TSN Poll Week 2 2014

[melloware13]

Team (First-place votes) 2014 Record Points Previous Rank
1. North Dakota State Bison (137) 2-0 3928 1
2. Eastern Washington Eagles (21) 2-1 3744 2
3. Southeastern Louisiana Lions 2-0 3613 3
4. Montana Grizzlies 1-1 3249 4
5. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 2-0 3023 5
6. McNeese State Cowboys 0-1 2971 7
7. New Hampshire Wildcats 0-1 2964 6
8. Villanova Wildcats 1-1 2919 10
9. Jacksonville State Gamecocks 1-1 2790 9
10. Northern Iowa Panthers 0-1 2682 8
11. South Dakota State Jackrabbits 1-1 2407 12
12. Furman Paladins 2-0 1523 19
13. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 1-0 1473 18
14. Chattanooga Mocs 0-2 1460 13
15. Sam Houston State Bearkats 1-2 1376 15
16. William & Mary Tribe 1-1 1325 21
17. Montana State Bobcats 1-1 1289 20
18. Richmond Spiders 1-1 1229 17
19. Fordham Rams 1-1 1223 11
20. Southern Illinois Salukis 2-0 1180 NR
21. Youngstown State Penguins 1-1 863 23
22. Tennessee State Tigers 1-1 762 14
23. Maine Black Bears 1-0 635 24
24. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 1-1 549 25
25. Eastern Illinois Panthers 0-2 479 16

http://sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/misc/cfoot225poll.aspx

[HailSzczur]

8? Really?

[BEAR]

No Bears huh? nice. Glad to know AGS knows better.

[WestCoastAggie]

FAMU got 8 votes... I mean really?

[robsnotes4u]

8? Really?

Both Villanova and McNeese should be top in the top 5, IMO

NDSU, EWU, SELA, Nova, McNeese, any order, IMO.

Unfortunately, people look at last years records, or history of a team, which doesn't always give the right picture. Fortunately it is just a poll, and at this time means nothing.

[PAllen]

Sorry Folks, but no PL team belongs in the top 25 at this point. Six teams in the top 25 are O'fer? Seems like a bit much, even with the FBS games taken into consideration.

[Texas]

Both Villanova and McNeese should be top in the top 5, IMO

NDSU, EWU, SELA, Nova, McNeese, any order, IMO.

Unfortunately, people look at last years records, or history of a team, which doesn't always give the right picture. Fortunately it is just a poll, and at this time means nothing.

Hate to say it but SELA might be the best FCS team right now with Nova and McNeese on their heels. EWU no D and NDSU is still unknown regardless of the ISU win.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[robsnotes4u]

I can believe that. I am really liking Nova myself

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[deez_na]

I still think Northern Iowa is going to be a top 5 team or is currently but they did have a bye so outside of the Iowa game we still haven't seen them much.

[Grizalltheway]

So with a Griz win against USD and a SELA loss against Tulane, any chance they drop EWU with a bye and set up #1 vs #2 in Fargo?

[lionsrking2]

Hate to say it but SELA might be the best FCS team right now with Nova and McNeese on their heels. EWU no D and NDSU is still unknown regardless of the ISU win.

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Dunno if we're the best but we're deep and very talented on both sides of the football. Remainder of the season and playoffs will sort it all out. In the meantime, NDSU deserves all benefit of the doubt IMO.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

So with a Griz win against USD and a SELA loss against Tulane, any chance they drop EWU with a bye and set up #1 vs #2 in Fargo?

it would be a travesty if it happened. We are maybe a top 15 team so that would be embarrassing in it's phoniness.

[robsnotes4u]

So with a Griz win against USD and a SELA loss against Tulane, any chance they drop EWU with a bye and set up #1 vs #2 in Fargo?

I don't think EWU will be dropped from number 2 because of a bye, and what they have done so far, unless SELA rolls over Tulane. Unfortunately for the Griz, they have lost the last two Governors Cups, and recent history seems to be a determining factor.

Funnier things have happened.

[bluehenbillk]

Not as good as the AGS Poll.

Montana at 4?
Sam Houston at 15?

UNI & Richmond both under-valued.

[Catbooster]

So with a Griz win against USD and a SELA loss against Tulane, any chance they drop EWU with a bye and set up #1 vs #2 in Fargo?
Ha ha. Good one xthumbsupx

[Grizalltheway]

it would be a travesty if it happened. We are maybe a top 15 team so that would be embarrassing in it's phoniness.

Well, I wasn't commenting on whether or not we deserve to be ranked at #4 at this point, just posing a hypothetical. 1 vs 2 would add a little more hype to thing (not that it really needs it), and we'd fnd out pretty quickly if we deserve that high of a ranking.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Well, I wasn't commenting on whether or not we deserve to be ranked at #4 at this point, just posing a hypothetical. 1 vs 2 would add a little more hype to thing (not that it really needs it), and we'd fnd out pretty quickly if we deserve that high of a ranking.

I know you weren't advocating. I just would really be shaking the ol' head to see us any higher than our currently over ranked spot.

[Tribal]

Not as good as the AGS Poll.

Montana at 4?
Sam Houston at 15?

UNI & Richmond both under-valued.
You can say that again. UNI & UR could hang with any FCS program...

