ELA 130 Team Countdown

[fezzador]

Yeah, I'm thinking Auburn as more Top 15 than Top 5.  Stidham is a legit Heisman candidate, and they have a solid defense, but I don't think they have the depth to mow through their schedule like Bama or UGA would.  10-2 and a NY6 bowl is certainly attainable.

The opener vs. UWash will be a good indicator of how good they really area.

[ELA]

Yeah, I'm thinking Auburn as more Top 15 than Top 5.  Stidham is a legit Heisman candidate, and they have a solid defense, but I don't think they have the depth to mow through their schedule like Bama or UGA would.  10-2 and a NY6 bowl is certainly attainable.

The opener vs. UWash will be a good indicator of how good they really area.

Yeah, due to schedule I doubt they wind up that high

[Cincydawg]

Auburn is my choice to fade to more like 8-5.

[ELA]

Ruh roh… From ESecPN:

Virginia Tech starting quarterback Josh Jackson is dealing with an academic issue that could impact his future eligibility, a source confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.
Jackson remains on the team while he awaits word from the university about any potential discipline.
His father, Fred, told The Richmond Times-Dispatch that they expect a resolution soon.

He's been cleared now

[ELA]

3. Wisconsin Badgers

#1 in Big Ten

While much was made about the Badgers' road last year, this team should be quite a bit better, particularly if, as usual, guys we haven't heard of step up on defense.  Offensively, this is an absolute power house.  Literally the only "weakness" is no stand out tight end, right now.  When has Wisconsin not found a stand out tight end on the roster?  Alex Hornibrook enters his third season as Wisconsin's starting quarterback.  He took major strides from his freshman year to his sophomore year.  Now, if he can just learn to limit the interceptions, he'll be an outright weapon.  He went from 7th in the Big Ten in Total QBR as a freshman, to 4th as a sophomore.  If tailback Jonathan Taylor makes any sort of comparable leap as a freshman to a sophomore, he'll be in New York City when the season is over.  Taylor ran for 223 yards and 3 touchdowns in his second game on campus, and never looked back, finishing the season 3rd nationally, and 1st in the Big Ten in rushing.  They could use a true #2 though.  Bradrick Shaw is that guy for now, and finished second on the team in rushing a year ago, but you never want your #2 averaging 3.0 ypc less than your starter.  That's on him.  What all makes it go is what seems primed to be the best offensive line in Wisconsin history.  Think about that for a second.  There may be no greater hyperbole in college football, but on paper it's hard to disagree.  Wisconsin has produced seven first round NFL Draft pick linemen in the past 20 years.  They've never had two taken in the same year, and never had three start together.  Technically they had three on the 2010 team, but Travis Frederick was redshirting as a true sophomore, and didn't play.  This year they have a real shot to have three 2019 first round picks starting together.  Guards tend to slide a bit, but Wisconsin could do it.  In what seems like just a true inequity in the world, Wisconsin, yes Wisconsin, is also loaded with wide receiver depth.  The type we haven't seen in Madison since probably the early part of the century when they had Chris Chambers, Lee Evans and Nick Davis.  How quickly can the defense piece itself together though?  The low number of returning starters is a bit misleading because the Badgers did suffer a fair number of injuries on that side of the ball.  So you have a lot of guys who were starters, and were lost to injury, guys who weren't technically starters, but started a lot due to injuries.  But the injury bug has already crept back into the defensive line, with both Olive Sagapolu and Garrett Rand iffy to start the season.  T.J. Edwards is a proven stud at linebacker, who turned down the NFL to return for his senior season, alongside Zack Baun, who missed all of 2017 with a foot injury.  The secondary has probably the most question marks on the defense, with 3 freshmen and 3 sophomores in the two deep.  Then, what aided Bucky last year has turned against them, as the three toughest divisional games (Iowa, Northwestern and Purdue) go from the friendly confines of Camp Randall in 2017, to road games in 2018; as does Michigan, Wisconsin's sole tough crossover game from last year.  Oh and they swap Indiana for Penn State as a crossover game.  The offense could be as good as any in the nation.  The progress of the defense determines if this team breaks through and makes Wisconsin's first College Football Playoff, or if Indianapolis is the ceiling again.
Key Players

RB		Jonathan Taylor, Sophomore
G		Beau Benzschawel, Senior
G		Michael Dieter, Senior
	.
NT		Olive Sagapolu, Senior
LB		T.J. Edwards, Senior
S		D'Cota Dixon, Senior

[847badgerfan]

Pretty good effort there on UW, ELA. Nice work.

As for the DL, it's not Olive Sagapolu who is hurt - it's Isiah Loudermilk. Rand is out for the season, so.. ouch.

Other than that, the best OL on the team are RT David Edwards and C Tyler Biadasz (pronounced Badass, OK not really). Not sure what the configuration of the line will be this year though. UW likes kids who can play anywhere, and there is a lot of that in the mix this season. I doubt Dieter plays at LT again, after taking one for the team last season. He's better on the interior. Insert one of the younger models at LT and that's probably how it will look. There are a lot of choices.

