Who are your "break-out" teams for this year?

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Little Danny's avatar

Little Danny

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4,288 posts
Jul 31, 2010 10:03 PM
Who are the "break-out" teams this year? By this, I mean who are the teams who haven't been good lately who will have a great season? Here are some teams I say keep an eye on:

UCONN
Rutgers
Texas A&M

What about you?
Jul 31, 2010 10:03pm
Pick6's avatar

Pick6

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14,946 posts
Jul 31, 2010 10:51 PM
I like UConn as a pick..Not sure how hyped Auburn is, but I like them as well.
Jul 31, 2010 10:51pm
gibby08's avatar

gibby08

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1,581 posts
Jul 31, 2010 11:52 PM
UConn
Navy
Jul 31, 2010 11:52pm
R

rock_knutne

Jul 31, 2010 11:54 PM
Arizona
Jul 31, 2010 11:54pm
M

mattinctown

Aug 1, 2010 12:14 AM
Washington
Aug 1, 2010 12:14am
Red_Skin_Pride's avatar

Red_Skin_Pride

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1,226 posts
Aug 1, 2010 12:33 AM
I was going to say Texas A&M and you beat me to it Danny. They have a very athletic QB who is finally maturing into his own and he played lights out against Texas last year and had it not been for their defense letting Texas score at will, they might have pulled the upset. Aggies had a bad few years, but they're on the upswing, for sure.
Aug 1, 2010 12:33am
Mulva's avatar

Mulva

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Aug 1, 2010 1:52 AM
South Carolina will beat Bama and win 9 or 10 games.
Aug 1, 2010 1:52am
S

sjmvsfscs08

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2,963 posts
Aug 1, 2010 3:40 AM
Notre fuckin' Dame.

Boston College will have a big year. Michigan State will too.
Aug 1, 2010 3:40am
GOONx19's avatar

GOONx19

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7,147 posts
Aug 1, 2010 8:24 AM
There's no reason Kentucky can't win nine games. The defense will struggle early, but the offense is returning everything and the only sure loss is Florida.
Aug 1, 2010 8:24am
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Mohican00

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3,394 posts
Aug 1, 2010 8:58 AM
Kentucky has a great schedule but they lose Corey Peters, Lindley at CB, and Sam Maxwell and Micah Johnson at LB. I think the Auburn, SCar, Georgia stretch will be key in determining if it's another ho-hum bowl year or something bigger.

I would like for Washington to finally do something Locker's senior year but the defense is sketchy and the schedule (@BYU, Neb, @USC, @Zona, @Oregon, @Cal).....difficult.

Arizona would be my pick. Defense returns some experience, offense remains solid (breakout season for Nick Foles? five of the six leading receivers return), and a manageable schedule. Sept 18th against Iowa should be a great game
Aug 1, 2010 8:58am
Pick6's avatar

Pick6

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Aug 1, 2010 10:04 AM
GOONx19;438219 wrote:There's no reason Kentucky can't win nine games. The defense will struggle early, but the offense is returning everything and the only sure loss is Florida.

is Hartline still starting this year? Or the guy who played when he was injured last year?
Aug 1, 2010 10:04am
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darbypitcher22

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Aug 1, 2010 11:48 AM
i'd love to see Kentucky and Vandy step up and make some noise in the SEC East
Aug 1, 2010 11:48am
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Speedofsand

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Aug 1, 2010 12:07 PM
Marshall
Louisville
Aug 1, 2010 12:07pm
GOONx19's avatar

GOONx19

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Aug 1, 2010 12:28 PM
Pick6;438240 wrote:is Hartline still starting this year? Or the guy who played when he was injured last year?

I've been hearing that Morgan Newton (the guy who played when Hartline was injured) is gonna be getting most of the snaps, but the last official word from the team is that they'll split. He'll be a sophomore, and I think most people on campus would prefer it. But who knows. Redshirt freshman Ryan Mossakowski has a lot of promise, too, but he doesn't have the experience.

But yeah, like Mohican said, the defense is pretty limited right now. A lot of new guys will need to step up, in particular redshirt frosh Qua Huzzie and junior Ronnie Sneed at LB. Randall Burden filled in for Lindley while he was injured and should be able to hold his own.

Offensively our two best players are returning. Derrick Locke finished with 907 yards and 6 TDs, and all-SEC first teamer Randall Cobb will be a junior this year. He's a solid #1 option and will alsorun the Wildcat somewhat frequently.

The transition from Rich Brooks to Joker Phillips should be pretty smooth. At the very least the school record of four straight bowl appearances will be stretched to five.

