Sagarin's Top 25 In I-AA After Week 4

[JMU Duke Dog]

I know not many people like it here at AGS but here it is anyways...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbc06.htm

1. New Hampshire
2. Montana
3. Portland State
4. Southern Illinois
5. Appalachian State
6. North Dakota State
7. Youngstown State
8. Northern Iowa
9. James Madison
10. UC-Davis
11. Richmond
12. Massachusetts
13. Furman
14. Harvard
15. Illinois State
16. Cal Poly
17. Eastern Washington
18. Maine
19. Western Illinois
20. Northeastern
21. Northern Arizona
22. Western Kentucky
23. Jacksonville State
24. Towson
25. Georgia Southern

1. Great West
2. Gateway
3. Atlantic 10
4. Big Sky
5. Southern
6. Ivy
7. Southland
8. Patriot
9. OVC
10. MEAC
11. Big South
12. SWAC
13. NEC
14. I-AA Independents
15. Pioneer
16. Metro Atlantic

[Dane96]

Just saw this myself...

...why computer's are not real barometer's of the action on the field.

[PantherRob82]

Does it not count games against D-II? That's the only reason I can see UNI that high.

[Dane96]

Georgia Southern?

[birdsflyhigh]

Cool to six Gateway teams in the top 22, but I'd take the #15 ISU Redbirds over either UNI or SIU (both of which are ranked higher). Last year the Birds absolutely dismantled BOTH the Panthers and Salukis by 4 touchdowns or more.

I do think the Sagarin ratings give a fairly good indication of point spreads between teams, but then again I think about how utterly wrong Sagarin proved to be about ISU's stomping of SIU and UNI last year. Hmmm? :confused:

[Jaxhen]

How in the world can Northeastern be #20 after being routed by JMU last week?

[JALMOND]

I'm sorry. I almost choked on my Fruit Loops. PSU #3? I must say I like it, but I don't think we are that high. I could make an argument for inculsion at #3 but I think you all would laugh me out of town.

Let me leave by welcoming one and all to #2 vs #3 at Portland's PGE Park this weekend.

[VictorG]

Let me leave by welcoming one and all to #2 vs #3 at Portland's PGE Park this weekend.

The winner of that one will definately have a leg up on the BSC Title.

[Sam Adams]

that's hilarious and useless.

[UAalum72]

Sagarin's ratings are still Bayesian (includes his starting ratings, because of not enough matchups this year yet). They'll probably be unbiased (this year's data only) next week.

[OrneryAggie]

notice something 4 of the top 6 have in common?

[Hansel]

GWFC #1- no big surprise ;)

[Jaxhen]

The top 7 all played a D-IA team.

[Hansel]

notice something 4 of the top 6 have in common?
beating a IA :)

[crunifan]

Cool to six Gateway teams in the top 22, but I'd take the #15 ISU Redbirds over either UNI or SIU (both of which are ranked higher). Last year the Birds absolutely dismantled BOTH the Panthers and Salukis by 4 touchdowns or more.

I do think the Sagarin ratings give a fairly good indication of point spreads between teams, but then again I think about how utterly wrong Sagarin proved to be about ISU's stomping of SIU and UNI last year. Hmmm? :confused:

I agree Illinois State should be higher than us. But what does last year have to do with anything? We went to the NC game last year, other than beat UNI what did the Redbirds do?

[youwouldno]

Sagarin/I-AA = completely worthless

[WMTribe90]

The Sagarin ratings will shape up within the next week or two once the teams are more inter-connected. Sagarins are useful as a tool, but are not the end all be all.

[birdsflyhigh]

crunifan, what did Illinois State do last year besides CRUSH both UNI and SIU? With some KEY players out do to injury, the Birds lost to WIU which was the game that kept them on the sidelines during the playoffs?
JMHO, but I think that last year's Birds could have done some serious damage in the playoffs.

And what does last year's ISU wins over UNI and SIU have to do with anything? THIS year ISU returned the major of those starters that annihilated LAST year. Those scores of those games were ridiculously lopsided.

The Birds have SIU for homecoming, and close the Gateway on the road at UNI. Looking at THIS year's results so far for UNI, SIU and ISU, I would take the Birds right now over the Panthers or the Salukis. It's still early, but UNI's loss to UND gives me reason to doubt the Panthers a bit.

At any rate, I am NOT down on the Panthers at all. In fact, I think they WILL make a serious run at the Gateway title. Sooooo...what I'm saying is that ISU retained most of the starters from last year's team that did in UNI. Looking at the sched, this year's UNI-ISU game will be VERY important for both schools chances of a GFC crown. :)

[rcny46]

How in the world can Northeastern be #20 after being routed by JMU last week?

