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2007 Over & Underachievers
Which teams met
expectations in 2007, which teams exceeded them, and which ones failed
to play up to their talent level and schedules? There are always a few
big calls made and a little bit of against-the-grain analysis in the
yearly CFN Preview, but for the most part we aren't usually that far
outside the box. We never try to be different; we try to be right. With
that in mind, here are the teams that surprised, disappointed, and did
what was expected.
Records after the bowls are in parentheses.
They Are
Who We Thought They Were
The teams that played roughly as well as expected
|
ACC |
CFN Preview
Prediction |
Regular Season
Record |
| Clemson |
8-4 |
9-3 (9-4) |
| Duke |
0-12 |
1-11 |
| Florida State |
8-4 |
7-5 (7-6) |
| NC State
|
5-7 |
5-7 |
| North Carolina |
3-9 |
4-8 |
| Virginia Tech |
10-2 |
10-2 (11-3) |
|
Big 12 |
| Baylor |
3-9 |
3-9 |
| Colorado |
6-6 |
6-6 (6-7) |
| Iowa State |
4-8 |
3-9 |
| Kansas State |
6-6 |
5-7 |
| Missouri |
10-2 |
11-1 (12-2) |
| Oklahoma |
10-2 |
10-2 (11-3) |
| Texas |
10-2 |
9-3 (10-2) |
| Texas A&M |
8-4 |
7-5 (7-6) |
| Texas Tech |
8-4 |
8-4 (9-4) |
|
Big East |
| West Virginia |
11-1 |
10-2 (11-3) |
|
Big Ten |
| Northwestern |
6-6 |
6-6 |
| Purdue |
8-4 |
7-5 (8-5) |
|
Conference USA |
| East Carolina |
6-6 |
7-5 (8-5) |
| Houston |
7-5 |
7-5 (7-6) |
| Memphis |
6-6 |
7-5 (7-6) |
| Tulsa |
9-3 |
9-3 (10-4) |
| UAB |
2-10 |
2-10 |
|
Independents |
| Army |
2-10 |
3-9 |
| Navy |
8-4 |
8-4 (8-5) |
|
MAC |
| Akron |
5-7 |
4-8 |
| Central Michigan |
8-5 |
7-5 (8-6) |
| Kent State |
4-8 |
3-9 |
| Miami Univ. |
6-6 |
6-6 (6-7) |
| Ohio |
7-5 |
6-6 |
| Western Michigan |
6-6 |
5-7 |
|
Mountain West |
| San Diego State |
3-9 |
3-9 |
| UNLV |
3-9 |
2-10 |
| Utah |
8-4 |
8-4 |
| Wyoming |
5-7 |
5-7 |
|
Pac 10 |
| Arizona |
5-7 |
5-7 |
| Oregon |
7-5 |
8-4 (9-4) |
| Oregon State |
7-5 |
8-4 (9-4) |
| Washington |
5-8 |
4-9 |
| Washington State |
6-6 |
5-7 |
|
SEC |
| Alabama |
7-5 |
6-6 (7-6) |
| Auburn |
9-3 |
8-4
(9-4) |
| Florida |
9-3 |
9-3 (9-4) |
| Kentucky |
6-6 |
7-5 (8-5) |
| LSU |
11-1 |
10-2 (12-2) |
|
Sun Belt |
| Florida
Int'l |
1-11 |
1-11 |
| Middle Tennessee |
6-6 |
5-7 |
| North Texas |
2-10 |
2-10 |
| Troy |
7-5 |
8-4 |
|
WAC |
| Boise State |
10-2 |
10-2 (10-3) |
| Hawaii |
12-0 |
12-0 (12-1) |
| Nevada |
7-5 |
6-6 (6-7) |
| New Mexico State |
5-8 |
4-9 |
| San Jose State |
6-6 |
5-7 |
That's Why I Don't
Read The Newspaper. Because It's Garbage.
