Sporting News Pre-Season Reports

[JackJD]

I just picked up the Sporting News COLLEGE FOOTBALL 08 magazine at the newsstand. The issue focuses mainly on FBS teams but the FCS teams get a lot of attention. There are also sections on lower levels and JUCOs. I turned to the Missouri Valley report (referred to as the Gateway but otherwise the information was up-to-date) and then I looked at the Great West Report.

The headline for the page devoted to the Gateway summary and the first few lines from the article:

Badlands invasion promises intrigue.

Wth two more formidable lions tossed into the cage, it figures to be even more difficult to emerge as king of the Gateway Conference jungle this season.

Having plucked heavyweights North Dakota State and South Dakota State from the Great West Conference, the Gateway lacks for neighter intrigue nor competitiveness in its first season as a nine-team league.

The Bison (No. 9) and Jackrabbits (No. 19) joined Southern Illinois (No. 3), Northern Iowa (No. 4) and Youngstown State (No. 16) to give the Gateway five top 20 teams from the final 2007 Football Championship Subdivision national rankings. With both North Dakota State and South Dakota State playoff-eligible for the first time, the Gateway's typically brutal quest to fashion a playoff-worthy resume gets decidedly more rugged.

....

The SDSU summary notes the 7-4 record from 2007 included "an impressive 29-24 victory that handed North Dakota State its lone loss." Athletes mentioned included QB Ryan Berry, WR Jaron Harris, tailback Kylke Minett.

The Sporting News predicts: 1. UNI; 2. NDSU; 3. YSU; 4. WIU; 5. SIU; 6. SDSU; 7. Illinois State; 8. Missouri State; and 9. Indiana State.

[JackJD]

Re: Sporting News Pre-Season Reports

Here's the headline and opening lines from the summary on the Great West Conference:

Will league survive Dakota St. exodus?

In just its fifth year of competition, the Great West Conference is already undergoing massibve changes. The two teams that finished at the top of the conference last year--North Dakota State and South Dakota State--have left for the Gateway Conference and have been replaced by North Dakota and South Dakota, which hope to field respectable teams but are not at the level of their departed state brethren.

The change won't be good for the conference's profile. Thel eague had made a name for itself thanks in large part to the contributions of NDSU and SDSU. All four Dakota teams played against each other for years in Division II as part of the North Central Conference.

Sporting News predictions: 1. Cal Poly; 2. North Dakota; 3. South Dakota; 4. UC Davis; 5. Southern Utah.

Personally, I think picking Poly #1 is correct but I'm not so sure about Davis in 4th ... perhaps Davis should be #2. CAL-POLY'S (edited) WR Ramses Barden is a huge-impact player who can make up for other shortcomings on the offense.

[tjbison]

Re: Sporting News Pre-Season Reports

Here's the headline and opening lines from the summary on the Great West Conference:

Will league survive Dakota St. exodus?

In just its fifth year of competition, the Great West Conference is already undergoing massibve changes. The two teams that finished at the top of the conference last year--North Dakota State and South Dakota State--have left for the Gateway Conference and have been replaced by North Dakota and South Dakota, which hope to field respectable teams but are not at the level of their departed state brethren.

The change won't be good for the conference's profile. Thel eague had made a name for itself thanks in large part to the contributions of NDSU and SDSU. All four Dakota teams played against each other for years in Division II as part of the North Central Conference.

Sporting News predictions: 1. Cal Poly; 2. North Dakota; 3. South Dakota; 4. UC Davis; 5. Southern Utah.

Personally, I think picking Poly #1 is correct but I'm not so sure about Davis in 4th ... perhaps Davis should be #2. Davis WR Ramses Barden is a huge-impact player who can make up for other shortcomings on the offense.

I think Barden plays for Cal Poly

[JimmyJack]

Re: Sporting News Pre-Season Reports

Personally, I think picking Poly #1 is correct but I'm not so sure about Davis in 4th ... perhaps Davis should be #2. Davis WR Ramses Barden is a huge-impact player who can make up for other shortcomings on the offense.

