Grambling State to go independent ??

[MACHIAVELLI]

GSU football needs to go independent
O.K. "Buddy" Davis, Executive Sports Editor
Ruston Leader
http://www.rustonleader.com/news.php?id=693

Suggestion for Grambling State University’s football program: exit the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Leave. Get out. Bolt.

Whatever, just move on to what can be many more opportunities and even more national exposure for one of America’s most successful and famous athletic teams.

With all due apologies to the 10-member league and the long standing relationship that the school has had with the conference, but it would behoove Grambling to be an independent football program.

Remain within the NCAA’s Division 1-AA ranks, but break away from any ties to the SWAC.

The Lincoln Parish school where the late and famous sports commentator Howard Cosell once said, “the trains don’t stop unless you flag ‘em down” can stand on its own in the football world.

Trust us, they can.

Grambling is one of the few, it not the only, historically black university where the success and tradition that it has enjoyed in this sport would allow it to be strictly an independent identity on the NCAA’s landscape.

Cosell, in fact, once referred to Grambling as “the black Notre Dame,” meaning that it’s a school that has a national following and reputation similar to the Fighting Irish.

The SWAC needs Grambling far more than Grambling needs the SWAC.

It’s Grambling that provides the major recognition factor for the conference. ...more...

[GannonFan]

Be careful what you wish for. Even the article alludes to the fact that the SWAC, with it's nine-game madate, is not always competition enough for Grambling. What happens when Grambling loses some of that 9 game schedule and schedules several IA teams as the article mentions, let alone other IAA teams? It's one thing to live on past glory in a league where the competition is a little minimal, but what happens to that past glory when you lose several IA games a year? Look at the success of IAA versus IA, it's not very pretty. On the whole, IAA almost always loses the game and in a lot of instances gets blown out. Even take Grambling for instance - this year, with a team that a lot of Grambling supporters rave about, went into Pullman Washington and got blown out by a Washington St team that finished near the bottom of the Pac 10.

I think Grambling can succeed outside of the SWAC, and if it makes them more involved in the IAA lanscape then I'm all for it (I know the Bayou Classic and therefore the playoffs aren't going to change, but playing more games outside of the SWAC would be welcomed) but I'd be wary of this barnstorming idea that floats up in the article - Grambling would win very few if any games if they went around the country playing various IA's, and would that tarnish the image of Grambling this article seems to hold in such high esteem?

[MACHIAVELLI]

Even take Grambling for instance - this year, with a team that a lot of Grambling supporters rave about, went into Pullman Washington

FYI the game was in Seattle at Quest Field.

[GannonFan]

FYI the game was in Seattle at Quest Field.

Thanks - not sure if that is better or worse for Grambling - rather than being beat badly by a bad IA team on a campus site, it was a pseudo-neutral site game. Doesn't change my opinion, trying to be a IAA team that barnstorms around the country playing IA's is a tough plan to succeed with.

[MACHIAVELLI]

Thanks - not sure if that is better or worse for Grambling - rather than being beat badly by a bad IA team on a campus site, it was a pseudo-neutral site game. Doesn't change my opinion, trying to be a IAA team that barnstorms around the country playing IA's is a tough plan to succeed with.

Never wanted it to change your mind. I was basically telling you that the game was actually played in Seattle. We told them we wouldn't play them in Pullman.

[TypicalTribe]

I thihk it would be fantastic for Grambling to give it a shot. Two I-As, four or five "Classic"-type games against SWAC teams, a couple of games against the MEAC and then round the schedule out with games against a local DII or I-AA team and maybe a game or two against teams from the I-AA power conferences. It would allow Grambling tremendous flexibility, they would make a ton of money and could only enhance their reputation.

Not sure what effect it would have on the rest of the athletic programs, but it would be an interesting experiment to see how it played out.

[ewu guy]

I still like what was mentioned in another thread about moving the NC game to Christmas week so the SWAC can send a team or two to the playoffs. IMO Grambling could get burned w/ an independent schedule if they had a streak of bad years.

[FlyBoy8]

I think it's a very good idea that, if done properly, could greatly benefit Grambling.

