STATS Poll: Sept. 25, 2023

[kdinva]

https://theanalyst.com/na/2023/09/eastern-washington-soars-into-fcs-top-25-poll-giving-big-sky-a-seventh-ranked-team/

1. South Dakota State (3-0, 0-0 MVFC), 1,398 points (54 of 56 first-place votes)
2. North Dakota State (3-0, 0-0 MVFC), 1,335 (2)
3. Montana State (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky), 1,288
4. Idaho (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky), 1,187
5. William & Mary (4-0, 2-0 CAA), 1,154
6. Holy Cross (3-1, 1-0 Patriot), 1,089
7. Furman (3-1, 1-0 SoCon), 1,044
8. Sacramento State (3-1, 0-1 Big Sky), 1,011
9. UIW (3-1, 0-0 Southland), 947
10. Southern Illinois (3-0, 0-0 MVFC), 913
11. Delaware (3-1, 2-0 CAA), 772
12. North Dakota (2-1, 0-0 MVFC), 704
13. Weber State (2-2, 0-1 Big Sky), 601
14. New Hampshire (2-2, 0-1 CAA), 591
15. North Carolina Central (3-1, 0-0 MEAC), 505
16. Villanova (3-1, 1-0 CAA), 494
17. Western Carolina (3-1, 1-0 SoCon), 479
18. Montana (3-1, 0-1 Big Sky), 420
19. Eastern Washington (2-2, 1-0 Big Sky), 358
20. Florida A&M (3-1, 2-0 SWAC), 346
21. UC Davis (2-2, 0-1 Big Sky), 297
22. UT Martin (3-1, 0-0 Big South-OVC), 241
23. Youngstown State (2-1, 0-0 MVFC), 234
24. Rhode Island (2-2, 2-1 CAA), 125
25. Central Arkansas (2-2, 1-0 UAC), 116

Dropped Out: Southeast Missouri (16),Samford (20), Mercer (21)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Southeast Missouri (1-3, 1-0 Big South-OVC) 103; Fordham (3-1, 0-0 Patriot) 82; Mercer (2-2, 0-1 SoCon) 62; Chattanooga (3-1, 2-0 SoCon) 55; Eastern Illinois (3-1, 0-0 Big South-OVC): 48; Austin Peay (2-2, 1-0 UAC) 33; Samford (1-3, 0-2 SoCon) 29; Tarleton (3-1, 1-0 UAC) 27; Northern Iowa (1-2, 0-0 MVFC) 23; UAlbany (2-2, 0-0 CAA) 22; Harvard (2-0, 1-0 Ivy): 12; Eastern Kentucky (1-3, 0-0 UAC) 7

[crusader11]

Minus Montana, this doesn't look too bad.

[taper]

Dropping Mercer completely out seems harsh. Losing to a team ranked higher than you is expected.

[F'N Hawks]

DA GRIZZZZZZ!!!!

[wcugrad95]

Agree with the Mercer statement. I would guess somebody just looked at the score rather than how the game played out. Furman is better than Mercer, but they were already thought of as better based on the last several week's worth of rankings. Montana lost to NAU but stays in. EWU looks good, but they jumped from not ranked into the poll pretty high at #19. But maybe the best comparison is Weber State. I get they played a team many consider possibly the best in FCS, but they lost 40-0 to the #3 team and they are #13 where Mercer lost to the #7 Paladins and they tumbled out.

[Sitting Bull]

Glad they are picking up on Villanova and Western Carolina.

[caribbeanhen]

Glad they are picking up on Villanova and Western Carolina.

Western Carolina put up 70 on Charleston Southern and News travels slow on what the Tribe put up

[wcugrad95]

77 - but who is counting :)

WCU threw a last second TD when a few weeks ago we took a knee to end the Samford game. To me it was not a good look, but in the end we were trying to let our true-FR 4th string QB get reps and throw the ball.

[crusader11]

Western Carolina put up 70 on Charleston Southern and News travels slow on what the Tribe put up

Just a gut feeling, but think W&M gets exposed at Elon this weekend. Tribe are right in the mix with UNH, UDel, URI, and Villanova (12-20ish) than they are top five. Unconvincing wins over bad teams like Wofford and Charleston Southern doesn't have me impressed.

