Phil Steele's Preseason Rankings

[Scott4USC]

Coug LJ

I just read an article where the WSU AD wanted to find an elite OOC opponent and nobody wanted to play WSU. He was turned down by everyone and they all said WSU was too good. However, Auburn said we will play you but only at AU. WSU AD said no way, I want h/a series and AU said NOPE and told the WSU AD they would poney up more $$$ to WSU so AU wouldn't have to travel to WSU.

The WSU AD said he had no choice but to accept, it was either play @AU or schedule nobody or even a div. 1aa team. NO other high profile teams wanted any part of WSU. So the exposer of playing @AU and the $$$ outweighed scheudling a softy.

 

[CWood97]

Playing a bunch of mediocre teams with a few of those games on the road does not make for a top 30 SOS. USC doesn't have a single game against an elite program this year, all the other contenders do.

I'm not saying it was planned this way, or USC intended to play such a weak schedule. But facts are facts: they don't play anyone of consequence this year. The toughest games are Oregon, ASU and ND. You MIGHT have one top 20 team out of those three come the end of the season. Cal lost the everything but their coach. Arkansas is a bottom half SEC team. Fresno? Hawaii? the WAC? UCLA hasn't fielded a good team since Toledo Bob's Circus left town.

Regarding UM turning down USC for the kickoff classic, I follow UM as close as anyone and I never heard a peep of this. I'm calling BS on this one. Got a link Scott?

 

[Master Capper]

how can you even rate strength of opponents when the season has not even started and Scott's theory on quality opponents is chalk full of holes and is purely speculative, as each of the teams he rates as quality all have question marks next to them.

USC Schedule

Hawaill-rebuilding year on offense and defense was the worst in the country at stopping the run.

Ark-Lost QB as well as multiple skill position players.

Oreg-Straddling 500% over the last 3 years and the offensive line was one of the worst in the country last year.

ASU-You can't forget the last time we expected big things out of ASU in 2003 and they finished at 5-6.

Zona-No chance at USC, the Cats are two more recruiting classes away from being on solid footing.

ND-One of the worst defensive backfields in the country and will have to win games with large offensive outputs.

Wash-Fallen giant that is at least three years away from being whole again.

WSU-Wont win at SO. Cal, have some good offensive weapons but very thin on the defensive side of the ball.

Stanford-Harris will put his mark on the offense but the offense completely lacks any running game and while the defense IMO is the most physical in the PAC 10 they lack the personnel to stay with USC.

Cal-Play one of the weakest OOC schedules in the country so their record could be deceptive coming into this game. Lost multiple skill position players so will be quite green.

Fresno-More than likely they wont win their own league so to think they would be USC would be quite a leap of faith.

UCLA-One of the least physical teams in the country as they can be manhandled in the trenches by physical teams. This will be the best UCLA team that Dorrell has put on the field but he has yet to have a winning season and very well could be canned with anything less than 8-3.

 

[Scott4USC]

Playing a bunch of mediocre teams with a few of those games on the road does not make for a top 30 SOS. ?

That is where we differ. You think majority of them are mediocre. I don't!

USC doesn't have a single game against an elite program this year, all the other contenders do.

I AGREE!

I'm not saying it was planned this way, or USC intended to play such a weak schedule. But facts are facts: they don't play anyone of consequence this year.

In terms of National Championship contenders? Then I agree. In terms of quality opponents? Then I strong disagree!

The toughest games are Oregon, ASU and ND.

You think those 3 are the toughest for USC and ALL 3 are on the road!

You MIGHT have one top 20 team out of those three come the end of the season. Cal lost the everything but their coach. Arkansas is a bottom half SEC team. Fresno? Hawaii? the WAC? UCLA hasn't fielded a good team since Toledo Bob's Circus left town.

WINS/LOSSES get you ranked in the top 25. Majority of the voters are from the east coast. Facts are facts! I don't put much emphasis in top 25 rankings especially when USC is the only team the east coast respects. (not talking about just about recent years)

Regarding UM turning down USC for the kickoff classic, I follow UM as close as anyone and I never heard a peep of this. I'm calling BS on this one. Got a link Scott?

