Playoffs will be INTERESTING this year

[ASU_Fanatic]

bc I really don't think there are any great teams. I'm expecting a lot of upsets and this could be a year where a team sneaks in, gets hot and wins the whole thing. NDSU is prob the best team but by no means are they unbeatable. Can't wait to see what happens, I think this is going to be like the 2010 basketball tournament where a team that was labeled overrated all year won it all

[Go Apps]

Agree I think anybody can win it - makes me think of the year Western Kentucky went on the road and won the title - and so many teams will be left out of the playoff picture and those teams could have made a run as well - it would have not been hard to have 32 teams participate this year - would have been fun - I think you want to avoid round 1 because it will be full of quality teams!!!

[JMUNJ08]

So the prediction is Lehigh (overrated all season)?

[Eagle22]

The playoff picture is shaping up to be very similar to 1997. Defensive minded teams seemed to have the edge.

My personal recollection of that year was a GSU team that missed some opportunities to win @ Delaware, followed up with a Delaware team missing some opportunities to beat McNeese State the next week, followed by McNeese dropping an easy would-be-TD and losing to YSU in a close final in Chattanooga.

I think there will be a lot of close games in the playoffs this year, given what we've seen thus far.

[BEAR]

UCA had to replace 4 fifth year seniors on the o-line, an All-American QB and an all conference LB and even coach didn't expect this kind of success. Yeah, the Bears aren't beating teams by 40 like SAM, but did anyone really expect them to with that kind of loss on the O-line and virtually no running game? But they've been successful because of their desire to win, their no quit attitudes. Can't wait to see how that young team does in the playoffs!

[grayghost06]

Agree I think anybody can win it - makes me think of the year Western Kentucky went on the road and won the title - and so many teams will be left out of the playoff picture and those teams could have made a run as well - it would have not been hard to have 32 teams participate this year - would have been fun - I think you want to avoid round 1 because it will be full of quality teams!!!

Only 2 road playoff games for them that year...childs play xsmiley_wix. Try having all three playoff games on the road like us in 2004!

[Professor Chaos]

I think it's said every year that there aren't any great teams out there. That's why playoffs are awesome because there's always one team that makes themselves great by the end of the year.

[darell1976]

I think it's said every year that there aren't any great teams out there. That's why playoffs are awesome because there's always one team that makes themselves great by the end of the year.

Thats why the FBS won't have a playoff system like other divisions. NDSU is the favorite with their killer D but who could challenge them may be a tossup among a lot of teams.

[MTfan4life]

So the prediction is Lehigh (overrated all season)?

I was thinking of Old Dominion vs. Sam Houston when I read overrated all season. Lehigh just strikes me as a second coming of Hampton in 2005. (They finished 11-0, received a seed and got hammered 38-10 in the first round.)

[BigHouseClosedEnd]

I was thinking of Old Dominion vs. Sam Houston when I read overrated all season. Lehigh just strikes me as a second coming of Hampton in 2005. (They finished 11-0, received a seed and got hammered 38-10 in the first round.)

As someone who sat in the stands in Hampton on a cold night in 2005 for that ***-whipping ... this year's Lehigh team is so much better than that Hampton team that its not even fair.

Guys, Lehigh beat a very good Towson team in the playoffs last year. They can and probably will win games in the playoffs again this year.

[BigHouseClosedEnd]

I think the winner this year is coming from the West of the Mississippi again. I don't believe there is a title contender in the CAA or Socon, which are the two league I follow most.

I do not follow the MVC, Southland, Big Sky closely but see the winner coming out of one of those leagues.

[MTfan4life]

As someone who sat in the stands in Hampton on a cold night in 2005 for that ***-whipping ... this year's Lehigh team is so much better than that Hampton team that its not even fair.

Guys, Lehigh beat a very good Towson team in the playoffs last year. They can and probably will win games in the playoffs again this year.

That was with the Walter Payton runner-up running the show. Michael Colvin had one pass last year in the playoffs and it was completed to the NDSU defense in the end zone. He has 12 interceptions this season. The quarterback is a very important aspect of a team and Lehigh just doesn't have the same quality at quarterback.

[Twentysix]

I think the winner this year is coming from the West of the Mississippi again. I don't believe there is a title contender in the CAA or Socon, which are the two league I follow most.

