A Pioneer League team in the round of 16? Really!? Well, at any rate, that run won't be going any further. Holding Cal Poly under 200 total yards was no small accomplishment for the Torero defense, but beating NDSU's offense isn't as much about scheme as it is about power. USD also isn't facing the worst defense in the entire field this time. San Diego might be able to hold the Bizon down for a while, but they'll probably have to do it the whole game to win. That just isn't gonna happen.
Here's my assessment of the matchups & my pick for the game:
That's about what I was thinking for a score, maybe 17 for San Diego. NDSU has been getting cute after taking a lead, and making mistakes that lead to points by the other team.
Hopefully the Bison don't make these mistakes early and often, to lose the game.
SuperHornet's Athletics Hall of Fame includes Jacksonville State kicker Ashley Martin, the first girl to score in a Division I football game. She kicked 3 PATs in a 2001 game for J-State.
SuperHornet's Athletics Hall of Fame includes Jacksonville State kicker Ashley Martin, the first girl to score in a Division I football game. She kicked 3 PATs in a 2001 game for J-State.
In 3 playoff seasons the Pioneer AQ has been 2 cupcakes followed by this season's Sand Diego. San Diego wasn't your typical Pioneer team. They won won their Pioneer games by an avg of 32.5 points. A couple of 2 TD wins, and a 1/2 doz blowouts by an avg of about 40 points. The best team that conference has ever fielded, probably by far. If their 2017 AQ (probably San Diego again) is as good it won't be such a joke their conference getting an AQ like it was 2014 & 2015..
JMU Football:
4 Years FBS: 40-11 (.784). Highest winning percentage & least losses of all of G5 2022-2025.
Sun Belt East Champions: 2022, 2023, 2025
Sun Belt Champions: 2025
Top 25 ranked: 2022, 2023, 2025
CFP: 2025