CAA Preseason All Conference and predicted order of finish.

[Tribe4SF]

Usual crapshoot unfolding. Tribe leads with six All-CAA picks.

http://www.caasports.com/documents/2014/7/18/2014CAAFBPreseasonTeam.pdf

[clenz]

How the f does JMU get a first place vote but finish 8th.

Did the CAA listen to MPLS and let coaches vote for their own team?

[Mattymc727]

Its pretty interesting that UNH only has 2 players on that list, but garnered 15 first placed votes to finish on top, with the next best having 3. Football is a team game baby.

[NHwildEcat]

Good to see the everyone knows who the best is.

[smilo]

That seems fairly accurate from a talent perspective, but taking into account schedules, I'll put this down as my projection

1A. Richmond (7-1) - perfect season ended by in-state rival in final game
1B. UNH (7-1)
3A. William & Mary (6-2)
3B. Villanova (6-2) - Hate to pick them this low, but there are some question marks. Should be ready come playoffs, but not too excited for those roads games in VA.
3C. Stony Brook (6-2) - yes I've already mentioned I have them as a surprise team, but 5 of those wins are against the bottom 5. Would need to beat UConn to prove legitimacy
3D. Towson (6-2) - contemplated picking them lower due to the loss of West, but this is still a strong team that should be able to handle Delaware and JMU
7. Delaware (4-4) - not a bad team by any means, but would need to beat Towson and Pitt to get in. Otherwise best win may be JMU
8. Maine (3-5)
9. James Madison (2-6) - Really want to pick them higher, but if they fail to beat Delaware and Towson, the 2nd half of the schedule gets a whole lot more difficult. Still have two very real chances for an FBS win in Maryland and Charlotte, and Lehigh should also be a good game, but the offense may struggle this year overall. Could be like Richmond last year.
10. Albany (1-7) - wins at Rhody coming off a bye
11A. Rhode Island (0-8) .
11B. Elon (0-8)

That JMU/Delaware game was the toughest one for me, so that could easily be a 3-way tie for 7th (or 6th if Towson is not as good as expected).

Hopefully no Gardner-Webb losses out of conference this year and 6 playoff teams could be very legitimate though I'll say 5 for now.

(An earlier version mistakenly stated Charlotte as an FBS team and switched Albany and Rhode Island which I rethought.)

[phoenix3]

OUCH! I certainly don't think Elon will be a contender, but I also don't think we'll go 0-8. I'm hoping we'll surprise at least 2 CAA teams.

[ElonFirefighter]

Agreed, we have some unknowns going into this season, but 0 wins is a little crazy. Deff could get one past Maine and Delaware. Plus.... PSSSS Charlotte is not a FBS school, its an FCS independent this year.

[superman7515]

Deff could get one past Maine and Delaware. Plus....

I smell an avatar wager...

[superman7515]

I'm thinking, if UD wins, you can have this one for one week (after the end of all FCS games the next Saturday)...

http://blog.delawareinc.com/wp-content/uploads/delaware_detail-779919-150x150.gif

And if Elon wins, I'll change mine to something of your choosing for a week (also after the end of all FCS games the next Saturday).

[ElonFirefighter]

Hmmm I guess I could take that bet, xnodx

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo165/LUH904_MUDNIGGA/southernpride.jpg

[ElonFirefighter]

I smell an avatar wager...
BTW I meant JMU, Delaware would be a stretch at this point, new team, new coach and not a lot to build on from last season. But hey it wouldn't be the first time someone called me crazy.

[phoenix3]

I'm thinking, if UD wins, you can have this one for one week (after the end of all FCS games the next Saturday)...

http://blog.delawareinc.com/wp-content/uploads/delaware_detail-779919-150x150.gif

And if Elon wins, I'll change mine to something of your choosing for a week (also after the end of all FCS games the next Saturday).
My wife is a former resident of Rehoboth Beach. We'll have to meet at the game to discuss a more meaningful wager like cocktails.

[superman7515]

Hmmm I guess I could take that bet, xnodx

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo165/LUH904_MUDNIGGA/southernpride.jpg

It's a deal. xnodx

[superman7515]

My wife is a former resident of Rehoboth Beach. We'll have to meet at the game to discuss a more meaningful wager like cocktails.

Sounds good. I graduated from Cape Henlopen (towns of Lewes & Rehoboth Beach) and it's a small enough state, I'm sure we'll know some of the same people.

[Tribe4SF]

My wife is a former resident of Rehoboth Beach. We'll have to meet at the game to discuss a more meaningful wager like cocktails.

Now we're talkin! You guys will find CAA fans to be great hosts, and wonderful guests. You've joined a great league, and you won't regret it. Delaware fans are largely mental, but they will show you a great time. Will follow up with you prior to your visit to Williamsburg.

[superman7515]

Delaware fans are largely mental...

We prefer to think of ourselves as cerebral.

[CHIP72]

Hey, not to switch the subject, but when the hell will the CAA teams announce the start times for the games this fall? I'm getting real annoyed waiting and waiting to find out the start times to Villanova's home games (and see if I can do a Temple/Villanova or a Penn/Villanova football doubleheader on a Saturday this fall).

[superman7515]

Delaware announced theirs quite a while ago, not that far of a drive from Temple or Penn.

[CHIP72]

Delaware announced theirs quite a while ago, not that far of a drive from Temple or Penn.

