Preseason publication discussion thread

[hutchids 232]

CFN has us playing Cousin Clem in Orange. Pretty much all the talking heads have us going to either Atlanta or Miami for the holidays.

If true, this would be nice. I'd like for Auburn to consistently be big on the national stage. You know, when we are not #1

[war eagle6 0]

Like I said last yr, AU will be better than most think. And also the same quote from last yr; we will beat bama, AGAIN.

[Weegle777 78]

This type of year is when we historically falter. Coming off a great finish, loaded with talent, expectations through the roof...BUT...

Now we have Gus. We win it all this year. Bank it.

[war eagle6 0]

I like your AUtitude!

[WFE12 9,327]

There is a lot of preseason hype about duke williams, i don't think there is too much pressure on him because of ole sammie, but others might what do u guys think http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2085865-10-college-football-players-under-unrealistic-pressure-in-2014

[lemonade_drinker 1]

This IS going to be a great Auburn team, when has saban beaten a good Auburn team? (9 wins)

[Stripe 5]

If all it takes to be considered great every year is to back in to 3 NC's due to favoritism. I'll pass. Auburn will be much better off just beating the he'll out of the SEC from now on. And with the IB being in Nov. I don't see 2 SEC teams getting into the 4 team sudo playoff. There would have to be major collapses in 2 of the other conferences to not have a team in position to take one of the 4 spots. Remember polls are no longer supposed to be part of selection from now on. It's just too late in the season. Besides After Auburn destroys bama again their blind benifit of the doubt will be gone. No more BS championships for the toilet lickers. ALL ROADS TO THE SECCG AND NCG LEAD THROUGH AUBURN AND THE MIND OF GUS MALZAHN!

[WarEagle84 0]

Scarbinsky article on preseason picks:

Because no one can get enough of preseason predictions, even though none of them has any effect on actual results and most of them seem to turn out wrong, let's play a game. The Blind Resume Game.

We'll look at two teams that were very good in 2013 and are expected to be very good again in 2014, two teams that have to go through each other to achieve their goals.

We'll list key stats in terms of returning production and experience from Phil Steele's Daily Blog on Monday for those two teams, and you tell me which team is more likely to have the edge.

• Team A returns 73.61 percent of its lettermen from last season. Team B returns 68.57 percent.
  
• Team A returns players who accounted for 78.89 percent of the team's offensive yards last season. Team B returns players who accounted for 57.75 percent of its yards.
  
• Team A returns players who accounted for 62.12 percent of its tackles last season. Team B returns players who accounted for 59.07 percent of its tackles.
  
• Team A returns offensive linemen who've made 113 college starts. Team B returns offensive linemen who've made 37 college starts.
  

In conclusion, in every single one of those categories, Team A returns more production and/or experience than Team B, and the difference in offensive line starts is overwhelming.

Based on those numbers - and throw in the fact that Team A returns its starting quarterback and Team B doesn't - which team has the edge going into the 2014 season? Which team should be expected to have a better season? Which team should be ranked higher in preseason polls?

It's a no-brainer, right? It's Team A.

For the record, Team A is Auburn. Team B is Alabama. Yet so many preseason magazines - including Phil Steele's - are picking the Tide ahead of the Tigers.

Go figure.

The big difference in Bama's favor is their schedule. If you swapped schedules, I think most pundits would put us ahead of Bama.

[AUbritt 611]

Scarbinsky article on preseason picks:

Because no one can get enough of preseason predictions, even though none of them has any effect on actual results and most of them seem to turn out wrong, let's play a game. The Blind Resume Game.

We'll look at two teams that were very good in 2013 and are expected to be very good again in 2014, two teams that have to go through each other to achieve their goals.

We'll list key stats in terms of returning production and experience from Phil Steele's Daily Blog on Monday for those two teams, and you tell me which team is more likely to have the edge.

• Team A returns 73.61 percent of its lettermen from last season. Team B returns 68.57 percent.
  
• Team A returns players who accounted for 78.89 percent of the team's offensive yards last season. Team B returns players who accounted for 57.75 percent of its yards.
  
• Team A returns players who accounted for 62.12 percent of its tackles last season. Team B returns players who accounted for 59.07 percent of its tackles.
  
• Team A returns offensive linemen who've made 113 college starts. Team B returns offensive linemen who've made 37 college starts.
  

In conclusion, in every single one of those categories, Team A returns more production and/or experience than Team B, and the difference in offensive line starts is overwhelming.

