5 Big Sky Teams could make playoffs!

[Brother Bear]

http://www.nobowls.com/

Above link has Montana hosting a first round game (assuming they beat the Cats this weekend) with the winner of the playoff game traveling to North Dakota State. I'm not sure about the first round pairings, but the teams suggested to be in the playoffs are pretty good and might be fairly accurate.

With the way the season has gone this year across the FCS and with 24 teams in the playoff field, it is quite possible the Big Sky gets 5 teams into the playoffs. I still believe even with 4 Big Sky teams in the field, Montana will be "IN".

 

[grzz]

EWU, NO DAK, Cal Poly if they win are the "In" teams in my mind.

After that Weber and UM are the bubble teams in my mind. I think UM has a better resume, but I think the committee could go to them finishing higher than us in the conference. Tough to say. I would be kind of surprised if the Big Sky got five, but frankly with how many teams we have, we should get 4 most years.

 

[Brother Bear]

It will be interesting to see how many teams the Big Sky Conference gets in for sure. I think if 4 get in, Montana is in. If 5 get in, no-brainer Montana is in. If just 3 big sky teams get in, it will be interesting. What is No. Colorado beats Cal Poly? Does that automatically get the Bears in? I'm not so sure but they would have compelling argument. The committee really likes strength of schedule and the all Division I wins. No. Colorado beat Rocky Mountain College and that could come back to bite them. If you look around the FCS landscape, it seems to make the most sense and argument wise that the Big Sky will get the 4 teams in.

 

[grizindabox]

I think....Griz have to win.....and hope BSC gets 5.....unless either Poly or Weebs......lose......the rest of FCS....is just as terrible.....for the most part......but EWU/UND are....the only sure bet.....

 

[grzz]

Compare Weber's schedule side by side with Montana's. Can you really say that Weber has a better resume?

 

[Griz!ron]

if we get 5 teams in they'll send Weber to play us at home. Which is probably a harder task than the San Diego type team that get auto bids.

 

[Brother Bear]

I think....Griz have to win.....and hope BSC gets 5.....unless either Poly or Weebs......lose......the rest of FCS....is just as terrible.....for the most part......but EWU/UND are....the only sure bet.....

If there ever was a year Griz were going to get in at 7-4, with the way things played out... it most certainly is this year. I do believe the Big Sky is better than most people think. I also believe the Griz are still one of the best 20 teams in the nation in FCS. Cleary haven't lived up to fans hopes or expectations but that doesn't mean they aren't one of the top teams in the FCS. Saturday will be telling I think, as of late... Griz have rolled at home. Need that to continue, especially this week!

Beat the Cats!

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

Compare Weber's schedule side by side with Montana's. Can you really say that Weber has a better resume?

No, but I can say the if Weber wins, they will be 6-2 and finish 3rd in the BSC. Griz can do no better than 4-4 and 7th. People want to say that Conference record doesn't matter, but I say it can in this situation it could.

 

[Brother Bear]

The hard part is when you have a conference schedule that is so-unbalanced, it really screws things up. I think Montana is better than Weber State, even if Weber ends up 6-2 in the conference.

 

[grzz]

Compare Weber's schedule side by side with Montana's. Can you really say that Weber has a better resume?

No, but I can say the if Weber wins, they will be 6-2 and finish 3rd in the BSC. Griz can do no better than 4-4 and 7th. People want to say that Conference record doesn't matter, but I say it can in this situation it could.

If the committee puts that much thought in to it, I would think when comparing Weber and UM they would not put too much weight on conference finish considering neither played head to head.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

Compare Weber's schedule side by side with Montana's. Can you really say that Weber has a better resume?

No, but I can say the if Weber wins, they will be 6-2 and finish 3rd in the BSC. Griz can do no better than 4-4 and 7th. People want to say that Conference record doesn't matter, but I say it can in this situation it could.

If the committee puts that much thought in to it, I would think when comparing Weber and UM they would not put too much weight on conference finish considering neither played head to head.

I would think that finishing 3rd in your conference would carry weight. It is not Weber's fault they did not play the Griz, so would find it difficult to penalize them for it.

 

[WILDCATFAN]

Compare Weber's schedule side by side with Montana's. Can you really say that Weber has a better resume?

I'll give it a try.

Lets Start with OOC games

OOC game 1.
Weber State- @ Utah State
Montana- St. Francis

Winner Weber State- (Utah State would probably beat everyone on UM's schedule except for EWU)

OOC game 2.
Montana @ Northern Iowa
Weber State @ South Dakota.