[caribbeanhen]

77 - but who is counting :)

WCU threw a last second TD when a few weeks ago we took a knee to end the Samford game. To me it was not a good look, but in the end we were trying to let our true-FR 4th string QB get reps and throw the ball.

77 really ? Man that Bell is taking liberties.. haha

[FUBeAR]

Agree with the Mercer statement. I would guess somebody just looked at the score rather than how the game played out. Furman is better than Mercer, but they were already thought of as better based on the last several week's worth of rankings. Montana lost to NAU but stays in. EWU looks good, but they jumped from not ranked into the poll pretty high at #19. But maybe the best comparison is Weber State. I get they played a team many consider possibly the best in FCS, but they lost 40-0 to the #3 team and they are #13 where Mercer lost to the #7 Paladins and they tumbled out.
As a poster who has been screaming / yelling / stomping his feet / pulling out his hair / etc. over polls for years, FUBeAR is gonna run counter to that and say that rankings, at this point, in this season do not matter a whit for Mercer.

Mercer will not make or miss the Playoffs because of polls this year. If Mercer wins out and goes 9-2, they will make the Playoffs and might win the SoCon, but they will NOT be seeded...even if they win their next 7 games 100-0, they will not be seeded ... "Well, they really didn't play well against North Alabama and y'know they actually trailed Morehead in the 2nd quarter."... If they go 8-3, they will make the Playoffs IF that 3rd loss comes to WCU or Chatt in a close game AND that Team that gives the Bears their 3rd loss wins or finishes 2nd in the SoCon with Furman finishing in the other Top 2 spot, and with their (WCU/Chatt OR Furman) only other loss to the Champion, finishing 9-2. Any other scenario almost certainly leaves Mercer at home (again) with an 8-3 record. The accepted narrative will be that their 8 D1 wins aren't good enough and their losses are too bad. "Did you see that Ole Miss score?" They have no shot at the Playoffs if they finish 7-4 or worse. Nothing to even consider.

So - drop 'em out - rank 'em #122 - don't matter - this year.


OTOH - Idaho, Holy Cross, and W&M being ranked ahead of Furman at this point is just subjective anti-SoCon bias. Hopefully, despite W&M's cake-schedule, that situation will fully resolve as the season moves along, Furman will keep winning, and we'll see the Paladins get a Top 4 Seed if they deserve it vs. getting screwed out of it, as Samford was last year.

[wapiti]

7 Big Sky teams and its 4 weeks into the season.

and Sac State and UIW would take Furman to the woodshed if they played.

[caribbeanhen]

7 Big Sky teams and its 4 weeks into the season.

and Sac State and UIW would take Furman to the woodshed if they played.

No they wouldn’t

Holy Cross might though

[wcugrad95]

The good news is that in FCS, with the teams we are talking about here (Furman, Sac State, UIW, and Holy Cross) we have the potential to find out.

[FUBeAR]

Sac State and UIW would take Furman to the woodshed if they played.
No they wouldn’t

Holy Cross might though
Oh yeah...well FUBeAR's Dad might would beat up both of your Dad's...at the same time!

[crusader11]

No they wouldn’t

Holy Cross might though

I'd love to see HC and Furman get a home-and-home series going. I know they played Colgate not so long ago, with Furman winning convincingly both times.

[FUBeAR]

I'd love to see HC and Furman get a home-and-home series going. I know they played Colgate not so long ago, with Furman winning convincingly both times.
This would be interesting.

Might see a bit more mirror image than expected. Furman's 2nd year OC came from HC. Justin Roper - Atlanta native - who played @ Oregon and Montana - guess he had enough snow and slush. Haven't done a full deep-dive, but at-a-bit-more-than-a-glance, FUBeAR believes he has built FU's O similarly to how HC is built and what HC did/does.

[POD Knows]

As a poster who has been screaming / yelling / stomping his feet / pulling out his hair / etc. over polls for years, FUBeAR is gonna run counter to that and say that rankings, at this point, in this season do not matter a whit for Mercer.

