AGS Game of the Week - Week 7, Fall 2021

[Preferred Walk-On]

No top 10 matchups this week, but some middle-tier matchups of interest. Had about 5-7 more games that garnered consideration, but you can vote “Other”, if needed.

#23 North Dakota @ #4 Southern Illinois - Litmus test for Salukis...and exacting some revenge wouldn’t hurt either.

Sac State @ #6 Montana - Last time these two played, Hornets got the best of the Griz...but that was in Sacramento.

#8 Montana State @ #18 Weber State - Weber starts their run through the gauntlet

#9 James Madison @ Richmond - Spiders took a fall last time they played, as did the Dukes...redemption starts here.

#15 South Dakota @ #13 Northern Iowa - Can the Coyotes show they are upper-tier MVFC?

#38 North Carolina A&T @ #21 Kennesaw State - Big South separation game.

#39 Eastern Kentucky @ #24 Central Arkansas - This is where the Colonels show they are contenders...or the Bears do. Who cares, the turf is awesome!

#27 Virginia Military Institute @ #25 Mercer - Bears want to make this a two-team race with the championship decided on the last weekend of the season.

#29 Dartmouth (Ivy) @ #31 New Hampshire (CAA) - Ivy v. CAA...bragging rights?

[MSUBobcat]

MSU vs. Weber State for me - first "test" of the year for MSU, outside of Wyoming. MSU must win at least 1 of @WSU, @ EWU and @ UM to make the playoff, IMO. I don't care how bad you dominate the Weak Sisters of the Poor, losing to all the good teams you face and going 7-4 isn't making the cut. For Weber, a loss to MSU means they would have to win out to have any hope of making the playoffs and it's only Week 7, very early for what was assumed to be a strong BBQ team.

South Dakota @ UNI is a close second for me.

[Chalupa Batman]

I went with South Dakota @ Northern Iowa, because with the upcoming schedule for both teams it's pretty much a must win. Loser is looking at a 6-5 record while the winner has a path to 7-4.

[OhioHen]

I went with South Dakota @ Northern Iowa, because with the upcoming schedule for both teams it's pretty much a must win. Loser is looking at a 6-5 record while the winner has a path to 7-4.
Agreed. This elimination game was my choice.

[BEAR]

I gotta vote for EKU at UCA because it really is an elimination game for UCA at least.
You can’t lose to an FBS, the FCS national champion, and the MVFC cochampion and expect there to be enough games left to have a decent record or resume. It is a hard task ahead and dropping one more game will finish off post-season hopes IMO. Yeah it’s a homer vote but also a critical game for the FCS playoff picture for other conferences looking to get an extra bid from the AQ7.

[The Yo Show]

I gotta vote for EKU at UCA because it really is an elimination game for UCA at least.
You can’t lose to an FBS, the FCS national champion, and the MVFC cochampion and expect there to be enough games left to have a decent record or resume. It is a hard task ahead and dropping one more game will finish off post-season hopes IMO. Yeah it’s a homer vote but also a critical game for the FCS playoff picture for other conferences looking to get an extra bid from the AQ7.
MVFC co-champion? UCA lost to Missouri State right? Not knocking Missouri State but they aren't necessarily going to win a share of the MVFC championship... unless I am wrong about who UCA played from MVFC?

[Chalupa Batman]

MVFC co-champion? UCA lost to Missouri State right? Not knocking Missouri State but they aren't necessarily going to win a share of the MVFC championship... unless I am wrong about who UCA played from MVFC?

They were one of 4 co-champs from the spring, that’s probably what he’s referring to.

[BEAR]

They were one of 4 co-champs from the spring, that’s probably what he’s referring to.

That’s correct.

- - - Updated - - -


They were one of 4 co-champs from the spring, that’s probably what he’s referring to.

That’s correct.

[FUBeAR]

#27 Virginia Military Institute @ #25 Mercer - Bears want to make this a two-team race with the championship decided on the last weekend of the season.

LOL…The SoCon remains, firmly, a 6 Team race, IMO (numbered below, but not a ‘ranking’ list).
1) ETSU (3-0) of course
2) Mercer (3-0) of course
3) Samford (1-2), with 2 losses might be considered ‘out of it’ by some (including, it seems, most of their fans), but this is a very talented & dangerous Team with their 2 losses to the 2 current front-runners, who could very easily lose 2 SoCon games each, possibly more.
4) Furman (1-1) was a different Team with a QB change & more importantly, a demeanor change last week. If they can sustain that level of intensity, they may not lose another SoCon game.
5) VMI (2-1) showed their ability with win over Chatt. Can beat anyone on ‘AGS’ (as the saying goes) … had FCS darlin’ JMU on the ropes last spring, y’know.
6) Chatt (1-1) Top talent all over the field. Prone to stumble. Also prone to put a whippin’ on ETSU this week if the Bucs don’t play their best game of the year…and maybe even if they do. You don’t take an undefeated SEC Team (UKy) to the wire without elite talent

* Citadel (1-1), with only 1 loss is, mathematically, in the thick of the race…but FUBeAR just doesn’t see the ‘horses’ there to stay in it. So, they are not 1 of my 6 ‘in the race’…but they might surprise…as they did putting that L on VMI.

Woffy & WCU, both 0-3, particularly WCU, if they can get some of their wounded healed, can play spoiler to any of the above 6.

[grizband]

I went with Montana State vs Weber State, for the playoff and conference implications it carries for both teams. Montana State needs this win to stay with Eastern Washington atop the Big Sky Conference, while Weber State needs the victory to aide their diminishing playoff hopes.

