we may start the season ranked or dang close

[Modsquad24]

Way sec network, espn and cbs have been hyping us up...everyone expects us to be pretty dang good, even jay bilas said "they could win sec"

[Hawg Red]

I'm halfway expecting to be ranked to start the season. Wouldn't surprise me either way but definitely possible.

[Modsquad24]

Wouldn't suprise me either, got almost all key peices back(mnus clarke) from a team that swept uk and lost by 2 to florida....that's not to mention they're more experienced and brought even more talent from a 22-12 team

[popcornhog]

Way sec network, espn and cbs have been hyping us up...everyone expects us to be pretty dang good, even jay bilas said "they could win sec"

We could finish second. Should finish third. I don't see how UK finishes anything shy of 1st.

[Modsquad24]

That's true, they have two starting lineups on one team

[Hawg Red]

We could finish second. Should finish third. I don't see how UK finishes anything shy of 1st.

It's possible. I think they finish 1st with Florida 2nd, but I could see them flip-flopping with the Hogs having an outside shot to jump in the mix.

[Modsquad24]

Third in sec may keep you ranked this yr, a lot of ppl think sec will be a lot stronger finally and could put 6 teams in the dance this yr.

[popcornhog]

Third in sec may keep you ranked this yr, a lot of ppl think sec will be a lot stronger finally and could put 6 teams in the dance this yr.

Agreed.

[poloprince]

A win at SMU gets us ranked for sure and we could be primed for that breakout year.

[popcornhog]

A win at SMU gets us ranked for sure and we could be primed for that breakout year.

Absolutely.

[nextlevel]

Being ranked means little in the grand scheme of things.

SMU finished the regular season ranked last year...

[Breems]

Third in sec may keep you ranked this yr, a lot of ppl think sec will be a lot stronger finally and could put 6 teams in the dance this yr.

Really?

The SEC to me looked like it was setting up for a bad year. Every team lost key pieces and not many gained them back.

[popcornhog]

Really?

The SEC to me looked like it was setting up for a bad year. Every team lost key pieces and not many gained them back.

Kentucky ^^^
Arkansas ^^^
South Carolina ^^^
Georgia ^^^
LSU ^^^


No?

[Big Nasty 34]

Might as well crown Kentucky champs now then :/

[popcornhog]

Might as well crown Kentucky champs now then :/

Why the hell would we do that? I bet our kids feel like they can win the SEC this year. I'd love to see us win the SEC.

[onebadrubi]

I'm in full support of Mike, his staff, and these players.  But I do not believe we are closed to being ranked until we beat Iowa state, Clemson, and SMU. 

[popcornhog]

I'm in full support of Mike, his staff, and these players.  But I do not believe we are closed to being ranked until we beat Iowa state, Clemson, and SMU.

A win over SMU should do it.

You predicting a win over ISU on the road?

[onebadrubi]

A win over SMU should do it.

You predicting a win over ISU on the road?

Sure, why not?  Haha

I'm merely saying, I believe we will have to win all three of those to be ranked before any conference play. 

[pigsooietim]

Wait I read somewhere that we are ranked 18th overall going into the season ? I think it matters a lot because unlike SMU we will be starting the season out ranked. Now all we have to do is maintain a top 25 ranking and we are a shoe in for the tourney.

[Hollywood_HOGan45]

really looking forward to going to the Wake Forrest and Dayton games at BWA.

[TomBigBeeHog]

Wait I read somewhere that we are ranked 18th overall going into the season ? I think it matters a lot because unlike SMU we will be starting the season out ranked. Now all we have to do is maintain a top 25 ranking and we are a shoe in for the tourney.

Somewhere? As long as it's been since we've been ranked, I would have remembered any place where it was written we were ranked 18th even if it was written in a bathroom stall.

[Hawg Red]

Being ranked means little in the grand scheme of things.

SMU finished the regular season ranked last year...

Better to be ranked than not, though, right?

We want to be a program that's always ranked. So, it actually means a lot to us. That's more important than an exception that didn't make it into the NCAA tournament.

[popcornhog]

Sure, why not?  Haha

I'm merely saying, I believe we will have to win all three of those to be ranked before any conference play.

I guess it all depends exactly where we are and where SMU is preseason in terms of votes. If we're receiving a decent amount of votes and SMU is ranked like 15 -- surely that would do the trick.

If we have no votes and they're unranked, we'd still be unranked.