I do not follow the MVC, Southland, Big Sky closely but see the winner coming out of one of those leagues.

Hopefully the committee sets up another west vs west championship like last year.

[HailSzczur]

Dumb question, but are the playoffs ever not interesting?

[NoDak 4 Ever]

Hopefully the committee sets up another west vs west championship like last year.

Not the committee's fault only one Eastern team was worthy of a seed. Plenty on both sides of the bracket could have gotten through.

[Engineer86]

Only 2 road playoff games for them that year...childs play xsmiley_wix. Try having all three playoff games on the road like us in 2004!

Yea, but was it really three games? I mean the first one was at Lehigh, does it really count. xlolx. I bet against a team like Lehigh from the Patriot league, if you we're given seven shots from the 1, you would score seven times xlolxxlolx. Lets face it some "experts" equate the patriot league to the pioneer league.

Post Note: while any loss hurts and that one really did. What a great game!

[URMite]

Yea, but was it really three games? I mean the first one was at Lehigh, does it really count. xlolx. I bet against a team like Lehigh from the Patriot league, if you we're given seven shots from the 1, you would score seven times xlolxxlolx. Lets face it some "experts" equate the patriot league to the pioneer league.

Post Note: while any loss hurts and that one really did. What a great game!

Yeah, I mean come on anyone can be Lehigh away in the playoffs. Playing them at home is the tough part. Amirite? UR 1998 xlolx

[Twentysix]

Not the committee's fault only one Eastern team was worthy of a seed. Plenty on both sides of the bracket could have gotten through.

Hopefully we are given a high seed and put in the bracket with east coast teams. :)

[Engineer86]

Yeah, I mean come on anyone can be Lehigh away in the playoffs. Playing them at home is the tough part. Amirite? UR 1998 xlolx

Very tough to do in the first round. Hofstra pulled it off once, but they were so afraid of having to face that again, they just threw in the towel :D

All kidding aside, I completely agree with the premise of this thread, there will be some great games this year right from the first round.

[McNeese72]

From what I have seen, I wouldn't want to be a team playing Sam Houston in the playoffs. They are hitting on all cylinders again now. It took them awhile to adjust to some coaching changes (if I remember right-O.C. left?) on the offensive side of the ball but they have it all together now.

Doc

[Lehigh'98]

Yeah, I mean come on anyone can be Lehigh away in the playoffs. Playing them at home is the tough part. Amirite? UR 1998 xlolx

That game was a war. You guys had a fantastic ground game. Came down to a blocked xtra point and a 4th and 3. Was proud to have played in it.

[Eagle22]

Dumb question, but are the playoffs ever not interesting?

Other than a couple of squeakers involving Colgate in 2003 (prior to the final dismantling by UD), that year was somewhat lopsided in playoff performances.

Unless you were a fan of UD in 2003, GSU in 1999 and Marshall in 1996, my belief is those years it was less interesting to the I-AA populace at large, primarily due to the dominating fashion in which those teams marched to the title.

I know I was far less intrigued with the playoff results in 2003, and not just due to the fact that my Eagles weren't in the field. Some years are just like that for some reason, at least to me.

[BisonBabe]

How can FCS football be boring...if my team is not playing I pick a team to cheer for. Of course I go by conference members first then from there I choose based on how I have been treated by fans of the team playing.

[Eagle22]

How can FCS football be boring...if my team is not playing I pick a team to cheer for. Of course I go by conference members first then from there I choose based on how I have been treated by fans of the team playing.

What was interesting about UD routing Colgate 40-0 in the final in 2003 ?

I have several cousins who graduated from UD, so I had a casual interest in following them ... especially when GSU is done playing ... but that was a snoozer of a playoff year, IMO ... and the final (which I attended in person) was pretty much a dud, except for UD.

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

How can FCS football be boring...if my team is not playing I pick a team to cheer for. Of course I go by conference members first then from there I choose based on how I have been treated by fans of the team playing.

Ha! I hated Delaware until I met helmet head in Chattanooga in 2004. They've had my respect ever since and I have taken his show of support for a fellow conference mate and applied it to my own rooting interests.

[ODUalum78]

Nothing boring about FCS football!

I have familial ties to UD, W&M, and UR and have been following them for decades.

