College Football Today.org Preseason FCS Top 25

[Preferred Walk-On]

I might have missed this, so if there is another thread already with this information, please delete this one.

For your viewing pleasure:

https://www.collegefootballtoday.org/1aatop25.html

-----

Thought this might help (ad-free list):

1. North Dakota State Bison
2. UC Davis Aggies
3. James Madison Dukes
4. Maine Black Bears
5. Towson Tigers
6. Jacksonville State Gamecocks
7. Montana State Bobcats
8. South Dakota State Jackrabbits
9. Weber State Wildcats
10. Eastern Washington Eagles
11. Nicholls State Colonels
12. Wofford Terriers
13. Kennesaw State Owls
14. Illinois State Redbirds
15. Yale Bulldogs
16. Eastern Kentucky Colonels
17. Sam Houston State Bearkats
18. Indiana State Sycamores
19. The Citadel Bulldogs
20. Princeton Tigers
21. Samford Bulldogs
22. Furman Paladins
23. Alcorn State Braves
24. Elon Phoenix
25. Villanova Wildcats

[wapiti]

That web page design is awful.

[clenz]

I mean - I'm not going to argue for UNI to get a top 15 ranking or anything...but...UNI didn't get a single vote. OTOH the follow teams did


UIW
FAMU
Northwestern State
Missouri State
Chatty
Idaho State
UND
Sac State
Drake
Holy Cross
Cal Poly


I mean....okay

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

I mean - I'm not going to argue for UNI to get a top 15 ranking or anything...but...UNI didn't get a single vote. OTOH the follow teams did


UIW
FAMU
Northwestern State
Missouri State
Chatty
Idaho State
UND
Sac State
Drake
Holy Cross
Cal Poly

All got votes.


I mean....okay

Neither did Colgate.....

[Schism55]

That web page design is awful.
That's an insult to awful.
That page is a smoldering dumpster fire.

[dbackjon]

Ugh - awful

[katss07]

I can’t tell what the rankings are because there is a god damn advertisement between each team’s logo and the number.

[Preferred Walk-On]

I can’t tell what the rankings are because there is a god damn advertisement between each team’s logo and the number.

Thought this might help (ad-free version):

1. North Dakota State Bison
2. UC Davis Aggies
3. James Madison Dukes
4. Maine Black Bears
5. Towson Tigers
6. Jacksonville State Gamecocks
7. Montana State Bobcats
8. South Dakota State Jackrabbits
9. Weber State Wildcats
10. Eastern Washington Eagles
11. Nicholls State Colonels
12. Wofford Terriers
13. Kennesaw State Owls
14. Illinois State Redbirds
15. Yale Bulldogs
16. Eastern Kentucky Colonels
17. Sam Houston State Bearkats
18. Indiana State Sycamores
19. The Citadel Bulldogs
20. Princeton Tigers
21. Samford Bulldogs
22. Furman Paladins
23. Alcorn State Braves
24. Elon Phoenix
25. Villanova Wildcats

[smallcollegefbfan]

Yes really bad design. Who is behind it? Would be good to know whose opinions those are and who the writers are.

[bulldog10jw]

Did Yale come up with a defense? Unless they did any top 25 ranking is a stretch

[Reign of Terrier]

I might have missed this, so if there is another thread already with this information, please delete this one.

For your viewing pleasure:

https://www.collegefootballtoday.org/1aatop25.html

-----

Thought this might help (ad-free list):

1. North Dakota State Bison
2. UC Davis Aggies
3. James Madison Dukes
4. Maine Black Bears
5. Towson Tigers
6. Jacksonville State Gamecocks
7. Montana State Bobcats
8. South Dakota State Jackrabbits
9. Weber State Wildcats
10. Eastern Washington Eagles
11. Nicholls State Colonels
12. Wofford Terriers
13. Kennesaw State Owls
14. Illinois State Redbirds
15. Yale Bulldogs
16. Eastern Kentucky Colonels
17. Sam Houston State Bearkats
18. Indiana State Sycamores
19. The Citadel Bulldogs
20. Princeton Tigers
21. Samford Bulldogs
22. Furman Paladins
23. Alcorn State Braves
24. Elon Phoenix
25. Villanova Wildcats

I was about to start this post with "I don't have many strong opinions about this but..." and then I saw the likes of Towson, Montana State ahead of JSU, EWU, Weber, and Wofford.


