Phillip Steele Auburn SEC Preseason Ranking

[Zeek 16,660]

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/SEC-power-rankings-college-football-Alabama-Crimson-Tide-Georgia-Bulldogs-LSU-Tigers-Florida-Gators-167491269/

to clarify, because it's written poorly, he's saying that our defense is ranked 15th nationally according to himself

[GoAU 1,631]

Hmmm, something doesn't seem to add up.  In his columns, a 15th nationally ranked D, a returning 2 year starting QB, one of the rest RB's in the league and an O Line that returns in tact = 5th in the West?

 

I'll be honest, I have no idea at all where I'd rank us this year either, but he lists all upsides, and then predicts 5th out of 6 in the SECW?   

 

I still think the biggest question, IMO, is whether returning the whole O line as a unit is a strength or a weakness...   We struggled a lot there, but the unit being in tact from last year can give them a big leg up on a new unit.

[LKEEL75 2,567]

Hard to argue with this evaluation.  Yes the O may have returning talent but we are going to be doing a brand new system.  Yes the D is returning some key starters, but again a new system and a lot of new starters.  Not to mention that the new system is complete new scheme.  If I am honest about it....

BAMA - Well they are #1 in SECW
TAMU - Most likely #2 after Bama
LSU - Most likely #3

Auburn/OM/MSU fighting over other spots.

Overall record will likely land us behind the MS schools just because we play one of the toughest schedules in the country (again).

[cbo 8,112]

Let's not forget Arkansas, who will be towards the bottom. 

I'd put AU at 4th in the West. 

[AUwent 3,784]

Is there really anything profound about our schedule? I mean, is it really unique to this year? I ask because if we're in a state of just hoping to achieve bowl eligibility this year, then well we'd better improve our record by one game in 2022 and again in 2023. 

Here are our opponents the next five years. I better not hear  "oh, I just hope we can get to a bowl/be competitive!" every year for the next five years.

2021

Home--Alabama, Georgia, The Misses

Away--Arkansas, LSU, PSU, USCe, A&M

2022

Home--Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, PSU, A&M

Away--Alabama, Georgia, The Misses

2023

Home--Alabama, Georgia, The Misses

Away--Arkansas, UC-Berkeley, LSU, A&M, Vanderbilt

2024

Home--Arkansas, UC-Berkeley, Florida, LSU, A&M

Away--Alabama, Georgia, The Misses

2025

Home--Alabama, Georgia, The Misses

Away--Arkansas, Baylor, LSU, Tennessee, A&M

Edited July 7, 2021 by AUwent

[JDUBB4AU 5,138]

AU number one in the west 

[cbo 8,112]

59 minutes ago, AUwent said:

Is there really anything profound about our schedule? I mean, is it really unique to this year? I ask because if we're in a state of just hoping to achieve bowl eligibility this year, then well we'd better improve our record by one game in 2022 and again in 2023. 

Here are our opponents the next five years. I better not hear  "oh, I just hope we can get to a bowl/be competitive!" every year for the next five years.

2021

Home--Alabama, Georgia, The Misses

Away--Arkansas, LSU, PSU, USCe, A&M

2022

Home--Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, PSU, A&M

Away--Alabama, Georgia, The Misses

2023

Home--Alabama, Georgia, The Misses

Away--Arkansas, UC-Berkeley, LSU, A&M, Vanderbilt

2024

Home--Arkansas, UC-Berkeley, Florida, LSU, A&M

Away--Alabama, Georgia, The Misses

2025

Home--Alabama, Georgia, The Misses

Away--Arkansas, Baylor, LSU, Tennessee, A&M

Did you type all that so we would know Auburn has a difficult schedule every year?

Can you think of anything that IS unique to this year?

[AUwent 3,784]

11 minutes ago, cbo said:

Did you type all that so we would know Auburn has a difficult schedule every year?

Can you think of anything that IS unique to this year?

Yes. Yes I did.

My point being if that brings us down this year, why wouldn't it next year and the year after that and the year after that?

Edited July 7, 2021 by AUwent

[cbo 8,112]

10 minutes ago, AUwent said:

Yes. Yes I did.

My point being if that brings us down this year, why wouldn't it next year and the year after that and the year after that?

Because hopefully Harsin has built his program by then and we have a much better football team. 

And I haven't seen much "I hope we can just make a bowl game." I expect Auburn to make a bowl game this year. And expectations will rise in the coming years. 

[AuCivilEng1 11,115]

1 hour ago, AUwent said:

Yes. Yes I did.

My point being if that brings us down this year, why wouldn't it next year and the year after that and the year after that?

It does being us down every year. Most years, we hear the same ole, Auburn has such a tough schedule. Big differences this year is Texas AM is up more than they have been, Ole Miss isn’t going to be pathetic anymore and Miss St will probably be pesky as well. 
 

