AP and Coaches Poll Watch Thread (2015-16 Edition)

[Topshock]

I like to point this out to people when the topic of "What if WSU played in the Big 12" comes up...as if you take it at face value where you just transport this group of players into playing that tougher schedule and that was it. Who knows what WSU would do this year in the grind of a Big 12 schedule? I think they would be okay, but I am biased. That said, nobody ever talks about how well 3.3G could fare in recruiting battles if he had that to use in his recruiting pitch. If WSU were in the Big 12 in 2013-14, maybe Andrew Wiggins would have come here to play his one year of college basketball.

Look at TCU Football. Maybe those Andy Dalton teams that went to BCS bowls might not have been able to have the same success with a Big 12 schedule. Year 2 for TCU in its new conference was a rough one. However, it is safe to say now that TCU fits very nicely in the Big 12 and will probably be a contender for the foreseeable future...certainly as long as Gary Patterson stays there.

Again, who knows how it turns out this particular season, but if you had a fantasy world of Gregg Marshall and Wichita State in the Big 12, WSU would win a national title within a decade.

This is one way to look at it, but if you subscribe to this shouldn't Coach Marshall accept a Power 5 job immediately? Another way of looking at it is this:

Coach Marshall is getting the kind player's and people that are the perfect fit for his coaching style right now. So many one and done's have one foot out the door when they arrive and seem to loose interest in their college team about half way through the season. They don't play defense the way CM demands that it be played and a Coach has limited leverage to make them. These players might just be a horrible fit with CM. He may have hit the sweet spot for him right here. The players that will stay 2 years for sure and probably 3 or more before having an opportunity to turn pro may just be perfect for Coach Marshall.

[WuShock16]

This is one way to look at it, but if you subscribe to this shouldn't Coach Marshall accept a Power 5 job immediately?

No, because not every Power 5 job is a good one. Gregg is the perfect coach for WSU and vice versa. I am just saying if you take this partnership between Gregg and WSU...a darn good one already...and add a Power5 membership in the mix, it would go off-the-charts. Imagine what Koch Arena would be like if instead of Northern Iowa, Illinois State, and Evansville (good MVC programs right now), we had games against Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa State, and Texas. Maybe Buddy Hield would have come here four years ago instead of Oklahoma. Yes, Gregg looks for a special kind of player...and no, I don't think Gregg would tolerate a selfish one-and-done guy...but just because a guy goes to a Power-5 school doesn't mean that he wouldn't be a tough enough player for the Marshall Plan.

[ShockerPrez]

I don't think recruiting even matters.

WSU would do about the same as any othee top 25 team in a power conference and a top power conference school would still lose a game or 2 in the MVC.

[Dave Stalwart]

I don't think recruiting even matters.

WSU would do about the same as any othee top 25 team in a power conference and a top power conference school would still lose a game or 2 in the MVC.

Exactly. If that isn't true, then rankings mean nothing.

[ShockdaWorld]

Exactly. If that isn't true, then rankings mean nothing.

While I agree that it's true, I also agree that rankings mean nothing. Outside of a bit of extra brand recognition.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Already this week, #s 13, 14, 15, 16, and 20 have lost to unranked teams!

It looks very likely that this week will have been very good to teams 21-30 and very bad for teams 13-20. Monday's poll will likely have a log jam in terms of votes received. The gap between 15 and 30 could be as small as I've ever seen. I think WSU could end up anywhere between 21 and 27 depending on how things shake out, and assuming a Shocker win on Saturday.

[ShockdaWorld]

Already this week, #s 13, 14, 15, 16, and 20 have lost to unranked teams!

It looks very likely that this week will have been very good to teams 21-30 and very bad for teams 13-20. Monday's poll will likely have a log jam in terms of votes received. The gap between 15 and 30 could be as small as I've ever seen. I think WSU could end up anywhere between 21 and 27 depending on how things shake out, and assuming a Shocker win on Saturday.

I'd love to see us get back into the top 20, and maybe after next week that will be possible, but for now, I think you're correct.

[Dave Stalwart]

We need some help this weekend to really move up and there's a chance we may stay stagnant during a stretch where some others notch good wins which could bump us out.

Teams like Iowa ST and Texas a&m were too high for those losses to drop them behind us but it certainly helps. What we really need is for the teams 20-30 to have a rough week

[Stickboy46]

Already this week, #s 13, 14, 15, 16, and 20 have lost to unranked teams!

It looks very likely that this week will have been very good to teams 21-30 and very bad for teams 13-20. Monday's poll will likely have a log jam in terms of votes received. The gap between 15 and 30 could be as small as I've ever seen. I think WSU could end up anywhere between 21 and 27 depending on how things shake out, and assuming a Shocker win on Saturday.

Saturday will help us a lot. People still think UNI is better than they actually are. If we squeak by, we move up a couple. If we win by 20 again .. we move up a lot.

[_kai_]

Saturday will help us a lot. People still think UNI is better than they actually are. If we squeak by, we move up a couple. If we win by 20 again .. we move up a lot.

They get a little bit of a bump for being a "named mid-major." Most people know who UNI is. Drake? Probably just the rapper.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Saturday will help us a lot. People still think UNI is better than they actually are. If we squeak by, we move up a couple. If we win by 20 again .. we move up a lot.

Excluding teams that lose this week and fall, WSU doesn't pass a single team because of beating UNI, whether by 2 or by 20. The value of winning by 20 is to hopefully hold off the Notre Dames and Dukes of the world from passing WSU from behind.

[ShockerFever]

Already this week, #s 13, 14, 15, 16, and 20 have lost to unranked teams!

It looks very likely that this week will have been very good to teams 21-30 and very bad for teams 13-20. Monday's poll will likely have a log jam in terms of votes received. The gap between 15 and 30 could be as small as I've ever seen. I think WSU could end up anywhere between 21 and 27 depending on how things shake out, and assuming a Shocker win on Saturday.

So you think WSU could drop a couple spots with a 2-0 week? With all of the havoc going on around them?

I doubt it.

[Dave Stalwart]

So you think WSU could drop a couple spots with a 2-0 week? With all of the havoc going on around them?

I doubt it.

My concern came from seeng that South Carolina beat LSU and took over as the 1st place sec team. They are neck and neck with us but slightly behind. If everything stayed the same and both WSU and South Carolina win 2 this week, I think we'd get bumped back behind them and that could make us 26.

I think we'll stay in, but there's a chance we might not if everyone has a great week. The good news is, they won't all have a good week and it's already starting

[Play Angry]

South Carolina probably jumps us if they beat UK at home this weekend. That loss may or may not be enough to drop Kentucky below us.

However, there is an excellent chance we leap many of the following teams next week:

#15 A&M (@ LSU on Saturday, lost @ Alabama Wednesday)
#16 SMU (vs. Gonzaga on Saturday, lost vs. Tulsa Wednesday)
#20 Providence (vs. Georgetown on Saturday, lost @ Marquette Wednesday)
#22 Kentucky (@ South Carolina on Saturday, won vs. Georgia Wednesday)
#23 USC (@ Arizona State on Friday, @ Arizona on Sunday)
#24 Texas (@ Iowa State on Saturday, lost @ Oklahoma on Monday)

While theoretically possible that we could drop out following a 2 win week, I'd put the odds very, very, very low. We are far more likely to end up at #22 or 23 than #26.

[Cdizzle]

#23 USC (@ Arizona State on Friday, @ Arizona on Sunday)

USC and the big, bad PAC12 still use travel partners to save money?