(04-09-2014 11:28 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(04-09-2014 10:46 AM)Klak Wrote:  

(04-09-2014 10:37 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(04-09-2014 09:58 AM)Klak Wrote:  

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

You're right, you were 6-5 last year. My bad.

Retaining rivalries is all good. No problems there. Good luck in your quest.

But if you think App and GS are "new teams" on par with Georgia State or UTSA or Lamar or USA or any other new startup, you're sadly mistaken.

No your situation isn't similar to Georgia State, UTSA or USA. It is similar to WKU's. Do I think y'all will pull a WKU? No. But it ain't that easy.

It took a few pages, but finally we get the WKU comparison. It's one of my favorites.

WKU won the National Championship in 2002. They went 12-3 with a semifinal win over Georgia Southern in Statesboro.

In 2003 they went 9-4 with 2 wins over sub-DI schools and a quarterfinal exit from the playoffs.

In 2004 they went 9-3 with 1 sub-DI win and a first round playoff exit.

In 2005 they went 6-5 with 1 sub-DI win and no playoffs.

In 2006 they went 6-5 against all DI competition but still no playoffs.

In 2007 they went 7-5, but had TWO sub-DI wins and no playoffs.

In 2008 they started their transition and went 2-10.

In 2009 they went 0-12 and lost to transitional D-2 Central Arkansas. It was their 3rd game of the season, so I don't think they were worn down by the rigors of a full FBS season.

In 2010 they got a new coach, went 2-10 and then started turning things around.


Georgia Southern's transition and WKU's transition are not analogous.