Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

It used to be that FCS had more parity. You have a champion win 6 out of 7. It’s due to no one being at their level.

Some of the historically great FCS teams moved on (App St, Marshall, GSU)

Most of the remaining power schools (Montana, Delaware, YSU) have not been able to sustain success.

What we are left with are two FBS level schools (NDSU, JMU) that will meet in Frisco unless something bizarre happens.

Delaware and W&M fans both said the same thing this week “we don’t belong on the same field with these teams”, and honestly they are right.

Anyone who watched the SDSU playoff game last year knows they are not at the same level either. MVFC outside of NDSU is not at our level any more than the CAA teams are.

There is a thread on the W&M board about the JMU game. They are saying things like, "they are too fast, we can't run, pass, cover, compete." They heard the announcers yesterday talk about how HCMH regularly gets calls from 1A including P5 players wanting a change and JMU is a good transfer destination. W&M fans claim they can't compete with that strategy, may be some truth there. Laycock's replacement has a hard path to follow.

QB - started Pitt
RB - started GA Tech, we have Central Florida's RB and he is 4 deep!
WR - started UVA
DL - UVA
DL - Wake Forest
CB - Maryland

We accused UMass of this, transfer U when UMass was CAA/fcs and winning NCs.

I don't think Houston is seeking mega transfer activity, they may be calling JMU, what ya goin' to do?

(09-23-2018 10:53 AM)Dukester Wrote:  Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

I made the same point on the Bison board last year, I think in October, that we seemed to be "complacent," on autopilot, with no serious challenger, and I was afraid that when we were challenged, we would freak out and make big mistakes.

We didn't freak out and we didn't make big mistakes. Down in the fourth quarter for the first time all season, we calmly came from behind to beat Weber in the quarterfinals.

Like last year, I am convinced that only JMU can beat JMU this year, God forbid, or as you would say (couch dropped passes cough).

We were better than the Bison last year and we are better than the Bison this year. After the NC last season, the comment was made on the Bison board that the better team lost but the better program won. Not so sure about the second part of that statement, but the first part was spot on.

(09-23-2018 10:53 AM)Dukester Wrote:  Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

I don’t necessarily disagree, but who are the MVC #2-4 that you’re referring to? Going by the STATS top 25 poll, #4 is UNI, which just won its first game of the season against Hampton.

MVC top 25 teams: #1, #3, #16, #25
CAA: #2, #12, #13, #15, #20, #23 (and Towson lurks at #26)

Delaware and W&M getting crushed was expected. Neither are ranked, either, so I don’t know that the results proved anything about the quality of the CAA.

Again, not saying you’re wrong, but it might be a bit early to say.

(09-23-2018 12:37 PM)Purple Wrote:  [quote='Dukester' pid='15525469' dateline='1537718009']
Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

I made the same point on the Bison board last year, I think in October, that we seemed to be "complacent," on autopilot, with no serious challenger, and I was afraid that when we were challenged, we would freak out and make big mistakes.

We didn't freak out and we didn't make big mistakes. Down in the fourth quarter for the first time all season, we calmly came from behind to beat Weber in the quarterfinals.

Like last year, I am convinced that only JMU can beat JMU this year, God forbid, or as you would say (couch dropped passes cough).

We were better than the Bison last year and we are better than the Bison this year. After the NC last season, the comment was made on the Bison board that the better team lost but the better program won. Not so sure about the second part of that statement, but the first part was spot on.
[/quote]

Your words, "not so sure about the second part of that statement," what would completely convince you one way or the other? I realize you are saying you believe we just might have the better program, not disagreeing, but what will completely convince you?

What is better, 3 times to the National Championship game over 14 seasons winning 2, or 6 times to the final game over 7 seasons winning all 6. I'm fairly certain NDSU has played in more playoff games in their short FCS history than we have over roughly 40 years of FCS football. They've hosted more home playoff games than have been played in BFS. NDSU is on a 6 game winning streak over FBS competition and hold a 9-3 overall record.

Our Dukes are certainly making a run at knocking the "Buffalo" off their perch but almost all independent minds not tainted either Purple or Green would consider NDSU to have the better program. Right now it's definitely only a two horse race.

(09-23-2018 02:00 PM)Lyric Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 10:53 AM)Dukester Wrote:  Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

I don’t necessarily disagree, but who are the MVC #2-4 that you’re referring to? Going by the STATS top 25 poll, #4 is UNI, which just won its first game of the season against Hampton.

