First Round Breakdowns

[FCS Update]

Sorry for the delay. My first draft was lost when CS went down the other day.

http://www.championshipsubdivision.com/ ... breakdown/

[McNeese75]

New Hampshire is the clear favorite in this road match-up.

[dbackjon]

New Hampshire is the clear favorite in this road match-up.

Agreed - not sure how a very inconsistant UNH could be a clear favorite in any game

[Grizalltheway]

Agreed - not sure how a very inconsistant UNH could be a clear favorite in any game

They play in the greatest conference known to man.

[native]

Agreed - not sure how a very inconsistant UNH could be a clear favorite in any game

They play in the greatest conference known to man.

I think this is the only game that the Southland takes. SFA is going down to EWU. IMO McNeese has the better resume and is overall the slightly stronger Southland team, and is a lot stronger compared to UNH than they are given credit for.

[wideright82]

They play in the greatest conference known to man.

I think this is the only game that the Southland takes. SFA is going down to EWU. IMO McNeese has the better resume and is overall the slightly stronger Southland team, and is a lot stronger compared to UNH than they are given credit for.

SFA is literally a pick em against EWU. I don't care what Screamin tells you. They are an even line. UNH is a 3 point favorite AT McNeese. Vegas doesn't do many things right, but they know their lines. If anything I'd say SFA has the best chance at the W. Just sayin....

[Grizalltheway]

I think this is the only game that the Southland takes. SFA is going down to EWU. IMO McNeese has the better resume and is overall the slightly stronger Southland team, and is a lot stronger compared to UNH than they are given credit for.

SFA is literally a pick em against EWU. I don't care what Screamin tells you. They are an even line. UNH is a 3 point favorite AT McNeese. Vegas doesn't do many things right, but they know their lines. If anything I'd say SFA has the best chance at the W. Just sayin....

Of course you would, they're not as far west of the Mississippi as EWU.

[wideright82]

SFA is literally a pick em against EWU. I don't care what Screamin tells you. They are an even line. UNH is a 3 point favorite AT McNeese. Vegas doesn't do many things right, but they know their lines. If anything I'd say SFA has the best chance at the W. Just sayin....

Of course you would, they're not as far west of the Mississippi as EWU.

[WrenFGun]

As a UNH fan, I think it's an even matchup. McNeese fans have mentioned that the Henderson State game has been an aberration and the Southland is filled with average teams, so while the competition isn't elite, it's also not terrible, IMO. I expect a hotly contested game to be decide din the fourth.

[FCS Update]

Agreed - not sure how a very inconsistant UNH could be a clear favorite in any game

Inconsistant? They fought off some key injuries and only lost two games. One was to a truly inconsistent team in UMass, the other was a last second FG to W&M.

If W&M misses that FG, UNH may have been seeded.

[CatMom]

As a UNH fan, I think it's an even matchup. McNeese fans have mentioned that the Henderson State game has been an aberration and the Southland is filled with average teams, so while the competition isn't elite, it's also not terrible, IMO. I expect a hotly contested game to be decide din the fourth.

I guess you didn't follow the SLC this year then.... ok, so some are avaerage and some are bad but there were 3 good teams this year, we just lost that MSU game on a bad pass and the SELA game on a missed FG (ok, so it was more but if that was made earlier we win by 2) Tell me the CAA or BSC or any other conference doesn't have average to bad teams...you can't.

MSU is the more balanced team but they didn't just blow us away. The FG was in the last 2 minutes of that game and we were marching down field after. I'm cautiously optimistic but won't pick a winner in either of these contests.

[AZGrizFan]

I think this is the only game that the Southland takes. SFA is going down to EWU. IMO McNeese has the better resume and is overall the slightly stronger Southland team, and is a lot stronger compared to UNH than they are given credit for.

SFA is literally a pick em against EWU. I don't care what Screamin tells you. They are an even line. UNH is a 3 point favorite AT McNeese. Vegas doesn't do many things right, but they know their lines. If anything I'd say SFA has the best chance at the W. Just sayin....

