Phil Steele's College Football 2024

Just picked up the magazine. 134 FBS Schools.

Here are Louisiana highlights:

Louisiana Team pages - 276 - 277; SBC 258-287
UL picked 2nd in West behind Texas State, but legitimate Sun Belt contender

2024 Power Poll of Top 134 - #66 Louisiana

2024 Surprise Teams - Top Non-Power 5 Teams - #6 Louisiana (#5 Texas State; #7 App State, #10 Tulane)

Top 65 Draft Eligible Players - #56 OLB - Cameron Whitfield; #29 ILB - K.C. Ossai

Top Individual Units
QB - #53 - Louisiana
O Line - #45 - Louisiana
Def Backs - #67 - Louisiana

Toughest Schedules - #114 - Louisiana

Overrated Schedules - #12 Louisiana at -39
2nd at 105.67

Power Rankings - Louisiana - 4th at 102.55 (Texas State 3rd at 104.77; App State 1st in SBC at 109.81; JMU 2nd at 105.67)

Conference rankings:
SEC, Big 10, ACC, Big 12, MWC, SBC, American, MAC, CUSA, Independents

Only 5 non p4 in top 65.... yikes.

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Originally Posted by R1Letterman

Only 5 non p4 in top 65.... yikes.

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The writing is on the wall. G5 will not compete within the next 2-3 years. The P5 NIL gap is too large.

Phil Steele very high on Cajun football this season. Hope he's right.

Agree with Geaux the fortunes of every G5, and I'll add to Geaux's assertion, about 50% of P4 will not benefit from the NIL/Unlimited Transfer Portal/Realignment Consolidation vortex. The never ending poaching is a big turn off. Ending on a positive note, what is available to us is making the CFP as highest ranked G5. You'd think our soft schedule would be a liability, but Liberty took advantage of its super soft schedule last season making it to NY6 bowl. Its there for the taking.

Like I've said before, in the very, very near future, schools will not win championships, they will buy championships! It is almost there already.

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Originally Posted by Duggie35

Like I've said before, in the very, very near future, schools will not win championships, they will buy championships! It is almost there already.

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I wonder how long the current trend of NIL deals will last. Companies are investing in players, only to see them leave for another payday the next year. How sustainable is it for businesses to keep investing in athletes who may only represent their brand for a single season? At what point will these companies tire of the fleeting nature of such investments and seek more stable, long-term opportunities?

All NIL/Portal stuff aside, most of the stuff I've been reading and listening to is pretty high on the Cajuns. After seeing the recruiting rankings, it's easy to be fooled into thinking we're trending down.

We've not played a down yet, so we'll see what actually happens. It's good to see positive pre-season chatter about Cajuns football though.

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Originally Posted by fpc4life99

I wonder how long the current trend of NIL deals will last. Companies are investing in players, only to see them leave for another payday the next year. How sustainable is it for businesses to keep investing in athletes who may only represent their brand for a single season? At what point will these companies tire of the fleeting nature of such investments and seek more stable, long-term opportunities?

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I hope it doesn’t last long, but I’m not very optimistic.

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Originally Posted by fpc4life99

I wonder how long the current trend of NIL deals will last. Companies are investing in players, only to see them leave for another payday the next year. How sustainable is it for businesses to keep investing in athletes who may only represent their brand for a single season? At what point will these companies tire of the fleeting nature of such investments and seek more stable, long-term opportunities?

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Hard to say. But I'm sure it will continue to drive down the already declining interest/attendance across the country.

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Originally Posted by JamesTheJeweler

Hard to say. But I'm sure it will continue to drive down the already declining interest/attendance across the country.

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. . . more than this post . . .

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Originally Posted by JamesTheJeweler

Hard to say. But I'm sure it will continue to drive down the already declining interest/attendance across the country.

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Probably true, but only because it creates the perception that something has changed, when nothing has changed at all.

More movement yes.

But nothing will change in the overall level of talent.

Some of the biggest buyers will have trouble making things mesh.

One fall practice will not give new combo teams time to gel.

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Originally Posted by fpc4life99

I wonder how long the current trend of NIL deals will last. Companies are investing in players, only to see them leave for another payday the next year. How sustainable is it for businesses to keep investing in athletes who may only represent their brand for a single season? At what point will these companies tire of the fleeting nature of such investments and seek more stable, long-term opportunities?

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Businesses, yes, I can see them tiring of not getting a long enough return, if any before stopping. Alum with F-you money will keep the NIL floating. And there's a lot of folks with that kind of money.

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Originally Posted by Duggie35

Like I've said before, in the very, very near future, schools will not win championships, they will buy championships! It is almost there already.

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You think they didnt already? Thats cute.

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Originally Posted by SlickRick

Businesses, yes, I can see them tiring of not getting a long enough return, if any before stopping. Alum with F-you money will keep the NIL floating. And there's a lot of folks with that kind of money.

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But what happens when its time for a new library or science lab?

That is the case already

And what is the actual return?
Gotta be (-)
But I’m sure egos are STROKED!

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Originally Posted by R1Letterman

But what happens when its time for a new library or science lab?

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The big schools have alum with F-you money for non-athletic needs.

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Originally Posted by DannyP

And what is the actual return?
Gotta be (-)
But I’m sure egos are STROKED!

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the school the NIL donor supports gets or keeps a good player

the notoriety associated with the community, fans, students and other supporters of the school see should persuade each of them to do business with the NIL donor

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Originally Posted by CajunVic

the school the NIL donor supports gets or keeps a good player

the notoriety associated with the community, fans, students and other supporters of the school see should persuade each of them to do business with the NIL donor

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But "collectives" and individuals may not have a business product/service to conduct

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Originally Posted by R1Letterman

But "collectives" and individuals may not have a business product/service to conduct

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so then their only return is to get or keep a good player for their university