Sun Belt Rankings : Week 4

[cjr3888]

I put together a ranking based on my variation of the LHSAA power rankings, and it seems pretty accurate to me.

1. Middle Tennessee (3-1)
2. Louisiana (2-2)
3. UL-Monroe (2-2)
4. Arkansas State (1-2)
5. Troy (2-2)
6. Florida International (0-3)
7. North Texas (1-3)
8. Western Kentucky (0-4)
9. Florida Atlantic (0-3)

[zephyr]

_ I put together a ranking based on my variation of the LHSAA power rankings, and it seems pretty accurate to me.

1. Middle Tennessee (3-1)
2. Louisiana (2-2)
3. UL-Monroe (2-2)
4. Arkansas State (1-2)
5. Troy (2-2)
6. Florida International (0-3)
7. North Texas (1-3)
8. Western Kentucky (0-4)
9. Florida Atlantic (0-3) _

Wow. Some good conversation here. First, I could never put FAU last after WKU. WKU is going to be the bottom of the league and I don't think that anybody will be close to them. Next, I could never put Troy after ASU, a team that they just beat on the road in conference. Troy has to be put top 2 without a doubt. I'm still not drinking the MTSU cool-aid as I still don't know what the fuss is about. I definitely think that ULM is for real and will be a player in conference and agree on North Texas. I think FIU will be nearer the bottom than people think.

I'd go with this route:

1. Troy
2. Arkansas State
3. ULM
4. UL
5. MTSU
6. North Texas
7. FAU
8.FIU
9. WKU

[LFTCajun]

Zeph, I'm like you with a wary eye on Monroe. But the Blue Raiders at #5? THAT is sure to spark some controversy, but I applaud your looking at this more "clinically" than most of us.

[cjr3888]

My rankings are all about the numbers and not who beat who. I actually didn't even think about looking at that.


igeaux.mobi

[zephyr]

_ Zeph, I'm like you with a wary eye on Monroe. But the Blue Raiders at #5? THAT is sure to spark some controversy, but I applaud your looking at this more "clinically" than most of us. _

MTSU= No significant wins. Yeah, I know they beat Maryland but we all know how sorry they are. They've got very little in the running dept outside of Dasher and while he's spreading the ball around, I just don't see him continuing the consistency. Their D is alright but nothing that is going to shut people down.

FAU= NO running game and their defense doesn't seem to be any better. Rusty Smith will keep them in games but I don't see a ton of wins.

Monroe is a team I've penciled in from day one. They have a playmaker QB who returns and some solid running backs. They spread the ball around enough and play aggressive defense. They are weak up front on the defensive line but have players everywhere else.

Maybe I put the MUTS a little low but I see them, at the end, not doing a whole lot better. I could maybe see them getting 3rd place at the highest.

[Clutch0364]

_ MTSU= No significant wins. Yeah, I know they beat Maryland but we all know how sorry they are. They've got very little in the running dept outside of Dasher and while he's spreading the ball around, I just don't see him continuing the consistency. Their D is alright but nothing that is going to shut people down.

FAU= NO running game and their defense doesn't seem to be any better. Rusty Smith will keep them in games but I don't see a ton of wins.

Monroe is a team I've penciled in from day one. They have a playmaker QB who returns and some solid running backs. They spread the ball around enough and play aggressive defense. They are weak up front on the defensive line but have players everywhere else.

Maybe I put the MUTS a little low but I see them, at the end, not doing a whole lot better. I could maybe see them getting 3rd place at the highest. _

To play devils advocate...then why are we ahead of MTSU. We have no significant wins?

To add to that...we have shown very little in the passing or running game. So wouldn't that put them above us?

[zephyr]

_ To play devils advocate...then why are we ahead of MTSU. We have no significant wins?

To add to that...we have shown very little in the passing or running game. So wouldn't that put them above us? _

Not in my eyes. I don't think that MTSU's defense is any better than ours when healthy although they seem to get some good love from the media. They have consistent threats at the WR position but really no more than we do and their QB is still coming into his own, much like Masson. Philip Tanner is supposed to be their RB but I haven't seen him and last game, Dasher ran more times and for more yards than their other running backs combined.

Our significant win is over Kansas State and I believe they are better than Maryland even though that may be hard to believe.

We've shown enough in the passing and running games to make me feel that we can sustain that against SBC competition. We ran really well against SU and well at times against KSU and even LSU. We've also defended the run MUCH better this year with the frong 4 which gives us more flexibility in using the LB's in pass coverage.

I guess my point is that MTSU has been talked about since day one and I've never gotten it. My view on the standings is over the long haul of the season rather than a snapshot in time.