Tag: top 25

Frank Okam A Candidate For Texas Staff Chooses NFL

Former Defensive Tackle won’t be returning to his alma mater at Texas to join the Longhorns staff, choosing the NFL instead.

The Texas Longhorns coaching staff is still missing a piece as the hunt for a defensive line assistant continues on . Current assistant Oscar Giles is expected to coach the defensive ends in 2020. Giles played for Texas from 1987-1990 and he will be entering his third season at his alma mater. This is his third stint with Texas, the first being a graduate assistant in 1999.

The thought process is that Giles would move over to defensive ends leaving a vacancy at defensive tackle assistant coach. Another former Longhorn had been linked to the job and even interviewed. Frank Okam who spent 2004-2007 with Texas and he was part of the National Championship team. Okam is reportedly heading to the NFL instead to join Matt Rhule.

Okam started his coaching career with the Rice Owls following his five-year NFL career. He would leave Rice following the 2017 season to join Rhule at Baylor, now he will follow him to the NFL. This leaving the Texas Longhorns and head coach Tom Herman still on the hunt for a defensive line assistant.

 

Sports Illustrated lists Texas in Top 25 for 2020

Sports Illustrated released their early Top 25 college football teams for the 2020 season.

There’s no better way to speed up the offseason than to dive into early Top 25 predictions.

Sports Illustrated recently released their forecast for the best college football teams in 2020. To no surprise, Clemson, Alabama, and Ohio State are listed in the top four.

The Texas Longhorns are listed at No. 21. A massive amount of expectations surround head coach Tom Herman’s staff, but this ranking appears realistic.

Quarterback Sam Ehlinger will be returning for his senior year, a majority of defensive starters will have another season of growth under their belt. The Longhorns now have a plethora of talent in the backfield to choose from between five-star running back Bijan Robinson, Keontay Ingram, Jordan Whittington, and Roschon Johnson.

Although Texas had an underwhelming 2019 season, they showed at times that they can still compete with top programs. With several new coaching hires, the potential is unmatched.

Do you agree with their Top 25 teams?

  1. Clemson
  2. Georgia
  3. Ohio State
  4. Alabama
  5. Penn State
  6. Oregon
  7. Oklahoma
  8. Florida
  9. Notre Dame
  10. LSU
  11. Minnesota
  12. Cincinnati
  13. Wisconsin
  14. Auburn
  15. Oklahoma State
  16. USC
  17. Memphis
  18. Arizona State
  19. North Carolina
  20. Michigan
  21. Texas
  22. Boise State
  23. Florida State
  24. Purdue
  25. Texas A&M

 

 

Notre Dame Top 10 in ESPN’s “Way Too Early Top 25 Poll”

Today ESPN released their same list and the Irish were shown significantly more respect by writer Mark Schlabach who has Notre Dame at number 10.

Welcome to one of the worst sports-days of the year.

College football concluded for the season last night and now we have to wait until the end of August to recap actual games and live and die with every first down, touchdown and coaches decision we agree with or hate.

With that however, the nation is putting out their “Way Too Early Top 25” polls for the 2020 season, before we even know who is staying in school and who all is entering the NFL Draft.

Yesterday we reacted to Brett McMurphy of Stadium who had Notre Dame ranked laughably low.

Today ESPN released their same list and the Irish were shown significantly more respect by writer Mark Schlabach who has Notre Dame at number 10.

Outlook: After suffering early losses at Georgia and Michigan, the Irish were never serious contenders for a CFP spot this past season. They still won 11 games and blasted Iowa State 33-9 in the Camping World Bowl. With quarterback Ian Book and all five starting offensive linemen returning, the Irish have a good nucleus coming back on offense. But they must replace leading receivers Claypool and Finke, leading rusher Jones and Kmet, who was a matchup nightmare. Northwestern graduate transfer Bennett Skowronek and incoming four-star receiver Jordan Johnson might be able to help right away. Brian Kelly is also looking for a new offensive coordinator after Chip Long was pushed out. It might be former quarterback Tom Rees, who called plays in the bowl game. The Irish will also have to replace all four starters in the secondary after Gilman decided to bypass his fourth season. Notre Dame plays Wisconsin at Lambeau Field and hosts Clemson, but it might be favored in its 10 other regular-season games.

That’s how Schlabach looks at Notre Dame in 2020.

For the record he has Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama and LSU as his top-four.

No. 1 Clemson and No. 14 Wisconsin are the only two Notre Dame opponents for 2020 who can be found in this particular top-25.

Wisconsin is 18th in USA TODAY early top 25 for 2020

The way too early first look at a top 25 for 2020 is out

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When a college football season ends, you know what happens the day after: The way-too-early top 25 for the next season is released. Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports provided his early-bird top 25 on Tuesday, under 15 hours after Joe Burrow and Ed Orgeron led LSU to a 15-0 season with a national championship game victory over Clemson in New Orleans.

