AGS Poll Results - Patriot League Preseason Rankings- 2016 SEASON

[AGSPoll]

Results for 07/29/2016 AGS Poll:




Patriot League






1
Colgate Raiders
342
7


2
Fordham Rams
340
6


3
Lehigh Mountain Hawks
316
1


4
Holy Cross Crusaders
307



5
Bucknell Bison
299



6
Lafayette Leopards
281



7
Georgetown Hoyas
271

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

...and there is it.

Looks good!

I really don't think much separates the Top 4 teams. Lehigh's league schedule sets up well (Colgate and Fordham at home). Should be a really fun year.....

[Fordham]

...and there is it.

Looks good!

I really don't think much separates the Top 4 teams. Lehigh's league schedule sets up well (Colgate and Fordham at home). Should be a really fun year.....agreed!

[bison137]

...and there is it.

Looks good!

I really don't think much separates the Top 4 teams. Lehigh's league schedule sets up well (Colgate and Fordham at home). Should be a really fun year.....


Not much separates the top five teams.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Not much separates the top five teams.

Only thing that really does per se is tradition, championship pedigree...

[Twentysix]

Not much separates the top five teams.

not much separates any of the teams, they all look like cupcakes to me :)

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

not much separates any of the teams, they all look like cupcakes to me :)

Tons of offensive talent in the league. I think the league will produce a team that does legit damage in the playoffs again. Perhaps two....

Still not title contenders. Perhaps another year of scholarships to improve the defenses...

[Fordham]

Tons of offensive talent in the league. I think the league will produce a team that does legit damage in the playoffs again. Perhaps two....

Still not title contenders. Perhaps another year of scholarships to improve the defenses...

completely agree. We'll see how much of Gate's run last year was an anomaly. There's no question that one of us is going to make strides on D and if you knew who that was you could write them down now in pen as title winner imo. That's where Bucknell gets into the mix imo. Strong OL/running game and tough D are good combos.

For us, Breiner has been very open about the need to completely revamp our D. I know it's stating the obvious but don't forget that it's a bit of a knock at his mentor and also the coaches he's been on the same level on for him to call it out like that. Love that he has openly recognized it but we'll see when it comes to the results on the field. He does think we have the talent. Again, we'll see.

[DFW HOYA]

Not much separates the top five teams.

Or six.

But Lafayette remains underrated in 2016.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Or six.

But Lafayette remains underrated in 2016.

1-10 is a horrific season to come off of. They'll improve no doubt but that's somewhat relative. I could see them at 5-6....

[Twentysix]

Tons of offensive talent in the league. I think the league will produce a team that does legit damage in the playoffs again. Perhaps two....

Still not title contenders. Perhaps another year of scholarships to improve the defenses...

good, the more competition the better

[Pard4Life]

Results for 07/29/2016 AGS Poll:




Patriot League





1
Colgate Raiders
342
7


2
Fordham Rams
340
6


3
Lehigh Mountain Hawks
316
1


4
Holy Cross Crusaders
307



5
Bucknell Bison
299



6
Lafayette Leopards
281



7
Georgetown Hoyas
271





Voter also believes Trump would make a great president.

[clenz]

Thank you to the Patriot League community for crowd sourcing some Patriot League previews for The FCS Wedge.

We kick off our look at the Patriot League with a quick look at the Bison of Bucknell

http://thefcswedge.com/conference-previews/2016-patriot-league-preview-bucknell/

[Fordham]

Good stuff, clenz. Thank you.

Bucknell is going to be tough. Easy to bump them up on the list of conference title consideration imo given that they're the only PL school with a bona fide D. Strong OL and very good QB and RB and they'll be dangerous. They certainly always play us tough. That Duquesne game will be very telling. Otherwise a lightweight schedule imo and a favorable one for them to gather up some confidence inducing W's.

[clenz]

Good stuff, clenz. Thank you.

Bucknell is going to be tough. Easy to bump them up on the list of conference title consideration imo given that they're the only PL school with a bona fide D. Strong OL and very good QB and RB and they'll be dangerous. They certainly always play us tough. That Duquesne game will be very telling. Otherwise a lightweight schedule imo and a favorable one for them to gather up some confidence inducing W's.
Bucknell intrigues me, and I may have been one of about 2 people to have them on my extended short list for my top 25. That defense certainly looks legit, but the offense really seems to struggle to move the ball, and when they do it seems to be a real struggle to get the ball into the endzone.

I don't watch them close enough to know why that was. If they can figure a way to get to about 23 points per game as an offense they will be a damn tough to team to beat in the PL.

[Fordham]

Bucknell intrigues me, and I may have been one of about 2 people to have them on my extended short list for my top 25. That defense certainly looks legit, but the offense really seems to struggle to move the ball, and when they do it seems to be a real struggle to get the ball into the endzone.

I don't watch them close enough to know why that was. If they can figure a way to get to about 23 points per game as an offense they will be a damn tough to team to beat in the PL.

yeah, I can't figure out why they have struggled the way they have. They always play us VERY tough. Not sure if they get up for us or they just match up well. At the end of the day it could just be that Susan is the old school kind of coach who wants to win with a strong D and running game which results in quite a few close games regardless of the competition. Then, some of those they win and some they lose.

Bucknell kids are hard nosed and always tough imo. I really like Susan a lot as well as how their kids play. Curious to hear from Bucknell fans about why they seem to play the toughest teams on the schedule just as close as they do the lesser teams. At least that's my perception.

[clenz]

Right...I've got just one Patriot League preview to finish writing...saved the best for last as I didn't want them to be too lehigh on my list of things to get done....xlolx....and I've felt one theme for every single damn team - the offense is good to damn good but the defense is "meh".

