43 replies to this topic

[RedOctober3829]

First Round(Saturday November 26)
James Madison at Eastern Kentucky 12 pm ESPN3
Norfolk State at Old Dominion 1:30 pm ESPN3
Albany at Stony Brook 2 pm ESPN3
Central Arkansas at Tennessee Tech 3:00 pm ESPN3

Round of 16--Saturday December 3rd
Albany/Stony Brook at #1 Sam Houston State
UNH at Montana State
Wofford at #5 Northern Iowa
Central Arkansas/Tennessee Tech at #4 Montana
Norfolk State/Old Dominion at #3 Georgia Southern
Maine at App State
Lehigh at Towson
JMU/EKU at #2 North Dakota State

Quarterfinals--Friday/Saturday December 9/10
Semifinals--Friday December 16th
Championship--Saturday January 7th at Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX

[Warning Track Speed]

Thanks for starting the thread. Montana Grizzlies back in the mix after a one-year hiatus from the playoffs, coming off a 36-10 trouncing of Montana State, which previously had lost only to Utah. And it should be a favorable first-round matchup for the Griz; I don't know the first thing about Tennessee Tech or Central Arkansas, but the Griz love to get those southern teams up here come December.

Norfolk State/Old Dominion is a terrific backyard game for the first round, and if the Monarchs win that I wouldn't be surprised to see them give Georgia Southern a game.

[RedOctober3829]

Thanks for starting the thread. Montana Grizzlies back in the mix after a one-year hiatus from the playoffs, coming off a 36-10 trouncing of Montana State, which previously had lost only to Utah. And it should be a favorable first-round matchup for the Griz; I don't know the first thing about Tennessee Tech or Central Arkansas, but the Griz love to get those southern teams up here come December.

Norfolk State/Old Dominion is a terrific backyard game for the first round, and if the Monarchs win that I wouldn't be surprised to see them give Georgia Southern a game.

Georgia Southern is going to kill either NSU or ODU. ODU is coming on strong though after only starting football a few years ago.

The big story of this tournament IMO is Towson. They won 1 game last year and then came back to win the CAA this year with 9 wins. Lehigh isn't going to be easy to beat, but if they do an App State/Towson matchup would be great to see. The standard bearer of the past decade against the upstart.

[canderson]

As a Stephen F Austin alumnus, all I can say is fuck Sam Houston.

James Madison got screwed out of a home game. Towson is an awesome story, indeed.

I've had to make that trip to Montana in the playoffs, it absolutely positively sucks (the asskicking I watched didnt help matters).

Should be a pretty wide open playoff.

[RedOctober3829]

As a Stephen F Austin alumnus, all I can say is fuck Sam Houston.

James Madison got screwed out of a home game. Towson is an awesome story, indeed.

I've had to make that trip to Montana in the playoffs, it absolutely positively sucks (the asskicking I watched didnt help matters).

Should be a pretty wide open playoff.

How good is Sam Houston? What do they do well? Do they stop the run well?

[canderson]

Living in Harrisburg, I don't get to see any Southland teams play unfortunately. But reading over on Any Given Saturday, the consensus seems to be "who knows" how good they are. The Southland was pretty down this season, and Sam Houston's win against New Mexico isn't exactly impressive. So, 11-0 is 11-0 but have they really been tested? We'll find out soon.

SHSU plays ball control offense (the anti-SFA of last year's Southland playoff run), and only throws really when they have to do so. They rely on their defense (statistically one of the top 3 in FCS). They have the No. 1 rush defense in FCS, and last I looked the No. 3 pass defense.

The issue they will likely face is a lack of competition once they get into the semifinals, and they don't have a big home field advantage (see: Montana) like other schools.

[Warning Track Speed]

The big story of this tournament IMO is Towson. They won 1 game last year and then came back to win the CAA this year with 9 wins. Lehigh isn't going to be easy to beat, but if they do an App State/Towson matchup would be great to see. The standard bearer of the past decade against the upstart.