As far as I'm concerned, the only thing I feel confident in saying is that the above two shouldn't be ranked that high, Wofford deserves top 10 consideration, Furman top 20, and that's about it.

[ST_Lawson]

Yes really bad design. Who is behind it? Would be good to know whose opinions those are and who the writers are. Plus it is a .org website...which means our tax dollars are keeping it up. People need to stop getting government money and spend their own. People with .org websites are typically about broke and working out of mom's basement.

First off...yes, the site sucks.

Second...anyone can get a .org website, it's not specifically paid for by tax dollars or anything...at this point, it's just another domain name like .com, .net, or whatever. Originally .com was for commercial sites, .net for network-related domains, and .org for non-profit organizations, but that's not really the case anymore. You do often see non-profits use .org and businesses use .com (when possible), but there's no rule saying they have to. One of the sites I run is a .org site and I don't get any money from anyone, government or otherwise, for it.
There are still reserved top-level domains: .edu (for higher ed institutions), .gov (government), .mil (military), etc.
But .org isn't one of them.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Did Yale come up with a defense? Unless they did any top 25 ranking is a stretch

.....PRINCETON/DARTMOUTH.......WINNER........GETS UH NOD IN POLL....FROM IVY......AWK!

[Redbird 4th & short]

I mean - I'm not going to argue for UNI to get a top 15 ranking or anything...but...UNI didn't get a single vote. OTOH the follow teams did


UIW
FAMU
Northwestern State
Missouri State
Chatty
Idaho State
UND
Sac State
Drake
Holy Cross
Cal Poly


I mean....okay
you apparently don't subscribe to their "representive democracy" approach to polls ??

Towson finished 7-5 .. made playoff and lost at home to Duquesne 31-10 .. same Duquesne next loss to (10-3) SDSU 51-6 ... but Towson gets ranked 5th and SDSU gets 8th ?

I realize picking 2 data points is suspect on surface .. except I could provide 100 more data points to question the logic of a 7-5 Towson team who got smoked in 1st round of playoffs last year by a team that got smoke even worse subsequently .... somehow leap frogging all the way to #5 ? Why because they made finals in 2013 ? Then didn't make playoffs again from 2014-17, including being under .500 for 3 of those 4 years. That is a pretty weak 5 year resume ... but 5th it is ... good poll !!!

Top 10 is fine otherwise, though SDSU deserves much more love .. but Towson #5 .... WTF is that ???? After that it kind of falls apart .. 15-25 is a hot mess. And yes, UNI should be top 20 for sure, possibly top 15. I'm fine with ISUr being somewhere around top 15 to start season.

[clenz]

you apparently don't subscribe to their "representive democracy" approach to polls ??

Towson finished 7-5 .. made playoff and lost at home to Duquesne 31-10 .. same Duquesne next loss to (10-3) SDSU 51-6 ... but Towson gets ranked 5th and SDSU gets 8th ?

I realize picking 2 data points is suspect on surface .. except I could provide 100 more data points to question the logic of a 7-5 Towson team who got smoked in 1st round of playoffs last year by a team that got smoke even worse subsequently .... somehow leap frogging all the way to #5 ? Why because they made finals in 2013 ? Then didn't make playoffs again from 2014-17, including being under .500 for 3 of those 4 years. That is a pretty weak 5 year resume ... but 5th it is ... good poll !!!

Top 10 is fine otherwise, though SDSU deserves much more love .. but Towson #5 .... WTF is that ???? After that it kind of falls apart .. 15-25 is a hot mess. And yes, UNI should be top 20 for sure, possibly top 15. I'm fine with ISUr being somewhere around top 15 to start season.
I mean...UNI beat SDSU by 2 scores last year...in Brookings. And made the playoffs...and won a game in the playoffs....and returns like 65% of our starters...and gets our top WR back who missed last season with an ACL.

But, since UNI needs to replace QB - just like SDSU does - apparently not even worth a vote.

[Redbird 4th & short]

I mean...UNI beat SDSU by 2 scores last year...in Brookings. And made the playoffs...and won a game in the playoffs....and returns like 65% of our starters...and gets our top WR back who missed last season with an ACL.

