USD/Yale

[Aquaman]

USD 43
Yale 17

Good win for the Toreros.

[*****]

What's up with Yale's offense?

[89Hen]

USD MUST schedule somebody now... UC-D, CalPoly, NAU... somebody good out west.

[*****]

Too bad they don't play UCD until playoff time.

[PantherRob82]

wow. not a good games for the Elis.

[bkrownd]

USD MUST schedule somebody now... UC-D, CalPoly, NAU... somebody good out west.

USD doesn't want to soil its "Ivy League" image by playing those underpriveleged schools.

I used to listen to a lot of USD games because they were usually one of the last few teams playing on Saturday night.

[Mr. C]

Kevin Richardson 30 yard run to set up his 7-yard TD burst. ASU 13-0 1:11 left in the first. ASU's defense took over on Mars Hill's last series with three tackles for losses.

[bulldog10jw]

What's up with Yale's offense?

the fumble hurt because it was the opening drive, but mostly just lack of execution especially in the passing game. No sustained drives.

SAN DIEGO --------------------------- YALE
First downs 28 --------------------------- 17
Rushed-yards 41-222------------------------- 31-134
Passing yards 345--------------------------- 162
Sacked-yards lost 1-4------------------------- 1-1
Return yards 22 -------------------------- 0
Passes 28-35-0-------------------------- 11-29-1
Punts 1-41 --------------------------- 5-28.6
Fumbles-lost 0-0 -------------------------- 1-1
Penalties-yards 2-11 ------------------------- 3-21
Time of possession 37:30------------------------ 22:30

[JMU Duke Dog]

I know it is still early in the year, but do you all think San Diego has a legitimate shot at the playoffs this year?

[DetroitFlyer]

San Diego is playing UC Davis the first week of the I-AA playoffs.... The recent success of the NEC teams, and San Diego, and even Duquesne against Bucknell, should wake EVERYONE up to the FACT that there is no "Mid-Major" nonsense. The PFL Champion and the NEC Champion SHOULD be getting an autobid to the I-AA playoffs. Instead, we have to settle for BS like the Gridiron Classic. Wake up and smell the coffee! The top teams in the NEC, PFL, and MAAC CAN COMPETE WITH ANYONE in I-AA. San Diego will have a couple of more challenges with Drake and Dayton, but there is little doubt that they are the class of the PFL at the moment!

[Maverick]

Slow down for a minute. Beating Yale does not automatically signal that the "top teams in the NEC, PFL, and MAAC CAN COMPETE WITH ANYONE in I-AA." One game does not declare that you would be a competitive member of the SoCon, A-10, Big Sky, Gateway, etc. Using your logic there are I-AA teams which would be competitive in the Big Ten Conference. Still beating UC-Davis in the regular season would give a lot more credibility to your statement than a victory over Yale. Yet, based on strength of schedule how could you say that PFL and NEC deserve an autobid? Autobids should be based on the quality of the conference not just the top teams.

[DetroitFlyer]

The point is that the top team in the PFL or the NEC or even the MAAC, in any given season or on any given Saturday can play with ANY team in I-AA. There is just not ANY good reason for discriminating against these teams any longer because the old guard is afraid of losing to a PFL or NEC team in the playoffs. The "quality of the conference".... Come on, a weak argument at best. The PFL and NEC have been part of I-AA for 13 now in our 14th season. There has been steady improvement in both conferences over this time, especially the top teams, and it is far past time to end the discrimination.

[Go Poly]

Unlikely that USD can come close to beating the Aggies! MAybe a touchdown but that's about it.xcoffeex

[JALMOND]

San Diego, even though they are playing well, I can't see them staying within 30 pts of Davis, especially after what Davis did in Bozeman today. A good showing against Davis could open some eyes out here on the west coast, but in the meantime, count me as one of the doubters.

[ToreroTime]

First of all the UC Davis game will only happen if San Diego does not make the playoffs, so there is no guarantee. As for San Diego, another dominating game will have to recieve some votes in the top 25 poll and if the NEC keeps impressing then San Diego has a good chance of making a huge statement later in the year.

[JohnStOnge]

If schools like San Diego want consderation for the playoffs they need to schedule teams from "playoff" I-AA conferences instead of teams like Dixie State and Azusa Pacific.

Right now, San Diego has beaten three teams that have one win between them. The one win is by NAIA Azusa Pacific over a school called "Malone." In its other game other than San Diego, Azusa Pacific lost to Division III power Wisconsin-Whitewater (last year's D-III runner up) 27 - 7.

