FCS pre-season Top 25 poll by Sam Herder

[Caribbean Hen]

Sam should just give these duties to Dan
C’mon man Gardner Webb? Geez
Florida A & M … way too much hype, SELA rocked them in the playoffs in 21

But Sam does correctly recognize the 3 FCS Bullies as the top 3 ….

I’ve been saying the Big Sky is the media darlings of FCS and example of that floats up on this poll

Sac St was ranked as high as #1 last year while Richmond was not even a top 25 team according to some that had never watched them play. Blame that on Flosports. Richmond went out to California and played Sac St even before letting it get away late … refs took a TD off the board too.

Richmond did lose the QB (Seahawks) and WR Herres but still, CAA takes another hit in credibility with the some Big Playoff losses last year. Those big losses were to the National Champs, # 3 and # 4.

I agree with the Holy Cross and Furman picks. Sluka is special and special QBs win games and Furman destroyed Elon in the playoffs. I hope my prediction that’s hidden somewhere on here, that Marker can be Sluka lite comes true. We will need a special QB to eventually slay these FCS beasts. It’s not gonna happen in 2023.

William & Mary is the team to beat in the CAA but we won’t get the chance unless it’s a playoff game

The New Hampshire game is a huge early game, it’s a game we should win at home. Carty must already have the date circled.

https://herosports.com/herder-2023-fcs- ... p-25-bzbz/

25. Florida A&M
24. Gardner-Webb
23. Delaware
22. Northern Iowa
21. Youngstown State
20. Mercer
19. Jackson State
18. Southeastern Louisiana University
17. UC Davis
16. North Dakota
15. Montana
14. New Hampshire
13. North Carolina Central
12. Weber State
11. SEMO
10. Sacramento State
9. Incarnate Word
8. Samford
7. William & Mary
6. Idaho
5. Furman
4. Holy Cross
3. Montana State
2. North Dakota State
1. South Dakota State

Other teams considered (in alphabetical order) are: Abilene Christian, Chattanooga, Eastern Kentucky, Elon, Rhode Island, Richmond

[HENJOHN]

GREAT STUFF CARIBE. Keep it coming!!!

[mainejeff]

Maine plays at #2, #7 and #14.....it's gonna be a long season.

[HENJOHN]

Maine plays at #2, #7 and #14.....it's gonna be a long season.

What is your feeling about the Black Bears this season?

[Cluck U]

Maine plays at #2, #7 and #14.....it's gonna be a long season.

What is your feeling about the Black Bears this season?

They are probably already out and about scampering for berries. As long as you wear a bell and/or make some noise, you won't startle them and they shouldn't bother you. Just don't get between them and their cubs.

[BlueHenBobby]

Interesting- no Nova in those rankings. Makes you wonder what is going on at the Main Line. We get them at home this year so hopefully we get a win. When we play that game in Newark it always galls me to see the Nova fans tailgating at Delaware Stadium. Delaware fans can't do that at their Toilet Bow.

[Caribbean Hen]

Interesting- no Nova in those rankings. Makes you wonder what is going on at the Main Line. We get them at home this year so hopefully we get a win. When we play that game in Newark it always galls me to see the Nova fans tailgating at Delaware Stadium. Delaware fans can't do that at their Toilet Bow.

Great point, but I think it’s more about what’s going on with Sam Herder He might be obligated in some way to include a certain block of teams in these polls. Just a guess on my part based on his eyebrow raising poll history

Villanova should be better than several of these teams in this poll and hopefully one of them is not Delaware. If Carty wants to appease the doubters Villanova needs to get beat for once.

[mainejeff]

Maine plays at #2, #7 and #14.....it's gonna be a long season.

What is your feeling about the Black Bears this season?

4 wins will be a successful season. Really lacking at QB and a lot of new players across the board.

[77HEN]

Maine plays at #2, #7 and #14.....it's gonna be a long season.

What is your feeling about the Black Bears this season?

4 wins will be a successful season. Really lacking at QB and a lot of new players across the board.

Hmmm, seems familiar. But we certainly expect more than 4 wins.

[Caribbean Hen]

What is your feeling about the Black Bears this season?