Do it, GSU.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Isn't there an elephant-sized hole in this argument? If Grambling exits the SWAC, wouldn't the SWAC just hold onto Southern all that much tighter, and kill the Bayou Classic out of spite? It's not as if the SWAC doesn't have other "classic" games that they also get revenue from. Sure the Bayou Classic is great, but if you got rid of it you wouldn't kill the SWAC by a longshot. I can say, however, that if Grambling alienates the other SWAC teams and they decide to fight back, things will change for GSU in a hurry.

If they want to see what greed can do to rivalries, just look at what happened to B-CC/FAMU a few years ago when FAMU had the illiusion of going to I-A. IMO if Grambling goes independent, it would be an equally doomed enterprise.

[jstate83]

Ya'll funny.....................and know VERY little about this conference. :nonono2:

Ya'll honestly believe that RAMBLIN' is the SWAC............... :bawling:
Man just 6 short years ago, pre-BELL, we were beating ya'll like children. Had ya'll arses crying like babies on the news every year. Then beat ya'll WITH BELL 2 years ago AT GRAMBLING....... BLOWOUT CAUSE IT WAS OVER BEFORE YA'LL KNEW WHAT HAPPENED.. :p

AGS................If Gram decides to go.....................THEY GONE.
THAT's IT.
Nothing more. :nono:

Go Ahead RAMBLIN'. :lmao:
Go Indi.................... :nod:..................then ya'll and TENN. ST. can schedule 10 games a season with each other. :lmao:

[SUjagTILLiDIE]

Ya'll funny.
Ya'll honestly believe that RAMBLIN' is the SWAC............... :bawling:

If Gram decides to go.....................THEY GONE.
THAT's IT.
Nothing more.

Go Ahead RAMBLIN'.
Go Indi.................... :nod:..................then ya'll and TENN. ST. can schedule 10 games a season with each other. :lmao:
If they only knew who really carries the SWAC.

[jstate83]

Like I said ................they funny. :nod:

[MACHIAVELLI]

Ya'll funny.....................and know VERY little about this conference. :nonono2:

Ya'll honestly believe that RAMBLIN' is the SWAC............... :bawling:
Man just 6 short years ago, pre-BELL, we were beating ya'll like children. Then beat ya'll WITH BELL 2 years ago AT GRAMBLING....... BLOWOUT CAUSE IT WAS OVER BEFORE YA'LL KNEW WHAT HAPPENED.. :p



The series record between ICON/Grambling and jsu.
ICON/Grambling-33
Jackson-20
Tie-1

Please tell everyone the truth about the 2004 game. The game was decided in the final 2 minutes of the game.

[MACHIAVELLI]

If they only knew who really carries the SWAC.

Tell us who carries the SWAC?

[SU Jag]

If they only knew who really carries the SWAC.

O, they know! But they'll never admit it! :)

[SU Jag]

Tell us who carries the SWAC?

It aint Grambling! :asswhip:

[MACHIAVELLI]

It aint Grambling! :asswhip:

Don't divert....Tell us who carries the SWAC.

[Mr. Tiger]

Of course, this has NO chance of happening. :rolleyes: It's completely silly. And no one team runs the SWAC. Southern, Jackson State and Grambling are the Big 3. And Alabama State and Alabama A&M are young emerging programs. And the rest I'm sorry to say is :boring:

[GannonFan]

And here I was thinking Prairie View was running things - go figure. ;)

[MACHIAVELLI]

Of course, this has NO chance of happening. :rolleyes: It's completely silly. And no one team runs the SWAC. Southern, Jackson State and Grambling are the Big 3. And Alabama State and Alabama A&M are young emerging programs. And the rest I'm sorry to say is :boring:


There is no such things as the Big 3.

[colgate13]

Serious question: what's up with the 'ICON/Grambling" stuff? What's the ICON all about?

[SU Jag]

Serious question: what's up with the 'ICON/Grambling" stuff? What's the ICON all about?

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing! :coach:

[SUjagTILLiDIE]

Don't divert....Tell us who carries the SWAC.
A certain school holds attendence records at most swac football stadiums. This same school has an athletic program which is head and shoulders above the rest(Commisioner's Cup). This same atheletic program was rated #129th athletic program in the nation by Sports Illustrated a couple of seasons ago. Beside FAMU(145), and Howard(186) no other HBCU was ranked in the top 200.

[FlyBoy8]

I'm not sure I'd be so anxious to admit that my team was the one "carrying" the SWAC.

Carrying it where?

