Way Too Early Football Poll - Ranked 11

[IST8CIVILENGR]

Looks like we are ranked at 11 in the poll.

We all know it’s early , but as Chris and Brent have said early projections actually do matter. Maybe we get some love, when it matters.

2025 Way-Too-Early Top 25: Where do Ohio State and Notre Dame rank?

The season has just ended, but that won't stop Mark Schlabach from ranking the 25 best teams for next season.

www.espn.com

 

[twincyties]

This seems optimistic to me. I sure as hell Hope they are eight, but we are losing some key pieces both offensively and defensively.

Defense may not be as big of a setback relative to this year. Very possible that a healthy group of new players will be better than a banged up veteran group from last year.

The departure of Higgins and Noel is my biggest concern. If we have a few WRs step up and get TEs healthy maybe #11 isn’t crazy.

Again, hope I am wrong and this prediction is right.

 

[fsanford]

This seems optimistic to me. I sure as hell Hope they are eight, but we are losing some key pieces both offensively and defensively.

Defense may not be as big of a setback relative to this year. Very possible that a healthy group of new players will be better than a banged up veteran group from last year.

The departure of Higgins and Noel is my biggest concern. If we have a few WRs step up and get TEs healthy maybe #11 isn’t crazy.

Again, hope I am wrong and this prediction is right.

Lots of freshmen and sophs got playing time due to injury. Can only help

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

This seems optimistic to me. I sure as hell Hope they are eight, but we are losing some key pieces both offensively and defensively.

Defense may not be as big of a setback relative to this year. Very possible that a healthy group of new players will be better than a banged up veteran group from last year.

The departure of Higgins and Noel is my biggest concern. If we have a few WRs step up and get TEs healthy maybe #11 isn’t crazy.

Again, hope I am wrong and this prediction is right.

Every team loses key pieces every year. By the first official poll, we’ll probably be around 20.

 

[acoustimac]

I’m having flashbacks to the last time we ended the season on a high note and were ranked highly preseason.

 

[cyclones500]

Every team loses key pieces every year. By the first official poll, we’ll probably be around 20.

Do you mean first CFP, or preseason AP? (I'm guessing the latter).

My hunch is it'll be like #17 for AP. BYU/ASU/KSU ahead of us.

 

[cyclones500]

I won't scoff at any hype-pub. The follow-through is the challenge.

Being projected higher than Alabama is fun stuff.

 

[IST8CIVILENGR]

As others have said I agree that it is optimistic. I was actually surprised that we were that high, the WR room losses are the concern to me and the safety and CB losses on D.

Having flashbacks to last time we were high ranked preseason, wasn’t a thought in my mind until someone said that.

 

[ZorkClone]

Way too high. We have a tougher schedule this next year playing 5 of the top 8 teams in the Big 12 vs 3 this year.

Likely Win: South Dakota, Arkansas State, Arizona, Cincinnati, OSU
Toss up: Kansas State, Kansas, ASU, BYU
Likely lose: Colorado, Iowa, TCU

I'm thinking a 6-6 floor to 9-3 ceiling. I would bet us at 8-4

 

[intrepid27]

Tricky schedule next year.
Home: Iowa, AZ, ASU, BYU, and KU
Away: CU, TCU, OSU, Cinn and K ST in Dublin.

We could be very good and still lose 4 or 5 of these games.

 

[NoCreativity]

I played 5 years on NCAA Collge Football 25. In year two Brahmer and Sama are all Big 12 first team but our recievers all really bad. I had to get over 200 carries each for Sama and Hansen.

Defense is still good, Cooper and some guy named Quentin Taylor are really good in year 2. Secondary and linebackers are elite.

 

[JP4CY]

Way too high. We have a tougher schedule this next year playing 5 of the top 8 teams in the Big 12 vs 3 this year.

Likely Win: South Dakota, Arkansas State, Arizona, Cincinnati, OSU
Toss up: Kansas State, Kansas, ASU, BYU
Likely lose: Colorado, Iowa, TCU

I'm thinking a 6-6 floor to 9-3 ceiling. I would bet us at 8-4

I'm not being super optimistic by saying this but I just don't think there's a "likely loss" for this team. Will we lose some games, sure.
I have no idea how Colorado looks next year.
I bet the IA ISU game is tight and close to a pick em.
We've beat good TCU teams before.

 

[CychiatricWard]

Way too high. We have a tougher schedule this next year playing 5 of the top 8 teams in the Big 12 vs 3 this year.