But, since UNI needs to replace QB - just like SDSU does - apparently not even worth a vote.
sheer laziness combined with regional bias .. despite all the information available via internet ..looking forward to MVFC conference poll, that will be far more insightful.

[JacksFan40]

I normally don’t involve myself in Top 25 discussions but who in the right mind put Towson and Montana State ahead of SDSU???

[cx500d]

I mean...UNI beat SDSU by 2 scores last year...in Brookings. And made the playoffs...and won a game in the playoffs....and returns like 65% of our starters...and gets our top WR back who missed last season with an ACL.

But, since UNI needs to replace QB - just like SDSU does - apparently not even worth a vote.

Maybe it’s because you are also getting Farley back?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[KPSUL]

College Football Today Poll Methodology:

1. NDSU

2...25:

30929

[CenMEBlackBearFan]

College Football Today Poll Methodology:

1. NDSU

2...25:

30929

Pretty Accuratexnodx

[Daytripper]

No Central Arkansas? Terrible. They may be better than Nicholls this season.

[JSUSoutherner]

No Central Arkansas? Terrible. They may be better than Nicholls this season.
Really? That's your main gripe with this trashheap poll?

[Daytripper]

Really? That's your main gripe with this trashheap poll? It's relative to my conference. And UCA should be top 15 in my opinion.

[Kemo]

I mean...UNI beat SDSU by 2 scores last year...in Brookings. And made the playoffs...and won a game in the playoffs....and returns like 65% of our starters...and gets our top WR back who missed last season with an ACL.

But, since UNI needs to replace QB - just like SDSU does - apparently not even worth a vote.
The SDSU/UNI game was definitely at Cedar Falls last year, but other than that, yes, the Panthers handled the Jacks on that day. Also, UNI deserves more than a few votes and is better than a bunch of the teams that are ranked.

[phoenix3]

I can accept 24th for Elon right now. Toward the end of the season both of the last two seasons key injuries have played a large part in in poor finishes. "If" is for children, but if we can stay healthy in key positions this season, Elon will finish far north of 24th.

[Redbird 4th & short]

I can accept 24th for Elon right now. Toward the end of the season both of the last two seasons key injuries have played a large part in in poor finishes. "If" is for children, but if we can stay healthy in key positions this season, Elon will finish far north of 24th.
noted the top 4 CAA teams you played last year, 3 of 4 were on road ... and you went 1-3 with only win against JMU on road. This year you get those same 4 games with 3 of 4 at home .. that should help. Plus you open with NCAT with heavy roster losses in week 1 on road followed by a winnable home game against Citadel, then back on road against a weak Richmond .. before you hit the meat of your schedule. Assuming you didn't lose a lot, I can see improvement over 6-4 just based on scheduling year over year. Though I would assume Wake Forest and JMU are likely losses, so you would need to win 8 of the other 9 to finish 8-3 .. not likely in CAA. So I can see Elon finishing in hunt at 7-4, maybe 8-3.. certainly top 25 or better.

But that all largely depends on how many starters you return on offense and defense ??

[smallcollegefbfan]

First off...yes, the site sucks.

Second...anyone can get a .org website, it's not specifically paid for by tax dollars or anything...at this point, it's just another domain name like .com, .net, or whatever. Originally .com was for commercial sites, .net for network-related domains, and .org for non-profit organizations, but that's not really the case anymore. You do often see non-profits use .org and businesses use .com (when possible), but there's no rule saying they have to. One of the sites I run is a .org site and I don't get any money from anyone, government or otherwise, for it.
There are still reserved top-level domains: .edu (for higher ed institutions), .gov (government), .mil (military), etc.
But .org isn't one of them.

That is good to know. A long time ago I remember them being for non-profit organizations. Did not realize anyone can use those now just like a .com.

Do we still not know who runs this?

[Catatonic]

I don’t hate this poll. I don’t love it either. Maine at #4? EWU 10th?

[cx500d]

I don’t hate this poll. I don’t love it either. Maine at #4? EWU 10th?

I have a hard time thinking ewu is anything below top 4. They were great last year and I don’t think they are going to have a drop off this year.

