1R - San Diego @ NAU

[Mvemjsunpx]

NAU didn't even really try to score on that final drive. 41-10 the final.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Remember: this San Diego team lost to UC Davis 35-7.

[Wildcat Ryan]

Remember: this San Diego team lost to UC Davis 35-7.

And that same UC Davis lost by a combined 88-30 to the Big Sky co-champs.

Not a good showing by NAU, and embarrassing for the Big Sky.

[mtjack]

Well....that sucked.

I drove 4 hours with traffic to the game and 3 hours back to witness that steaming turd of a game. An embarrassing display by both the offense and the defense. Silver lining, perhaps, is at least NAU special teams kept it together. It boggles the mind how seemingly the whole team was simultaneously disengaged, sleep walking and lethargic when the stakes are this high. First time I've ever walked out early from an NAU sporting event.

On the flip side, kudos to U San Diego. Other than a flurry of pass interference calls, they played harder, smarter and with much more passion than NAU.

[Mvemjsunpx]

“It was an ass kicking,” said USD coach Dale Lindsey. “I’m shocked by it. I really am.”

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/spo ... story.html

[kalm]

“It was an ass kicking,” said USD coach Dale Lindsey. “I’m shocked by it. I really am.”

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/spo ... story.html

Ya gotta like Dale Lindsey.

[Jjoey52]

Guess they picked the wrong 3rd team from the Big Sky.


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[SDHornet]

They don't offer scholarships....they offer grants in aid.

I thought that was the Ivy.

I'm sure USD does the same. Harbaugh (sp?) didn't go on those runs with dudes he pulled off of the USD campus.

[SDHornet]

Guess they picked the wrong 3rd team from the Big Sky.


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Yup. EWU should be even more pissed than they already were.

[SuperHornet]

NAU is an embarrassment to the conference....

[JohnStOnge]

Guess they picked the wrong 3rd team from the Big Sky.


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My thought as I was watching San Diego physically dominate was that Northern Arizona was one of the five teams they selected while leaving McNeese State out even though they were rated lower than McNeese State in the Simple Ratings System the NCAA uses. Four of the subject five teams lost and the only one that didn't struggled with Central Connecticut State.

At least the NCAA could justify taking Northern Arizona over Eastern Washington based on Northern Arisona being rated higher in its Simple Rating System. Not so with Northern Arizona vs. McNeese State.

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

San Diego with a 15-yard TD run after a sack-fumble.

24-7 San Diego, late-2Q


Why did NAU get in ahead of Montana & EWU, again?

Because neither Montana or Eastern deserved to get boat raced in the playoffs like NAU.

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[Gil Dobie]

Guess they picked the wrong 3rd team from the Big Sky.


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My thought as I was watching San Diego physically dominate was that Northern Arizona was one of the five teams they selected while leaving McNeese State out even though they were rated lower than McNeese State in the Simple Ratings System the NCAA uses. Four of the subject five teams lost and the only one that didn't struggled with Central Connecticut State.

At least the NCAA could justify taking Northern Arizona over Eastern Washington based on Northern Arisona being rated higher in its Simple Rating System. Not so with Northern Arizona vs. McNeese State.

I think Eastern beats USD, but McNeese does not.

[kalm]

Guess they picked the wrong 3rd team from the Big Sky.


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My thought as I was watching San Diego physically dominate was that Northern Arizona was one of the five teams they selected while leaving McNeese State out even though they were rated lower than McNeese State in the Simple Ratings System the NCAA uses. Four of the subject five teams lost and the only one that didn't struggled with Central Connecticut State.

At least the NCAA could justify taking Northern Arizona over Eastern Washington based on Northern Arisona being rated higher in its Simple Rating System. Not so with Northern Arizona vs. McNeese State.

I wouldn't go hanging my hat on the SRS.

For starters, it awards the same points value for a win against 0-11 VMI that it does for a win against 11-0 JMU.

EWU had a better strength of schedule than NAU, a better strength of schedule within the Big Sky conference, significantly outscored common opponents, had the same record against common opponents, had the same overall record. Best wins were NAU beating a 6-5 ISUr and EWU beating 7-4 Montana. Both teams beat a 7-4 Sac State.

Remove FBS and DII games and an 8-2 McNeese's resume is not as good as either NAU or EWU at 7-3 if you properly weigh quality wins and SoS.