Based on those numbers - and throw in the fact that Team A returns its starting quarterback and Team B doesn't - which team has the edge going into the 2014 season? Which team should be expected to have a better season? Which team should be ranked higher in preseason polls?

It's a no-brainer, right? It's Team A.

For the record, Team A is Auburn. Team B is Alabama. Yet so many preseason magazines - including Phil Steele's - are picking the Tide ahead of the Tigers.

Go figure.

The big difference in Bama's favor is their schedule. If you swapped schedules, I think most pundits would put us ahead of Bama.

Agree that one big difference is the schedule. However, I suspect most pundits would put Bama first even if you swapped schedules. I think most pundits are that impressed with Saban and his recruiting.

Now, if we win it all this season, I think a high percentage of them will jump on the Gus Bus.

[AUwent 3,815]

Bumping this with the release of Phil Steele's magazine. 2nd in the west and vs. Marshall in the Orange.

[lemonade_drinker 1]

its a fluke, Tennessee is actually better than usce, and wvu>KSU!

[wde1968 262]

ESPN just gave us a 3% change of making it to the playoffs.

And some actually believe there is not an anti-Auburn bias at ESPN?

Is there a way I can put some sort of money on these odds?

Yes. Get to a casino and find their sports book. I still have my 2004 betting slip from Caesars in Lake Tahoe (no longer there) where I put $20 on AU to win the BCS ... at 100:1 odds. I made the bet in the spring time.

I believe Vegas has Auburn at 9/1 right now.

[Threedog79 0]

I always am amused at pre season publications and predictions. As cliché as it is...handle every game, every week, and the rest will take care of itself.

[keesler 5,943]

I always am amused at pre season publications and predictions. As cliché as it is...handle every game, every week, and the rest will take care of itself.

Pre season pulications and pre season rankings of any kind are for fan discussion only.... And we fans give it tons of discussion.

[Threedog79 0]

This. Gives us water cooler talk to hold us over until the..........nip is in the air.

[WarEagle84 0]

Scarbinsky article on preseason picks:

Because no one can get enough of preseason predictions, even though none of them has any effect on actual results and most of them seem to turn out wrong, let's play a game. The Blind Resume Game.

We'll look at two teams that were very good in 2013 and are expected to be very good again in 2014, two teams that have to go through each other to achieve their goals.

We'll list key stats in terms of returning production and experience from Phil Steele's Daily Blog on Monday for those two teams, and you tell me which team is more likely to have the edge.

• Team A returns 73.61 percent of its lettermen from last season. Team B returns 68.57 percent.
  
• Team A returns players who accounted for 78.89 percent of the team's offensive yards last season. Team B returns players who accounted for 57.75 percent of its yards.
  
• Team A returns players who accounted for 62.12 percent of its tackles last season. Team B returns players who accounted for 59.07 percent of its tackles.
  
• Team A returns offensive linemen who've made 113 college starts. Team B returns offensive linemen who've made 37 college starts.
  

In conclusion, in every single one of those categories, Team A returns more production and/or experience than Team B, and the difference in offensive line starts is overwhelming.

Based on those numbers - and throw in the fact that Team A returns its starting quarterback and Team B doesn't - which team has the edge going into the 2014 season? Which team should be expected to have a better season? Which team should be ranked higher in preseason polls?

It's a no-brainer, right? It's Team A.

For the record, Team A is Auburn. Team B is Alabama. Yet so many preseason magazines - including Phil Steele's - are picking the Tide ahead of the Tigers.

Go figure.

The big difference in Bama's favor is their schedule. If you swapped schedules, I think most pundits would put us ahead of Bama.

Agree that one big difference is the schedule. However, I suspect most pundits would put Bama first even if you swapped schedules. I think most pundits are that impressed with Saban and his recruiting.

Now, if we win it all this season, I think a high percentage of them will jump on the Gus Bus.

Interesting discussion on College Football Live on ESPNU today. Rod Gilmore said he thought Auburn deserved to be ranked ahead of Bama going in to the season based on last year and having Marshall returning, but had his doubts about whether we could stay there because of our tough schedule. Joe Schad is buying the Coker hype and puts Bama ahead of AU, largely because of the schedule. Probably a staged debate, but interesting that they chose that topic. You know, since ESPN hates us and all.