I mean, I'm seeing teams average 30-40 points per game...they just happen to give up 27-37 points per game.

I'll admit to not watching an abundance of PL football, but it feels like I'm previewing the Big Sky with how I'm writing these.

Is that the truth behind the PL or am I missing something completely?

[Fordham]

Right...I've got just one Patriot League preview to finish writing...saved the best for last as I didn't want them to be too lehigh on my list of things to get done....xlolx....and I've felt one theme for every single damn team - the offense is good to damn good but the defense is "meh".

I mean, I'm seeing teams average 30-40 points per game...they just happen to give up 27-37 points per game.

I'll admit to not watching an abundance of PL football, but it feels like I'm previewing the Big Sky with how I'm writing these.

Is that the truth behind the PL or am I missing something completely?

nope - that pretty much nails it. First team that shows a pair on D has a great shot to win the league imo. That's why Bucknell could be the team that creeps right into the title mix imo.

[clenz]

Am I crazy to think HC has a playoff shot?

They seem to have the offensive talent to compete with anyone. Pujuols and Flahrety have to be one of the top QB/WR combos in the nation.

I think if they can find a way to drop the 34 ppg they have up to the 5 hardest teams on their schedule last to to about 24 to 27 they will be at/near the playoff cut off

[Fordham]

Am I crazy to think HC has a playoff shot?

They seem to have the offensive talent to compete with anyone. Pujuols and Flahrety have to be one of the top QB/WR combos in the nation.

I think if they can find a way to drop the 34 ppg they have up to the 5 hardest teams on their schedule last to to about 24 to 27 they will be at/near the playoff cut off
Not crazy at all. Would not be shocking in the least if they are the team that makes a leap. Someone will. Everyone has a ton returning and a bunch of their first scholarship classes finally as upperclassmen. Could be anyone but Gtown imo

[Sader87]

Holy Cross really hasn't had a "strong D" overall since we last had scholarships in the late 80s/early 90s. Basically, it's been our Achilles heel during the Gilmore (or Vaas and Allen) eras. If we can develop a decent defense this year, I think Holy Cross has a decent shot in winning the PL this year if (always an if) the offense stays healthy.

[ngineer]

Holy Cross really hasn't had a "strong D" overall since we last had scholarships in the late 80s/early 90s. Basically, it's been our Achilles heel during the Gilmore (or Vaas and Allen) eras. If we can develop a decent defense this year, I think Holy Cross has a decent shot in winning the PL this year if (always an if) the offense stays healthy.

Your post qualifies for everyone else's. No one had a "monster" D last year, thought Bucknell always seems to be the most consistent. Too many track meets.

It's also ironic in that Gilmore was Lehigh's DC when he was named National Assistant Coach of the Year back in 2000 or 2001. Lehigh has scary defenses back then, and with a stellar offense, that four year span was probably the best such timespan in Lehigh's history.

[Sader87]

This is where I think scholarships will improve PL teams vis a vis other FCS programs (in theory anyway)....better athletes on defense.

The vast majority of PL teams I've seen ovah the last 25 or so years were relatively weak defensively (through my eye-test anyway). It just seems like the league evolved into a league were everyone loaded up their best athletes/playahs on offense and tried to win games 41-38 or 38-31.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Your post qualifies for everyone else's. No one had a "monster" D last year, thought Bucknell always seems to be the most consistent. Too many track meets.

It's also ironic in that Gilmore was Lehigh's DC when he was named National Assistant Coach of the Year back in 2000 or 2001. Lehigh has scary defenses back then, and with a stellar offense, that four year span was probably the best such timespan in Lehigh's history.

Lehigh's defenses in '98, '00, '01, '03 and '04 were among the Top 10-15 in the country. The 1998 and '03 units were especially stout. Lafayette was flat out nasty on that side of the ball in '04 an '05. Colgate's had some good ones too. 2003 was really strong iirc. They played great in the playoffs minus the title game...

This is going to be a fun year in the league....

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Bucknell intrigues me, and I may have been one of about 2 people to have them on my extended short list for my top 25. That defense certainly looks legit, but the offense really seems to struggle to move the ball, and when they do it seems to be a real struggle to get the ball into the endzone.

I don't watch them close enough to know why that was. If they can figure a way to get to about 23 points per game as an offense they will be a damn tough to team to beat in the PL.

They're just so blah ( I love Bucknell as a school). I just don't see them as true challengers. Part of it is the fact they've been Lehigh's b*tch for the last 2+ decades. Lehigh beat them 16 straight times before Bucknell finally broke through in '13/'14. Lehigh took care of business last year in Lewisburg. And part of it is the fact they have one league title ever, 1996. Since then they haven't won a single truly meaningful OOC game and, to me recollection, league game since.

I still think this is and will be Colgate's and Lehigh's league MOST years. I just trust their consistency and commitment to winning. Fordham is intriguing too but they seem to rely on coaching more than the "program" to be successful year in and year out. HC is a bit of a wildcard. Gilmore is the Wayne Fontes of the PL...

[Sader87]

Lehigh's defenses in '98, '00, '01, '03 and '04 were among the Top 10-15 in the country. The 1998 and '03 units were especially stout. Lafayette was flat out nasty on that side of the ball in '04 an '05. Colgate's had some good ones too. 2003 was really strong iirc. They played great in the playoffs minus the title game...

This is going to be a fun year in the league....

A lot of those teams played during my self-imposed exile from HC football....roughly 1992-2004....bad teams, other things took attention on Saturdays etc.... maybe went to the Homecoming game but that was it. Still, even those teams you mention are all played ovah a decade ago or more. The league basically turned into a nearly "all emphasis on offense" sort of playing style during the last decade or so imo. It makes for exciting games but OOC it would hinder PL teams.