This is semi-OT for this thread.
The MEAC is rumored to be following the path of the swac and voluntarily removing themselves from being eligible for the Fcs playoffs.
They want to start a "bowl" game against the swac champion each year. They've also lost 15 consecutive playoff games since the heritage bowl ended in 1999.
This is good news for CAA fans, as it will help to open up another at-large spot each year.

(12-20-2014 11:56 PM)Potomac Wrote:  This is semi-OT for this thread.
The MEAC is rumored to be following the path of the swac and voluntarily removing themselves from being eligible for the Fcs playoffs.
They want to start a "bowl" game against the swac champion each year. They've also lost 15 consecutive playoff games since the heritage bowl ended in 1999.
This is good news for CAA fans, as it will help to open up another at-large spot each year.

it's bad news for RU.

they'l have to play a real team in Round 1 for now on.

I think I read there are currently 125 FCS schools. If the MEAC does not participate in the playoffs, that brings the participating schools to 96 (MEAC, SWAC & IVY = 29 teams). Basically, 1 in 4 teams will qualify to make the playoffs each year.

The play of the game for me yesterday was the deep ball to Harris that went incomplete late in the fourth quarter. He had three steps on the defender. The ball was misthrown to the sideline. Harris twisted his body and almost made a great catch. He ended up getting hurt on the play and UNH ended up punting on that series. ISU was down 18-13 at the time and marched 90 yards down field for the game winning score.

The difference was that UNH's offense could not score yesterday. They moved the ball at times but did not put points on the board. Defensively, UNH just wore down.

Good year for the CAA. Four teams in the field. Three teams advanced beyond the first round with one team making it to the semi's. A heathly JR playing for Nova would have beaten SHSU. We all knew the MVC was just a little better than the CAA this year. ISU and NDSU tied for the league championship. Both were given seeds in the tourney and proved they deserved them. The CAA was clearly the second best conference but still very strong for all of those posters who have said the CAA was watered down this year.

I think that this extra at-large spot will benefit the Big South, SoCon and maybe OVC conference more so than the CAA, Big Sky, MVC type of conferences at the top.

You'll see the Big South or SoCon get a second team in more often than the NCAA consistently bringing in a 5th CAA or MVC team. That's just my opinion though. It should help the CAA be a consistent 4-bid conference each year at minimum.

The CAA needs to play the SoCon and Big South more during the OOC schedule. By beating them head to head, that would cut down on the number of at large bids those schools receive over a 5th place CAA team.

The FCS schools need to stop playing FBS games and start focusing on playing more FCS out of conference games if they want to make the playoffs. JMU vs Youngstown or E. Kentucky will help the playoff resume much more than playing Maryland and St. Francis.

(12-21-2014 11:18 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  The CAA needs to play the SoCon and Big South more during the OOC schedule. By beating them head to head, that would cut down on the number of at large bids those schools receive over a 5th place CAA team.

The FCS schools need to stop playing FBS games and start focusing on playing more FCS out of conference games if they want to make the playoffs. JMU vs Youngstown or E. Kentucky will help the playoff resume much more than playing Maryland and St. Francis.

I do agree with you, but turning away the UMD payday may not be in our best interest. In addition, many, many alumni attend those games without ever making it to a game at BFS during the season.

I'll raise my hand, in that I used to be one of those people. I just didn't care enough to drive 5 hours one way and buy tickets, hotel, food, etc. to watch us play a 1-AA opponent. Over a period of time, and five years of solid football ('04 - '08), I got hooked, and now I'm all in. I am afraid that if we turn our backs on this group, we will lose them forever.

NDSU has been playing Iowa State (2), Kansas State, Colorado State, Minnesota, Kansas, Wyoming, Central Michigan, Ball State, and they have Iowa on their future schedule. Maybe, we need to look at a little more winnable FBS competition i.e. Wake, Appy, Vandy, and be prepare for a smaller paycheck, but I feel we need an FBS game just to give the less than diehard fan, a reason to do some root'n.

I know this has been said a million times, but i'm watching this unh game from yesterday. UNH's FB and BB facilities are awful. I've seen nicer high school facilities in both sports. You're a state flagship school. Wow.

Thank goodness they're upgrading their FB facility. Such a consistently good program to have such an embarrassing set of facilities.

Goldrich getting hurt yesterday really changed everything. He was passing well, running well. Then, limping around like he was, ISU got blood in their eyes and really put the pressure on him. He would have beat the crap out of that had he been healthy. Shame.

(12-21-2014 01:36 PM)Potomac Wrote:  I know this has been said a million times, but i'm watching this unh game from yesterday. UNH's FB and BB facilities are awful. I've seen nicer high school facilities in both sports. You're a state flagship school. Wow.