MVC top 25 teams: #1, #3, #16, #25
CAA: #2, #12, #13, #15, #20, #23 (and Towson lurks at #26)

Delaware and W&M getting crushed was expected. Neither are ranked, either, so I don’t know that the results proved anything about the quality of the CAA.

Again, not saying you’re wrong, but it might be a bit early to say.

Which shows you how worthless that poll is. TU beat VU by double digits at VU. Both are 1 loss teams. Right now anything that has VU ahead of TU isn’t worth the paper its written on.

I believe the same thing happened the week after the opener when Maine trounced UNH by 4 TDs, yet I saw somewhere the following week UNH was still ranked ahead of Maine. Completely retarded.

That was about as bad of a W&M team I have seen for some time. We came up empty 3 times inside the red zone. We fumbled 3 times. We missed an easy FG. The final score on this one could have been MUCH, MUCH worse.

I think W&M is at a serious cross-roads and depending on the quality of their next head coaching hire, they may need to seriously think about moving to the Patriot League (at least for football).

(09-23-2018 02:12 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 12:37 PM)Purple Wrote:  [quote='Dukester' pid='15525469' dateline='1537718009']
Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

I made the same point on the Bison board last year, I think in October, that we seemed to be "complacent," on autopilot, with no serious challenger, and I was afraid that when we were challenged, we would freak out and make big mistakes.

We didn't freak out and we didn't make big mistakes. Down in the fourth quarter for the first time all season, we calmly came from behind to beat Weber in the quarterfinals.

Like last year, I am convinced that only JMU can beat JMU this year, God forbid, or as you would say (couch dropped passes cough).

We were better than the Bison last year and we are better than the Bison this year. After the NC last season, the comment was made on the Bison board that the better team lost but the better program won. Not so sure about the second part of that statement, but the first part was spot on.
[/quote]

Your words, "not so sure about the second part of that statement," what would completely convince you one way or the other? I realize you are saying you believe we just might have the better program, not disagreeing, but what will completely convince you?

What is better, 3 times to the National Championship game over 14 seasons winning 2, or 6 times to the final game over 7 seasons winning all 6. I'm fairly certain NDSU has played in more playoff games in their short FCS history than we have over roughly 40 years of FCS football. They've hosted more home playoff games than have been played in BFS. NDSU is on a 6 game winning streak over FBS competition and hold a 9-3 overall record.

Our Dukes are certainly making a run at knocking the "Buffalo" off their perch but almost all independent minds not tainted either Purple or Green would consider NDSU to have the better program. Right now it's definitely only a two horse race.

Point taken. Can't argue with that.

(09-23-2018 02:00 PM)Lyric Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 10:53 AM)Dukester Wrote:  Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

I don’t necessarily disagree, but who are the MVC #2-4 that you’re referring to? Going by the STATS top 25 poll, #4 is UNI, which just won its first game of the season against Hampton.

MVC top 25 teams: #1, #3, #16, #25
CAA: #2, #12, #13, #15, #20, #23 (and Towson lurks at #26)

Delaware and W&M getting crushed was expected. Neither are ranked, either, so I don’t know that the results proved anything about the quality of the CAA.

Again, not saying you’re wrong, but it might be a bit early to say.

It's early (and I have no clue how ratings systems account for JMU's 15 minute game), but FWIW, top 4 teams of each conference in the Sagarin Predictors:
NDSU 37 (MVFC)
SDSU 56 (MVFC)
Illinois State 80 (MVFC)
Northern Iowa 83 (MVFC)
vs
James Madison 62 (CAAF)
Villanova 119 (CAAF)
Elon 125 (CAAF)
Maine 131 (CAAF)

(09-23-2018 09:18 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 02:00 PM)Lyric Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 10:53 AM)Dukester Wrote:  Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

I don’t necessarily disagree, but who are the MVC #2-4 that you’re referring to? Going by the STATS top 25 poll, #4 is UNI, which just won its first game of the season against Hampton.

MVC top 25 teams: #1, #3, #16, #25
CAA: #2, #12, #13, #15, #20, #23 (and Towson lurks at #26)

Delaware and W&M getting crushed was expected. Neither are ranked, either, so I don’t know that the results proved anything about the quality of the CAA.

Again, not saying you’re wrong, but it might be a bit early to say.

Which shows you how worthless that poll is. TU beat VU by double digits at VU. Both are 1 loss teams. Right now anything that has VU ahead of TU isn’t worth the paper its written on.

