Lindy’s Sports DII Pre-Season Football Poll

[EyeoftheHawk]

Here is this year’s “way too early to know anything” pre-season poll for DII football. Not surprising that Kutztown and Slippery Rock are the highest ranked PSAC teams, but maybe a little surprising that they’re the ONLY PSAC schools in the poll. Obviously this is worthless but something to talk about in June.

LINDY'S SPORTS PRESEASON TOP 25
1. Harding
2. Central Missouri
3. Pittsburg State
4. Ferris State
5. Valdosta State
6. Colorado Mines
7. Grand Valley State
8. Central Washington
9. Kutztown
10. Slippery Rock
11. Minnesota State
12. Lenoir-Rhyne
13. West Florida
14. Virginia Union
15. Indianapolis
16. Western Colorado
17. Ouachita Baptist
18. Augustana
19. Texas-Permian Basin
20. Minnesota Duluth
21. Charleston (W.Va.)
22. Henderson State
23. Northwest Missouri State
24. Delta State
25. Benedict

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Here is this year’s “way too early to know anything” pre-season poll for DII football. Not surprising that Kutztown and Slippery Rock are the highest ranked PSAC teams, but maybe a little surprising that they’re the ONLY PSAC schools in the poll. Obviously this is worthless but something to talk about in June.

LINDY'S SPORTS PRESEASON TOP 25
1. Harding
2. Central Missouri
3. Pittsburg State
4. Ferris State
5. Valdosta State
6. Colorado Mines
7. Grand Valley State
8. Central Washington
9. Kutztown
10. Slippery Rock
11. Minnesota State
12. Lenoir-Rhyne
13. West Florida
14. Virginia Union
15. Indianapolis
16. Western Colorado
17. Ouachita Baptist
18. Augustana
19. Texas-Permian Basin
20. Minnesota Duluth
21. Charleston (W.Va.)
22. Henderson State
23. Northwest Missouri State
24. Delta State
25. Benedict

This is great. Every time IUP has summer hype it stinks come Fall.

[Ship69]

Here is this year’s “way too early to know anything” pre-season poll for DII football. Not surprising that Kutztown and Slippery Rock are the highest ranked PSAC teams, but maybe a little surprising that they’re the ONLY PSAC schools in the poll. Obviously this is worthless but something to talk about in June.

LINDY'S SPORTS PRESEASON TOP 25
1. Harding
2. Central Missouri
3. Pittsburg State
4. Ferris State
5. Valdosta State
6. Colorado Mines
7. Grand Valley State
8. Central Washington
9. Kutztown
10. Slippery Rock
11. Minnesota State
12. Lenoir-Rhyne
13. West Florida
14. Virginia Union
15. Indianapolis
16. Western Colorado
17. Ouachita Baptist
18. Augustana
19. Texas-Permian Basin
20. Minnesota Duluth
21. Charleston (W.Va.)
22. Henderson State
23. Northwest Missouri State
24. Delta State
25. Benedict

I'm actually surprised they have two PSAC teams in the top 10. It's not like our region has had a lot of success in the playoffs in recent years.

[EyeoftheHawk]

I'm actually surprised they have two PSAC teams in the top 10. It's not like our region has had a lot of success in the playoffs in recent years.

I’m going to make a note on my calendar to come back and check this at the end of the season to see how accurate it ends up. Harding as the #1 makes total sense but I don’t think they’ll repeat. Some of the other top choices are obvious. I wouldn’t have Charleston in there at all or probably Virginia Union. It seems highly unlikely that someone other than a PSAC school will win the region again this year. I think Kutztown has a good chance to repeat.

[Fightingscot82]

The methodology for these magazines is suspicious as hell. Including anything below FBS is just filler and drives some interest in the magazine, but I doubt they put much effort into this. They sure as heck rarely post who decides and their methodology. I can't remember which magazine it was but they did just that for FBS Top 25 (voters and criteria) but none of that for FCS, D2, D3, and NAIA. Years ago there was a small college football magazine (I think it was in newsprint) that was much more informed. This site also had a preview magazine for a few years.

One year USA Today had Edinboro preseason #9. They went 7-4 that season.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The methodology for these magazines is suspicious as hell. Including anything below FBS is just filler and drives some interest in the magazine, but I doubt they put much effort into this. They sure as heck rarely post who decides and their methodology. I can't remember which magazine it was but they did just that for FBS Top 25 (voters and criteria) but none of that for FCS, D2, D3, and NAIA. Years ago there was a small college football magazine (I think it was in newsprint) that was much more informed. This site also had a preview magazine for a few years.

One year USA Today had Edinboro preseason #9. They went 7-4 that season.

I suspect the 'usual suspects' in the West.

