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49. SMU
(2011 Record: 8-5, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 8-4)

If this isn't the Conference USA favorite, it'll at least be in the running for the title all season long. The Mustangs only have to leave the state of Texas twice, but they have rough September non-conference games against Baylor, Texas A&M, and TCU before diving into league play against UTEP and Tulane on the road. With a road game at UCF and home games against Southern Miss and Tulsa, November will be the make-or-break month, but this team should be good enough to get through alive with RB Zach Line expected to be back to lead a decent offense. The O line needs patching and the defense is thin, but overall this should be the best team yet fielded by June Jones.

I feel we can do better. We are not left without a solid defense. We have the potential to have a very experienced QB with experienced backs and receivers. Our O hasn't achieved its potential yet. The O-line may not have the experience, but Jones has worked hard to recruit lineman since day one. And we have improved our recruiting classes over the years. Time to see the result of recruiting better athletes. To be sure we have a challenging schedule. But we do have home field and we do have significant experience and some depth. These have been missing in the past.

I think we can be a better team than #49. With luck, some takeaways by our D and stay injury free, we could even be top 25.

I guess I am not willing to concede that the Compass Bowl was our pinnacle. I believe we are better than that.

It's time this year or next to take that next step into the Top 25. By the way, I'm predicting another win over TCU this year. They'll be feeling big in their britches with the Big 12 invite.

To have a chance at a top 25 season we cannot start 1-3. Meaning a W over TCU, Baylor, or Tamu will be required. TCU is our best chance to make that happen if you ask me.

MustangIcon wrote:To have a chance at a top 25 season we cannot start 1-3. Meaning a W over TCU, Baylor, or Tamu will be required. TCU is our best chance to make that happen if you ask me.

I think we have a better shot against Baylor. TCU has a good QB coming back, whereas Baylor is looking for people to step up in leadership positions on both sides of the ball.

i dont like our chances in waco. There is a lot more to that team then RGIII - we are about to see it i think.

I think we have a shot at going 500 at home vs TCU and Aggie - but both tough. Froggies probably better chance. i think their QB is over-rated - he is a thug and an idiot - not that there haven't been plenty of good thugs and idiot QB's but i think he will flame out at some point. If they haven't made some improvements in their secondary we will enjoy our day again - plus they ended with a whimper in san diego - for whatever that is worth. Sure not scared of them anymore - should be a good old fashioned smash mouth game to quote their ex-psycho coach wacker.

We flirted with top 25 last year, with an immobile QB and no Line in the last two conference games. Gilbert doesn't have to be amazing, he just has to be better than McDermott. Receivers are getting better, and defense looks good. We have a semi bi-week between Baylor and A&M with SFA. We have a bi-week between A&M and TCU. Even if we go 1-2 against the B12, we could still go undefeated in CUSA as long as our offense doesn't go completely flat like it did last year. We were cruising before we fell flat last year an UH and USM will not be the same teams. Also no Navy this year!

MustangSTATS wrote:We flirted with top 25 last year, with an immobile QB and no Line in the last two conference games. Gilbert doesn't have to be amazing, he just has to be better than McDermott. Receivers are getting better, and defense looks good. We have a semi bi-week between Baylor and A&M with SFA. We have a bi-week between A&M and TCU. Even if we go 1-2 against the B12, we could still go undefeated in CUSA as long as our offense doesn't go completely flat like it did last year. We were cruising before we fell flat last year an UH and USM will not be the same teams. Also no Navy this year!

Completely agree. Goal should be win CUSA and finish in top 25. If met, it will work wonders for our recruiting ... oh, and hire 1 more recruiting stud!

gostangs wrote:i dont like our chances in waco. There is a lot more to that team then RGIII - we are about to see it i think.

I think we have a shot at going 500 at home vs TCU and Aggie - but both tough. Froggies probably better chance. i think their QB is over-rated - he is a thug and an idiot - not that there haven't been plenty of good thugs and idiot QB's but i think he will flame out at some point. If they haven't made some improvements in their secondary we will enjoy our day again - plus they ended with a whimper in san diego - for whatever that is worth. Sure not scared of them anymore - should be a good old fashioned smash mouth game to quote their ex-psycho coach wacker.

I agree about Baylor. They still killed Tech with the second string QB.I think we have a better shot at A&M than Baylor

Harry0569 wrote:49. SMU
(2011 Record: 8-5, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 8-4)

If this isn't the Conference USA favorite, it'll at least be in the running for the title all season long. The Mustangs only have to leave the state of Texas twice, but they have rough September non-conference games against Baylor, Texas A&M, and TCU before diving into league play against UTEP and Tulane on the road. With a road game at UCF and home games against Southern Miss and Tulsa, November will be the make-or-break month, but this team should be good enough to get through alive with RB Zach Line expected to be back to lead a decent offense. The O line needs patching and the defense is thin, but overall this should be the best team yet fielded by June Jones.

Do you have a link to the full rankings?

MustangSTATS wrote:We flirted with top 25 last year, with an immobile QB and no Line in the last two conference games. Gilbert doesn't have to be amazing, he just has to be better than McDermott. Receivers are getting better, and defense looks good. We have a semi bi-week between Baylor and A&M with SFA. We have a bi-week between A&M and TCU. Even if we go 1-2 against the B12, we could still go undefeated in CUSA as long as our offense doesn't go completely flat like it did last year. We were cruising before we fell flat last year an UH and USM will not be the same teams. Also no Navy this year!

Even if we go 1-2 vs the B12? You act like that is a worst case scenario. I would be happy with going 1-2 against them, 2 of 3 against them would be a miracle, and 0-3 being the most likely scenario in my mind.

We subbed Baylor for Navy on the OOC schedule essentially. Baylor in Waco is a MUCH tougher game than Navy, imo.

ponyboy wrote:It's time this year or next to take that next step into the Top 25. By the way, I'm predicting another win over TCU this year. They'll be feeling big in their britches with the Big 12 invite.

Need a lot of breaks to hit the top 25 and our OOC schedules (and next season's BE schedule) aren't likely to afford the team those breaks. Chances are they'll be digging out of a early hole and needing a long conference win streak just to get into the "Others receiving votes" category of the polls.

We have 2 big concerns, one is we don't know how well G.G. will learn the O, and

the 2nd thing is a rebuilt O line.

The myth of last years O-line continues...

They played like garbage until the new coach came. The new guys should be at least as good as the old guys were under the incompetent coach.