3ADL Week 4 Top 25

[big daddy russ]

RK (PVS) TEAM (W-L)—PTS (First-place Votes)

1. (1) Gilmer (4-0)—494 (14)
2. (3) Giddings (3-0)—446
3. (2) Abilene Wylie (3-0)—437 (6)
4. (6) Cuero (4-0)—424
5. (5) Carthage (4-0)—419
6. (9) Navasota (4-0)—392
7. (7) Prosper (4-0)—389
8. (11) Monahans (3-0)—332
9. (10) Mexia (4-0)—293
10. (8) Bellville (3-1)—285
11. (16) Celina (2-2)—260
11. (14) Graham (3-0)—260
13. (4) West Orange-Stark (3-1)—245
14. (15) LaGrange (4-0)—230
15. (21) Brownwood (3-1)—226
16. (NR) Jasper (2-1)—199
17. (12) Rockdale (4-0)—184
18. (13) Argyle (4-0)—183
19. (17) LaVernia (3-1)—180 (1)
20. (20) China Spring (3-1)—156
21. (22) Sealy (4-0)—127
22. (19) Caldwell (2-1)—95
23. (18) Cleveland (3-1)—77
24. (23) Palestine (2-2)—74
25. (NR) Sinton (3-0)—37

DROPPED OUT (PVS): Liberty Hill (24), Waco LaVega (25)

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Burnet 35; Kennedale 32; Pittsburg 29; Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 27; Burnet 14; Texarkana Pleasant Grove 12; Atlanta 7; Needville 7; Bandera 6; Cameron Yoe 6; Ingleside 6; Center 4; Liberty Hill 2; West 1

[big daddy russ]

1. GILMER (4-0)
LAST WEEK: Defeated 4A Kilgore, 70-27
UP NEXT: 2A #1 Daingerfield
WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOWER: There doesn’t seem to be many chinks in the armor. They’re led by no fewer than four senior Division I prospects and have an impressive resume to date. Gilmer opened the year with a 30-point blowout of the number 16 team on this list and tacked on an 18-point win over then-12th-ranked Liberty-Eylau two weeks ago, but we’ve yet to see how they respond when their back is against the wall. It may sound nitpicky, but it’s a legitimate argument when everyone’s gunning for you.

2. GIDDINGS (3-0)
LAST WEEK: Bye
UP NEXT: 4A Elgin
WHY THEY SHOULD BE HIGHER: They’re not strangers to competition. As tough as Gilmer’s opponents have been, Giddings have been every bit as tough, if not tougher. The Buffs opened with impressive wins over Liberty Hill and LaVernia and don’t look like they’re slowing down anytime soon. Especially eye-popping was that they shut out Coach Vance’s vaunted offense during their zero week win against LH.
WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOWER: Though their wins over Liberty Hill and Wharton were decisive, they looked vulnerable against LaVernia, sneaking by with a 34-27 win. In two weeks, Giddings gets another mild test before going opening the gauntlet of 25-3A play against Sealy, Bellville, and LaGrange.

3. ABILENE WYLIE (3-0)
LAST WEEK: Defeated then-#24 Waco LaVega, 46-29
UP NEXT: Canyon
WHY THEY SHOULD BE HIGHER: Non-district hasn’t been easy and they’ve cruised. They’ve made Vernon, 4A Wolfforth Frenship, and Waco LaVega look like light work.
WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOWER: They haven’t looked nearly as dominant as Gilmer while Cuero has. They also managed to move ahead of defending state champs Prosper and Carthage despite not looking any better or worse than either team.

4. CUERO (4-0)
LAST WEEK: Defeated 4A Bay City, 38-10
UP NEXT: #19 LaVernia
WHY THEY SHOULD BE HIGHER: Tradition, talent, and results. Led by QB Tyler Arndt, the Gobblers have averaged 38 points per game on offense while only allowing nine per game, mostly against the second stringers. Oh, and they did all this against two 4A’s and two 3A playoff teams from last year.
WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOWER: As impressive as their resume looks, they don’t yet have a signature win like Gilmer (Jasper), Giddings (LH), Abilene Wylie (LaVega), or even many lower-ranked teams like Navasota (Bellville). Their toughest test of the year comes this weekend against LaVernia.

