Sirius XM College Sports "The First Team" Pre-Season Top 25 Ranks USF Football at

[usfsig]

18. USF

Taylor Zarzour and Greg McElroy host "The First Team" morning show on Sirius XM College Sports. They've been doing a pre-season Top 25 countdown every day and today was our turn. The teams behind us were 25. Michigan St., 24. Washington, 23. Texas, 22. UCLA, 21. Louisville, 20. NC State, and 19. Kansas St. Some notes from their segment:

• McElroy barely had us in his Top 25. Zarzour had us higher than were they ranked us, but collectively we came out to 18.
• Noted that we lost Mack and some other players, but that we return Flowers and a ton of talent on both sides of the ball.
• Noted our favorable schedule stating it was "more than manageable."
• Both hosts agree we are the best G5 school on paper and that we should find ourselves in a bowl on New Years Day.
• Talked a lot about Charlie Strong and how much of a better situation he is in than he was at Texas.
• They gushed over Flowers calling him "outstanding" noting his exceptional TD to INT ratio and that he was only sacked 13 times last year.
• McElroy believes that our OC is a star in the industry and doesn't get the credit he deserves from last year. Noted they had a difficult situation with a young QB at Texas, but that he adapted and made their offense work with their RB.
• Both agreed that our year depends on how Flowers performs. If he builds off of last year we are set for great things, but if he is average to sub-par we will run into problems and may end up at 9-3. Compared it to Houston and Greg Ward's play at QB last year with his inconsistency.
• Acknowledged that although we lost to FSU last year, we still put up 35 points on them and noted how impressive that was.
• Both have concerns over our defense and how many yards and points we gave up last year. Noted that we forced a lot of turnovers last year and that we should be even better at that this year.
• Both felt Strong will help this defense take a step forward this year, but it remains to be seen how much of a step forward that is.
• Zarzour likes D'Ernest Johnson and wants us to rely more heavily on him and less on Flowers, but both would be surprised if that happens. 
• Both have concerns over our WR's noting that behind Valdes-Scantling we don't have much depth as it relates to experience/catches per game.
• Discussed taking a road trip to San Jose St. to watch us play and "christen the season."
• Went through our schedule briefly and Zarzour thinks we will be in the Fiesta Bowl at 11-1 or 12-0.
• Zarzour feels the East Division of the AAC is weak this year and that the West has the stronger division.
• Both noted that USF was the ONLY G5 team that cracked their Top 25.
• McElroy explained that he had us at 25 because our SOS doesn't have a game that will give us a marquee victory. Feels our toughest game is against UCF and that all our games are manageable. Stated the next toughest games would be ECU (because its away) and Houston (noting they will be down this year).

[LrdNorman]

Great reporting -- and I can agree with their points...

[Triple B]

1 hour ago, usfsig said:

Went through our schedule briefly and Zarzour thinks we will be in the Fiesta Bowl at 11-1 or 12-0.

I'd take it but not liking it. I wonder why there instead of the Peach.

[usfsig]

31 minutes ago, Triple B said:

I'd take it but not liking it. I wonder why there instead of the Peach.

I wondered the same thing when I heard them mention it... but they gave no explanation.

[NewEnglandBull]

It would be the Peach Bowl

[goldenbrahm1996]

1 hour ago, NewEnglandBull said:

It would be the Peach Bowl

Do we really know that for sure though?

[NewEnglandBull]

2 hours ago, goldenbrahm1996 said:

Do we really know that for sure though?

Nothing is positive but if we are talking ticket sales being a concern for the Bowl committee it is illogical to go the Fiesta. Now, that being said if the Fiesta is hosting a Texas/Oklahoma/Arizona school yes, USF could be there I guess. 

[Ionbull]

2 hours ago, NewEnglandBull said:

Nothing is positive but if we are talking ticket sales being a concern for the Bowl committee it is illogical to go the Fiesta. Now, that being said if the Fiesta is hosting a Texas/Oklahoma/Arizona school yes, USF could be there I guess. 

This is what I'm thinking; they aren't just going to take into account the G5 school. They will take into account both at larges and find a good place for them. That is, both are possibilities and odds are the at large will be SEC/Big10/ACC. 

[PingBull]

appreciate the recap