Florida, Ole Miss, Auburn, SCar, Georgia, and Mississippi State all in consecutive weeks is enough to haunt any team, though.
Aug 1, 2010 12:28pm
Fly4Fun's avatar

Fly4Fun

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Aug 1, 2010 1:21 PM
People have been predicting UConn to have a break out year for the past 5 years I feel like... every season on the previously crappy message board people would say UConn... it's the trendy dark horse pick.
Aug 1, 2010 1:21pm
M

Manhattan Buckeye

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7,566 posts
Aug 1, 2010 2:01 PM
Surprised no one has said UNC yet. Not sure I'm convinced, but all of my UNC friends are crowing right now.
Aug 1, 2010 2:01pm
T

trackandccrunner

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1,283 posts
Aug 1, 2010 2:37 PM
Florida State.
Aug 1, 2010 2:37pm
Little Danny's avatar

Little Danny

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Aug 1, 2010 4:26 PM
Fly4Fun;438336 wrote:People have been predicting UConn to have a break out year for the past 5 years I feel like... every season on the previously crappy message board people would say UConn... it's the trendy dark horse pick.

UCONN went 7-5 last year and IIRC they lost their five games by a combined margin of 10 points. They soundly defeated South Carolina in their bowl game. They return nearly everyone back from last year and have added a new running back from USC, DJ Shoemate. Their offensive line is not a typical BE sized offensive line, they are more like one you would see at an OSU, Wisconsin or a Nebraska with a bunch of guys over 300+ (just looked it up- they average 315 across the front line). Yeah, I think they'll be pretty good. I would not consider it an upset if they beat Michigan up at the Big House on Week 1.
Aug 1, 2010 4:26pm
Fly4Fun's avatar

Fly4Fun

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Aug 1, 2010 4:39 PM
Little Danny;438497 wrote:UCONN went 7-5 last year and IIRC they lost their five games by a combined margin of 10 points. They soundly defeated South Carolina in their bowl game. They return nearly everyone back from last year and have added a new running back from USC, DJ Shoemate. Their offensive line is not a typical BE sized offensive line, they are more like one you would see at an OSU, Wisconsin or a Nebraska with a bunch of guys over 300+ (just looked it up- they average 315 across the front line). Yeah, I think they'll be pretty good. I would not consider it an upset if they beat Michigan up at the Big House on Week 1.

And your point is?

Not sure why you would say that after quoting my post as my point still stands. People have been picking UConn to break out for a while now. It kind of loses it's luster if people continue to pick it every year. That's like picking a roulette wheel number, playing it until it hits then saying once it hits "I knew it was going to stop there!"
Aug 1, 2010 4:39pm
Little Danny's avatar

Little Danny

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4,288 posts
Aug 1, 2010 4:47 PM
It is much harder to "break out" in the BE conference than others. IF you finish 4th in say the B10 and finish the season 8-4, people act as if you had a great season. Due to the bowl tie-ins you are playing on New Year's Day against an SEC school. If you finish 8-4 in the Big East, there is a good chance you are playing a bowl game against a C-USA school before Christmas and it was a disappointing year. It really not comparing apples to oranges. All I'm saying is that don't sleep on UCONN. They should be very solid and could play with anyone this season.
Aug 1, 2010 4:47pm
T

TheMightyGators

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438 posts
Aug 1, 2010 6:48 PM
darbypitcher22;438301 wrote:i'd love to see Kentucky and Vandy step up and make some noise in the SEC East
Kentucky might. Vandy will be terrible. Probably a 2 win season for them.
Aug 1, 2010 6:48pm
Red_Skin_Pride's avatar

Red_Skin_Pride

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Aug 2, 2010 2:02 AM
Little Danny;438523 wrote:It is much harder to "break out" in the BE conference than others. IF you finish 4th in say the B10 and finish the season 8-4, people act as if you had a great season. Due to the bowl tie-ins you are playing on New Year's Day against an SEC school. If you finish 8-4 in the Big East, there is a good chance you are playing a bowl game against a C-USA school before Christmas and it was a disappointing year. It really not comparing apples to oranges. All I'm saying is that don't sleep on UCONN. They should be very solid and could play with anyone this season.

I'd be willing to bet you my right arm that any team in the preseason top 5 would beat Uconn by 3 scores or more. That includes Boise State. Uconn's offense isn't where it needs to be to "play with anyone". Alabama, Texas, OSU's defense would make shredded chicken sandwiches out of that Oline. UConn to me is the North Carolina of the BE. They're solid on D, but the offense will prevent them from having a great year.
Aug 2, 2010 2:02am
F

FairwoodKing

Senior Member

2,504 posts
Aug 2, 2010 3:36 PM
I think Kent State will have its best season in decades. We haven't been to a bowl since 1972, but I think we are going back this year.
Aug 2, 2010 3:36pm
lhslep134's avatar

lhslep134

why so serious?

9,774 posts
Aug 2, 2010 3:38 PM
Technically they broke out last year, but since Gerhart left, I don't think people will expect as much despite Luck's hype so Imma go with Stanford (my pick to win Pac 10).
Aug 2, 2010 3:38pm
Trueblue23's avatar

Trueblue23

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7,463 posts
Aug 2, 2010 7:09 PM
I second Florida State.


Hopefully Michigan...
Aug 2, 2010 7:09pm