5. CARTHAGE (4-0)
LAST WEEK: Defeated 4A Nacogdoches, 60-35
UP NEXT: 4A Jacksonville
WHY THEY SHOULD BE HIGHER: They’re the defending champs. They brought back 26 lettermen and half their starters. And their “easiest” game to date was a 28-point win over a 3A squad that lost to 2A top-ranked Daingerfield by seven. All other victories have come against 4A schools.
WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOWER: They may own three victories against 4A schools, but their closest one, a 14-13 nailbiter, was against a Henderson squad that was blown out by 47 to Navasota and wasn’t expected to do much this year.

6. NAVASOTA (4-0)
LAST WEEK: Defeated then-#8 Bellville, 24-14
UP NEXT: Bryan Rudder
WHY THEY SHOULD BE HIGHER: Talk about a team that has everything. Explosive skill players? Check. Some hogs up front? Check. Elite defense? Check. Signature win? Two, against Palestine and Bellville.
WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOWER: As tough as it is to argue against either win, the wins against Palestine and Bellville didn’t seem particularly dominant. Can Navasota put away elite teams when they need to? How will the lines hold up against other elite teams?

7. PROSPER (4-0)
LAST WEEK: Defeated 4A Frisco, 33-12
UP NEXT: Decatur
WHY THEY SHOULD BE HIGHER: Aren’t the reigning 3A DII champs known for their offense? The Eagles’ defense has been downright nasty this season, allowing only three points per game and pitching four shutouts. RB Juan Williams has been unstoppable while dual-threat QB Brian Hardy has been the perfect complement.
WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOWER: I’ll bring it up again: no signature wins. Their best win was against a Bridgeport squad that looks like it may make the playoffs, but is anything but elite. Also, they let a Frisco squad that had been outscored 97-26 hang 12 on them. Was that on the second-string, or a lapse by the starters? We still don’t know exactly what this team is capable of.

8. MONAHANS (3-0)
LAST WEEK: Defeated Pecos, 57-7
UP NEXT: 4A San Angelo Lakeview
WHY THEY SHOULD BE HIGHER: Is this the best team in Region I? We talk a lot about Abilene Wylie, Brownwood, Graham, Liberty Hill, etc, but Monahans has looked just as impressive (if not more so) than any other team in the Region. The offense is explosive and they’ve been blowing everyone out. They returned half their starters from last year’s Regional Finalists and the new starters have filled in nicely. The Loboes already appear to be taking aim at the Region crown.
WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOWER: How good is this team? They’ve shown us that they can blow out Pecos, Sweetwater, and Midland Christian. Fort Stockton and Seminole may the the only road blocks they hit until they hit the playoffs. Are they ready for all the buzz saws out in R1, or are they merely a second-tier team that has good showings against lesser competition?

9. MEXIA (4-0)
LAST WEEK: Defeated Athens, 61-22
UP NEXT: West
WHY THEY SHOULD BE HIGHER: Abilene Wylie, Prosper, Cuero and Monahans have proven to be some of state’s offensive juggernauts… and Mexia may be more unstoppable than any of them. QB Trey Davis and RB Doug Gentry form a nice 1-2 punch. Their lowest point total of the 2009 campaign was against then-#10 China Spring… the Cougars somehow managed to “limit” Mexia to 41 points. The Blackcats also boast a defense that clamps down.
WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOWER: As good as Mexia’s win over China Spring may look on paper, the Cougars haven’t exactly been world-beaters. Sure, they beat Fairfield and Groesbeck handily, but they’ve looked very mortal against decent competition. They squeezed out a 17-2 win over a Robinson squad that’s currently sitting at 1-2 to go with their dud against Mexia. So while China Spring may be a frontrunner for a 7-3A playoff berth and a tough team in their own right, the pollsters were being generous with a ranking of tenth. And that blowout may tell us more about the China Spring football program than the Mexia football program.

10. BELLVILLE (3-1)
LAST WEEK: Lost to #6 Navasota, 24-14
UP NEXT: 2A Brookshire-Royal
WHY THEY SHOULD BE HIGHER: They hung toe-to-toe with Navasota, one of the early favorites for a state title, to go along with huge wins over Caldwell and 4A Livingston. By most accounts, Bellville was outmanned by Navasota, but found a way to stay in the game and kept it close for four quarters. The Brahmas have a history of finding ways to stay in games they shouldn’t be in… and pulling it off at the end. That in itself should scare everyone above them.
WHY THEY SHOULD BE LOWER: Too many close calls. Nobody wins them all. After opening the season with a two-point win against Caldwell, they gave themselves a little breathing room against Livingston (15-point win). In a district that includes heavy hitters LaGrange, Giddings, and Sealy to go along with surprisingly-good Columbus and Smithville, there’s very little room for error. While their resume is impressive, does it really look like the resume of a top-ten team?




