NCAA Football 2024 - it goes to 12!

[Brontoburglar]

for context on Marshall: Charles Huff entered the season in the last year of a four-year deal. negotiations never really went anywhere and he went to Southern Miss last week after they won the Sun Belt title game. it's certainly a first in the transfer portal era, but it's something that really isn't all that surprising given how the season played out

[brian]

Sucks for Army but if it gets Drinkall to Mount Pleasant and on recruiting/portal trail sooner it’s good for CMU/me.

[sancarlos]

Louisiana Tech (5-7) is stepping in. (Game is in Shreveport, 69 miles away from Tech.)

[brian]

Booooooo

[brian]

The DII playoffs are drunk.

Ferris State won its first two games 78-17 and 41-7 and are down 38-27 at halftime to Slippery Rock in the semifinals.

[sancarlos]

Three of the four semifinalists for the FCS championship are South Dakota, South Dakota State, and North Dakota State - all from the Missouri Valley Conference. (The other semifinalist is Montana State).

[brian]

The DII playoffs are drunk.

Ferris State won its first two games 78-17 and 41-7 and are down 38-27 at halftime to Slippery Rock in the semifinals.

Ferris won 48-38. D2 final is #1 vs #2 - Ferris St vs Valdosta St.

[brian]

Three of the four semifinalists for the FCS championship are South Dakota, South Dakota State, and North Dakota State - all from the Missouri Valley Conference. (The other semifinalist is Montana State).

I-90 represent!

[sancarlos]

Fuck yeah, Travis Hunter! Obviously I’m biased, and I know the guy from Boise had a super year. But you know, the Colorado schools don’t really have impressive national reputations, so this is a big deal for the fan community! Woo hoo.

[Shirley]

Three of the four semifinalists for the FCS championship are South Dakota, South Dakota State, and North Dakota State - all from the Missouri Valley Conference. (The other semifinalist is Montana State).

I’d love for someone to explain to me how the Dakotas and Montana have become such powers in BCS football. The states have small populations, are very white, and would seem to be very difficult places to recruit to. Not to mention fewer days of good practice weather. How did this happen? Is it because the App States and James Madisons all moved up to FBS?

[EnochRoot]

Three of the four semifinalists for the FCS championship are South Dakota, South Dakota State, and North Dakota State - all from the Missouri Valley Conference. (The other semifinalist is Montana State).

I’d love for someone to explain to me how the Dakotas and Montana have become such powers in BCS football. The states have small populations, are very white, and would seem to be very difficult places to recruit to. Not to mention fewer days of good practice weather. How did this happen? Is it because the App States and James Madisons all moved up to FBS?

It probably has to do with cowboy country, gunslinging QBs and big-as-hell, hoss OL and DL, no?

[brian]

You guys are overthinking it. Its coaching. The Missouri Valley is the SEC of FCS.

[Brontoburglar]

Fuck yeah, Travis Hunter! Obviously I’m biased, and I know the guy from Boise had a super year. But you know, the Colorado schools don’t really have impressive national reputations, so this is a big deal for the fan community! Woo hoo.

Colorado has been one of the most popular programs in the country since Deion arrived

[Shirley]

You guys are overthinking it. Its coaching. The Missouri Valley is the SEC of FCS.

Sure, good teams have good coaches, but that doesn't explain why the northern plains somehow attracted these good coaches. The SEC gets good coaches because the programs have a ton of interest, a ton of money, and close access to a ton of talent. I know the plains don't include that last part, and I wouldn't have guessed interest and money either, but maybe? Maybe the key advantage is simply that that they are hundreds of miles away from legit FBS schools so they don't compete for interest and money the way the southern FBS schools do. For example, can Marist really get ANY eyeballs in Atlanta while Georgia and Georgia Tech are around?

[brian]

You guys are overthinking it. Its coaching. The Missouri Valley is the SEC of FCS.

Sure, good teams have good coaches, but that doesn't explain why the northern plains somehow attracted these good coaches. The SEC gets good coaches because the programs have a ton of interest, a ton of money, and close access to a ton of talent. I know the plains don't include that last part, and I wouldn't have guessed interest and money either, but maybe? Maybe the key advantage is simply that that they are hundreds of miles away from legit FBS schools so they don't compete for interest and money the way the southern FBS schools do. For example, can Marist really get ANY eyeballs in Atlanta while Georgia and Georgia Tech are around?

That probably plays a role and those programs are really well supported both in attendance and financially. Not to the same level as FBS obviously but I’d bet all four semi finalists are in the top 15 or 20 in money spent on FB in FCS. The fact that they’re effectively the only “major” sports in those states helps as well.

[sancarlos]

Fuck yeah, Travis Hunter! Obviously I’m biased, and I know the guy from Boise had a super year. But you know, the Colorado schools don’t really have impressive national reputations, so this is a big deal for the fan community! Woo hoo.

