Way too early... predictions for next year

[Bisonfan from FLA]

Way too early to discuss but hey, let's have a little fun as we watch the playoffs and wait for Spring workouts to begin.

Based on the eyeball test of this past season, graduation losses and known recruits coming in, what is your predicted preseason rankings for the teams in the GAC?
What "surprises" might we see out of teams next season?
Who will be in the playoffs and who will be going to bowl games?
Which team "should" have made the playoffs or a bowl but did not?

Of course, add your conjecture, thoughts, reasons why or why not.

[Divisiontwo]

[Redready]

You going to get your QB back?

[ATUGrad05]

ATU loses only 6 seniors from this season. Could bode well for the Wonder Boys if they can manage to carry over some of the late season success plus a good recruiting class.

[codeblack]

You going to get your QB back?

Both of our QBs, Paden and Wilcke, are juniors. As long as Paden is healthy he will be back next year.

[Redready]

Both of our QBs, Paden and Wilcke, are juniors. As long as Paden is healthy he will be back next year.

That's the one I was asking about.

[ONCEATIGER25]

Here is what the preseason rankings will be. (GAC only goes off of last years result which is stupid)
1. OUACHITA
2. HARDING
3. HSU
4. SAU
5. OKBU
6. UAM
7. NWOSU
8. ATU
9. ECU
10. SWOSU
11. SNU
12. SEOSU

Here is the REAL preseason rankings.
1. HARDING PO team
2. HSU PO team
3. OBU Bowl
4. OKBU Bowl
5. UAM
6. ECU Will be the biggest surprise. Could be as high as 3 or 4. I see them going 6-5 to 8-3.
7. SAU
8. ATU
9. NWOSU
10. SWOSU
11. SEOSU
12. SNU

Harding will be the team to beat. Ouachita will be down compared to the last 3 years. HSU will be good and could win it. OKBU will be solid again IF the QB is back. UAM will be solid but never better than 7-4/6-5. SAU will be slightly above average. ATU will be slightly better. NWOSU and SWOSU will be what they always are. SEOSU better and SNU bad.

ECU returns 19 starters. They will be a good football team if they figure it out on defense. They could win the Oklahoma games and beat UAM, ATU, and SAU. Im sure they will let 1 or 2 slip so they could 6-5, but i really believe they win 7.
Someone really look at the ECU football team coming back and tell me how they cant win 6 or 7.

[OBUGrad]

Here is what the preseason rankings will be. (GAC only goes off of last years result which is stupid)
1. OUACHITA
2. HARDING
3. HSU
4. SAU
5. OKBU
6. UAM
7. NWOSU
8. ATU
9. ECU
10. SWOSU
11. SNU
12. SEOSU

Here is the REAL preseason rankings.
1. HARDING PO team
2. HSU PO team
3. OBU Bowl
4. OKBU Bowl
5. UAM
6. ECU Will be the biggest surprise. Could be as high as 3 or 4. I see them going 6-5 to 8-3.
7. SAU
8. ATU
9. NWOSU
10. SWOSU
11. SEOSU
12. SNU

Harding will be the team to beat. Ouachita will be down compared to the last 3 years. HSU will be good and could win it. OKBU will be solid again IF the QB is back. UAM will be solid but never better than 7-4/6-5. SAU will be slightly above average. ATU will be slightly better. NWOSU and SWOSU will be what they always are. SEOSU better and SNU bad.

ECU returns 19 starters. They will be a good football team if they figure it out on defense. They could win the Oklahoma games and beat UAM, ATU, and SAU. Im sure they will let 1 or 2 slip so they could 6-5, but i really believe they win 7.
Someone really look at the ECU football team coming back and tell me how they cant win 6 or 7.

Mainly because I don't put that much stock in returning starters. It's so difficult to gauge. A starter for one team might not even be as good as the backup on another team. Yes, experience and yada, yada, but ultimately if that starter isn't very good it doesn't matter if he is returning or not.

