Make or Break time

[crazzymark]

ISU holds it's playoff future in there own hands. It will take a 3-0 make from this point on to make the playoffs!! A win in the Unidome and then not take the foot off the gas against INSU and YSU, Big boy paints are required. :handgestures-thumbupleft: :eusa-shhh:

 

[rdt99]

I agree. We need to win out. I don't think 6-4 will make it, but I could be wrong.

 

[redbirdfan04]

I disagree guys. 7-4 (6-4) Gets us in but 8-3 (7-3) Could get us a top 8 seed.

 

[ricohill]

Interesting quote by Spack today in the Pantagraph on the St. Xavier game. "We thought we should a game," Spack said of filling an 11 game schedule. "That's the only game, I guess we could find. That's what I've been told."

Seems to me Larry is the one that scheduled the game to put us down a win before the season started and Spack doesn't seem happy about it.

I wouldn't want to be 7-4/6-4 on selection day. The problem with a loss the rest of the way is it will probably be viewed as a bad loss compared to losing to NDSU or SDSU.

 

[JHBird]

Interesting quote by Spack today in the Pantagraph on the St. Xavier game. "We thought we should a game," Spack said of filling an 11 game schedule. "That's the only game, I guess we could find. That's what I've been told."

Seems to me Larry is the one that scheduled the game to put us down a win before the season started and Spack doesn't seem happy about it.

I wouldn't want to be 7-4/6-4 on selection day. The problem with a loss the rest of the way is it will probably be viewed as a bad loss compared to losing to NDSU or SDSU.

I don't think losing at UNI will be a 'bad loss', after all they did handle SDSU there. But if you're saying we have one too many 'good losses' than I agree. No way can we lose another. If we win at UNI, I feel confident we'll beat the fake ISU and then YSU at home. I figure losing at home to SDSU is equal to losing to UNI at their place, but it won't look good that we didn't beat any of the good MVC teams.

Well, at least basketball is back ....

 

[Chi-bird]

I disagree guys. 7-4 (6-4) Gets us in but 8-3 (7-3) Could get us a top 8 seed.

The FCS playoffs are watered down as it is. If going 4-4 in conference gets one into the playoffs, then my opinion of being playoff worthy has gone to sh$:&(!t.

I understand the loss at NDSU and to SDSU, but still - if you can’t be a top conference team, why should you be given the opportunity to play for a National title?

 

[fourthandshort]

I disagree guys. 7-4 (6-4) Gets us in but 8-3 (7-3) Could get us a top 8 seed.

The FCS playoffs are watered down as it is. If going 4-4 in conference gets one into the playoffs, then my opinion of being playoff worthy has gone to sh$:&(!t.

I understand the loss at NDSU and to SDSU, but still - if you can’t be a top conference team, why should you be given the opportunity to play for a National title?

Just 24 of 130 teams make playoffs .. with typically 4 being undeserving auto bids. Other than FBS which limits its Natty playoff to 4 teams, virtually every other league at almost every level has playoffs that give many teams an opportunity to win title .. even the pros and HS's ... right ? So where do you cut it off ? And why would they punish the best conferences ?

 

[ricohill]

I disagree guys. 7-4 (6-4) Gets us in but 8-3 (7-3) Could get us a top 8 seed.

The FCS playoffs are watered down as it is. If going 4-4 in conference gets one into the playoffs, then my opinion of being playoff worthy has gone to sh$:&(!t.

I understand the loss at NDSU and to SDSU, but still - if you can’t be a top conference team, why should you be given the opportunity to play for a National title?

The big difference between FCS now and 10 to 20 years ago, is a lot of teams that were powers moved up to the FBS. It's watered down to begin with. The MVFC is one of the top 2 leagues, but you can't lose to Missouri State if you want to make the playoffs.

Losing to UNI isn't a "bad" loss to a bad team, but it almost eliminates ISU because UNI is going to get the bid ahead of us.

 

[Total Red]

The FCS playoffs are watered down as it is. If going 4-4 in conference gets one into the playoffs, then my opinion of being playoff worthy has gone to sh$:&(!t.

:text-+1: I'm also in the watered down group. The FBS has it right with a 4 team playoff but I doubt they will stay there as they eye more potential $'s with more games. Last season NDSU and JMU were clearly the best teams but they had to play extra games that seek to invalidate the regular season. At 10-1 in the ultra competitive MVFC NDSU belonged in the Championship game but upsets do happen and a 7-4 team can beat a superior 10-1on a lucky Saturday.

I actually favor a 10 game season and a 4 team playoff with no contact allowed in the spring. This puts the emphasis back on the "student" part of student-athlete. Players have more time to be students. They could home for Thanksgiving and Christmas and injuries would decline. I love eating, drinking and college football but moderation can be a good thing and sometimes less is more.

