Did the AD(Oday) Screw Montana out of the Playoffs by scheduling a D1 and a D2 school

[Griz0383]

Did the AD(Oday) Screw Montana out of the Playoffs by scheduling a D1 and a D2 schoolxconfusedx. With the the D2 school scheduled Montana has 10 D1 Schools which count toward the playoffs. After the probable Tenn loss we have Cal Poly, Eastern Wash and a trip to a very tough Sac ST. The Griz can only lose 2 more games to be eligible for the playoffs. With a huge ? on our O and at QB can we gel in time to win these early games.

Had a Beer with Ursusxcoffeexxthumbsupx and this is topic was discussed. It doesn't look good for the Griz IMO xprayx but this is exciting and i am looking forward to watch this unfold. Go Griz

[cannonballgsu]

GSU has the same problem.

[dbackjon]

Like many of the rest of us...

Just win and it will take care of itself.

[LeadBolt]

Scheduling a D2 and a FBS team makes it tough. Like many others, W&M has the same problem. As dbj says, winning will take care of itself, but you have scheduled yourself to where one loss is probable and the one win doesn't count, leaving 9 games to win 7 or 8 as a must, rather than having 11 chances to do the same thing.

[TheRevSFA]

SFA did the same thing..DII (McMurry) and Baylor. Ouch.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Like many of the rest of us...

Just win and it will take care of itself.

Yes dbj that is the obvious here. My point the other night was that after so many years of doing things the smart way and using an advantage at our fingertips by not scheduling the big name that in the year we chose to do so we don't find a decent new FCS school to come in and play. I don't mind us doing this cuz I want to see it (Tennessee) but it bugs me that we didn't mitigate this by trying to get an NEC or Big South team to come in and spend the money to help them and us out.

[superman7515]

Delaware continues its 50+ year series with D2 West Chester this year (only 2 more games left!) as well as our 16th meeting with Navy (7-8 overall). Navy could be a winnable game considering our record against them, but also in the same boat with an FBS & a D2 on the schedule.

[RabidRabbit]

Bought games are getting more scarse. Montana is still suffering because they avoid home/homes, and more especially returning the home game. Should have lined up UND earlier (like in 2009 for 2011).

[Silenoz]

If we can't beat Sac or defend our home turf against EWU and/or Poly we didn't deserve the playoffs anyways

[Silenoz]

Bought games are getting more scarse. Montana is still suffering because they avoid home/homes, and more especially returning the home game. Should have lined up UND earlier (like in 2009 for 2011).
You guys just can't ever let it go

[Franks Tanks]

FCS schools out west have it rough. Pretty soon nearly every FCS school west of the Miss. will be in the same conference so OOC games aganist FCS schools will be hard to come by. With the expanded playoffs Montana will absolutely get in with 8 wins, and will still most likley make the field with 7 wins.

[darell1976]

UND did that in 2012 with DII SD Mines and FBS San Diego State. It sucks you can only lose 2 games...but if you are good enough 7 wins shouldn't be a problem.

[doc pepper]

Cal Poly is even in a worse situation. Two FBS games against bowl winning schools last year (San Diego St. and No. Ill - winner of the MAC last year) and a D2 school. We could not find an FCS school to come to CP. We would have only had four home games if we didn't schedule the D2. We have to beat the Griz in Missoula to have a chance at playoffs. Can't wait to visit Missoula for the first time. I am sure the Griz would like a little payback from last year.

Being in the Big Sky in 2012 will be great for Poly scheduling next year.

[TheRevSFA]

I'd have loved for SFA to go out there. I'd fly out for the game. Cal-Poly is on the list of places I want to see a game.

[doc pepper]

It would be great if we could schedule SFA sometime. Not sure it would ever happen now with the move to Big Sky. We will have 8 conference games with three non-conference games. One nc game will definitely be FBS for the $$$.

PS on the Poly schedule - We also have defending nat'l champs EWU and So Dakota St. on the schedule this year. Probably our best team since 2008, but the schedule will be brutal.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Bought games are getting more scarse. Montana is still suffering because they avoid home/homes, and more especially returning the home game. Should have lined up UND earlier (like in 2009 for 2011).
Rabbid, you're a good dude but if you want to stick to that **** it doesn't bother me but it's just not the case. Cal Poly's coach was interviewed and on this very point you made he said "If Montana calls, you pick up the phone. It doesn't matter that they needed to buy us out of a game."

It is unlikely that we would have had a H&H with an NEC or Big South member anyway and would have just paid them for the time. I did not mention MVFC, CAA, Socon, or anyone else in the previous post because that is not what we would have needed back when they scheduled the Tennessee game. We needed a one hitter FCS team that we could pay a little money to and not mess with future schedules.

Like it or not SDSU benefited from us scheduling you when you were in flux and your performance in those games helped your program. Your schools position at the bargaining table is much stronger now than it was in 2004-2005 when those contracts were done.

[Tod]

In 2005 Portland State Played Cal, Oregon and New Mexico. They beat New Mexico, lost the other two and also lost to Montana and Montana State. Finished 7-4 and missed the playoffs. Now THAT is scheduling yourselves out of the playoffs!