Mercer will not make or miss the Playoffs because of polls this year. If Mercer wins out and goes 9-2, they will make the Playoffs and might win the SoCon, but they will NOT be seeded...even if they win their next 7 games 100-0, they will not be seeded ... "Well, they really didn't play well against North Alabama and y'know they actually trailed Morehead in the 2nd quarter."... If they go 8-3, they will make the Playoffs IF that 3rd loss comes to WCU or Chatt in a close game AND that Team that gives the Bears their 3rd loss wins or finishes 2nd in the SoCon with Furman finishing in the other Top 2 spot, and with their (WCU/Chatt OR Furman) only other loss to the Champion, finishing 9-2. Any other scenario almost certainly leaves Mercer at home (again) with an 8-3 record. The accepted narrative will be that their 8 D1 wins aren't good enough and their losses are too bad. "Did you see that Ole Miss score?" They have no shot at the Playoffs if they finish 7-4 or worse. Nothing to even consider.

So - drop 'em out - rank 'em #122 - don't matter - this year.


OTOH - Idaho, Holy Cross, and W&M being ranked ahead of Furman at this point is just subjective anti-SoCon bias. Hopefully, despite W&M's cake-schedule, that situation will fully resolve as the season moves along, Furman will keep winning, and we'll see the Paladins get a Top 4 Seed if they deserve it vs. getting screwed out of it, as Samford was last year.Hate to break the news to you but the CAKE schedule for W&M continues for the rest of the year basically, hell, they might beat Virginia and go undefeated, their conference schedule is as weak as it gets.

[Chalupa Batman]

OTOH - Idaho, Holy Cross, and W&M being ranked ahead of Furman at this point is just subjective anti-SoCon bias. Hopefully, despite W&M's cake-schedule, that situation will fully resolve as the season moves along, Furman will keep winning, and we'll see the Paladins get a Top 4 Seed if they deserve it vs. getting screwed out of it, as Samford was last year.

Holy Cross, Furman, and Idaho are all really close to each other IMO. I voted them in the order I listed, but really you could draw any order out of a hat and you wouldn't really be wrong. William & Mary staying ahead of Furman is a crime though.

[caribbeanhen]

I'd love to see HC and Furman get a home-and-home series going. I know they played Colgate not so long ago, with Furman winning convincingly both times.

and you know very well why my money is on Holy Cross!!

Matthew Sluka

[FUBeAR]

Hate to break the news to you but the CAKE schedule for W&M continues for the rest of the year basically, hell, they might beat Virginia and go undefeated, their conference schedule is as weak as it gets.
You forget FUBeAR is a HUGE Elon Fan. FUBeAR's Formerly Fightin' Former Christians are going to bless him with an upset of the Traditional Social Division from StolenLandsBurg this Saturday. If not them, Marmaduke will come thru for him in early November! FUBeAR loves BIG DOGS!!

https://www.pluggedin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/marmaduke-1024x772.jpg

[FUBeAR]

and you know very well why my money is on Holy Cross!!

Matthew Sluka
Furman's QB is an Armed Forces Service Member. Shocked at you disrespecting our Men in Arms that way.

Also - have you seen him play?

He takes no prisoners.

[taper]

Furman's QB is an Armed Forces Service Member. Shocked at you disrespecting our Men in Arms that way.

Also - have you seen him play?

He takes no prisoners.
That's a war crime.

[Preferred Walk-On]

...even if they win their next 7 games 100-0, they will not be seeded

Yes, they will.


OTOH - Idaho, Holy Cross, and W&M being ranked ahead of Furman at this point is just subjective anti-SoCon bias.

Ranking Furman ahead of Idaho or Holy Cross is just subjective anti-Big Sky/Patriot bias.


and we'll see the Paladins get a Top 4 Seed if they deserve it vs. getting screwed out of it, as Samford was last year.

Which top 4 seed do you switch from last year? And remember, NDSU had the closest loss to the eventual national champion last season (and without a bow-and-arrow, that is quite possible an SDSU loss).

[SeattleCat]

Which top 4 seed do you switch from last year? And remember, NDSU had the closest loss to the eventual national champion last season (and without a bow-and-arrow, that is quite possible an SDSU loss).

Actually Holy Cross and Montana State both lost by 21, NDSU lost by 24.

[taper]

Actually Holy Cross and Montana State both lost by 21, NDSU lost by 24.
NDSU lost by 2 in the regular season. We lost a ton of good players to injury and the portal when we met in the playoffs.

[caribbeanhen]

Furman's QB is an Armed Forces Service Member. Shocked at you disrespecting our Men in Arms that way.

Also - have you seen him play?

He takes no prisoners.

