The Big Sky has a Dakota problem just like the rest of FCS
I look at a team like Idaho, that was ranked all year and ranked highly. Now that high ranking had a lot to do from being a Big Sky team. Take a look at how low Albany was ranked during the year and they weren’t even ranked for part of it. I saw two similar teams, the Big Sky team got a huge benefit of the doubt from the pollsters when compared to Albany, until they actually played. Villanova also was under ranked throughout the year. Would have loved to see them play Montana or Furman.
Sac St gets a bump in the rankings for being in the Big Sky and goes to playoffs to die
I realize The Big Sky is a really good FCS conference but the poll/media bias is real
Albany was 3-8 last year and 4-3 half way through this October. Idaho was a playoff team in 2022 and 5-2 with an FBS win during the same time.
Albany had one win against a ranked opponent including none down the stretch. Idaho beat two ranked teams including #2 Montana State in late October.
Albany was a good team who grabbed a very difficult road playoff win.
Fordham was coming off a 9-3 season with a playoff appearance too and played Albany in the season opener back in August. Albany was coming off a 3-8 season, but despite that, Albany beat them down pretty good like 34-13. That game was a clue that went undetected by the pollsters.
Next up was 2 FBS games. The first one against Marshall was an another nice showing by Albany and it took a last minute drive by Marshall to beat ‘em.
A trip out to Hawaii followed and it was a 11 point loss
So they were 1-2 out of the gate and lazy pollsters who hadn’t watched them play were clueless to how good they were
Albany was 3-8 last year and 4-3 half way through this October. Idaho was a playoff team in 2022 and 5-2 with an FBS win during the same time.
Albany had one win against a ranked opponent including none down the stretch. Idaho beat two ranked teams including #2 Montana State in late October.
Albany was a good team who grabbed a very difficult road playoff win.
Fordham was coming off a 9-3 season with a playoff appearance too and played Albany in the season opener back in August. Albany was coming off a 3-8 season, but despite that, Albany beat them down pretty good like 34-13. That game was a clue that went undetected by the pollsters.
Next up was 2 FBS games. The first one against Marshall was an another nice showing by Albany and it took a last minute drive by Marshall to beat ‘em.
A trip out to Hawaii followed and it was a 11 point loss
So they were 1-2 out of the gate and lazy pollsters who hadn’t watched them play were clueless to how good they were
All true. Now apply the same scrutiny to Idaho. Albany improved throughout the season but against a weaker conference schedule than Idaho’s.
Fordham was coming off a 9-3 season with a playoff appearance too and played Albany in the season opener back in August. Albany was coming off a 3-8 season, but despite that, Albany beat them down pretty good like 34-13. That game was a clue that went undetected by the pollsters.
Next up was 2 FBS games. The first one against Marshall was an another nice showing by Albany and it took a last minute drive by Marshall to beat ‘em.
A trip out to Hawaii followed and it was a 11 point loss
So they were 1-2 out of the gate and lazy pollsters who hadn’t watched them play were clueless to how good they were
All true. Now apply the same scrutiny to Idaho. Albany improved throughout the season but against a weaker conference schedule than Idaho’s.
Idaho is starting down the same playoff path as Big Sky Sacramento State… both pretty good teams but the playoffs have not really been kind to either one.
I’m just happy the playoffs at least provided a few interesting games
Albany at Idaho is the type of game the FCS needs more of
Furman at Montana was very interesting as well
Bison at Montana obviously a great game
If you’re routed to Brookings, SD season over and games not interesting because result is a known.
The transfer of power in the MVFC with S Dak St as the new king only extends what is now about 13 years of total domination with no end in sight
Who else deserves it? I would guess that the Big Sky has been the second best conference in FCS over the last 20 years. And it hasn’t been just Montana winning playoff games over that time either.
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More like last last 2, and some years of the prior 10 (2012-2021). CAA was dominant 2003 through 2010 or 2011, as the top conference, and the So-Con was probably #2.. Was the Big Sky 3rd then, or was it the MVFC? Then the CAA slipped, followed by the So-Con with ASU & GSU moving up, totally fell off. The MVFC went from 3rd or 4th best, to the top conference, along with the rise of NDSU. 2011-2021 maybe some years CAA was 2nd to the MVFC, and other years Big Sky. So-Con had fallen to 4th or 5th. JMU carried the water for the CAA 2016-2021. Last 2 seasons with JMU gone CAA has fallen way off, kind of where the So-Con was. Don’t think CAA os now even 3rd best. 4th? 5th?
I mistyped - should have been the last ten years or decade.
For 2001- 2010, it's CAA, SoCon, Big Sky then MVFC.
Being wrong about a topic is called post partisanism - kalm