4 wins will be a successful season. Really lacking at QB and a lot of new players across the board.

Hmmm, seems familiar. But we certainly expect more than 4 wins.

Maine plays N Dakota St this fall, but the new CAA schedule should provide enough cupcakes for the Bears to manage more than 4 wins….maybe

Jeff, is Maine working the portal?

[Caribbean Hen]

https://athlonsports.com/college-footba ... op-25-2023

Athlon Craig Haley with his top 25

No surprises with the top 3 bullies

William & Mary in at #4

Delaware #25

[Henny]

https://athlonsports.com/college-footba ... op-25-2023

Athlon Craig Haley with his top 25

No surprises with the top 3 bullies

William & Mary in at #4

Delaware #25

Carib, no reason why the Hens can’t be the fourth bully. This year but UD is a total crapshoot just like a lot of other teams. What will get us into he top 10-20 the play of our QB and how the Oline plays. The wealth of talent here at WR and RB is obscene.

[Caribbean Hen]

https://athlonsports.com/college-footba ... op-25-2023

Athlon Craig Haley with his top 25

No surprises with the top 3 bullies

William & Mary in at #4

Delaware #25

Carib, no reason why the Hens can’t be the fourth bully. This year but UD is a total crapshoot just like a lot of other teams. What will get us into he top 10-20 the play of our QB and how the Oline plays. The wealth of talent here at WR and RB is obscene.

4th Bully ? I like that thinking Henny … while we’re in FCS let’s be as good as JMU was

What an interesting season we have looming here in 2023

The QB play and who starts ? I have a feeling Carty didn’t go out to Iowa to miss the Mark… a little pressure on Carty with his JUCO transfer QB because if he happens to be wrong about Marker it will be like a lingering rain cloud on gohens… but I’m thinking he got it right. By the way, if O’Conner happens to end up as the back up, have we ever had a better one?

Also some pressure on Manny Rojas with an entirely new crew on Defense and how he can bring it all together in relative short order… We had missed assignments with our very experienced and highly ranked D last year, so we should expect to see some fires burning on the D this year.

And these polls are easy for fans to criticize but just submit one …. Like you said a total crap shot

[Cluck U]

We might be able to win the CAA, but we aren’t touching the Natty unless we get some more help on the lines.

Carty must be having some sort of mental block. Yes, we need to out-talent the big boys with better skill players. But Sammy won that FCS national championship with an outrageously talented defensive line that got into the backfield, and a very large OL that was not great, but solid enough. They also had great special teams (hello Mr. Ezzard) and a fleet of talented WRs and RBs. And then there was Schmid, who had wheels, a solid arm…and a boatload of guts. That really was a special team…but their front 4 on D were special. Disrupters. And their OL was good enough, even with all of their injuries (luckily, they also had depth), to help deal with the pressure from the big boys’ DLs.

In other words, we’re gonna’ need a bigger boat (on both sides of the lines). Keeler learned that the hard way, but adapted and won another national championship. Carty will get us close…but needs to learn the same final lesson.

Looking forward to this season. It is going to be fun.

[Caribbean Hen]

We might be able to win the CAA, but we aren’t touching the Natty unless we get some more help on the lines.

Carty must be having some sort of mental block. Yes, we need to out-talent the big boys with better skill players. But Sammy won that FCS national championship with an outrageously talented defensive line that got into the backfield, and a very large OL that was not great, but solid enough. They also had great special teams (hello Mr. Ezzard) and a fleet of talented WRs and RBs. And then there was Schmid, who had wheels, a solid arm…and a boatload of guts. That really was a special team…but their front 4 on D were special. Disrupters. And their OL was good enough, even with all of their injuries (luckily, they also had depth), to help deal with the pressure from the big boys’ DLs.

In other words, we’re gonna’ need a bigger boat (on both sides of the lines). Keeler learned that the hard way, but adapted and won another national championship. Carty will get us close…but needs to learn the same final lesson.

Looking forward to this season. It is going to be fun.

Cluck, I agree with you on all this but

If it wasn’t for Jaqueez Ezzard and his electrifying 4th quarter vs JMU, Sam Houston would still be without a title.

Problem is an FCS player that good doesn’t come around that often.