For Henderson it will depend on the QB. They have to replace him, lots will ride on that.

[Divisiontwo]

Mainly because I don't put that much stock in returning starters. It's so difficult to gauge. A starter for one team might not even be as good as the backup on another team. Yes, experience and yada, yada, but ultimately if that starter isn't very good it doesn't matter if he is returning or not.

For Henderson it will depend on the QB. They have to replace him, lots will ride on that.

[Mulerider]

Here is what the preseason rankings will be. (GAC only goes off of last years result which is stupid)
1. OUACHITA
2. HARDING
3. HSU
4. SAU
5. OKBU
6. UAM
7. NWOSU
8. ATU
9. ECU
10. SWOSU
11. SNU
12. SEOSU

Here is the REAL preseason rankings.
1. HARDING PO team
2. HSU PO team
3. OBU Bowl
4. OKBU Bowl
5. UAM
6. ECU Will be the biggest surprise. Could be as high as 3 or 4. I see them going 6-5 to 8-3.
7. SAU
8. ATU
9. NWOSU
10. SWOSU
11. SEOSU
12. SNU

Harding will be the team to beat. Ouachita will be down compared to the last 3 years. HSU will be good and could win it. OKBU will be solid again IF the QB is back. UAM will be solid but never better than 7-4/6-5. SAU will be slightly above average. ATU will be slightly better. NWOSU and SWOSU will be what they always are. SEOSU better and SNU bad.

ECU returns 19 starters. They will be a good football team if they figure it out on defense. They could win the Oklahoma games and beat UAM, ATU, and SAU. Im sure they will let 1 or 2 slip so they could 6-5, but i really believe they win 7.
Someone really look at the ECU football team coming back and tell me how they cant win 6 or 7.

How would SAU fall to 7? I think you guys may be on the same level as ATU next year as well.

[HUBisons1]

Here is what the preseason rankings will be. (GAC only goes off of last years result which is stupid)
1. OUACHITA
2. HARDING
3. HSU
4. SAU
5. OKBU
6. UAM
7. NWOSU
8. ATU
9. ECU
10. SWOSU
11. SNU
12. SEOSU

Here is the REAL preseason rankings.
1. HARDING PO team
2. HSU PO team
3. OBU Bowl
4. OKBU Bowl
5. UAM
6. ECU Will be the biggest surprise. Could be as high as 3 or 4. I see them going 6-5 to 8-3.
7. SAU
8. ATU
9. NWOSU
10. SWOSU
11. SEOSU
12. SNU

Harding will be the team to beat. Ouachita will be down compared to the last 3 years. HSU will be good and could win it. OKBU will be solid again IF the QB is back. UAM will be solid but never better than 7-4/6-5. SAU will be slightly above average. ATU will be slightly better. NWOSU and SWOSU will be what they always are. SEOSU better and SNU bad.

ECU returns 19 starters. They will be a good football team if they figure it out on defense. They could win the Oklahoma games and beat UAM, ATU, and SAU. Im sure they will let 1 or 2 slip so they could 6-5, but i really believe they win 7.
Someone really look at the ECU football team coming back and tell me how they cant win 6 or 7.

Well, considering you finished 12 out of 12 in TOTAL and SCORING Defense in 2019, I'd say you have a LONG way to go to get to a winning record.

[Inkblot]

I keep wanting to predict that an Oklahoma team wins the conference, but I can't get through it with a straight face...

[ONCEATIGER25]

How would SAU fall to 7? I think you guys may be on the same level as ATU next year as well.

Well you lose most of your defense. Your offense was good but you don't have the QB to be great. ECU had you beat for 50+ minutes but they couldn't close it out. ECU has beat ATU both years of the Al Johnson ERA. The youth of ECU is no longer an excuse. ECU's offense is a top 4 offense in the conference. IF the defense can help at all next year, they win the close games they lost this year.