Interesting year in the CAA. A number of the regulars from recent years (Delaware, W&M, Richmond) aren't in the field, and instead we've got ODU, Towson and Maine joining Madison and New Hampshire. So was it a down year for the league allowing some of these others to rise to the top, or is it again the strongest league in the country?

[RSN Diaspora]

James Madison got screwed out of a home game.

No shit. We have a newly expanded 25,000-seat stadium that regularly sells out. Still, with four losses, I'm just happy my alma mater has a bid.

Interesting year in the CAA. A number of the regulars from recent years (Delaware, W&M, Richmond) aren't in the field, and instead we've got ODU, Towson and Maine joining Madison and New Hampshire. So was it a down year for the league allowing some of these others to rise to the top, or is it again the strongest league in the country?

I think by any reasonable measure, the CAA is the strongest overall FCS conference. JMU, UNH, Delaware, W&M, and Richmond are regular participants in the playoffs, and Maine had a dynamite year (I still see the helicopter touchdown that Maine scored against JMU on Yom Kippur in my nightmares--Google it if you haven't seen the video. SportsCenter had a replay). Factor in ODU and Towson, and while there are a number of great FCS schools that don't come from the CAA (Montana, Youngstown State, just to name a couple), I think the greatest level of competition is in the CAA.

[RedOctober3829]

No shit. We have a newly expanded 25,000-seat stadium that regularly sells out. Still, with four losses, I'm just happy my alma mater has a bid.



I think by any reasonable measure, the CAA is the strongest overall FCS conference. JMU, UNH, Delaware, W&M, and Richmond are regular participants in the playoffs, and Maine had a dynamite year (I still see the helicopter touchdown that Maine scored against JMU on Yom Kippur in my nightmares--Google it if you haven't seen the video. SportsCenter had a replay). Factor in ODU and Towson, and while there are a number of great FCS schools that don't come from the CAA (Montana, Youngstown State, just to name a couple), I think the greatest level of competition is in the CAA.

Yeah, the strongest conferences year-to-year are the CAA and the SoCon.

[mabrowndog]

An organized and inclusive football postseason that actually makes sense. Fuck the BCS squarely in its collective assholes.

10 Automatic Bids (highest GPI first)
Sam Houston State (Southland)
North Dakota State (Missouri Valley)
Georgia Southern (Southern)
Towson (Colonial)
Lehigh (Patriot)
Montana (Big Sky)
Stony Brook (Big South)
Tennessee Tech (Ohio Valley)
Norfolk State (MEAC)
Albany (Northeast)

10 At-Large Berths (highest GPI first)
Northern Iowa
Wofford
Appalachian State
New Hampshire
Maine
Central Arkansas
Montana State
Old Dominion
James Madison
Eastern Kentucky

Conference Breakdown
5 - Colonial
3 - Southern
2 - Big Sky, Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley, Southland
1 - Big South, MEAC, Northeast, Patriot

Congrats to RedOctober on Stony Brook's league title and playoff bid. Since UMass was a lost cause this season, I'll be pulling hard for coach Jack Cosgrove and the Maine Black Bears.

[RSN Diaspora]

JMU v. EKU in ten minutes on ESPNU/ESPN3. Hoping for some KFC for lunch...

[RSN Diaspora]

Leavander Jones with a huge endzone interception for JMU. Thus far, the game is all defense on both sides.

[Butch Hobsons elbo chips]

The preseason CAA poll by the Coaches had Towson last place and Old Dominion and Maine above them.
So they finished in exactly reverse order 1-2-3 in the League with old stalwart New Hampshire in that top grouping.
So much for the Coaches opinions.

Towson was led by an outstanding freshman running back who is one of the leading candidates for the JERRY RICE AWARD given to top FCS newcomer.
But I still like Lehigh in that 2nd round game who has a very solid QB (Lum) and is a more balanced team. Interesting that Lehigh is 20-4 over the last two seasons with losses to Villanova, UNH and Delaware last year and then losing only to UNH in overtime this year when a UNH receiever caught an illegal TD pass having returned to the field after running out of bounds. So Lehigh has had it's problems with CAA teams.
Lehigh deserved a Home game this year but at least they got a bye to the 2nd round. Last year, they made the playoffs a year premature for their talent cycle but went out to UNI and beat them in the first round. This year Lehigh brought back most everyone except lineman Will Rackley who went in the NFL Draft.