[Preferred Walk-On]

LOL…The SoCon remains, firmly, a 6 Team race, IMO (numbered below, but not a ‘ranking’ list).
1) ETSU (3-0) of course
2) Mercer (3-0) of course
3) Samford (1-2), with 2 losses might be considered ‘out of it’ by some (including, it seems, most of their fans), but this is a very talented & dangerous Team with their 2 losses to the 2 current front-runners, who could very easily lose 2 SoCon games each, possibly more.
4) Furman (1-1) was a different Team with a QB change & more importantly, a demeanor change last week. If they can sustain that level of intensity, they may not lose another SoCon game.
5) VMI (2-1) showed their ability with win over Chatt. Can beat anyone on ‘AGS’ (as the saying goes) … had FCS darlin’ JMU on the ropes last spring, y’know.
6) Chatt (1-1) Top talent all over the field. Prone to stumble. Also prone to put a whippin’ on ETSU this week if the Bucs don’t play their best game of the year…and maybe even if they do. You don’t take an undefeated SEC Team (UKy) to the wire without elite talent

* Citadel (1-1), with only 1 loss is, mathematically, in the thick of the race…but FUBeAR just doesn’t see the ‘horses’ there to stay in it. So, they are not 1 of my 6 ‘in the race’…but they might surprise…as they did putting that L on VMI.

Woffy & WCU, both 0-3, particularly WCU, if they can get some of their wounded healed, can play spoiler to any of the above 6.

Ha, I got you to read the description and comment. My job is done here.

Also, I think your characterization of a six-team race is a bit optimistic; however, I would be disappointed if with 6 weeks left, the conference had already been decided (it clearly has not). Appreciate the breakdown. In fairness, I did say "want to make it a two-team race". ;)

[FUBeAR]

Ha, I got you to read the description and comment. My job is done here.

Also, I think your characterization of a six-team race is a bit optimistic; however, I would be disappointed if with 6 weeks left, the conference had already been decided (it clearly has not). Appreciate the breakdown. In fairness, I did say "want to make it a two-team race". ;)LOL2 - and, since you read my post, my work is also done.

SoCon is very good & very deep this year. Peeps don’t know/realize that.

With the exception of Chatt’s stumble against APSU, none of (my) 6 SoCon contenders lost an OOC FCS game they ‘shoulda’ won. Samford’s OOC FCS loss was to a Team that is undefeated in FCS & the other contenders won all their OOC non-FBS games. Even non-contender & winless in the SoCon, Woffy, beat a CAA Team that is currently tied in the top 1/3rd of the CAA standings. With ETSU’s takedown of a P5 FBS SEC, Chatt’s near-takedown of an undefeated FBS P5 SEC (UKy), and Mercer’s very respectable showing vs. then #1 FBS P5 SEC Bama, the OOC ‘seasons’ of the SoCon contenders this year must be viewed as highly successful.

I get that you see a 6 Team race as optimistic, but in their most innermost thoughts, FUBeAR guarantees the (non-delusional) Fans (and Head Coaches) of each of these 6 Teams KNOW that any one of the other 5 could beat them on…Any Given Saturday. We’ll see if ETSU is as good as their current resume looks over the next couple of weeks. If not, or if other SoCon Teams are just better than them, we could see a 4, 5, or, yes, 6 way tie for the SoCon Championship with each Team having 3 losses.*


* Not sure if that’s mathematically possible & don’t feel like cipherin’ it up…but it does sound good…well, not really “good,” but certainly interesting & crazy.

[Preferred Walk-On]

LOL2 - and, since you read my post, my work is also done.

SoCon is very good & very deep this year. Peeps don’t know/realize that.

With the exception of Chatt’s stumble against APSU, none of (my) 6 SoCon contenders lost an OOC FCS game they ‘shoulda’ won. Samford’s OOC FCS loss was to a Team that is undefeated in FCS & the other contenders won all their OOC non-FBS games. With ETSU’s takedown of a P5 FBS SEC, Chatt’s near-takedown of an undefeated FBS P5 SEC (UKy), and Mercer’s very respectable showing vs. then #1 FBS P5 SEC Bama, the OOC ‘seasons’ of the SoCon contenders this year must be viewed as highly successful.

I get that you see a 6 Team race as optimistic, but in their most innermost thoughts, FUBeAR guarantees the (non-delusional) Fans (and Head Coaches) of each of these 6 Teams KNOW that any one of the other 5 could beat them on…Any Given Saturday. We’ll see if ETSU is as good as their current resume looks over the next couple of weeks. If not, or if other SoCon Teams are just better than them, we could see a 4, 5, or, yes, 6 way tie for the SoCon Championship with each Team having 3 losses.*


* Not sure if that’s mathematically possible & don’t feel like cipherin’ it up…but it does sound good…well, not really “good,” but certainly interesting & crazy.

I do think the SoCon is stronger this year than the past few, and I can only say that a strong SoCon makes the FCS that much better. It has been the OOC showing (that you pointed out) that has been on my radar. If they do start cannibalizing each other (e.g., 4-way tie for the conference title due to multiple losses), it will be interesting to see what the playoff selection committee would do.

[Iridebikes]

This is the first of a series of games that may determine the conference. EWU's next two games after this week are Weber and MSU.

[Catbooster]

Lots of good games to choose from. I went with the homer pick, MSU @ Weber.

I think Weber's a good team. None of their losses, individually, are too damaging but to have 3 already puts their backs against the wall with MSU and then EWU on the road still to come. Huge pressure on them for the EWU game if they lose this one.

While we have a short week, they had a bye last week.

With Weber, EWU and UM - all on the road - coming up, losing this would put us in a tight spot for hopes of getting a seed in the playoffs.

[Daytripper]

Are the Richmond fans still figuring out how to vote through their Jitterbug phones?