Week 1 Biggest Shocker

[Milktruck74]

1. What team did them most damage to themselves this week?

2. Who helped their cause the most?



1. App St. - I didn't expect them to win, but I expected a much better showing. They looked slow and out of sync (granted they will look better against FCS teams).

2. Richmond - I know it is the easy answer here (because they beat an FBS school), but I think the more important factor is the way they responded to the last few weeks.

Thoughts?

[Gil Dobie]

I agree with App St, they did not look like other App St teams of recent history

I wasn't surprised with Richmond, figured it would be close.

EWU's loss to Washington impressed me as much as SAC St win over Oregon St, IMO either Pac 12 or 16 or whatever could beat Duke.

[JALMOND]

Sac State's win over Oregon State---

Here's why, as compered to Richmond's win over Duke. Richmond has recent success, having won the national championship in 2008 and having been mentioned as a championship contender going back a while. Richmond is a successful FCS program. Duke football is at the other end of the spectrum from Duke basketball and the ACC has not really been that great a conference in recent years. Oregon State has had success in the Pac-10 (now Pac-12) recently under Riley and were not expecting a significant dropoff with the loss of Jaquizz Rodgers. Sacramento State has not had anywhere near the success of a Richmond, in conference play or overall. It was not long ago that you could pencil in a "W" for the Hornet game. A loss to them meant you were not going to have a great season.

[JALMOND]

Oops, I guess I missed the gist of the thread. My bad.

[JmuSkinsfan]

Most Impressed: Sacramento State
Most Disappointed: William and Mary / App State

I know there has been a lot of preseason hype for Sac State in their rank ... but this game shows they have put together a real good team. I don't know much about the west coast teams but they certainly will be one to watch this year.

I did not expect anything from App State and WM in terms of winning ... but did expect them to show something. Neither one really had a chance from the opening whistle ... and given each team's preseason hype I would have expected a bit more

... that being said ... one game v. an FBS team does not a season make ... as JMU fans will tell you after last season. In 2007 and 2008 JMU got blown out by UNC and Duke in the opener before going on to finish 8-2 and 10-0 respectively ... in 2009 JMU took Md to OT before going 6-4 and in 2010 JMU beat #13 VT before going on to finish 5-5 ...

[redspider]

Absolutely agree! I expected more from App State. Didn't think they would beat them but should have given more of a fight. From almost the first play they were outgunned.

Obviously agree with the spider comment. I thought we would be rattled losing out head coach during training camp. But we came out and took it to them. I think we have a good season ahead of us and will probably beat all of the expectations out there.

[Squealofthepig]

1) SEMO. It's hard to evaluate teams sometimes that are out of the major conferences, but a home loss to SIU will have me doubting the Redhawks for a good part of the season. Also: Can we make this a yearly rivalry?

2) OK, I really think Sac State, but I'm going to give this to Richmond. Yes, it was Duke, but this is also a team that's had more than its fair share of off-season turmoil, and getting their act together and beating Duke says a lot about the character of the team.

[phoenix3]

I was shocked that App put no scores up until the 3rd Q and after they already had 52 scored against them.

Richmond definately impressed. After the loss of their head coach they had a great performance.

Homer alert!!! I was also impressed that Elon hung with Vanderbilt for three quarters and actually had higher total yardage production and 10 minutes more TOP than Vanderbilt for the game. Now we'll see if we can build on these small successes and delete some of the brain dead miscues.

[Milktruck74]

Richmond may just be my "East Coast Bias" and the More I think about it, Sac ST did have the more significant win vs a quality FBS program....However, regrouping after the turmoil of losing you head coach weeks before the season is pretty significant too. I'll call it a tie!!!

[The Eagle's Cliff]

I'll agree with the App St./W&M, but point out the trouble Jax St. and Wofford had as shocking.

I'm most impressed with Sac St. and EWU. Honorable mention goes to Eastern Ky in a 10-7 loss to Kansas St and Stony Brook for taking UTEP to OT.

Post Script congrats to Citdog's team for putting the Pioneer League in its place.

[TTUEagles]

Biggest shocker: that I actually held my 3-year old through a monsoon, sans ponchos, throughout the Iowa/TTU game; and was able to make it to the bitter end, even with a 1 1/2 hour delay...

Seriously...EKU keeping it close with K-State (good job Colonels!)

[Apphole]

I'm not making excuses, but after last year VT prepared for this App team like it was the rose bowl. But we also perfomed horribly. I'll be the first to say that Deandre choked. I knew it was gonna be ugly as soon as we fumbled the second handoff. To look at the positives, at least this wakeup call happend in a non conference game. A&T, Savannah St and especially UTC and Wof are going to be playing a very pissed off very good App St team.

[Twentysix]

I'm not making excuses, but after last year VT prepared for this App team like it was the rose bowl. But we also perfomed horribly. I'll be the first to say that Deandre choked. I knew it was gonna be ugly as soon as we fumbled the second handoff. To look at the positives, at least this wakeup call happend in a non conference game. A&T, Savannah St and especially UTC and Wof are going to be playing a very pissed off very good App St team.

App st dropped 9 or 10 spots in my poll. But I have no doubt they will climb back up the ladder if it truly was VT being amazing and not app tanking.

[Apphole]

App st dropped 9 or 10 spots in my poll. But I have no doubt they will climb back up the ladder if it truly was VT being amazing and not app tanking.

