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

RK	TEAM	REC	PTS	TREND
1	Ohio State (62)	14-1	1598	—
2	TCU (1)	12-1	1487	—
3	Alabama (1)	12-2	1452	—
4	Baylor	11-2	1365	—
5	Oregon	13-2	1260	—
6	Michigan State	11-2	1230	—
7	Auburn	8-5	1103	—
8	Florida State	13-1	1057	—
9	Georgia	10-3	1026	—
10	USC	9-4	1014	—
11	Notre Dame	8-5	883	—
12	Clemson	10-3	838	—
13	LSU	8-5	727	—
14	UCLA	10-3	697	—
15	Ole Miss	9-4	668	—
16	Arizona State	10-3	577	—
17	Georgia Tech	11-3	573	—
18	Wisconsin	11-3	470	—
19	Oklahoma	8-5	407	—
20	Arkansas	7-6	377	—
21	Stanford	8-5	365	—
22	Arizona	10-4	299	—
23	Missouri	11-3	229	—
24	Boise State	12-2	190	—
25	Tennessee	7-6	166	—
Complete Rankings

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

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!

MSU at #8 entering 2014 season...

Well, the ES has been traveling the globe the past four months, thus sans posting on the Big Green Machine... but shall return just in time for the gridiron season!

Look for the annual ES preview next week, just in time for opening kickoff.  That said, it's been nice to live on big, fluffy, green clouds as I don the Green and White and gush in Spartan successes to fellow alums in Paris, London, and Italy.

Love the love that Michigan State and Mark Dantonio are receiving nationally, especially from the Big Ten Network (here and here).  However, it's GREAT that other numb-nuts still doubt MSU, and continue to have the Spartans play second-fiddle to Urban Meyer and his Ohio State Buckeyes, even though the Green dominated Ohio and the rest of the Big Ten last year en route to the best Big Ten season by any school since 2003.  Once again - we got 'em right where we want 'em.

Here's the AP Poll released today.  #8?  I'll take it.... and watch us move up all season long.  The ES is jonesing for more roses...   :)

Go GREEN!

AP Rankings
Rankings as of 8/17/2014
Rank	School	Votes	Prev Rank
1	Florida State (0-0)	1496 (57)	NR
2	Alabama (0-0)	1361 (1)	NR
3	Oregon (0-0)	1334 (1)	NR
4	Oklahoma (0-0)	1324 (1)	NR
5	Ohio State (0-0)	1207	NR
6	Auburn (0-0)	1198	NR
7	UCLA (0-0)	1106	NR
8	Michigan State (0-0)	1080	NR
9	South Carolina (0-0)	1015	NR
10	Baylor (0-0)	966	NR
11	Stanford (0-0)	885	NR
12	Georgia (0-0)	843	NR
13	LSU (0-0)	776	NR
14	Wisconsin (0-0)	637	NR
15	USC (0-0)	626	NR
16	Clemson (0-0)	536	NR
17	Notre Dame (0-0)	445	NR
18	Ole Miss (0-0)	424	NR
19	Arizona State (0-0)	357	NR
20	Kansas State (0-0)	242	NR
21	Texas A&M (0-0)	238	NR
22	Nebraska (0-0)	226	NR
23	North Carolina (0-0)	194	NR
24	Missouri (0-0)	134	NR
25	Washington (0-0)	130	NR

Others: UCF (94) , Florida (87) , Texas (86) , Duke (71) , Iowa (68) , Louisville (48) , Marshall (41) , Oklahoma State (37) , Virginia Tech (26) , TCU (23) , Mississippi State (22) , Michigan (19) , Texas Tech (19) , Miami (FL) (16) , Cincinnati (15) , Oregon State (10) , Boise State (10) , Northwestern (8) , BYU (8) , Penn State (5) , Vanderbilt (2) , Navy (2) , Nevada (1) , Louisiana (1) , Utah State (1)