4/10 SoCon Pick'em and Power Ranking Thread

[Mocs123]

Furman
The Citadel

Wofford
Western Carolina

ETSU
Mercer

[Mocs123]

Furman 24
The Citadel 17 – The ‘Dins get right with a win over their old rivals in Charleston.

Wofford 17
Western Carolina 14 – To be honest, I’m not sure if both coaches haven’t lost their teams in this game, but I think the Terriers have better talent so I’m going with Wofford in an ugly game.

ETSU 20
Mercer 21 – Alright, FUBeAR has me on the Cronic bandwagon and has reminded me that Mercer is unbeaten at home, so in a game I think is a tossup, I’ll give the home team the advantage.

What an odd power ranking it is with VMI at the top and the Terriers at the bottom.

1.) VMI – Yes they lost to ETSU, but they still control their own destiny whereas the Bucs do not so they keep the top spot.
2.) ETSU – Still in the playoff hunt
3.) Mercer – A dark horse for sure, but still could get the AQ if the planets align. Cronic is doing a good job.
4.) Furman – A better team than #4 – What happened to the offense on Saturday?
5.) Samford – A dangerous team when the offense is rolling.
6.) The Citadel – I think the Bulldogs are playing with 35 scholarship players, but came out and got the W on Saturday.
7.) Western Carolina – How many more years does Speir have in Cullowhee?
8.) Wofford – I think Conklin has lost this team. That’s why I have them last.

[FUBeAR]

To win the SoCon Championship...

1) VMI has to win 1 game at home
2) ETSU has to win 1 away game AND CIT has to beat VMI
3) Mercer has to win 1 home game AND win 1 away game AND CIT has to beat VMI

None of these, IMO, are outside of the realm of real possibilities.

CIT certainly appeared resurgent last week with the return of the heart & soul of their D along with their best QB, and other Players across their lineup. CIT will be very intent on winning their last 3 (1 already done) and proving that 11 straight was the anomaly - that they are a Team to be reckoned with this coming Fall. Meanwhile, VMI is without the heart & soul of their O & the killer of all “Cinderella stories” - DOUBT - may just start creeping in up in LexVegas. This, based on records to date / comparable scores / transitive properties is the least likely of the ‘events’ Mercer & ETSU need, but it’s, now, hard not to see a CIT win in this game as a very real possibility.

Certainly, Mercer or ETSU is capable of winning their H2H matchup. Anyone who says/feels otherwise has just not been paying attention.

Can Mercer beat Samford? Well, the Bears haven’t lost to those bullpups in 4 years (since 2017)...so it’s pretty difficult to not give a Mercer Team that will need to be 5-2 & winners of 5 of their last 6 (to matter) a pretty good shot at pulling that off.

Going to be an exciting 2 weeks for these 3 Teams - the 3 newest SoCon entries. Interesting, huh?

[kdinva]

To win the SoCon Championship...

VMI has to win 1 game at home
ETSU has to win 1 away game AND CIT has to beat VMI
Mercer has to win 1 home game AND win 1 away game AND CIT has to beat VMI

that's it in a nutshell.....unless SoCon office says something else...

[Mocs123]

Wofford is done.

https://woffordterriers.com/news/2021/4/5/football-opts-out-of-remainder-of-spring-season.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0kFvJDSsqP5iq4NnftMKS08R9I-L97kDdh-gSp8KHGO0p3QAsmo81OvEc

[FUBeAR]

Wofford is done.

https://woffordterriers.com/news/2021/4/5/football-opts-out-of-remainder-of-spring-season.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0kFvJDSsqP5iq4NnftMKS08R9I-L97kDdh-gSp8KHGO0p3QAsmo81OvEcTeary-ers gonna tear up. It’s what they do.

Yep - Woffraud Teary-ers now fall below the line into the Quitters Only rankings with the ChattaQuitta Mocks

[Daytripper]

Furman
The Citadel

Wofford
Western Carolina

ETSU
Mercer

[Mocs123]

Teary-ers gonna tear up. It’s what they do.

