Rankings are an odd concept. One, to me you should look at recruiting classes 3-4 years after graduation. Ranking #1 class before any of them play a snap in college is like picking the most valuable player of a game at the coin toss. Two, the rankings are typically done based on total points. Meaning schools with bigger classes will tend to have higher ranked classes. But in any given year, some schools have more or less room. SEC for years has over-signed kids (more kids in a class means more higher recruiting class rankings) and then convinced upperclassmen who are not stars that they wanted to give up football (or now transfer) to make room for over-signed kids. But if I sign 25 3-star kids and you sign 14 5-star kids, I expect you will be better than me on the field. Its not like I can play 15 kids while you are limited to 11 at a time.
Recruiting (at least at the highest levels) is national. To be successful, you have to go to where the talent is and be successful.
@aquadecoco I posted this before but good friends of ours (total Domer family, both parents went to ND, all their kids have either have graduated or will graduate from ND (full pay more than $1 million), have wedding in works on ND campus) found out when their oldest was a freshman that football players in one of her classes were given study guides that were only available to the football players and come test time, the study guide was the test. Was a big surprise to the family because, having drunk so much of the green koolaid, they believe all the hype that football players at ND are no different than any other student. And they have study tables, tutors, etc. Same at other schools so not saying that ND is doing anything different than what most other schools do. Just that they like to say they are above that and they are different than other schools. In reality, they aren’t. But a holier than thou attitude isn’t really surprising.
My S is a student and he had a few players in a couple of his classes last yr and if they got the test before hand, they sure didn’t study or memorize it because they got the lowest grades in the class. They only showed up to class a few times during the fall semester but they were there for the midterms and final.
Of course, non-athletes are held to higher academic standards for admission at some schools than others. Also, at some schools which allow some athletes to be admitted with lower academic standards than other students, the athletes’ academic standards for admission may still be higher than the regular student academic standards for admission at some other schools.
My point on your first sentence is the higher standards are over-stated by the schools. And your second sentence is conjecture. Again, certain schools like to overstate the differences. Also conjecture no doubt.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday demanded that UCLA explain how its Pac-12 exit for the Big Ten will benefit all of its student-athletes and honor its relationship with UC Berkeley — the only UC campus that will be left behind and will likely take a big financial hit in a conference weakened by big-name defections.
“The first duty of every public university is to the people — especially students,” Newsom said in a statement. “UCLA must clearly explain to the public how this deal will improve the experience for all its student-athletes, will honor its century-old partnership with UC Berkeley, and will preserve the histories, rivalries, and traditions that enrich our communities.”
Newsom made an unusual appearance Wednesday at the San Francisco meeting of the UC Board of Regents, where he serves as an ex-officio member, to join the board’s closed-door discussion on the issue.
The decision by UCLA — along with USC — to leave the Pac-12 Conference in August 2024 has left Cal and other remaining conference teams reeling over the threat of losing millions in media rights revenue, not to mention the holdovers’ viability as a major player in the rapidly shifting college sports landscape.
The rest of the article is a good read. Note that Newsome has no authority to stop UCLA’s move.
On a micro level, we can all point out out a 5* that was a bust and a 3* that was a star, but on a macro level, the rankings work. If you make a list of the top recruiting teams over the last 20 years, and you make another list of who has won a national title over the last 20 years, you will see it is the same list.
This happened when Texas announced it was leaving for the SEC. There was even a hearing at the state capitol where some elected representatives publicly berated university officials, but ultimately, they could do nothing to stop it.
Not sure I’d agree with that, because you don’t know whose ND losses are to and what the other SEC teams have done in the SEC. A bad loss or losses can be forgiven and close game(s) with Alabama, LSU and/or Georgia could elevate them into the CFP. And if the SEC has divisions or pods, which division or pod does ND get put in. Just depends.
I agree, the possibility remains that the B1G and SEC could essentially lock out ND from any playoff, if ND remains independent, although I kinda doubt that’ll happen. ND wants to accomplish 2 goals: a) access to the CFP or any future NC and b) remain independent.
IMO, that appears to be happening. all these teams seem to be on a upswing, except maybe Wisconsin, but Wisconsin is consistent.
It’s still very early. Early signing day for football is 12/21 and a lot of switching and poaching can take place between now and then.
For freshman arriving on campus this Fall, Michigan finished #9, but one can’t deny that the 2023 class has been a disappointment thus far. Another example is Texas A&M finished #1 for 2022, but is sitting at #62 for 2023. Six months is a long time.
The SEC commissioner has already spoken publicly (this year) about a playoff option (when the current arrangement ends in 2026) that does not include everyone who currently has access. This is where CFB is going. ND can join the Big 10 or it can be left out of the college football playoff. Other than joining the Big 10 (or, in theory, the SEC) ND no longer has any degree of a say-so in this matter.
Really? I missed that. Wow, assuming ND is stubborn about its independence, that opens up the possibility for more than one champion, like the old days, if the AP or another poll wants to go a different direction than the CFP or its successor. Of course, ND can’t be playing 12 games against East Central Ipswitch State either.
The question becomes…if the SEC and Big 10 “blackball” games vs. ND for their schools, can then get any real games to justify their TV revenues. Sooner or later, they may have to run for shelter.
In theory, they do still have ACC opponents, which can/are scheduled, plus the Big 12 and Pac 12 teams depending on their future makeup of the other three P5 leagues.
USC could also stamp their feet and whine to the B1G about the storied ND rivalry in their future negotiations and have a carve out for that game.
Penn State was 4-5 in the conference and 7-6 overall last season. Lost their bowl game. 4-5 in Covid year of 2020. Nebraska was 1-8 in conference and 3-9 overall last season. Was one of only 4 Big10 teams not to get a bowl invite (Rutgers, Maryland and Purdue even went bowling). Scott Frost has yet to have a winning record in 4 seasons (and last year was his most losses in that span). Not sure either team is on the upswing.
This year will go along way towards showing if Michigan and MSU are getting better or was last year more of a blip (MSU lost to Ohio State last year (lost last 6) and the Michigan win in The Game ended a 29 game winning streak Ohio State had against Big 10 teams and 21 games against AP ranked Big 10 teams). Other teams in conference need to get better (over a longer stretch than just a season). We shall see if that happens. It may well.
If Notre Dame holds out of a conference and the SEC and Big10 become superconferences (happened already to an extent and SEC has done it on the field as well), the AP could say they won’t be bound by CFP champion. But no one will care. If ND wants to complain about that they have an easy fix: join a conference.
Just one example of articles that I’ve seen, where Nebraska and Penn State are thought of as “sleeper picks.”
And Penn State in the team talent composite rankings is #16, so they have some talent for much better season this year. Like Michigan, they suffer from poor QB play.
Not sure what “stand a chance” means in this context, but Michigan and Michigan State both had excellent seasons last year, Penn State has talent to do very well and I think Scott Frost can do better.
Of course, the way-too-early preseason poll from ESPN, of course, there’s no love for Nebraska in the Top 25:
Just like Sheldon Cooper, I guess bots struggle with sarcasm.
Michigan’s “excellent” season culminated in a 3 TD loss to Georgia in the playoff. Like I said, they need to get better for the Big10’s sake. As do other teams.
Because you can’t exceed 160% before the name is inappropriate?
Maybe they should become College Football North, and the SEC should become College Football South (or something along those lines). The championship game can be the Civil War. THAT…would get viewers!