The CAA got 5 teams in again this year with JMU (7-4) being the last team to get in from the league after Delaware (7-4) cost themselves a playoff spot by scheduling D-II West Chester which doesn't count in their wins for FCS playoff eligibility.
Not sure why a 5th place JMU would expect a Home playoff game but it is a beautiful place to host a game in years when they do finish among the top teams. JMU should win that first game on the road and move on.

ODU should also win their game and give Ga Southern all they can handle next week. Anyone who thinks ODU isn't talented hasn't been following their emergence in the last 2 years. They had an outstanding senior QB coming into this year but he got hurt and the freshman kid they put in is even better tearing through CAA games. He is also nominated for the Jerry Rice Award in only a partial season. Great Facilities, huge Fan base for FCS and talented recruits have propelled ODU to very strong program in a short time. They have sold out every game since they brought back football in their 19,700 stadium.

Stony Brook won it's last 8 games including knocking off Liberty to win their Conference bid. In a battle of SUNY's, I'll take Stony Brook SeaWolves. Wouldn't mind seeing the CAA go after Stony Brook as a Northeast expansion candidate especially if they end up adding Fordham at some point. Fordham is still in the midst of adding scholarships and Lehigh and Colgate will follow shortly possibly breaking up the Patriot League. Fordham needs to get a more ambitious Head Coach in this latest search for someone to bring some foresight into their program.

UNH at Montana State will be a tough travel game for New Hampshire and I have to lean toward the home team there but UNH could surprise with their high scoring offense. Look for receiver Joey Orlando to have a big day.

Maine at Appy State is also tough draw for the Black Bears. Appy State lost at Home to Villanova last year but that was a very talented Nova team that was even better on paper than their National Championship team the year before. The Wildcats ran into a huge string of injuries during the season and still almost made it back to the Championship beating two #1 ranked teams (Delaware, Appy State) in the country on the road over 3 weeks. I'll root for Maine but Appy State should be a favorite at home.

Montana should advance into the quarters as should Ga Southern but I don't see GS crushing ODU.

The CAA has had 2 teams in the NCAA semifinals for 4 straight years. That will not happen this year as I don't see the overall stength among their top teams but 1 of the 5 teams may work their way deep in the brackets.
The CAA League is still very deep but UMASS & URI leaves and JMU is talking about FBS (I am not sure who is inviting them?) so there may be big changes coming quickly. They have to address the northeast corridor at some point as Maine/UNH become an island.
After several playoff appearances and finishing ranked #1/#3 over the last 2 seasons, Villanova joined Richmond near the bottom of the standings this Fall. But Villanova started 21 undercassmen including 9 or 10 freshman in most games. They expect to be back near the top of the CAA within 2 seasons based on the high level of recruits that 2011/2012 classes are bringing aboard.

Edited by Butch Hobsons elbo chips, 26 November 2011 - 03:25 PM.

[RSN Diaspora]

DUKES WIN! DUKES WIN! Game winning FG as time expired, and JMU goes on to play North Dakota State.

Two things struck me about the obviousness of the differences between FCS and FBS football:

• The FCS practice of awarding first round playoff games based on bids is clearly fatally flawed. EKU put up more money than JMU, so EKU got to host. Thus, the game was at a second rate stadium that was also half empty.
• FCS officiating is a joke. The officials actually missed the call on whether a field goal was good. Further, with no replay until the quarterfinal level, they couldn't even review it.

[RSN Diaspora]

Not sure why a 5th place JMU would expect a Home playoff game but it is a beautiful place to host a game in years when they do finish among the top teams. JMU should win that first game on the road and move on.

I mentioned this in my previous post, but FCS awards first round games on bids. I wasn't aware that it was a pure dollars game, but apparently it is, which explains the decision. The problem with this is that JMU has a more modern, larger, and picturesque facility that would have easily sold out. EKU's stands looked like a Marlins weekday day game and the view of crappy houses beyond the end zone left a lot to be desired.