Yep - Woffraud Teary-ers now fall below the line into the Quitters Only rankings with the ChattaQuitta Mocks

At least we rank above someone in FUBeAR's rankings!

[Mocs123]

Wofford opting out also mercifully ends WCU's year.

It also ends Furman's season a week early.

[bonarae]

Furman
ETSU

[FUBeAR]

At least we rank above someone in FUBeAR's rankings!assumes facts not in evidence

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

I was 1-2 last week. Felt like Eddie Murphy's character in the movie "Trading Places" regarding the ETSU-VMI game. Just found out that Wofford went kaput on their season. This is my rankings for this week:

1) ETSU - Dethroned the Keydets
2) VMI - Is in good hands with Seth Morgan
3) Mercer - is this season's Lamb Bowl champions
4) Furman - maybe the win vs. ETSU was a fluke after all
5) Samford - gets an extended break (thanks a hell of a lot Chattaquitta)
6) Western Carolina - is bummed yet again as Wofford chickened out
7) The Citadel - At least they are not The Quitadel
Chattaquitta - lands here and rightfully so
Wofford - team just up and quit

This Week's Games
Furman @ The Citadel - Paladins come away with a win
Wofford @ Western Carolina (Canceled) - Was going to pick Western Carolina but that before Wofford quit
Samford @ Chattaquitta (Canceled) - Was going to pick Samford but you know where this is going
ETSU @ Mercer (Game of the Week) - ETSU shows up when you least expect them.

[apaladin]

Some never treated the spring season as a regular season nor took it seriously. Some teams should have come out and said, ok we will start but if thngs don’t go well we will quit, or in UTC’s case even if things do go well we’re still gonna quit, 😳 A shame for those who did take it seriously.

[The Cats]

Wofford opting out also mercifully ends WCU's year.

It also ends Furman's season a week early.

Our season was ended by two teams that "QUIT" in the season. Period. We can play, and don't quit if things don't go our way. But I saw two wins in those two last home games. WoffaQuitta played their 4 home games, then quit on their last two road games. ChattaQutta never intended on playing more than 4 spring games, regardless of what happened. Those two quitters cost WCU half of their home season by quitting the week they were scheduled to travel to Cullowhee.

[sinksdweller05]

Our season was ended by two teams that "QUIT" in the season. Period. We can play, and don't quit if things don't go our way. But I saw two wins in those two last home games. WoffaQuitta played their 4 home games, then quit on their last two road games. ChattaQutta never intended on playing more than 4 spring games, regardless of what happened. Those two quitters cost WCU half of their home season by quitting the week they were scheduled to travel to Cullowhee.

Inexcusable. There should be sanctions for this.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

Those two quitters cost WCU half of their home season by quitting the week they were scheduled to travel to Cullowhee.

Not to mention any and all chance of ETSU getting the autobid outright (assuming we beat Mercer). Had Wofford not up and quit, I would have suggested ETSU and Wofford play the last week of the regular season and move the Wofford-Furman game one week to the right.

I will bet you a dollar ETSU and Western Carolina will be playing Chattaquitta and Wofford in the fall with a chip the size of Neyland Stadium on their shoulders. Not to mention Samford playing Chattaquitta with a chip the size of Bryant-Denny Stadium on their shoulders. And lest we forget Furman playing Wofford with a chip the size of Death Valley on their shoulders.

[FUBeAR]

At least we rank above someone in FUBeAR's rankings!

Yes, you’re correct...Ranking of SoCon’s BIGGEST QUITTERS

SoCon Causers of cancelled games / BIGGEST QUITTERS

1. ChattaQuitta Mocks - 4 of 7 = 0.571
2. Wof-Fraud Teary-ers - 3 of 7 = 0.429
3. East Tennessee State Buccaneers - 0 of 7 = 0.000
4. Furman Paladins - 0 of 7 = 0.000
5. Mercer Bears - 0 of 7 = 0.000
6. Samford Bulldogs - 0 of 7 = 0.000
7. The Citadel Bulldogs - 0 of 7 = 0.000
8. Virginia Military Institute Keydets - 0.000
9. Western Carolina Catamounts - 0 of 7 = 0.000

[apaladin]

Western Illinois which is 1-5 has now quit, I think its a testiment of the sad state this country is in. Used to nobody wanted to be called a quitter. Now its not given a second thought and its ok to be a quitter. Sad. If the SoCon had any balls they would at least make WC and UTC play the road games they opted out of next year instead of playing those teams at home but of course there will be no consequenses for the quitters.