SRU did take some heavy losses. Lutz re-tools very quickly but I don't think their OL will be nearly as strong. That group was dominant last year but most of them are gone now. During the Tort years, IUP is usually at its best coming off a down year. Cal is always tough. Gannon is a pest - very good one week and not the next. Edinboro, Seton Hill and Clarion should be fairly similar.

One thing to to keep in mind is IUP doesn't play Cal/SRU back-to-back this season for the first time in FOREVER. Coach Speak mumbo-jumbo aside, that is a tough task. We'll see if Team Timeout can take advantage.

I'd agree in the East ... Kutztown is the favorite until it isn't. And, don't panic when the Bears lay an egg in Week 1. LOL. What is it with them and openers?

[EastStroud13]

I'm actually surprised they have two PSAC teams in the top 10. It's not like our region has had a lot of success in the playoffs in recent years.

They just don't pay close enough attention to D2 to know what they're talking about. They see that Kutztown and Slippery Rock both made the quarterfinals and finished top 11 in last year's poll, so they figure "sure, why not". It's an endless feedback loop with these polls.

[Ship69]

They just don't pay close enough attention to D2 to know what they're talking about. They see that Kutztown and Slippery Rock both made the quarterfinals and finished top 11 in last year's poll, so they figure "sure, why not". It's an endless feedback loop with these polls.

Yeah, I haven't been too impressed with Lindy's ratings in the past.

[IUPNation]

This is great. Every time IUP has summer hype it stinks come Fall.

Yes. So everyone chill out!!!

[Fightingscot82]

They just don't pay close enough attention to D2 to know what they're talking about. They see that Kutztown and Slippery Rock both made the quarterfinals and finished top 11 in last year's poll, so they figure "sure, why not". It's an endless feedback loop with these polls.

All of them. Lindy's. Street & Smith's. USA Today. Sports Illustrated. Athlon. Phil Steele. Not all of them do a D2 preview but none of them have anyone on staff who follows D2 football. Most if anything provide a top 25 list with some tidbits thrown in. Some provide a 1-2 sentence blurb for each of those teams (largely regurgitated SID stuff).

Years ago there was a newsprint preview from Don Hansen. That got my interest beyond the PSAC and some non-conference schools Edinboro played like Hillsdale or New Haven. The best was were the preview magazines this website created about 15 years ago. What we didn't have in professional writers and designers was made up for by people who actually followed and understood D2 football. In that same vein, the top 25 poll on this site is the most accurate.

Tying into the tributes to Brandon Misener on the other thread, this site really took off about 20 years ago. The PSAC then was on a really unique run. IUP was having some relatively down seasons and Edinboro and Cal were tops in the west when IUP wasn't. Out east ESU and Bloomsburg were the rising teams when Shippensburg began to fade a bit. The run of great QBs and RBs in the PSAC during the 03-09 years was something else. A lot of those stars are now coaching in college. Trevor Harris is still a QB1 in the CFL. Above all, the juvenile trash talk on this board was top rate.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yes. So everyone chill out!!!

It's Tort's version of the Madden Curse.

I'll take a 'slighted' Tort team any day over a hyped up version. He plays that 'disrespected' card well. He doesn't, however, handle things well when they are getting a lot of praise.


All of that said, I think the PSAC Preseason Coaches' Poll is going to tell a different tale than these intern versions.

[BisonswithanS]

I’m going to make a note on my calendar to come back and check this at the end of the season to see how accurate it ends up. Harding as the #1 makes total sense but I don’t think they’ll repeat. Some of the other top choices are obvious. I wouldn’t have Charleston in there at all or probably Virginia Union. It seems highly unlikely that someone other than a PSAC school will win the region again this year. I think Kutztown has a good chance to repeat.

Any particular reason other than "going back to back is hard" that you think Harding doesn't repeat?

[IUPNation]

Any particular reason other than "going back to back is hard" that you think Harding doesn't repeat?

Gimmick offense..need the horses for it. Thry may have lost a lot.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Any particular reason other than "going back to back is hard" that you think Harding doesn't repeat?

That’s the only reason. They could still be the best team in DII and not win the title. My early pick is Grand Valley State but so much can happen during a long football season with injuries, etc. If Harding won again it wouldn’t surprise me but repeat champions are few and far between.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That’s the only reason. They could still be the best team in DII and not win the title. My early pick is Grand Valley State but so much can happen during a long football season with injuries, etc. If Harding won again it wouldn’t surprise me but repeat champions are few and far between.

That's the thing ... football is such a long season and so much changes from week to week. These aren't P5 rosters and depth is always a major concern (especially here in SR1). Teams can look fantastic early and then the injuries pile up. By October they are a shell of that late August team.

"Next man up" in SR1 terms often means a 25% scholarship player (if that) or a true freshman.

Not to mention, we could probably count on one hand right now the 5 teams with an actual shot to win SR1 this year. Which one will stay the healthiest?