CFN 2012 Post-Spring Rankings
No. 113 to No. 124
2012 CFN Post-Spring Rankings
(where the teams will end up)
- Top Ten |
Rankings 11-20 |
Rankings 21-30
- Rankings 31-40 |
Rankings 41-50 |
Rankings 51-60
- Rankings 61-70 |
Rankings 71-80 |
Rankings 81-90
- Rankings 91-100 |
Rankings 101-112 |
The
Bottom 12
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Which teams looked great this spring? Which ones reloaded, rebuilt, and looked surprisingly sharp? Which ones struggled a bit and need more time and more practice time?
These are the CFN Post-Spring Rankings based on
where we think the teams are going to finish up when
all is said and done. Part of the rankings are based
on talent and potential, and part of them are based
on schedules and what the teams might do. Coming
later this summer are the CFN 2012 Rankings based on
how good the teams are.
124. Massachusetts
(2011 Record: 5-6, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 0-12)
It's going to be a rough first year for new head coach Charley Molner with no sure-thing wins and with some major rebuilding to do on both sides of the ball.
A steady quarterback has to be found; a playmaking running back has to come forward; and the defense has to find playmakers up front and in the secondary.
There aren't any games against FCS teams, and there aren't any breaks with seven of the first ten games on the road.
Making matters worse, home games against Ohio and Bowling Green are against two of the East's best teams, while Central Michigan will be far better. It could be Buffalo or bust when it comes to getting a win.
123. Memphis
(2011 Record: 2-10, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 2-10)
The hiring of Justin Fuente was a bit of a stunner when it happened, and the first year probably won't justify the call. Memphis needs a whole bunch of retooling and reworking, and it's going to take a long, long time before Fuente
gets the offense to roll. He's a good offensive mind
and should eventually make the Tigers interesting,
helped by a veteran line, but the defense is going
to be a nightmare again. Even with Dontari Poe in
the middle the D didn't do anything, but three
starters are back in the secondary. Beating
UT-Martin in the season opener should be a lock, but
that might be it unless the Tigers can win at home
against Rice or Tulane.
122. UTSA
(2011 Record: 4-6,
2012 Roughly Projected Record: 5-7)
With games against teams like Texas A&M-Commerce, NW Oklahoma State, and McNeese
State, the Roadrunners shouldn't have an awful
record in their first season in the FBS. Ten
starters return to a decent defense that should be
solid, while the offense that was really, really
young last year should be far stronger. If UTSA can
win at South Alabama early and beat Texas State
late, a winning season might be possible.
121. Tulane
(2011 Record: 2-11, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 2-10)
Tulane doesn't have to start from scratch, but it's a long way from being a player in any way in Conference USA.
New head coach Curtis Johnson's first job will be to improve a horrendous offense that couldn't score, but his defense should be decent with seven starters returning and a few nice prospects in the secondary.
Winning the Sun Belt games against ULM and Louisiana-Lafayette will be a must, and winning home games against UAB and Rice will be needed to have a nice season. However, it'll be a shock if the Green Wave is the favorite against anyone but ULM.
120. Florida Atlantic
(2011 Record: 1-11, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 3-9)
Carl Pelini has a ton of rebuilding to do with a program that fell way, way behind FIU and several other relatively young Sun Belt programs. The offense has to find something that works and the defense
that returns ten starters has to be better with the intense coaching staff sure to ramp things up a few bit. Outside of Wagner in the opener and possibly South Alabama, there aren't any sure
sure-thing wins on the lot. It'll take a slew of upsets to have any hope of winning six games.
119. Buffalo
(2011 Record: 3-9, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 2-10)
Can Jeff Quinn start to make things better? The
offense has to find more consistency and needs the
running game to rock behind a veteran line that
could be the team's biggest strength. The defense
gets eight starters back and can't help but be
better with Quinn a solid defensive coach. With
Morgan State and Kent State early on, coming up with
two wins early should be possible. If that happens
it could be a solid season with four home games in a
row and only one true road game in the second half
of the season. However, it'll take an upset or three
to have any hope of getting to six wins.