This coaching staff went from being forced to play freshmen and walk-ons 3 years ago, to building a two-deep that could start almost anywhere.

[Cincydawg]

Clemson and who else is left?

[rolltidefan]

unless i missed it, bama

[ELA]

2. Alabama Crimson Tide

#1 in SEC

It feels lazy, but going in a different direction just feels phony.  Two programs have separated themselves from the pack right now, and while Georgia and Ohio State are right at the doorstep, Alabama and Clemson remain a cut above.  So really, it's just a matter of which one I like more right now.  On paper, Alabama seems a notch below, but we know the talent is there, we just aren't fully familiar with it yet.  Where else in the country can you lose 8 starters off defense, and not even be slightly worried but in Tuscaloosa?  The Tide had the best defense in college football last year, and while there is no reason to think they can't get back there again, there are a lot of new faces, particularly in the secondary.  When I say questions, again, it's all relative, as we are talking about why I have them #2 and not #1.  Despite having three players selected in the draft along the line, I expect that to be the strength of the unit, which usually bodes well.  That unit is anchored by a pair of ends who will certainly be selected in the 2019 Draft, but the very best Saban lines have had a maneater in the middle.  DaRon Payne left early for the NFL, so that remains a bit of a question mark.  Redshirt sophomore Quinnen Williams likely fills that void, and while you lose about 35 pounds compared to Payne, Williams appeared in all 14 games last year, with 7 of his 20 tackles being for loss, the highest percentage on the team.  In terms of NFL talent, I think Alabama's secondary last year may have been Saban's best, so there was going to be some drop off.  But you rarely see a defensive positional group in Tuscaloosa with this many questions.  The projected starting four COMBINED for 41 tackles and 1 interception last year.  They were also all 4 or 5 star, top 115 recruits, and they add true freshman Patrick Surtain Jr., the top rated high school defensive back, to the mix.  So don't shed a tear for them just yet.  Damien Harris made a surprise decision to return to Alabama, as his back, Bo Scarborough left early.  Harris was able to hit 1,000 yards last year, while still having his carries limited to under 10 a game.  Najee Harris is a more than capable backup.  Where both could improve is in the pass game, where Scarborough was the best of the bunch, and earned his playing time.  Quarterback is all kinds of interesting.  Jalen Hurts spent most of the year on Heisman Watch short lists; he finished 7th nationally, and 2nd in the SEC in total QBR; he was second on the team, and #12 nationally among quarterbacks in rushing.  Yet he found himself benched in the National Championship Game, and one comeback later, he's a backup quarterback.  Everyone assumed a transfer was coming, but the fact is, he's not really a backup, Alabama will play two quarterbacks.  They have the schedule to do so.  Their typical early season NFL Stadium marquee game, is a little less marquee this year with a Lamar Jackson-less Louisville.  They don't play a team I have ranked in my top 38 until they host Mississippi State on November 10.  Ole Miss is their second toughest road game, after LSU (#41).  In other words, the third string quarterback might get more playing time in the first 9 games than either Tua Tagovailoa or Jalen Hurts.  The early departure of Calvin Ridley leaves whoever is under center without a proven target.  Ridley led the team with 63 receptions.  No other receiver or tight end had more than 14.
Key Players

RB		Damien Harris, Senior
T		Jonah Williams, Junior
C		Ross Pierschbacher, Senior
	.
DE		Raekwon Davis, Junior
DE		Isaiah Buggs, Senior
LB		Mack Wilson, Junior

[Cincydawg]

unless i missed it, bama

Heh, I was fishing...

[rolltidefan]

nice write up. only thing i'd argue is bo scar being the receiving back. between harris and bo, it was more likely harris. but reality was josh jacobs, the likely #2/3 guy will be the out of backfield receiver. but i think all 3 backs this year will be/are better catching the ball out of backfield than bo is/was. jacobs gets lost in headlines but he's an excellent back. looking forward to him getting more touches.

[bayareabadger]

Pretty good effort there on UW, ELA. Nice work.

As for the DL, it's not Olive Sagapolu who is hurt - it's Isiah Loudermilk. Rand is out for the season, so.. ouch.

Other than that, the best OL on the team are RT David Edwards and C Tyler Biadasz (pronounced Badass, OK not really). Not sure what the configuration of the line will be this year though. UW likes kids who can play anywhere, and there is a lot of that in the mix this season. I doubt Dieter plays at LT again, after taking one for the team last season. He's better on the interior. Insert one of the younger models at LT and that's probably how it will look. There are a lot of choices.

This coaching staff went from being forced to play freshmen and walk-ons 3 years ago, to building a two-deep that could start almost anywhere.

I am the most neurotic UW fan you’ll meet. Thus I’m worried about the line. 
(I thought it was overrated last year. I want to see it rock and roll first. Granted, the last time I felt this way, 2010 happened)

[Cincydawg]

Superb work as usual, so who makes the playoff.

[Brutus Buckeye]

Superb work as usual, so who makes the playoff.