We are in a tough spot having to play a high Georgia every year. Add in Penn St/Oregon/Washington’s of the world and we are destined to always have to overcome one of the toughest schedules. 
 

The only way to make our schedule lighter is for us to become a powerhouse that can take down the teams like Ole Miss and Miss St with ease. God, I hope our recruiting picks up. 

[AUwent 3,784]

1 hour ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

It does being us down every year. Most years, we hear the same ole, Auburn has such a tough schedule. Big differences this year is Texas AM is up more than they have been, Ole Miss isn’t going to be pathetic anymore and Miss St will probably be pesky as well. 
 

We are in a tough spot having to play a high Georgia every year. Add in Penn St/Oregon/Washington’s of the world and we are destined to always have to overcome one of the toughest schedules. 
 

The only way to make our schedule lighter is for us to become a powerhouse that can take down the teams like Ole Miss and Miss St with ease. God, I hope our recruiting picks up. 

Well yeah. If The Misses can be quality teams, we'd better be too. See my previous statements on our recruiting. We'd better have a big season in one of the next five years--so I'm trying to figure out which one might set up best to be that season. On schedule alone, it's 2023, period.

Edited July 8, 2021 by AUwent

[DAG 34,118]

If you’re  scared go to church 

- Ice Cube 

[JDUBB4AU 5,138]

AU will rise . 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,841]

6 hours ago, GoAU said:

Hmmm, something doesn't seem to add up.  In his columns, a 15th nationally ranked D, a returning 2 year starting QB, one of the rest RB's in the league and an O Line that returns in tact = 5th in the West?

 

I'll be honest, I have no idea at all where I'd rank us this year either, but he lists all upsides, and then predicts 5th out of 6 in the SECW?   

 

I still think the biggest question, IMO, is whether returning the whole O line as a unit is a strength or a weakness...   We struggled a lot there, but the unit being in tact from last year can give them a big leg up on a new unit.

He didn't mention the OL as being a positive, he just said all the guys are returning. Combined with him expecting most of the SEC to be better than it was last season and my assumption being that he doesn't expect the offense to take a substantial rise, 5th in the West would make sense

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,841]

3 hours ago, AUwent said:

Yes. Yes I did.

My point being if that brings us down this year, why wouldn't it next year and the year after that and the year after that?

You would hope we wouldn't return an OL that's been incredibly meh at its best and very poor at its worst, only two SEC caliber backs, a wealth of WRs that have no expectations and no QBs expected to be much of much year after year. Not to mention how unproven a good chunk of the defense is.

[Mikey 16,781]

6 hours ago, cbo said:

Let's not forget Arkansas, who will be towards the bottom. 

I'd put AU at 4th in the West. 

I'd consider any finish lower than 4th to be a very poor year. LSU may not be much better if any better than they were last year. If not we should finish at least 3rd. I'm hoping for higher but expecting at least 3rd. To finish 4th or lower we'd have to lose to teams we beat last year and I don't see that happening.

[cbo 8,112]

Honestly, right after posting, I thought 3rd, ahead of LSU. I predict one unexpected loss and one win that no one predicts. First year inconsistency, with strong promise for next year.

[aubiefifty 17,487]

i think our season rides on how quick they pick up the new system. i would be happy with a winning record, period.

[steeleagle 2,945]

12 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

He didn't mention the OL as being a positive, he just said all the guys are returning. Combined with him expecting most of the SEC to be better than it was last season and my assumption being that he doesn't expect the offense to take a substantial rise, 5th in the West would make sense

Add to that, even though he mentions a QB that is a 2 year starter, he also knows Nix does not have a good road record, doesn't throw an accurate deep ball, does not have a high completion percentage, has some bad form habits(throws off his back foot, etc). So add those 2 together along w/ a new scheme, new HC.

One can see Auburn ranked 5th and no higher than 4th.

[AUpreacherman22 3,908]

I could see AU finishing anywhere from 2nd to 6th.   Many unknowns this year!!!   The MS schools are getting better, especially OM in 2021, so 5th is very reasonable, and 6th isn’t that far-fetched.   On the other hand, LSU is probably a bigger unknown than AU right now, and I believe TAMU is always overrated, so I don’t think 2nd is out of the question either.   For now, my prediction is 4th, fwiw.  

[woodford 3,688]

Phil Steele has the grammar skills of a 5th grader, but no one covers college football in-depth like him. Hope he’s wrong. 

[weagl1 1,793]

The O line has been a weakness but historically teams with a lot of seniors up front do well so I don’t discount our chances.  And I don’t buy the LSU hype.  I think we are probably fighting with A&M for second place in the West and a NY6 bowl.