Big Sky Predictions 11-21

[JALMOND]

Currently I'm at 58-23 heading in to the final week. Always tough to pick the winners during rivalry week as in most cases, you have to throw out what has been done all year and roll the dice. So I rolled the dice and this is what I came up with.

ISU at WSU---No playoff implications here. The Wildcats are trying to cap off a good season and the Bengals are trying to finish out the season. The Wildcats are pretty strong in this one...WSU 27, ISU 20

UM at MSU---The Grizzlies need this and help to make the playoffs. Both the Bobcats and the Grizzlies have been good at home and shaky on the road. The Bobcats would love to knock the Grizzlies out, especially with this game in Bozeman...MSU 48, UM 45.

UND at CP---The Dakotans need this game and a whole lot of help to make the playoffs. The Mustangs may not like it but they have been playing spoiler for awhile and seem to be used to it. The Dakotans season ends...CP 38, UND 21.

NAU at SUU---The game to see. The winner is in, the loser will need help. The Lumberjacks are on a roll and come in to the Thunderbirds den to seal a playoff spot. The Thunderbirds feel like they need a win to go...NAU 38, SUU 36.

Abilene Christian at UNC---The Bears close out the year with a non-conference game against a Southland team. They would love a win to close out a pretty good year and a solid building block for next year...UNC 24, Abilene Christian 20.

PSU at EWU---The feeling is that the Vikings are in no matter what, but they don't want to leave anything to chance. The Eagles feel a win and some help and they could be going to the playoffs, too...PSU 42, EWU 35.

UCD at SAC---For all the good games going on around the conference, there has to be one that is not so good. The Aggies and the Hornets are both hoping for a new start next year. Still a rivalry game and bragging rights on the line...SAC 7, UCD 3.

Conference playoff bids: NAU, PSU, SUU

[mvemjsunpx]

Portland St. 45-31 EWU — In the Dam Cup, the Viks break through the ramshackle dam that is the Eagle defense

NoDak 24-28 Callipoli — Will the Fighting Hawks' tough conventional run D translate to the option?

Davis 34-31 Sac State — They should try to top the UM/MSU Trophy & give the winner a giant section of highway

NAU 27-30 Suutah — The T-Birds win an outright title by ending the Grand Canyon Rivalry's road streak

Idaho St. 10-44 Weber — Back to normal in this series

Montana 44-27 Montana St. — Both teams have lights now; why do they keep playing this at noon?

ACU 21-42 NoCo — Fun fact: the Bears haven't attempted a field goal since October 3rd.

[bonarae]

Weber State
Montana
Cal Poly
Southern Utah
Northern Colorado
Portland State
UC Davis

[Nodak78]

Weber State
Montana State
UND Fighting Hawks(Santiago plays a full game and rushing for 200+)
Southern Utah
Northern Colorado
Portland State
Sac State

[veinup]

Portland St. 45-31 EWU — In the Dam Cup, the Viks break through the ramshackle dam that is the Eagle defense

NoDak 24-28 Callipoli — Will the Fighting Hawks' tough conventional run D translate to the option?

Davis 34-31 Sac State — They should try to top the UM/MSU Trophy & give the winner a giant section of highway

NAU 27-30 Suutah — The T-Birds win an outright title by ending the Grand Canyon Rivalry's road streak

Idaho St. 10-44 Weber — Back to normal in this series

Montana 44-27 Montana St. — Both teams have lights now; why do they keep playing this at noon?

ACU 21-42 NoCo — Fun fact: the Bears haven't attempted a field goal since October 3rd.

PSU
NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING HAWKS
UC DAVIS
NAU
Weber
UNC
...Montana

[wapiti]

PSU 32-31 EWU

ND 24-32 CP

UD 22-32 Sac State

NAU 27-32 SU

Idaho St. 17-32 WSU

UM 32-31 MSU

ACU 21-32 NoCo

[SUUTbird]

PSU: Vikings have a defense, the Eagles have none.

UND: The Hawks defense does just enough to slow down the Stangs Triple Option.

UCD: The Aggies have played close against some good teams, should win against Sac.

SUU: Our defense creates turnovers and carries us to victory ending the "away team wins" streak.

