]

We shouldn't get giddy yet. Realize that if we are below 64 then we are in the bottom half.

[oldguystudent]

We shouldn't get giddy yet. Realize that if we are below 64 then we are in the bottom half.

I counted once. In a span of 43 games, we were in the ESPN Bottom Ten 27 times. TWENTY SEVEN! That doesn't include the times we were on the waiting list. I'll take bottom half approaching the median. That's a helluva leap.

[Greendylan]

I counted once. In a span of 43 games, we were in the ESPN Bottom Ten 27 times. TWENTY SEVEN! That doesn't include the times we were on the waiting list. I'll take bottom half approaching the median. That's a helluva leap.

Very true. And, for those who think this list is being unusually forgiving to the good old Mean and Green, keep in mind that he very well may still place us below both UTSA and Rice. Predicting us to finish third in the West and fifth overall in CUSA seems plausible, no?

These write-ups are pretty meaty and well-informed. I too was surprised to see Vanderbilt appear before North Texas, considering the similarities in record and personnel losses shared by the two. But, if you notice, he places a heavy emphasis on the coaching change and consequent whole-scale shift in defensive philosophy as being the factors that will hinder Vandy even more than their player turnover.

[golfingomez]

I counted once. In a span of 43 games, we were in the ESPN Bottom Ten 27 times. TWENTY SEVEN! That doesn't include the times we were on the waiting list. I'll take bottom half approaching the median. That's a helluva leap.

checking the effing bottom ten every week used to be the most depressing thing ever... especially when you realized that any time we were on the waiting list was probably due to the fact that they had some better team in there for a comic reason

[greenminer]

checking the effing bottom ten every week used to be the most depressing thing ever... especially when you realized that any time we were on the waiting list was probably due to the fact that they had some better team in there for a comic reason

I think they reserved the 5 spot for a AQ school that had a really really humiliating week.

[UNT90]

Texas week 1?

[oldguystudent]

Texas week 1?

Eh, they've probably got some contractual agreement between the LongWhorn Network and ESPN to never put them on the list.

[Harry]

#73 is Colorado State

HINT: Who's No. 72? This football program's first career win came against a school which counts among its many alumni an NFL linebacker who made 8.5 sacks in 2013.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/06/20/colorado-state-rams-2014-countdown-preview-roster-depth-chart-schedule-football-four/11032647/

[Christopher Walker]

#73 is Colorado State

HINT: Who's No. 72? This football program's first career win came against a school which counts among its many alumni an NFL linebacker who made 8.5 sacks in 2013.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/06/20/colorado-state-rams-2014-countdown-preview-roster-depth-chart-schedule-football-four/11032647/

So who wants to troll through historical records to find a school whose first career win was against either Texas A&M, Penn State, Virginia, Purdue, or Missouri?

[Greenrex]

South Alabama #72

[Harry]

South Alabama #72

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/06/21/south-alabama-jaguars-2014-countdown-preview-roster-depth-chart-schedule/11209095/

Honestly I was surprised to see South Alabama this high! Paul seems to think they could win the Belt.

Here's the hint for #71: Who's No. 71? This program is 9-10 since last earning a national ranking.

[letsgiveacheer]

This is all very interesting. I suspect I am not the only one who has seen the USA Today Football Preview magazine. In this, we are ranked 84 if I recall correctly. You would think there would be some consistency between the magazine and paper.

Edited June 21, 2014 by letsgiveacheer

[GOMG2013]

This is all very interesting. I suspect I am not the only one who has seen the USA Today Football Preview magazine. In this, we are ranked 84 if I recall correctly. You would think there would be some consistency between the magazine and paper.

correct. It had us at 84.

Edited June 22, 2014 by GOMG2013

[GrayEagle]

No doubt two different writers and two different situations. I believe that the magazine writers won't rate P5 members very low in order to sell magazines. Most buyers browse before they buy and if their team is ranked low they tend not to buy. In my opinion it's much like Rivals who gives the P5 recruits 3 stars. Paul Myerburg, who writes the blog,is likely not under pressure because his articles are spread out over months and people don't get upset as much. Myerburg's articles are much more thorough and I believe that his assessment is more nearly correct. For example, at the end of last year he had us ranked #55. Massey's average of 120 computer prognosticators was also #55.

It is looking more and more like we'll be in the 60s. I believe that can be attributed more to Dan McCarney and his staff.

[Christopher Walker]

Aaaaaaaaaand, No.71 is Ohio.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/06/23/ohio-bobcats-2014-countdown-preview-roster-depth-chart-schedule-football-four/11263211/

And I'm not even going to try and figure this one out:

Who's No. 70? During the last 10 years, this program is a combined 14-20 in seasons when it allows less than 300 points.

[greenminer]

I'm not a statistician, but I'm pretty sure we have never allowed more than 300 points.