[OhioHen]

Furman
East Tennessee State

[walliver]

I think Wofford actually quit right after half-time last week. I was surprised the starting QB never returned to the game. A a lot of coaching decisions made a lot more sense after yesterday’s announcement.

I, for one, was pissed we cancelled the Furman game.

[FUBeAR]

I think Wofford actually quit right after half-time last week. I was surprised the starting QB never returned to the game. A a lot of coaching decisions made a lot more sense after yesterday’s announcement.

I, for one, was pissed that our Coaches were afraid to play Furman & prefer QUITTING over losing.
fyp

[walliver]

fyp
I saw that awesome Furman offense last week.

[FUBeAR]

I saw that awesome Furman offense last week....and below, FUBeAR has depicted in great detail the Offense, Defense, and Special Teams that the Wof-Fraud Teary-ers are currently featuring...

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7c/cb/01/7ccb010d8fddc4bcd84587ef3c34d100.jpg

[The Cats]

So, how many of the 5 in active quarantine are on the football team at WoffaQuitta? Their "opt out" of the remainder of the season was based on Covid19, right?

Taken right off the official Wofford Covid-19 site.......

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EyUiZwgWYAIJy2L?format=jpg&name=large

[kdinva]

Furman 24, The Citadel 16

ETSU 27; Mercer 20

[FUBeAR]

Picks

Furman @ bellhops - FUBeAR may love up on the bellhops next week, but this is certainly not the week to give those toy soldiers any kind of quarter. This week marks the 100th renewal of one of the most bitter rivalries in College Football. Horses have been maimed (by cadets), college students (well...cadets, anyway) have been roughed up & painted with the paint they brought to vandalize the most beautiful college campus in America, books (OK, a chapter of a book) have been written about this rivalry, and, worst of all, many a Furman Alum’s American Tourister has been scuffed by resentful, petulant CIT alums. And, 1 of the sides in this rivalry has consistently been outMANned by the other. Only 36 times in those previous 99 meetings have the bellhops been able to get enough of their Players a day off from the hotel to defeat the Furman MEN. Nothing changes this week. Furman wins the game 34-10, but tips big as the bellhops’ Players load the Paladins’ bags on the bus back to Travelers Rest.

ETSU @ Mercer - BIG stakes on the line for this Saturday night expected slugfest. If the Bears win AND also beat Samford next week AND CIT beats VMI next week, the Bears are SoCon Champions & Playoff bound. ETSU is still in the race also. I tried to tell my FU friends last week that despite the ‘rushing yards against’ statistics that they might want to read too much into, Mercer’s D is stout up front. They are, but ETSU’s OLine is very good & Holmes is probably the SoCon OPOY. This is the key matchup...well, there’s a corollary match-up to this that is equally as important. If Mercer cannot contain ETSU’s rushing attack, the Bears don’t have much of a chance of a win...UNLESS the ETSU Coaches lose their matchup vs. Ego/Patience. Even though they can complete a few passes, ETSU should NEVER throw the ball. If the MountainPirate Coaches lose that matchup, the Bears have a chance. Also, it’s been interesting, this week, to watch the ETSU Admin/Coaches talk about lining up a game for 4/17 to help their Playoff resume & talk about all kinds of machinations the SoCon should do with the schedule to get the Bucs another conference game so they can tie VMI’s winning % and get the AQ via their H2H win over VMI. Seems to FUBeAR that they’re kinda forgetting about a Team that has been dominant at home, has won 3 straight & 4 of their last 5. FUBeAR was not a Math Major, but if FU was recently 4 points better than ETSU on the road & 12 points worse than Mercer on the road, I cipher that Mercer wins this game by 16...but there is that pesky VMI transitive score equation to consider...so I’ll dial it back...but Bears move 1 step closer to their 1st SoCon Football Championship & top the Bucs 17-13.


