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Pre season guess
- Thread starter clawman
- Start date
up for the challenge
Active member
We are somewhere between #13 and #25 in the FCS polls according to sources below.
I think we will be ranked #4 in the Big Sky 2015 pre-season polls. Hopefully #1 at the end of the season.
The "NCAA FCS Coaches Polls" on January 12, 2015 did not have ISU in the top 25.
The "NCAA Sports Network" on January 12, 2015 ranked ISU at #25
The "NCAA FCS Simple Rating System" on January 12, 2015 ranked ISU at #19
The "NCAA FCS Sports Network" on May 13, 2015 ranked ISU at #13
Athlon Preseason Polls on May 26, 2015 ranked ISU #18
Sporting News football magazine on June 13, 2015 ranked ISU #13
FCS Gameday on July 14, 2015 ranked ISU #24
I think we will be ranked #4 in the Big Sky 2015 pre-season polls. Hopefully #1 at the end of the season.
The "NCAA FCS Coaches Polls" on January 12, 2015 did not have ISU in the top 25.
The "NCAA Sports Network" on January 12, 2015 ranked ISU at #25
The "NCAA FCS Simple Rating System" on January 12, 2015 ranked ISU at #19
The "NCAA FCS Sports Network" on May 13, 2015 ranked ISU at #13
Athlon Preseason Polls on May 26, 2015 ranked ISU #18
Sporting News football magazine on June 13, 2015 ranked ISU #13
FCS Gameday on July 14, 2015 ranked ISU #24
The Bengals will begin the season rated in the top 25, based largely on two factors: 8-4 last year, and the return of most of one of the best offenses in the nation. I suspect they'll be fourth in the pre-season Big Sky rankings, with the "usual suspects" ranked ahead of them: EWU, Montana and Montana State.
How will they finish? Well, there are a lot of pre-season "warning signs" that a pessimist might be attracted to: the loss of an experienced quarterback in Justin Arias and long-time offensive coordinator Don Bailey; an absolutely brutal schedule; the fact that most teams that have a highly positive turnover margin one year (ISU was plus 10 last season) typically "regress to the mean" the next year, which costs them close games; and the loss of two key playmakers (Austin Graves and Mitch Beckstead) on what was, at best, a marginal defense last year. And there is always the unknown factor: injuries. Too many of those at key spots can ruin anybody's season.
On the positive side, from all reports, Michael Sanders could very well step in at quarterback and have the same kind of season Arias had last year. I'm sure new, young OC Sheldon Cross will have some growing pains, but by all accounts, he's a bright guy who will bring his own signature to the offense. Defensively, ISU recruited well this past February, and seems to have brought in some guys who can be difference-makers right away. We can all hope the special teams play improves dramatically over last season, which ought to be worth a close win or two. If all the key pieces stay healthy, ISU's offense should be good enough to keep the Bengals in just about every Big Sky game, even if the defense continues to struggle. And finally, ISU gets the three most important games -- against EWU, Montana and Montana State -- at home. If the Bengals have a decent start against a rugged schedule, those three games should fill the Dome and hopefully we'll be enjoying an atmosphere we haven't seen since 2004.
I'm predicting ISU will go 7-4 overall, 6-2 in conference and make the playoffs for the first time since 1984. If they reach those marks, milk shakes are on me.
How will they finish? Well, there are a lot of pre-season "warning signs" that a pessimist might be attracted to: the loss of an experienced quarterback in Justin Arias and long-time offensive coordinator Don Bailey; an absolutely brutal schedule; the fact that most teams that have a highly positive turnover margin one year (ISU was plus 10 last season) typically "regress to the mean" the next year, which costs them close games; and the loss of two key playmakers (Austin Graves and Mitch Beckstead) on what was, at best, a marginal defense last year. And there is always the unknown factor: injuries. Too many of those at key spots can ruin anybody's season.
On the positive side, from all reports, Michael Sanders could very well step in at quarterback and have the same kind of season Arias had last year. I'm sure new, young OC Sheldon Cross will have some growing pains, but by all accounts, he's a bright guy who will bring his own signature to the offense. Defensively, ISU recruited well this past February, and seems to have brought in some guys who can be difference-makers right away. We can all hope the special teams play improves dramatically over last season, which ought to be worth a close win or two. If all the key pieces stay healthy, ISU's offense should be good enough to keep the Bengals in just about every Big Sky game, even if the defense continues to struggle. And finally, ISU gets the three most important games -- against EWU, Montana and Montana State -- at home. If the Bengals have a decent start against a rugged schedule, those three games should fill the Dome and hopefully we'll be enjoying an atmosphere we haven't seen since 2004.
I'm predicting ISU will go 7-4 overall, 6-2 in conference and make the playoffs for the first time since 1984. If they reach those marks, milk shakes are on me.
bill_idaflls
Active member
Always enjoy your analysis, Skippy. You always look at both sides of an issue which helps the less informed but all heart fan like myself. Thanks for keeping the ground under me. That said, to mix metaphors, let's fly like a Bengal this year. 
Go Bengals
Go BengalsHigh expectations are not the norm for an Idaho State football team but I’m going to go against tradition and dream big.
I think that the offensive line is huge in the success of any offense and I believe that ISU has the best offensive line in the conference. If Sanders can step in and be “very good” at the quarterback position, avoid turnovers, not take sacks, and hit open receivers, the offense can be every bit as good as it was last year, the other keys are there.
The defense, while it struggled at times last year, wasn’t terrible and should be better this year. It’s obvious to me, and has been mentioned by Skippy, that in the spring Coach Kramer was very focused on improving the defense. If the defense is only marginally improved, and we continue the positive turnover ratio, that should translate to more wins this year than last year.
My prediction is 7-1 in conference play, we beat Cal Poly after a big win at UNLV but then stumble in a trap game at UND, and 9-2 overall with a respectable loss to Boise State, we make the playoffs and enjoy a nice little 2 game run, at home, in the playoffs.
Call me crazy but I’m bullish on the Bengals.
Go Bengals!
I think that the offensive line is huge in the success of any offense and I believe that ISU has the best offensive line in the conference. If Sanders can step in and be “very good” at the quarterback position, avoid turnovers, not take sacks, and hit open receivers, the offense can be every bit as good as it was last year, the other keys are there.
The defense, while it struggled at times last year, wasn’t terrible and should be better this year. It’s obvious to me, and has been mentioned by Skippy, that in the spring Coach Kramer was very focused on improving the defense. If the defense is only marginally improved, and we continue the positive turnover ratio, that should translate to more wins this year than last year.
My prediction is 7-1 in conference play, we beat Cal Poly after a big win at UNLV but then stumble in a trap game at UND, and 9-2 overall with a respectable loss to Boise State, we make the playoffs and enjoy a nice little 2 game run, at home, in the playoffs.
Call me crazy but I’m bullish on the Bengals.
Go Bengals!
up for the challenge
Active member
I am predicting a 5-3 season in conference because of the tougher schedule. 6-5 overall.