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Rivals Preseason Ranking #74

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Rivals Preseason Ranking #74

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=815324

Highest ranking of all the SunBelt Teams I belive. TRoy came in at 89

Pertinet FAU Quote…

COACH: Howard Schnellenberger (41-42 in seven seasons; 141-119-3 in 23 seasons overall).

LAST SEASON: 8-5 overall, 6-1 in Sun Belt (tied for first in league).

FINAL RIVALS.COM 2007 RANKING: 68th.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Senior linebacker Frantz Joseph, who began his career at Boston College, led the Sun Belt with 131 tackles last season - the second-highest total in league history. Not surprisingly, he was a first-team all-league pick. Junior wide receiver Cortez Gent will be one of the two or three best receivers in the Sun Belt this season. He had four 100-yard games last season and is the Owls' best deep threat.

STAR POWER:
Junior quarterback Rusty Smith heads into the season as the third-best quarterback in Florida, behind Florida's Tim Tebow and USF's Matt Grothe. He's a big guy (6-5/215) with a strong arm and is a great fit for the Owls' passing attack. He threw 32 TD passes last season and 35 is a legit goal for this season.

STRENGTHS:
As long as Smith is under center, FAU is going to have a strong passing attack. In Gent and Jason Harmon, Smith has two of the five best wide receivers in the league. Four starting offensive linemen return, as does starting tailback Charles Pierre. The front seven on defense should be mighty salty. Tackle Jervonte Jackson has all-league potential, and there is excellent depth on the line. Tavious Polo and Corey Small are the best cornerback duo in the conference.

WEAKNESSES:
There will be two new starting safeties, and departed starters Kris Bartels and Taheem Acevedo will be missed. Though Pierre and all those linemen return, the running game was mediocre last season. Four of the first five games are on the road, including matchups with Texas and Michigan State.

THE BUZZ:
The Owls look to be – hands down – the favorite to win the Sun Belt. They have the best quarterback in the league, and the passing game should be ultra-productive. The Owls also have the fastest defense in the league, and five defenders have a legit shot at first-team all-league honors. There are just five home games, but none of the league road games should give FAU that much trouble. How the Owls fare against "big-time" foes Michigan State, Minnesota and Texas will be interesting to see.

I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick @$$ and I'm out of bubble gum.

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Re: Rivals Preseason Ranking #74

Somebody from Rivals did their homework, the ranking and the write-up are pretty accurate.

Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.
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Re: Rivals Preseason Ranking #74

Be interesting to see what they would have said or ranked us if Harmon's injury was public a few weeks earlier…

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Re: Rivals Preseason Ranking #74

I know we can argue this all day long but I just don't see how Grothe is better then Rusty? I guess because Grothe can run the ball?

My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
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Re: Rivals Preseason Ranking #74

Jab979 said

I know we can argue this all day long but I just don't see how Grothe is better then Rusty? I guess because Grothe can run the ball?

I assume because they got ranked #2 last season and the QB usually gets a lot of cred for that.

Most would say it's a yin and yang thing: Rusty has a better arm, Grothe has better feet.
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Re: Rivals Preseason Ranking #74

Grothe beat West Virginia

Rusty lost to ULM

QB's take the credit and the blame

Florida Atlantic University Owls
2007 Sun Belt Football Champions 2007 New Orleans Bowl Champions 2008 Motor City Bowl Champions 2011 Sun Belt Basketball Champions No Bowls without Owls
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Re: Rivals Preseason Ranking #74

SeminOWL2006 said

Grothe beat West Virginia

Rusty lost to ULM

QB's take the credit and the blame

Grothe beat FAU is why he is considered a better QB.

Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.
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Re: Rivals Preseason Ranking #74

That ranking (#74) is well above last years, last years success help us leap frog a little bit  :D

Now, lets see how the players respond on the field with more acknowledgments, instead of more of the usual
"no respect" tag.
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