FCS STATS Poll, Nov 10 (Griz #2 … Still)

[IdaGriz01]

With seven ranked teams losing, the pollsters again had a lot to deal with. The Griz are still at #2, but the kitties have closed the gap a bit. Monmouth’s loss to unranked New Hampshire did not hurt them quite as much as I expected, but they are out of the top-10. Also, the pollsters did not reward UNH by moving them into the top-25. On the other hand, the pollsters punished South Dakota State more than I expected, but that’s really no surprise with their three-game losing streak. Presbyterian did indeed drop out of the top-25, but the pollsters are so impressed with Mercer that they did not drop Western Carolina out.

The other changes seem to be more or less as expected.

Link to STATS.com article:

Playoff-Bound Mercer Rises to No. 8 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll | Opta Analyst

Mercer has matched its eight-game winning streak with the No. 8 ranking in the new Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll.

theanalyst.com

Condensed version:
Rank, Team (Record), Poll Points [Previous Rank]
1. North Dakota State (10-0) 1,399 [1]
2. Montana (10-0) 1,327 [2]
3. Montana State (8-2) 1,300 [3]
4. Lehigh (10-0) 1,196 [4]
5. Tennessee Tech (10-0) 1,157 [5]
6. Tarleton State (9-1) 1,130 [6]
7. Harvard (8-0) 956 [9]
8. Mercer (8-1) 916 [12]
9. UC Davis (6-3) 890 [11]
10. Villanova (7-2) 888 [10]
11. Rhode Island (8-2) 800 [14]
12. Monmouth (8-2) 661 [7]
13. North Dakota (6-4) 653 [13]
14. Illinois State (7-3) 629 [16]
15. Stephen F. Austin (8-2) 598 [17]
16. South Dakota State (7-3) 544 [8]
17. South Dakota (7-4) 530 [22]
18. Abilene Christian (6-4) 506 [18]
19. Lamar (8-2,) 503 [20]
20. Youngstown State (6-4) 445 [21]
21. Southern Illinois (6-4) 242 [15]
22. Jackson State (7-2) 226 [23]
23. Southeastern Louisiana (7-3) 208 [19]
24. Northern Arizona (6-4) 81 [NR]
25. Western Carolina (6-4) 75; [24]

Dropped Out of FCS Top 25: Presbyterian [25]

Others Receiving Votes: New Hampshire (6-4), 74; Alabama State (7-2), 69; Lafayette (7-3), 39; West Georgia (7-3), 36; Delaware State (7-3), 35; Austin Peay (6-4), 22; Yale (6-2), 18; Sacramento State (6-4), 11; Dartmouth (6-2), 10; Central Connecticut State (7-3), 9; South Carolina State (7-3 ), 7; Southern Utah (5-5), 3

 

[Griz in Texas]

We dropped 9 points, Bozeman gained 11, and got a first place vote.

All that matters at this point, 10-0 and Portland State is in the cross hairs.

 

[Griz in Texas]

In the coaches poll, we have a first place vote

1	North Dakota State (23)	10-0	599	1
2	Montana (1)	10-0	573	2
3	Montana State	8-2	527	3
4	Lehigh	10-0	514	4
5	Tarleton State	9-1	480	7
6	Tennessee Tech	10-0	473	5
7	Villanova	7-2	441	8
8	Mercer	8-1	423	T10
9	Rhode Island	8-2	379	T10
10	UC Davis	7-2	367	12
11	Harvard	8-0	309	13
12	Monmouth	8-2	293	6
13	Illinois State	7-3	289	17
14	Lamar	8-2	280	18
15	South Dakota State	7-3	249	9
16	Jackson State	7-2	213	19
17	Stephen F. Austin	8-2	205	21
18	North Dakota	6-4	199	15
19	Youngstown State	6-4	178	22
20	Abilene Christian	6-4	176	20
21	Southeastern Louisiana	7-3	163	14
22	South Dakota	7-4	145	25
23	Southern Illinois	6-4	78	16
24	West Georgia	7-3	53	NR
25	Lafayette	7-3	46	NR

 

[JaredSam95]

In the coaches poll, we have a first place vote

1	North Dakota State (23)	10-0	599	1
2	Montana (1)	10-0	573	2
3	Montana State	8-2	527	3
4	Lehigh	10-0	514	4
5	Tarleton State	9-1	480	7
6	Tennessee Tech	10-0	473	5
7	Villanova	7-2	441	8
8	Mercer	8-1	423	T10
9	Rhode Island	8-2	379	T10
10	UC Davis	7-2	367	12
11	Harvard	8-0	309	13
12	Monmouth	8-2	293	6
13	Illinois State	7-3	289	17
14	Lamar	8-2	280	18
15	South Dakota State	7-3	249	9
16	Jackson State	7-2	213	19
17	Stephen F. Austin	8-2	205	21
18	North Dakota	6-4	199	15
19	Youngstown State	6-4	178	22
20	Abilene Christian	6-4	176	20
21	Southeastern Louisiana	7-3	163	14
22	South Dakota	7-4	145	25
23	Southern Illinois	6-4	78	16
24	West Georgia	7-3	53	NR
25	Lafayette	7-3	46	NR

I don’t know how we get a first place vote after that awful performance

 

[Hells bells]

my question is how is Tarlington state still in the top 10?