Colorado has been one of the most popular programs in the country since Deion arrived

Yes, I’m aware of that. I just mean that nobody confuses the Buffs for Alabama, Ohio State, et al.

[Brontoburglar]

Fuck yeah, Travis Hunter! Obviously I’m biased, and I know the guy from Boise had a super year. But you know, the Colorado schools don’t really have impressive national reputations, so this is a big deal for the fan community! Woo hoo.

Colorado has been one of the most popular programs in the country since Deion arrived

Yes, I’m aware of that. I just mean that nobody confuses the Buffs for Alabama, Ohio State, et al.

I guess I'm a little confused about the point then. I'd argue that Hunter got the big brand boost you're referencing because of Deion and Colorado's popularity (along, obviously, with their success this season).

[Brontoburglar]

You guys are overthinking it. Its coaching. The Missouri Valley is the SEC of FCS.

Sure, good teams have good coaches, but that doesn't explain why the northern plains somehow attracted these good coaches. The SEC gets good coaches because the programs have a ton of interest, a ton of money, and close access to a ton of talent. I know the plains don't include that last part, and I wouldn't have guessed interest and money either, but maybe? Maybe the key advantage is simply that that they are hundreds of miles away from legit FBS schools so they don't compete for interest and money the way the southern FBS schools do. For example, can Marist really get ANY eyeballs in Atlanta while Georgia and Georgia Tech are around?

That probably plays a role and those programs are really well supported both in attendance and financially. Not to the same level as FBS obviously but I’d bet all four semi finalists are in the top 15 or 20 in money spent on FB in FCS. The fact that they’re effectively the only “major” sports in those states helps as well.

It's also an underrated selling point that they can develop players and send them to the NFL like lower-tier FBS schools all while playing for a national title.

[sancarlos]

Fuck yeah, Travis Hunter! Obviously I’m biased, and I know the guy from Boise had a super year. But you know, the Colorado schools don’t really have impressive national reputations, so this is a big deal for the fan community! Woo hoo.

Colorado has been one of the most popular programs in the country since Deion arrived

Yes, I’m aware of that. I just mean that nobody confuses the Buffs for Alabama, Ohio State, et al.

I guess I'm a little confused about the point then. I'd argue that Hunter got the big brand boost you're referencing because of Deion and Colorado's popularity (along, obviously, with their success this season).

The point was that I’m excited about Hunter winning because seeing a Colorado guy winning big trophies is a pretty unique experience for us fans to see.

(Rashaan Salaam, where have you gone?)

[Brontoburglar]

gotcha; and hey, Colorado now has as many Heisman winners in the past 40 years as Ohio State

[A_B]

Fuck yeah, Travis Hunter! Obviously I’m biased, and I know the guy from Boise had a super year. But you know, the Colorado schools don’t really have impressive national reputations, so this is a big deal for the fan community! Woo hoo.

Colorado has been one of the most popular programs in the country since Deion arrived

Yes, I’m aware of that. I just mean that nobody confuses the Buffs for Alabama, Ohio State, et al.

I guess I'm a little confused about the point then. I'd argue that Hunter got the big brand boost you're referencing because of Deion and Colorado's popularity (along, obviously, with their success this season).

The point was that I’m excited about Hunter winning because seeing a Colorado guy winning big trophies is a pretty unique experience for us fans to see.

(Rashaan Salaam, where have you gone?)

Dying is bad for your personal speaking engagements around campus.

[Shirley]

I watched SportsCenter earlier and they showed a clip of Bill Belichick being introduced at the UNC basketball game and they played audio that sounded a bit like "Eagles! Eagles!" and they claimed it was the road La Salle fans. Well, I was actually in the building and I not only didn't hear that chant, but there couldn't have been more than 20 La Salle fans in the building. Fake news!

[HaulCitgo]

Belichick successfully speaks to child

https://www.gastongazette.com/videos/sp ... 997229007/

https://www.tarheeltimes.com/article155463.aspx

[DSafetyGuy]

The Pop-Tarts Bowl has a new trophy, which includes a working toaster as part of it.

[Square Rob]

You guys are overthinking it. Its coaching. The Missouri Valley is the SEC of FCS.

Sure, good teams have good coaches, but that doesn't explain why the northern plains somehow attracted these good coaches. The SEC gets good coaches because the programs have a ton of interest, a ton of money, and close access to a ton of talent. I know the plains don't include that last part, and I wouldn't have guessed interest and money either, but maybe? Maybe the key advantage is simply that that they are hundreds of miles away from legit FBS schools so they don't compete for interest and money the way the southern FBS schools do. For example, can Marist really get ANY eyeballs in Atlanta while Georgia and Georgia Tech are around?

