Jon Joseph Moderator No. 1 Share Posted May 6, 2022 Alabama, OSU top our early top-25 college football rankings for 2022 WWW.MERCURYNEWS.COM Three Pac-12 teams made the cut (Utah, USC and Oregon), while two more received serious consideration. No one covers the Pac-12 more in depth than does Jon Wilner. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 2 Share Posted May 6, 2022 Placing USC ahead of Oregon just makes me ill. Didn't see that coming! Four opponents on our schedule is in his top 25... 1 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Author Moderator No. 3 Share Posted May 6, 2022 MY THOUGHTS: 4. Notre Dame - At Ohio State out of the box and home versus Clemson in November, but other than that? Maybe USC? For an independent a loss in Columbus will be very difficult to overcome and I think the Irish lose in Columbus. 5. Utah - This team usually improves as the season progresses. Will it be ready to play at Wilner's No. 8 Florida in game 1? If not., Utah will have to then go 12-0 to make the final 4. 6. A+M - Prove It. All new DL and a new starting QB. 7. Oklahoma - Dillon Gabriel is coming off injury and is not Caleb Williams. OK does get both Baylor and OK ST at home but I think one of these 2 and not OK will win the B12. 8. Florida - I'm not sure Florida isn't the 3rd or 4th best team in its division? 10. Clemson - 3Ls last season. Played great D all season long including vs Georgia. With improved QB play and playing in the ACC, this is a final 4 team. 11. Cincinnati - 3rd highest number of guys drafted with 9 players moving on to the NFL. I don't see a instant reload that would make Cincy Wilner's NY6 G5 representative. 13. USC - I agree with Charles, I do not like the Trojans ranked ahead of the Ducks but a doable 9-3 record could land Troy at 13 or higher. 18. BYU - What a schedule in 2022. At Oregon, Notre Dame in Las Vegas and vs Arkansas. But this is a veteran team that could finish better than 18. In 2022 BYU returns 88% of its production on O and lots of 'grey beards' on the OL and DL. 20. Oregon - too low IMO and I echo Charles take in regards to being ranked behind USC. But the schedule is daunting. 'At' No. 3, versus No. 18, versus No. 5 plus 5 conference road games. Whew ! 24. NC State - This is by far the lowest I have seen the Wolfpack ranked. Wilner does have the 'mandatory' 7 SEC teams preseason ranked. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalBear95 No. 4 Share Posted May 6, 2022 (edited) I hate pre-season rankings for the very reason it creates a relatively arbitrary list that teams that are undervalued need to climb to even get into January contention. And because teams in that same conference may be OVERvalued, when they are shown to be so, the rest of the conference takes a perception hit rather than the prognosticators admitting they misread the actual situation. Utah will be good because they are consistent and experienced. But Oregon and USC were down last year creating what I believe is, to some extent, an artificial view of Utah’s true ‘value.’ If Utah doesn’t look like a top 6 program, the conference will take the hit right along with the program. I get why there are rankings and they will always exist. I just wish they were tempered by a media willing to acknowledge their own valuation errors rather than project that into a “well, the entire conference is probably down because I can’t be too wrong” framework Edited May 6, 2022 by CalBear95 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 5 Share Posted May 6, 2022 Notre Dame at No.4 with their schedule seems unlikely to me. At Ohio State, at UNC, BYU in Las Vegas, at USC. Stanford could be a problem. Last season after installing Rising at QB, the Utes got better, but previous to that, Utah was better earlier in the seasons. A & M has definitely "Gone for broke" this season Oklahoma? I would actually like to see the Sooners do well with their new coach, but probably not this well. Flahrduh: Maybe after they lose to the Utes, it will be Flawrduh. Clemson: Yep, it's all about the DJ. USC: I'll be sitting right next to Cowherd when the Trojans play in the Natty! BYU: Will they be the best Cougars the Ducks play in 2022? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazeNconfused No. 6 Share Posted May 6, 2022 Chip hung 60 on the USC defense, Stanford ran the ball down their throats. But hey loaded up on offense so everyone is hyping them. The DL is bad with no depth. The LB's added 3 transfers one being Lee the Bama 4 star and highly rated Rajean Daivs should play, guess they are better there? SC lost starters off the backend from last year, Donte Williams has 3 kids 90 plus grade who appear to be a bust. One might start at the nickle and the other two won't start. They got Buff 3 star CB Blackmon in the Portal to start and Domani Jackson the 99 grade 5 star enrolled for spring ball and will start the other comer. The safeties aren't special. SC gets Stanford and Beaver game 2 and 4 with OL's who play very well as a unit, and SC isn't going to stop them. SC is going to play a bunch of Big 12 type 51-48 shoot outs this year. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Author Moderator No. 7 Share Posted May 6, 2022 On 5/6/2022 at 12:21 PM, 30Duck said: Notre Dame at No.4 with their schedule seems unlikely to me. At Ohio State, at UNC, BYU in Las Vegas, at USC. Stanford could be a problem. Last season after installing Rising at QB, the Utes got better, but previous to that, Utah was better earlier in the seasons. A & M has definitely "Gone for broke" this season Oklahoma? I would actually like to see the Sooners do well with their new coach, but probably not this well. Flahrduh: Maybe after they lose to the Utes, it will be Flawrduh. Clemson: Yep, it's all about the DJ. USC: I'll be sitting right next to Cowherd when the Trojans play in the Natty! BYU: Will they be the best Cougars the Ducks play in 2022? I think it's 50/50 that DJU starts for Clemson this season. A+M has signed lots of DL studs but they will be replacing experienced DL guys in the SEC. In Jimbo, I do not trust without a Jameis at QB. Cougars? BYU may be the better team but having to go on the road to play the Pullman Cougars the Saturday after playing the BYU Cougars in Autzen will be a witch. WSU QB Cam Ward looked darn good in the Wazzu spring game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 8 Share Posted May 6, 2022 On 5/6/2022 at 10:07 AM, Jon Joseph said: I think it's 50/50 that DJU starts for Clemson this season. Checking the roster, I found a FR. with the mundane name of Billy Wiles, but a Soph, named Taisun Phommachanh could challenge D.J. Uiagalelei. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Author Moderator No. 9 Share Posted May 6, 2022 (edited) On 5/6/2022 at 1:24 PM, 30Duck said: Checking the roster, I found a FR. with the mundane name of Billy Wiles, but a Soph, named Taisun Phommachanh could challenge D.J. Uiagalelei. True frosh and 5* QB recruit Cade Klubnick should be on the roster. Kid from Texas is pressing DGU. He outplayed DGU in the spring game. Edited May 6, 2022 by Jon Joseph Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 10 Share Posted May 6, 2022 On 5/6/2022 at 10:47 AM, Jon Joseph said: True frosh and 5* QB recruit Cade Klubnick should be on the roster. Kid from Texas is pressing DGU. He outplayed DGU in the spring game. After last season it makes total sense that DJU would be pressed to keep the starting role in 2022. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Ducky No. 11 Share Posted May 6, 2022 I hate to admit it but I don’t see a game on Spoiled Children’s schedule that they can’t win and will probably be favored in all but 2. Possibly Utah depending on how good they might be by the middle of the season and the game is on the road and Notre Dame who they get at home. WSU is at home or that game might be a toss up. The Ducks schedule looks to be awfully tough and could be 1 and 2 before league play begins. Going to be interesting for sure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Axel No. 12 Share Posted May 6, 2022 Axel’s Pre-season Top 10 10. Toledo, yes I’m biased, but I’m slipping them in where hopefully no one will notice 9. Don’t even get me started about USC 8. Ditto, those witless Huskies 7. The U? You mean Miami? LOL 6. Oregon 5. Oregon, just in case you didn’t see it the first time 4. Sick of Alabama 3. The Ducks 2. The ones with the coolest uniforms, you know who I mean 1. Georgia, until September 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Author Moderator No. 13 Share Posted May 6, 2022 On 5/6/2022 at 3:45 PM, Axel said: Axel’s Pre-season Top 10 10. Toledo, yes I’m biased, but I’m slipping them in where hopefully no one will notice 9. Don’t even get me started about USC 8. Ditto, those witless Huskies 7. The U? You mean Miami? LOL 6. Oregon 5. Oregon, just in case you didn’t see it the first time 4. Sick of Alabama 3. The Ducks 2. The ones with the coolest uniforms, you know who I mean 1. Georgia, until September 3 Axel, you are The Rocket Man! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 14 Share Posted May 6, 2022 BYE will also be good next season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 15 Share Posted May 6, 2022 On 5/6/2022 at 12:45 PM, Axel said: Axel’s Pre-season Top 10 You know you have made it as a humor writer when I see simply an "Axel Top-Ten" and LOL without even reading it yet! An involuntary bodily reaction created from so many epic ones in the past... 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goutes18 No. 16 Share Posted May 6, 2022 I saw another thing from Wilner today talking about Utah’s preseason rankings. Said he doesn’t think they are a playoff team - me either. He had an interesting list of the top ranked pac-12 teams and where they finished the season. Not a good omen for Utah. Shows pretty clearly who the best and most respected team has been in the conference over the past 10 years Here’s a look at the highest-rated Pac-12 team in the AP preseason poll in each season since expansion, followed by its end-of-season ranking: 2011: No. 3 Oregon/No. 4 2012: No. 1 USC/not ranked 2013: No. 3 Oregon/No. 9 2014: No. 3 Oregon/No. 2 2015: No. 7 Oregon/No. 19 2016: No. 8 Stanford/No. 12 2017: No. 4 USC/No. 12 2018: No. 6 Washington/No. 13 2019: No. 11 Oregon/No. 5 2020: No. 9 Oregon/not ranked (short season) 2021: No. 11 Oregon/No. 22 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