Maine had a good run last year and I wanted them to go to the natty, but their offense tends to be hit or miss, and they just didn’t have the depth to compete as they got deep into their run. They won’t go as far this year


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Bisonoline]

I don’t hate this poll. I don’t love it either. Maine at #4? EWU 10th?

That makes no sense.

[CenMEBlackBearFan]

I don’t hate this poll. I don’t love it either. Maine at #4? EWU 10th?

I certainly agree that EWU deserves to be above Maine. Would have no problem swapping them for us but then I guess Towson, JSU and Weber should be below us. Then again that's why these preseason polls really don't amount to much. Maine returns 16 of 22 with the entire OL and the QB back and with 2 FBS transfer RB's to make up for Ramon Jeffersons departure. Maine has the potential to have another strong season. The defense which was #1 against the run in FCS should be solid as well. The question with this team will be discipline and leadership but everything is there to be successful.

[JSUSoutherner]

I certainly agree that EWU deserves to be above Maine. Would have no problem swapping them for us but then I guess Towson, JSU and Weber should be below us. Then again that's why these preseason polls really don't amount to much. Maine returns 16 of 22 with the entire OL and the QB back and with 2 FBS transfer RB's to make up for Ramon Jeffersons departure. Maine has the potential to have another strong season. The defense which was #1 against the run in FCS should be solid as well. The question with this team will be discipline and leadership but everything is there to be successful.
So you're just going to gloss over your new coaching staff?

[CenMEBlackBearFan]

So you're just going to gloss over your new coaching staff?

When I mentioned discipline and leadership were question marks for this team guess I should have stated that was because of new coaching staff.xnodx
How will you guys be this year?

[JSUSoutherner]

When I mentioned discipline and leadership were question marks for this team guess I should have stated that was because of new coaching staff.xnodx
How will you guys be this year?

Phenomenally mediocre, probably.

[Catatonic]

It's relative to my conference. And UCA should be top 15 in my opinion.

Concur. SLC coaches and SIDs got this one right. UCA has the talent to be very dangerous this year.

[MR. CHICKEN]

I have a hard time thinking ewu is anything below top 4. They were great last year and I don’t think they are going to have a drop off this year.

Maine had a good run last year and I wanted them to go to the natty, but their offense tends to be hit or miss, and they just didn’t have the depth to compete as they got deep into their run. They won’t go as far this year


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

.......MAINE....RACKED UP.....MO' FLYIN' MILES.......DAN....UH GREEN DAY.....CROSS COUNTRY TOUR.........JET LAG DRAGGED......DUH BEARS DOWN......AWK!

[clenz]

.......MAINE....RACKED UP.....MO' FLYIN' MILES.......DAN....UH GREEN DAY.....CROSS COUNTRY TOUR.........JET LAG DRAGGED......DUH BEARS DOWN......AWK!
Poor babies had to leave the friendly confines of the New England region.

We know that can be a real sore point for teams up there.

I'll save you the time with your predictable reply


bwark....bull**** bwarks still....beated de pathurz in cedur fulls..bwakrsakasfj


Got it.

[CenMEBlackBearFan]

.......MAINE....RACKED UP.....MO' FLYIN' MILES.......DAN....UH GREEN DAY.....CROSS COUNTRY TOUR.........JET LAG DRAGGED......DUH BEARS DOWN......AWK!

No doubt two cross country trips is not a good recipe for success but since EWU outplayed us so badly just gonna tip my hat to them. This year's team on paper looks every bit as good but I also realize a new coaching staff has to earn it's stripes just like the players. It also seems like every team loses their QB for a couple of games so think most teams realize this and an adequate 2nd QB is a necessity!!!

[Professor Chaos]

Generally when you're playing road games in consecutive weeks in the playoffs you're playing good teams who were probably seeded higher than you. There's a reason why teams have gone something like 0 for their last 20 trying to win road playoff games in consecutive weeks and there's more to it than just travel.

[IBleedYellow]

Full yikes.

[JSUSoutherner]

Generally when you're playing road games in consecutive weeks in the playoffs you're playing good teams who were probably seeded higher than you. There's a reason why teams have gone something like 0 for their last 20 trying to win road playoff games in consecutive weeks and there's more to it than just travel.
It didn't seem to phase YSU any.