The "line" in Vegas has way less to do with who they think is going to win and more to do with where the line is drawn that will encourage the maximum amount of betting.

[McNeese75]

As a UNH fan, I think it's an even matchup. McNeese fans have mentioned that the Henderson State game has been an aberration and the Southland is filled with average teams, so while the competition isn't elite, it's also not terrible, IMO. I expect a hotly contested game to be decide din the fourth.

I guess you didn't follow the SLC this year then.... ok, so some are avaerage and some are bad but there were 3 good teams this year, we just lost that MSU game on a bad pass and the SELA game on a missed FG (ok, so it was more but if that was made earlier we win by 2) Tell me the CAA or BSC or any other conference doesn't have average to bad teams...you can't.

MSU is the more balanced team but they didn't just blow us away. The FG was in the last 2 minutes of that game and we were marching down field after. I'm cautiously optimistic but won't pick a winner in either of these contests.

Come on now, just go with your heart

[dbackjon]

Agreed - not sure how a very inconsistant UNH could be a clear favorite in any game

Inconsistant? They fought off some key injuries and only lost two games. One was to a truly inconsistent team in UMass, the other was a last second FG to W&M.

If W&M misses that FG, UNH may have been seeded.

Yes, VERY INCONSISTANT.

They struggled with St. Francis PA - a team UNI blew out the next week.
They struggled with Hofstra
They struggled with Maine
They struggled with RHODE ISLAND

[Skjellyfetti]

Good write up. One thing, though. Armanti isn't healthy... and we won't really know how close he is to 100% until Saturday. He says he feels better than he did last year in the playoffs-- he can run "a little bit" as opposed to not at all.

[houndawg]

Good write up. One thing, though. Armanti isn't healthy... and we won't really know how close he is to 100% until Saturday. He says he feels better than he did last year in the playoffs-- he can run "a little bit" as opposed to not at all.

He's sandbagging.

[Skjellyfetti]

Good write up. One thing, though. Armanti isn't healthy... and we won't really know how close he is to 100% until Saturday. He says he feels better than he did last year in the playoffs-- he can run "a little bit" as opposed to not at all.

He's sandbagging.

I dunno. I mean, that definitely possible... but, it sounds all too similar to last year... so, I gotta wait and see how he plays tomorrow.

[TribeFanInNC]

Agreed - not sure how a very inconsistant UNH could be a clear favorite in any game

Inconsistant? They fought off some key injuries and only lost two games. One was to a truly inconsistent team in UMass, the other was a last second FG to W&M.

If W&M misses that FG, UNH may have been seeded.

That "last second FG" occurred with 2:54 remaining in the game, and a miss would have left the game tied at 17. As closely matched as the teams were, there's no way to automatically assume that UNH wins that game in the remaining time or OT.

[WrenFGun]

Inconsistant? They fought off some key injuries and only lost two games. One was to a truly inconsistent team in UMass, the other was a last second FG to W&M.

If W&M misses that FG, UNH may have been seeded.

Yes, VERY INCONSISTANT.

They struggled with St. Francis PA - a team UNI blew out the next week.
They struggled with Hofstra
They struggled with Maine
They struggled with RHODE ISLAND

Ok, first, they beat Rhode Island by 12. They allowed a ton of points but they also scored 55. Hofstra beat James Madison this year (who beat UD and UMass), and UNH won by 8 and led by 11 with 2 minutes to go. Maine was 4-4 in the CAA this year and had a win over UMass. They've also had lots of injuries and in general the game with Maine is close. St. Francis was the first game of the year, but unacceptable.

HOWEVER, if you're going to do that, how do you explain a 3-point win over Henderson State where McNeese trailed by 18? How about a 1 point win over a SELA team that lost by 15 to Nicholls State? How about allowing 43 points to SHSU, or perhaps winning by just 4 over UCA?

It goes both ways, DBack.

[McNeese75]

Yes, VERY INCONSISTANT.