118. UNLV
(2011 Record: 2-11, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 2-11)
Bobby Hauck is fighting the good fight to try the impossible to make UNLV relevant, but the program still needs to find more playmakers and has to get much, much better on the lines. There's a good group of running backs to work around, but a steady quarterback has to emerge to get the offense to start moving. The defense that couldn't stop anyone also has to replace several starters, but that might not be a bad thing.
Coming up with a win over Northern Arizona early on and take advantage of a stretch of four home games in the first six will be needed with a brutal second half to deal with. The Rebels have to go on the road for six of the final nine games, but home games against New Mexico and Wyoming are winnable. Forget about road games at Utah State, Louisiana Tech, Boise State, or San Diego State.
117. Texas State
(2011 Record: 6-6, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 3-9)
The problem is that the Bobcats don't have a slew of layups. Stephen F. Austin is the only FCS team on the slate, so while Dennis Franchione's club won't be awful in its first and only season in the WAC, the record won't be there to show it. The quirky spread-option attack will roll up a ton of rushing yards
- it could lead the WAC in rushing by a huge margin
- while the veteran defense could be terrific up
front.
116. Idaho
(2011 Record: 2-10, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 3-9)
The offense needs to settle on a quarterback as soon as possible and the defense has to replace six starters after not stopping anyone last year.
Fortunately, the schedule has become far, far easier in the new world of WAC Lite. However, there aren't any sure things early on, even though it might seem like there are some lightweights on the slate.
Eastern Washington is a tough FCS game to open and going to Bowling Green - one of the MAC's better-looking teams - won't be fun. With four road games in the final six and five in the final seven, taking care of every home date is a must.
115. New Mexico
(2011 Record: 1-11, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 3-10)
Bob Davie might be able to change things around just a little bit right away. The record might not be anything great, but the team should be far more
competitive and it should come up with a solid
ground game as the season goes on. The backs are in
place to start cranking out yards early in Mountain
West play. Yes, 3-3 really and truly is a
possibility starting out with Southern and with New
Mexico State and Texas State on the slate. There's
still a ton of work to do to pull up out of the
nosedive of the Mike Locksley era, but the coaching
alone should be enough for a few wins and a positive
step forward.
114. South Alabama
(2011 Record: 6-4, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 4-9 )
The Jaguars could be one of the surprising non-BCS teams you've never head of. It's a veteran
squad coming off a decent year, including
good fights with NC State and Kent State. The defense could be tremendous with ten starters back to a strong 3-4 defense. The offense won't put up
too many points on the board, but it'll be strong on the ground with a little bit of explosion. This won't be a Sun Belt-title season, but USA will be a factor
with home games against Florida Atlantic, FIU, and
Middle Tennessee. However, seven of the final 11 games
are on the road.
113. Akron
(2011 Record: 1-11, 2012 Roughly Projected Record: 2-10)
Terry Bowden should make the Zips interesting after several seasons of complete and utter incompetence. There are enough veterans in place to expect a stronger season from the woeful offense, even with the line needing to be almost totally rebuilt. The defense has to try to go on without
tackling-machine linebacker Brian Wagner, who took off for Arizona. Morgan State is the only easy game with a trip to Florida International tough and the opener against UCF a likely loss. Four of the final six games are on the road, so don't expect a shocking turnaround
even though there will be signs of life. Bowden will be good, it'll just take a little while.
2012 CFN Post-Spring Rankings
(where the teams will end up)
- Top Ten |
Rankings 11-20 |
Rankings 21-30
- Rankings 31-40 |
Rankings 41-50 |
Rankings 51-60
- Rankings 61-70 |
Rankings 71-80 |
Rankings 81-90
- Rankings 91-100 |
Rankings 101-112 |
The
Bottom 12