PowerRanking

1) ETSU - knocked the Keydets off their perch
2) Mercer - definitely not the same Team that was awful in their opener @ Wof-Fraud
3) VMI - sorry Keydets; Morgan is good, but so many ‘little’ less obvious things that Udinski excelled at are not yet there yet in the youngster. Not the same Army without their Field General...and the D word (DOUBT) was recently seen en route to LexVegas
4) Furman - O has not been good, but the Paladins still have a top-tier Team. Expecting some jelling to occur in ChuckTown this week
5) Samford - I heard an interview with Coach Hatcher recently. Highly confident the Bulldogs are going to host the Bears on 4/17. That alone elevates them in FUBeAR’s rankings
6) WCU - Catamounts ain’t quitters. I bet their band plays on Saturday too!
7) bellhops - no quit in these warriors either. They gonna get whipped on Saturday & they know it, but they’ll still show up to face the Paladins for the 100th time.

QUITTERS only below this line
_____________________________










9T) ChattaQuitta Mocks - afraid to face 4 SoCon Teams, so they QUIT
9T) Wof-Fraud Teary-ers - returned to early season form and QUIT again - afraid to face 3 SoCon Teams, so they QUIT

[ElCid]

Picks

Furman @ bellhops - FUBeAR may love up on the bellhops next week, but this is certainly not the week to give those toy soldiers any kind of quarter. This week marks the 100th renewal of one of the most bitter rivalries in College Football. Horses have been maimed (by cadets), college students (well...cadets, anyway) have been roughed up & painted with the paint they brought to vandalize the most beautiful college campus in America, books (OK, a chapter of a book) have been written about this rivalry, and, worst of all, many a Furman Alum’s American Tourister has been scuffed by resentful, petulant CIT alums. And, 1 of the sides in this rivalry has consistently been outMANned by the other. Only 36 times in those previous 99 meetings have the bellhops been able to get enough of their Players a day off from the hotel to defeat the Furman MEN. Nothing changes this week. Furman wins the game 34-10, but tips big as the bellhops’ Players load the Paladins’ bags on the bus back to Travelers Rest.


But just for the record...

Series is tied up 5-5 over the last 10.

Go back to the last 65 games and you have a 33-32 record. Congrats on that dominating feat. Take away the early leather helmut years and within living memory, and you just haven't been that dominating. You've had winning streaks, but so have we.

I don't know how it will play out this year. I like that Furman and VMI are the last two games. Just in time for our team having gotten it together a bit, finally. All while Furman seems to be getting worse. And VMI is always a fight. And who would not want the Silver Shako?

Have I mentioned purple makes me puke? Or Furman sucks?

No way you win by that margin. You may win, but not by 24.

[FUBeAR]

No way you win by that margin. You may win, but not by 24.Maybe you’re right.

How much more than 24 are you thinking?

[ElCid]

Maybe you’re right.

How much more than 24 are you thinking?


I'm just curious who the replacement for the Ingles Game of the week will be since the Wofford/WCU game got canx. They have showed a SOCON game every week on TV this spring. At least by me. Hopefully it's The Citadel and Furman.

[ElCid]

I'm just curious who the replacement for the Ingles Game of the week will be since the Wofford/WCU game got canx. They have showed a SOCON game every week on TV this spring. At least by me. Hopefully it's The Citadel and Furman.

Just checked the TV listing and they have changed the game of the week to The Citadel/Furman. It's on CW.

[ElCid]

How about them Dogs. Truly, Furman sucks. Our D and special teams were very good today. Blocked punt for TD, pick 6, another int, held Furman to just 253 total yards. It was a good day. On to the Keydets.