[jstate83]

The series record between ICON/Grambling and jsu.
ICON/Grambling-33
Jackson-20
Tie-1

Please tell everyone the truth about the 2004 game. The game was decided in the final 2 minutes of the game.

The game was decided in the first half.
We hit ya'll 3 times before ya'll got your jocks on straight.
Don't lie. I was down there in that dug out crater watching it myself.

Ya'll spent the entire game down to the last 2 minutes just trying to catch up.

As far as overall records, hey, they change with the times. Ya'll got that gap during the Willie Lanier days. :nod:

But like I said, just a few short years ago, ya'll were crying like babies that we would run the score up on ya'll. So don't act like ya'll spead fear to anyone in tha conference. Heck, it took ya'll 10 dang tries to beat SU in the BC.


Remember scores like these 21-0...................52-0........................68-0...........it wasn't that long ago, we will be posting them again on ya'll. :nod:

[jstate83]

Serious question: what's up with the 'ICON/Grambling" stuff? What's the ICON all about?

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
Tellem' Grampex. :smiley_wi

[jstate83]

I'm not sure I'd be so anxious to admit that my team was the one "carrying" the SWAC.



Who cares what you would do. We ain't worried about yours ......whoever the heck that is, don't worry about ours.

[MACHIAVELLI]

A certain school holds attendence records at most swac football stadiums. This same school has an athletic program which is head and shoulders above the rest(Commisioner's Cup). This same atheletic program was rated #129th athletic program in the nation by Sports Illustrated a couple of seasons ago.


Is that the same school that has only about won 8 titles since ICON/Grambling entered the SWAC? Is that the same school that went 17 straight years without a SWAC title? Just asking

[FlyBoy8]

Who cares what you would do. We ain't worried about yours ......whoever the heck that is, don't worry about ours.

Somebody has to worry about it, or nothing will ever change.

[MACHIAVELLI]

The game was decided in the first half.
We hit ya'll 3 times before ya'll got your jocks on straight.
Don't lie. I was down there in that dug out crater watching it myself.

Ya'll spent the entire game down to the last 2 minutes just trying to catch up.

As far as overall records, hey, they change with the times. Ya'll got that gap during the Willie Lanier days. :nod:

But like I said, just a few short years ago, ya'll were crying like babies that we would run the score up on ya'll. So don't act like ya'll spead fear to anyone in tha conference. Heck, it took ya'll 10 dang tries to beat SU in the BC.


Remember scores like these 21-0...................52-0........................68-0...........it wasn't that long ago, we will be posting them again on ya'll. :nod:

Football is 60 minutes, not 30. Again the series record is not even close. 33-20. That means you would have to win 14 start times/years, Let's see what happens in the year 2020.

[jstate83]

Somebody has to worry about it, or nothing will ever change.

Not your decision.................ya'll hate the SWAC...............why worry.

Now excuse me..........................I hear the I-CON, :rolleyes: , calling.
:lmao:

[jstate83]

Football is 60 minutes, not 30. Again the series record is not even close. 33-20. That means you would have to win 14 start times/years, Let's see what happens in the year 2020.

So, it took MR. INDI 1-A 60 minutes to score 20 points on the worst coach that ever picked up a whistle.

Did you NOT read where I said that gap came during the WILLIE LANIER days. I wouldn't be surprised if Tank Williams was playing when that lead developed. As far as the year 2020, the way we expanding and building on our ENTIRE UNIVERSITY, no telling where we will be by then.:lmao:

Until 2000, that gap was in serious doubt.
But now the ship is being righted, and we will be back to our old JSTATE selves again.

[Mr. Tiger]

There is no such things as the Big 3.

There is no question that by far Southern, Jackson State and Grambling own most of the SWAC football championship. So what would you like to label these three schools? You can't tell me you actually think Grambling stands alone. :nono:

[TexasTerror]

I guess it "pays" to be in a conference that won what, two non-conference wins against Div I opposition?

[jstate83]

There is no question that by far Southern, Jackson State and Grambling own most of the SWAC football championship. So what would you like to label these three schools? You can't tell me you actually think Grambling stands alone. :nono:

Just like when someone mentions HBCU BAND ................everyone outside the "LOOP" thinks FAMU is the end all. That's all they know.

Same with GRAM in football .................the NAME is all they know.

It's all good though. :smiley_wi

[Jafus (Thinker)]

What conference membership would Grambling State University seek for the other sports they sanction?