San Diego beat Dixie State 41-6. In its other games, Dixie State lost to Mesa State by 42 - 14, Adams State by 37 - 7, and Northern Arizona by 66 - 14.

Yale was a 4 - 6 team last year and we don't yet know how good or bad the Bulldogs are this year.

So at this point, I don't think it's legit to say that San Diego has a playoff caliber I-AA squad. And, based on the schedule between now and playoff selection time, I don't see them having a shot.

On the other hand, I'd be in favor of expanding the playoff field to 24, seeding at least 8 teams, and having a first round bye for the top 8 seeds so that automatic bids can be given to all I-AA conference champions.

[JohnStOnge]

The point is that the top team in the PFL or the NEC or even the MAAC, in any given season or on any given Saturday can play with ANY team in I-AA.

Now wait...do you really have any evidence of that. Surely you don't think a lopsided win over a Yale program that finished 4 - 6 in 2005 is real strong evidence of that unless and until we see Yale do something to indicate how good it is this year. Do you have any historical games you can point to between members of the PFL and/or NEC and I-AA squads that went on to the playoffs that you can point to as supporting that premise? Has any team from the PFL or NEC ever beaten a I-AA that went on to make the tournament?

I haven't done the research so I don't know. But do you have anything like that? Blowing out Yale, Asuza Pacific, and Dixie State doesn't do it.

[ucdtim17]

You don't get respect or autobids by blowing out NAIA and Ivy leaguers - beat Davis in Davis - that will open eyes.

[Mr. C]

Now wait...do you really have any evidence of that. Surely you don't think a lopsided win over a Yale program that finished 4 - 6 in 2005 is real strong evidence of that unless and until we see Yale do something to indicate how good it is this year. Do you have any historical games you can point to between members of the PFL and/or NEC and I-AA squads that went on to the playoffs that you can point to as supporting that premise? Has any team from the PFL or NEC ever beaten a I-AA that went on to make the tournament?

I haven't done the research so I don't know. But do you have anything like that? Blowing out Yale, Asuza Pacific, and Dixie State doesn't do it.
I was about to ask the same thing, my McNeese State friend. That's like saying App State or New Hampshire could go out and beat USC (the Trojans, not the Gamecocks, who barely beat Wofford on Saturday).

I'll throw out some results I do know of:

In 2003, Morehead State went to the PFL title game. The Eagles lost in the final minutes to App State 24-21 (the first game of the Mountaineers' 20-game home win streak) when freshman Corey Lynch made a diving interception near the goal line with MSU in position for a game-winning field goal and Richie Williams ran about 80 yards on the next play to set up ASU's winning kick. ASU came ever so close to winning the SoCon auto bid and finished with six wins in its last seven games, but missed the playoffs.

Last year, Central Connecticut State beat Colgate in the regular season and the Raiders went on to earn the Patriot League auto bid.

I know enough about the inter-workings of the committee to know that games against Azusa Pacific and Dixie State won't cut it. The ONLY way the PFL gets any serious playoff consideration is to win 10 or 11 games and play tough teams in ALL their non-conference games.

[*****]

Yeah, two non-D-I games though they are scholly teams is really damning... Jim.

[Pard4Life]

Yale.... what gives?! Well, this loss somewhat allays my fears regarding 9/30.

[89Hen]

:confused: :nonono2: :nono: How can people prop up USD on the achievements of the NEC? You can only prop them up on their schedule and the relative strength of the PFL. Crushing Yale, great... beating Azusa and Dixie State, yeah? SD seems to be the class of the PFL, but once you go past SD, Dayton and Drake...

Trinity International 39 - Valpo 20
Newberry 23 - Morehead 7
Wingate 22 - Davidson 16
Albion 31 - Butler 10

Drake has stepped up and played Gateway teams, but have lost them, mostly by big margins. But Dayton and SD haven't played anyone of note OOC. Stop whining and play somebody. :nonono2:

[GannonFan]

If San Diego goes undefeated and misses the playoffs (which they should) they have only themselves to blame. You have to play someone during the regular season, and if the best game on your schedule is a mediocre Ivy League team, then that won't cut it. No one else in San Diego's conference is helping them out, so it will need to come from OOC games, and there San Diego has simply chosen to schedule games that frankly eliminate them from playoff discussion. Part of the blame can fall on their conference for not, collectively, being competitive, but most of the blame is on San Diego. There are plenty of teams you could play, even out west (why isn't UC Davis before the playoffs for instance) but they've chosen not to and that will keep them from the playoffs, even if they go undefeated.