(04-09-2014 09:58 AM)Klak Wrote:  

(04-08-2014 10:32 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(04-08-2014 10:06 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  I think South Alabama will find some of the newbies in the eastern division plenty challenging.

Eventually we will.

I understand that USA never played an FCS schedule, so you don't respect any FCS teams, but you're going to be surprised when this season rolls around.

When USA did play FCS teams, they've played the absolute scum of the division.

2010 - 3-0 against sub-DI, 4-0 against FCS
Nicholls State (3-7 against DI competition) - won by 18
@ Lamar (2-6 against DI, 1st year startup) - won by 26
@ UC Davis (6-5 against DI) - won by 3
Georgia State (5-4 against DI, 1st year startup) - won by 5

2011 - 2-0 against sub-DI, 4-2 against FCS, 0-2 against FBS
Lamar (3-7 against DI) - won by 22
@ UTSA (1-5 against DI, 1st year startup) - won by 3 in OT
UT-Martin (4-6 against DI) - won by 3
@ Georgia State (1-6 against DI, 2nd year startup) - lost by 7 in OT
Mississippi Valley State (1-10 against DI, historically awful SWAC team) - won by 32
Cal Poly (5-5 against DI) - lost by 31

2012 - 1-0 against FCS, 1-11 against FBS
Nicholls State (0-10 against DI) - won by 6

2013 - 0-1 against FCS, 5-6 against FBS
Southern Utah (7-5 against DI, actually made playoffs!) - lost by 1


So USA has a 9-3 (0.750) record against FCS teams with a combined 38-76 record (0.333) against DI competition. The 9 wins are against FCS teams with a combined 25-60 record (0.294) against DI competition. USA is 0-1 (0.000) all-time against FCS playoff teams, and has a 6-19 (0.240) record against FBS teams.

Since 2010, Georgia Southern has a 36-13 (0.735) record against FCS teams with a combined 288-268 record (0.518) against DI competition. The 36 wins are against FCS teams with a combined 187-225 record (0.454) against DI competition. Since 2010, GS is 10-8 (0.556) against FCS playoff teams, and has a 1-3 (0.250) record against FBS teams.

I'm not going to go through App's numbers. They've slipped a little since their 05-07 run, but they're still going to be up there.

You'll forgive us if we're not bowing at the feet of a new startup with a mediocre record padding with wins against sub-DI teams, fellow startups, and garbage FCS teams.

Uh we finished 6-5 versus FBS competition last year.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to retain rivalries (that extend beyond football) and play the best competition possible. I think playing in a division with five new teams isn't going to help our team grow.