[FargoBison]

Bought games are getting more scarse. Montana is still suffering because they avoid home/homes, and more especially returning the home game. Should have lined up UND earlier (like in 2009 for 2011).

NEC, Patriot, Ivy and Pioneer League teams don't count for FBS opponents so I don't exactly agree that buy games are becoming more scarce, but in order to do it you need to be a program that can shell out a $150k guarantee. Montana is certainly at that level and that is especially true if they are traveling to a place like Tennessee and collecting a big guarantee. Some of that guarantee can go to bringing in a FCS buy game, that is pretty much what NDSU does.

I do know this scheduling model has irritated some FCS coaches because they claim schools are "buying wins" but you know what...schools like Robert Morris or Albany going out and playing a Montana or NDSU is good for them and the subdivision. It isn't like they aren't capable of pulling off the upset on occasion.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

NEC, Patriot, Ivy and Pioneer League teams don't count for FBS opponents so I don't exactly agree that buy games are becoming more scarce, but in order to do it you need to be a program that can shell out a $150k guarantee. Montana is certainly at that level and that is especially true if they are traveling to a place like Tennessee and collecting a big guarantee. Some of that guarantee can go to bringing in a FCS buy game, that is pretty much what NDSU does.

I do know this scheduling model has irritated some FCS coaches because they claim schools are "buying wins" but you know what...schools like Robert Morris or Albany going out and playing a Montana or NDSU is good for them and the subdivision. It isn't like they aren't capable of pulling off the upset on occasion.

Exactly right FB and I really like the games against Albany and from everything I've seen from their fans they enjoyed the games at Montana. They didn't win but I had a much better idea of just how good they were and where they stood in the division after playing them. They got a lot of respect from playing Montana as well as they did and to be honest I think that went throughout the FCS ranks.

They are known and respected and even followed by people in Missoula due to those games. Other than playing them there would not be much of a reason for that to have happened.

Games like that do a lot of good for both sides I think.

[WyomingGrizFan]

I wish UofM would drop the game against Div. II Western Oregon on 05 Nov. Nothing personal but a game against a fellow FCS member would be better IMHO One team the Griz could invite would be the independent Texas-San Antonio for 05 Nov. They only have a ten-game schedule and another game would make it eleven. I think it would be a much better situation for the Griz as well to have another FCS opponent and this consideration would, I believe, benefit both parties.

If FCS teams are allowed to go with a 12-game schedule other teams that already have a 11-game schedule that have an open date on 05 Nov are: Elon, Missouri St., Duquesne, Bucknell, Delaware, Southern Utah and South Dakota.

I just can't ascertain the viability of scheduling a Division II school for a FCS program; maybe if they're in transition to becoming 1-AA, but not just to fill out a schedule for another home game. It hurts playoff consideration much too muchly these days.

Pay off the Div. II school the $ 50,000 or so, schedule Texas-San Antonio, if they're willing to travel to a somewhat chilly Missoula in early November, draw over 25,000 fans, break even on costs at the very least as far as I know; and have the game count toward the FCS Playoffs eligibility for both teams.

[Tod]

Exactly right FB and I really like the games against Albany and from everything I've seen from their fans they enjoyed the games at Montana. They didn't win but I had a much better idea of just how good they were and where they stood in the division after playing them. They got a lot of respect from playing Montana as well as they did and to be honest I think that went throughout the FCS ranks.

They are known and respected and even followed by people in Missoula due to those games. Other than playing them there would not be much of a reason for that to have happened.

Games like that do a lot of good for both sides I think.

Concur. I was at the last game that Albany played here in Missoula, and I've followed them pretty closely ever since. I was also impressed with their play.

[Tod]

I wish UofM would drop the game against Div. II Western Oregon on 05 Nov. Nothing personal but a game against a fellow FCS member would be better IMHO One team the Griz could invite would be the independent Texas-San Antonio for 05 Nov. They only have a ten-game schedule and another game would make it eleven. I think it would be a much better situation for the Griz as well to have another FCS opponent and this consideration would, I believe, benefit both parties.

If FCS teams are allowed to go with a 12-game schedule other teams that already have a 11-game schedule that have an open date on 05 Nov are: Elon, Missouri St., Duquesne, Bucknell, Delaware, Southern Utah and South Dakota.

I just can't ascertain the viability of scheduling a Division II school for a FCS program; maybe if they're in transition to becoming 1-AA, but not just to fill out a schedule for another home game. It hurts playoff consideration much too muchly these days.

Pay off the Div. II school the $ 50,000 or so, schedule Texas-San Antonio, if they're willing to travel to a somewhat chilly Missoula in early November, draw over 25,000 fans, break even on costs at the very least as far as I know; and have the game count toward the FCS Playoffs eligibility for both teams.

FCS teams aren't allowed 12 games except in years that the Saturdays fall in line just right. If I'm not mistaken, 2012 and 2013 will both allow 12 games. Or maybe it's 2013 and 2014, I can't remember. Not this year either way.

