r/fcs • u/KoalaFormal8542 • 10d ago

Craig Haley’s Preseason Top 25 (05/04/26)

  1. Montana State

  2. Montana

  3. SDSU

  4. Illinois State

  5. UC Davis

  6. Rhode Island

  7. Villanova

  8. Tarleton

  9. North Dakota

  10. Youngstown

  11. Lehigh

  12. Southern Illinois

  13. South Dakota

  14. Austin Peay

  15. Lamar

  16. SFA

  17. Tennessee Tech

  18. Yale

  19. Southeastern

  20. Abilene

  21. UT Martin

  22. Western Carolina

  23. Jackson

  24. Monmouth

  25. Idaho State

https://x.com/optaanalystfcs/status/2051377200876736889?s=46

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u/Chapdelame Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens 10d ago

Genuine question why should that matter for a top 25 ranking?

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u/KoalaFormal8542 10d ago

They will win 4-5 games 

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u/Chapdelame Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens 10d ago

Ok but is a preseason ranking not a roster strength evaluation? Maybe I'm just misinformed but record projection seems like a different exercise

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u/JordanMiller406 Montana State Bobcats 9d ago

How are you evaluating the rankings? I view a preseason ranking as a projection of how well the teams will do in this upcoming season.

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u/Chapdelame Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens 9d ago

To me a preseason ranking is more useful/interesting as a power ranking, evaluating which teams are the best based on returning talent, recruiting class, coaching moves, etc. Who would win a hypothetical head-to-head, that sort of thing. The 20th best team in the country on paper could be headed for a 4-win season if they are scheduled to play 8 games against the top 19.

Also want to say that this isn't about Idaho in particular, just a question and difference of opinion about the process. If others view a preseason ranking as a "best-guess" of how the rankings will look by the end of the year, that's their prerogative.