I'm a Villanova fan (and Drexel fan in basketball) - I'm not going to Delaware unless Villanova (or Temple, Penn, Lehigh, or Lafayette) are playing the Blue Hens! And because Lehigh/Lafayette pretty much is always on the same day as the Battle of the Blue, I'm probably not going to any Villanova/Delaware football games in person anytime soon.

On a slightly related side note, I always drive by Delaware Stadium when I drive to Philadelphia from DC and avoid the Delaware toll. :D

[CHIP72]

P.S. I really would like to get to Delaware Stadium for a game at some point.

[Mattymc727]

UNH just finally posted their start times, no noon start times for the first time ever.

http://www.unhwildcats.com/sports/fball/2014-15/schedule

[ElonFirefighter]

Now we're talkin! You guys will find CAA fans to be great hosts, and wonderful guests. You've joined a great league, and you won't regret it. Delaware fans are largely mental, but they will show you a great time. Will follow up with you prior to your visit to Williamsburg.

My aunt uncle and both cousins graduated from W&M hoping to make it up there and see a few games. Sadly this year Ill be at my wife's sisters wedding. What do people not understand about births and weddings during football season.

[superman7515]

How the f does JMU get a first place vote but finish 8th.

Did the CAA listen to MPLS and let coaches vote for their own team?

I told you guys in April that I was picking JMU, it's not like it's a surprise, haha.

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?153562-Off-season-Prediction-Thread-2014/page2

[clenz]

I told you guys in April that I was picking JMU, it's not like it's a surprise, haha.

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?153562-Off-season-Prediction-Thread-2014/page2
https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/2828045824/h878AD368/

[phoenix3]

Now we're talkin! You guys will find CAA fans to be great hosts, and wonderful guests. You've joined a great league, and you won't regret it. Delaware fans are largely mental, but they will show you a great time. Will follow up with you prior to your visit to Williamsburg.

I'm really looking forward to making the trek to Williamsburg as well. Planning on bringing the kids & making a weekend of it.

[jmufan999]

i'd be very surprised if this wasn't the best JMU offense since 2008. and i actually wouldn't be surprised if we score more points than in 2008, or somewhat close to it.

very few holes on offense and pretty good depth. TE i'm not too sure about, but i'm also not sure what the TE's role is in the offense.

on defense is where we're worried. i'm personally a little concerned about the pass rush and pass coverage. they could be ok, or they could be huge problems.

offense will be quite good, barring significant injuries.

[superman7515]

i'd be very surprised if this wasn't the best JMU offense since 2008. and i actually wouldn't be surprised if we score more points than in 2008, or somewhat close to it.

very few holes on offense and pretty good depth. TE i'm not too sure about, but i'm also not sure what the TE's role is in the offense.

on defense is where we're worried. i'm personally a little concerned about the pass rush and pass coverage. they could be ok, or they could be huge problems.

offense will be quite good, barring significant injuries.

UD/JMU could very well be a shoot-out. Hurley had the highest QB rating in the CAA last year, Michael Johnson was third in the CAA in receiving yards and first in touchdowns scored, Nick Boyle is preseason first team all-conference... And last year Delaware had the worst defense in the 124 years since the Blue Hens started playing football.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

I'm really looking forward to the Lehigh-JMU game. It will paint a picture for both teams. I believe Lehigh has a very real shot to win.

My expectations are not nearly as high for UNH the following week. I had the Wildcats at #2 in my poll....

[wmmii]

That seems fairly accurate from a talent perspective, but taking into account schedules, I'll put this down as my projection

1A. Richmond (7-1) - perfect season ended by in-state rival in final game
1B. UNH (7-1)
3A. William & Mary (6-2)
3B. Villanova (6-2) - Hate to pick them this low, but there are some question marks. Should be ready come playoffs, but not too excited for those roads games in VA.
3C. Stony Brook (6-2) - yes I've already mentioned I have them as a surprise team, but 5 of those wins are against the bottom 5. Would need to beat UConn to prove legitimacy
3D. Towson (6-2) - contemplated picking them lower due to the loss of West, but this is still a strong team that should be able to handle Delaware and JMU
7. Delaware (4-4) - not a bad team by any means, but would need to beat Towson and Pitt to get in. Otherwise best win may be JMU
8. Maine (3-5)
9. James Madison (2-6) - Really want to pick them higher, but if they fail to beat Delaware and Towson, the 2nd half of the schedule gets a whole lot more difficult. Still have two very real chances for an FBS win in Maryland and Charlotte, and Lehigh should also be a good game, but the offense may struggle this year overall. Could be like Richmond last year.
10. Albany (1-7) - wins at Rhody coming off a bye
11A. Rhode Island (0-8) .
11B. Elon (0-8)



Well done! Nova has the toughest schedule of the teams in your top 4.

JMU has the starting QB from Georgia Tech plus a new coach who wants to turn it around so I have them upsetting a few of the teams you show beating them!

Thanks for the vote of confidence for the Tribe knocking off the Spiders in the final game that has a 7:30pm start.

W&M may also upset UNH as we play well against them and have a bye the week before. Our conference games away include UNH, JMU, Towson, and Stony with Nova, Delaware and Richmond plus Elon at home.

[superman7515]

So I couldn't help but notice that two days later, someone still has an Elon helmet...

http://blog.delawareinc.com/wp-content/uploads/delaware_detail-779919-150x150.gif

The one week doesn't start until you change that avatar bud!