[Professor Chaos]

It didn't seem to phase YSU any.
They actually didn't do it in 2016 either. They won a home playoff game Thanksgiving weekend, on the road @JSU in round 2, at home against Wofford in the quarters, and then @EWU in the semis.

The last team to do it was Sammy in 2014 I believe (@JSU in round 2 and @Nova in the quarters).

EDIT: It was actually Colgate in 2015 who won @UNH in round 1 and @JMU in round 2. And it's 0 for the last 16 (or 14 if you don't count the two teams that were trying to win road playoff games in consecutive weeks and lost on the same day as Colgate won at JMU back in 2015).

[MR. CHICKEN]

No doubt two cross country trips is not a good recipe for success but since EWU outplayed us so badly just gonna tip my hat to them. This year's team on paper looks every bit as good but I also realize a new coaching staff has to earn it's stripes just like the players. It also seems like every team loses their QB for a couple of games so think most teams realize this and an adequate 2nd QB is a necessity!!!



.....NOT DEFENDIN'........"DUH BEARS"......SPANKIN'....BAH IGGLES......WAS RESPONDIN'.....TA cx500d's....CLAIM.....BEAR O....IS SPOTTY.....AN' NO DEPTH....TA COMPETE.....IN LATER ROUNDS.......BUT FUNNY.....HOW EVERYONE AGREED.....MAINE.....HAD HARD ROAD.........WHEN DUH DANCE WAS ON..............AWK!


.....GOOD TA SEE YA.....SMARTENED UP CLENZIE......YA SAVED ME....DUH RESPONSE TIME.....TA....SHOW YA UP.......AN' IT'S BRAWK!..........AWK!

[clenz]

They actually didn't do it in 2016 either. They won a home playoff game Thanksgiving weekend, on the road @JSU in round 2, at home against Wofford in the quarters, and then @EWU in the semis.

The last team to do it was Sammy in 2014 I believe (@JSU in round 2 and @Nova in the quarters).

EDIT: It was actually Colgate in 2015 who won @UNH in round 1 and @JMU in round 2.
Is going from Colgate to UNH to Colgate to JMU really a rigorous travel schedule?

Isn't that a bit like UNI going to Indiana State one week and then South Dakota State the next?

[Professor Chaos]

Is going from Colgate to UNH to Colgate to JMU really a rigorous travel schedule?

Isn't that a bit like UNI going to Indiana State one week and then South Dakota State the next?
Definitely not but I think the fact that the 16 teams since then that have tried to win road playoff games in back-to-back weeks and failed has had just as much to do with the fact that they're playing better teams than them as it has to do with travel.

[clenz]

Definitely not but I think the fact that the 16 teams since then that have tried to win road playoff games in back-to-back weeks and failed has had just as much to do with the fact that they're playing better teams than them as it has to do with travel.
Sure.

These kids are also flying chartered.

Game is over Saturday late evening and they are home in Maine within 8 hours. They are already on a completely normal routine by the time they wake up mid morning on Sunday.

They fly out Friday - as any travel day would be - and within a couple hours on a chartered plane they are at their next location.


There isn't anyone other than Farley that commando raids anyone anymore. This last year we played Indiana State on Thursday night after a Saturday game. The team flew out of Waterloo at like 11AM, landed in Indiana at noon. Hung out for a few hours at a meeting place, went to the stadium, played the game, and were back in Cedar Falls within 12 hours of leaving town.

[Redbird 4th & short]

They actually didn't do it in 2016 either. They won a home playoff game Thanksgiving weekend, on the road @JSU in round 2, at home against Wofford in the quarters, and then @EWU in the semis.

The last team to do it was Sammy in 2014 I believe (@JSU in round 2 and @Nova in the quarters).

EDIT: It was actually Colgate in 2015 who won @UNH in round 1 and @JMU in round 2. And it's 0 for the last 16 (or 14 if you don't count the two teams that were trying to win road playoff games in consecutive weeks and lost on the same day as Colgate won at JMU back in 2015).

