Virginia Redbird
Well-known member
Hero Sports has the Redbirds at #12 for the 2020 season, if it goes. NDUS is # of course, SDSU is #2, and NIU is #3. SIU came in at #23. They cite the dominating defenses for both SDSU and NIU as reasons for their high ranking. It says ISU will have one of the most feared defenses in FCS this coming season but obviously they don't put the Redbirds D on par with SDSU or UNI. Pre-season rankings mean absolutely nothing but something to talk about. Almost all the "experts" picked Alabama two years ago and most of the same "experts" picked Clemson to repeat last season. You still have to play the games. It all comes down to how Brady and the receiving corps play this year I think. Are they all healthy? I think the running game will be fine even with losing JR. The O-line should be solid and it will probably be running game more by committee but we will have to wait and see. I am a bit more optimistic I guess. I thought Brady was really hitting his stride when he was injured and was really playing well. The receiving corps was banged up all year in 2019 and should be better in 2020. There is a stable of young but running backs and a pretty good O-line. The Birds don't play SDSU this season and have to travel to UNI and NDSU. That is two tough away games on the schedule but if the Birds can take at least one of those games they should be in good shape. They have Eastern Illinois, South Dakota, Southern Illinois, Western Illinois, North Dakota and Dixie State at home. Missouri State and Indiana State are the other away games besides U of Illinois. They probably have to win either the UNI or NDSU game but I like the way the schedule lays out. Let's hope we play them!
FCS: 2020 HERO Sports Preseason Top 25
Who are the top teams to keep an eye on entering the 2020 FCS season?
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