[TexasTerror]

What conference membership would Grambling State University seek for the other sports they sanction?

The SLC?

Then again, I think Grambling would be a cellar dweller in softball, baseball, volleyball, soccer tennis and all the other sports they sanction. It would be the best geographic fit, but Grambling would be battling it out for the bottom spot in the Commissioner's Cup...

Grambling has been an easy 'W' for SLC schools in those aforementioned sports for years...

[SUjagTILLiDIE]

I guess it "pays" to be in a conference that won what, two non-conference wins against Div I opposition?
get of our ****:lmao:

[SUjagTILLiDIE]

The SLC?

Then again, I think Grambling would be a cellar dweller in softball, baseball, volleyball, soccer tennis and all the other sports they sanction. It would be the best geographic fit, but Grambling would be battling it out for the bottom spot in the Commissioner's Cup...

Grambling has been an easy 'W' for SLC schools in those aforementioned sports for years...
Whats your point, in the sports you named, the same thing could be said for Grambling in the swac.

[gram4life]

get of our ****:lmao:

Not going to happen, he loves them to much.

[colgate13]

Is that the same school that has only about won 8 titles since ICON/Grambling entered the SWAC?

There you go again... how's about a little explanation for your northern friends? :confused:

[snapshot]

What conference membership would Grambling State University seek for the other sports they sanction?Doesn't make sense for Grambling because of this.

[MACHIAVELLI]

There is no question that by far Southern, Jackson State and Grambling own most of the SWAC football championship. So what would you like to label these three schools? You can't tell me you actually think Grambling stands alone. :nono:

Grambling and the other two.

[MACHIAVELLI]

People keep in mind this is about ICON/Grambling possibly going DI-AA Independent not DI-A independent.

[colgate13]

People keep in mind this is about ICON/Grambling possibly going DI-AA Independent not DI-A independent.

I'll politely ask a third time if you could perchance take a moment of your busy time to explain the use of 'ICON' in your posts. I sincerely hope that you will have the common courtesy to answer an honest question. I would like to understand more about some of my I-AA brethern.

[MACHIAVELLI]

I'll politely ask a third time if you could perchance take a moment of your busy time to explain the use of 'ICON' in your posts. I sincerely hope that you will have the common courtesy to answer an honest question. I would like to understand more about some of my I-AA brethern.



“When you talk about football Grambling stands up there as an Icon type of name. When you think of Grambling, you think of Notre Dame, you probably think of places like Ohio State, Oklahoma, during the Bud Wilkinson days and other institutions that are synonymous with college football.” --- NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue's opinion on one of the most storied college programs of all time – the mighty G-MEN of Grambling State

[ewu guy]

Although I agree that Grambling has a significant amount of history associated with both academics and athletics, I don't think I'd go so far as to say any school who plays them would think of it in "iconic" terms. There is a difference between the prestige of a school and the ability of their atheltic teams.

[jstate83]

People keep in mind this is about ICON/Grambling possibly going DI-AA Independent not DI-A independent.

Again..................Go ahead. :)

Wonder in the wilderness like Tennessee St. did for 40 years.............. :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: .............................before the settled in they OVC..................... :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

[Jafus (Thinker)]

MACHIAVELLI,


Originally Posted by MACHIAVELLI
People keep in mind this is about ICON/Grambling possibly going DI-AA Independent not DI-A independent.

What conference membership would Grambling State University seek for the other sports they sanction?

[MACHIAVELLI]

MACHIAVELLI,

What conference membership would Grambling State University seek for the other sports they sanction?

Which one would you suggest?

[colgate13]

“When you talk about football Grambling stands up there as an Icon type of name. When you think of Grambling, you think of Notre Dame, you probably think of places like Ohio State, Oklahoma, during the Bud Wilkinson days and other institutions that are synonymous with college football.” --- NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue's opinion on one of the most storied college programs of all time – the mighty G-MEN of Grambling State

Thank you.

[Jafus (Thinker)]

Grambling Needs To Stay In The SWAC And Not Listen To Rumblings

by Gregory Moore, [email protected]
published on Jan 6, 2006

http://www.blackathlete.net/artman/publish/article_01417.shtml

SAN ANTONIO – I received an interesting e-mail today and when I read it, bells and whistles started going off in my head.

“Oh no,” I thought. “Not another HBCU thinking about going independent in NCAA competition”.

