I understand the methodology that these ratings are based on last years team, returning starters etc.
It would be different if the FCS teams like Idaho, the Dakotas and Montanas, et al. weren’t pillaged in the offseason. The triple factor of expiration of the covid year which meant large classes of senior starters graduating, player mobility between team, and FBS teams waving NIL money for contributors means many ranked teams are rebuilding and facing most the challenges people doubt Sac can overcome. I don’t think Sac should be number 1 but somewhere in the top 10.

Teams ahead of Sac with new head coaches in the top 15
South Dakota State
South Dakota
Idaho
Only Idaho’s has been a head coach before and that was for Simon Frasier where he won 2 games in 2 years, which was an improvement for them.

Did Plough just get out of the shower, or does he need one?

All very true, but those factors apply to teams ranked above them also.

Take Idaho:
New head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators. Head coaches prior head job was at Simon Frasier where they won 2 games in 2 years. Lost 20+ transfers to the FBS, replaced with 10 who played less significant roles, so your Triple A analogy applies there.

Montana, Idaho, and Davis all return just a couple of starters on defense.
Every team above them has a new QB.
Every team is rebuilding so Sacs roster makeover isn’t the disadvantage one would normally assume.
Sac does have some returning players, and they bring in enough so they aren’t dependent on any one guy not being a nut case.

Sac is grossly underestimated, but can you imagine how their fans and financial backers will react if they do finish fifth in the conference?

Aside from the reporter repeating the error that the Ags play Washington State this year, this is a worthwhile article. Doesn’t mention names aside from David Porotesano (6-foot-3, 280-pounds), Henry Fanua (6’6, 340) and Davis local AJ Hasson (6’3 and 290).

“We have to be physical on both sides of the ball,” Plough said. “I think we are way more physical up front than a year ago.”

https://www.davisenterprise.com/sports/aggies-add-depth-on-both-lines/article_59149052-9c20-4dbc-8bd9-26e2dcef75b2.html

I guess corner is where he played at JC.
But 16 tackles. 12 solo and 3 pass breakups is significant playing for a sophomore transfer, and the pass breakups indicate he played pretty significantly on defense or had a hell of a few plays.

On the roster we have a transfer DB from Liberty University, Marquis Bell. Who played in 12 games at Liberty after one season in JC, where he was rated as a three star JC transfer by 247.com
Pretty good get thats flown under the radar. FBS experienced corner.

You might ask if he feels the overall quality of FCS has declined. I don’t think this years Davis team would have been ranked #7 in last years FCS preview, but almost every team lost more than they gained in transfers, except for Sac (and to a lesser extent Davis).
The need to rebuild goes for almost everyone. Example Idaho, new head coach, new coordinators, lost 20 transfers to FBS, and yet they are top 10 in some polls.

The University of California Davis, accept no substitutes.

He has good balance and is tough for HS to tackle. Caught quite a few passes. Must lack something, probably speed.
We have another San Diego area running back on the roster, freshman Aden Jackson

A new running back on the roster, Mason Walsh had a stellar high school career. 5’9” 190lb, was 2024 graduate who spent a year with the Air Force Academy.. He didn’t get a 247 rating, despite being a high profile player in the San Diego area.

That is Jayden Stanley. You would think they’d identify the players being interviewed.

Sac is playoff eligible still because their waiver to start their transition to FBS.without a conference invite was denied.

Hopefully Plough plays more guys in general than he did last year. I believe we had three O linemen who had over 1,000 snaps. I hope we go back to playing a lot of men and winning the fourth quarter.

That is right, not thanksgiving weekend

Have to like the depth of the offensive line. I think some of our returning starters are going to be challenged for their role by both returning young guys and transfers. Larison said the line wasn’t as dominant in 2024 as in 2023, so there is room for improvement.

Thanks
According to that article week zero is dead, no more exceptions, week one is fixed at 13 weeks before the Saturday before Thanksgiving. So next season week 1 is where week 0 would have been. But if the rule was in effect this year, week 1 would be unchanged, Start of seasom no longer related to Labor Day.

I see 6’6” 340lb lineman JC transfejr Henry Fanua is on the roster, he was missing before, even after named on signing day announcement, so he is on scholarship.

You may be right about people getting excited if they win their first two games, but South Dakota State is an unknown quantity since their coaching staff and 20+ players left for the FBS. And Nevada has also been plundered after being a cellar dweller last year. Hard to say they proved they’re ready to join a conference by beating a team that was winless in that conference.
I do expect Sac to win games, but so what? They were 12-1 in 2022. Their record is not why they didn’t get a conference invite.