[Butch Hobsons elbo chips]

Nice comeback win by JMU on the road.
If ODU can hang on or improve their 21-7 lead in the 2nd half, they will be the 5th CAA team in the round of 16.

Albany from the NEC is up 21-10 over Stony Brook at half so that looks like an interesting finish.

I am still disappointed we don't get to see the Ivy League champs compete in these playoff games. Harvard had a nice squad this year and I know some years that Penn was simply outstanding and could have made some post season noise but were unable to compete per their Conference rule.
Nothing says Ivy League football like a UHaul truck full of empty kegs running down some poor lady enjoying a tailgate party.
Other Ivy League athletics compete in NCAA playoffs but no one wants to trample on THE GAME.

[Butch Hobsons elbo chips]

RSN, since you are a JMU booster, maybe you can fill me in on the FBS talk. The JMU AD made that comment about FBS upgrade at the end of September and I haven't seen anything since.
Was he talking about the MAC or Conference USA?
Or is he thinking along the lines of a whole new Conference being formed from JMU, Delaware, etc.

You can't upgrade without a Conference invitation so where do they expect the invitation to come from?

Edited by Butch Hobsons elbo chips, 26 November 2011 - 04:04 PM.

[RedOctober3829]

What a finish for our game(Albany-Stony Brook). We were down 28-10 to Albany after they ran a reverse pass for a TD early in the 3rd quarter. We cut it to 11, then got the ball back at the end of the 3rd quarter and ran a fake bubble screen wheel route to our RB who scored and cut it to 3. We scored to take the lead with 12:40 to go. Albany stiffened up on D, but so did we and the game went to the wire. Albany drove it to the 3 yard line with less than 1 minute to go and threw an interception in the end zone. It was a mind-boggling stupid play as Albany had 3 timeouts and could also have kicked a FG to go to overtime. Anyways, we move on to take on #1 Sam Houston State. SHSU is the only undefeated team in FCS and leads the nation in rushing defense at 59 ypg.

[gopats84]

I mentioned this in my previous post, but FCS awards first round games on bids. I wasn't aware that it was a pure dollars game, but apparently it is, which explains the decision. The problem with this is that JMU has a more modern, larger, and picturesque facility that would have easily sold out. EKU's stands looked like a Marlins weekday day game and the view of crappy houses beyond the end zone left a lot to be desired.

RSN- Nice win for the Dukes. They're a solid team and could pull the upset next week at North Dakota St. As a Maine fan, nice to see all five CAA teams make it to the quarterfinal round.

My understanding of the hosting process for first and second round games involving unseeded teams is the team with the highest financial bid gets the home game. Minimum bid for those two rounds is $30,000. All of which leads me to my question, how did JMU get outbid by Eastern Kentucky? A 25,000 seat stadium figuring at $25 per ticket and it seems that JMU could have put together a pretty lucrative six-figure bid to get the home game. Eastern Kentucky had two home games this season with attendance of more than 10,000 but stuggled to average 6,000 for the rest of its home slate including 3300 for its last home game of the regular season. Either JMU bid low and lost or EKU had some serious finanical backing from its athletic department to overbid just to get homefield.

Today's attendance was 2,388...definitely looks like EKU lost on the scoreboard and got hammered on the bottom line

[RSN Diaspora]

RSN, since you are a JMU booster, maybe you can fill me in on the FBS talk. The JMU AD made that comment about FBS upgrade at the end of September and I haven't seen anything since.
Was he talking about the MAC or Conference USA?
Or is he thinking along the lines of a whole new Conference being formed from JMU, Delaware, etc.

He was referring to a new conference consisting of the stronger I-AA teams and some of the lower level I-A teams. I think it would include JMU, Appalachian State, Delaware, Marshall, Ohio University and Old Dominion--maybe others. What I don't know is how concrete the conversations are that he may have had with these other schools. The thinking is that FCS is really third tier rather than second tier, the new second tier is non-BCS FBS schools, and that's where JMU wants to be.

