In their 2019 'Way Too Early Top 25' Athlon has the Cougs at. . .

[ScottHood]

No. 25. As expected, they have Oregon as the highest ranked P12 team.

Link: https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...pJobID=1420098640&spReportId=MTQyMDA5ODY0MAS2

 

[YakiCoug]

No. 25. As expected, they have Oregon as the highest ranked P12 team.

Link: https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...pJobID=1420098640&spReportId=MTQyMDA5ODY0MAS2

Yes, with that surefire, can't-miss NFL prospect behind center, the ducks and their 7-6 World Series win in the bowl game are so undeniably dominant. Again, many ducks hate the Cristobal offense, and they recognize how much slower the athletes have become.

 

[BiggsCoug]

No. 25. As expected, they have Oregon as the highest ranked P12 team.

Link: https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...pJobID=1420098640&spReportId=MTQyMDA5ODY0MAS2

Oregon brings most of their starters back. That’s the problem. They bring most of their soft kids back. Time doesnt make talent or toughness.

 

[ttowncoug]

Oregon will get a test against Auburn out of the gate.

 

[YakiCoug]

Oregon will get a test against Auburn out of the gate.

Auburn will melt at the sight of this guy ...

 

[roses04]

What is interesting is no USC or UCLA in the top 25, not that they deserve to be there, but how many top 25 polls in the past 50 years have eliminated both LA schools? I don't recall one. Also speaking of USC, they may not have Kliff Kingbury as their OC after all. Univ of Houston tried to lure him away, and now rumors have it the Jets and Cardinals are interviewing him. Kliff is hot coaching prospect right now, his chances of being at USC a the start of the year might be 50/50 at best.

 

[chipdouglas]

There is a nonconspiratorial desire to keep WSU out of an interesting ranking. Not because they have anything against us, they just have zero emotional connotations for WSU. Tough to get excited about a team which has never been appointment viewing for you. You hear WSU and it conjures up nothing other than what you've heard third hand. We are worse than hated: we are ignored. The CFP has shown us that having a pedigree going back to the 50s can have favorable impacts on your 2018 ranking. Hopefully 11+ win seasons will change that, but obviously we have to be good more often than not for a long time.

 

[702coug]

Mutts at 14 is a bit optimistic considering how many starters they lose.

 

[longtimecoug]

Oregon brings most of their starters back. That’s the problem. They bring most of their soft kids back. Time doesnt make talent or toughness.

their fans are really counting on the incoming recruits to bring back the glory days immediately, they are in for another mediocre season but a weak schedule will get them to 8 or 9 wins again

 

[TZCoug84]

No. 25. As expected, they have Oregon as the highest ranked P12 team.

Link: https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...pJobID=1420098640&spReportId=MTQyMDA5ODY0MAS2

This is a good omen. Weren't we ranked 25 and UO ranked 12 when we played in 2018?

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

No. 25. As expected, they have Oregon as the highest ranked P12 team.

Link: https://athlonsports.com/college-fo...pJobID=1420098640&spReportId=MTQyMDA5ODY0MAS2

just behind 9-5 upstart Northwestern and of course,

coming off their 2, 3, 3, 8, and 8 win seasons with recruiting classes in the 80's and 90's, the team we just beat and who is losing pretty much all of their offensive power and their top 3 defenders.... Iowa State!

Their summary in a nutshell "The return a ton of people and should plug and play who they lose, but overall they're average at best." Which I can buy, but just cramming Northwestern and ISU up there ahead of us... why? Oh, I remember - 8 wins in the B10/ B12 are worth more than 11 wins in the P12. And with the way the bowls ended up, I can't say I can argue against that too hard.

 

[random soul]

just behind 9-5 upstart Northwestern and of course,

coming off their 2, 3, 3, 8, and 8 win seasons with recruiting classes in the 80's and 90's, the team we just beat and who is losing pretty much all of their offensive power and their top 3 defenders.... Iowa State!

Their summary in a nutshell "The return a ton of people and should plug and play who they lose, but overall they're average at best." Which I can buy, but just cramming Northwestern and ISU up there ahead of us... why? Oh, I remember - 8 wins in the B10/ B12 are worth more than 11 wins in the P12. And with the way the bowls ended up, I can't say I can argue against that too hard.

I haven't gathered up annual preview mags in years, but Athlon was always the one with the nice glossy photos and the really crappy lazy surface analysis. I always enjoyed Phil Steele and Sporting News/College Football News far more

 

[froropmkr72]

This is a good omen. Weren't we ranked 25 and UO ranked 12 when we played in 2018?

exactly