USF football tier 2 in the AAC

[NewEnglandBull]

Bill C’s AAC power rankings

Here’s a link to every team’s data, and each team’s name below is linked to its preview.

Tier 1

1. UCF
2. Memphis
3. Houston

Honestly, you could make an excellent case that UCF belongs in a tier of its own. I fully expect the Knights to play at a top-20 level or so again in 2018, despite turnover on defense and in the head coach’s office.

But both Memphis and Houston could be capable of top-30 work as well, or perhaps even better if a couple of new pieces click. Grouping them here says more about them than UCF.

Tier 2

4. Temple
5. USF
6. Navy
7. SMU

I really like how Temple looked over the last month of 2017, and with the pieces USF has to replace, I think the Owls are the No. 1 threat to UCF in the AAC East. (USF is going to be awesome in 2019, though.) Of course, USF is the one that gets to host UCF, not Temple...

Tier 3

8. Tulane
9. Tulsa
10. Cincinnati

In last year’s AAC power rankings, I had UCF ranked eighth. I wanted to put them higher (my entire UCF preview was basically “They could overachieve again! But...”), but it took just a few too many assumptions to do so. Either way, congrats in advance to Tulane for a 13-0 run and NY6 bowl win. Magic number eight.

Tier 4

11. UConn
12. ECU

Below, I choose the best offensive and defensive players from each team. For UConn, both selections are sophomores. I like a lot of the moves Randy Edsall is making, but they’re probably another year or two from bearing fruit.

How does S&P+ see things?

Here’s how my statistical system has the AAC laid out for 2018, with zero equating to an average FBS team. (You can find full 2018 S&P+ projections here.)

Read the rest here 

 

https://www.sbnation.com/platform/amp/college-football/2018/5/1/17303520/aac-football-2018-power-rankings#click=https://t.co/uBWVuARJMV

 

[jchem1995]

NEB- this is what everyone outside of USF football thinks. We will be winning the conference this year.

[Bullrush33]

Lets see. Memphis will have a new QB. UCF lost weapons in Smith, Akins, and Mike Hughes as well as Griffin on defense. Houston seems to have the most returning piecies of that group however once D Eriq King had  film tape people stopped them. He jus t caught us off guard. So I call this projection crap.

[NewEnglandBull]

10 minutes ago, jchem1995 said:

NEB- this is what everyone outside of USF football thinks. We will be winning the conference this year.

I am with you 10000%!!!!

[Rizman]

Who is Bill C. and who cares about his guess. 

Edited May 1, 2018 by Rizman

[lotsofbull99]

UCF has passed us by, CJL would have never let this happen 

[NewEnglandBull]

25 minutes ago, Rizman said:

Who is Bill C. and who cares about his guess. 

 You should read his stuff, he actually does an excellent job in examining all of the variables for each of the conference teams. The metrics he uses for all teams are very legitimate. 

Edited May 1, 2018 by NewEnglandBull

[Rizman]

39 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

 You should read his stuff, he actually does an excellent job in examining all of the variables for each of the conference teams. The metrics he uses for all teams are very legitimate. 

Ok, but you have to promise I won't get mad.   Go Bulls.

[BDYZR]

1 hour ago, lotsofbull99 said:

UCF has passed us by, CJL would have never let this happen 

HOLY CRAP!

I agree... and it sucks.

[Calibull]

USF will make a big splash this year. I feel it.  I hate to admit it but if I were honest we could see last season coming.  I don't care who you are, you get a new coaching staff and a new system and you will have problems.  11 wins is good considering the guys were literally running the system for the first time.  As the season progressed last season you could see the guys grasping it.  This season they know it, if we have a qb who can manage games, which I think we do, we will turn a lot of heads.  UCF will have some of the problems we had last season, bringing back a bunch of talented guys is not enough.  They may not even respond the same to the new coaching staff.  Something to be said for familiarity.  Memphis to me could face the biggest fall off.  I think their QB situation is worst than ours and they lost some guys on both sides of the ball. I'm of the mind that this years team can play a lot better than last seasons.  They're showing every sign that they are better.  We're a legit under the radar threat to win the conference.  Not even me as a fanboy, the guys are better.  The talent I dare say  has increased.  A good group of seniors also.  I like our chances.  We're going to be tier champs... fk that other crap!