OBSERVATIONS FROM THE REST OF THE TOP 25.
-West Orange-Stark fell the furthest in the polls this week, from #4 to #13…

-Meanwhile, the team that beat the Mustangs sits three spots below them with only a loss to top-ranked Gilmer.

-How good is Graham? Led by QB Case McCoy, this team has cruised to an undefeated record through non-district play. Fortunately, we’ll get an answer when district play starts.

-Speaking of 2-3A, is there a more top-heavy district in the state? Abilene Wylie comes in at 3, Graham at 11, and Brownwood at 15. Did I mention that Snyder’s also in the district?

-Is it wrong to question Celina’s spot at 11? It sure does feel generous to me right now. Wonder if I’ll feel the same three weeks into the playoffs?

-Argyle feels kinda low. Sinton feels kinda high.

-Cleveland dropped their first game of the year on Friday, 39-36 to 4A Little Cypress-Mauriceville. Usually, I wouldn’t even bother to question that loss. Except that LC-M was riding a 16-game losing streak until two weeks ago. Is it a changing of the guard over at LC-M, or one huge black eye for an emerging Cleveland program?

-In the “Teams currently not getting much attention, but will leave a wake of destruction through the playoffs” file: Palestine, LaVernia, Atlanta, Center, Liberty Hill, Kennedale, and (remember this name) Pittsburg.

- UNDEFEATED TEAMS NOT RANKED: Kennedale, Pittsburg, West, Van Alstyne, Mount Vernon, Lucus Lovejoy, Brownsboro, Ingleside, Stafford, Pearsall, Poteet, Edna, Lyford

[lostaussie]

BDR this is fabulous..............if you wrote all this by yourself it seems to be well thought out and kudos to you for the work. I'm sure there will be some "beefs" with it but so what..........great job:clap::clap:

[44INAROW]

NIce job BDR - we're got some talented folks on the downlow :clap: :clap:

[Old Green]

Great job Big Daddy Russ. Well thought out preview.:clap:

[R4Editor]

Very nice work there big daddy.

How does Jasper get ranked below a team they beat when their only loss is to #1?

Celine seems to get the votes because of their history and expectations. Maybe they will wreak havoc in the playoffs, but too high for me based on what is happening on the field.

By the end of the year Bandera and Ingleside will be ranked.

I see La Grange continuing to inch their way up. Their QB is sharp and runs that offense to perfection. Talk about a guy who can sling it and get it off quick. Only question is can their D get some stops vs. Sealy, Giddings, and Bellville.

[Gobbler Fan]

This is awsome - great work :clap:

[Old Green]

Better than a lot of the newspaper write-ups i have been reading.

[99IHSMustang]

Originally posted by Old Green
Better than a lot of the newspaper write-ups i have been reading.

If I am not mistaken BDR used to write for a newspaper. He's got good writing skills. :)

[Old Green]

Originally posted by 99IHSMustang
If I am not mistaken BDR used to write for a newspaper. He's got good writing skills. :) Most definitely:thumbsup:

[Tx Challenge]

BDR Great job on this!

[Pudlugger]

Strong work BDR! This year's 3A DL is better than ever. I especially like the pros and cons style of analysis. It takes in both sides of the argument and leaves it up to the reader to decide. You can call it "fair and balanced".;) :clap:

[LE Dad]

Good job Big Daddy:clap: :clap: I am intrigued by the "remember Pittsburg "comment though? Pitsburg and Mt Vernon are both undefeated so far this year but they have both played super weak schedules. Pittsburg is in same district as Pleasant Grove, Atlanta, Liberty Eylau, and New Boston. 3 of those 4, barring injuries, will be in the playoffs. Pittsburg snuck in last year by beating PG the last game of district. This year they play at PG on senior night. :thinking: JMHO

[Reds fan]

Fantastic stuff Big Daddy!

[pirate4state]

and posts like these are why we should all be :inlove: with BDR!!

:clap: :clap:

AWESOME!

[westtxfballfan]

Very well done.

[Ingleside Fan]

This is Real Good Stuff!! Thanks for all the work.