 

[Griz in Texas]

my question is how is Tarlington state still in the top 10?

They lost one game on the road by 3 points. Even with an overrated win over Army, I think they deserve to be a top 4 seed if they win out.

 

[Hells bells]

They lost one game on the road by 3 points. Even with an overrated win over Army, I think they deserve to be a top 4 seed if they win out.

-if they have a game in Boz or Missoula, they will be 30 point dogs

 

[Griz in Texas]

-if they have a game in Boz or Missoula, they will be 30 point dogs

But they don't, yet, and likely won't. They will get as far as they deserve in the post season, no doubt.

 

[CrunchGriz]

Tarleton has a very good QB, but their offense is kind of funky. The running back does sort of a half-hearted walk up/fake handoff from the shotgun QB that doesn't look like anything even approximating a play fake. Weird. Then their QB just stands in the pocket and deals, with very little pressure on him (at least this is what I saw in the Abilene Christian game). They must be 4 or 5 wide (not sure on that), as the pass rush was for the most part non-existent. The QB didn't even have to roll out or move in the pocket to get a pass off. Can't imagine what he would do once the Griz blitz pressure started to get in his head.

Did anyone else here get a chance to watch any of their games? Is this their offensive MO all the time?

 

[montanaguy]

Harvard, the unknown X factor, is sneaking up.

 

[EverettGriz]

I don’t know how we get a first place vote after that awful performance

"we"

 

[billingsgriz]

I don’t know how we get a first place vote after that awful performance

Probably because " that awful performance" resulted in a " W," we are 10-0 just like NDSU. Lehigh, and Tenn. Tech., but unlike those other three undefeated peers, we've had no bye week to heal and rest. ( Ugly wins , like Saturday vs. Eastern, are still wins and at least in this game, it didn't cost us in the polls.)

 

[Grizzlies1982]

Tarleton has a very good QB, but their offense is kind of funky. The running back does sort of a half-hearted walk up/fake handoff from the shotgun QB that doesn't look like anything even approximating a play fake. Weird. Then their QB just stands in the pocket and deals, with very little pressure on him (at least this is what I saw in the Abilene Christian game). They must be 4 or 5 wide (not sure on that), as the pass rush was for the most part non-existent. The QB didn't even have to roll out or move in the pocket to get a pass off. Can't imagine what he would do once the Griz blitz pressure started to get in his head.

Did anyone else here get a chance to watch any of their games? Is this their offensive MO all the time?

Yes, I’ve watched portions of two of their earlier games. You described their funky offensive look pretty well.

The QB gets the shotgun snap and stands there. The RB sort of saunters forward standing next to him. Then he gets a handoff and begins to run, or it’s a pass play. Observing it, the lack of movement makes it seem the play was whistled dead or something. Perhaps the RB is simply waiting to see where a hole is? That odd movement appears to be a regular feature of Tarleton’s game.

 

[zootownrox]

my question is how is Tarlington state still in the top 10?

There are not a lot of good resumes in the FCS this season.

 

[Sport]

Tarleton has a very good QB, but their offense is kind of funky. The running back does sort of a half-hearted walk up/fake handoff from the shotgun QB that doesn't look like anything even approximating a play fake. Weird. Then their QB just stands in the pocket and deals, with very little pressure on him (at least this is what I saw in the Abilene Christian game). They must be 4 or 5 wide (not sure on that), as the pass rush was for the most part non-existent. The QB didn't even have to roll out or move in the pocket to get a pass off. Can't imagine what he would do once the Griz blitz pressure started to get in his head.

Did anyone else here get a chance to watch any of their games? Is this their offensive MO all the time?

I had that same feeling when I watched the AC game. The QB drops straight back like he’s waiting for the lunch wagon to come by. I can’t believe his O line can hold, now there’s the operative word “hold”. Maybe in their conference holding is allowed?

 

[701Grizfan]

-if they have a game in Boz or Missoula, they will be 30 point dogs

The same as EWU was Saturday.

 

[MikeyGriz]

I don’t know how we get a first place vote after that awful performance

Because NDSU had a rough game this week also, we are still 10-0, some of this ranking is based on the whole year's body of work, we have a long history of being an upper tier performance, and finally, someone just couldn't stand to vote for the fluffy cows!

 

[66volvo]

Harvard, the unknown X factor, is sneaking up.

Oh would we all love to see Harvard in Missoula!

 

[IdaGriz01]

Because NDSU had a rough game this week also, we are still 10-0, some of this ranking is based on the whole year's body of work, we have a long history of being an upper tier performance, and finally, someone just couldn't stand to vote for the fluffy cows!

Nailed it!

 

[GriznMN]

Harvard, the unknown X factor, is sneaking up.

I think Harvard will have a #4 seed when it comes time for the selection committee to decide. I'm not saying they are worthy of a 4 seed but I think they will get it.