FCS vs. Idaho

[kalm]

The Idaho Vandals, after almost losing to a 4-7 Montana State, end up finishing 4th in the Sun Belt at 8-4. It's their best season in something like 19 years.

So if Idaho was your school, would you still rather be FBS vs. the 3 scenarios below?

Switch your actual school for Idaho (taking away the geography arguments). Would you still rather have Idaho's 2016 season than these other 3 options?

1) 2nd Round FCS Playoffs finish vs. Famous Potatoes Bowl: Chattanooga had an 8-3 finish, hosted a first round playoff game, and had the horses that could have taken you deeper.

2) Quarterfinalist vs Famous Potatoes Bowl: Richmond got to host a playoff game, is in the quarters, and if they win may actually get to host again in the Semi's with a shot at playing for the title.

3) Finalist vs. Famous Potatoes Bowl: An NDSU fan would get to see his team a guaranteed 3 additional times in the playoffs and a legit shot to win another National Championship.

[Mvemjsunpx]

They are going to a bowl game in Boise…

I'd rather have a losing record.

[Gil Dobie]

Is that the Idaho Potato Bowl or UND Potato Bowl that has been going since 1966.

[89Hen]

would you still rather be FBS

No. I would only want to be I-A if my school were moving to a P5 and that aint happening.

[JohnStOnge]

I've said for many years that when it comes to McNeese I prefer the playoffs. I wish they were better. I wish they were nationally competitive like they were most years during 1991 through 2002. But I"d still rather see them stay in FCS and compete to get into a playoff tournament.

Told the story many times: McNeese went to three independence bowls during their short tenure in the top division of college football (1975 - 1981). They won the first ever Independence Bowl. And back then it wasn't a situation where just about everybody went to a bowl. When McNeese went to the first Independence Bowl in 1976 there were only 12 bowl games. When they went to their last one in 1980 there were only 15.

I enjoyed seeing them go to bowl games. That was all there was. But the first time they went to the playoffs was a totally different experience. Much more intense. Felt much more meaningful. I was hanging on every play listening to the radio call as they went in as a big underdog but gave #1 seed Nevada everything they wanted before losing 22-18. I recall that experience a lot more vividly than I recall actually attending two Independence Bowls. Never forget it. I went fishing in a situation where I could just let my lines out from the bank then sat in the car listening to the game on the radio. Also remember the first time I went to a McNeese home playoff game. The energy and intensity...the body language of the players on both sides. Just way beyond the intensity level of the Independence Bowls. Independence Bowls were more like parties.

No way I'd want to go to a situation where the most they could hope for at the end of the season was to be one of the flipping 2/3 of FBS teams in one of 40 bowl games with only the ones associated with the "college football playoff" having any real significance. I recognize I'm not like most people. I can see most people appear to prefer the latter. But I personally don't ever want to see McNeese go FBS as long as something like the FCS playoff tournament is available.

[kalm]

I've said for many years that when it comes to McNeese I prefer the playoffs. I wish they were better. I wish they were nationally competitive like they were most years during 1991 through 2002. But I"d still rather see them stay in FCS and compete to get into a playoff tournament.

Told the story many times: McNeese went to three independence bowls during their short tenure in the top division of college football (1975 - 1981). They won the first ever Independence Bowl. And back then it wasn't a situation where just about everybody went to a bowl. When McNeese went to the first Independence Bowl in 1976 there were only 12 bowl games. When they went to their last one in 1980 there were only 15.

I enjoyed seeing them go to bowl games. That was all there was. But the first time they went to the playoffs was a totally different experience. Much more intense. Felt much more meaningful. I was hanging on every play listening to the radio call as they went in as a big underdog but gave #1 seed Nevada everything they wanted before losing 22-18. I recall that experience a lot more vividly than I recall actually attending two Independence Bowls. Never forget it. I went fishing in a situation where I could just let my lines out from the bank then sat in the car listening to the game on the radio. Also remember the first time I went to a McNeese home playoff game. The energy and intensity...the body language of the players on both sides. Just way beyond the intensity level of the Independence Bowls. Independence Bowls were more like parties.

No way I'd want to go to a situation where the most they could hope for at the end of the season was to be one of the flipping 2/3 of FBS teams in one of 40 bowl games with only the ones associated with the "college football playoff" having any real significance. I recognize I'm not like most people. I can see most people appear to prefer the latter. But I personally don't ever want to see McNeese go FBS as long as something like the FCS playoff tournament is available.

Good post and some great history, JSO.

I'd like to see the opinions of some current Sun Belt fans on this...

[JALMOND]

I've said for many years that when it comes to McNeese I prefer the playoffs. I wish they were better. I wish they were nationally competitive like they were most years during 1991 through 2002. But I"d still rather see them stay in FCS and compete to get into a playoff tournament.

Told the story many times: McNeese went to three independence bowls during their short tenure in the top division of college football (1975 - 1981). They won the first ever Independence Bowl. And back then it wasn't a situation where just about everybody went to a bowl. When McNeese went to the first Independence Bowl in 1976 there were only 12 bowl games. When they went to their last one in 1980 there were only 15.

I enjoyed seeing them go to bowl games. That was all there was. But the first time they went to the playoffs was a totally different experience. Much more intense. Felt much more meaningful. I was hanging on every play listening to the radio call as they went in as a big underdog but gave #1 seed Nevada everything they wanted before losing 22-18. I recall that experience a lot more vividly than I recall actually attending two Independence Bowls. Never forget it. I went fishing in a situation where I could just let my lines out from the bank then sat in the car listening to the game on the radio. Also remember the first time I went to a McNeese home playoff game. The energy and intensity...the body language of the players on both sides. Just way beyond the intensity level of the Independence Bowls. Independence Bowls were more like parties.