Yet that is exactly what this e-mail said as it turned out being sports op/ed piece. As a matter of fact the e-mail is actually an article from the Ruston Daily Leader written by their sports editor, O.K. “Buddy” Davis. It’s a good article for water cooler talk but it’s also a piece that could start something that would be very detrimental to Grambling State University and it’s a road that they do not need to even think about going. Mr. Davis says that Grambling needs to leave the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and become an independent. I say that Mr. Davis and the Grambling faithful might want to re-think their plans.

ONCE UPON A TIME, THE RATTLERS WANTED TO GO D-1

While Mr. Davis and many others may think there are greener pastures by becoming independent, what I see is another failure in Black college sports. It wasn’t that long ago that Florida A&M University had an athletic director and some boosters who thought that going Division 1 was the way to go. Ironically that thought came about because the football program was so dominant in the MEAC that many thought that the only way for this program to get any competition was to go up a ladder rung. In trying to make that move, the Rattlers were independent for one season. They scheduled four Division 1 football teams and got their collective rattlers taken away from them by those teams. Shortly after that season, Fred Gainous was fired and rightfully so.

But what was the sole purpose for then President Gainous to even think the football program was capable of being an independent powerhouse at the D-1AA level? What in the world would possess a school like FAMU to even think of such a move at that time? The only thing that I think could be influencing that decision at that time was the fact that they wanted ‘tougher’ competition and ironically this is probably what many at Grambling are thinking as well.

When the dust settled, FAMU returned to the MEAC conference. It was probably a humiliating experience for the school and the football program but right now it is the lesson that the Tigers should be looking at very closely. If Mr. Davis and the supporters of this idea think that Grambling’s football program is good enough to be an independent program at the Division 1-AA level, they will be in for a rude awakening. Grambling is nowhere close to being an independent than FAMU was in 2004.

SOME REALLY BIG DAWGS OUTSIDE OF THE SWAC

Maybe what many supporters of Grambling don’t realize just how strong many of these 1-AA teams are. For example does head coach Melvin Spears truly believe that his team can match a powerhouse like Georgia Southern? I’m going to be very frank with the Grambling faithful. Your school’s football program isn’t strong enough to take on Texas State. Or Cal Poly, Northern Iowa, Montana or Eastern Washington. As a matter of fact the school’s team would probably not fare well against any of the Top 25 1-AA teams of this past season and oh, by the way, that includes schools like Harvard, Princeton and other ‘lesser’ Division 1 schools.

You see when I got finished reading Mr. Davis’ article, what I found was a story that had more smoke than substance. He quotes Howard Cossell when the late sports caster called Grambling the “Black Notre Dame”. Okay lets get some analogies straight for the moment. If it were not for Eddie Robinson, Grambling would not even be on the map of college football. If it were not for Robinson and a few others orchestrating the Bayou Classic between Southern and Grambling, black college football as we know it would not even have the ‘outside’ audience that it is slowly gaining today. More importantly Grambling is not the only HBCU that many people will come up against. FAMU, Hampton, Delaware State, South Carolina State, BCC, Prairie View, Langston University, Clark Atlanta, Virginia Union and Tuskegee are just a few schools that come off the top of my head and I didn’t attend none of the schools. Sure I know Grambling is an HBCU school but that WAS ONLY after learning that Eddie Robinson was a brilliant head coach at the football program and that many of his players, including former Grambling coach Doug Williams, made their way to the NFL.

There is more to being an independent than just being a standout program and I would have thought Mr. Davis would have wrote that in his piece. When I bring out the fact that there are some really big dogs out in the Division 1-AA independence field, which also goes with the type of financial support that these schools are getting. Grambling cannot think of matching the monetary ledgers that schools like Cal Poly or Eastern Washington get. They cannot honestly think that they will be able to get into the playoff picture by taking paychecks from schools like a Texas A&M or TCU, run through a fairly tough schedule and then try to win five games to a national title. This school cannot have those types of coffers considering that not to long ago it was almost shut down because of financial ineptitude by administrators.

IT’S A DREAM THAT SHOULD BE FLUSHED QUICKLY

The bottom line to this whole debate is that while it may be nice for Grambling to think big, they are still a small pup when it comes to college football. Mr. Davis’ piece suggests that it may be nice to see Grambling take on teams like Notre Dame, Michigan State, etc. From this reader’s vantage point, the university needs to squash these plans with quickness. The board of regents needs to take this idea and file it somewhere so that it does not come back any time soon. The idea of playing schools like Notre Dame is fool’s talk because it makes no sense as a head coach to constantly be involved with at least two ass whoopings a season. That’s demoralizing to your team.

