Fall is coming, which teams will be in the top 5 with returning players, including returning injured players and incoming players?

1-UGA
2-KSU
3-Mercer
4-CSU
5-GCSU

d

That's a good question, because if you measure their relative quality in the context of their peer group, aka their division, Columbus is clearly the top program (if you exclude Darton from the mix). In an absolute comparison, UGA and KSU are the clear #1 and #2, IMHO.

- CSU is rated in the top 5 in NCAA DII schools
- UGA is rated at #38 in NCAA DI schools

So, clearly CSU is a much better school, among DII schools than UGA is among DI schools. Now whether CSU is better than UGA, can only be decided if they play each other.

"Now whether CSU is better than UGA, can only be decided if they play each other."

A lose/lose proposition for Baker, so it will never happen. And I am sure if the roles were reversed Jay would do the same thing.

FSU, BC, Florida, Duke, Texas A&M, Penn State, and Virginia were ranked 6 through 12 in D1. Based on your logic, we'll never know whether they're better than CSU.

The poster is not saying that unless you play each other you can't make an intelligent prediction. What he/she is saying is that CSU is one of the top 5 teams in D2. UGA is, at best, a mediocre D1 school. Whether one of the best D2 schools is really 'better' than a middle D1 school, is not going to be decided unless they play each other.

Now, if you are asking between the top 5-10 D1 schools and CSU, I would have to say that CSU will be beat.

UGA ranks 38 out of 250-some D1 soccer programs, plays quite competitively in a power conference, and makes the NCAA tournament, yet they're "at best, a mediocre D1 school"? Like I said, faulty logic.

Actually, 312 DI schools

"Mediocre" - mediocre - of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad;

In 2008, UGA finished the season with an 11-11-1 record, ranked #38 in D1. That is the latest season with actual statistics. In 2007, #16 with 18-4-2. In 2006, #90 with a record of 10-9-0. In 2005, #66 with 12-6-0. 2004 with 4-9-5.

So, over the last 5 years, UGA has a record of 55-39-8, for an overall winning percentage of 54%.

So, they have won just over half their games played. Not bad, not great....mediocre.

UGA plays in a power conference and their out-of-conference schedule was extremely difficult. If they played in, say, the A-Sun, they would have won 80% of their games.

You're a dope.

I agree with you. What a dope.

IF they played in A-sun...If they played lesser opponents...if they won more games....

How about if UNC played Notre Dame, Stanford, UCLA, Florida, Florida State and the Aggies every year in their regular schedule?

There are a lot of ifs... You play the schedule you have, period. This isn't some BS BCS system where the "strength" of your opponents should matter in how your record is perceived.

If you are barely winning 50% of your games, you need to either step up your training or step down your schedule.

The coach plays a very large part in determining the out-of-conference schedule. Baker opted for a challenging one; many coaches do not. That's why UGA was ranked 38th, despite an 11-11-1 record. In short, strength of schedule matters!

BTW, UNC does play FSU every year -- they're both in the ACC. Their out-of-conference schedule is tough. Every year.

CSU has also opted to play stronger non conference games and does pick up alot of D-1 games in the spring. They may loose but it definately helps them in conference games.

Yes, as pointed out below, it is like BCS. Strength of schedule is huge. That is why UGA made the NCAA with a .500 record. Those who do know what they are talking about do take this into account. As to SEC reference, I am confused. Hasn't UGA been in the top 5 the last few years. Actually, very very close to winning regular season SEC last year.

38 out of 312 means the ranking group thinks they are better than 87.8% of Division 1.

Mediocre is not an apt description unless you are comparing them to the rest of the SEC.

still, they'd beat the tar out of CSU every time. how do you spell Div II? S-L-O-W.

Yeah, DII UWF is very slow. Just four goals better than SEC Alabama.

UWF WOMEN'S SOCCER COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL SPRING SEASON
2009-06-19 10:40:00

The University of West Florida womens soccer team completed a successful spring season in 2009, highlighted by a 4-0 shutout over Division I Alabama. The victory over the Crimson Tide completed a five-match sweep of Division I opponents over the 2008-09 academic year.

The Argonauts were 5-0 against Division I schools in 2008-09, outscoring their opponents 16-2. UWF topped 2006 Atlantic Sun Conference champion Jacksonville University 5-0 during the fall season, and they continued in the spring with wins over South Alabama and Louisiana Lafayette of the Sun Belt Conference. West Florida also topped four-time Southland Conference champion Northwestern State 4-1.

UWF finished the 2008 fall season as the runner-up at the NCAA Division II Championships, with the Final Four held at the University of Tampas Pepin Stadium. The Argonauts (24-1-1) battled Seattle-Pacific into double overtime in the championship game, but SPU came away with a goal in the 108th minute to claim the national title.

Spring season means nothing!!!!!

seriously

Good discussion going and then you go and reveal your agenda driven motivation. Mediocre is best case analysis? The ranking you suggested is as of the end of last year? It reflects a horrible start to the season with a large part of the line-up injured or out. Does that indicate standing now? If so, why not cite the prior year poll when it was top 20 and spent time in (I think) the top 10. You might even cite the record for the last 10 games of last season. would that be more indicative of what to expect this coming year?

Also, I generally would have agreed that UGA has nothing to gain by playing CSU, but I am suprised UGA is playing Georgia State, KSU and Mercer this year. Each of those games is a no win situation. I think that all these coaches have a good relationship with each other that makes these games possible.

Economy

There is a very big difference in perception. Even though App State was probably better than a bunch of D1 football programs a couple years ago, the overriding thing about their upset of Michigan was that they were a 1-AA school.

Who is "better" is just a matter of opinion, and yours is as valid as anyone else's. The only fact is who wins a game when two teams play.

I don't think they've ever played.

In my opinion, UNC is better, by a country mile. But that is just my opinion. Unless you buy the "A beat B, B beat C, so A is better than C" rationale as factual, there is probably no factual basis for that opinion. It's just my opinion.

I would put AASU over GCSU in the five spot. They have achieved more during the history of the program and GCSU has never beaten them.

how did AASU do in the NCAA tourny last year? GCSU?

Definitely put AASU over GCSU. GCSU has terrible team chemistry.

let's see-> you can look at this Q/A from a couple different ways:

1. which program trains players to go on to play at the professional level, then we could discuss the Top Unv. Program(s)in GA. to produce soccer players

/or/

2. which program presents the best student/ athletic experience for it's players in GA. (not every college player wants to seek a pro career).

to those who have not had kids go through these unv. programs yet .... the answer to both these questions above may surprise you