While I believe that it is in the long term best interest of ODU to move up, I will miss the local rivalries and playoff structure of the FCS.

[URMite]

That game was a war. You guys had a fantastic ground game. Came down to a blocked xtra point and a 4th and 3. Was proud to have played in it.

I was there just in the stands, same as every other home game for the last 31 seasons...well after Saturday.

You guys had a helluva offensive game plan. Seemed like the QB took one step and threw a handoff to a receiver on the sideline every play, which negated our size advantage. Unfortunately, our OC was so impressive he tried to duplicate it instead of sticking to the ground game. xoopsx

[AmsterBison]

Playoffs are extremely interesting this year. Last year there weren't supposed to be enough good teams to fill the brackets, but about 30 teams have reasonable claims to a playoff berth this year. And even teams that are deservedly out of contention are still darn good teams (UNI, for instance.)

Lots of high-powered offenses and defenses too - should be a lot of interesting matchups.

[grayghost06]

Yea, but was it really three games? I mean the first one was at Lehigh, does it really count. xlolx. I bet against a team like Lehigh from the Patriot league, if you we're given seven shots from the 1, you would score seven times xlolxxlolx. Lets face it some "experts" equate the patriot league to the pioneer league.

Post Note: while any loss hurts and that one really did. What a great game!

That it was, though I still like old Taylor Stadium better!

[Engineer86]

That it was, though I still like old Taylor Stadium better!

Since I was there as a student in the late years, I agree, it was great having th stadium on campus. As an alumni, it is great having the open space for tailgating. Also the hill is a great place to watch a game, which is where I was for the JMU game.

[katstrapper]

From what I have seen, I wouldn't want to be a team playing Sam Houston in the playoffs. They are hitting on all cylinders again now. It took them awhile to adjust to some coaching changes (if I remember right-O.C. left?) on the offensive side of the ball but they have it all together now.

Doc

72,

It seems that sense the UCA game, Coach Fritz really got into their ear and made them wake up. As the season has progressed, Coach Ruse (Off Coord) has gotten comfortable with his players and the players have gotten comfortable with his schemes. As you know, Kats went to a no huddle attack. I think it took them time to adjust for sure. Plus, Richard Sincere is fully healthy again. He had some minor injury issues that were holding him back early in the season. He has really picked up his game. With the addition of some quality wide recievers, the passing game has improved and now its hard to know where they are coming from.

The Sam Houston offense ranks No. 2 nationally in scoring (42.5), No. 6 in rushing (285.6) and No. 8 in total offense (477.4). The defense's national rankings include No. 4 in rushing defense (67.0) and No. 8 in total defense (303.1). Sam Houston leads the Southland in rushing offense and defense, scoring and rushing defense.


Overall the team has stayed healthy, but there has been a few games where some starters missed a game here and there. Everyone is back now. This team should ready for a playoff push.

[unigriff]

i apologize if this has already been said/posted...i didnt go through the whole thread to see...but when was the last time the playoffs didn't have either of Montana and UNI in them?

[NoDak 4 Ever]

i apologize if this has already been said/posted...i didnt go through the whole thread to see...but when was the last time the playoffs didn't have either of Montana and UNI in them?

Near as I can tell, 1986

[BEAR]

72,

It seems that sense the UCA game, Coach Fritz really got into their ear and made them wake up. As the season has progressed, Coach Ruse (Off Coord) has gotten comfortable with his players and the players have gotten comfortable with his schemes. As you know, Kats went to a no huddle attack. I think it took them time to adjust for sure. Plus, Richard Sincere is fully healthy again. He had some minor injury issues that were holding him back early in the season. He has really picked up his game. With the addition of some quality wide recievers, the passing game has improved and now its hard to know where they are coming from.

The Sam Houston offense ranks No. 2 nationally in scoring (42.5), No. 6 in rushing (285.6) and No. 8 in total offense (477.4). The defense's national rankings include No. 4 in rushing defense (67.0) and No. 8 in total defense (303.1). Sam Houston leads the Southland in rushing offense and defense, scoring and rushing defense.


Overall the team has stayed healthy, but there has been a few games where some starters missed a game here and there. Everyone is back now. This team should ready for a playoff push.

Well, it doesn't take a #1 ranking in every category to win a national championship. Kats look strong...SOUTHLAND STRONG!