 

[redbirdfan04]

No way it is watered down. A 4 team playoff is a joke. Just give the trophy away to the top teams every then. The two reasons FBS has not adopted this system is money and the big boys are scared an UCF or another mid level fbs will beat them. Yes some of the weaker FCS conferences probably do not have playoff caliber teams but then why would they stay at the FCS if they are left out. Hey last year Northern Arizona got smoked by non scholarhip San Diego. With out the playoff system they would not have had a shot to even win that game. New teams will always emerge as the best FCS teams and some may move to the FBS. Before the season started if our record was 5-3 going into these last three games most of us would have been excited about our chances still.

Another reason as I actually like how the committee has put in at large teams based on more reasons than just record. Look over the last five years. The "bubble teams" that got in were from the better conferences that maybe didn't have a stellar record over a below average team with a ballooned record from a weaker conference.

 

[fourthandshort]

I disagree guys. 7-4 (6-4) Gets us in but 8-3 (7-3) Could get us a top 8 seed.

The FCS playoffs are watered down as it is. If going 4-4 in conference gets one into the playoffs, then my opinion of being playoff worthy has gone to sh$:&(!t.

I understand the loss at NDSU and to SDSU, but still - if you can’t be a top conference team, why should you be given the opportunity to play for a National title?

The big difference between FCS now and 10 to 20 years ago, is a lot of teams that were powers moved up to the FBS. It's watered down to begin with. The MVFC is one of the top 2 leagues, but you can't lose to Missouri State if you want to make the playoffs.

Losing to UNI isn't a "bad" loss to a bad team, but it almost eliminates ISU because UNI is going to get the bid ahead of us.

almost every good team loses a game they should not .. that includes NDSU, and sometimes to teams that didn't even make playoffs.

 

[redbirdfan04]

I disagree guys. 7-4 (6-4) Gets us in but 8-3 (7-3) Could get us a top 8 seed.

The FCS playoffs are watered down as it is. If going 4-4 in conference gets one into the playoffs, then my opinion of being playoff worthy has gone to sh$:&(!t.

I understand the loss at NDSU and to SDSU, but still - if you can’t be a top conference team, why should you be given the opportunity to play for a National title?

Well the top team in our conference happens to have won five of the last six national championships so I guess with that theory we shouldn't even have a football team! Oh and we have done fine against SDSU they got us this year but overall we have had great games with them. So many of us forget what this program looked like before Spack got here. It was ugly.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

No way it is watered down. A 4 team playoff is a joke. Just give the trophy away to the top teams every then. The two reasons FBS has not adopted this system is money and the big boys are scared an UCF or another mid level fbs will beat them. Yes some of the weaker FCS conferences probably do not have playoff caliber teams but then why would they stay at the FCS if they are left out. Hey last year Northern Arizona got smoked by non scholarhip San Diego. With out the playoff system they would not have had a shot to even win that game. New teams will always emerge as the best FCS teams and some may move to the FBS. Before the season started if our record was 5-3 going into these last three games most of us would have been excited about our chances still.

Another reason as I actually like how the committee has put in at large teams based on more reasons than just record. Look over the last five years. The "bubble teams" that got in were from the better conferences that maybe didn't have a stellar record over a below average team with a ballooned record from a weaker conference.

....remember that last paragraph come NCAA tourney hoop time so that you are consistent in your thoughts.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

The FCS playoffs are watered down as it is. If going 4-4 in conference gets one into the playoffs, then my opinion of being playoff worthy has gone to sh$:&(!t.

:text-+1: I'm also in the watered down group. The FBS has it right with a 4 team playoff but I doubt they will stay there as they eye more potential $'s with more games. Last season NDSU and JMU were clearly the best teams but they had to play extra games that seek to invalidate the regular season. At 10-1 in the ultra competitive MVFC NDSU belonged in the Championship game but upsets do happen and a 7-4 team can beat a superior 10-1on a lucky Saturday.

I actually favor a 10 game season and a 4 team playoff with no contact allowed in the spring. This puts the emphasis back on the "student" part of student-athlete. Players have more time to be students. They could home for Thanksgiving and Christmas and injuries would decline. I love eating, drinking and college football but moderation can be a good thing and sometimes less is more.

Agree 24 is almost participation trophy like for some teams that make the playoffs but 4 is too few as a legitimate national title team could get left out of the playoffs. I like 8 or 12 teams ideally but definitely no more than 16.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

ISU holds it's playoff future in there own hands. It will take a 3-0 make from this point on to make the playoffs!! A win in the Unidome and then not take the foot off the gas against INSU and YSU, Big boy paints are required. :handgestures-thumbupleft: :eusa-shhh:

I believe 3-0 gets them a good place in the tourney but anything less likely puts ISU out... at 6-4 it will be a charity bid if ISU makes it.