WSU: Weber State builds for next season with a good win.

UM: The Griz win and thanks to their reputation and play over recent weeks get into the playoffs, Griz @ SUU first round perhaps?

UNC: Bears win to lay foundation for next season.

[dewey]

Currently I'm at 58-23 heading in to the final week. Always tough to pick the winners during rivalry week as in most cases, you have to throw out what has been done all year and roll the dice. So I rolled the dice and this is what I came up with.

ISU at WSU---No playoff implications here. The Wildcats are trying to cap off a good season and the Bengals are trying to finish out the season. The Wildcats are pretty strong in this one...WSU 27, ISU 20

UM at MSU---The Grizzlies need this and help to make the playoffs. Both the Bobcats and the Grizzlies have been good at home and shaky on the road. The Bobcats would love to knock the Grizzlies out, especially with this game in Bozeman...MSU 48, UM 45.

UND at CP---The Dakotans need this game and a whole lot of help to make the playoffs. The Mustangs may not like it but they have been playing spoiler for awhile and seem to be used to it. The Dakotans season ends...CP 38, UND 21.

NAU at SUU---The game to see. The winner is in, the loser will need help. The Lumberjacks are on a roll and come in to the Thunderbirds den to seal a playoff spot. The Thunderbirds feel like they need a win to go...NAU 38, SUU 36.

Abilene Christian at UNC---The Bears close out the year with a non-conference game against a Southland team. They would love a win to close out a pretty good year and a solid building block for next year...UNC 24, Abilene Christian 20.

PSU at EWU---The feeling is that the Vikings are in no matter what, but they don't want to leave anything to chance. The Eagles feel a win and some help and they could be going to the playoffs, too...PSU 42, EWU 35.

UCD at SAC---For all the good games going on around the conference, there has to be one that is not so good. The Aggies and the Hornets are both hoping for a new start next year. Still a rivalry game and bragging rights on the line...SAC 7, UCD 3.

Conference playoff bids: NAU, PSU, SUU

If someone had said before the season that EWU, Montana and Montana State would miss the playoffs you would have gotten laughed at but it could very well happen.

Go Griz and Go Bison!

Dewey

[dewey]

PSU: Vikings have a defense, the Eagles have none.

UND: The Hawks defense does just enough to slow down the Stangs Triple Option.

UCD: The Aggies have played close against some good teams, should win against Sac.

SUU: Our defense creates turnovers and carries us to victory ending the "away team wins" streak.

WSU: Weber State builds for next season with a good win.

UM: The Griz win and thanks to their reputation get into the playoffs, Griz @ SUU first round perhaps?

UNC: Bears win to lay foundation for next season.

There are very few teams that would out bid Montana for a home game and I don't think SUU is one.

Dewey

[SUUTbird]

There are very few teams that would out bid Montana for a home game and I don't think SUU is one.

Dewey

If SUU wins they would get the SEED and be Big sky Champions so they would be garunteed a home game.

[mvemjsunpx]

There are no teams that would out bid Montana for a home game

FIFY xcoffeex

[mvemjsunpx]

If SUU wins they would get the SEED and be Big sky Champions so they would be garunteed a home game.

I'd be surprised if SUU got a seed even with a win this weekend, and the auto bid guarantees you nothing beyond a playoff berth.

[FCSwatcher]

If SUU wins they would get the SEED and be Big sky Champions so they would be garunteed a home game.

If they got a seed they would not be playing
The first week, they would have a bye


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[veinup]

There are very few teams that would out bid Montana for a home game and I don't think SUU is one.

Dewey

who knows anymore? school has been having serious budget issues recently. massive layoffs of staff happening. i wonder how the athletic department is impacted?

[Grizalltheway]

who knows anymore? school has been having serious budget issues recently. massive layoffs of staff happening. i wonder how the athletic department is impacted?
What the hell does that have to do with how many people would show up and buy tickets?

[veinup]

What the hell does that have to do with how many people would show up and buy tickets?

nothing at all, obviously. just suggesting that maybe they'll be bidding less money now than in the past. they just announced they're firing like 200 people. 50 full time teaching staff. i'd hope that some cuts to bids for playoff games are happening as well..