[lutzintheredzone 0]

15-0 toughest games Alabama,Miss St,Ole Miss

Final Four ( they wont have SEC teams play each other 1st round i dont think, so Bama with one loss is 3 seed

1.Auburn vs 4 Oklahoma

2.FSU vs 3 Alabama

Teams That Will Suck: South Carolina,LSU,UCF,Texas A & M,Missouri,Oregon

Teams That Suprise : Florida,Texas,Louisville wo Bridgewater

[AUwent 3,815]

^I hope you're right on both Auburn and Texas. Playing (and hopefully beating) Oklahoma would be the perfect way to honor the tenth anniversary of the '04 team!

[1auburn1 1,124]

Here's to hoping Tennessee gets their act together and becomes a power again. You can't overstate how much of an advantage UAT has had with their schedule since Tenn has sucked the whole time saban has been there.

[Tiger 8,853]

I want UT to give Bama fits as much as anyone else, but I don't want any more successful spread teams in the conference because it just adds competition to the recruits we will be targeting.

[TigerNBham 3]

Sometimes we need to take off out Orange and Blue glasses and try and look at it from an un-biased viewpoint. Has Bama played in or almost played in evry NC over last 5 years - Yes, Has bama repeatedly been in the top 3 recruiting classes in the last 5 years - Yes. Does bama have an easier schedule then Auburn tis year - Yes. I don't like bama but they have earned the right to be thought of as having a good chance to make the NC playoffs.

10-2 is a realistic projection not based on the talent on this team but based on how tough our schedule is. Part of the reason that Bama is predicted to make the playoff's is how much easier their schedule is then ours. Both Bama and Auburn play in SEC west so both have tough schedules but then add the top two SEC East teams to our schedule and K-State we just don't have much room to have any games where we are not playing near our best. In the last 5 years we have had good records, great records and an abysmal record just 2 years ago. Auburn has been very difficult to project because of the change in the way we play from year to year. Do I think a few writers are biased against us yes do I think all of them are- No way

Putting my Orange and Blue Glasses back on I do predict we make the playoffs - but that is assuming no serious injuries to key people we already have one key player Carl Lawson who has been injured to what extent we don't know. We are good and we have some depth but the reality is that going all the way takes Talent and some luck both in the injury area and the way the football bounces.

A good evaluation with out bias. It does not take much to throw a loss or two into an otherwise well played season by a talented team. I believe our coaches will put them in the best position to win and then ol' luck and mathematical probabilities take over. But we are undefeated until beaten. WDE

[Milnewd 0]

Sometimes we need to take off out Orange and Blue glasses and try and look at it from an un-biased viewpoint. Has Bama played in or almost played in evry NC over last 5 years - Yes, Has bama repeatedly been in the top 3 recruiting classes in the last 5 years - Yes. Does bama have an easier schedule then Auburn tis year - Yes. I don't like bama but they have earned the right to be thought of as having a good chance to make the NC playoffs.

10-2 is a realistic projection not based on the talent on this team but based on how tough our schedule is. Part of the reason that Bama is predicted to make the playoff's is how much easier their schedule is then ours. Both Bama and Auburn play in SEC west so both have tough schedules but then add the top two SEC East teams to our schedule and K-State we just don't have much room to have any games where we are not playing near our best. In the last 5 years we have had good records, great records and an abysmal record just 2 years ago. Auburn has been very difficult to project because of the change in the way we play from year to year. Do I think a few writers are biased against us yes do I think all of them are- No way

Putting my Orange and Blue Glasses back on I do predict we make the playoffs - but that is assuming no serious injuries to key people we already have one key player Carl Lawson who has been injured to what extent we don't know. We are good and we have some depth but the reality is that going all the way takes Talent and some luck both in the injury area and the way the football bounces.

A rational message board poster? No, must be some kind of a trap...

[StuBob 12]

A rational message board poster? No, must be some kind of a trap...

hey, you aren't an Old Miss fan are you?

[Rednilla 5,439]

Having perused the preseason magazines at Books-A-Million yesterday, the Sporting News is a joke. The article covering us said we lost a major player in defensive tackle Dee Ford, and they didn't even mention Shon Coleman in the battle to take over at LT, saying the odds are that Young will move over and Miller will play RT. That suggests to me that they didn't do much, if any, homework.

It was either Lindy's or Athlon (I don't remember which off hand) that I thought had the most thorough overall picture of Auburn, though the rankings were pretty consistent for each of the preseason mags.

As for me, I'm kinda liking that all the "experts" are still picking Bama ahead of us, that we're generally ranked 5th or 6th in spite of the amount of starters and key depth we have returning. Something tells me that this team is going to surprise people all over again...