[UPanIN]

This is good stuff for those of us that don't get much info about teams out of district or surrounding areas.

Thanks for your hard work and keep it up.

[HEMOTOXIC]

We are in week 4 right?

Excellent Work!:clap:

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by lostaussie
BDR this is fabulous..............if you wrote all this by yourself it seems to be well thought out and kudos to you for the work. I'm sure there will be some "beefs" with it but so what..........great job:clap::clap:
I appreciate it, but be my guest to have some beef. Rip it to shreds if you can. All that I ask is that whoever feels like doing it uses facts. IMO, that's the best way to learn more about all these teams. Especially some of the North Texas, NE Texas, Panhandle, Far West, and Valley teams. We don't have enough posters from those areas.


Originally posted by LE Dad
...I am intrigued by the "remember Pittsburg "comment though? Pitsburg and Mt Vernon are both undefeated so far this year but they have both played super weak schedules....
Thanks for the heads' up, LE Dad, and you may know more about that than I would. I knew that they made the playoffs last year, but didn't know that they snuck in. I was basing my opinion on the Jefferson game. I knew that Jefferson had been getting some votes in the 2A rankings and have two big-time college recruits, so that 21-3 win impressed me. And it may have impressed me too much, I don't know.

But if you see something that doesn't look right, let us know. We don't hear too much about your neck of the woods down here. I know LE has been playing a rough schedule and Pleasant Grove has been doing well, but don't know much about the AR teams they've played. Also don't know anything about New Boston or Mount Pleasant. Fill us in.



Originally posted by HEMOTOXIC
We are in week 4 right?
Yup, I guess we are. We'll have to get that changed.

[95mustang]

Tremendous Job. :clap: :clap: :clap:

[Tres Lobos]

Great Job, I love reading about the teams I don't know much about. I don't get much info out here in monahans and the downlow is usually how I keep up with everyone.

[bowleghorses]

I couldn't have done better myself...really...just kidding.you did exellent work on this piece. VERY impressed.:D

[swineflu]

Can we get that each week? Great info and insight.

[OldBison75]

This is some really good stuff. I have read this three or four times and can't really find a thing to argue about. I would like to say that Navasota's win over Bellville was really big, but I know that there are a few teams in our own district that are at least as good, if not better. I think the jury is still out on how good the Rattlers can be.

As for the rest of your assessments, I learned some things about some teams and those that I know something about are right where you have them. Keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing more of these assessments in the future.

[tiger eye]

hey,
old green said it best.
a lot better analysis and detail than the fish wrap in bellville or sealy.
thanks for your insight and spending the time to
share.

[lostaussie]

Originally posted by swineflu
Can we get that each week? Great info and insight. get it...........hell now we expect it:D

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by lostaussie
get it...........hell now we expect it:D

Yep, I was gonna post something about this yesterday.

Russell,
There is no going back. We must have this every week! :D
Thank you,
Rita

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by lostaussie
get it...........hell now we expect it:D
Haha. I was thinking about making this a weekly ordeal, but this was more time-consuming than I thought it'd be. If it winds up happening you'll see a bunch of retreaded info with a few updates posted when necessary.

Considering that I first need to sort out the poll (which is incredibly tedious) before being able to put this together, weekly may be asking a bit much. Still, I'll see what I can do.



And I honestly can't take too much credit for the idea. I got it from one of my favorite columns on CollegeFootballNews.com... just an incredible column and, like someone else said, gives the reader a chance to see both sides of an argument.

CFN Link (http://cfn.scout.com/2/901286.html)

[LE Dad]

Yeah you put a lot of effort into this. It was very informative. It might be something that would be nice but wow that is a lot to ask of 1 person. :eek: :eek:

[Charlie47]

Great job, thanks for the effort!:clap:

[1st and goal]

I really appreciate the time you spent putting this together BDR.

Thank you!

[Green Bling]

Thanks for the well thought out details. Spouse and I were just talking last night about how we get so little info of this type from our local paper. Hope we can count on you in weeks to come.:D

[KingRob]

Originally posted by lostaussie
BDR this is fabulous..............if you wrote all this by yourself it seems to be well thought out and kudos to you for the work. I'm sure there will be some "beefs" with it but so what..........great job:clap::clap:

Couldn't of said it any better! I agree 100%!

Thanks BDR, for the great post!:clap: