(03-01-2021 04:40 PM)fishingduke12 Wrote:  https://herosports.com/fcs-football-spri...-ISv2F3KnQ

If this was the bracket we'd walk to frisco running the wildcat

We would have the easier path likely, but not sure we would walk past JSU and Kennesaw. JSU is my dark horse and I think looks like a pretty strong team thus far. No one else can claim an FBS win.

I’d be a bit surprised if the CAA north rep (perhaps Villanova) gets placed out west. I think we will likely have to face a CAA North team on our path due to heavy regionalization with only 4 seeds.

(03-01-2021 04:46 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(03-01-2021 04:40 PM)fishingduke12 Wrote:  https://herosports.com/fcs-football-spri...-ISv2F3KnQ

If this was the bracket we'd walk to frisco running the wildcat

We would have the easier path likely, but not sure we would walk past JSU and Kennesaw. JSU is my dark horse and I think looks like a pretty strong team thus far. No one else can claim an FBS win.

I’d be a bit surprised if the CAA north rep (perhaps Villanova) gets placed out west. I think we will likely have to face a CAA North team on our path due to heavy regionalization with only 4 seeds.

Not sure about JSU but KSU struggled against a crap D2 school. I do agree we'll probably see a CAA north team sooner rather than later in the playoffs

I wonder if things will not get closer to normal towards the end of March. I don't think I have ever watched a JMU football game with less interest than Saturday. I didn't even care when we were behind, perhaps because I never felt the outcome was in doubt.

(03-01-2021 05:02 PM)Dukester Wrote:  I wonder if things will not get closer to normal towards the end of March. I don't think I have ever watched a JMU football game with less interest than Saturday. I didn't even care when we were behind, perhaps because I never felt the outcome was in doubt.

Really? I'm in full on Football obsession mode. I kind of wish we now had fall/spring year round seasons like in European football.

(03-01-2021 04:46 PM)fishingduke12 Wrote:  Also as much as I hate to say it, I hope Richmond wins the next two weeks so they'll be ranked when we play them since they are already receiving votes in the polls.

Its much more enjoyable to rip Bitchmond's heart out when they think they are good than it is to beat them when they are at the bottom of the table.

(03-01-2021 05:27 PM)JMaddy Wrote:  

(03-01-2021 04:46 PM)fishingduke12 Wrote:  Also as much as I hate to say it, I hope Richmond wins the next two weeks so they'll be ranked when we play them since they are already receiving votes in the polls.

Its much more enjoyable to rip Bitchmond's heart out when they think they are good than it is to beat them when they are at the bottom of the table.

Depends on your perspective, I guess.

(03-01-2021 05:41 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(03-01-2021 05:27 PM)JMaddy Wrote:  

(03-01-2021 04:46 PM)fishingduke12 Wrote:  Also as much as I hate to say it, I hope Richmond wins the next two weeks so they'll be ranked when we play them since they are already receiving votes in the polls.

Its much more enjoyable to rip Bitchmond's heart out when they think they are good than it is to beat them when they are at the bottom of the table.

Depends on your perspective, I guess.

I like it to be the story of Tantalus for them...being the best seems oh so close but never achievable. After a while beating up on midgets feels kind of hollow don't you think?

(03-01-2021 04:04 PM)PurpleSoloCup84 Wrote:  I wonder when the last time NDSU was not in the top five?

Although I’d love to see NDSU make the field of 16 and placed in the bracket where they have to travel to JMU I’m making another prediction: NDSU will not make the playoffs this year because they’ll lose at least 3 games and be in 4th place in their conference.

(03-01-2021 06:28 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(03-01-2021 04:04 PM)PurpleSoloCup84 Wrote:  I wonder when the last time NDSU was not in the top five?

Although I’d love to see NDSU make the field of 16 and placed in the bracket where they have to travel to JMU I’m making another prediction: NDSU will not make the playoffs this year because they’ll lose at least 3 games and be in 4th place in their conference.

I am thinking the same. I mentioned that on the smelly board over the weekend, that if we both win out, their path to Frisco would likely take them through Harrisonburg, where I'm sure their journey would end when we pound them into the Bridgeforth turf by triple digits.

They are tearing their hair out in Fargo. I would still like to see us both make it to Frisco, but believe it is very unlikely, as I too see them losing at least one and probably two more games.

(03-01-2021 06:22 PM)JMaddy Wrote:  I like it to be the story of Tantalus for them...being the best seems oh so close but never achievable. After a while beating up on midgets feels kind of hollow don't you think?

Yeah but that’s what FCS is for us right now, so it is what it is. Plenty of teams can improve our SOS without me wishing Richmond U success. I hope W&M shows up and competes. I hope Richmond implodes in a fiery ball of sweater vest.

(03-01-2021 05:02 PM)Dukester Wrote:  I wonder if things will not get closer to normal towards the end of March. I don't think I have ever watched a JMU football game with less interest than Saturday. I didn't even care when we were behind, perhaps because I never felt the outcome was in doubt.

UGH. Did you watch the week before? The only thing worse than watching the Morehead St game was knowing we have to play them again in 6 months. This past week was at least modestly competitive, and it's a stretch to call it that (read: better to watch the Dukes grow from their mistakes and try to not beat themselves).

(03-01-2021 02:04 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  Stats poll updated, no big surprises that I see. Teams moved up and down mostly via Slot voting as usual in this poll.

UND jumped to #4, NDSU dropped to #6

http://www.fcs.football/fcsfront.asp

This may not be ideal for team ego, but with 34 #1 votes, I don't see us likely dropping in the poll until we lose a game. UND got two #1 votes, likely from Sam Herder and BMac or one of the MVC media members.

Montana, Montana St, Villanova, Albany, UNH, and UD all haven‘t played in 15 months or longer since 2019. Yet the Montana schools aren‘t ranked and the CAA are. The people who include teams who haven‘t played a game are morons. And don‘t tell me well the Montana schools aren‘t playing. They are all 0-0/0-0. Nothing to go on.

Are any teams that have opted out ranked?

I believe the rankings for the Spring semester are strictly looking at teams that will play in the Spring semester. So though you don't want to hear it, that is the reason why teams like Montana, Montana St, NC A&T, and Sac State are not ranked, but probably will be in the Fall. Now, if you want to say that teams shouldn't be ranked until they play games, then that is another thing altogether, and one I can get behind. Is anything more useless than a preseason ranking?

(03-02-2021 08:31 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  Are any teams that have opted out ranked?

no

(03-01-2021 10:04 PM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  

(03-01-2021 05:02 PM)Dukester Wrote:  I wonder if things will not get closer to normal towards the end of March. I don't think I have ever watched a JMU football game with less interest than Saturday. I didn't even care when we were behind, perhaps because I never felt the outcome was in doubt.

UGH. Did you watch the week before? The only thing worse than watching the Morehead St game was knowing we have to play them again in 6 months. This past week was at least modestly competitive, and it's a stretch to call it that (read: better to watch the Dukes grow from their mistakes and try to not beat themselves).

With Morehead it had been over a year since we saw JMU play. If was like being excited for the first NFL preseason game to see the new players, and then not caring until the regular season started. If the CAA games are competitive it will more likely be due to our decline than their improvement. We'll see. It feels to me like the defense and offense have declined - which I expected to be the case. I did not feel that way after the first 2 games last year.

Someone said a few weeks ago this is the most talented football team this has had. I don't see that. Best running backs? You could make that argument, but 2004 was a pretty good trio as well.

When was the last time NDSU was out of the top 4? In my opinion, it is not an overreaction. The aren't the juggernaut they were on their championship runs. I definitely am not going to rule them out, but they are going to have to improve a lot if they want to win it this season.
That program is in massive need of some humble pie and they may get it.

(03-02-2021 10:22 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  When was the last time NDSU was out of the top 4? In my opinion, it is not an overreaction. The aren't the juggernaut they were on their championship runs. I definitely am not going to rule them out, but they are going to have to improve a lot if they want to win it this season.
That program is in massive need of some humble pie and they may get it.

Their QB Zebby had some nice highlight reel stuff playing for Iowa St, but seems to be more of a pocket passer.