RSN- Nice win for the Dukes. They're a solid team and could pull the upset next week at North Dakota St. As a Maine fan, nice to see all five CAA teams make it to the quarterfinal round.

My understanding of the hosting process for first and second round games involving unseeded teams is the team with the highest financial bid gets the home game. Minimum bid for those two rounds is $30,000. All of which leads me to my question, how did JMU get outbid by Eastern Kentucky? A 25,000 seat stadium figuring at $25 per ticket and it seems that JMU could have put together a pretty lucrative six-figure bid to get the home game. Eastern Kentucky had two home games this season with attendance of more than 10,000 but stuggled to average 6,000 for the rest of its home slate including 3300 for its last home game of the regular season. Either JMU bid low and lost or EKU had some serious finanical backing from its athletic department to overbid just to get homefield.

Today's attendance was 2,388...definitely looks like EKU lost on the scoreboard and got hammered on the bottom line

Thanks for the kind words. Your question is a million dollar one--not only does JMU have those 25k seats, there are also a bunch of brand spanking new luxury boxes, whose catering would have been lucrative in and of itself. I don't know the answer, frankly.

[gopats84]

Thanks for the kind words. Your question is a million dollar one--not only does JMU have those 25k seats, there are also a bunch of brand spanking new luxury boxes, whose catering would have been lucrative in and of itself. I don't know the answer, frankly.

JMU Bid

No idea how credible this is, but a JMU blogger citing data obtained from a Freedom of Information Act request of the JMU athletic department claims the school bid $46,768.50 to host a first-round game. Also quotes from the tournament committee that the JMU bid wasn't close to that of Eastern Kentucky's. All moot now...all that matters is JMU is going to Fargo and EKU took a bath at the gate

[Doug Beerabelli]

The star WR for Lehigh is the cousin of a SoSHer. I'm bound my both my undergrad degree and my moral compass to hate Lehigh with the fire of a thousand suns, but we can suspend that for the FCS playoffs for the Patriot League representative. Go Enginee...err Brown and Wh...errr Mountainhawks...errrr whatever you're called!

Edited by Doug Beerabelli, 26 November 2011 - 11:04 PM.

[Butch Hobsons elbo chips]

The star WR for Lehigh is the cousin of a SoSHer. I'm bound my both my undergrad degree and my moral compass to hate Lehigh with the fire of a thousand suns, but we can suspend that for the FCS playoffs for the Patriot League representative. Go Enginee...err Brown and Wh...errr Mountainhawks...errrr whatever you're called!

The Morning Call newspaper that covers all Lehigh sports refused to use that M-Hawk name for many years after the switch but I think they finally gave in as the editors and sportswriters retired. There isn't an old timer over 40 in the Lehigh Valley that calls them anything but the Engineers still.
If Lafayette can get rid of that University president and approve athletic scholarships for Football, they might get back to the FCS playoffs.

[RSN Diaspora]

Looks like South Canada State is going to best the Dukes today. JMU down by two scores with five minutes left and just turned the ball over on downs. Bummer.

[canderson]

Sam Houston beat Stony Brook 34-27, and hosts Montana State next week in Huntsville. Montana State beat New Hampshire 26-25.

[RedOctober3829]

We had SHSU on the ropes and let them off. We kicked FGs in the red zone 3 times and you usually don't win on the road that way. Still it was a great effort by our guys. Montana st should beat them.

[DrewDawg]

Game of the day was Ga Southern-ODU. 55-48 final. In regulation.

[gopats84]

Rough day for the CAA. Five teams in the second round and only Maine advances to the quarterfinals by blowing out App State on the road. Frustrating losses across the board especially Towson and New Hampshire. Towson loses by a safety at home to Lehigh, UNH misses an extra point late in the fourth in a one-point loss to Montana State. Old Dominion loses in a shootout to Ga Southern and James Madison loses to ND State.

It's up to Maine to carry the conference banner, and the Black Bears head to Statesboro to play third-seeded Georgia Southern next weekend. Interesting matchup for Maine. Defensively they have the defense to slow down Ga Southern, need the offense to show up like it did today against App St to have a chance to pull the upset.

