The old argument...mid-IA vs. top-IAA

[Jacks76]

I've had this argument just about every year with friends:

Are the tops teams in I-AA comparable to middle-of-the-road I-A teams like those in the MAC and WAC?

I have always argued that the very best of I-AA could finish 6-5 or better in a middling I-A conference such as the MAC. e.g. Put Montana or Georgia Southern in the MAC or WAC and see how they do.

Certainly Montana would rip up the Sun Belt, which isn't that great. And they'd do okay in the WAC, too.

If you paired Montana against, say, a San Jose State or a New Nexico, I'm sure they'd be more than competitive.

Paul

[Tod]

I've had this argument just about every year with friends:

Are the tops teams in I-AA comparable to middle-of-the-road I-A teams like those in the MAC and WAC?

I have always argued that the very best of I-AA could finish 6-5 or better in a middling I-A conference such as the MAC. e.g. Put Montana or Georgia Southern in the MAC or WAC and see how they do.

Certainly Montana would rip up the Sun Belt, which isn't that great. And they'd do okay in the WAC, too.

If you paired Montana against, say, a San Jose State or a New Nexico, I'm sure they'd be more than competitive.

Paul

Particularly with the extra 22 schollies. I'm not sure about 6-5 or better, I think it would depend on the team, the conference, etc. But generally speaking, yeah, I think so.

[ASU Kep]

...sorry about that NC State game, guys, but overall yes I think the top I-AA would do very well against middle-of-the-pack I-A. Any of the top 10-15 I-AA would win the Sunbelt outright. Easy.

[Tod]

...sorry about that NC State game, guys, but overall yes I think the top I-AA would do very well against middle-of-the-pack I-A. Any of the top 10-15 I-AA would win the Sunbelt outright. Easy.

I don't agree with that assessment at all. But we'll never know.

[ASU Kep]

Middle Tenn St.
Lou-Monroe
Lou-Lafayette
Ark St.
Troy
North Texas
Florida Atlantic
FIU

ASU would go undefeated in that conference. IMO, at least the top 10-12 I-AA are good enough to win it, too. Just my two cents, anyways.

[ASU Kep]

There are 3 I-AA conferences rated above the Sunbelt by Sagarin, btw.

[BearsCountry]

Sargarin Ratings don't mean a whole lot when it comes to football. Extra 22 schollys come in handy for a whole season run, one game it can be adjusted but for a whole season it could make a big difference.

[Lionsrking]

Middle Tenn St.
Lou-Monroe
Lou-Lafayette
Ark St.
Troy
North Texas
Florida Atlantic
FIU

ASU would go undefeated in that conference. IMO, at least the top 10-12 I-AA are good enough to win it, too. Just my two cents, anyways.

ASU would fare well in the Sun Belt no doubt but to say you would go undefeated is quite a stretch. The scholarship limitations would catch up with you for one thing and those teams, while not great, are not as bad as you think when compared to I-AA schools.

[Tod]

There are 3 I-AA conferences rated above the Sunbelt by Sagarin, btw.

I know, but "win the Sunbelt outright, easy", is a little extreme, IMO.

[*****]

ASU would fare well in the Sun Belt no doubt but to say you would go undefeated is quite a stretch. The scholarship limitations would catch up with you for one thing and those teams, while not great, are not as bad as you think when compared to I-AA schools.SBC has a losing record against the SLC so what are you referring to?

[ASU Kep]

I know, but "win the Sunbelt outright, easy", is a little extreme, IMO.

I guess your right. I'll retract the "easy" from that statement. I still think we'd likely go undefeated, though...

The extra 22 schollies aren't going to do them a lot of good when our starters put us up 4 tds into the 4th...theres two teams in that conference that could even hang with us now. I'm not trying to brag about ASU, I just think ya'll make the SBC out to be more then it is. Montana would win it too.

[*****]

... I just think ya'll make the SBC out to be more then it is...Maybe Lionsrking wants SLU to jump to the BS in the SBC? Hmmmm...

[Tod]

I guess your right. I'll retract the "easy" from that statement. I still think we'd likely go undefeated, though...

The extra 22 schollies aren't going to do them a lot of good when our starters put us up 4 tds into the 4th...theres two teams in that conference that could even hang with us now. I'm not trying to brag about ASU, I just think ya'll make the SBC out to be more then it is. Montana would win it too.

I'd worry about going undefeated in the SoCon first. As far as Montana, I'm guessing we'll drop one or two in Big Sky play. Who knows?

PSU up next week. I hope bigskytv.org is working by then. :) :(

[ASU Kep]

Going undefeated in the SOCON is harder then going undefeated in the SBC, and it is obviously what I'm actually concerned about. The SBC crap is purely theoretical, but I challenge you to do some research on those teams. You'll be amazed just how BAD they really are.

As there has been talk of App going I-A, I've looked into the potential conferences. The SBC would be a step down from the SOCON in terms of the level of play. The SBC has been improving slightly of late, though.

[Lionsrking]

SBC has a losing record against the SLC so what are you referring to?

What difference does that make? Southland teams don't compete week in and week out against the Sun Belt so what you're saying is irrelevant. I wouldn't doubt that App State is better head to head, in a one game setting, than any team in the Sun Belt but that's not the same as saying they'll cruise through a Sun Belt schedule unscathed with a limit of 63 scholarships.

[Lionsrking]

Maybe Lionsrking wants SLU to jump to the BS in the SBC? Hmmmm...


No, we're right where we belong and right where we'll be for many, many years to come. We don't have the dynamics in place to support a I-A move and even if we did, the Sun Belt wouldn't be an attractive option.

Don't get me wrong, as a I-A league, the Sun Belt is pure crap and all of their members are in fantasy land but compared to I-AA (where the league needs to be), it's not as bad as some would make it out to be.

[dbackjon]

The SBC would be a step down from the SOCON in terms of the level of play. The SBC has been improving slightly of late, though.

Did you see the Sunbelt scores from this weekend? 4 teams hung 50+ points on Sunbelt teams - while the Sunbelch teams scored 15....

[UNHknowledge]

I have to agree with App St. guy. Sun Belt is AWFUL. FIU and FAU have 80+ schollies now and are the same caliber they were when they were I-AA. I'm not trying to brag UNH or the A10 up either but UNH, UMass, Richmond would run circles around Sun Belt teams. I would even have to say that Towson would win just as many conference games in the Sun Belt as they would in the A10.

[ASU Kep]

Did you see the Sunbelt scores from this weekend? 4 teams hung 50+ points on Sunbelt teams - while the Sunbelch teams scored 15....

I meant over the past seasons. :D

Didn't see the scores this weekend, but can't say I'm surprised. The SBC really wouldn't be a tough I-AA conference at all. I feel bad for those schools and players, I really do.

[bobbythekidd]

I have to agree with App St. guy. Sun Belt is AWFUL. FIU and FAU have 80+ schollies now and are the same caliber they were when they were I-AA. I'm not trying to brag UNH or the A10 up either but UNH, UMass, Richmond would run circles around Sun Belt teams. I would even have to say that Towson would win just as many conference games in the Sun Belt as they would in the A10.
What he said!:nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:
Top teams in I-AA have really stepped up while the Sun Belt continues to stink.:twocents:
Will Appy go undfeated? I doubt it, but you better bet none of them would dare look past them. Add more scollies and BAM! A true threat to an entine conference. IMO