College football 2008: Ranking all Division I-A teams

[NewsCopy]

 
* 36. Illinois: Ron Zook makes it back-to-back bowl seasons with Illini.
* 57. Kansas State: Ron Prince's JUCO recruiting won't pay off until next year.
* 69. Florida Atlantic: Howard Schnellenberger has done amazing building job.
* 71. Southern Miss: Jeff Bower, who led USM to 10 bowls in 11 years., is gone.
* 79. Troy: Big-time talent on defensive line will mask offensive inconsistency.
* 90. UTEP: Is Mike Price on the hot seat if UTEP has a 3rd straight losing season?
   95. Louisiana: Ragin' Cajuns can run the football but can't stop run.
x 103. Louisiana Tech: Shaky defense plus erratic QB play doesn't bode well.
* 104. Kent State: Flashes have high expectations, but aren't used to them.
* 106. ULM: Can Warhawks build on their upset of Alabama in '07?
x 108. Tulane: Green Wave take step backward but Bob Toledo will get there.
+ 112. Western Kentucky: (ASTERISK)Tough schedule in final transition from I-AA.
* 113. Middle Tennessee State: Healthier Raiders could contend in Sun Belt.
* 115. Arkansas State: Team now known as Red Wolves has holes on defense.
* 116. North Texas: '07 Mean Green were 119th in scoring defense (45.1 ppg).
* 118. Florida International: At least 23-game losing streak is over.
x 119. Utah State: Aggies host Idaho on Sept. 20 in the "Battle for the Bottom."
x 120. Idaho: Vandals enter season on a 10-game losing streak.

The rest of the rankings

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Orlando Sentinel
Tim Stephens

* On Schedule
x Old opponents
+ Future opponents

[DestinCajun]

Memo to Jimmie Watson

So much for the separation, Jimmie...

[RaisingCajun08]

Hey we are moving up. Not starting in triple digits ...

[DestinCajun]

Hey we are moving up. Not starting in triple digits ...

At least in this writer's opinon but how the heck the experts decide these things in August is a mystery to me.

If the FAU experience with a huge number of newcomers on the field in '06 resulted in their '07 record, then we might be well positioned for the same results in '08 on the basis of the number of newcomers we played in '07. Overall, this is our our most talented, most experienced team and deepest since 1996. I hope it has also developed the type of confidence it takes to win a championship.