Absolutely ridiculous. :confused:

[FU97]

If the rankings indicated odds, I'd put a lot of money on the #13 team......

[crunifan]

crunifan, what did Illinois State do last year besides CRUSH both UNI and SIU? With some KEY players out do to injury, the Birds lost to WIU which was the game that kept them on the sidelines during the playoffs?
JMHO, but I think that last year's Birds could have done some serious damage in the playoffs.

And what does last year's ISU wins over UNI and SIU have to do with anything? THIS year ISU returned the major of those starters that annihilated LAST year. Those scores of those games were ridiculously lopsided.

The Birds have SIU for homecoming, and close the Gateway on the road at UNI. Looking at THIS year's results so far for UNI, SIU and ISU, I would take the Birds right now over the Panthers or the Salukis. It's still early, but UNI's loss to UND gives me reason to doubt the Panthers a bit.

At any rate, I am NOT down on the Panthers at all. In fact, I think they WILL make a serious run at the Gateway title. Sooooo...what I'm saying is that ISU retained most of the starters from last year's team that did in UNI. Looking at the sched, this year's UNI-ISU game will be VERY important for both schools chances of a GFC crown. :)


Yes, the team you beat last year was the not the team that beat UNH, Texas State, EWU, etc. You missed meeting Eric Sanders.

All I was trying to say is, stop bringing up beating UNI and SIU last year. It means absolutely nothing now. Just like our NC runner-up means nothing anymore (except to our fans of course).

[SO ILLmatic]

crunifan, what did Illinois State do last year besides CRUSH both UNI and SIU? With some KEY players out do to injury, the Birds lost to WIU which was the game that kept them on the sidelines during the playoffs?
JMHO, but I think that last year's Birds could have done some serious damage in the playoffs.

And what does last year's ISU wins over UNI and SIU have to do with anything? THIS year ISU returned the major of those starters that annihilated LAST year. Those scores of those games were ridiculously lopsided.

The Birds have SIU for homecoming, and close the Gateway on the road at UNI. Looking at THIS year's results so far for UNI, SIU and ISU, I would take the Birds right now over the Panthers or the Salukis.

Dont expect this year's SIU-ISU game to resemble last year's game.

[birdsflyhigh]

I would expect nothing less from fans of UNI and SIU to support their team if they feel someone is attacking them. I am NOT attacking either program, but I was mentioning last year's games as a point of reference in my opinion of THIS year's Redbird team. You both seem pretty confident in your teams....that's cool. The Gateway is here guys, so now we'll be able to find out how THIS year's ISU-UNI battle goes along with the ISU-SIU clash.

Although somehow I don't think even having Eric Sanders play against the Birds in last season's contest would have swung the game for the Panthers.

Not trying to rip on either UNI or SIU because I respect both, and they have been great programs for the past few seasons. And I love to see passionate fans that stick up for their schools. Know as a Redbird fan, I'm looking forward to both those games and the one with YSU. The Gateway is going to be CRAZY! :rotateh:

[Jackluv]

PSU is not a top 3 team, a top 10 team but not a top 3.....and WHYYY THE HELL EWU IS AHEAD OF NAU AFTER EWU LOST TO A DII TEAM IS BEYOND ME.....WOW

[BeauFoster]

I am wondering how Furman is #13. I think this poll needs a few more tweaks....

[Killtoppers90]

We got votes enough to put us at 22? Really?

[SO ILLmatic]

Birdsflyhigh,
I know that werent ripping the other Gateway teams, Im just saying that I wouldnt expect a blowout like last year in Carbondale. I dont know who will win the game, but Im hopeful that it will be a good one.

With all these Gateway teams ranked pretty high in the polls, I wonder how many Gateway teams will be in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. I have a feeling that its going to be a close race at the top and wouldnt be surprised by multiple teams tying for 1st.

[birdsflyhigh]

SO ILLmatic, I've been wondering the same thing about how many GFC teams we'll see in the playoffs. It's fantastic to have the 5 Gateway teams in the top 25, but it's going to an insane scramble during the conference season. We're not even mentioning WKU's Hilltoppers who are ALWAYS tough.

Think you're right about this year's ISU-SIU game being better than last years. It will be ISU's homecoming, so a crowd in excess of 15,000 is expected. Hey, the Birds have got to go on the road to WKU first before they play SIU. Playing the Hilltoppers on the road is ISU's focus right now. All the GFC teams better be prepared for a war each week, and even though MSU looks a bit down and IN. St. is well..IN. St., you just NEVER know. :)