A few things that seems to have hurt them:
- their system really needs a dual threat / running QB, and it doesn't seem to work well without one. Once they become a one dimensional team handing off to RBs, the defense can stack the box. Thats what SIU did.
- their WRs were dropping balls and throws were poorly timed or off target. Even for 5 yard passes. Hard to say if they fix this or not.
- both of their lines look weaker this year. They were getting pushed around on both sides.
- they kept trying to push the ball up the middle and getting stuffed. It just didn't seem they could open up holes.

They were down 38 -7 until the last two minutes where they got a garbage time td. They might fix some of this stuff over the next few weeks, but they didn't look great against YSU either, so I'll be surprised if they don't lose at least 1-2 more games.

Rankings? NDSU #6, JMU#1

They don't make sense to me. The difference in the scores/outcomes we had last Saturday may have just been the difference in the competition we faced. If we switch opponents we may have lost and they may have won.

If you give $1,000,000 to properly predict the FCS champion this year - I take NDSU. For the same reasons I probably take JMU 2nd or 3rd. That does not mean I think NDSU or JMU should be ranked right now based on their performance the last two weeks.

I don't think FCS has been this wide open for a long time.

I feel confident the eventual champion will come from the current top 6. In the last few years you could narrow it to 2-3 schools. I think this year there are 6. One of my 6 is Villanova, and they have not even played a game - so perhaps after a game or two you could toss them out of the mix.

(03-02-2021 11:23 AM)Dukester Wrote:  Rankings? NDSU #6, JMU#1

They don't make sense to me. The difference in the scores/outcomes we had last Saturday may have just been the difference in the competition we faced. If we switch opponents we may have lost and they may have won.

If you give $1,000,000 to properly predict the FCS champion this year - I take NDSU. For the same reasons I probably take JMU 2nd or 3rd. That does not mean I think NDSU or JMU should be ranked right now based on their performance the last two weeks.

I don't think FCS has been this wide open for a long time.

I feel confident the eventual champion will come from the current top 6. In the last few years you could narrow it to 2-3 schools. I think this year there are 6. One of my 6 is Villanova, and they have not even played a game - so perhaps after a game or two you could toss them out of the mix.

Just wondering: have you actually watched them play this year? I get that they are NDSU, but this is NOT the same team that won all those championships. Any other year, I would be betting just like you. But this season... I would not put my money on NDSU.
Will it surprise me if they are in the title game- no. But would it surprise me if they aren't seeded and have an early exit- nope.

As for our game, we won. Yes, we did not look like world beaters and shot ourselves in the foot, but I never thought the game was in doubt. Even when we were losing, I still thought we would win. Our team learned a valuable lesson: don't underestimate ANY opponent. And as for Robert Morris, wouldn't surprise me to see them at the top of their conference. They were MUCH better than I thought they would be.
Now I will say I don't think we deserve the 1 seed, but based on past seasons, there have been many times the 1 seed is where they are based on nothing other than a preseason ranking and those around them losing.
SOS isn't going to mean jack this year due to the scheduling restrictions. What will matter is Ws and Ls. Right now we are 2-0. Our opponents could all be garbage, but if we take care of business, we'll go into the playoffs as the 1 seed.
Any other season I would HIGHLY disagree with this, but as I've said, this is a highly unusual season. I expect the playoffs to be filled with teams that probably are not deserving but took care of business.

Don’t underestimate the impact of ND and SD coming to the MVC. They are going to get some kids that would have gone to NDSU and SDSU previously. Also, St. Thomas in Minnesota is now a scholarship FCS program.

If Trey Lance wasn’t playing in the last NC, JMU would have blown NDSU out. NDSU started a QB, OLineman and LB in the NC that will all be drafted. That is an amazing amount of talent to have on the field for an FCS school.

NDSU lost the last head coach with ties to the Bohl(plus several assistants) and their AD went to Kansas St. before him. Lots of changes in that program on the sideline, personnel and administration.

All of the above could be leading to a change of power in the MVC. YSU was once an FCS power too. Things change. The fact that NDSU did it for so long is actually pretty amazing.

I believe the quality of FCS play has dropped across the country. Less kids playing football and more FCS and FBS teams have formed so we have more scholarships being given out and less football players playing high school football.