Top 25

[TreRoberson4Heisman]

https://twitter.com/FCS_STATS/status/894598015167721476

Preseason #20 (STATS)

 

[TreRoberson4Heisman]

Anyone know when the Coaches poll should be announced?

 

[Redbirdwarrior]

SIX of the T 25. The SEC of the FCS indeed.

I think 20 is about right based on the end of last season. I have us finishing the season T15.

 

[TreRoberson4Heisman]

18 in the Coaches

 

[isuquinndog]

18 in the Coaches

Indeed, we are 18 in the coaches poll.

http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fcs/fcs-coaches-poll

 

[fourthandshort]

i've alwasy felt 15-18 feels about right for pre-season. Then watch us climb as defense begins to dominate and offense starts to click slowly but surely.

 

[Total Red]

i've alwasy felt 15-18 feels about right for pre-season. Then watch us climb as defense begins to dominate and offense starts to click slowly but surely.

I agree on the offense getting better over time but the schedule will also include tougher defenses in the back half. So will we score more points in the back half of the schedule? Will an improved offense prevail over tougher defenses? My prediction is "no".

 

[fourthandshort]

i've alwasy felt 15-18 feels about right for pre-season. Then watch us climb as defense begins to dominate and offense starts to click slowly but surely.

I agree on the offense getting better over time but the schedule will also include tougher defenses in the back half. So will we score more points in the back half of the schedule? Will an improved offense prevail over tougher defenses? My prediction is "no".

100% agreed ... but if schedule were flipped, we would be in some amount of trouble offensively. The NDSU game will likely be featuring 2 of the top 5 defenses in country .. may need special teams or defense to help offense put some points on board that day.

SDSU is very solid but not great on defense - though is is road game, so that makes them tougher. I think WIU will have an ok defense - though home, so that game doesn't worry me. YSU will be tough as usual on defense - and on road, so possibly tougher ... but nowhere near as dominant as last year.

Note, NAU and USD lost a lot of starters off of weak defenses from last season .. so no worries there. The rest are all average to below average defense s ... by MVFC standards. And we don't play UNI, who will have a very good defense again.

Co-OC/OL Coach Clark knows what he is doing and is well-respected/liked by players. I believe he will have this group ready to compete as schedule ramps .. there will be some bumps along the way, but they will be largely ready. But to your point ... no, we won't likely be lighting up scoreboard against teams like NDSU and YSU. But we may be ready to against SDSU and WIU.

I believe this scheduling "ramp" is perfectly laid out for a nice playoff run ... in theory, with just a small cup of Redbird Koolaid needed.

 

[TreRoberson4Heisman]

Number 15

https://twitter.com/NCAA_FCS/status/904735982926356481

 

[isuquinndog]

Up to 18 in media poll

https://twitter.com/FCS_STATS/status/904748483328040960

 

[TreRoberson4Heisman]

https://twitter.com/NCAA_FCS/status/907272637944143872

14 in Coaches. Seven MVFC teams in the Top 25!

2 North Dakota State (2) 626 2 2-0
4 South Dakota State 574 4 2-0
5 Youngstown State 515 T-6 1-1
14 Illinois State 273 15 1-0
18 Northern Iowa 181 T-21 1-1
22 Western Illinois 112 NR 2-0
23 South Dakota 102 NR 2-0

 

[Source]

Athlon Sports FCS Power Poll
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/fcs-rankings-power-poll-week-4-2017
2- NDSU
3- SDSU
7- YSU
9- SD
13- WIU
15- ILST
24- UNI

 

[TreRoberson4Heisman]

Number 12! https://twitter.com/NCAA_FCS/status/909809351124226055

Massive rise for South Dakota

MVFC:
2 North Dakota State (1) 625 2 2-0
4 South Dakota State 575 4 3-0
5 Youngstown State 530 5 2-1
12 Illinois State 334 14 2-0
14 South Dakota 288 23 3-0
21 Western Illinois 162 22 2-0
24 Northern Iowa 56 18 1-2

 

[TreRoberson4Heisman]

I think people are still sleeping on these Birds. Sure, the offense could be making more noise through the air...but this defense will provide a legit belief for a 9 or 10 win regular season.

 

[Retire 12]

Let them sleep.

 

[cpacmel]

Let them sleep.

:text-+1:

 

[Redbird]

Let them sleep.

This....We control our own destiny. I don't care what we are ranked.

 

[ThisIsTheLineup]

I'd rather be a sleeper, like in 2014, than be #1 and totally exposed, like in 2015.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

Let them sleep.

This....We control our own destiny. I don't care what we are ranked.

Except a high ranking will likely boost attendance/sell more tickets and increase press for ISU.

 

[SteveO]

The games in the back half of the schedule will tell where the Birds should be ranked. The non-conference record of the MVFC was a boost to the strength of the conference as usual.