Poor baby…. Life at boot camp so tough these days

“My second year at PC I had to go to Fort Knox in Kentucky (https://nfldraftdiamonds.com/2023/07/kentucky-trainer/) for four months for Army officer training. During that time I did not have my phone for weeks at a time until we got out of the field to go to the barracks for a few day reset”

[FUBeAR]

Poor baby…. Life at boot camp so tough these days

“My second year at PC I had to go to Fort Knox in Kentucky (https://nfldraftdiamonds.com/2023/07/kentucky-trainer/) for four months for Army officer training. During that time I did not have my phone for weeks at a time until we got out of the field to go to the barracks for a few day reset”He also eats chicken 5 meals / day & 7 days / week. Mr. Huff is the last thing your band of sad transitioned roosters wants to see coming!

[FUBeAR]

Yes, they will.



Ranking Furman ahead of Idaho or Holy Cross is just subjective anti-Big Sky/Patriot bias.



Which top 4 seed do you switch from last year? And remember, NDSU had the closest loss to the eventual national champion last season (and without a bow-and-arrow, that is quite possible an SDSU loss).
* Won’t
* Not a thing or things
* You pick - 2022 Samford - full-strength (with healthy QB on his 2022 game), playing outdoors in decent weather beats any of the 4.

[Catbooster]

* You pick - 2022 Samford - full-strength (with healthy QB on his 2022 game), playing outdoors in decent weather beats any of the 4.
So many qualifiers in that sentence.xcoffeex

[SeattleCat]

NDSU lost by 2 in the regular season. We lost a ton of good players to injury and the portal when we met in the playoffs.

Fair, I thought the reference was more to SDSUs absolute destruction of playoff teams on their way to the Natty. You guys got hit pretty bad last year.

[caribbeanhen]

He also eats chicken 5 meals / day & 7 days / week. Mr. Huff is the last thing your band of sad transitioned roosters wants to see coming!

Of course I’ve seen him play, he’s very good but no Sluka, but that’s not a slight because Sluka has the magic

Good on him for joining the reserves, wrong service but I will accept his mistake

[crusader11]

Of course I’ve seen him play, he’s very good but no Sluka, but that’s not a slight because Sluka has the magic

Good on him for joining the reserves, wrong service but I will accept his mistake

Caribbean, you've been on Sluka before just about anyone else. Probably going back to before the Villanova playoff game in 2021. Curious...what game was it that you realized his talent?

[caribbeanhen]

Caribbean, you've been on Sluka before just about anyone else. Probably going back to before the Villanova playoff game in 2021. Curious...what game was it that you realized his talent?

Im not sure but it might have been his first game vs Fordham? didn’t the starter get pulled for Sluka in like the second quarter or something? Spring season 2021

i think I watched the game after it was played and coming into it had no knowledge of Sluka or Demorat and posted some back handed comment about both of them

Then again The only thing I really remember is I don’t remember what game it was, but it was love at first sight

[Preferred Walk-On]

* Won’t
* Not a thing or things
* You pick - 2022 Samford - full-strength (with healthy QB on his 2022 game), playing outdoors in decent weather beats any of the 4.

*Will
*Yes, it is a thing or thing
*NDSU did outscore the Bulldogs 17-9 in the 2nd half. Ifs and buts, I guess. If NDSU has Hunter Leupke, that is a 30 pt loss for the Bulldogs (think national championship previous year vs. Montana State), with their healthy QB, on natural grass outdoors in decent weather. Bulldogs also do not beat SDSU or MSU, and I don't think they outscore Sac St either...playing outdoors in decent weather.

[FUBeAR]

*Will
*Yes, it is a thing or thing
*NDSU did outscore the Bulldogs 17-9 in the 2nd half. Ifs and buts, I guess. If NDSU has Hunter Leupke, that is a 30 pt loss for the Bulldogs (think national championship previous year vs. Montana State), with their healthy QB, on natural grass outdoors in decent weather. Bulldogs also do not beat SDSU or MSU, and I don't think they outscore Sac St either...playing outdoors in decent weather.FUBeAR respects your right to be wrong.

[Preferred Walk-On]

FUBeAR respects your right to be wrong.

As I do yours…


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[Sader87]

Holy Cross and Furman have met exactly once on the gridiron.....the Paladins prevailing 21-14 down there in 1975. I wouldn't gloat too much though....the Saders were 1-10 that season, leading HC to poach Neil Wheelwright from Colgate in 1976.