Teams that played
better than expected
|
ACC |
CFN Preview
Prediction |
Regular Season
Record |
| Boston College |
8-4 |
10-2 (11-3) |
| Virginia |
6-6 |
9-3 (9-4) |
| Wake Forest |
5-7 |
8-4 (9-4) |
|
Big 12 |
|
2007's Most
Surprising Team |
|
Kansas |
6-6 |
11-1 (12-2) |
| West Virginia |
11-1 |
10-2 (11-3) |
|
Big East |
| Connecticut |
5-7 |
9-3 (9-4) |
| Cincinnati |
6-6 |
9-3 (10-3) |
| South Florida |
7-5 |
9-3 (9-4) |
|
Big Ten |
| Illinois |
5-7 |
9-3 (9-4) |
| Michigan State |
4-8 |
6-6 (7-6) |
| Ohio State |
9-3 |
11-1 (11-2) |
|
Conference USA |
| Tulane |
2-10 |
4-8 |
| UCF |
5-7 |
9-3 (10-4) |
|
MAC |
| Ball State |
5-7 |
7-5 (7-6) |
| Bowling Green |
4-8 |
8-4 (8-5) |
| Buffalo |
1-11 |
5-7 |
| Eastern Michigan |
2-10 |
4-8 |
| Temple |
2-10 |
4-8 |
|
Mountain West |
| Air Force |
5-7 |
9-3 (9-4) |
| BYU |
7-5 |
10-2 (11-2) |
| New Mexico |
6-6 |
8-4 (9-4) |
|
Pac 10 |
| Arizona State |
7-5 |
10-2 (10-3) |
| Stanford |
1-11 |
4-8 |
|
SEC |
| Georgia |
8-4 |
10-2 (11-2) |
|
Mississippi State |
3-9 |
7-5
(8-5) |
|
Sun Belt |
| Arkansas State |
3-9 |
5-7 |
| Florida Atlantic |
4-8 |
7-5 (8-5) |
| UL Monroe |
4-8 |
6-6 |
|
WAC |
| Fresno State |
6-6 |
8-4 (9-4) |
| Louisiana Tech |
2-10 |
5-7 |
| Utah State |
0-12 |
2-10 |
It's Division I football! It's the Big
12! Go play intramurals, brother.
Teams that played worse than expected
|
ACC |
CFN Preview
Prediction |
Regular Season
Record |
| Georgia Tech |
10-2 |
7-5 (7-6) |
| Maryland |
8-4 |
6-6 (6-7) |
| Miami |
8-4 |
5-7 |
|
Big 12 |
| Nebraska |
9-3 |
5-7 |
| Oklahoma State |
9-3 |
6-6 (7-6) |
|
Big East |
| Louisville |
11-1 |
6-6 |
| Pitt |
9-3 |
5-7 |
| Rutgers |
10-2 |
7-5 (8-5) |
| Syracuse |
5-7 |
2-10 |
|
Big Ten |
| Iowa |
9-3 |
6-6 |
| Michigan |
11-1 |
8-4 (9-4) |
| Minnesota |
6-6 |
1-11 |
| Penn State |
10-2 |
8-4 (9-4) |
| Wisconsin |
11-1 |
9-3 (9-4) |
|
Conference USA |
| Marshall |
6-6 |
3-9 |
|
2007's Most
Disappointing Team |
|
SMU |
7-5 |
1-11 |
| Southern Miss |
9-3 |
7-5 (7-6) |
|
Independents |
| Notre Dame |
6-6 |
3-9 |
|
MAC |
| Northern Illinois |
6-6 |
2-10 |
| Toledo |
7-5 |
5-7 |
|
Mountain West |
| Colorado State |
5-7 |
3-9 |
| TCU |
11-1 |
7-5 |
|
Pac 10 |
| California |
9-3 |
6-6 (7-6) |
| UCLA |
10-2 |
6-6 (6-7) |
| USC |
12-0 |
10-2 (11-2) |
|
SEC |
| Ole Miss |
5-7 |
3-9 |
| South
Carolina |
8-4 |
6-6 |
|
Sun Belt |
| UL Lafayette |
6-6 |
3-9 |
|
WAC |
| Idaho |
3-9 |
1-11 |