That probably plays a role and those programs are really well supported both in attendance and financially. Not to the same level as FBS obviously but I’d bet all four semi finalists are in the top 15 or 20 in money spent on FB in FCS. The fact that they’re effectively the only “major” sports in those states helps as well.

It’s the last point, as much as anything for me. The nearest ‘big’ programs are Idaho, Wyoming, and Minnesota. None of which have set the world on fire. Add in really passionate fan bases because no competing professional sports and you have money to build good facilities and pay coaches and now players.

It’s still shocking to me though, that they can recruit into places like Vermilion and Brookings. I mean, there is nothing there.

[sancarlos]

Zut Alors! Nice to see you posting, Bob. How’s France for you these days?

[Nonlinear FC]

Social media is so dumb. All these posts comparing Hunter's offensive stats to the other nominees, completely ignoring the fact that dude is a two way player.

So. Dumb.

[Giff]

Social media is so dumb. All these posts comparing Hunter's offensive stats to the other nominees, completely ignoring the fact that dude is a two way player.

So. Dumb.

"MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!!!!"

Our society is getting exponentially dumber by the day.

[govmentchedda]

The craziest Travis Hunter thing is that he wasn't even a finalist for the Thorpe award.

[Square Rob]

Zut Alors! Nice to see you posting, Bob. How’s France for you these days?

Salut sancarlos, comme ce comm ça. I’ll bump my old thread.

[brian]

I was thinking of Bobby P last week as I was spending a week in Cheyenne and drove through Wheatland two or three times.

[P.D.X.]

a WEEK in Cheyenne? oof

[brian]

a WEEK in Cheyenne? oof

Yeah I got “voluntold” to spend a week on our dedicated WalMart account out of Cheyenne. What’s worse is it’s just a bunch of WalMart/Sams deliveries in Denver for the most part. I did have a run to Billings that was cool but otherwise it was mostly back and forth to Denver and city driving. Sucked. As did the weather obvs.

[Nonlinear FC]

I don't have a solution, but there's something really weird about all this movement of coaches and players before the season is over.

PSU loses their backup QB to the portal, Marshall's coach leaves and 25 of those players hit the portal (as mentioned above.)

It was initially reported that OSU's backup QB was hitting the portal (he is), but now it's clear that is happening after whatever OSU does in the playoffs. Air Noland, who I'm not even sure where he was on the depth chart IS in the portal.

I understand that guys need to get this stuff sorted so they can enroll and be eligible for Spring ball. Like I said, I don't have a solution.

I know this won't happen, but the conference championships kind of seem unnecessary at this point. Too much $$$ involved to fix a problem that's probably not viewed as that big of a deal. No one cares about the integrity of a bowl game featuring Army and Marshall-->LA Tech.

[EnochRoot]

I don't have a solution, but there's something really weird about all this movement of coaches and players before the season is over.

PSU loses their backup QB to the portal, Marshall's coach leaves and 25 of those players hit the portal (as mentioned above.)

It was initially reported that OSU's backup QB was hitting the portal (he is), but now it's clear that is happening after whatever OSU does in the playoffs. Air Noland, who I'm not even sure where he was on the depth chart IS in the portal.

I understand that guys need to get this stuff sorted so they can enroll and be eligible for Spring ball. Like I said, I don't have a solution.

I know this won't happen, but the conference championships kind of seem unnecessary at this point. Too much $$$ involved to fix a problem that's probably not viewed as that big of a deal. No one cares about the integrity of a bowl game featuring Army and Marshall-->LA Tech.

Then why care about any of them at all, you know speaking from an ethical standpoint.

[Nonlinear FC]

Yeah, I know... I've been on Team Fuck Those Bowls for awhile now. I guess it's only an aversion to chaos. Which, who cares, I guess.

I would think coaches that are trying to win a national title without their back-up QB (and RB and WR and whoever else is #2 on the depth chart) would make a stink if/when it fucks with their ability to win.

We shall see.

[HaulCitgo]

Not to mention UGA is out a starting QB because of useless title game. There only so many times you can go balls to wall and expect to have a team left in mid January

[EnochRoot]

It's astounding that they (who is they, anyway?) didn't think or bother to put some order to things so that you know, teams wouldn't have to remove themselves from their bowl game cuz a good chunk of their roster are already off to next season someplace else.

[HaulCitgo]

I'll be interested to see which teams have the staff and players to game plan 2-3 straight weeks against teams that they dont typically scout. I guess they're sorta long weeks.

[Nonlinear FC]

Since we mentioned D2 up above...

Hopkins plays long-time power Mt. Union on Saturday in the D3 semis. (Hop's only loss this season came at the hands of Salisbury St... 13-41. The Mt. Union Purple Raiders just beat the Seagulls 38-19 to reach the semis.)