[Butch Hobsons elbo chips]

Not that awful for the CAA. They had 4 teams on the road and most were clear underdogs.

Maine going into Boone and beating up Appy State was a bit of a surprise but that is the 2nd year that a CAA team beat Appy State in their Stadium.

UNH fought a tough team out at Montana State andalmost pulled it out.

Towson was a toss-up facing the exceptional passing offense of Lehigh. I am interested to see if Lehigh can hang with North Dakota State next week. Lehigh's defense has to play better.
I wish JMU could have knocked out N Dakota State because Lehigh could have hosted a quarterfinal game next week.
Now I have to root for Lehigh AND Maine to win next week to bring a Semifinal game to Lehigh's Goodman Stadium.

I wasn't surprised by ODU staying close to Georgia Southern. ODU is a powerhouse FCS program going forward at this level and this freshman QB they have is ridiculously good. ODU will be a perenial playoff team as long as they stay FCS. Fans, Facilities and good recruits will keep them going.

http://fcsnow.com/fcsplayoffs.aspx

Montana State at (1) Sam Houston State

(5) Northern Iowa at (4) Montana

Maine at (3) Georgia Southern

Lehigh at (2) North Dakota State

==========================================================

Like any college athletic budgets, teams will report what they want in these numbers. The Private schools have some more scholarship costs involved and Facilities at the public schools can be upgraded by certain state grants given to the University.

Football Budgets (Fiscal Year 2011)

South Alabama $5,963,648
Delaware $5,661,455
Villanova $5,363,135
Furman $5,306,599
Liberty $5,273,826
Fordham $5,113,173
Samford $5,074,283
Montana $5,023,393
Old Dominion $5,020,385
Richmond $5,010,248
William & Mary $4,941,487
James Madison $4,856,489
Massachusetts $4,766,305
Montana State $4,601,880
Colgate $4,530,358
Lehigh $4,323,035
Georgia State $4,266,691
Appalachian State $4,096,371
Towson $4,050,261
Bethune-Cookman $4,009,878
Citadel $3,927,935
New Hampshire $3,901,804
Coastal Carolina $3,876,005
Presbyterian $3,858,390
Lafayette $3,849,631
Holy Cross $3,792,741
Rhode Island $3,785,288
Elon $3,652,960
Maine $3,593,951
North Dakota State $3,582,325
Wofford $3,578,920
Texas State $3,564,171
Stony Brook $3,477,701
Delaware State $3,438,427
Youngstown State $3,431,462
Southern Illinois $3,388,837
Portland State $3,328,933
Tennessee State $3,290,564
Hampton $3,256,041
Virginia Military $3,209,840
Georgia Southern $3,165,429
Stephen F. Austin $3,131,286
Bucknell $3,105,892
UC Davis $3,040,967
Jacksonville State $2,998,446
Northern Iowa $2,993,685
Florida A&M $2,979,986
Lamar $2,935,335
Eastern Kentucky $2,929,699
Cal Poly $2,912,386
Eastern Washington $2,902,000
Gardner-Webb $2,899,678
South Carolina State $2,809,766
Illinois State $2,767,958
North Dakota $2,767,389
Sacramento State $2,747,809
Yale $2,721,383
Texas Southern $2,719,446
Columbia $2,670,238
Weber State $2,659,658
Chattanooga $2,655,248
Murray State $2,645,919
Northern Arizona $2,617,797
Idaho State $2,602,986
Northwestern State $2,589,180
Cornell $2,581,841
Howard $2,576,487
Alabama State $2,557,157
Northern Colorado $2,547,488
Monmouth $2,533,614
Western Illinois $2,492,687
Tennessee-Martin $2,474,244
South Dakota $2,457,674
Eastern Illinois $2,425,893
Missouri State $2,393,224
Tennessee Tech $2,370,752
Indiana State $2,350,468
Charleston Southern $2,329,626
Jackson State $2,304,793
Penn $2,295,581
North Carolina Central $2,286,099
Morgan State $2,273,861
North Carolina A&T $2,272,282
Harvard $2,262,755
Southeastern Louisiana $2,230,249
McNeese State $2,190,110
Norfolk State $2,187,593
Sam Houston State $2,178,660
Princeton $2,175,998
Alabama A&M $2,112,240
South Dakota State $2,075,349
Southeast Missouri State $2,045,646
Prairie View A&M $2,028,245
Wagner $2,014,726
Central Arkansas $2,004,442
Bryant $1,999,773
Southern Utah $1,947,841
Albany $1,946,142
Western Carolina $1,929,441
Dartmouth $1,920,170
Grambling State $1,916,679
Robert Morris $1,877,852
Duquesne $1,875,955
Austin Peay $1,776,792
Central Connecticut $1,773,009
Nicholls $1,751,391
Georgetown $1,678,984
Brown $1,673,144
St. Francis (PA) $1,610,583
Alcorn State $1,554,984
Southern University $1,483,408
Arkansas-Pine Bluff $1,480,476
Sacred Heart $1,384,786
Savannah State $1,341,396
Drake $1,308,253
Jacksonville $1,172,754
San Diego $1,070,956
Mississippi Valley State $1,005,581
Dayton $983,454
Morehead State $879,525
Campbell $874,994
Marist $836,740
Valparaiso $832,334
Davidson $699,290
Butler $675,782