The Wisconsin Badgers are No. 18 in Myerberg’s top 25, which isn’t necessarily an insult to the program, but isn’t a glowing evaluation, either. Myerberg has Iowa at No. 10, which amounts to a belief that Wisconsin won’t win the Big Ten West this coming season.

Here is Myerberg on the Badgers:

Wisconsin will be Wisconsin, meaning a team that will land somewhere in the Top 25 and potentially be in the thick of the playoff race in October and November. There are some big losses, however, including several seniors from the front seven on defense and, of course, All-America running back Jonathan Taylor and star center Tyler Biadasz. The Big Ten West will have few easy outs, which could keep Wisconsin in the eight-win range during the regular season.

The Big Ten in Myerberg’s eyes looks like this: Ohio State is No. 3 behind No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Alabama. Penn State is No. 7. Iowa, as mentioned above, is No. 10. Myerberg is high on Michigan, which he puts at No. 12.

Two Big Ten teams which didn’t crack the top 25 but are listed as having almost made the cut: Minnesota and Nebraska. That’s a clear indication that Myerberg thinks Minnesota won’t retain its place in the Big Ten and that Nebraska will significantly improve.

A few other notes beyond the Big Ten: Myerberg rates Florida (No. 8) ahead of Georgia (No. 11). Very interesting. Notre Dame is No. 9.

Memphis is the highest-rated Group of Five team at No. 15, edging out No. 16 Cincinnati and a few places ahead of No. 20 Boise State. Texas is No. 14. Baylor is No. 22.

Wisconsin will try to prove Paul Myerberg wrong, especially in relationship to Iowa and the Big Ten West in 2020.

USA Today’s Early Top 25 has Texas at No. 14

In the way too early top 25 for the upcoming season, Texas is ranked at No. 14. The Longhorns will once again begin the season with hype.

One day after the national championship is the perfect time to start wondering about the 2020 season. In the way too early top 25 for the upcoming season, USA TODAY’s Paul Myerberg has Texas ranked at No. 14. Finishing unranked in the final Amway Coaches Poll, the Longhorns would once again begin the season with some hype.

Other Big 12 teams include No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 21 Iowa State and No. 22 Baylor. Oklahoma State fell under “just missed the cut” section, but should be a threat next season.

Here is the full way too early top 25 for the 2020 college football season:

  1. Clemson
  2. Alabama
  3. Ohio State
  4. LSU
  5. Oklahoma
  6. Oregon
  7. Penn State
  8. Florida
  9. Notre Dame
  10. Iowa
  11. Georgia
  12. Michigan
  13. Auburn
  14. Texas
  15. Memphis
  16. Cincinnati
  17. Southern California
  18. Wisconsin
  19. Texas A&M
  20. Boise State
  21. Iowa State
  22. Baylor
  23. California
  24. Washington
  25. North Carolina

Just missed the cut: Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Utah, Arizona State, Tennessee, Nebraska, Kansas State, Louisville, Central Florida.

The SEC has the most teams in the poll, with six teams. Alabama and LSU once again lead the way for the conference, while Florida, Georgia, and Auburn also have spots in the 15.

Much like the SEC, the Big 12 has a lot of names, with Ohio State, Penn State, and Iowa in the top 10. Michigan and Wisconsin coming in at No. 12 and No. 18, making it one of the toughest conferences in the country.

With kickoff about seven months away, it will be a long, grueling wait for the 2020 college football season. Texas will have its season opener on Saturday, Sept. 5 against USF.

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Amway Coaches Poll: Did Texas Make It In?

Texas got 42 votes in the poll, missing out of the Amway Coaches Poll top 25 by five votes. Here is the full Amway Coaches Poll top 25:

The 2019 College Football season ended last night with LSU defeating Clemson in the National Championship, 42-25. Finishing the season ranked No. 1 in the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports, the Tigers are the third different team to win a championship in the College Football Playoff era.

As for the Big 12, two teams made it in after a horrible bowl season. Oklahoma finishes the season outside of the top five, ranked No. 6 while Baylor is No. 12. Texas got 42 votes, misses out of the top 25 by five votes.

Here is the full Amway Coaches Poll top 25:

1) Louisiana State

2) Clemson

3) Ohio State

4) Georgia

5) Oregon

6) Oklahoma

7) Florida

8) Alabama

9) Penn State

10) Minnesota

11) Notre Dame

12) Baylor

13) Wisconsin

14) Auburn

15) Iowa

16) Utah

17) Memphis

18) Appalachian State

19) Michigan

20) Navy

21) Cincinnati

22) Boise State

23) Air Force

24) Central Florida

25) Virginia

Schools dropped out:

No. 23 Southern California

Others receiving votes:

Texas 42; Florida Atlantic 32; Washington 29; UL Lafayette 26; Texas A&M 26; Southern California 23; San Diego State 20; Southern Methodist 14; Louisiana Tech 9; Tennessee 8; Kentucky 5; California 4; Louisville 3; Kansas State 3; Hawaii 3; Oklahoma State 1.

