2023 - Around College Football - FCS Playoffs and FBS Bowl Games

Mon Dec 04, 2023 8:28 am

Last weekend, here was the FCS Playoff Lineup, the prediction (via Massey Ratings) and result:
Richmond at #5 Albany - Richmond favored by ~6; Albany won 41-13 (the only really big "whiff")
Youngstown State at #8 Villanova - Villanova favored by ~4; Villanova won 45-28
Chattanooga at #7 Furman - Furman favored by ~4; Furman won 26-7
Sacramento State at #3 South Dakota - South Dakota favored by ~3; South Dakota won 34-24
Mercer at #1 South Dakota State - SDSU favored by ~32; SDSU won 41-0
North Dakota State at #6 Montana State - NDSU favored by ~1; NDSU won 35-34 in OT (both scored TDs, but NDSU blocked MSU's XP attempt
Delaware at #2 Montana - Montana favored by ~15; Montana won 49-19
Southern Illinois at #4 Idaho - Idaho favored by ~3; Idaho won 20-17 in OT

So this weekend, we have:
Friday, 12/8 at 8 PM - #7 Furman at #2 Montana, ESPN2/ESPN+
Saturday, 12/9 at 11 AM - #8 Villanova at #1 South Dakota State, ESPN/ESPN+
Saturday, 12/9 at 1:30 PM - North Dakota State at #3 South Dakota, ABC/ESPN+
Saturday, 12/9 at 9 PM - #5 Albany at #4 Idaho, ESPN+

On the FBS front, Army vs Navy is this Saturday, then the bowl games kick off on 12/16. Bowl games with teams in our "region" are:
12/23 at 11 AM - Arkansas State (6-6) vs Northern Illinois (6-6) - Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, AL), ESPN/ESPN+
12/23 at 6:30 PM - Utah (8-4) vs Northwestern (7-5) - Las Vegas Bowl, ABC/ESPN+
12/29 at 1 PM - #19 Oregon State (8-4) vs #16 Notre Dame (9-3) - Sun Bowl (El Paso, TX), CBS
12/29 at 2:30 PM - Memphis (9-3) vs Iowa State (7-5) - Liberty Bowl (Memphis, TN), ESPN/ESPN+
12/29 at 7 PM - #9 Missouri (10-2) vs #7 Ohio State (11-1) - Cotton Bowl Classic (Arlington, TX), ESPN/ESPN+
1/1 at 11 AM - Wisconsin (7-5) vs #13 LSU (9-3) - ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa, FL), ESPN2
1/1 at 12 PM - #17 Iowa (10-3) vs #21 Tennessee (8-4) - Citrus Bowl (Orlando, FL), ABC

wiu712 · Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:08 pm

North Dakota State will be playing at #3 South Dakota.

Mon Dec 04, 2023 2:17 pm

wiu712 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:08 pm North Dakota State will be playing at #3 South Dakota.

Thank you...fixed the post.

meganeck · Thu Dec 07, 2023 5:22 pm

So what do people think if Bob had stayed do you think he would have turned WIU around? Also is this kinda an one year thing for South Dakota or does he have them turned in a consistent winner who will battle the other Dakotas.

sealhall74 · Thu Dec 07, 2023 6:50 pm

meganeck wrote: ↑Thu Dec 07, 2023 5:22 pm So what do people think if Bob had stayed do you think he would have turned WIU around? Also is this kinda an one year thing for South Dakota or does he have them turned in a consistent winner who will battle the other Dakotas.

I do think he had us on the right path. Very good recruiter and evaluator of talent, adjusting scheme when necessary to match the talent. I also think the investment USD has made in facilities during his tenure will keep them a force into the foreseeable future. The Dakota D1s are blessed with a great rivalry environment now. That is priceless.

Regarding recruiting, a few years back I was flying in to Sioux Falls for the conference tournament via Minneapolis. Bob was on the same flight as me, much tanned and looking good. I thought to myself, I bet he just coming back from Florida after an extended stay. I just counted the FL guys on their roster. Seventeen this year. Florida, CA, TX is where all the speed is.

leatherneckcountry · Sun Dec 10, 2023 2:29 pm

Sounds like Entz is leaving NDSU

rocki · Sun Dec 10, 2023 3:02 pm

leatherneckcountry wrote: ↑Sun Dec 10, 2023 2:29 pm Sounds like Entz is leaving NDSU

Leaving, or being run out on a rail? Still a completely great product, but I imagine it didn't live up to some people's "never lose" ideas.

Sun Dec 10, 2023 3:24 pm

rocki wrote: ↑Sun Dec 10, 2023 3:02 pm
leatherneckcountry wrote: ↑Sun Dec 10, 2023 2:29 pm Sounds like Entz is leaving NDSU

Leaving, or being run out on a rail? Still a completely great product, but I imagine it didn't live up to some people's "never lose" ideas.

Leaving to be LB coach at USC: viewtopic.php?p=41330#p41330

Sun Dec 10, 2023 4:19 pm

This last weekend:
#2 Montana beat #7 Furman, 35-28 in OT
#1 South Dakota State beat #8 Villanova, 23-12
North Dakota State beat #3 South Dakota, 45-17
#5 Albany beat #4 Idaho, 30-22

Semifinals games are next weekend (both games on ESPN2 and ESPN+)
Friday 12/15 at 6 PM - #5 Albany at #1 South Dakota State
Saturday 12/16 at 3:30 PM - North Dakota State at #2 Montana

Mon Dec 11, 2023 2:46 pm

Also, for those interested...

NCAA Division II Football is down to their championship game between #1 Colorado School of Mines and #2 Harding University (Searcy, AR). That game will be played 12/16 at noon on ESPNU. Colorado School of Mines was last year's runner-up to Ferris State.
In NCAA Division III Football, North Central College (Naperville, IL) will face off against Cortland (NY) on 12/15 at 6 PM on ESPNU. North Central has been in the last three DIII championship games, winning in 2019 and 2022
The NAIA Championship will be on 12/18 between #1 Northwestern (IA) and #3 Keiser (FL) at 11 AM