Edited by Butch Hobsons elbo chips, 04 December 2011 - 03:09 AM.

[barbed wire Bob]

Sam Houston beat Stony Brook 34-27, and hosts Montana State next week in Huntsville. Montana State beat New Hampshire 26-25.

That was a really ugly game. MSU seemed to move the ball well but they had four turnovers. They need to do better if they want to beat Sam Houston.

[Montana Fan]

Well out here in Montana everybody is rooting for a couple of wins to set up a Montana-Montana St rematch. The Grizzlies thoroughly spanked then #1 Montana St 2 weekends ago in Bozeman and the rematch would take place in Missoula.

[Barbara]

As an ODU grad, can't believe I missed this thread. Couple of points:

Bobby Wilder the ODU coach is from Maine and coached at UMaine from 1990-2006. He is 26-7 at ODU. We have sold out our first 3 seasons with a 3500+ waiting list for season tickets.

The FCS has a really convoluted process to bid for home and away games. The local Norfolk paper did an article which was not in the online edition and already archived, but here is an explanation of how the bidding works. Essentially the determining factors are: 1) the quality of the facility, 2) revenue potential, 3)attendance history and potential, 4) actual performance, and 5) student-athlete well being. Looks like JMU got royally screwed.

ODU doubled the minimum bid ($30,000) for the 1st & 2nd rounds and played home & away. The minimum bid for the quarterfinals is $40,000 and $50,000 for the semi-finals. The NCAA takes 75% of the net profits of each game. The top five seeds are given home advantage if they bid the minimum.

[gopats84]

The FCS has a really convoluted process to bid for home and away games. The local Norfolk paper did an article which was not in the online edition and already archived, but here is an explanation of how the bidding works. Essentially the determining factors are: 1) the quality of the facility, 2) revenue potential, 3)attendance history and potential, 4) actual performance, and 5) student-athlete well being. Looks like JMU got royally screwed.

ODU doubled the minimum bid ($30,000) for the 1st & 2nd rounds and played home & away. The minimum bid for the quarterfinals is $40,000 and $50,000 for the semi-finals. The NCAA takes 75% of the net profits of each game. The top five seeds are given home advantage if they bid the minimum.

To clarify, the NCAA takes 75 percent of the net profits plus the bid amount from the host school? Or does the bid essentially serve as a guarantee amount with the NCAA taking the greater of the bid or 75 percent of the net profits?

Either way convoluted doesn't begin to describe the method of determining sites for playoff games. Seed them 1 through 20 and let the high seed host. Simple as that.

[Barbara]

To clarify, the NCAA takes 75 percent of the net profits plus the bid amount from the host school? Or does the bid essentially serve as a guarantee amount with the NCAA taking the greater of the bid or 75 percent of the net profits?

