With Cyclone Football, Men's, and Women's Basketball all likely to start their seasons ranked in the top 20 and Wrestling likely to start in the top 10, which of the teams will have the best season relative to expectations.
Which Cyclone team will have the best season?
- Thread starter KennyPratt42
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I feel like FB was near their ceiling last year while MBB was kind of mid due to injuries and some unlucky bounces. I expect a return to the mean for both this season.
I don’t know what to expect from WBB. Hopefully a more consistent output.
I don’t know what to expect from WBB. Hopefully a more consistent output.
Cyclone basketball is operating at a more consistently high level. That's no knock on the football program, as it is operating at a very high level in comparison to its history.
If all 3 go undefeated how do the tiebreakers work?
All 3 have the potential to have good seasons. Just a matter of how the questions surrounding all 3 programs in regards to lost production and potential play out. FB has to replace a lot of production at WR and how good can the OL be will determine the ceiling for them. MBB has a lot of production to replace in the backcourt, can the transfers and freshmen fill that and can the returning core take another step forward in their own development? WBB, will the transfer additions fill the missing pieces that seemed to be missing last season? Can the team as a whole improve defensively and achieve the potential they have shown at times?
All 3 could have great seasons and all 3 have enough questions that there could be some struggles along the way. To me I feel that FB has enough returning and the consistency in Campbell's program that they have the best chance of maintaining what they built off of last season. MBB lost a ton of production, I have faith that TJ can keep the momentum going but replacing that much of the roster there is more uncertainty there than what is returning for FB and WBB IMO.
All 3 could have great seasons and all 3 have enough questions that there could be some struggles along the way. To me I feel that FB has enough returning and the consistency in Campbell's program that they have the best chance of maintaining what they built off of last season. MBB lost a ton of production, I have faith that TJ can keep the momentum going but replacing that much of the roster there is more uncertainty there than what is returning for FB and WBB IMO.
Football would win based on degree of difficulty and expectations. If Football wins a conference title they win in my opinion, unless one of the others makes a Final Four (national runner up for Wrestling) and even then I think there's a debate vs a Conference Title and Playoff birth.
Yeah at this point if one has a 'best' season that likely means it was above and beyond because the other one should be good too.
I guess it depends on what someone's expectations are.
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I am a VB fan, not so much Wrestling. I was hoping that at least one of FB, MBB, WBB and VB would win long overdue conference titles last season. FB had a bad 2nd half vs ASU. MBB and VB seasons were both derailed by significant injury issues and WBB was overrated and the Hare injury impact was bigger than expected.
For 2025-26, I think all four are again conference title contenders if all four teams are healthy.
For VB, CJL really needs Gonzalez back to 100% after her major knee injury, Duckworth injury free for an entire season and one or both of the incoming FR OHs to emerge as an immediate impact player.
For WBB, Paulk's knee issue disclosed last week is troublesome to me as they really need her to provide defensive length/athleticism at the 3 in order to truly contend.
I am confident that both FB and MBB will contend if healthy, especially MBB who I think will be better defensively. And FB should be much improved defending the run this season.
Let's go 4 for 4!
For 2025-26, I think all four are again conference title contenders if all four teams are healthy.
For VB, CJL really needs Gonzalez back to 100% after her major knee injury, Duckworth injury free for an entire season and one or both of the incoming FR OHs to emerge as an immediate impact player.
For WBB, Paulk's knee issue disclosed last week is troublesome to me as they really need her to provide defensive length/athleticism at the 3 in order to truly contend.
I am confident that both FB and MBB will contend if healthy, especially MBB who I think will be better defensively. And FB should be much improved defending the run this season.
Let's go 4 for 4!
Wrestling is currently ranked preseason top five and has 8 of 10 wrestlers ranked in the top ten at their weights.
No David Carr type wrestlers but they are a deep team top to bottom and should compete for a B12 title and team trophy at NCAA’s.
No David Carr type wrestlers but they are a deep team top to bottom and should compete for a B12 title and team trophy at NCAA’s.
Set whatever your expectations are for each team (or use preseason rankings), then pick which you think is most likely to exceed those expectations or exceed them by the most.
WBB always seems to falter somewhere or get in their own way.
Football has far too little margin for error.
Wrestling usually loses to Iowa.
MBB will have the best even though scoring will still be a question.
Football has far too little margin for error.
Wrestling usually loses to Iowa.
MBB will have the best even though scoring will still be a question.
Based on "early projected ranking/expectation, I'm going w/ MBB.
I think it's the most consistently reliable, and even with uncertainty of filling roster departures, I'd HOPE there won't be as many unforeseen roadblocks (I won't use "the word")
WBB should be a little better. Still think it might be a year away from a potential outlier-run (maybe coinciding with culmination of BF career).
Football actually could be better team overall, but W-L takes at least a slight drop. Schedule has more challenge points. Maybe fewer close calls against opponents at lower end, but more L's. Comparing w/ 2024, (1) injury plague on D cannot be as bad (2) do 1-score wins / "positive bounce" revert more to mean?
I don't follow wrestling enough to assess.
I think it's the most consistently reliable, and even with uncertainty of filling roster departures, I'd HOPE there won't be as many unforeseen roadblocks (I won't use "the word")
WBB should be a little better. Still think it might be a year away from a potential outlier-run (maybe coinciding with culmination of BF career).
Football actually could be better team overall, but W-L takes at least a slight drop. Schedule has more challenge points. Maybe fewer close calls against opponents at lower end, but more L's. Comparing w/ 2024, (1) injury plague on D cannot be as bad (2) do 1-score wins / "positive bounce" revert more to mean?
I don't follow wrestling enough to assess.
I will say for wbb the core is another year older, the schedule isn't as brutal as last year and due to losses by teams that finished above us the chance at a conference title will never be better.
Football: too many close matches. weak DL. Tougher pre-Oct schedule (unprepared until October). 4 th place.
MBB: shooting and rebounding lapses. weak bench. 4th place.
WBB: continued turnovers. continued defense problems. 5th place.
MBB: shooting and rebounding lapses. weak bench. 4th place.
WBB: continued turnovers. continued defense problems. 5th place.
Football I'm just too worried about receivers. I think the defense will be solid but I'm worried about moving the ball. I also think the conference is much improved this year.
Basketball-- it just seems like TJ has it stuck on automatic at this point. Great core returning and he's done well to supplement it. Replacing CuJo's offense will be tough but I think we see a little better identity with this group right off the bat.
Basketball-- it just seems like TJ has it stuck on automatic at this point. Great core returning and he's done well to supplement it. Replacing CuJo's offense will be tough but I think we see a little better identity with this group right off the bat.
WBB finishing 5th would be an epic fail unless the team is decimated by injuries. They are certain to be the favorites to win the Big 12. The league field in WBB will the weakest in 30 years.
