FCS Playoffs

[sealhall74]

Patty Viverito is commish of BOTH the Pioneer Football League and the MVFC and Senior Associate Commish of the MVC.

http://www.pioneer-football.org/pfl/default/

[meganeck]

Scott, interested to hear your thoughts on San Diego winning their 1st round game, sounds like it was kind of historic.

I'll say it again, I'm surprised Bo Pelini's name is not being mentioned more for FBS jobs. Has turned YSU around and didn't do a bad job at Nebraska.

It was historic. The first time a Pioneer League team has won a playoff game. This is a pretty big deal because Pioneer League teams don't award scholarships for football, so it's kinda a weird situation where the teams are somewhere between a DI team (which they technically are according to the NCAA) and a DIII team (who doesn't award scholarships). You generally don't have the talent level of even a partial scholarship FCS team, but they do have other incentives, plus the ability to participate in the FCS playoffs. And sometimes you get lucky with a really good player that maybe wants to stay local or just otherwise likes the school, like USD's RB Jonah Hodges who averaged 123.7 yards per game and 18 TDs in 11 regular season games, was an all-conference selection, and from what I've heard from Bison fans about their game, he's a guy who could legitimately play on any FCS team. He ran for 93 yards and caught 68 yards against NDSU. Hodges is from Santa Cruz, CA, was on the team at UCLA for two years (redshirt + bench) and played in a couple of games, then transferred to USD and played for 3 years: http://www.usdtoreros.com/sports/m-foot ... 87438.html

As a team, San Diego is really the epitome of a "scrappy" team...not always having the size or obvious talent advantage, but playing together well, being well coached, and knowing how to fight to the end. I do think it's cool that a Pioneer League team won a playoff game, since it kinda validates their autobid...and I'm glad that it didn't end up being Dayton last year

As for Bo, I think a big part of why he's not being mentioned a lot is because of his current contract and situation. The Nebraska money keeps paying him until...maybe 2017 or 2018. Right now Pelini can be in a much more relaxed situation, essentially at "home", and still get paid big $. He gets ~$213k per year from YSU, but because of his contract with Nebraska, they have to continue paying him ~$1.5M per year also. Once that money runs out, as long as he's got YSU still near the top, I think he'll be in line for at least something of a step up. If he wants to stay local, maybe an Ohio MAC team, or possibly even someplace like Pitt. I don't see him going right back to the Big 10, Big 12, SEC, or PAC 12 probably though.

Thanks for the info on San Diego, didn't realize they had a former UCLA running back on the team. Yeah I don't see Bo back at a power 5, but a MAC team or similiar definitely.

[sealhall74]

Low 20s in Harrisonburg, VA. Glad I am watching this one on TV. ST, a question for you. What is the coldest weather you can remember performing in?

[ST_Lawson]

So...the point total was supposed to be high for the SHSU at JMU game...actually set the record for projected point total in a college football game (maybe in a DI game) at something like 85-90.

I didn't realize they'd all be scored by JMU...they're up 28-0 early in the 2nd quarter including a punt returned for a TD and a fumble picked up and ran back for a TD.

[sealhall74]

SHSU is trending on twitter now. This might be the lone highlight for SHSU this week. LOL

[tweet]807078693441064960[/tweet]

[ST_Lawson]

make that 35-0 with JSU back in the red zone again, still over 6 minutes left in the first half.

As for the coldest I can remember playing in...hard to say. I know that when we were in the playoffs if we were playing a first round home game over Thanksgiving weekend, I usually had to miss it because the season-ending banquet for the drum corps I was marching with at the time was always held that same Saturday. I do remember a few playoff games that I played at, like when we hosted Florida A&M in '98, but I don't remember it being that cold at that game (maybe cold for Florida people, but not cold for Illinois in December. I don't remember what game it was, but I do remember a game that I played at where we layered up, wore our rain coats (which were pretty thick and heavy and held in a lot of the heat) and we were still pretty darn cold. You had to keep your mouthpiece in your mouth when you weren't playing so that it wouldn't get cold enough to freeze (like sticking your tongue on a metal pole). I seem to remember that game having like nobody at it too, so it was probably a season-ending game the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

I'm pretty sure that it was colder last year at the game against South Dakota State though. I don't remember ever actually having to play in weather quite like that.

[wiu712]

I do remember a few playoff games that I played at, like when we hosted Florida A&M in '98, but I don't remember it being that cold at that game.

That game with Florida A&M was on December 5, 1998. It was a 1-AA second-round playoff game. Western was 10-2 going into that game and was ranked #4. Florida A&M was 11-1 going into that game was ranked #5. They were coming into Hanson Field on an 11-game winning streak.

FAMU had the nation's top-rated scoring offense, averaging 49 points a game. Western had the country's top scoring defense, giving up 9.4 points per game.

Western won that game 24-21 and went on to the FCS semi-finals to play at Georgia Southern.

It was not very cold for that game considering that it was December 5. Temp peaked at 55. Attendance for that game was 7,400.

I would have to say that the game with South Dakota State last year (November 21, 2015) was the coldest game. That game was played in the afternoon after a Saturday morning snow and ice storm. The temp for that game peaked at 30, but there was a 23 mph wind.

[BobLovely]

I was impressed with James Madison. They played most of the game with relentless intensity and focus. They were also excellent in their fundamentals. This wins football games. To my eyes, there was also a clear difference in talent and athleticism as well. Sam Houston State looked over matched and small in size in comparison. Clearly, they were "over ranked" based on their gaudy record against inferior conference competition.

Bob

[meganeck]

Predictions for SDSU & NDSU?

I got NDSU, but rooting for SDSU

[sealhall74]

Predictions for SDSU & NDSU?

I got NDSU, but rooting for SDSU

Pretty sure of this prediction: SDSU will not be affected by the weather like SHSU was last nite. My thinking is this. I am still ticketless for Frisco. My chances would improve dramatically if the Jacks win. I will root for them but I think the Dome will ultimately be their demise.