Also, calling it now, Villanova and EWU for the NC.

#RisingTribe

[Redbirdz]

What is Chatty doing in there?

[REALBird]

So last week I analyzed the TSN Polls and time permitting I will try to analyze the polls each week to look for certain "biases" as many fans feel occur toward certain teams. I am not advocating for or against any schools in particular, just looking at how the TSN ranks teams each week, and drawing on what I see are clear inconsistencies.

Last week the litmus test was pretty apparent, with the lone exception of a few teams. Lose to an FBS team by less than 13 and you were likely to jump up in the polls a spot or two. Those exceptions being UNH who got throttled by CMU yet only dropped one spot, and EIU who got hammered by 22 to Minnesota yet their position in the polls remain unchanged.

Let's look at this week's polls:

Pre-season #8 McNeese State leapfrogs to #5. On the heels of their impressive showing, they are well deserving of a jump in the rankings. My only concerns......They jumped from #8 to #7 after week #1 during a week in which they did not play. Then after an impressive showing leapfrogged current #7 UNH who DNP. Now once again, I have no problem with McNeese based on their showing, and I honestly felt it was just karma that UNH was moved down one additional spot, as they did not fall the "customary" two spots for losing to a FBS team like many others did after week #1.

Biggest loser #10 UNI, who also DNP this week. But somehow drops two spots. Once again, I'm looking for "consistency" from the pollsters over at TSN. No doubt Villanova and Jacksonville St. had quality wins over ranked FCS teams. I can live with the #10 ranking of UNI. But playing in a tough MVFC, will they be afforded the same leapfrog over teams when they play potential ranked opponents later in the season?

Sam Houston St. what an enigma you are? Lose a competitive game to the then #1 EWU on the road, beat hapless Alabama State, then get drubbed by LSU. Yes, the same Alabama State that beat a ranked Tennessee St. team. Start at #17, goes 1-1 and moves up two spots to #15, then gets shut out by LSU, yet poll position remains "UNCHANGED". C'mon.....LSU is tough, but once again...last week that would have accounted for a two spot drop in the poll.

Southern Illinois......I like the bite in this dawg, but not sure they're worthy of a jump from unranked to #20. On paper to jump over conference rival YSU who played a slightly more competitive schedule by playing Illinois of the Big 10.....not sure I agree with the ranking. I'd have no problem with YSU and SIU swapping places in the polls, as both are deserving. Also, the strength of that victory over EIU will be tested this week. Which brings me to my next team...

Eastern Illinois......Avg. margin of defeat 18 points. Lost in week #1, poll position unchanged when once again "the average team dropped two spots who lost by that margin". I know....I know...broken record. Then lays an egg AT HOME and loses by double digits. C'mon TSN.....these guys should have taken a HUGE Towson drop from the polls. Yet they still hang around at #25 keeping some more deserving team from earning a ranking. A change to right the ship comes at Illinois State this week. That game has historically been the "resurrection" game to EIU's season in past years, so here's a chance to redeem yourself, or show that you're taking the elevator down again.

Overall.....I think the guys at TSN are consistently inconsistent so far.....but we'll see how the season shakes out.

[soconjohn22]

If Furman gets its offense in gear, the defense is among the best in the nation...That's a big "if" though.

[skinny_uncle]

Eastern Illinois......Avg. margin of defeat 18 points. Lost in week #1, poll position unchanged when once again "the average team dropped two spots who lost by that margin". I know....I know...broken record. Then lays an egg AT HOME and loses by double digits. C'mon TSN.....these guys should have taken a HUGE Towson drop from the polls. Yet they still hang around at #25 keeping some more deserving team from earning a ranking. A change to right the ship comes at Illinois State this week. That game has historically been the "resurrection" game to EIU's season in past years, so here's a chance to redeem yourself, or show that you're taking the elevator down again.

Overall.....I think the guys at TSN are consistently inconsistent so far.....but we'll see how the season shakes out.

I think in the case of EIU, some pollsters are looking ahead and realize they might not lose another game until the playoffs.

[msupokes1]

McNeese is getting way to much respect from 1 game. We demolished USF last year in the first game and a couple of weeks later got hammered by UNI. I know this is a new season but you cannot judge a team on one game. I liked what I saw on Saturday, especially from the young guys, but we still have a lot of work to do.

[McNeese72]

McNeese is getting way to much respect from 1 game. We demolished USF last year in the first game and a couple of weeks later got hammered by UNI. I know this is a new season but you cannot judge a team on one game. I liked what I saw on Saturday, especially from the young guys, but we still have a lot of work to do.

+1

And we have to dodge the probable big letdown this week.

[pvdogteam]

FAMU got 8 votes... I mean really?

LOL, good one

[REALBird]

I think in the case of EIU, some pollsters are looking ahead and realize they might not lose another game until the playoffs.

Skinny, I have no problem with EIU running the table and getting the respect of the pollsters. But to "assume" they're going to be there and give them a pass versus asking them to win games is ridiculous. Take nothing away from SIU. You guys seem to have the program moving forward under Lennon. EIU should have been the favorite at home, AND had a halftime lead. Then SIU just unleashed the hounds in the 2nd half. Game, Set, Match! Can't get beat at home when you're a ranked team by double digits and still be getting that much respect. JUst my thoughts.