I read it in the paper. I am sure other posters on here can remember reading it or remember me talking about it last year. I know I mentioned it last year on MJ's prior to USC playing V-Tech. I might have even posted the link. Unfortunately I don't save articles or links to things I read a year ago. USC contacted Miami and OU to come play @USC. USC was looking for 2 teams to fill in 2 open dates. The other date USC wanted Michigan for the BCA classic and UM said no, even after USC said they be willing to play @MICHIGAN.

 

[The Judge]

6 road games!
4 road games against quality teams!
@Oregon, @CAL, @ASU, @ND :scared

All four of these teams ARE NOT ?quality opponents?!!!

I might argue that USC has the toughest road games in all of CFB. Who plays 6 road games this year? Who plays 4/6 road games against quality opponents?

You might attempt to make this argument but you would be wrong.

Tennessee plays five road games against Florida, LSU, Alabama, Notre Dame and Kentucky.

Texas plays five road games against Ohio State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Baylor and Texas A&M plus Oklahoma in Dallas.

Texas A&M plays five road games at Clemson, Colorado, Kansas State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.

Boston College plays five road games at BYU, Clemson, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Maryland.

Fresno State plays six road games at Oregon, New Mexico State, Idaho, Hawaii, USC and Nevada.

Georgia Tech plays only four road games but they are against Auburn, Virginia Tech, Miami and Virginia.

Colorado plays five road games at Miami, Oklahoma State, Texas, Kansas State and Iowa State.

New Mexico plays six road games at Missouri, UTEP, TCU, Wyoming, San Diego State and Utah. :scared

I would even prefer to play USC?s road schedule to that of Bowling Green:
Wisconsin, Ball State, Boise State, Buffalo, Kent State and Miami Ohio. :joke:

 

[Scott4USC]

The Judge

All four of these teams ARE NOT ?quality opponents?!!!

I strongly disagree.


You listed 8 teams you think have a tougher road schedule than USC. We all know winning on the road is so much tougher than winning at home. Factoring in how many road games and who they are playing on the road compared to USC...........

*TN has a much tougher road schedule than USC.

*Texas is prob. tougher especially if you factor OU in neutral place.

*USC has a tougher road schedule than Texas A&M

*BC is on par with USC's road schedule. I can flip flop on that.

*USC has a tougher road schedule than FSU.

*Georgia Tech has a tougher road schedule than USC even though its only 4 games.

*Colorado has a tougher road schedule than USC.

*USC has a tougher road schedule than New Mexico.

You found 8 teams you think have a tougher road schedule when combining # of away games and opponents. (there might be more than 8) On your list of 8 teams I think only 4 have a tougher "road" schedule than USC. Thanks for looking it up and posting it. You are an intelligent person and I enjoy interacting with you. Good post!

Point is, USC has one of the toughest road schedules of all of College Football. That alone should put USC in the top 30 SOS. That means USC is in the top 30% in CFB in terms of pre season SOS. I am not talking top 10 but top 30! Now if you swap USC's home games with their road games, USC might now have a top 60 SOS. Playing on the road makes a HUGE difference. Always easier to win at home.

 

[CWood97]

I read it in the paper. I am sure other posters on here can remember reading it or remember me talking about it last year. I know I mentioned it last year on MJ's prior to USC playing V-Tech. I might have even posted the link. Unfortunately I don't save articles or links to things I read a year ago. USC contacted Miami and OU to come play @USC. USC was looking for 2 teams to fill in 2 open dates. The other date USC wanted Michigan for the BCA classic and UM said no, even after USC said they be willing to play @MICHIGAN.

I know people very close to the UM program and this would have been a topic of discussion with them. It also would have been all over the premium Rivals board which I frequent.

As I said before, BS.

 

[TimmyE]

As much as I enjoy reading this, (so please keep it up) its ridiculous to even think you can tell how tough someone's schedule is before the season. It would be one thing if every team on your schedule was like Baylor, but most teams we don't know how good they'll be. If we did, we'd all be rich betting on futures right now of who will win the NC.

Was anyone saying last year at this time after Auburn went 8-5 that they'd go undefeated? I doubt it, unless you were an Auburn fan.

Would anyone have thought that UTEP would finish in the top 25? I would have guessed they'd lose over half their games, even with Price.

Nobody knows if Oregon or ND is gonna go 10-2 or 2-10 until we actually see them play a couple games.