Winner Weber State……(Don't forget South Dakota beat Northern Iowa this year)

OOC game 3.
Montana- Mississippi Valley State
Weber State- Sacramento State

Winner Weber State-(Yes Sacramento State would beat Miss Valley State)

Common Conf opponents
Cal Poly
NAU
Idaho State
Southern Utah
Montana State

Winner- doesn't matter they are the same teams.

Non common Conf opponents
Montana- UNC,EWU,Sac State
Weber State- PSU, UND, UCDavis

I'll give Montana the edge here, Griz' non common opponents are 13-8, Weber's are 11-11 (Conference records) Montana's conf foes are 27-29 While Weber's are 25-32.

Honestly. OOC wise Weber's schedule was tougher. Conference wise Montana has the edge.


I'd say it's pretty even wouldn't you?

 

[grzz]

Compare Weber's schedule side by side with Montana's. Can you really say that Weber has a better resume?

I'll give it a try.

Lets Start with OOC games

OOC game 1.
Weber State- @ Utah State
Montana- St. Francis

Winner Weber State- (Utah State would probably beat everyone on UM's schedule except for EWU)

OOC game 2.
Montana @ Northern Iowa
Weber State @ South Dakota.

Winner Weber State……(Don't forget South Dakota beat Northern Iowa this year)

OOC game 3.
Montana- Mississippi Valley State
Weber State- Sacramento State

Winner Weber State-(Yes Sacramento State would beat Miss Valley State)

Common Conf opponents
Cal Poly
NAU
Idaho State
Southern Utah
Montana State

Winner- doesn't matter they are the same teams.

Non common Conf opponents
Montana- UNC,EWU,Sac State
Weber State- PSU, UND, UCDavis

I'll give Montana the edge here, Griz' non common opponents are 13-8, Weber's are 11-11 (Conference records) Montana's conf foes are 27-29 While Weber's are 25-32.

Honestly. OOC wise Weber's schedule was tougher. Conference wise Montana has the edge.


I'd say it's pretty even wouldn't you?

Pretty even. St. Francis, for better or worse, is a playoff team having already stamped their ticket.

I think if Poly wins they are in, so you have your win over a team in the field as well.

Next best win on either schedule is probably Northern Iowa by the Griz. The point I was trying to make is that I don't think it is an automatic that if the last spot is UM or Weber that Weber gets it.

 

[Brother Bear]

The Big Sky is most likely to have 4 teams in the FCS playoffs this year. I would say 5 is more likely than only have 3. Taking that into account... we know North Dakota is in, we know Eastern is in.
Only one of either Cal Poly or Northern Colorado could make it. If No. Colorado wins, Cal Poly for sure out, not even a guarantee Northern Colorado would be in. I think Cal Poly wins that game, so they likely in. When considering Weber and Montana as the next team to get in from the Big Sky, I think Montana has the edge there.

 

[grzz]

Do you think if both Weber and Montana make it, that is the first round match up? It isn't a rematch so it would be an allowable first round game.

 

[WILDCATFAN]

Do you think if both Weber and Montana make it, that is the first round match up? It isn't a rematch so it would be an allowable first round game.

For me, I hope not. I already don't like the regionalization of the non seeded teams and I like it less when all the teams from the same conf are on the same side of the bracket.

The hypocrite in me would like it though cause it would make for a fun road trip thanksgiving weekend (cause lets be honest they aren't giving Weber a home game over Montana).

 

[grzz]

I agree with your thoughts on regionalization. It almost makes the playoffs less fun unless you are a top seed. But even then. NDSU last year is the top seed and gets UM as their first game, a rematch of a game they had lost. Obviously they destroyed UM in that rematch, but it still kind of sucks. What I used to love about the playoffs was seeing teams from the other side of the country.

 

[IdaGriz01]

I agree with your thoughts on regionalization. It almost makes the playoffs less fun unless you are a top seed. But even then. NDSU last year is the top seed and gets UM as their first game, a rematch of a game they had lost. Obviously they destroyed UM in that rematch, but it still kind of sucks. What I used to love about the playoffs was seeing teams from the other side of the country.

Have to agree. We try to watch a lot of regular-season games from the midwest and east when they are on TV. You see new players, etc. and get a better perspective on how good (or not) the rest of FCS really is. Those who piss and moan about how bad the Big Sky is would do well to take a look -- Rhode Island (CAA), for example, has not had a winning season since before 2002. Over that span, they are (if I’ve quickly added right) 41-128.

 

[Brother Bear]

Absolutely the best part about the old I-AA... teams getting shipped around the country. Made it a lot of fun. We would always see "new" teams and that made it very interesting.

 

[Brother Bear]

http://www.nobowls.com/

That would be a tough first round draw at home, but I would love to see it and would be buying tickets for a lot of friends and family over Thanksgiving weekend! Beat the Cats!