Semifinal Times and Television

[OhioHen]

Delaware at South Dakota State 12:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN
James Madison at Sam Houston State 2:30 p.m. EDT on ABC

WHY? Why schedule the two games such that the first one can't possibly be (officially) over before the second one kicks off? Noon and 3:30 would make much more sense.

[Professor Chaos]

Delaware at South Dakota State 12:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN
James Madison at Sam Houston State 2:30 p.m. EDT on ABC

WHY? Why schedule the two games such that the first one can't possibly be (officially) over before the second one kicks off? Noon and 3:30 would make much more sense.
Yeah, that's too bad but the ABC slot is valuable enough to make it worth it. Guessing that their schedule around the game is already set so that's how it had to work out.

This is also a very quick turnaround for SDSU. Their quarterfinal didn't end until after midnight ET on Sunday and now they kick off early the following Saturday so really only 5.5 days between games. At least they're both at home.

[OhioHen]

They could have used the 2:30 ABC and evening ESPN2 option as well.

[Hammerhead]

I'm just happy to see FCS football on ABC and ESPN even if the games overlap.

[BNATION]

This is huge for FCS football and especially for the programs involved. I'd bet the ABC game has decent ratings, this may help us some in the fall.

[caribbeanhen]

Yeah, that's too bad but the ABC slot is valuable enough to make it worth it. Guessing that their schedule around the game is already set so that's how it had to work out.

This is also a very quick turnaround for SDSU. Their quarterfinal didn't end until after midnight ET on Sunday and now they kick off early the following Saturday so really only 5.5 days between games. At least they're both at home.

I would say being the home team with an 11 AM kick off compounded by the fact that Delaware was in Alabama when that game started And now having to travel to Brookings is an advantage that South Dakota state will take every time

[Professor Chaos]

I would say being the home team with an 11 AM kick off compounded by the fact that Delaware was in Alabama when that game started And now having to travel to Brookings is an advantage that South Dakota state will take every time
Well, Illinois St broke the hex in the last playoff in fall 2019 to become the first team to win a road playoff game in back to back weeks when the last 17 teams (or something like that) that tried had failed.

[HensRock]

Well, Illinois St broke the hex in the last playoff in fall 2019 to become the first team to win a road playoff game in back to back weeks when the last 17 teams (or something like that) that tried had failed.

I remember when JMU won their first title in 2004, I believe they were the road team in every playoff game.

[Daytripper]

I remember when JMU won their first title in 2004, I believe they were the road team in every playoff game.

Sam Houston won back to back roadies versus JSU and Villanova in 2014 before getting thumped in the semis by the Bison.

[Professor Chaos]

I remember when JMU won their first title in 2004, I believe they were the road team in every playoff game.


Sam Houston won back to back roadies versus JSU and Villanova in 2014 before getting thumped in the semis by the Bison.
Yeah, the streak was between Colgate in 2015 and Illinois St in 2019... went back and looked and I think it was 17 straight times where a road team that won their first road playoff game lost on the road the next week.

[KPSUL]

I would say being the home team with an 11 AM kick off compounded by the fact that Delaware was in Alabama when that game started And now having to travel to Brookings is an advantage that South Dakota state will take every time

Two consecutive long road trips is taxing. In 2017, we (UNH) went to Central Arkansas and won a 2nd round game and then to Brookings for the Quarter Finals and got blown out by SDSU. That SDSU team was loaded and may have been at least as good as the 2021 Jacks, and this Delaware team looks better than that 2017 UNH team; however, it makes for an interesting comparison and is the primary reason I'm picking SDSU in this one. Additionally, that 2017 Jacks team traveled to JMU for the Semi's the next week (I'm thinking it was a Friday night game) and turned over the ball 10 times on their way to losing by 35.

[caribbeanhen]

Two consecutive long road trips is taxing. In 2017, we (UNH) went to Central Arkansas and won a 2nd round game and then to Brookings for the Quarter Finals and got blown out by SDSU. That SDSU team was loaded and may have been at least as good as the 2021 Jacks, and this Delaware team looks better than that 2017 UNH team; however, it makes for an interesting comparison and is the primary reason I'm picking SDSU in this one. Additionally, that 2017 Jacks team traveled to JMU for the Semi's the next week (I'm thinking it was a Friday night game) and turned over the ball 10 times on their way to losing by 35.

expecting kind of an old fashioned slobber knocker in this one, Henderson is going to be under some serious pressure and he needs to be able to just kind of relax and step up into the pocket and let the ball go, Delaware not going to be able to run the ball once again compounded by the pressure S Dak State will bring could potentially make for a long day for the Hens, Strong # 20 will be the difference in this game. I would say S Dak State is basically good but nowhere near unbeatable though, anything can happen in a slop fest but there is a reason Vegas is favoring the Jacks by a touchdown