Cal Poly is a top-10 team this year. I think UC Davis will finish second. They had a bit of a rebuild last year, but that's a solid FCS program.

[JackJD]

Re: Sporting News Pre-Season Reports

tjbison: You're right...I've corrected the reference to Barden --he's the great receiver from Cal-Poly. When SDSU played Cal-Poly last season, Barden was not at 100%.

[tjbison]

Re: Sporting News Pre-Season Reports

tjbison: You're right...I've corrected the reference to Barden --he's the great receiver from Cal-Poly. When SDSU played Cal-Poly last season, Barden was not at 100%.

I couldn't agree more, he's the best in the FCS IMO!!

[EQguy]

Re: Sporting News Pre-Season Reports

The Sporting News predicts: 1. UNI; 2. NDSU; 3. YSU; 4. WIU; 5. SIU; 6. SDSU; 7. Illinois State; 8. Missouri State; and 9. Indiana State.

I certainly would love our Jackrabbits to win the conference in the first year in it, but I think anything less than 4th would be a dissapointment.

[JackFan96]

Re: Sporting News Pre-Season Reports

In the middle of the pack seems about right to me. It will be very tough to crack the top three, but if we wind up in the bottom three that will be very, very disappointing. Three-game losing streaks in this conference will send you to the bottom in a hurry, so we best avoid that problem this year. Remember, many of us got wound up when we entered a new conference last year and were picked near the bottom (I'm talking men's hoops), but...well, we saw what happened. If we earn some respect this year, it will be reflected in next year's pre-season poll..which, as we all know, is meaningless.

Can't wait for the ISU game...I'm counting the days.

I just picked up the Sporting News COLLEGE FOOTBALL 08 magazine at the newsstand. The issue focuses mainly on FBS teams but the FCS teams get a lot of attention. There are also sections on lower levels and JUCOs. I turned to the Missouri Valley report (referred to as the Gateway but otherwise the information was up-to-date) and then I looked at the Great West Report.

The headline for the page devoted to the Gateway summary and the first few lines from the article:

Badlands invasion promises intrigue.

Wth two more formidable lions tossed into the cage, it figures to be even more difficult to emerge as king of the Gateway Conference jungle this season.

Having plucked heavyweights North Dakota State and South Dakota State from the Great West Conference, the Gateway lacks for neighter intrigue nor competitiveness in its first season as a nine-team league.

The Bison (No. 9) and Jackrabbits (No. 19) joined Southern Illinois (No. 3), Northern Iowa (No. 4) and Youngstown State (No. 16) to give the Gateway five top 20 teams from the final 2007 Football Championship Subdivision national rankings. With both North Dakota State and South Dakota State playoff-eligible for the first time, the Gateway's typically brutal quest to fashion a playoff-worthy resume gets decidedly more rugged.

....

The SDSU summary notes the 7-4 record from 2007 included "an impressive 29-24 victory that handed North Dakota State its lone loss." Athletes mentioned included QB Ryan Berry, WR Jaron Harris, tailback Kylke Minett.

The Sporting News predicts: 1. UNI; 2. NDSU; 3. YSU; 4. WIU; 5. SIU; 6. SDSU; 7. Illinois State; 8. Missouri State; and 9. Indiana State.

[State_fan]

Re: Sporting News Pre-Season Reports

Remember, many of us got wound up when we entered a new conference last year and were picked near the bottom (I'm talking men's hoops), but...well, we saw what happened. If we earn some respect this year, it will be reflected in next year's pre-season poll..which, as we all know, is meaningless.

We also got all wound up (or at least I did) about getting picked 3rd in the Summit in women's basketball last season too. Remember how that one turned out? Won the league by 4 games. I know I know, preseason polls are junk, but they still tick you off a little. 6th is low...and I think we'll prove that one wrong.