ISUr did it a week later than SHSU in 2014 ... as 5 seed ISUr beat #4 EWU on road in qtrs, then beat #1 UNH on road in semis

If this is being measured in miles .. Chicago to Spokane is 1,800 each way, Normal to Durham is 1,150 each way. Colgate trips were 250m and 330m each way. SHSU traveled 1,550m and 750m each way.

[JSUSoutherner]

They actually didn't do it in 2016 either. They won a home playoff game Thanksgiving weekend, on the road @JSU in round 2, at home against Wofford in the quarters, and then @EWU in the semis.

The last team to do it was Sammy in 2014 I believe (@JSU in round 2 and @Nova in the quarters).

EDIT: It was actually Colgate in 2015 who won @UNH in round 1 and @JMU in round 2. And it's 0 for the last 16 (or 14 if you don't count the two teams that were trying to win road playoff games in consecutive weeks and lost on the same day as Colgate won at JMU back in 2015).
I completely forgot they played Wofford at home. I thought they went to some CAA team or something

[MR. CHICKEN]

Definitely not but I think the fact that the 16 teams since then that have tried to win road playoff games in back-to-back weeks and failed has had just as much to do with the fact thatthey're playing better teams than them as it has to do with travel.


....... "DUH BEARS"........SLOBBER KNOCKED....#2 DWEEBER STATE.......PRIOR TA E. WASH...........AN' TRAVELLED TA BOOT............AWK!

[Professor Chaos]

....... "DUH BEARS"........SLOBBER KNOCKED....#2 DWEEBER STATE.......PRIOR TA E. WASH...........AN' TRAVELLED TA BOOT............AWK!
Yeah, hard to argue Weber St was better than Maine just like it's hard to argue that Maine was better than EWU. Of course Weber St beat EWU earlier in the season.... AGS.

[JSUSoutherner]

Yeah, hard to argue Weber St was better than Maine just like it's hard to argue that Maine was better than EWU. Of course Weber St beat EWU earlier in the season.... AGS.
If Maine is better than EWU then JSU is better than Maine.

[Reign of Terrier]

I think it's hard to disentangle losing to tough teams on the road because they are good or because it's on the road, especially when it involves flight.

Most teams outside of the MVFC/Big Sky don't regularly fly. On the top of my head, Wofford only flies to play FBS teams and playoff teams. I think the last time we flew somewhere and one was either Jacksonville State (2010), if we flew there as opposed to driving (I think we drove) or Montana (2007).

Now that I think of it, I think that may have been the only game Wofford has flown and won in the last 20 years.

So, that's only one data point, but that's why I hate road playoff games

[clenz]

I think it's hard to disentangle losing to tough teams on the road because they are good or because it's on the road, especially when it involves flight.

Most teams outside of the MVFC/Big Sky don't regularly fly. On the top of my head, Wofford only flies to play FBS teams and playoff teams. I think the last time we flew somewhere and one was either Jacksonville State (2010), if we flew there as opposed to driving (I think we drove) or Montana (2007).

Now that I think of it, I think that may have been the only game Wofford has flown and won in the last 20 years.

So, that's only one data point, but that's why I hate road playoff games
UNI is almost exactly the geographic midpoint of the MVFC. Even UNI flies to more places than it buses

Flights for UNI:
UND (starting next year...well 2022 is the first time we play them i guess)
NDSU
ISUb
MSU
SIU

Bus
WIU
ISUr
SDSU
USD

If SDSU wasn't an hour on a bus any way after flying in I think SDSU might be a flight.

Meanwhile, UNI basketball flies to ever game except Drake (2 hours) and Illinois State/Bradley on weekend games (4 hours each). During the week i believe they fly.

[CenMEBlackBearFan]

If Maine is better than EWU then JSU is better than Maine.

JSU and the Southern Speed had it all over Mainexdrunkyx
Have to admit you guys looked sharp in the matching white shirts, red ties, black blazers and red berets but coming onto the home field and jumping on the opponents midfield emblem might not have been the smartest thingxconfusedx

[Reign of Terrier]

UNI is almost exactly the geographic midpoint of the MVFC. Even UNI flies to more places than it buses

Flights for UNI:
UND (starting next year...well 2022 is the first time we play them i guess)
NDSU
ISUb
MSU
SIU

Bus
WIU
ISUr
SDSU
USD

If SDSU wasn't an hour on a bus any way after flying in I think SDSU might be a flight.

