As I'm sitting here enjoying my day off, I've been just watching various games from the past several seasons. Particularly, I stumbled upon both ULM's victories over Alabama in 07 and Arkansas in 12.

Here's my question: is it better to win your conference and going bowling without winning the 'money games' or win those big name games but not your conference and hope for the at large bids?


I have to say, though it's great to have the trophies in your display cases i bet it's great to be a warhawk and say you've beaten Nick Saban's crimson tide, a once #8 ranked arkansas along with Wake Forest of the ACC

I wouldn't trade. A handful of conference championship rings and bowls is hard to beat.

Beating #8 Arkansas and the resulting collapse are a special case for stAte that would require a lot of pondering.

(06-19-2014 06:12 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  I wouldn't trade. A handful of conference championship rings and bowls is hard to beat.

Beating #8 Arkansas and the resulting collapse are a special case for stAte that would require a lot of pondering.

Not really. As much as I dislike the pigs I would rather have the last three years we have than what ULM has done.

(06-19-2014 06:18 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  

(06-19-2014 06:12 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  I wouldn't trade. A handful of conference championship rings and bowls is hard to beat.

Beating #8 Arkansas and the resulting collapse are a special case for stAte that would require a lot of pondering.

Not really. As much as I dislike the pigs I would rather have the last three years we have than what ULM has done.

My first instinct is to agree on that.

The ULM loss left UA in shock for a whole season and unable to deal with stAte fans. It would have been exponentially worse for them if it had been stAte.

But as fun and worthwhile as that would have been, those things fade. As soon as they beat the Cajuns they felt free to get back on the high horse.

Championships go on the stadium wall permanently, one win over Arkansas doesn't.

One big victory does not a season make.

1. A conference championship and eight wins.

2. a seven win season and win over a power program.

I guess for one year 2 is better as long as the seasons are close.

My guess is WKU would not trade the back to back Kentucky wins for a split conference title. Otherwise you play for conference championships first.

For a transitioning GaSou, I would easily give a conference championship (and still be bowl eligible) in the short run for a BIG name win. It would have to be a BIG boy though unless it is in state like GT. I would give up a bowl as well in the short run if it meant meating thUGA, that would go further for GaSou and GaSt than a ton of bowl wins and Sun Belt championships for probably the next decade with the way were are shut out of the playoffs anyway for now.

On a side note I will give to thUGA and GT unlike chicken **** Arkansas they are not afraid to put us on and take the risk of a major upset.

(06-19-2014 07:01 PM)MJG Wrote:  1. A conference championship and eight wins.

2. a seven win season and win over a power program.

I guess for one year 2 is better as long as the seasons are close.

My guess is WKU would not trade the back to back Kentucky wins for a split conference title. Otherwise you play for conference championships first.

I agree. Though Boise ran through the WAC year in and year out, people them knocking off the big boys like Oklahoma, Georgia, Oregon, Virginia Tech, Oregon State, and Arizona State

I would take consistent winning over big name wins. I base this on the theory if you win consistently, in time, the big name wins will come.

I agree with appsfan. I would rather be a consistent winner.

The thing App and Ga. Southern fans are going to have to accept is that it is very doubtful that we will win in FBS at the same pace we did in FCS. In FCS there were many, many years our schools were 8-3 or better (11 game schedule).

In FBS ball I guess any season we go 7-5 or better it should be considered a very good season. [/i]

(06-19-2014 08:28 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  I agree with appsfan. I would rather be a consistent winner.

The thing App and Ga. Southern fans are going to have to accept is that it is very doubtful that we will win in FBS at the same pace we did in FCS. In FCS there were many, many years our schools were 8-3 or better (11 game schedule).

In FBS ball I guess any season we go 7-5 or better it should be considered a very good season. [/i]

I have to say the big wins are fun and give you lot's of respect from P5 teams being a giant killer. Also, the PR from those games is tough to beat. I get the point of conference championships for sure and not sure I wouldn't trade. I'm not real sure though to be honest. I was at the Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi St. games and honestly don't think I would have traded those for a conference championship and bowl win over a non P-5.

Championships mean you're winning more games, which means I have to deal with fewer losses. I choose champ rings.

Cajuns beat a ranked A&M before.

It depends on the big win. As a USA fan, I'd take a win over the Tide or Tigers over 3 years of godaddy or NO bowls. A win over them would do wonders for in-state perception.

(06-19-2014 08:28 PM)GaSoEagle Wrote:  I agree with appsfan. I would rather be a consistent winner.

The thing App and Ga. Southern fans are going to have to accept is that it is very doubtful that we will win in FBS at the same pace we did in FCS. In FCS there were many, many years our schools were 8-3 or better (11 game schedule).

In FBS ball I guess any season we go 7-5 or better it should be considered a very good season. [/i]

In the short term, you are probably correct, in the long term, I think both GSU and AppState can be 8, 9' and 10 plus winners in FBS. We both just have too much past success to think otherwise.

(06-20-2014 09:01 AM)Tiguar Wrote:  It depends on the big win. As a USA fan, I'd take a win over the Tide or Tigers over 3 years of godaddy or NO bowls. A win over them would do wonders for in-state perception.

Nope...long term winning is going to trump short term perception anytime.

I think your program ideally needs both. Any program can make a bowl, any program can beat a P5 program on a good day. The key is can you capitalize on one by reaching the other.

I do agree with the assertion that in the case of Arkansas, the chaos the ULM win over Arkansas provided was a ton of fun up here. Just today I had a friend who is a pig fan tell me that ASU would maybe beat Arkansas 1 time in 100, when after the ULM loss he insisted we would have beaten the pigs by 20.

I'd rather win championships myself, but their is no doubt that our start in 2012 got more national PR than a sunbelt championship or bowl win would have. The first half of the 2012 season seem like ULM was mentioned constantly and definelty had our small school on the map.

(06-21-2014 07:42 AM)swampbear Wrote:  

(06-20-2014 09:01 AM)Tiguar Wrote:  It depends on the big win. As a USA fan, I'd take a win over the Tide or Tigers over 3 years of godaddy or NO bowls. A win over them would do wonders for in-state perception.

Nope...long term winning is going to trump short term perception anytime.

this is my opinion, so yep, for me, this would top it.

edit: cheifsfan is right, but if I had to pick just one, I want a win over UA or AU.

(06-20-2014 07:39 AM)TrueBlueAlum Wrote:  Championships mean you're winning more games, which means I have to deal with fewer losses. I choose champ rings.

If you win that big game, it means you have a capable team. I would take the big game still and second place in the conference if I had to other than losing the big game and wining the conference.