Either way convoluted doesn't begin to describe the method of determining sites for playoff games. Seed them 1 through 20 and let the high seed host. Simple as that.

I don't know. I was just summarizing the article and that part was bit unclear.

[mabrowndog]

Caught some of the Montana-Northern Iowa game last night. I had expected a competitive match, but the Griz just took the Panthers to the woodshed, outscoring them 48-3 after yielding the opening score. Jordan Johnson threw for 3 TDs on 13-of-20-passing for 196 yards, and rushed for 86 yards and another score on 10 carries. Kid's only a sophomore.

[Dogman2]

Caught some of the Montana-Northern Iowa game last night. I had expected a competitive match, but the Griz just took the Panthers to the woodshed, outscoring them 48-3 after yielding the opening score. Jordan Johnson threw for 3 TDs on 13-of-20-passing for 196 yards, and rushed for 86 yards and another score on 10 carries. Kid's only a sophomore.

Missoula did an outstanding job with the nationally televised coverage. The stadium looked great with lights, the "M" on Mt. Sentinel alive with lights and a thorough ass kicking. FTR, it was mid teens by halftime which certainly helps home field advantage for the Griz.

Johnson had what many feel his best game to date. Crisp passing, excellent vision in running lanes, efficiency in using the clock and putting up points. No matter what Montana St. does today (Losing 28-13 3rd Q) the semi's should be very entertaining.

[Dogman2]

[url="http://The "M" over Missoula http://www.flickr.co.../markpayton/..."]The "M" over Missoula[/url]

[canderson]

Sam Houston is beating the ever living shit out of Montana State. Go Southland!

Edited by canderson, 10 December 2011 - 04:12 PM.

[barbed wire Bob]

That was a really ugly game. MSU seemed to move the ball well but they had four turnovers. They need to do better if they want to beat Sam Houston.

And they didn't. Oh well, next year.

[Warning Track Speed]

Missoula did an outstanding job with the nationally televised coverage. The stadium looked great with lights, the "M" on Mt. Sentinel alive with lights and a thorough ass kicking. FTR, it was mid teens by halftime which certainly helps home field advantage for the Griz.

That broadcast was like a three-hour commercial for Grizzly football. They opened by talking about the loud intimidating crowd, right on top of the action, and the weather, and the remote location, and all the rest, and that was the storyline all night. After halftime the place is usually half-empty until midway through the third quarter because everyone leaves for beer, but those who were there last night tell me the crowd dutifully stayed in their seats the whole game.

Unfortunately the Bobcats couldn't hold up their end of the deal this afternoon. I've seen Sam Houston get whipped up here a couple times in the playoffs before; it will be interesting to see how things unfold in Tehas next week. (And on the plus side, my inlaws are here next weekend, and getting a pass to go to the game in Missoula was going to be a tough sell with Scheduling. At least I don't have that to worry about anymore.)

[canderson]

I traveled to Missoula to witness SFA's asskicking back in the late 90s (I was a student then). We stept off the plane in -5 degree weather with snowshowersn and all knew immediately we had no chance in hell. The game proved witness to that belief.

SHSU playing at home is the only chance they have to win next week.

Edited by canderson, 10 December 2011 - 07:35 PM.

[Warning Track Speed]

Sam Houston ran for 468 (!) yards against Montana State. One guy ran for a buck-sixty and two scores on just 11 carries, and his buddy went for 99 yards and a TD on just five. Yikes.

[Dogman2]

Sam Houston ran for 468 (!) yards against Montana State. One guy ran for a buck-sixty and two scores on just 11 carries, and his buddy went for 99 yards and a TD on just five. Yikes.

Yeah, he had 10 carries for 194...IN THE FIRST HALF.

Fortunately, McSurdy's INT cut the score in half just before the end of the half. The Griz need to make some stops.

[canderson]

Flanders is only a sophomore, he is a beast.

Congrats to SHiT from a SFA grad. Do East/Southeast Texas proud and get that title.