Pan Sports Power Rankings: Updated

It's been 8 months since I last updated the Pan Sports Power Rankings in terms of how likely I think each of our teams are to winning their next championship.  I've included the previous rankings plus my guess as to how long it will be for each team until they win their next championship.  In italics are my thoughts from the last post.

1. Detroit Redwings (Previous: 1)  Projection: 1-3 years
-Front office leadership will ensure that they will continue to win the Championship every few years.
I like Jimmy Howard.  Last season was the official transition to the Jimmy Howard era.  Since the goaltending hierarchy is clear and with the potential retirement of Sidney Crosby, the Redwings solidify the top spot.

2. Detroit Tigers (Previous: 3) Projection: 1-5 years
-Making more intelligent roster moves than unintelligent ones.
-Bigger hump is to actually make the playoffs than to advance and win them. There should be a DQ if the Twins continue to make the playoffs and lose before the Series.
I take a long term approach to analyzing the teams, so I didn't bump up the Tigers because of their AL Central crown.  I moved them to two because Verlander and Cabrera proved to be a solid foundation for years to come.  The addition of Fister proves that the front office can identify solutions without mortgaging the team.  The rest of the AL Central teams appear to be in disarray.

3. Michigan State Basketball (Previous: 2) Projection: 3-5 years
-Leadership is there for a team that could get it done in the next few years.
I specified 3-5 years because I don't see Tom Izzo in the head coaching role longer than that.  North Carolina proved that even the elite programs can't sustain themselves without a top coach during the Matt Dougherty era.  I am nervous about who will eventually take the helm for Izzo.

4. Detroit Lions (Previous: 4) Projection: 4-10 years
-New front office appears to know what they are doing
-The NFL is a league of parity
The Lions now have the star power to win.  They appear to be eliminating the culture of losing and that is a HUGE first step.  If they continue to address their needs intelligently, it's only a matter of time... right?

5. Michigan State Hockey (Previous: 5) Too many unknowns
-MSU Hockey program now seems stagnant.
-They have struggled to make the NCAA tournament
The addition of Tom Anastos (I impressed myself without having to look that up) seems like it could be a good one.  There is a limited number of good programs in college hockey, so we can make a quick comeback.  The formation of the Big 10 hockey conference should only make it easier because we will no longer have to worry about teams like Miami OH.

6. Detroit Pistons (Previous: 7) 10-15 years
-The franchise, hindered by their impending sale, is headed nowhere.
-The talent in the NBA is currently concentrated among 4-5 teams
There really isn't much else to say about the Pistons.  The players have all the power right now and are deciding who the best teams are going to be by consolidating the talent.  The Pistons aren't one of them.  That could all change once the Association signs a new deal.

7. Michigan State Football (Previous: 6) Possibly never?
-Too competitive of a division in Big 10
-Too much of a disparity between the elite 10 programs and everyone else.
-Nebraska joining the conference and a likely Michigan resurgence on the horizon
I promise that my pessimism for the future of Spartan football is not predicated on the horrendous game they just lost.  It is based on the quick success that Brady Hoke has enjoyed.  Everyone connected to the Michigan program is drinking the Kool Aid and he enjoyed a great 2012 recruiting class as a result.  In college football, you must have 2-4 first/second round draft picks on your team to win it all and Michigan State can't attract that level of talent away from OSU and U-M.  I think their best chance to improve their lot comes with the dramatic overhaul of NCAA football that is possible in the next couple of years.  Our denied Rose Bowl trip is an example that, even with a standout year, a team cannot earn the respect it takes to be voted to a BCS game.  Teams must be successful for a sustained period of time to gain the respect to get votes (see Boise State, 2003 USC, 2004 Auburn...)

College Football Semi-Preview

I am a little late coming out with the College Football preview (thanks Business School), so here are my thoughts on Michigan State's first game (which I watched in the entirety after hockey practice):-Kirk Cousins is ready to be a 1st round draft pick next year.  He's the best Quarterback we've had since Jeff Smoker and was probably better than him.
-We have a secondary!  That has NEVER been a strength for us!  Johnny Adams had a great game.
-I was expecting more out of William Gholston.  Our defensive line and linebackers do seem to have taken a step back from last year.
-I don't know anything about our receivers.  Who remembers BJ Cunningham catching that many passes?  Mark Dell was our leading receiver last season?  I thought he had a terrible year.  Matt Trannon had the record for most receptions? 
-There is no such thing as a running back controversy and I love that we have FOUR good ones.  I hope Nick Bell turns into a return specialist.
-Keshawn Martin seems to lack focus at times.  I don't want to see him drop easy punts anymore.