I believe the same thing happened the week after the opener when Maine trounced UNH by 4 TDs, yet I saw somewhere the following week UNH was still ranked ahead of Maine. Completely retarded.

Villanova were 13 point favorites against Towson and are still the better team even after losing until a larger sample size proves otherwise. If Towson was to play at Villanova again this weekend Villanova would still be favored by about 10 points. We all know that any team can win on most days (remember when JMU lost to Colgate as 21 point favorites??), but that doesn't instantly make that team the better team and I am glad that the voters in these rankings don't over-react and jump teams based on the small sample size of 1-game.

In the NFL, at this exact moment, the Vikings and the Bills each have one win and the Bills just destroyed the Vikings yesterday. Should fans think the Bills are the better team?

Also, regarding your other comment, Maine (preseason received no t25 votes) jumped from 22 to 18 after beating NH (preseason #7); jumping NH which stayed at 20 after losing to Maine. Maine is now #13 and NH is unranked. I would say the voters have done a pretty good job of accounting for both teams rises and falls so far this season.

(09-24-2018 01:21 AM)Purple Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 02:12 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 12:37 PM)Purple Wrote:  [quote='Dukester' pid='15525469' dateline='1537718009']
Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

I made the same point on the Bison board last year, I think in October, that we seemed to be "complacent," on autopilot, with no serious challenger, and I was afraid that when we were challenged, we would freak out and make big mistakes.

We didn't freak out and we didn't make big mistakes. Down in the fourth quarter for the first time all season, we calmly came from behind to beat Weber in the quarterfinals.

Like last year, I am convinced that only JMU can beat JMU this year, God forbid, or as you would say (couch dropped passes cough).

We were better than the Bison last year and we are better than the Bison this year. After the NC last season, the comment was made on the Bison board that the better team lost but the better program won. Not so sure about the second part of that statement, but the first part was spot on.
[/quote]

Your words, "not so sure about the second part of that statement," what would completely convince you one way or the other? I realize you are saying you believe we just might have the better program, not disagreeing, but what will completely convince you?

What is better, 3 times to the National Championship game over 14 seasons winning 2, or 6 times to the final game over 7 seasons winning all 6. I'm fairly certain NDSU has played in more playoff games in their short FCS history than we have over roughly 40 years of FCS football. They've hosted more home playoff games than have been played in BFS. NDSU is on a 6 game winning streak over FBS competition and hold a 9-3 overall record.

Our Dukes are certainly making a run at knocking the "Buffalo" off their perch but almost all independent minds not tainted either Purple or Green would consider NDSU to have the better program. Right now it's definitely only a two horse race.

Point taken. Can't argue with that.

Maybe, just maybe, it is a three horse race as I think SDSU is a lot better than we are currently giving them credit for. We will find out exactly how much better this weekend when they visit the Fargodome. I am happy to be wrong.

(09-24-2018 05:51 AM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  Maybe, just maybe, it is a three horse race as I think SDSU is a lot better than we are currently giving them credit for. We will find out exactly how much better this weekend when they visit the Fargodome. I am happy to be wrong.

SDSU strikes me as a Villanova caliber team. Last time they met in the 2016 playoffs, SDSU beat Nova 10-7 at their home in SD.

Wouldn't read too much into the outcome of the Dakota marker game. Thats a rivalry match, and SDSU often seems to have NDSU's number. Its almost like some of our past losses to Richmond that shouldn't have happened.

SDSU has defeated NDSU two years in a row, and they were the Bison's hope to knock us off last year, yet we won 51-16. They did trounce defenseless UNH the week prior, but I always think of UNH as mostly a paper tiger that gets playoff slots due to their ADs connections.

The outcome of this game may have some implications for whether or not the Bison get a #1 or #2 seed (assuming we win out). It won't really tell us if SDSU is better than last year, unless they somehow demolish the Bison. I'd expect a hard fought game, and SDSU may have the edge, they seem to pack buffalo kryptonite.

Unless you've been in the Fargodome you cant relate to how much of an advatage the Bison have. It's a constant noise except when thier offense is on the field. Coach's cant communicate, teams cant hear. JMU had to resolve to holding hands on the O line just to keep offside penaltys away. They get 7 home games there and will probably have 7 home wins. Thats with 17k fans, if our 25k fans really sounded off we could have the same effect on visiting teams. We are loud but no where near what they have in Fargo. About the loudest Ive ever heard JMU Nation was when the ref called out the MRD for playing during the visiting team offense set. Now thats what we need all the time any visiting Offense is on the field.