Thank goodness they're upgrading their FB facility. Such a consistently good program to have such an embarrassing set of facilities.

FYI - yes, the basketball facilities suck - but that's because it is not the #2 sport at UNH (like it is at most other schools). Hockey is #1 and the Whittemore Center is a top-notch facility. They play some basketball games there, but since the attendance is very small for those games (about 1,000 - the programs constantly suck), they normally play in the gymnasium.

The lesson with UNH and Nova is that good coaching and good recruiting trumps good facilities.

As an Illinois State grad - twice - I am excited that they are in the finals. Hope to be able to watch the championship game in January.

There is talk on other boards the playoff field will go to 20 teams if the MEAC drops out.

(12-22-2014 12:15 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  The lesson with UNH and Nova is that good coaching and good recruiting trumps good facilities.

It's a true statement, but it's an oversimplification. There are very few Talleys and McDonnells out there... Guys who are great coaches and can overcome those deficiencies, but are also so loyal to the school that they will stay long enough to build an excellent program. (And who is the next Talley or McDonnell? No one can say for sure.)

There is a reason that good facilities usually equal success, mainly that the best recruits are drawn to them, and then more fans, thus more money, and then better facilities, etc.

(12-22-2014 06:47 AM)maggiemay_JMU Wrote:  As an Illinois State grad - twice - I am excited that they are in the finals. Hope to be able to watch the championship game in January.

It would have been a good NC game storyline either way. It's good that the two best MVC teams are meeting since they didn't play in the regular season, but I of course would have rather seen MVC champ vs. CAA champ to decide conference supremacy for 2014.

Its always amazed me what some coaches can do while having less than the competition. The number one thing is for them to be able to buy in to the way business is done at a particular institution. I might add Bob McKillop at Davidson to the mix, though he is the MBB coach rather than FB. I am with hope that KB is from that same mold.

(12-21-2014 11:04 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  I think I read there are currently 125 FCS schools. If the MEAC does not participate in the playoffs, that brings the participating schools to 96 (MEAC, SWAC & IVY = 29 teams). Basically, 1 in 4 teams will qualify to make the playoffs each year.

Jay Walker (MEAC homer commentator calling the UNH/ISU game) was taking about the playoff field during the game. They put up a graph that showed 124 teams. ESPN is showing 124, but that includes UNCC, so that leaves 123.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/stan..._/group/81
Take away the 29 from the MEAC/SWAC/IVY and that leaves 94 for 24 spots. But the 11 team Pioneer will NEVER get more than one as long as they remain non scholly with not even equivalencies, FCS in name only.

That basically leaves 1 spot for the Pioneer and 23 for the remaining 82 teams. Rough about 1 for every 3 1/2 teams..

(12-21-2014 08:56 PM)bulldogg Wrote:  Goldrich getting hurt yesterday really changed everything. He was passing well, running well. Then, limping around like he was, ISU got blood in their eyes and really put the pressure on him. He would have beat the crap out of that had he been healthy. Shame.

No he wouldn't have. If he had stayed healthy UNH MIGHT have won. But it certainly wouldn't have been a blowout. I saw Goldrich play 2 of the 3 prior games. He threw 1 TD and 3 INT vs Maine in a 20-12 win. And 3 TDs and 0 INT vs UTC in their 35-30 win. And ISU Is better than both those teams. Goldrich and UNH wee good but not world beaters. It was gonna be close either way.

(12-22-2014 04:47 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(12-21-2014 11:04 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  I think I read there are currently 125 FCS schools. If the MEAC does not participate in the playoffs, that brings the participating schools to 96 (MEAC, SWAC & IVY = 29 teams). Basically, 1 in 4 teams will qualify to make the playoffs each year.

Jay Walker (MEAC homer commentator calling the UNH/ISU game) was taking about the playoff field during the game. They put up a graph that showed 124 teams. ESPN is showing 124, but that includes UNCC, so that leaves 123.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/stan..._/group/81
Take away the 29 from the MEAC/SWAC/IVY and that leaves 94 for 24 spots. But the 11 team Pioneer will NEVER get more than one as long as they remain non scholly with not even equivalencies, FCS in name only.

That basically leaves 1 spot for the Pioneer and 23 for the remaining 82 teams. Rough about 1 for every 3 1/2 teams..

Might as well allow all teams to play. A coach who has a bonus based off of making the play-offs should also have to give back money if he doesn't make it.

(12-22-2014 12:15 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  The lesson with UNH and Nova is that good coaching and good recruiting trumps good facilities.

True, but Talley has an advantage over McDonnell in that VU's facilities aren't as bad, and they have some national name recognition and can recruit nationally for Catholic kids (+ were able to reap the benefits With their 2011-12 recruit classes with the rumors that they were going to the Big East for football.

What McDonnel has been able to do at UNH is pretty amazing..