They struggled with St. Francis PA - a team UNI blew out the next week.
They struggled with Hofstra
They struggled with Maine
They struggled with RHODE ISLAND

Ok, first, they beat Rhode Island by 12. They allowed a ton of points but they also scored 55. Hofstra beat James Madison this year (who beat UD and UMass), and UNH won by 8 and led by 11 with 2 minutes to go. Maine was 4-4 in the CAA this year and had a win over UMass. They've also had lots of injuries and in general the game with Maine is close. St. Francis was the first game of the year, but unacceptable.

HOWEVER, if you're going to do that, how do you explain a 3-point win over Henderson State where McNeese trailed by 18? How about a 1 point win over a SELA team that lost by 15 to Nicholls State? How about allowing 43 points to SHSU, or perhaps winning by just 4 over UCA?

It goes both ways, DBack.

You will get all the answers you want at 2:00 tomorrow! (and you are not going to like them)

[dbackjon]

Yes, VERY INCONSISTANT.

They struggled with St. Francis PA - a team UNI blew out the next week.
They struggled with Hofstra
They struggled with Maine
They struggled with RHODE ISLAND

Ok, first, they beat Rhode Island by 12. They allowed a ton of points but they also scored 55. Hofstra beat James Madison this year (who beat UD and UMass), and UNH won by 8 and led by 11 with 2 minutes to go. Maine was 4-4 in the CAA this year and had a win over UMass. They've also had lots of injuries and in general the game with Maine is close. St. Francis was the first game of the year, but unacceptable.

HOWEVER, if you're going to do that, how do you explain a 3-point win over Henderson State where McNeese trailed by 18? How about a 1 point win over a SELA team that lost by 15 to Nicholls State? How about allowing 43 points to SHSU, or perhaps winning by just 4 over UCA?

It goes both ways, DBack.

Henderson State is definately a stain on the resume. SELA is a very good team, Central Arkansas had a FBS win just as impressive as UNH's FBS win.

The Rhode Island game was close until midway through the fourth quarter.
UNH has let teams it SHOULD beat handily stick around with them. It bit them in the butt versus UMass.

[WrenFGun]

Sagarin Ratings, by team:

Maine: 134
Rhode Island: 202
Hofstra: 145
St. Francis (PA): 234

--------

Southeastern Louisiana: 173
Central Arkansas: 161
Henderson State: DII
Sam Houston State: 193

So that really good SE Louisiana team is significantly worse than Hofstra and Maine. Try a better argument next time.

[GrizMonster]

He's sandbagging.

I dunno. I mean, that definitely possible... but, it sounds all too similar to last year... so, I gotta wait and see how he plays tomorrow.

I wouldn't worry to much if I were you. Armanti and Appalachian have the distinct privilege that even if Armanti says there is only a 20% chance he will play on Saturday, all teams will still practice for him just in case he plays. So if he doesn't, they won't really be ready for a different QB or offensive scheme.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

I dunno. I mean, that definitely possible... but, it sounds all too similar to last year... so, I gotta wait and see how he plays tomorrow.

I wouldn't worry to much if I were you. Armanti and Appalachian have the distinct privilege that even if Armanti says there is only a 20% chance he will play on Saturday, all teams will still practice for him just in case he plays. So if he doesn't, they won't really be ready for a different QB or offensive scheme.

Presley's style is pretty similar to Armanti's though with less of the experience and feel for making the correct decision when it's time to break one out.

[FCS Update]

Inconsistant? They fought off some key injuries and only lost two games. One was to a truly inconsistent team in UMass, the other was a last second FG to W&M.

If W&M misses that FG, UNH may have been seeded.

That "last second FG" occurred with 2:54 remaining in the game, and a miss would have left the game tied at 17. As closely matched as the teams were, there's no way to automatically assume that UNH wins that game in the remaining time or OT.

My bad, the write up I read had a box score that timed the FG with 0:00 as the time.

I also didn't automatically assume. I said they could've been seeded. Meaning, they would've had a chance...