Top 25 the past three seasons...but no pre-season ranking?

[TheRealVille]

I know, I know, more whining about no respect. I'm doing my Rodney Dangerfield act once again. I just can't let it go, especially after reading the front page story about the Atlantic division of the ACC. Louisville is one of only six schools to be in the final AP rankings the last three seasons. All the others are ranked in the 2015 pre-season. But not Louisville.

Why?

Those other teams lost key players from last season. There's plenty of question marks for the others minus OSU and Bama. Clemson and FSU lost a lot and Oregon has to replace the Heisman winner. I agree all should be ranked but I also believe so does Louisville. The Cards return and add a lot of talent, especially on defense. Everyone knows of Petrino's success on offense so why are the Cards not ranked in the top 25?

Easy! They're not yet considered a football power. Unlike Notre Dame who is ranked #11 after struggling last season and losing their starting QB. Tennessee is ranked and for what? Potential? The voters just miss having them in the polls. No way they should be in the top 25 over Louisville.

I know the Cards have their chance to prove them wrong by beating Auburn but they still should be given the respect of a program that only five other schools have accomplished the last three seasons.

 

[rockycard]

It will be four straight years soon. Preseason rankings are more political than anything, Tennessee is proof of that.

 

[Cue Card]

I think it'll start to change if the program can sustain the year to year success just because we're now in one of the power 5 conferences.

The main reason for the question marks this season is all the talent from last year that are now rookies in the NFL. Once the program proves it can continue to reload instead of rebuilding, the preseason love will become an every year occurrence.

 

[CATFANFOLIFE87]

Tennessee has had 3 consecutive recruiting classes that finished in or around the top 5 in the country. The love for them is warranted they'll be pretty good this year

 

[Jacktwncat94]

Tennessee has had 3 consecutive recruiting classes that finished in or around the top 5 in the country. The love for them is warranted they'll be pretty good this year

And it seems they've finally found a quarterback

 

[nolegeorge]

Butch Jones is 62 - 40 as a college coach ... that is why UT will win JACK SQUAT this year ... recruit all you want but if you cant coach them up then it will show ... UT will lose 5 games this year (OK, BAMA, AR, UGA and MIZZU) ... Im sure ESPN will stroke them as much as they can though

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

The Tenn schedule is interesting. 7 home, 4 road, 1 considered neutral against Bowling Green in Nashville. So they are set up to have a good year, and maybe they will.

Last year they beat nobody and lost to FLA @ home. They did play UGA tough, but they only beat Vandy by 7 in their final regular season game, so it's not like they finished strong. They were destroyed a couple times.

Their Qb is fun to watch we'll see if he can find consistency. They are a team to keep an eye on.

However, their ranking is pure SEC bias. Last 7 seasons 5-7 four times, 6-7 one time, 7-6 the other two times. They've done nothing on the field to warrant a ranking. If they get a W against Oklahoma I'd rank them, but I'd make them do that first.

 

[thecycle21]

I think how the team performed the previous year is a small part of the overall equation. For a team like Louisville the team has to perform well the previous year, which Louisville has done. The next piece of the equation is how many key returning players are on the roster. A ton of talent has left the program the last 2 years. The last piece, probably the most important, how did the finish in the recruiting rankings.

Louisville never has had consistent top 25 classes in recruiting. When Louisville, any team that isn't in the top 25 recruiting rankings consistently, loses that amount of talent the perception is Louisville doesn't have the players to replace them. Keep in mind the people voting on these things don't dig down deep for information. They only look on the surface. It is very easy to find returning players and where a team finished in the recruiting world. That is why the BCS system was flawed because the preseason rankings played to big of a role in determining the participants.

The playoff system eliminates the need for preseason rankings. They are flat worthless. At the end of the year it will boil down to wins/losses and the strength of schedule.

 

[Cue Card]

I think how the team performed the previous year is a small part of the overall equation. For a team like Louisville the team has to perform well the previous year, which Louisville has done. The next piece of the equation is how many key returning players are on the roster. A ton of talent has left the program the last 2 years. The last piece, probably the most important, how did the finish in the recruiting rankings.

Louisville never has had consistent top 25 classes in recruiting. When Louisville, any team that isn't in the top 25 recruiting rankings consistently, loses that amount of talent the perception is Louisville doesn't have the players to replace them. Keep in mind the people voting on these things don't dig down deep for information. They only look on the surface. It is very easy to find returning players and where a team finished in the recruiting world. That is why the BCS system was flawed because the preseason rankings played to big of a role in determining the participants.

The playoff system eliminates the need for preseason rankings. They are flat worthless. At the end of the year it will boil down to wins/losses and the strength of schedule.

I agree.

IMO we don't need any type of actual poll ranking until after game 4. By then we'll all know who has the talent to win games and who doesn't.