What should happen is that Spears, the board of regents, the president and athletic director need to go to the SWAC leadership and figure out what is the best solution for revenue hikes, continued fan support and also effectively put a winning product on the field. I’m a realist when it comes to ideas such as what Mr. Davis wrote in the Daily Ledger. If Grambling had the type of following at home, the type of financial backing like a Texas State or Georgia Southern, then I might entertain the idea of them going independent. However Mr. Davis and his piece are not the correct formula solution to that problem of little or no money. Without sounding like a broken record, this is the perfect reason why a black college football bowl game is needed but that story was already written in 2005.

All that anyone can ask is that before you jump on the Tigers’ bandwagon, do some serious research as to whether this team can handle the rigors of being an independent college. This decision is not just gong to affect football. It will definitely have an effect on the other sports programs and schedules. Being an independent means that you will have to take on some rigorous opponents. However let’s let things play out and let’s see if Mr. Davis’ article jars a few other folk out of their comas. Only time and a whole bunch of money can make this a done deal. If the deal falls through, it’s okay. But let us just see what happens in the next year or so. Maybe they will succeed. Maybe they won’t. Only time will tell in this instance.



-Gregory Moore is the Managing Editor of the San Antonio Informer, a weekly African American newspaper located in San Antonio, Texas. Gregory is one of Fox Sports Radio’s NBA analysts as well as a show contributor and frequent guest of Fox Sports Radio programming, Sporting News Radio programming, ESPN and various regional sports talk radio affiliates in Richmond, Virginia, Highpoint, North Carolina and Miami, Florida.

[TexasTerror]

Maybe what many supporters of Grambling don’t realize just how strong many of these 1-AA teams are. For example does head coach Melvin Spears truly believe that his team can match a powerhouse like Georgia Southern? I’m going to be very frank with the Grambling faithful. Your school’s football program isn’t strong enough to take on Texas State. Or Cal Poly, Northern Iowa, Montana or Eastern Washington. As a matter of fact the school’s team would probably not fare well against any of the Top 25 1-AA teams of this past season and oh, by the way, that includes schools like Harvard, Princeton and other ‘lesser’ Division 1 schools.

Uh oh! Did he just say that Grambling would get stomped by the elite of I-AA?

I can hear it coming...

waa waa

[SUjagTILLiDIE]

Uh oh! Did he just say that Grambling would get stomped by the elite of I-AA?

I can hear it coming...

waa waa
And who made the author of this strory God. Dude get off our ****.

[Mr. C]

Very nice column by Gregory Moore. He makes some very logical arguments there. I love the fact that Grambling is I-AA. Just wish this traditional powerhouse played a tougher schedule and had out-of-conference games with the best of I-AA each year. Junk the D-II games and play Montana, Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, Delaware, McNeese State, Northwestern State etc. on a rotating basis each year. And reschedule the Bayou Classic to a week earlier so you can compete in the playoffs.

[Mr. C]

And who made the author of this strory God. Dude get off our ****.
Dude, your rivalry is showing. Better adjust your clothing.

[Go...gate]

Davis' argument is not unique to the MEAC and the SWAC; you could say the same thing about many of the schools which had to move down to 1-AA in 1982. For one or two games they could step up against a lot of schools but playing a full diet of 1-AA would be suicide. I, too would love to see more matchups against SWAC/MEAC teams and the other 1-AA conferences.

[SUjagTILLiDIE]

Very nice column by Gregory Moore. He makes some very logical arguments there. I love the fact that Grambling is I-AA. Just wish this traditional powerhouse played a tougher schedule and had out-of-conference games with the best of I-AA each year. Junk the D-II games and play Montana, Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, Delaware, McNeese State, Northwestern State etc. on a rotating basis each year. And reschedule the Bayou Classic to a week earlier so you can compete in the playoffs.
The Bayou Classic's playing date will never change. :deadhorse . The Classic was in excistence before the playoffs so why didn't they start the playoffs the week after.

[MACHIAVELLI]

The Bayou Classic's playing date will never change.
The Bayou Classic playing date has changed atleast 3 times over the years.