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Gardner-Webb manages to really turn things around in Coach Harold McCray's first season as Head Coach. He inherits a 3-8 team and faces a daunting schedule to start the season [Furman, Marshall, Richmond and Wofford]. If GWU goes 0-4 with that schedule, no one would have been surprised. Instead, he turns the program around on his first night in Spangler Stadium since he graduated and all of a sudden, FCS football fans around the country are talking about the Runnin' Bulldogs.

The RBs go on to defeat Richmond - ranked #15 at the time - and then shuts out Wofford - ranked #10 at the time - at home [first time that has happened since the mid-80's]. At this point, there will be a Terrier fan or two who will complain that you can't run the Triple Option in the rain and yet Gardner-Webb was able to run the ball very effectively - and even threw a few pitchouts during the game. If Wofford's Offensive Coordinator will be honest with the fans, it was pretty obvious that his game plan was to pound the ball up the middle until GW's front 7 got worn out. Unfortunately for the OC, this defense has shown that it is very well conditioned and is prepared to play 4 full quarters with any team out there [except Marshall].

I say all of that to say this, how is it possible for those who rank the FCS Top 25 to ease Gardner-Webb into the rankings at #25 while leaving Richmond at #22 and Wofford at #17? Is there a sense that the voters have to protect the beloved SOCON and CAA from the "lowly" Big South Conference? Is there a sense that GW has to earn their way to a higher ranking? We won't play another ranked team until we meet Coastal Carolina unless Liberty moves up in the rankings - which is likely impossible if the voters have their way. Someone please 'splain it to me.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

I wish I could give you a good answer but there isn't one. I know of no other team in the Top 25 who has beaten 2 of the teams currently ranked ahead of them and at the same time has a better record than those two higher ranked teams and yet sits below them in the rankings. Some may point out the close margins of victory, the low offensive output, etc. but if anyone digs a bit deeper, they would find that GWU dominated time of possession, played even or ahead in the game score for 103 of 120 minutes in those two contests and limited two strong offenses to a total of 10 points. Our O moved the ball up and down the field only to have a couple of turnovers and penalties in the redzone which would have made the margins of victory more significant. Both Richmond and Wofford had significantly fewer red zone opportunties. If you read the opposing teams (Richmond, Wofford and Furman too) message boards, you'll find most posters indicating dominant performances and those that don't ignore the statistics in those games.

We just need to keep winning, shore up our stuff offensively in the red zone and keep our guys healthy and highly motivated for each upcoming contest. Doing that and the polls don't mean jack except for playoff seeding. After wandering the wilderness of FCS Football, our Running Bulldogs will be happy to play anyone anywhere if we earn our way into the playoffs.

Some voters refuse to vote for members of the Pioneer Conference.

True, G-W is in the Big South. You know that. I know that. Do the voters outside this region?

Give it time. They'll figure it out eventually, as long as the Running Bulldogs keep winning.

It's September, and G-Dub is off to a great start. You should be proud of that.

I got you at #25. Keep winning in October, and you will move up.

Some folks base their rankings directly on head-to-head each week. Unfortunately for you, I don't. If teams are within 4-5 'slots' of each other in my rankings, you betcha - I'll flip 'em BUT (see the 'yo-yo) I'm not going to drop a team 8 spots and boost a team 6 slots to make it happen in a single week.

I tend to look at a team's body of work, the game previous, the 'after' game, the box score, big plays, and video if available.

I also do not 'yo-yo' teams. Very seldom do I move a team 4-6 spots in a single week - it's over 2-3 weeks. Fair or not, to crack my top 20 you need a big October.

Also fair or not, I have both Wofford and Richmond ranked ahead of you. You keep winning and they get dinged, things will take care of themselves in October, right? I won't forget you.

The other thing that may be difficult to grasp (and also fair or not to you) is I think G-Dub has been a bit fortuitous over the last few weeks. You caught Richmond just after they beat NC State (yes, I know it was 21-23), and The Woffle (in a deluge) just after they beat The Convicts. Call that the 'let-down' factor if you wish.

Bottom Line: Just Win, Baby and keep up the great work.

It is definitely some bias against the Big South in favor of the SoCon. Today, CCU beat Elon, and App is in a back and forth dog fight near the 4th with CSU, currently App 24 CSU 20.

The Big South can play some ball.