It'll be somewhere in between in all likelihood.

[nextlevel]

Better to be ranked than not, though, right?

We want to be a program that's always ranked. So, it actually means a lot to us. That's more important than an exception that didn't make it into the NCAA tournament.

It isn't a given that being ranked get you in the tourney, so in reality being ranked means little.

Is it better than not being ranked? Sure.

Is it a big deal in the grand scheme of things? No.

People do not remember who all the 1-4 seeds were in the tournament 5 years after it was played, let alone who was ranked where for how long.

Just as no one remembers who the 5th ranked team was for every season in football, but they do remember who finished #1 and #2 most times.

[Hawg Red]

How many teams on an annual basis miss the tournament that are ranked? My guess is an average of less than one. So, it's a near guarantee.

Being ranked means a lot to a program like Arkansas.

[popcornhog]

It isn't a given that being ranked get you in the tourney, so in reality being ranked means little.

Is it better than not being ranked? Sure.

Is it a big deal in the grand scheme of things? No.

People do not remember who all the 1-4 seeds were in the tournament 5 years after it was played, let alone who was ranked where for how long.

Just as no one remembers who the 5th ranked team was for every season in football, but they do remember who finished #1 and #2 most times.

Come on man, if you're ranked you get in and you're typically no worse than a 6/7 seed.

True, there's no direct correlation between ranking and the committee's decision, but it's insanely rare.

In 1971 USC was ranked second in the country and missed the tourney. Why? Because if a rule that no longer exists -- only one team per conference was allowed in. UCLA was #1 and had beaten USC twice for their only two losses.

Maryland was in a similar situation in like 1974 or 75. I'm not sure when they changed the rules.

I also have a vague memory of a team being ranked like 24 or 25 once in the late 1990's or early 2000's and getting left out, but I can't remember who it was. I think SMU may have been ranked last year going into the tourney as well.

So you're pretty much wrong for all practical purposes, but technically correct, I guess.

[mhuff]

Come on man, if you're ranked you get in and you're typically no worse than a 6/7 seed.

True, there's no direct correlation between ranking and the committee's decision, but it's insanely rare.

In 1971 USC was ranked second in the country and missed the tourney. Why? Because if a rule that no longer exists -- only one team per conference was allowed in. UCLA was #1 and had beaten USC twice for their only two losses.

Maryland was in a similar situation in like 1974 or 75. I'm not sure when they changed the rules.

I also have a vague memory of a team being ranked like 24 or 25 once in the late 1990's or early 2000's and getting left out, but I can't remember who it was. I think SMU may have been ranked last year going into the tourney as well.

So you're pretty much wrong for all practical purposes, but technically correct, I guess.

Popcornhog, I salute the research.... But then is then and now is now. One would think that if you are ranked you would automatically get in. Still, the reality today is strength of schedule or whether you win your conference tournament. I mean if you beat teams that can't play dead in a western, it does not mean you are getting in. i.e. SMU.... last year.

[popcornhog]

Popcornhog, I salute the research.... But then is then and now is now. One would think that if you are ranked you would automatically get in. Still, the reality today is strength of schedule or whether you win your conference tournament. I mean if you beat teams that can't play dead in a western, it does not mean you are getting in. i.e. SMU.... last year.

You're not likely to be ranked in such a scenario either.

Fortunately we have a good SOS this year.

[nextlevel]

You're not likely to be ranked in such a scenario either.

Fortunately we have a good SOS this year.

Projected to have a good SOS, it should be, but it is dependent on the teams on the schedule to do what they should.

But, yes, SOS and RPI are far more important than the polls in basketball. Kentucky was ranked pretty high last year (IIRC) and their seeding in the tourney was way below their "ranking", not just the number next to their name on the bracket, but the bracket they were placed in.

[popcornhog]

Projected to have a good SOS, it should be, but it is dependent on the teams on the schedule to do what they should.

But, yes, SOS and RPI are far more important than the polls in basketball. Kentucky was ranked pretty high last year (IIRC) and their seeding in the tourney was way below their "ranking", not just the number next to their name on the bracket, but the bracket they were placed in.

All true. Still, 99.9% of the time you're getting in if you're ranked.

[Danny J]

Way sec network, espn and cbs have been hyping us up...everyone expects us to be pretty dang good, even jay bilas said "they could win sec"

I agree with Jay....

I think we are for sure no worse than 3 and would be surprised if we are that low...no joke.