(09-24-2018 06:30 AM)JMURocks Wrote:  they seem to pack buffalo kryptonite.

Only if you ignore the FCS playoffs.

(09-24-2018 06:42 AM)JMUsince89 Wrote:  Unless you've been in the Fargodome you cant relate to how much of an advatage the Bison have. It's a constant noise except when thier offense is on the field. Coach's cant communicate, teams cant hear. JMU had to resolve to holding hands on the O line just to keep offside penaltys away. They get 7 home games there and will probably have 7 home wins. Thats with 17k fans, if our 25k fans really sounded off we could have the same effect on visiting teams. We are loud but no where near what they have in Fargo. About the loudest Ive ever heard JMU Nation was when the ref called out the MRD for playing during the visiting team offense set. Now thats what we need all the time any visiting Offense is on the field.

Our fans are improving, but it's a culture change that takes time and winning. BFS is getting louder more consistently (at least when the game is in question), but we still have many fans willing to sit on their hands all game.

(09-24-2018 05:51 AM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  

(09-24-2018 01:21 AM)Purple Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 02:12 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 12:37 PM)Purple Wrote:  [quote='Dukester' pid='15525469' dateline='1537718009']
Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

I made the same point on the Bison board last year, I think in October, that we seemed to be "complacent," on autopilot, with no serious challenger, and I was afraid that when we were challenged, we would freak out and make big mistakes.

We didn't freak out and we didn't make big mistakes. Down in the fourth quarter for the first time all season, we calmly came from behind to beat Weber in the quarterfinals.

Like last year, I am convinced that only JMU can beat JMU this year, God forbid, or as you would say (couch dropped passes cough).

We were better than the Bison last year and we are better than the Bison this year. After the NC last season, the comment was made on the Bison board that the better team lost but the better program won. Not so sure about the second part of that statement, but the first part was spot on.
[/quote]

Your words, "not so sure about the second part of that statement," what would completely convince you one way or the other? I realize you are saying you believe we just might have the better program, not disagreeing, but what will completely convince you?

What is better, 3 times to the National Championship game over 14 seasons winning 2, or 6 times to the final game over 7 seasons winning all 6. I'm fairly certain NDSU has played in more playoff games in their short FCS history than we have over roughly 40 years of FCS football. They've hosted more home playoff games than have been played in BFS. NDSU is on a 6 game winning streak over FBS competition and hold a 9-3 overall record.

Our Dukes are certainly making a run at knocking the "Buffalo" off their perch but almost all independent minds not tainted either Purple or Green would consider NDSU to have the better program. Right now it's definitely only a two horse race.

Point taken. Can't argue with that.

Maybe, just maybe, it is a three horse race as I think SDSU is a lot better than we are currently giving them credit for. We will find out exactly how much better this weekend when they visit the Fargodome. I am happy to be wrong.

You may be right, but I'm not going to lift them to NDSU/JMU heights with only a NDSU win. Certainly it will be a worthy accomplishment, but on a given day ODU prooved victory is always possible.

When I questioned Purple, I was sort of questioning myself. What is it going to take to make me believe our program is equal to or exceeding what the Bison have going on? I think most all Dukes and Bison fans will agree we play 10 games and we probably win 5 with the Bison winning the other five. But to say our program exceeds theirs, is looking through some very purple glasses. We've got to sustain this momentum for at least another three years and NDSU slip a notch for me to say we've gained the top spot.

With regards to teams like SDSU, I simply don't see them having much more than a couple seasons worth of dominating success. We'll just have to wait and see.

(09-24-2018 07:30 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(09-24-2018 05:51 AM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  

(09-24-2018 01:21 AM)Purple Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 02:12 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(09-23-2018 12:37 PM)Purple Wrote:  [quote='Dukester' pid='15525469' dateline='1537718009']
Say what you want about the CAA being the best conference in the FCS. It's not. #2-#4 in the Missouri Valley is much superior to the CAA's 2-4.

The only upper tier in the CAA is JMU.

ND State will play 3 solid challenging MVC games during the season. Again JMU won't play anyone within a couple TDs of us. Now that does not mean we can't lose again (couch ODU cough), but the competition simply is not great.

Last year in the playoffs, we had some major challenges, and in the NC game we made errors we don't normally make. I think it's due to not playing a competitive game for over 2 months.