[Gil Dobie]

My thought as I was watching San Diego physically dominate was that Northern Arizona was one of the five teams they selected while leaving McNeese State out even though they were rated lower than McNeese State in the Simple Ratings System the NCAA uses. Four of the subject five teams lost and the only one that didn't struggled with Central Connecticut State.

At least the NCAA could justify taking Northern Arizona over Eastern Washington based on Northern Arisona being rated higher in its Simple Rating System. Not so with Northern Arizona vs. McNeese State.

I wouldn't go hanging my hat on the SRS.

For starters, it awards the same points value for a win against 0-11 VMI that it does for a win against 11-0 JMU.

EWU had a better strength of schedule than NAU, a better strength of schedule within the Big Sky conference, significantly outscored common opponents, had the same record against common opponents, had the same overall record. Best wins were NAU beating a 6-5 ISUr and EWU beating 7-4 Montana. Both teams beat a 7-4 Sac State.

Remove FBS and DII games and an 8-2 McNeese's resume is not as good as either NAU or EWU at 7-3 if you properly weigh quality wins and SoS.

My take from the committee interview, was OOC FCS WINS mattered a lot. Reason Austin Peay didn't make the playoffs. NAU vs ISUR was a better win than EWU vs Fordham. If EWU beats NDSU, they are in.

[kalm]

I wouldn't go hanging my hat on the SRS.

For starters, it awards the same points value for a win against 0-11 VMI that it does for a win against 11-0 JMU.

EWU had a better strength of schedule than NAU, a better strength of schedule within the Big Sky conference, significantly outscored common opponents, had the same record against common opponents, had the same overall record. Best wins were NAU beating a 6-5 ISUr and EWU beating 7-4 Montana. Both teams beat a 7-4 Sac State.

Remove FBS and DII games and an 8-2 McNeese's resume is not as good as either NAU or EWU at 7-3 if you properly weigh quality wins and SoS.

My take from the committee interview, was OOC FCS WINS mattered a lot. Reason Austin Peay didn't make the playoffs. NAU vs ISUR was a better win than EWU vs Fordham. If EWU beats NDSU, they are in.

You may be right but that's a flawed metric as well for many reasons.

Furman beat Colgate. Nichols beat PVA&M. Monmouth?

8-3 with any OOC FCS gets you in. Would Montana be in at 8-3?

SUU getting the 8 seed?

Schedule weak is the lesson learned.

[Wildcat Ryan]

My take from the committee interview, was OOC FCS WINS mattered a lot. Reason Austin Peay didn't make the playoffs. NAU vs ISUR was a better win than EWU vs Fordham. If EWU beats NDSU, they are in.

You may be right but that's a flawed metric as well for many reasons.

Furman beat Colgate. Nichols beat PVA&M. Monmouth?

8-3 with any OOC FCS gets you in. Would Montana be in at 8-3?

SUU getting the 8 seed?

Schedule weak is the lesson learned.

Bad thing is and this year proved it, is that if Eastern or Montana aren't at the top of the BSC standings the conference as a whole is looked at as weak even if both Eastern and Montana are still good. It's really unfortunate. Southern Utah got no respect despite having a more solid resume than half the teams that got seeds.

[Gil Dobie]

My take from the committee interview, was OOC FCS WINS mattered a lot. Reason Austin Peay didn't make the playoffs. NAU vs ISUR was a better win than EWU vs Fordham. If EWU beats NDSU, they are in.

You may be right but that's a flawed metric as well for many reasons.

Furman beat Colgate. Nichols beat PVA&M. Monmouth?

8-3 with any OOC FCS gets you in. Would Montana be in at 8-3?

SUU getting the 8 seed?

Schedule weak is the lesson learned.

Colgate tied for first in Fordham's conference, Nicholls was 8-3, Monmouth 9-2 and beat the team tied with Colgate. Need to schedule a better Patriot team. But the Committee.......

[kalm]

You may be right but that's a flawed metric as well for many reasons.

Furman beat Colgate. Nichols beat PVA&M. Monmouth?

8-3 with any OOC FCS gets you in. Would Montana be in at 8-3?

SUU getting the 8 seed?

Schedule weak is the lesson learned.

Colgate tied for first in Fordham's conference, Nicholls was 8-3, Monmouth 9-2 and beat the team tied with Colgate. Need to schedule a better Patriot team. But the Committee.......