I'm also not too sure if UTSA would count this year. Do you have anything to back that up? Are they playoff eligible?

[Gil Dobie]

The DII games are not always a sure win either, and they don't count towards the playoff required wins.

[darell1976]

The DII games are not always a sure win either, and they don't count towards the playoff required wins.

Isn't that the truth right Montana and Northern Iowa!!

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Isn't that the truth right Montana and Northern Iowa!!

Didn't affect either team anyway for this discussion. It doesn't count as a win even when you win so if you're bringing them in just to make money on the home game and you don't have the pretty sure loss to the BCS team then the loss doesn't hurt ya anyway unless you and other teams are fighting it out at the 7 D1 win level.

I know you are trying to divert but Gil was not going for you anyway he was already going for the MT angle that doesn't matter.

[darell1976]

Didn't affect either team anyway for this discussion. It doesn't count as a win even when you win so if you're bringing them in just to make money on the home game and you don't have the pretty sure loss to the BCS team then the loss doesn't hurt ya anyway unless you and other teams are fighting it out at the 7 D1 win level.

I know you are trying to divert but Gil was not going for you anyway he was already going for the MT angle that doesn't matter.

Actually you are wrong!! Not only does it not count towards playoffs but it could ruin the teams confidence therefore jepordizing their chances at a playoff birth. My case in point 2006. 1-0 Northern Iowa hosting DII North Dakota in UNI's home opener. North Dakota shocks UNI 35-31. UNI finishes the year 7-4 (4-2 at home) and does NOT make the playoffs. Now instead of scheduling UND at home UNI could have scheduled another cupcake FCS team and got the W making it 8-3 and a playoff birth. But like Gil said DII games are not a sure win. Whether UND knocked UNI's concentration off is hard to say but its a possibility.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Actually you are wrong!! Not only does it not count towards playoffs but it could ruin the teams confidence therefore jepordizing their chances at a playoff birth. My case in point 2006. 1-0 Northern Iowa hosting DII North Dakota in UNI's home opener. North Dakota shocks UNI 35-31. UNI finishes the year 7-4 (4-2 at home) and does NOT make the playoffs. Now instead of scheduling UND at home UNI could have scheduled another cupcake FCS team and got the W making it 8-3 and a playoff birth. But like Gil said DII games are not a sure win. Whether UND knocked UNI's concentration off is hard to say but its a possibility.

Dude, if you want to believe that kind of horse **** then feel free. They ended up 7-4 in a year where other teams were at at least 7 wins and some 8 vyins for a playoff spot. Talking that kind of mystical psyche **** about a team that went 4-1 in the five games following with the only loss being a 1 point loss to an FBS is just dumb IMO.

C'mon man, don't start spinning some web of silly string like JBB does. I said it might make a difference on a 7-4 team on the bubble because it would have to be considered when comparing to other teams on the bubble but other than that...no.

Also with shaken confidence they won the next game against SDSU so your theory of mysticism falls apart in the very next game.

Sorry Darrel, nothing against ya but it is you that are on shaky ground here with this theory.

[darell1976]

Dude, if you want to believe that kind of horse **** then feel free. They ended up 7-4 in a year where other teams were at at least 7 wins and some 8 vyins for a playoff spot. Talking that kind of mystical psyche **** about a team that went 4-1 in the five games following with the only loss being a 1 point loss to an FBS is just dumb IMO.

C'mon man, don't start spinning some web of silly string like JBB does. I said it might make a difference on a 7-4 team on the bubble because it would have to be considered when comparing to other teams on the bubble but other than that...no.

Also with shaken confidence they won the next game against SDSU so your theory of mysticism falls apart in the very next game.

Sorry Darrel, nothing against ya but it is you that are on shaky ground here with this theory.

This still transitioning SDSU team lost to DIII Wisconsin-LaCrosse. So I would hope that UNI would've been able to win which they did but by only 10....at home!!

[ursus arctos horribilis]

This still transitioning SDSU team lost to DIII Wisconsin-LaCrosse. So I would hope that UNI would've been able to win which they did but by only 10....at home!!

Ok, I can see you want to cling to it so be my guest UNDJBB cuz I can't help ya.xthumbsupx

[darell1976]

Ok, I can see you want to cling to it so be my guest UNDJBB cuz I can't help ya.xthumbsupx

Please don't link me with JBB we have gone at in the past and I would like to forget about him.xarguex

[McNeese75]

FCS teams aren't allowed 12 games except in years that the Saturdays fall in line just right. If I'm not mistaken, 2012 and 2013 will both allow 12 games. Or maybe it's 2013 and 2014, I can't remember. Not this year either way.

I'm also not too sure if UTSA would count this year. Do you have anything to back that up? Are they playoff eligible?

UTSA is in transition and is not playoff eligible but they would count for Montana. The Griz are in the same situation as every team in the Southland and a lot of other FCS teams. As was mentioned earlier, just win and things will work out.

[Grizzaholic]

We still have MONTE.