Meanwhile, UNI basketball flies to ever game except Drake (2 hours) and Illinois State/Bradley on weekend games (4 hours each). During the week i believe they fly.Underrated dimension of the FCS, because I think it does have a greater impact on things from scheduling to playoff play (if you fly everywhere it's NBD) is the fact that MVFC teams have to fly everywhere.

I have to reiterate bc I imagine one of their fans will tip their fedora and try to "um actually me" but my point is that it's an excuse for their advantage, just an explanation.

If you're used to flying everywhere, it's no big deal when you do it in the playoffs.

Also, Youngstown is closer to Spartanburg than Fargo, I think.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[Son of Eli]

Did Yale come up with a defense? Unless they did any top 25 ranking is a stretch


Agreed. Preseason polls mean nothing. We wont know until after the Dartmouth game how good this Yale team is.

[clenz]

Underrated dimension of the FCS, because I think it does have a greater impact on things from scheduling to playoff play (if you fly everywhere it's NBD) is the fact that MVFC teams have to fly everywhere.

I have to reiterate bc I imagine one of their fans will tip their fedora and try to "um actually me" but my point is that it's an excuse for their advantage, just an explanation.

If you're used to flying everywhere, it's no big deal when you do it in the playoffs.

Also, Youngstown is closer to Spartanburg than Fargo, I think.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
This is coming from someone that has never been on a plane...but....has lived in Iowa his entire life yet been to Vancouver/Vancouver Island (Victoria and even up to Port Hardy), out to the west side of the Appalachians, well into Canada north of Minnesota, through much of the Colorado region, and down the El Moquetito area of Mexico...reminder having been all those places and never been in a plane while living in Iowa my whole life....


"Not being used to flying" is nothing other than a weak excuse. You mean not being used to sitting on a chartered plane for 2 hours rather than a cramped ass bus for 4 hours? Yeah. What a disadvantage it is to fly. Why should UNI take a plane to Terre Haute - a less than 1 hour flight - when we could get on a bus and take the 7 hour bus ride to Terre Haute.


Maybe...I guess since I've never been on a plane...being able to travel at 400-500 MPH with more leg room does have a significant impact on a body that makes it impossible to win a game?

[ursus arctos horribilis]

This is coming from someone that has never been on a plane...but....has lived in Iowa his entire life yet been to Vancouver/Vancouver Island (Victoria and even up to Port Hardy), out to the west side of the Appalachians, well into Canada north of Minnesota, through much of the Colorado region, and down the El Moquetito area of Mexico...reminder having been all those places and never been in a plane while living in Iowa my whole life....


"Not being used to flying" is nothing other than a weak excuse. You mean not being used to sitting on a chartered plane for 2 hours rather than a cramped ass bus for 4 hours? Yeah. What a disadvantage it is to fly. Why should UNI take a plane to Terre Haute - a less than 1 hour flight - when we could get on a bus and take the 7 hour bus ride to Terre Haute.


Maybe...I guess since I've never been on a plane...being able to travel at 400-500 MPH with more leg room does have a significant impact on a body that makes it impossible to win a game?

Been on both and I'll take a bus every time. NFL teams fly all the time and I remember seeing a stat years back at how a team flying more than a 1000 miles a 2nd week in a row was very unlikely to win. May have been more to that story but I do think it has an affect. I am more tired after flying every time for whatever reason.

Plus, there is always the thought on your mind with any shake or turbulence that it's real possible your life could end in an instance. Not that it doesn't happen more often on a bus but YOUR thoughts on it are what I am trying to impart here. I don't really know what it is but I think there is something to the flying thing and I don't believe it can be used an excuse either because the game has to be played so someone has to do it. It is that simple.

[JSUSoutherner]

Been on both and I'll take a bus every time. NFL teams fly all the time and I remember seeing a stat years back at how a team flying more than a 1000 miles a 2nd week in a row was very unlikely to win. May have been more to that story but I do think it has an affect. I am more tired after flying every time for whatever reason.