Likely Win: South Dakota, Arkansas State, Arizona, Cincinnati, OSU
Toss up: Kansas State, Kansas, ASU, BYU
Likely lose: Colorado, Iowa, TCU

I'm thinking a 6-6 floor to 9-3 ceiling. I would bet us at 8-4

It’s great to have early season pub. Don’t immediately hate on the ranking with your negativity. We get Kansas ASU and BYU all at home, along with Iowa. We were a good road team last year, and I expect the same with Rocco behind the wheel. Iowa, sure we haven’t beat them at home in what seems like forever, but we are due for one. KSU is first game of the year, could go either way but we seem to have their number currently. Colorado is a who the hell knows what they are going to be. Could just as easily be in the position we were this year.

 

[VeloClone]

Way too high. We have a tougher schedule this next year playing 5 of the top 8 teams in the Big 12 vs 3 this year.

Likely Win: South Dakota, Arkansas State, Arizona, Cincinnati, OSU
Toss up: Kansas State, Kansas, ASU, BYU
Likely lose: Colorado, Iowa, TCU

I'm thinking a 6-6 floor to 9-3 ceiling. I would bet us at 8-4

When last year's Big 12 preseason poll came out we were scheduled to play 5 of the top 8 schools:
#1 UU
#2 KSU
#4 KU
#7 WVU
#8 UCF
ISU was picked 6th.

We don't know if the 5 you are referencing will actually be top half teams next year.

 

[CyGuy5]

Way too high. We have a tougher schedule this next year playing 5 of the top 8 teams in the Big 12 vs 3 this year.

Likely Win: South Dakota, Arkansas State, Arizona, Cincinnati, OSU
Toss up: Kansas State, Kansas, ASU, BYU
Likely lose: Colorado, Iowa, TCU

I'm thinking a 6-6 floor to 9-3 ceiling. I would bet us at 8-4

I really want to be wrong, and this is probably the Debbie downer in me speaking, but it would not shock me if ISU regresses to the mean next year. We won a ton of close games, including 4 game winning drives with little to no time on the clock. You only have to look back to 2021 to find the last time ISU came off a great season and then lost every close game they played the next year.

You’re also absolutely right that the schedule gets tougher. K-State in Dublin will be a huge challenge. Who knows what Iowa will be, but Matt has historically struggled to win that game. Then factor in that Leipold clearly has this staff’s number and the fact that Arizona State will probably be solid again. Not to mention whatever Colorado is. It will be tough to get back to the conference title game again. Now, maybe we get lucky and those teams on the schedule don’t end up being all that good (like this year), but it’s tough to count on that.

 

[baller1]

Playing Kansas State in Dublin is cool and it’s nice we don’t have to travel to Manhattan for a true road game, but that is going to be a massive game for both teams being played on August 23rd. I expect both will be ranked around 15-20.

 

[KnappShack]

Where's the We Will link?

Seems $20 million is needed for a NC. A borderline top 10 comes with a cost.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I saw that someone had us at 18 yesterday, which I think it probably fair. We're definitely losing some key pieces that will be hard to replace

 

[ZorkClone]

When last year's Big 12 preseason poll came out we were scheduled to play 5 of the top 8 schools:
#1 UU
#2 KSU
#4 KU
#7 WVU
#8 UCF
ISU was picked 6th.

We don't know if the 5 you are referencing will actually be top half teams next year.

True, but it was definitely a factor that we played 0 of the other 7-2 teams. When we did play one in the CCG we lost big time. We just missed playing a lot of the better teams this year.

Hopefully the polls aren't so wrong this year as it really hurt the Big 12 to have none of the top picked teams in run the table.

 

[Frak]

I agree it’s optimistic. I’m not super worried about WR. They got 2 good players in the portal that have already proven they can play at a high level. They get Daniel Jackson back plus the younger guys hopefully taking a step forward. To me, they have a chance to be an overall better group just because you can spread the ball out more and not depend on just two guys. Now, that depends on Rocco seeing the field and not just locking in on his main target, but it’s possible.

My concerns are on defense. DL was not great last year and they lose 2 of their top 3 guys. They went heavy on DEs in the portal and in HS recruiting, so hopefully some of those guys can play. LB should be better given the injured players returning. CB I have no idea who starts opposite Williams. And S is such an important position in that defense. There was a clear drop off behind Verdon and Freyler. Do they have the guys who can step up there?