[mvemjsunpx]

nothing at all, obviously. just suggesting that maybe they'll be bidding less money now than in the past. they just announced they're firing like 200 people. 50 full time teaching staff. i'd hope that some cuts to bids for playoff games are happening as well..

Bids are generally based on expected game revenue. The Griz still, I believe, make far more money on each game than any other FCS team (even NDSU).

[veinup]

Bids are generally based on expected game revenue. The Griz still, I believe, make far more money on each game than any other FCS team (even NDSU).

i did not know that. i thought it was just schools writing a number on a check or something? you know, like bidding. like ... we'll pay X amount. i've been wrong for so long.

[Grizzlies82]

I KNOW...

Bids are a guaranteed amount to the NCAA. In first round the high bid wins right to host, then must pay amount bid regardless of tickets sold.
Even on Thanksgiving Montana will sell more than 15,000 seats at say $35. So MT can easily bid $525,000. Few schools want to risk those amounts.
Winning the conference auto bid doesn't guarantee a higher seed over an "at large" conference foe. It simply guarantees getting into the playoffs.

Now this may not be quite right but I BELIEVE...

Seeded teams get to host their second round game as long as they bid the minimum amount ($30,000?). So seeds host unless somebody forgot to submit bid.

I SUSPECT...

Four Big Sky teams are making the playoffs this year.
Portland State will be given a seed if they win this weekend.
Southern Utah, even with a win today, has less than a 50/50 chance of getting a seed. They'd need others around the country to lose today.
If So. Utah and Montana are both in the first round they will be matched up to play.
At least one Big Sky team is in the quarter finals (and possibly even the semi finals).

[mvemjsunpx]

i did not know that. i thought it was just schools writing a number on a check or something? you know, like bidding. like ... we'll pay X amount. i've been wrong for so long.

I think you can technically do that (I don't what the specific limitations are, if any), but I doubt too many ADs are willing to put their budgets in the red just to get a home FCS playoff game.

[dewey]

If SUU wins they would get the SEED and be Big sky Champions so they would be garunteed a home game.

If SUU gets a seed, which is not a guarantee for the Big Sky champion, they would host a second round game and have a bye for the first round.

Dewey

[JALMOND]

Currently I'm at 58-23 heading in to the final week. Always tough to pick the winners during rivalry week as in most cases, you have to throw out what has been done all year and roll the dice. So I rolled the dice and this is what I came up with.

ISU at WSU---No playoff implications here. The Wildcats are trying to cap off a good season and the Bengals are trying to finish out the season. The Wildcats are pretty strong in this one...WSU 27, ISU 20

UM at MSU---The Grizzlies need this and help to make the playoffs. Both the Bobcats and the Grizzlies have been good at home and shaky on the road. The Bobcats would love to knock the Grizzlies out, especially with this game in Bozeman...MSU 48, UM 45.

UND at CP---The Dakotans need this game and a whole lot of help to make the playoffs. The Mustangs may not like it but they have been playing spoiler for awhile and seem to be used to it. The Dakotans season ends...CP 38, UND 21.

NAU at SUU---The game to see. The winner is in, the loser will need help. The Lumberjacks are on a roll and come in to the Thunderbirds den to seal a playoff spot. The Thunderbirds feel like they need a win to go...NAU 38, SUU 36.

Abilene Christian at UNC---The Bears close out the year with a non-conference game against a Southland team. They would love a win to close out a pretty good year and a solid building block for next year...UNC 24, Abilene Christian 20.

PSU at EWU---The feeling is that the Vikings are in no matter what, but they don't want to leave anything to chance. The Eagles feel a win and some help and they could be going to the playoffs, too...PSU 42, EWU 35.

UCD at SAC---For all the good games going on around the conference, there has to be one that is not so good. The Aggies and the Hornets are both hoping for a new start next year. Still a rivalry game and bragging rights on the line...SAC 7, UCD 3.

Conference playoff bids: NAU, PSU, SUU

3-4 in the final weekend. I finish 61-27.

[tomq04]

I'm certain SUU get's the auto bid, but PSU will get the seed, not SUU. They don't go hand in hand.