Plus, there is always the thought on your mind with any shake or turbulence that it's real possible your life could end in an instance. Not that it doesn't happen more often on a bus but YOUR thoughts on it are what I am trying to impart here. I don't really know what it is but I think there is something to the flying thing and I don't believe it can be used an excuse either because the game has to be played so someone has to do it. It is that simple.
Honestly the best thing about having a charter bus is you can lay on the floor and take a nap.

[Reign of Terrier]

This is coming from someone that has never been on a plane...but....has lived in Iowa his entire life yet been to Vancouver/Vancouver Island (Victoria and even up to Port Hardy), out to the west side of the Appalachians, well into Canada north of Minnesota, through much of the Colorado region, and down the El Moquetito area of Mexico...reminder having been all those places and never been in a plane while living in Iowa my whole life....


"Not being used to flying" is nothing other than a weak excuse. You mean not being used to sitting on a chartered plane for 2 hours rather than a cramped ass bus for 4 hours? Yeah. What a disadvantage it is to fly. Why should UNI take a plane to Terre Haute - a less than 1 hour flight - when we could get on a bus and take the 7 hour bus ride to Terre Haute.


Maybe...I guess since I've never been on a plane...being able to travel at 400-500 MPH with more leg room does have a significant impact on a body that makes it impossible to win a game?

I'm not saying it's an excuse, I'm saying it's possible explanation for teams acting less consistent on the road. I guarantee you a significant proportion of southern players take their first flight at a random time their freshman year to play a game.

I've only flown once (well, 3 times in one day) and it definitely did a weird thing to my bodily rhythm. It took me a couple days to adjust. If you're not used to flying AND you're the home team, that's not nothing. It's my understand that Wofford and a lot of these teams fly out on like Thursday for a game Sunday, and that would not have been good for me.


Been on both and I'll take a bus every time. NFL teams fly all the time and I remember seeing a stat years back at how a team flying more than a 1000 miles a 2nd week in a row was very unlikely to win. May have been more to that story but I do think it has an affect. I am more tired after flying every time for whatever reason.

Plus, there is always the thought on your mind with any shake or turbulence that it's real possible your life could end in an instance. Not that it doesn't happen more often on a bus but YOUR thoughts on it are what I am trying to impart here. I don't really know what it is but I think there is something to the flying thing and I don't believe it can be used an excuse either because the game has to be played so someone has to do it. It is that simple.

This is basically what I'm saying. I'm not saying it's the only reason, or the main reason. Just one factor among many. I'm not advocating for any change of policy or anything. It's part of the system and always has been and the only solution is for southern/eastern teams to play well enough during the regular season where they don't have to fly. It's just an underrated part of the system IMO.

[KPSUL]

Honestly the best thing about having a charter bus is you can lay on the floor and take a nap.

How comfortable is that, sleeping on your Tuba ?

[KPSUL]

A one or two hour flight is not an issue. How many time zones you cross, and the time of day of the game probably have the greatest effect on performance. If you fly from the East Coast to PST the three hour time difference means a 7pm stat time is actually 10pm to the visitors. Couple that with the fact that the night prior will likely have been far less than normal sleep hours, it is a factor in performance - although certainly not the most critical.
What Maine had to do in the Quarter's and Semi's was pretty much unprecedented. A trip to Utah followed by a trip to Eastern Washington the very next weekend. (how do you fly to Cheney WA anyways?) It is clearly wrong to claim that this schedule has little or no effect on players. Someone would have to have absolutely no experience flying long distance to make this argument.

[clenz]

You fly into Spokane and take a 20 minute bus ride

You can get from the airport in Spokane to EWU faster than you can the airport in most cities that are in the same zip code as the school

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[100%GRIZ]

Why the hell Montana State is on this list at all is beyond me - they don't even know who there QB will be yet!

[KPSUL]

You fly into Spokane and take a 20 minute bus ride

You can get from the airport in Spokane to EWU faster than you can the airport in most cities that are in the same zip code as the school

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk With a chartered flight, that's a lot closer than some other schools.

[JSUSoutherner]

How comfortable is that, sleeping on your Tuba ?

Our convoy includes a 53-foot semi trailer, most of the equipment goes on that. The rest fits under the busses.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Why the hell Montana State is on this list at all is beyond me - they don't even know who there QB will be yet!
Well they beat a lot of teams with their LB running the show last year so not sure they should not be on the list.