No way I'd want to go to a situation where the most they could hope for at the end of the season was to be one of the flipping 2/3 of FBS teams in one of 40 bowl games with only the ones associated with the "college football playoff" having any real significance. I recognize I'm not like most people. I can see most people appear to prefer the latter. But I personally don't ever want to see McNeese go FBS as long as something like the FCS playoff tournament is available.

No wonder Duck fans get so upset when you point out they are not going to a bowl this year. Their kids missed out on getting their participation trophies at the end of the season.

I had no idea. I'm not going to bring it up to them anymore. They seem to get SOOOOOOO mad.

[JohnStOnge]

Good post and some great history, JSO.

I'd like to see the opinions of some current Sun Belt fans on this...

They'll say they prefer competing in "the top level" and trying to get to bowl games. I don't understand it, but I've had to admit that's how the overwhelming majority of fans of such schools feel.

[Wildcat Ryan]

I'd rather lose in the first round of the FCS playoffs than play in the "Famous Idaho Potatoes Bowl" any year.

As strange as it is, an FCS Weber State team has a better shot at winning a National Championship than an FBS Idaho does.

[JohnStOnge]

I'd rather lose in the first round of the FCS playoffs than play in the "Famous Idaho Potatoes Bowl" any year.

As strange as it is, an FCS Weber State team has a better shot at winning a National Championship than an FBS Idaho does.

Also a better chance than FBS Boise State does. The chances that any program that moves or has moved from I-AA/FCS to I-A/FBS will win a national championship at the FBS level are about as close to zero as one can get.

I mentioned Boise State because I think that's been the program that's done the best since making the move. They did win a national championship in I-AA. They're not going to win one where they are now.

[Baldy]

I've said for many years that when it comes to McNeese I prefer the playoffs. I wish they were better. I wish they were nationally competitive like they were most years during 1991 through 2002. But I"d still rather see them stay in FCS and compete to get into a playoff tournament.

Told the story many times: McNeese went to three independence bowls during their short tenure in the top division of college football (1975 - 1981). They won the first ever Independence Bowl. And back then it wasn't a situation where just about everybody went to a bowl. When McNeese went to the first Independence Bowl in 1976 there were only 12 bowl games. When they went to their last one in 1980 there were only 15.

I enjoyed seeing them go to bowl games. That was all there was. But the first time they went to the playoffs was a totally different experience. Much more intense. Felt much more meaningful. I was hanging on every play listening to the radio call as they went in as a big underdog but gave #1 seed Nevada everything they wanted before losing 22-18. I recall that experience a lot more vividly than I recall actually attending two Independence Bowls. Never forget it. I went fishing in a situation where I could just let my lines out from the bank then sat in the car listening to the game on the radio. Also remember the first time I went to a McNeese home playoff game. The energy and intensity...the body language of the players on both sides. Just way beyond the intensity level of the Independence Bowls. Independence Bowls were more like parties.

No way I'd want to go to a situation where the most they could hope for at the end of the season was to be one of the flipping 2/3 of FBS teams in one of 40 bowl games with only the ones associated with the "college football playoff" having any real significance. I recognize I'm not like most people. I can see most people appear to prefer the latter. But I personally don't ever want to see McNeese go FBS as long as something like the FCS playoff tournament is available.

Good post and some great history, JSO.

I'd like to see the opinions of some current Sun Belt fans on this...

Since you asked...

Idaho is fucked by being out isolated on an island. They would be a good fit for the MWC, but they don't really have anything to offer. Crappy stadium low support, all their other sports compete in the Big Sky, etc. Unfortunately for them, FCS is pretty much their only choice.

As I've said on here several times, I love FCS football. I miss the day trips to away games, the structure and the playoffs. With all that said, I would never want to go back. Even though we were still winning, competitive, and a NC contender (the 2012 semifinal in Fargo was a classic), the program had stagnated. We could regularly draw 18K to 19K (20K - 21K if App was in town) but could never get over that attendance hump. Season ticket sales, donations, etc peaked and we've been treading water for years. Many of the problems were due to being in the SoCon. Wofford, Furman, and Chatty(recently) were usually strong competition, but the rest of the conference was, and still is, weak. Look at the attendance numbers our last few years in the SoCon. Us and App outdrew the rest of the conference 2:1 or 3:1.

Now, season ticket sales, which are still low comparatively, have increased over 50%, our average attendance has increased by 3K to 4K per game (and that includes attendance killing weekday games). Donations have almost doubled as have corporate sponsorships. When we were FCS, we had to pay Nike for our football uniforms. Now, Addidas pays us $400K per year and they supply (at no additional cost) uniforms for ALL our sports. Half of our games were nationally broadcast on ESPN channels. I could go on, but those are the things that popped into my head at first.

One interesting side bar. We had a horrible season. Lost 7 of 8 going into into the final game of the season on 12/3. In the FCS days, that would have been the 2nd round of the playoffs. Paulson Stadium on Saturdays in the playoffs was a virtual ghost town. Looking back to 2012 at our very last FCS home playoff game, we played Central Arkansas. The attendance on that day was an embarrassing 8,888. Needless to say, I was expecting something just as bad or worse against Troy on 12/3. I was totally blown away when I saw that almost 17K people showed up. Hell, at 5-7, we still averaged over 20K this season with two Thursday night games.

Much to JSO's disappointment, FBS is where GA Southern and App need to be.