Liberty/CCSU

[aceinthehole]

Liberty (8-3)
Sep 4 - W vs. St Francis-PA, 52-7
Sep 11 - W at Ball State, 27-23
Sep 18 - L at Robert Morris, 23-30
Sep 25 - L at James Madison, 3-10
Oct 2 - W vs. Savannah State, 52-14
Oct 9 - W vs. Char Southern, 44-20
Oct 16 - W at Va Military, 41-7
Oct 30 - W at Presbyterian, 34-24
Nov 6 - W vs. Gardner-Webb, 40-14
Nov 13 - L at Coastal Carolina, 31-45
Nov 20 - vs. Stony Brook, 3:30 PM

Central Connecticut (8-3)
Sep 4 - L at New Hampshire, 3-33
Sep 11 - W vs. Bentley, 45-14
Sep 18 - L at Youngstown St, 24-63
Sep 25 - W vs. Bryant, 41-24
Oct 2 - W at Sacred Heart, 24-14
Oct 9 - W vs. Duquesne, 31-29
Oct 22 - W at Albany, 30-27 OT
Oct 30 - W vs. Wagner, 38-20
Nov 6 - L at Robert Morris, 24-42
Nov 13 - W at Monmouth, 49-48 2OT
Nov 20 - vs. St Francis-PA, 12:00 PM

- Both teams are 0-1 vs common opponents (L at RMU)
- Both teams are conference co-champions (assumes CCSU beats SFPA & LU beats SBU)
- Both teams finish with an 8-3 record (assumes CCSU beats SFPA & LU beats SBU)
- Both teams lost at a ranked CAA opponent (CCSU at UNH / LU at JMU)

- CCSU lost at YSU (3-8), who has lost to 3 ranked MVFC teams, as well as Penn State.
- Liberty lost at CCU (5-5) who best win was Delaware State.

Compare the computer numbers and CCSU comes out ahead. It's the bias of the voters that keeps Liberty propped up in the polls.

[ToTheLeft]

Who did CCSU beat? And don't try and prop up YSU.

And from Sagarin:

46.Central Connecticut State
47.Illinois State
48.Youngstown State
49.Dayton
50.Old Dominion
51.Portland State
52.Liberty

It's not some huge gap. Get over it. We're nearly identical, but LU played ONLY DI's and beat an FBS opponent, however bad they might be.

[ToTheLeft]

And for the record, LU isn't in my top 25 this week, but I feel if it came down to CCSU and LU for a playoff spot, and no other teams were in consideration, LU gets the spot.

[aceinthehole]

Who did CCSU beat? And don't try and prop up YSU.

And from Sagarin:

46.Central Connecticut State
47.Illinois State
48.Youngstown State
49.Dayton
50.Old Dominion
51.Portland State
52.Liberty

It's not some huge gap. Get over it. We're nearly identical, but LU played ONLY DI's and beat an FBS opponent, however bad they might be.

Listen, I'm not saying CCSU is an at-large team, but as this shows they have similar resume to Liberty. Yet, the fact remains Liberty will get votes, while CCSU is ignored. There is no good reason why that continues.

I don't think there is a huge gap between any of the teams above, I am just making the case that CCSU and the NEC is routinly ignored by voters and posters. The HYPE for teams like ODU and Liberty is not equal to their performance.

CCSU and the entire NEC reamins UNDERATED and desverves to be in all these conversations, that's all I'm really trying to point out.

[ToTheLeft]

It took LU a couple years to get national recognition from the Big South.

Give it time.

Albany was getting national respect a couple years ago.

And poll votes and playoff resumes are different. Poll votes really don't matter, especially TSN since it's a joke. Playoff resumes aren't looked at the same way. LU has something to stand out from CCSU, an FBS win. That's something specifically mentioned in the criteria. As well, LU played an all DI schedule, which, again, is specifically in the criteria.

If I made a top 40 poll, CCSU would be ahead of Liberty this week. But Liberty would get an at-large first.

[aceinthehole]

TTL,
CCSU has built a reputation over previous season, but many voters and some posters continue to ignore them!

Multiple non-conference ROAD wins:
at Colgate (2005), at #13 Georgia Southern (2006), at Delaware State (2008), at Lehigh (2009), at Columbia (2009)

Multiple conference championships:
2004, 2005, 2009, 2010

- CCSU Head Coach Jeff McInerney is 25-10 in NEC games in his five seasons (vs Saint Francis next week). He is 37-18 overall in his five seasons at the helm of the Blue Devil football program.

- CCSU has now won a school-record 13 straight home games. That is the longest active streak in the NEC and tied for the 3rd longest streak in the country behind Montana (22) and Grambling (15).

- Since the beginning of the 2004 season CCSU posts a record of 51-24, including 30-3 at home. The 45 wins from 2004-09 are the most in school history in a six-season stretch. The nine wins last season match the highest single season win total in school history.

- The Blue Devils won 59 games from 2000 through 2009, marking the most successful decade in CCSU football history. Last season's senior class posted a four-year record of 30-15, the most wins in a four-year span in school history. The previous mark of 29 was set in 2007. This year's senior class currenty has 29 career wins.

- With a 7-3 record this season, the Blue Devils have officially posted their seventh straight winning season, matching the school-record. The last time CCSU posted seven straight winning seasons was from 1965-71. The Blue Devils had had only six winning seasons in the previous 35 seasons prior to 2004.

Other intersting game notes from this year (prior to Monmouth game):

Red Zone Numbers - #1 in the Country
The Blue Devils have excelled in the red zone this season. In 38 visits to the red zone in the first eight games of the season, Central has scored 35 times. They are tied with Youngstown State as the most proficient team in the country when reaching the red zone (95 percent) They have 25 touchdowns and 11 field goals, good for 208 points. They have rushed for 20 scores and thrown for five once they reach the red zone.

Team and Benjamin Rushing in the Nation
The Blue Devils are averaging 199.8 yards per game on the ground this season, good for 20th in the country. They lead the Northeast Conference in that category. Senior running back Everette Benjamin is averaging 114.3 yards per game, good for 15th in the nation, and he has six 100+ yard games.

Kickoff Returns - Noone Better
Josue Paul's four kickoff returns for a touchdown in his career are the most of any active player in the country

[jd of de]

It's a God thing

[CoachL]

TTL,
CCSU has built a reputation over previous season, but many voters and some posters continue to ignore them!

Multiple non-conference ROAD wins:
at Colgate (2005), at #13 Georgia Southern (2006), at Delaware State (2008), at Lehigh (2009), at Columbia (2009)

Multiple conference championships:
2004, 2005, 2009, 2010

Ace, you know that I have the utmost respect for the Blue Devils. Goodness know they beat my Dukes fair and square this year (by an INCH! ).

I'd just like to point out one thing...

December 5, 2009: Butler 28 - CCSU 23



Love ya, man!

Congratulations to you and all of the Blue Devils on your outstanding 2010 season!

[CoachL]

Multiple conference championships:
2004, 2005, 2009, 2010

...and I wouldn't count chickens before they are hatched!