This one could go either way. Maine has given up nothing on the ground this season, but Jacksonville State's passing game has been more potent than in past years. That makes it seem like I'm favoring the Gamecocks, but I think their crappiness on turnovers (minus-5) will ultimately do them in here.
Here's my assessment of the matchups & my pick for the game:
AZGrizFan wrote:
Maine carrying the CAA water now.
Next man up I guess. I'm in no way sold on Maine, but I knew JSU was a paper tiger.
It's interesting what has happened to FCS football. Outside of outlier NDSU, both player and coaching talent has really been spread out across the FCS landscape. I've seen this happen in college hockey as well. Look at the 8 teams left......which includes Maine, Colgate, Kennesaw, UC-Davis. I guess that it does help that programs like Georgia Southern, App State, Marshall, etc have left.....but still. FCS is a whole new world compared to a decade or 2 ago.
89Hen wrote:
Next man up I guess. I'm in no way sold on Maine, but I knew JSU was a paper tiger.
It's interesting what has happened to FCS football. Outside of outlier NDSU, both player and coaching talent has really been spread out across the FCS landscape. I've seen this happen in college hockey as well. Look at the 8 teams left......which includes Maine, Colgate, Kennesaw, UC-Davis. I guess that it does help that programs like Georgia Southern, App State, Marshall, etc have left.....but still. FCS is a whole new world compared to a decade or 2 ago.
89Hen wrote:
Next man up I guess. I'm in no way sold on Maine, but I knew JSU was a paper tiger.
It's interesting what has happened to FCS football. Outside of outlier NDSU, both player and coaching talent has really been spread out across the FCS landscape. I've seen this happen in college hockey as well. Look at the 8 teams left......which includes Maine, Colgate, Kennesaw, UC-Davis. I guess that it does help that programs like Georgia Southern, App State, Marshall, etc have left.....but still. FCS is a whole new world compared to a decade or 2 ago.
Marshall hasn't won a FCS title since 1996, GSU since 2000, and App St since 2007. All of a sudden the CAA caan't win in the playoffs this year, and FCS is down. Maine looks like the best team in the CAA at this point. They might be the team to break up the MVFC/Big Sky semi-final party.
2R - Jax State @ (7) Maine