Then McNeese should be in ahead of Furman, South Dakota, NAU, and UNH.

Furman's two best wins were non-playoff teams in Colgate 7-4 and WCU 7-5. So I agree, the committee must value OOC FCS wins over practically everything else.

You trolling bastard!

[BDKJMU]

Last Nov Hillary embarrassed in a huge upset. This Nov NAU embarrassed in a huge upset.

Past 2 Novembers haven't been good to Dback..

[Gil Dobie]

Hope NDSU doesn't get upset and hope the suspensions don't impact the game.

[JohnStOnge]

My thought as I was watching San Diego physically dominate was that Northern Arizona was one of the five teams they selected while leaving McNeese State out even though they were rated lower than McNeese State in the Simple Ratings System the NCAA uses. Four of the subject five teams lost and the only one that didn't struggled with Central Connecticut State.

At least the NCAA could justify taking Northern Arizona over Eastern Washington based on Northern Arisona being rated higher in its Simple Rating System. Not so with Northern Arizona vs. McNeese State.

I think Eastern beats USD, but McNeese does not.

Well, we'll never know. But I'd feel pretty optimistic about USD not being able to run the ball against McNeese and I think them not being able to run the ball would make it a totally different situation for them. I realize that McNeese laid eggs every time during the playoffs during the Matt Viator era. I think Viator did a great job at McNeese overall but but for whatever reason the playoff performances were really bad. He could do things like beat eventual semifinalist Appalachian State at Boone during the regular season but he couldn't beat ANYBODY in the playoffs. I would like to have seen the Cowboys get a shot in the playoffs under their new head coach.

[kalm]

I think Eastern beats USD, but McNeese does not.

Well, we'll never know. But I'd feel pretty optimistic about USD not being able to run the ball against McNeese and I think them not being able to run the ball would make it a totally different situation for them. I realize that McNeese laid eggs every time during the playoffs during the Matt Viator era. I think Viator did a great job at McNeese overall but but for whatever reason the playoff performances were really bad. He could do things like beat eventual semifinalist Appalachian State at Boone during the regular season but he couldn't beat ANYBODY in the playoffs. I would like to have seen the Cowboys get a shot in the playoffs under their new head coach.

Toss up. Yes the schedule was weak but San Diego has won their last 9 games by an average margin of 33 points. They had the #18 passing offense and Anthony Lawrence has thrown for over 3,000 yards with 33 TD's and 2 ints. They're fairly balanced on offense. It would have been interesting to see them go up against your run D.

Speaking of weak schedules and padding stats, while San Diego played the #96 SoS McNeese played the 86th so not a huge difference and probably has something to do with the Toreros being ranked a number of spots higher in Massey than McNeese.

[JohnStOnge]

Toss up. Yes the schedule was weak but San Diego has won their last 9 games by an average margin of 33 points. They had the #18 passing offense and Anthony Lawrence has thrown for over 3,000 yards with 33 TD's and 2 ints. They're fairly balanced on offense. It would have been interesting to see them go up against your run D.

I think the whole thing with McNeese this past year was avoiding giving up big plays in the passing game. Despite the weak schedule I think their run defense was legit and I also think their defense was legit in terms of stopping teams from being able to put long drives together. The problem was that they would stop, stop, stop then all of a sudden give up a long pass for a score.

Central Arkansas averaged 208 yards per game rushing at 4.6 yards per carry. They rushed for 223 at 4.1 yards per carry against Kansas State. They got 73 yards at 2.1 per carry against McNeese. They also were not able to put drives together. They only had 11 first downs. They had 323 total yards but almost half of that...157 yards...came on three long TD passes. Add a defensive scoop and score touchdown along with a special teams blocked punt score and Central Arkansas blew McNeese out with 47 points even though they really couldn't move the football on any consistent basis.

Nicholls State averaged 200 yards per game rushing at 4.6 yards per carry. They got 232 at 4.7 yards per carry against South Dakota last Saturday. They got 91 at 3.4 yards per carry against McNeese. Same kind of story as Central Arkansas. Nicholls State had only 14 first downs. They got 304 yards but nearly half of them, 139, came on two long TD passes. Add a 67 yard pick six and what should have been a relatively easy McNeese win turned into a Nicholls win on a last second field goal.

So if you were a McNeese fan and McNeese was in the playoffs you'd be thinking "Just don't give up the cheap scores and you should be in it."