Top 10 Picks and Sleepers

[Appaholic]

Of course Liberty is going to look like a top 10 team....look at the schedule.

The Boise State of FCS....

[AppStateAlumQC]

Sleepers: Wofford, Chattanooga, Montana State, EWU, Richmond, Delaware

Define sleepers.

These are teams that have limited expectations going into the season but could end up having a successful run this season, possibly making the playoff field. Wofford had a hell of a lot of injuries last year and still gave App fits. Chattanooga is a team to watch, B.J. Coleman is a big time player for the Mocs, hopefully our defense comes to play next weekend or it could turn into a long day. It's a huge game for both, if App wins they could rip off a nice winning streak. For Keeler's sake, Delaware better do something this season.

[clenz]

Of course Liberty is going to look like a top 10 team....look at the schedule.

With Liberty's schedule they had better win 9 games to be anywhere near the Top 10

Ball State and JMU are the only games I could see them losing. I'll have Liberty in my top 25 as long as they don't lose to anyone other than those two. I had Liberty just as high, or higher, than almost anyone last season. However, if they want to sniff the top 10 in my eyes they will have to absolutley drub everyone else. There was a thread that posted the athletic budgets of each school, and Liberty has the biggest budget in the Big South. The only other school that is close is Chuch South. There are schools with budgets of 8 million in the Big South, Liberty's was 23 million.


Having said that, if Liberty does to these teams what they should and if they beat either/both JMU or Ball State they will get the respect from me they should. If they finish with less than 9 wins they will need some help being top 15 in my poll with that schedule.

Appaholic was right on with the "Boise State of the FCS". You can brag all you want about how many wins you have, but they are coming against competition that is worse than anyone else.

[89Hen]

Define sleepers.

These are teams that have limited expectations going into the season but could end up having a successful run this season, possibly making the playoff field.

Point was, I think MSU, EWU, UR and UD are all ranked in the preseason polls. Not really sleepers IMO.

[AppStateAlumQC]

These are teams that have limited expectations going into the season but could end up having a successful run this season, possibly making the playoff field.

Point was, I think MSU, EWU, UR and UD are all ranked in the preseason polls. Not really sleepers IMO.

Sure, most polls have them in the Top 25 but if a couple games go their way they could find themselves in the Top 10-15 and win a game in the playoffs.

[CSUBUCDAD]

Of course Liberty is going to look like a top 10 team....look at the schedule.

Don't let the schedule fool you. The Big South is going to have some pretty strong teams in it this season and it will a slugfest to win it with it being the first year for the champion to go to the playoffs. You can be whatever team wins the conference will be well battle tested.

[DKHardee]

Whats it gonna take for the Big South to get respect?

[AppStateAlumQC]

Whats it gonna take for the Big South to get respect?

For a Big South team to make a serious run at a national title.

[SuperHornet]

Define sleepers.

Women that don't go home after?

Woomun, bring me a beer. Then go make my zeeba for dinner.

[clenz]

Whats it gonna take for the Big South to get respect?

About the same thing as a team from the WAC outside of Boise State, or a team from the Sun Belt to the the respect of the FBS...

You conference, while competitive against it self (which it should be), hasn't been at the level of the top conferences in the nation that produce roughly 90% of the title winners, and 80%+ of the top 25 polls

[89Hen]

Whats it gonna take for the Big South to get respect?

For a Big South team to make a serious run at a national title.

Wouldn't winning a playoff game be the first step?

[AppStateAlumQC]

For a Big South team to make a serious run at a national title.

Wouldn't winning a playoff game be the first step?

Good point. Coastal's appearance in the 2006 playoffs seems like a distant memory.

[jcmanson]

Liberty will be a National Title contender in 2011

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Liberty will be a National Title contender in 2011

[grizzaholic]

Liberty will be a National Title contender in 2011

And Montana will go 0-fer in 2011.

[jcmanson]

And I'm not joking

Keep

[clenz]

And I'm not joking

Keep

That's what makes it even funnier....


UNI will win a title before Liberty

[jcmanson]

I'm not saying we'll definitely win the title next year - no one can say that not even the Yankees or the Miami Heat. But we'll be in the mix. Laugh all you want, but we will be in the mix.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

I'm not saying we'll definitely win the title next year - no one can say that not even the Yankees or the Miami Heat. But we'll be in the mix. Laugh all you want, but we will be in the mix.

Maybe in Extreme Bible Thumping.

[jcmanson]

I'm not saying we'll definitely win the title next year - no one can say that not even the Yankees or the Miami Heat. But we'll be in the mix. Laugh all you want, but we will be in the mix.

Maybe in Extreme Bible Thumping.

No we'd win that hands down. Oh no wait, Bob Jones probably would beat us.

[ASUMountaineer]

I'm not saying we'll definitely win the title next year - no one can say that not even the Yankees or the Miami Heat. But we'll be in the mix. Laugh all you want, but we will be in the mix.

Perhaps, with your confidence level so high, you'd like to place a wager? I'm sure there are some on here willing to take the bet that Liberty won't finish in the top 10 next season. Put your money where your mouth is...or a hat.

[jcmanson]

Sure I'd bet on it.

I'd also bet that we make the top 10 this season.

[kuntryboimike]

Sure I'd bet on it.

I'd also bet that we make the top 10 this season.

+1.
I agree. Liberty will be borderline top 10 this year and next yr will easily be top 10.

[ToTheLeft]

I agree that LU is really the Boise State of the FCS. I think the win over Elon was like Boise State getting whatever it's first decent win (Not Oklahoma, obviously) was. It showed that we can compete with someone at the national level, someone in the playoff mix. Then we got beat by JMU, and showed we're not "There" yet. Then we lost to Stony Brook, which proves were not "there" yet. I have a fear that, if we beat Ball State, we'll think we're "there".

We won't be nationally respected until we go to the Rock or Bridgeforth (I think that's what it's called, I'm rusty) or whatever Bill and Mary's stadium is called and win a playoff game, or at least COMPETE.

That's the main thing, our only recent national competition games have been Elon (beatdown at their place), Elon (win at home), JMU (Loss at home), and then our "close" FCS games.

I think this year, we should be on the sleepers list. A 9 win season, and we should be there again. A 10 win season, and maybe we need to move up. An 11 win season (undefeated regular season, or a playoff win and a 10 win regular season), and we'll be a top 10 team next year with all our (hopefully) returning depth.

[AppStateAlumQC]

I agree that LU is really the Boise State of the FCS. I think the win over Elon was like Boise State getting whatever it's first decent win (Not Oklahoma, obviously) was. It showed that we can compete with someone at the national level, someone in the playoff mix. Then we got beat by JMU, and showed we're not "There" yet. Then we lost to Stony Brook, which proves were not "there" yet. I have a fear that, if we beat Ball State, we'll think we're "there".

We won't be nationally respected until we go to the Rock or Bridgeforth (I think that's what it's called, I'm rusty) or whatever Bill and Mary's stadium is called and win a playoff game, or at least COMPETE.

Liberty HAS to win their conference and a playoff game to get respect nationally this year.