It used to be if you come out of the CAA and make the playoffs you had a shot to win the NC do to the quality of the CAA. There is nobody the last three years from the CAA that had a shot of a NC other than JMU.

I really wish a top 5 team would evolve from the CAA - but the last three years there just has not been another quality team.

It's hard to win all your regular season games by 2-10 touchdowns and then all the sudden have to play competitive games.

I made the same point on the Bison board last year, I think in October, that we seemed to be "complacent," on autopilot, with no serious challenger, and I was afraid that when we were challenged, we would freak out and make big mistakes.

We didn't freak out and we didn't make big mistakes. Down in the fourth quarter for the first time all season, we calmly came from behind to beat Weber in the quarterfinals.

Like last year, I am convinced that only JMU can beat JMU this year, God forbid, or as you would say (couch dropped passes cough).

We were better than the Bison last year and we are better than the Bison this year. After the NC last season, the comment was made on the Bison board that the better team lost but the better program won. Not so sure about the second part of that statement, but the first part was spot on.
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Your words, "not so sure about the second part of that statement," what would completely convince you one way or the other? I realize you are saying you believe we just might have the better program, not disagreeing, but what will completely convince you?

What is better, 3 times to the National Championship game over 14 seasons winning 2, or 6 times to the final game over 7 seasons winning all 6. I'm fairly certain NDSU has played in more playoff games in their short FCS history than we have over roughly 40 years of FCS football. They've hosted more home playoff games than have been played in BFS. NDSU is on a 6 game winning streak over FBS competition and hold a 9-3 overall record.

Our Dukes are certainly making a run at knocking the "Buffalo" off their perch but almost all independent minds not tainted either Purple or Green would consider NDSU to have the better program. Right now it's definitely only a two horse race.

Point taken. Can't argue with that.

Maybe, just maybe, it is a three horse race as I think SDSU is a lot better than we are currently giving them credit for. We will find out exactly how much better this weekend when they visit the Fargodome. I am happy to be wrong.

You may be right, but I'm not going to lift them to NDSU/JMU heights with only a NDSU win. Certainly it will be a worthy accomplishment, but on a given day ODU prooved victory is always possible.

When I questioned Purple, I was sort of questioning myself. What is it going to take to make me believe our program is equal to or exceeding what the Bison have going on? I think most all Dukes and Bison fans will agree we play 10 games and we probably win 5 with the Bison winning the other five. But to say our program exceeds theirs, is looking through some very purple glasses. We've got to sustain this momentum for at least another three years and NDSU slip a notch for me to say we've gained the top spot.

With regards to teams like SDSU, I simply don't see them having much more than a couple seasons worth of dominating success. We'll just have to wait and see.

One final thought on SDSU, and I don't disagree with anything that has been said... I acknowledge that they don't have a long history of success, but since joining MVFC in 2008, they have quickly asserted themselves as a conference contender. They have made the playoffs in 6 straight years (7 playoff appearances in 10 years of MVFC play), won the conference in 2016, and have amazing support from their admin. In the past 3 years, their football program has upgraded their facilities with a new football stadium (built on their old stadium BFS-style), opened a 150,000 sqft indoor practice facility (the largest indoor practice facilities in all D1), and opened a new student athlete center. While they may not quite yet be in the competition in a year-to-year 2 horse race with JMU/NDSU, I think THIS YEAR there should/could be a 3 horse race with them as the third horse.

(09-24-2018 07:30 AM)Potomac Wrote:  

(09-24-2018 06:42 AM)JMUsince89 Wrote:  Unless you've been in the Fargodome you cant relate to how much of an advatage the Bison have. It's a constant noise except when thier offense is on the field. Coach's cant communicate, teams cant hear. JMU had to resolve to holding hands on the O line just to keep offside penaltys away. They get 7 home games there and will probably have 7 home wins. Thats with 17k fans, if our 25k fans really sounded off we could have the same effect on visiting teams. We are loud but no where near what they have in Fargo. About the loudest Ive ever heard JMU Nation was when the ref called out the MRD for playing during the visiting team offense set. Now thats what we need all the time any visiting Offense is on the field.

Our fans are improving, but it's a culture change that takes time and winning. BFS is getting louder more consistently (at least when the game is in question), but we still have many fans willing to sit on their hands all game.

Also, the FargoDome is 'artificially' louder with that arena bouncing noise all over the place in a dome and the sidelines being about 12 feet wide. The place is like playing football in old Cole Field House.