Notre Dame Football: Final AP Poll Rankings

Navy of all teams ends up being the only ranked team Notre Dame beat in 2019, a 52-20 domination in November

After LSU defeated Clemson on Monday night there wasn’t much debate as to how really 1-3 would look in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll, but where might Notre Dame land was a question for Fighting Irish fans.

I went through that a bit last week and made my best guess here, where I had Notre Dame checking in at 11.

Well, the final poll is out and I was pretty close, but not perfectly on.

  1. LSU
  2. Clemson
  3. Ohio State
  4. Georgia
  5. Oregon
  6. Florida
  7. Oklahoma
  8. Alabama
  9. Penn State
  10. Minnesota
  11. Wisconsin
  12. Notre Dame
  13. Baylor
  14. Auburn
  15. Iowa
  16. Utah
  17. Memphis
  18. Michigan
  19. Appalachian State
  20. Navy
  21. Cincinnati
  22. Air Force
  23. Boise State
  24. UCF
  25. Texas

So I was wrong in having Wisconsin drop further than they ended up doing, I just thought that two losses in a row to end the year, against top-notch competition or not would see them drop further.

Perhaps the most interesting thing in the final AP Poll for Notre Dame fans isn’t that they finished 12 instead of 11 or crack the top 10, but instead that Navy of all teams ends up being the only ranked team Notre Dame beat in 2019, a 52-20 domination in November.

Notre Dame Checks into Top 10 in 2020 “Way Too Early” Top 25

The Sporting News released their “way too early Top 25 for 2020” today and if it’s any indication, it could be the highest Notre Dame enters a season since 2006.

Yesterday we went over “The Ten Most Exciting March-ups for 2020” as rated by 247Sports and saw how Notre Dame made a pair of appearances.

The game against Clemson is setting up to be massive as the Tigers could be riding a nearly 40 game winning streak by then.

Clemson again figures to be a top two or three team entering 2020, but how high might Notre Dame check in?

The Sporting News released their “way too early Top 25 for 2020” today and if it’s any indication, it could be the highest Notre Dame enters a season since 2006.

Bill Bender ranks the Irish at No. 8, just behind Oklahoma and just-ahead of Penn State and states Notre Dame will again he in the heart of the College Football Playoff conversation.

There will be a million different things to discuss as the season approaches but expectations nationally appear to be as high as they are for Notre Dame fans entering 2020.

Texas Longhorns Should Be Top 25 In Final Poll

Should the Texas Longhorns who finished the season with a decisive victory over Utah Utes be ranked in the top 25?

The Texas Longhorns football team was inconsistent to say the very least. The team finished 1-2 over their final three games including a 14-point loss to then number 14th-ranked Baylor Bears. The Longhorns were 2-3 against ranked teams this season with wins over the 16th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats and thumping the 11th-ranked Utah Utes.

As it always is with rankings, a lot of what have you done for me lately. Well Texas won their last two games by an average margin of victory of 26.5 points. The performance in  all three phases of the game lead you to believe that this Texas team is worthy of a top 25 nod when the final rankings are released.

Final rankings after the season that didn’t see the Longhorns play in a New Years six bowl doesn’t exactly mean a whole lot but after finishing the season strong, it sure would be a nice ending. Final rankings will be released following the National Championship game between Clemson and Louisiana State.

Charli Collier and Celeste Taylor Earn Weekly Honors

Charli Collier and Celeste Taylor took home Big 12 weekly honors for their contributions in getting Texas into the Top 25.

Fresh off of their big win against the number one ranked Stanford Cardinals, two members of the Texas women’s basketball team are taking home weekly Big 12 honors.

Charli Collier was named Big 12 Player of the Week. Against the Cardinals, Collier pulled down 19 boards and added 20 points to lead the Lady Longhorns in both categories. This marked her second double-double of the week after scoring 10 and grabbing 16 rebounds against Ohio Bobcats on Wednesday. It was quite a week for Charli Collier with 30 points and 37 rebounds combined to help lead Texas to two wins.

Freshman guard Celeste Taylor continued her solid first season in Austin this week. She led all Longhorns in scoring against Ohio with 17 points. In that game Taylor was everywhere adding nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks. It was an all-around game for Taylor. Against Stanford she added another 10 points, two rebounds and two steals.

Thanks to both of these ladies, the Texas Longhorns women’s basketball team finished the week with two wins and helped them improve their record to 7-4. With recent wins over Tennessee and Stanford, Texas is now ranked number 25 in the nation.