Southland/Sun Belt Challenge this Wednesday Night

[JohnStOnge]

What the heck if you want something to watch this is, by my count, a "game for the lead" between a FCS conference and a FBS conference. By my count the historical record between the Southland and Sun Belt conferences in football games is knotted at 10-10. Abilene Christian, new member of the Southland, is playing Georgia State, second year member of the Sun Belt, Wednesday night on ESPNU.

Abilene Christian is a program that made the D-II playoffs 6 of 7 years before staring the move to FCS. After making the D-II playoffs 6 straight years during 2006 - 2011 including a a 2009 season in which they beat eventual national champ Northwest Missouri during the regular season then lost to the same team during the playoffs, Abilene Christian finished 7-4 during its last season in D-II and 6-5 during it's first transitional year. Georgia State was 0-12 last year and is 10-35 during its short history as a program.

Should be interesting. If you want to see a FCS win over a FBS, this looks like a pretty good shot. And I think it would be pretty cool if after the game we could say a FCS conference has the lead over a FBS conference....however pathetic that FBS conference is...when the game is over.

[Mvemjsunpx]

What the heck if you want something to watch this is, by my count, a "game for the lead" between a FCS conference and a FBS conference. By my count the historical record between the Southland and Sun Belt conferences in football games is knotted at 10-10. Abilene Christian, new member of the Southland, is playing Georgia State, second year member of the Sun Belt, Wednesday night on ESPNU.

Abilene Christian is a program that made the D-II playoffs 6 of 7 years before staring the move to FCS. After making the D-II playoffs 6 straight years during 2006 - 2011 including a a 2009 season in which they beat eventual national champ Northwest Missouri during the regular season then lost to the same team during the playoffs, Abilene Christian finished 7-4 during its last season in D-II and 6-5 during it's first transitional year. Georgia State was 0-12 last year and is 10-35 during its short history as a program.

Should be interesting. If you want to see a FCS win over a FBS, this looks like a pretty good shot. And I think it would be pretty cool if after the game we could say a FCS conference has the lead over a FBS conference....however pathetic that FBS conference is...when the game is over.

Except ACU lost a ton in the offseason, IIRC.

[JohnStOnge]

Except ACU lost a ton in the offseason, IIRC.

Georgia State is still really bad. Or at least that's the expectation.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Except ACU lost a ton in the offseason, IIRC.

Georgia State is still really bad. Or at least that's the expectation.

There're a lot of FCS teams that would beat Georgia State, but I'd be surprised if a depleted Abilene Christian team was one of them.

[JohnStOnge]

There're a lot of FCS teams that would beat Georgia State, but I'd be surprised if a depleted Abilene Christian team was one of them.

Well, you're right about who the favorite is. Zem on the McNeese board said there's a line on the game with Georgia State as a 4.5 point favorite.

[JohnStOnge]

BTW, my understanding is that Abiliene Christian returns 8 starters on defense. That includes a defensive end who had 11 sacks last season and has a chance to finish as the school's all time sack leader. He'd have to get another 11 this year to do that. But Abilene Christian has been playing football since, I think, 1946.

Another thing is that, even though they lost a lot on offense, they've brought in a potential ringer at running back. Based on Googling around it looks like Herschel Sims was rated the 4th best running back in the country by Rivals and 5th best running back by Scout coming out of Abilene High School. He played in 9 games for Oklahoma State as a freshman. HIs total season yardage wasn't great at 242 but he averaged 7.8 yards per carry and had two 100 yard games; a 111 yard effort against Texas Tech and a 104 yard game against Baylor. Most of that Baylor yardage came on an 81 yard TD run that was the longest run of Oklahoma State's season. In other words, he showed promise.

But he was kicked off the team for allegedly stealing $700 from a team mate. Shortly after that he was charged with two felony counts of second degree forgery. He went to Lamar next and quit 7 games into the season. Still finished as the team's second leading rusher.

In his junior season in high school he rushed for 2352 yards. His senior season was limited by injury. He's listed at 5'9", 210 pounds. That's a bowling ball with enough speed to get an 81 yard TD run against Baylor. A problem child for sure. But as far as I can tell he's still on the team and he's in his home town so maybe that'll settle him down.

So I would not be surprised if Abilene Christian's got the best football player on the field tonight and also someone who is a difference maker.

[slycat]

Should be an interesting game. ACU has a thing for strong transfers, GSU has a coach that I think is going to take them in the right direction. The question is, is GSU headed that way yet and is ACU filled the holes from last years graduates. I think GSU gets the win. They looked a lot better at the end of last season even though they didn't win.