We had an easy schedule last season and we're paying for it this year. Can anyone imagine a tougher October? At Ohio State, vs. Michigan, vs. Wisconsin, @ Nebraska. If Michigan State can win 2 or 3 of those games, they should be able to close out the rest of the season undefeated.

The Rest of the Big Ten
The consensus is that Wisconsin versus Nebraska will be the inaugural Big Ten Championship game. I agree that the Badgers will be there, but people are not giving enough credit to the rest of the Big Ten. Nebraska has to face an entirely new team every week on their schedule. They are the new kid on the block and every Big Ten team will have that game circled on their schedule. I can't wait for Michigan State to play them on October 29th.  Instead, I see the Wolverines making a quick comeback and winning the Legends Division.  Their defense yesterday looked like a return to the old, punishing Michigan teams of the past.  Through the end of October, a roadtrip to Northwestern is their only trip outside the state of Michigan (sound familiar?)  They finish the season with their two toughest games, Nebraska and Ohio State, at home.  Expect the Badgers to beat them handily to advance to the Rose Bowl.
The Rest of the Country
Oklahoma is returning the most talent and benefits from dropping Nebraska from their schedule. They are the consensus #1, and rightfully so.   I don't like them as much as I did last season (when I projected them as one of three teams with a chance to make the BCS Championship) because I think they will continue to not show up against some of the cupcakes. Last season, they flirted with losing to Cincinnati, Air Force, and Utah State. They won those games by 2, 3, and 7 points. They are a complete lock to make a BCS game, but I'm not sure it's the Championship.

I liked Alabama to make the BCS Championship, but LSU's dominant performance over Oregon made me rethink who would win the SEC.  I don't see anyone from the conference walking away undefeated.  In fact, I think the conference champion will have two losses.  That won't prevent them from making, and winning, the BCS Championship game.  I am going to stick with Alabama.

The team that I think will have the honor of losing to the SEC team is Florida State.  I think they have started to attract the level of talent they used to attract in the mid to late 90s.  Since the ACC isn't held in high regard, they will likely have to go undefeated to make it there.  A home game against Oklahoma, a road game against Florida to close out the season, and a likely ACC Championship Game against Virginia Tech are the only things that stand in the way of that possibility. 

Conference Realignment
I heard the word "Pac 16" thrown around this morning with the possibility of Texas and Oklahoma joining the conference.  I am nervous that the Big 10 might not be doing enough to keep the conference strong.  Without knowing much about the conference formation process, I think the NCAA needs to do a better job of managing the process.  We are definitely headed down the road toward a 4 mega-conference system, but it doesn't appear the talent level is even.  If Texas and Oklahoma really do join the "Pacific 12" conference (which is a completely ridiculous name now), I see the Big 10 picking up Kansas, Missouri, Kansas State, and Iowa State.  That would surely boost our basketball cred, but it doesn't do anything for making us a football conference.  Instead, they should throw everyone into a hat and redistrict the conferences by geograpy.  It may look a little something like this:
(Yes, I know they don't have an even number of teams...)

Midwest
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Northwestern
Iowa
Minnesota
Indiana
Illinois
Purdue
Wisconsin
Kentucky
Louisville
Cincinnati
Missouri
Notre Dame
Iowa State

West
Cal
Stanford
Oregon
Oregon State
USC
UCLA
Washington
Washington State
Arizona
Arizona State
Utah
Boise State
Colorado
Nebraska
Kansas
Kansas State

Southwest
Texas
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Baylor
Texas Tech
Texas A&M
LSU
Arkansas
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Alabama
Auburn
TCU

Southeast
Florida
Florida State
Miami
Georgia
South Carolina
Clemson
North Carolina
Duke
Wake Forest
NC State
Georgia Tech
South Florida
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

East
Penn State
Pitt
West Virgina
Virginia Tech
Maryland
Rutgers
UConn
Syracuse
Virginia
Boston College