Friday, July 31, 2015

Coaches rank BIG GREEN #6 preseason

So, the coaches' poll came out today, with only a few interesting blips for Spartan fans.  First off, we're ranked #6 - it has to be our highest pre-season ranking since 1966 - two years before the ES was shot out of his mommy's cannon.

The Ducks, the national runners-up, are ranked a spot ahead of Michigan State.  They are our season-opener, and we'll be ready.  Should be a fun game - the best non-conference game in the country for the preseason.  It's an 8 pm, ABC, prime-time game.  Weather should be great.  Can't wait.  A win, and we bump up a spot.

There are no other teams on our schedule (look at top right of the ES site) that are ranked until we hit Ohio State in the c-c-c-cold, second to last game of the season.  Nebraska has 27 preseason votes, and both Maryland and Michigan have 1 vote each.  Da ES sees a trip to the Corn as having potential, but the Spartans have tamed the Corn (remember the frigid 27-22 win last year with a valiant but short comeback by the Corn?) the past two years and the distances between the programs this year are far greater.  Maryland is irrelevant, and Harbone's Roadkill have been irrelevant for the better part of the past decade.

Shall the ES take a trip out to Columbus... methinks maybe, but the Buckeye faithful are mean and terrible fans.  I think I'll boycott the Ohio State game; would love to come to Columbus, but not to be treated like a piece of shit.

The season finale, hosting Penn State - well, the Spartans have owned this series the past several meetings and should do so again... especially with a stake in the national playoff on the line after its victory over the Buckeyes.  Many are predicting the Nittany Lions (20 nods in the poll) at 3rd in the division behind OSU and MSU - but far below those two.  Thoughts?

Here's the complete coaches poll:

USA Today Coaches Poll
RKTEAMRECPTSTREND
1Ohio State (62)14-11598
2TCU (1)12-11487
3Alabama (1)12-21452
4Baylor11-21365
5Oregon13-21260
6Michigan State11-21230
7Auburn8-51103
8Florida State13-11057
9Georgia10-31026
10USC9-41014
11Notre Dame8-5883
12Clemson10-3838
13LSU8-5727
14UCLA10-3697
15Ole Miss9-4668
16Arizona State10-3577
17Georgia Tech11-3573
18Wisconsin11-3470
19Oklahoma8-5407
20Arkansas7-6377
21Stanford8-5365
22Arizona10-4299
23Missouri11-3229
24Boise State12-2190
25Tennessee7-6166
Dropped from rankings: Mississippi State 12, Kansas State 18, Utah 20, Marshall 22, Louisville 24 
Others receiving votes: Mississippi State 164, Texas A&M 149, Oklahoma State 89, Virginia Tech 70, Utah 40, Kansas State 37, Nebraska 27, Louisville 27, Minnesota 25, Penn State 20, South Carolina 18, Miami (FL) 16, Texas 8, Illinois 7, Duke 6, Air Force 5, Louisiana Tech 5, Marshall 4, Utah State 4, West Virginia 3, NC State 3, BYU 3, North Carolina 2, Florida 2, Georgia Southern 2, UCF 1, Cincinnati 1, Kentucky 1, Maryland 1, Michigan 1, Washington 1

Thursday, July 30, 2015

THIS IS IT!

So, Connor Cook, AJ Troup, and Tyler Hoover (Indy Colts) walk into the Peanut Barrel last week.  Joe, the owner repeats to them what I have beaten into Joe all year:  "Hi guys, THIS IS IT!"  Cook agreed, said they are focused on winning it all.  And, the three of them are huge human beings.  :)

This leads into the article in the Freep today, with this pretty quote by Cook:

"When you're in this position, you just have to hold people accountable," said Cook, who will have a strong argument over Cousins as the best MSU quarterback under Dantonio with a successful senior season. "There's a time to joke around and be funny, and there's a time to be serious. For me going into my last year, I think I need to be more assertive. More serious as in being a better leader, more vocal, I'm trying to take it up a notch. It's just me going into my last year and not having any regrets."

All I gots to say is... THIS IS IT.  Look at the roster, across the board.  The only two weaknesses are:  RB (my dead grandma can run behind this OL and get 5 yards), and DB (lots of playing time, lots of experience... hopefully the DL can put on the pressure).  Add gun-wielding stud Delton Williams back into RB for a second-chance, and now you have a true STUD at RB (re: Le'Veon Bell, Jehuu Caulcrick - big, shifty, and strong).   The schedule is fairly weak, except for Oregon (home) and Ohio State (road).  The OSU v MSU matchup is likely to be the playoff contender.  So, we gotta figure out how to win vs #1 OSU in Columbus.  We did it before with a shittier team under $aban, we can do it now with a better team.

A win over Ohio State in Columbus, and Urban Meyer will have another fake heart-attack.  Go GREEN.

Look for some new changes from the ES this year.  Video podcasts with a reporter, live GoPro tailgate footage, etc.  I bought the equipment, now its time to ramp it up  Go GREEN!

THIS IS IT!