Soccer Outlook

[Reb UT '70]

I haven't seen any of the workouts, and I won't make a prediction until after the Alumni game, but I've now heard from several sources that we look better than last year. The problem is that there seems to be a rapid improvement in all the teams because the talent pool keeps getting better.

Looking at our schedule, Notre Dame (5), SMU (34), Denver (48), and Rice (60) had nationally ranked recruiting classes. (285 Div 1 schools) TSU's class was ranked 22 in the central region; I don't think any of our other opponents had ranked classes.

Overall, Notre Dame is 16th, SMU is 24th, and Denver is 25th nationally. Only beating ND would be considered a big upset. We beat SMU in the spring, and we play Denver here.

I think that the Sunbelt race will be a three-way contest with UNT, Denver, and Western KY in the top three slots, but I don't know the order. USA and FIU will be tough, and since we play FIU, there they could upset us. It's going to be a tough year, but by playing some nationally ranked schools, we have the opportunity to earn an invite to the NCAA tourney even if we don't win one in the Sunbelt tourney.

Edited August 15, 2003 by Reb UT '70