 

[Chi-bird]

I disagree guys. 7-4 (6-4) Gets us in but 8-3 (7-3) Could get us a top 8 seed.

The FCS playoffs are watered down as it is. If going 4-4 in conference gets one into the playoffs, then my opinion of being playoff worthy has gone to sh$:&(!t.

I understand the loss at NDSU and to SDSU, but still - if you can’t be a top conference team, why should you be given the opportunity to play for a National title?

Just 24 of 130 teams make playoffs .. with typically 4 being undeserving auto bids. Other than FBS which limits its Natty playoff to 4 teams, virtually every other league at almost every level has playoffs that give many teams an opportunity to win title .. even the pros and HS's ... right ? So where do you cut it off ? And why would they punish the best conferences ?

Football is a different animal and should be treated as such. FBS is far from perfect, but I still think its regular season and postseason is the best in sports.

As far as FCS goes, Im not suggesting 6-2 or even 5-3 isn’t playoff worthy, but finishing .500 in conference should not give you a shot at being the national champ.....Maybe a tourney champ, though.

 

[Chi-bird]

No way it is watered down. A 4 team playoff is a joke. Just give the trophy away to the top teams every then. The two reasons FBS has not adopted this system is money and the big boys are scared an UCF or another mid level fbs will beat them. Yes some of the weaker FCS conferences probably do not have playoff caliber teams but then why would they stay at the FCS if they are left out. Hey last year Northern Arizona got smoked by non scholarhip San Diego. With out the playoff system they would not have had a shot to even win that game. New teams will always emerge as the best FCS teams and some may move to the FBS. Before the season started if our record was 5-3 going into these last three games most of us would have been excited about our chances still.

Another reason as I actually like how the committee has put in at large teams based on more reasons than just record. Look over the last five years. The "bubble teams" that got in were from the better conferences that maybe didn't have a stellar record over a below average team with a ballooned record from a weaker conference.

....remember that last paragraph come NCAA tourney hoop time so that you are consistent in your thoughts.

Exactly.

 

[fourthandshort]

why have a playoff unless the best teams make it ... 4-4 in MVFC is worth 7-1 or 6-2 in every other conference except Colonial and maybe Big Sky ... I say maybe in Big Sky because they have 14 teams and there is a lot more garbage in lower half of Big Sky than in lower half of MVFC. Typically 3 of those 4 losses by MVFC teams will be against top 10 teams, and the 4th possibly to an FBS or someone laid an egg .. like 90% of every other top 20 teams did .. some of which laid 2 eggs against weaker SOS.

And since there are typically 4 auto bids from weak conferences who are well outside the top 24. Which means essentially .. having 24 playoff teams should ensure legit top 20 teams make playoff .. putting the bubble debate aside for moment.

Top 20 in playoffs with shot at Natty, out of 130 teams .. 15% makes a lot of sense to me. 15% is watered down ?? Many more leagues at all 3 levels (HS, college, Pros) have far bigger % of teams making playoff. It should not matter all, if 1 or 2 of the top 20 went 4-4 in the MVFC. Goal is to find the top 20 ... period .. and reward that team with a playoff bid. That is the nature of all sports ... earn a shot at a post season.

 

[redbirdfan04]

why have a playoff unless the best teams make it ... 4-4 in MVFC is worth 7-1 or 6-2 in every other conference except Colonial and maybe Big Sky ... I say maybe in Big Sky because they have 14 teams and there is a lot more garbage in lower half of Big Sky than in lower half of MVFC. Typically 3 of those 4 losses by MVFC teams will be against top 10 teams, and the 4th possibly to an FBS or someone laid an egg .. like 90% of every other top 20 teams did .. some of which laid 2 eggs against weaker SOS.

And since there are typically 4 auto bids from weak conferences who are well outside the top 24. Which means essentially .. having 24 playoff teams should ensure legit top 20 teams make playoff .. putting the bubble debate aside for moment.

Top 20 in playoffs with shot at Natty, out of 130 teams .. 15% makes a lot of sense to me. 15% is watered down ?? Many more leagues at all 3 levels (HS, college, Pros) have far bigger % of teams making playoff. It should not matter all, if 1 or 2 of the top 20 went 4-4 in the MVFC. Goal is to find the top 20 ... period .. and reward that team with a playoff bid. That is the nature of all sports ... earn a shot at a post season.

:text-+1:
Great post! you said it much better than I. This is what I was getting at. I also believe the selection process for FCS playoffs and the NCAA basketball tournament are totally different discussions. Trying to say they are same is wrong IMO. Go Birds!

 

[Phantom]

IMHO we need to win out. There will be a bunch of teams on the bubble in the 7-4/6-5 range who did NOT have a non-DI team on their schedule. If/when it comes down to that, the SXU game will look as bad as the MSU loss.