How does Eastern Washington sit at #8 in the FCS Stats Poll and # 11 in the Coaches

[FCSFBFAN]

You guys have been around a lot longer than me, but seems like those voting don't look at who plays who and the outcomes very closely.


EWU got hammered by a NDSU team that has struggled to put teams away this year. Barely escaped UC Davis, and then got pounded by Southern Utah last week.

They don't have a quality win this season. Yet they still hover around the top 10. At this rate they could lose to Weber State this week, then beat horrible North Dakota and Portland to finish 7-4 and still be in the top 15 without a single quality win.

Would they make it in to the playoffs at 7-4 without a single quality win?

[dewey]

Simply put....Name recognition.

As far as NDSU. A team that has struggled to put teams away? One close game at Youngstown State and the rest are blow outs.

I think EWU would make the playoffs at 7-4 due to name recognition. A win in Missoula is a quality win.

my 2 cents.

Dewey

[FCSFBFAN]

Simply put....Name recognition.

As far as NDSU. A team that has struggled to put teams away? One close game at Youngstown State and the rest are blow outs.

I think EWU would make the playoffs at 7-4 due to name recognition. A win in Missoula is a quality win.

my 2 cents.

Dewey

Didn't mean to take anything away from NDSU. Much respect there. Just meant that they beat EWU by more than majority of their other opponents.

[BisonTru]

NDSU has only one 1 score game all season. I don't know what your definition of putting teams away is, but that is in the undisputed #1 conference.

EWU's losses would all be to playoff teams. The win at Montana may be a playoff team win. 7-4 with a semi-final appearance last year and they are in.

[FCSFBFAN]

NDSU has only one 1 score game all season. I don't know what your definition of putting teams away is, but that is in the undisputed #1 conference.

EWU's losses would all be to playoff teams. The win at Montana may be a playoff team win. 7-4 with a semi-final appearance last year and they are in.

I mispoke on NDSU. I have a lot of respect for that program.

I'm not suggesting that EWU will not make the playoffs, but I'm not sure how losing to playoff teams, without beating any good teams, because last year's team was good... keeps you hovering around the top 10. That just doesn't make much sense.

[centennial]

I mispoke on NDSU. I have a lot of respect for that program.

I'm not suggesting that EWU will not make the playoffs, but I'm not sure how losing to playoff teams, without beating any good teams, because last year's team was good... keeps you hovering around the top 10. That just doesn't make much sense.
They have certainly taken a step back but notice we aren't spoiled for choice here. After the top 8 it's a **** show. I think they are a legit top 15 team which is good enough for the playoffs.

[BisonTru]

I mispoke on NDSU. I have a lot of respect for that program.

I'm not suggesting that EWU will not make the playoffs, but I'm not sure how losing to playoff teams, without beating any good teams, because last year's team was good... keeps you hovering around the top 10. That just doesn't make much sense.

To be fair you are quoting polls from last week. EWU will surely drop some. Massey has them 12, the composite has them 17. Personally I have them 20. Their shot at a seed might be all but gone, but playoffs are still a reasonable assumption.

[FCSFBFAN]

I've been following the Big Sky closely for 6 years. I've seen all Big Sky teams this year, the top teams multiple times. EWU is not the same team they've been the past 5 - 6 years. I really believe that Eastern Washington may be the 4th best team in the Conference and may even be #5.

[BisonTru]

I've been following the Big Sky closely for 6 years. I've seen all Big Sky teams this year, the top teams multiple times. EWU is not the same team they've been the past 5 - 6 years. I really believe that Eastern Washington may be the 4th best team in the Conference and may even be #5.

No argument there. They have been tops in the Big Sky and a national contender in past seasons. This year not so much, but if we are ranking the Big Sky I agree it's NAU, SUU, and Weber St with EWU and UM following as bubble playoff teams.

[FCSFBFAN]

No argument there. They have been tops in the Big Sky and a national contender in past seasons. This year not so much, but if we are ranking the Big Sky I agree it's NAU, SUU, and Weber St with EWU and UM following as bubble playoff teams.

You nailed it! That's exactly how I would order them based upon what I have seen this year.

[Catbooster]

I agree with Dewey - name recognition, the same reason we see Montana in the polls.

I have EWU on my ballot, but not near the top 10. I think it's reasonable to cut them some slack for the NDSU loss, under the argument that they were still getting used to a new coaching staff, receivers, etc. and hadn't gelled yet.

[PaladinFan]

Furman had 1(!) vote in the coaches poll last week.

[BigHouseClosedEnd]

After about 6 or 7 teams, the entire subdivision is a mixed bag. And yes, name brand recognition matters. That is how EWU is up there.

[RootinFerDukes]

I don’t think it’s name recognition with the coaches or stats polls. I think it’s almost exclusively slot voting from the voters.
For teams to exit the poll, they have to lose probably 3 or 4 straight weeks. Teams outside of the poll have to put together an 8+ win season to just squeak in before the playoffs.
The better known teams you all think is “name recognition” are really just teams that start high in the preseason because of last year’s playoff success.

[PaladinFan]

I don’t think it’s name recognition with the coaches or stats polls. I think it’s almost exclusively slot voting from the voters.
For teams to exit the poll, they have to lose probably 3 or 4 straight weeks. Teams outside of the poll have to put together an 8+ win season to just squeak in before the playoffs.
The better known teams you all think is “name recognition” are really just teams that start high in the preseason because of last year’s playoff success.

I've said for years it is much tougher to climb the polls than to fall out of them. It's a flaw that really should be addressed, I think.

Richmond is a good example. The Spiders are 4-4 and ranked 19 in the Stats Poll.

Furman is 6-3 and has two common opponents with Richmond. The Paladins were more impressive against both. Furman can barely get a vote.

I see no logical argument for why Richmond should be ranked and Furman not. I don't have an issue with not ranking either, but I just don't see how you have Richmond in the top 20 and not Furman.

[Reign of Terrier]

When Wofford made our quarterfinal run, I don't think we were ranked until we beat Chattanooga late in the season. Polls kind of suck because everyone suffers from this epistemic skepticism ("okay but what has this team done!") and they're biased in the sense that the teams that they play regularly they will value more than others. Put another way, #15-25 is going to always be flawed for a number of reasons, but certain teams get more favorable ratings even though the logic they use to keep some teams out is applicable to the teams they put in.

The AGS poll corrects for bias and is pretty predictive, but every week, especially early in the season we have these discussions about quality wins or the lack there of. Many pollsters will give a .500 team in week 6 votes purely based upon SOS over a one loss team with a weaker schedule. Put aside the fact that the .500 team in week 6 has a 50% chance of finishing with 5 losses, they rank them (damn it!).

Meanwhile no one argues that a team like Kennesaw or Monmouth is top 10 right now, but at the very least they should be in the #20-25 range.

[FCSFBFAN]

No doubt that it seems that deep runs in the playoffs keeps you in the minds of those east coast conference voters that rarely even watch a Big Sky team play. Problem with the Big Sky is that with the geography their teams often get matched up with MVFC teams early in the playoffs or Sam Houston. Montana gets the home game so they may fare better. The east coast conferences, Southern & CAA seem to benefit in the Media poll.

[Silenoz]

A win in Missoula is a quality win.

my 2 cents.

Dewey

As Alpha would say...

Is it?