[FUBeAR]

How about them Dogs. Truly, Furman sucks. Our D and special teams were very good today. Blocked punt for TD, pick 6, another int, held Furman to just 253 total yards. It was a good day. On to the Keydets.
Furman absolutely sucked today...but...

...have to give so much credit to the CIT Players. So easy for losing to become an ingrained habit when you’re 0-fer yer last 11, but they just lined up & played with heart against Wof-Fraud and Furman. Wof-Fraud did not in the 2nd half & Furman did not, at any point, demonstrate they have the required heart to win Football games.

Furman has much work to do between now and 9/4 when the NC A&T Aggies come to Travelers Rest. MUCH WORK!

GO BULLDOGS! BEAT the roos!!

...unless Mercer falls to ETSU or Samford. Then, I’d kinda like to see VMI win the SoCon & make the Playoffs.

[The Cats]

How about them Dogs. Truly, Furman sucks. Our D and special teams were very good today. Blocked punt for TD, pick 6, another int, held Furman to just 253 total yards. It was a good day. On to the Keydets.

Serious question to the Citadel fans. Why the Jekyll and Hyde football this year?

[Mocs123]

I’ll be pulling for the Bears tonight.

I’ll also be pulling for Furman on 9/4. That’s a marquee matchup that the SoCon needs Furman to win- just like the SoCon needs UTC to beat Austin Peay.

[CID1990]

Serious question to the Citadel fans. Why the Jekyll and Hyde football this year?

We played most of the earlier part of the season with players either hurt or suspended, on top of the opt-outs that affected all the other teams. The suspensions came from a campus bookstore SNAFU of some kind, but we had to sit 4 players for each game over a large part of the season. Those benched included our QB and our All SoCOn LB also missed some time due to injury.. I think against Samford we had less than 40 on the roster. Last week and this week we were back up to almost full strength but at one point during the season we had more freshmen playing than any other class. We're looking forward to VMI and then the fall.

[ElCid]

We played most of the earlier part of the season with players either hurt or suspended, on top of the opt-outs that affected all the other teams. The suspensions came from a campus bookstore SNAFU of some kind, but we had to sit 4 players for each game over a large part of the season. Those benched included our QB and our All SoCOn LB also missed some time due to injury.. I think against Samford we had less than 40 on the roster. Last week and this week we were back up to almost full strength but at one point during the season we had more freshmen playing than any other class. We're looking forward to VMI and then the fall.

I'm pretty sure we have someone spending time on the baseball diamond as well. But you just about covered it. If you actually consider that we were in every game except Samford, it bodes very well for the fall. Yeah we will lose a few starters, but I think we already lost most already. QB looked good. Still needs to work the passing thing, but his shiftiness was in full gear. And I love our BBack situation.

[FUBeAR]

Hmmm ... someone has suggested that VMI could Covid-out of their Home Game vs. their arch-rival, The Citadel Bulldogs...and clinch the SoCon Title & AQ bid by doing so.

If they play, they risk losing & losing the Title to Mercer. If they don’t play, they win the Championship ‘automatically.’

The VMI Keydets wouldn’t do that...would they?

I don’t think they would.

[CID1990]

Hmmm ... someone has suggested that VMI could Covid-out of their Home Game vs. their arch-rival, The Citadel Bulldogs...and clinch the SoCon Title & AQ bid by doing so.

If they play, they risk losing & losing the Title to Mercer. If they don’t play, they win the Championship ‘automatically.’

The VMI Keydets wouldn’t do that...would they?

I don’t think they would.

VMI would not do that.

I can think of, oh... about 7 schools that would. But not VMI.

[kdinva]

VMI would not do that.

I can think of, oh... about 7 schools that would. But not VMI.

no way, VMI would play the 3rd team and scout team first before crying to mommy

[ElCid]

no way, VMI would play the 3rd team and scout team first before crying to mommy

Yeah, I don't see that happening. Besides, you don't want an asterisk by that championship. Not facing every team would taste funny, especially not facing us. And while I would be rooting hard for you in any other circumstance, ...not this coming week.