I think it was a very healthy serving of both. I don't however, think that was the same team that the conference opponents will see this year. I really think the offense will still put on a clinic when it matters.

[Twentysix]

I think it was a very healthy serving of both. I don't however, think that was the same team that the conference opponents will see this year. I really think the offense will still put on a clinic when it matters.

Its hard to keep you in the top 5 when you lose by over 50.. You must understand.. Wish you guys the best. Would love to go to boone in the playoffs, or maybe you could come here :p.

[Skjellyfetti]

For everyone that drops App 10 spots. I hope you drop Georgia Southern 10 spots after they get run off the field by Alabama.

[BigHouseClosedEnd]

Sac State was the most impressive. They beat a better opponent than Richmond did.

Least impressive was W&M and App State. Both are supposed to contend for a National Championship and neither showed up.

[dystopiamembrane]

Biggest Shocker?
Wofford

[The Eagle's Cliff]

For everyone that drops App 10 spots. I hope you drop Georgia Southern 10 spots after they get run off the field by Alabama.

I dropped App from #2 to #6. I think when you got beat by Florida and received the #1 Seed, no one complained. Saturday just raises some doubt which I'm sure y'all will work on erasing the next few weeks. As for your GSU-Alabama comment, I wasn't impressed at all with my Eagles against Samford. IF and that's a BIG IF we should happen to be near the top of the polls when the Alabama game rolls around, I hope Coach Monken conserves the starters and plays everybody. Also Va Tech is good, but they're definitely not Alabama or Florida. You know your guys should have played better as I'm sure Coach Moore and the players will freely admit.

[asknoquarter21]

Biggest Disappointment would be in order:
-Wofford
-Jax St
-Furman

This is based off not watching these games, but the box score specifically. Every one of these teams should have won handily and for whatever reason didn't.

Obviously ASU and W and M will take a hit in the rankings, but they played very motivated teams and you can't take a ton away from a money game like that. I honestly think VA Tech was the most prepared team I have ever seen in that game. Beamer ball was in full force scoring off of defense and special teams. ASU simply played a great team that had a great game, and App looked star struck. I expect ASU to be ranked around 6 or 7 in the next poll and stay there for a while until they start tearing through the Socon. They still matchup well with the Socon this season as the biggest weakness is the secondary which the option offenses don't exploit as well.

Most impressive:
-Sac St
-Richmond
-Eastern Washington
-N Iowa


I think each of these teams exceeded expectations and played well. Iowa St isn't a very good team, but still an impressive showing. Same with Richmond against Duke.

[Apphole]

VT is stronger than Florida this year and last

[Cocky]

Biggest Disappointment would be in order:
-Wofford
-Jax St
-Furman

This is based off not watching these games, but the box score specifically. Every one of these teams should have won handily and for whatever reason didn't.

Obviously ASU and W and M will take a hit in the rankings, but they played very motivated teams and you can't take a ton away from a money game like that. I honestly think VA Tech was the most prepared team I have ever seen in that game. Beamer ball was in full force scoring off of defense and special teams. ASU simply played a great team that had a great game, and App looked star struck. I expect ASU to be ranked around 6 or 7 in the next poll and stay there for a while until they start tearing through the Socon. They still matchup well with the Socon this season as the biggest weakness is the secondary which the option offenses don't exploit as well.

Most impressive:
-Sac St
-Richmond
-Eastern Washington
-N Iowa


I think each of these teams exceeded expectations and played well. Iowa St isn't a very good team, but still an impressive showing. Same with Richmond against Duke.

I was disappointed in JSU too, but our starting QB did go out with a broken leg. Hopefully we play better this week against UTC.

[Skjellyfetti]

Florida could have beaten us just as badly as Virginia Tech did this year if they wanted to.

They were up 35-0 on us last year... they just called off the dogs earlier than Virginia Tech did. They could have made it 80-0 if they wanted to. As could Virginia Tech. And they could do it to any FCS team. Don't kid yourself if you think your school would compete with them. xlolx

[steelbison]

Florida could have beaten us just as badly as Virginia Tech did this year if they wanted to.

They were up 35-0 on us last year... they just called off the dogs earlier than Virginia Tech did. They could have made it 80-0 if they wanted to. As could Virginia Tech. And they could do it to any FCS team. Don't kid yourself if you think your school would compete with them. xlolx

The same team that was beat last season? Lol. How soon we forget VT getting beat last season.

[bojeta]

Most Impressive:
Sac State
Eastern WA
Richmond
N Iowa

Disappointment:
Just about all the FBS losses. Score differentials were just too high in most cases.

[Skjellyfetti]

The same team that was beat last season? Lol. How soon we forget VT getting beat last season.

No. Not the same team that was beat last season.

That was 2010. And they were coming off 5 days rest after getting beat by Boise last year.

And part of our beatdown was revenge for getting beat by JMU the year before. They watched the JMU game as a team as motivation.

[cmaxwellgsu]

I wouldn't put App up there. Their Michigan is considered by most the biggest upset in college football, so that's going on the bulletin board every time they play an FBS opponent. As good as that win was, they're going to get a BCS type effort from now on.

Disappointments to me would be Furman, Wofford, and JSU. They should have all had easy W's (except maybe Furman), and two barely escaped while one fell.

I'll give the surprise to everyone who beat an FBS team or kept within a touchdown.