Top 25 Ranking - 3 year average - ESPN

[MountaineerMafia]

A big shout-out from the talking heads over at ESPN...

"College football's top-25 future overall power rankings

These are turbulent times with more questions than answers, including when college football will resume. The future power rankings, which always appear in the spring, hopefully provide a reminder of normalcy.

After examining quarterbacks, defenses and offenses, this list projects the top 25 teams for the next three seasons. The forecast covers the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons, and factors in both current rosters and future recruiting classes, as well as coaching, program trajectory and other categories.

The team rankings obviously contain overlap with earlier versions, particularly at the top, but there's some variance, too. Coaching success/longevity and potential coaching change is arguably a bigger factor when projecting how teams will fare going forward.

Check out last year's list, which had the eventual national champ (LSU) at No. 10 and the other three College Football Playoff participants in the top five (No. 1 Clemson, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 5 Ohio State). I overvalued Texas (No. 7), Washington (No. 8), Michigan (No. 11) and Stanford (No. 15), while not giving enough love to Oregon (No. 14) and Minnesota (not ranked). Then again, these are three-year projections, so a lot will change.

Let's look ahead to the new team rankings."

I'll skip listing all the teams, as most can figure them out, and just put the ones we may be interested in.

#1 Clemson
#11 Wisconsin
#18 Michigan
#19 UNC
#20 UCF (only other G5 ranked)
#24 Louisville
#25 APP STATE

25. Appalachian State Mountaineers
Future QB ranking: NR
Future offense ranking: 24
Future defense ranking: 23


Scouting the Mountaineers: Several teams have a case for the final spot, including Cincinnati, Utah, Memphis, Arizona State, TCU, Stanford and Tennessee, which is on a recruiting surge. But Appalachian State is fifth nationally in winning percentage (.811) since 2016, and made both the offense and defense rankings. Although Shawn Clark will be the Mountaineers' third head coach in as many years, he has worked with the program since 2016 and inherits a very good situation. The forecast on offense is excellent, especially in the short term, as quarterback Zac Thomas (4,790 pass yards) is back, along with a veteran receiving corps and four starters on the line. The depth chart turns over a bit in 2021, although running back projects well with Daetrich Harrington and others.

Appalachian State's defense goes through some short-term transition, especially at linebacker, but it regains two key building blocks in senior end Demetrius Taylor (team-high seven sacks, three forced fumbles in 2019) and junior cornerback Shaun Jolly (five interceptions). Jolly and other key non-seniors such as linebacker D'Marco Jackson will boost the unit in 2021.

[AppStFan1]

First thought was we could have been 20-21 but I also could have seen us excluded and down to 30 because of Boise State, Tennessee, Cincy, and others. Stuff like this is good because it keeps reinforcing that we are a top 25 program and helps in recruiting. If we keep all of our current commits i have to believe a big reason is relationships and seeing we are a better program than many of the P5s who will come after them.

[MountaineerMafia]

First thought was we could have been 20-21 but I also could have seen us excluded and down to 30 because of Boise State, Tennessee, Cincy, and others. Stuff like this is good because it keeps reinforcing that we are a top 25 program and helps in recruiting. If we keep all of our current commits i have to believe a big reason is relationships and seeing we are a better program than many of the P5s who will come after them.

Absolutely. I scrolled down slowly and was honestly a little surprised ANY G5's were listed. You just figure that a lot of these guys don't think any G5's can keep it consistent enough to remain a top 25 program over a 3 year period. That's why I was so pumped to see App listed. I think this is the biggest praise we've received since moving up. Of course the actual rankings are bigger and a better deal, but as far as off-season mentions, I think this one tops all others.

[AppStFan1]

First thought was we could have been 20-21 but I also could have seen us excluded and down to 30 because of Boise State, Tennessee, Cincy, and others. Stuff like this is good because it keeps reinforcing that we are a top 25 program and helps in recruiting. If we keep all of our current commits i have to believe a big reason is relationships and seeing we are a better program than many of the P5s who will come after them.

Absolutely. I scrolled down slowly and was honestly a little surprised ANY G5's were listed. You just figure that a lot of these guys don't think any G5's can keep it consistent enough to remain a top 25 program over a 3 year period. That's why I was so pumped to see App listed. I think this is the biggest praise we've received since moving up. Of course the actual rankings are bigger and a better deal, but as far as off-season mentions, I think this one tops all others.

Agreed. This shows consistency and that is heavily important.

[citroknight]

Aayyyyyy!! Happy to share a top 25 with y'all. Looking forward to what App State will do for an encore of it's best FBS season.

[Mjohn1988]

It’s really crazy to think we’re expected to be a top 25 team. We have an athletics budget that is pocket change compared to big boys. We’re not in a major TV market and we’ve only been in the FBS for 5 years. Congratulations to our AD, his staff, and all our coaches. But the biggest shout out goes to all the players who made this possible. The whole mentality of having the players be responsible for their own success has paid huge dividends for our program.

[ah59396]

These are always a big deal. Quite simply, they reinforce the idea that we are a top 25 program.

The fact that I’m getting used to seeing us in these is great because it means casual fans will start noticing it too.

[AppStFan1]

Aayyyyyy!! Happy to share a top 25 with y'all. Looking forward to what App State will do for an encore of it's best FBS season.

Thank you! You guys definitely deserved to be ranked in it. In 2 years from now I would like to be at the point to where you guys are and get the benefit of the doubt. I would love to be where a 3-loss season and bowl win gets us ranked 22-25 or the very top 2-3 in RV like you guys just did. I want that brand name so it really is great to start seeing us considered in this stuff. Shows we are getting there. Just need a couple good years solidify it.

[firemoose]

https://www.espn.com/college-football/i ... tball-team

https://www.espn.com/college-football/i ... tball-team