Are you excited for college football yet?

[Red Buckeye]

Not to take anything away from our bumbling Reds, who just can't seem to get over the hump, but I haven't been this excited for college football in a while.

So many changes over the this offseason. College Football Playoffs will be awesome, Appalachian State and ODU becoming FBS teams (I have always enjoyed rooting for the little guys in college sports, NMSU is my favorite team behind tOSU), the B1G adding Rutgers and Maryland (which is not earth shattering but still intriguing), the SEC has finally been dethroned (after an amazing run, glad it's over), and I am excited to see my Buckeyes in action.

So what are you mosr excited about this season? Who is your team? How do you think they will do?

As for Ohio State, I think they will have the best D Line in the country. I am excited to see some of their playmakers on offense, and really stoked to see Raekwon McMillon make his debut.

As for their final record, I am optimistic (like always) that they will run the table and win the NC, but my more rational side thinks they will trip up against either UC or Michigan State.

Just getting excited for football. The college football preview magazines are out and that's when I really get pumped for college football.

[Kingspoint]

The SEC keeps taking all of Oregon's QB recruits (Auburn and Alabama, anyway).

[Boston Red]

Louisville in the ACC. Can't wait.

[cumberlandreds]

When you are a Kentucky fan you are excited because it means basketball is just around the corner. :D

[BuckeyeRed27]

I always follow Buckeye news pretty close. In general I don't get too amped up for the season for about another month. I am looking forward to the playoff, but I don't love the overall landscape of college football right now. Maybe after a few years all the reallignment stuff will have settled, but it all feels a bit watered down at the moment.

[reds1869]

As a Marshall fan I am really excited. The combination of the Herd's on field talent, easy schedule and the new playoff system has all the makings of a fun fall in Huntington. Undefeated or bust!

[RedTeamGo!]

Meh, for the first time in awhile I am not very excited.

[WVRed]

As a Marshall fan I am really excited. The combination of the Herd's on field talent, easy schedule and the new playoff system has all the makings of a fun fall in Huntington. Undefeated or bust!

I really wish the Friends of Joe Bowl hadn't been discontinued. This is going to be the best team at Marshall I can ever remember, and that's saying a lot given the Pennington and Leftwich years.

Combine that with a do or die season for Dana Holgorsen in Morgantown and I really believe Marshall has the best football team in the state this season.

[wolfboy]

I've been watching reruns of the BCS Bowls on ESPNU. I think that means, "yes."

[marcshoe]

I really wish the Friends of Joe Bowl hadn't been discontinued. This is going to be the best team at Marshall I can ever remember, and that's saying a lot given the Pennington and Leftwich years.

Combine that with a do or die season for Dana Holgorsen in Morgantown and I really believe Marshall has the best football team in the state this season.

Yeah, I notice that every year that Marshall could've won just happens to be a year the schools don't play. ;)

[dougdirt]

Looks at baseball schedule: Reds still playing.

No. Not excited yet.

However I will be once things get started. I'm interested to see what Gunner Kiel can do for Cincinnati.

[reds1869]

Yeah, I notice that every year that Marshall could've won just happens to be a year the schools don't play. ;)

My Mountaineer friends don't like it when I bring that up.

[BluegrassRedleg]

Usually, it's about July 1 for me. They keep pushing up those preview mags earlier and earlier, though, every year. I've already been sucked into buying three of them.

This is an exciting year coming up because they'll finally be crowning a legit champion. I'd still prefer to see a 16-team field, but even a 4-team playoff is progress.

[WVRed]

Yeah, I notice that every year that Marshall could've won just happens to be a year the schools don't play. ;)

Sad, but it's the truth. The best Marshall teams were towards the end of the Nehlen era when they didn't play. Even when WVU had Bill Stewart Marshall was still down from the Mark Snyder disaster.

I have some friends who graduated from Marshall who believe Rakeem Cato could be a contender for the Heisman this year. Doubt it with Marshall playing in a weak conference but they will be better than WVU this season and I wouldn't be shocked if Holliday is their first choice next season to replace Holgorsen.

[marcshoe]

Hmmm. . . I think my comment has been widely misunderstood. ;)

Let's just say that I have heard 'we could've beat them this year, if only we played 'em' a bit too much over the years when you consider that Marshall has never managed to beat WVU when they actually played, despite Stewart's best efforts.

And I have a degree from Marshall, fwiw.

[Boston Red]

Well, it's pretty clear that WV never faced Marshall's best teams under Pruett. The first I-A team wasn't quite ready for prime time yet, but that was a whale of a game. Easily the best of the "modern" series from my perspective.

Would WV try to hire Holliday if Marshall has a great year and WV continues to get Holgersoned? That would be interesting.

[marcshoe]

I don't know. It would be a step up for Holliday.

Over the years Marshall fans haven't seemed to understand the level of competition they face. I remember one year everyone was convinced the team would roll because they whipped Southeast Missouri State, then couldn't understand why they were beaten by Michigan State. The lack of realism has continued. CUSA is a terrible conference, and there's no way to measure a Marshall team that plays inferior competition week after week against bigger schools without playing them directly.

And the results when WVU and Marshall play each other, including over a recent 7-year stretch, have been pretty consistent.

[Boston Red]

Those Marshall teams under Pruett were pretty darned good, and the series did not really start until after Pruett was gone. That would have been a fun series if they'd have played from about '98-'04.