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Predict AP Top Ten

Ohio State
TCU
Alabama
Oregon
Baylor
Michigan State
Auburn
Clemson
Georgia
FSU
USC
ND
Arizona State
GTech
Wisky
LSU
Arizona
Ole Miss
Boise State
Mizzou
Stanford
Oklahoma
Arky
Utah
 
Ohio State (Oh to have that easy of a schedule)
TCU
Alabama
USC
Oregon
Georgia Tech
Baylor
ND
Georgia
Michigan State
 
"Ohio State (Oh to have that easy of a schedule)"

Don't agree with you. Virginia Tech, PSU, Minnesota, MSU, Michigan, and the BIG championship game all have the potential of being difficult games. And even Northern Illinois has shown in the past it can play with the major programs (although I don't see them hanging with the Bucks). Not saying all will be but all it takes is 1 or 2 losses to screw up a season. It's very, very difficult to go undefeated anymore in CF. I really think the problem with "the easy schedule idea" lies with the perception of the BIG.

To be quite honest, the Buckeyes had a tougher time in the Big 10 last year than the Playoffs. We barely, and I mean barely won at PSU (2 OT). I was nervous until the end against Minnesota (31-24), Indiana (42-27), and especially Michigan. Yes, that's the same lowly Indiana - winless in the BIG - that BEAT SEC East champion Missouri last year AT Missouri. So dismissing teams like these on OSU's schedule as easy is living in the past. .
 
OSU
TCU
Bama
Mich St.
Oregon
Baylor
Georgia Tech
USC
Georgia
Clemson
Auburn
FSU
Ole Miss
ND
Arizona St.
 
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"Ohio State (Oh to have that easy of a schedule)"

Don't agree with you. Virginia Tech, PSU, Minnesota, MSU, Michigan, and the BIG championship game all have the potential of being difficult games. And even Northern Illinois has shown in the past it can play with the major programs (although I don't see them hanging with the Bucks). Not saying all will be but all it takes is 1 or 2 losses to screw up a season. It's very, very difficult to go undefeated anymore in CF. I really think the problem with "the easy schedule idea" lies with the perception of the BIG.

To be quite honest, the Buckeyes had a tougher time in the Big 10 last year than the Playoffs. We barely, and I mean barely won at PSU (2 OT). I was nervous until the end against Minnesota (31-24), Indiana (42-27), and especially Michigan. Yes, that's the same lowly Indiana - winless in the BIG - that BEAT SEC East champion Missouri last year AT Missouri. So dismissing teams like these on OSU's schedule as easy is living in the past. .

Not biting on Ohio State, and I mean that. But if I were Urban and building for a title run, this is almost exactly the schedule I would ask for.

VTech was a game because it was early in the season. And the offense just wasn't together yet. They play that game 10 times. Ohio State wins 8 of them.

at VTech
Hawaii
Northern Illinois (toughest OOC game)
Western Michigan
at Indiana
Maryland
Penn State
at Rutgers
BYE
Minni
at Illinois
MSU (toughest conference game)
at Michigan

saying VTech is hard because they were last year is akin to the pundits stating that Indiana is a powerhouse because they beat Mizzou who won the SEC east.
 
"saying VTech is hard because they were last year is akin to the pundits stating that Indiana is a powerhouse because they beat Mizzou who won the SEC east."

Not trying to say VT will be hard. I said it has the potential to be a difficult game and a lot of that is due to it being the most anticipated home opener in their history (in their words). Since it's OSU's first game, we can't really say that things will be clicking like the end of last year.

And anyone (especially a Buckeye) that dismisses the OSU-Michigan game as easy is nothing more than a complete fool. Hell, we had problems with Brady Hoke teams let alone a Harbaugh coached team with a bunch of under-developed, top HS talent. I still go back to our 1969 game at Michigan when OSU was the defending NCs and was absolutely steam-rolling everyone in their way. Well, on that day a young rookie coach named Bo upset the heavily favored Buckeyes in what I still consider the most bitter defeat since I've been following the Buckeyes in the early 60s.

Is it a killer, loaded schedule Of course not but it's not the automatic win-type schedule some are making it out to be and a lot - again - has to do with BIG perception. I guess people need to check with Alabama (SEC champ), Auburn, Oregon (PAC 12 champ), and Baylor (BIG 12 co-champ) - all losers to BIG teams in last year's bowl season - before determining how "easy" OSU's 2015 schedule really is.
 
If it only took one bad loss to screw up a season, OSU wouldn't have been in the playoffs last year. For some, like Baylor and TCU, it only took one loss to a very good team. OSU earned the title once they got to the playoffs, but they probably shouldn't have been there in the first place based upon the idea that one bad loss screws up a season.

Moving on, I do agree that PSU was barely a win, and it was probably a win OSU didn't deserve considering the help they got from the officials ("our replay broke" - the BIG making sure their best team had best chance of making the playoffs). But to say that PSU is a tough game for that reason is just not true.
Comparing OSU and ND's schedules, which is why I said "Oh to have that easy of a schedule", ND's is far more difficult. Look at the comparison below from what I would say are the most difficult games for both teams.

@Clemson vs MSU at home - two equally tough teams, but ND goes to Clemson. Clemson also recruits higher rated athletes than MSU.
USC vs Penn St. - USC is far more athletic, with far more five and four star players. They will be rated much higher than Penn St. You may also note that ND plays BC, a team that came within a kick of beating Penn St. in its bowl game, but BC isn't in the top half of ND's schedule as far as difficulty.
Georgia Tech vs Minnesota - Again, Georgia Tech is far more athletic and showed it against an SEC team in their bowl game, while Minnesota couldn't handle Missouri in their bowl.
Stanford vs @ Virginia Tech or Michigan at home. Stanford improved late in the year and is projected to be a top 25 team. Neither VTech or Michigan will sniff the top 25.

Like I said, oh to have OSU's schedule.
 
Totally agree. OSU would not be the team everyone thinks and Meyer would not have the record he has there if it weren't for a VERY favorable schedule.
 
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Here's mine:

Ohio State
TCU
Alabama
USC
Notre Dame
Oregon
Auburn
Baylor
Michigan State
Georgia

If the AP were voting for the top 10 douche-bags on Rivals you'd hold every spot.

(albeit under all your dumbass handles.... you could easily hold the top 25 spots)
 
My prediction on how the AP will vote in the first poll pretty much mirrors Phil Steele's with maybe a couple of minor exceptions. I think GaTech will be slightly higher and so may Clemson. Maybe as high as the 11 & 12 slots. Stanford may be a few places higher as well. Phil is 93%+ in accuracy year after year in predicting the AP vote and he's done way more research than I so here:

Phil Steele AP Top 25 Predictions
  1. Ohio State Buckeyes
  2. TCU Horned Frogs
  3. Alabama Crimson Tide
  4. Baylor Bears
  5. Oregon Ducks
  6. Michigan State Spartans
  7. USC Trojans
  8. Florida State Seminoles
  9. Auburn Tigers
  10. Georgia Bulldogs
  11. UCLA Bruins
  12. Ole Miss Rebels
  13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
  14. LSU Tigers
  15. Clemson Tigers
  16. Arizona State Sun Devils
  17. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
  18. Wisconsin Badgers
  19. Missouri Tigers
  20. Arkansas Razorbacks
  21. Mississippi State Bulldogs
  22. Oklahoma Sooners
  23. Boise State Broncos
  24. Tennessee Volunteers
  25. Stanford Cardinal
 
^ 11-15 very practical.

fans with realistic views are less likley to have meltdowns early on; that is unless the coach costs a game!
 
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