(10-12-2014 05:05 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  Not to bring up the Florida game, but the fact we won at the Swamp to close out 2013 gave us credibility nationally so if we did win the conference it doesn't hurt in any way. If anything people would think the SBC has added a solid program and improved.

I disagree, solely based on the preseason polls.

Right or wrong, there was little credibility given to your program.

(10-12-2014 05:15 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  

(10-12-2014 05:05 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  Not to bring up the Florida game, but the fact we won at the Swamp to close out 2013 gave us credibility nationally so if we did win the conference it doesn't hurt in any way. If anything people would think the SBC has added a solid program and improved.

I disagree, solely based on the preseason polls.

Right or wrong, there was little credibility given to your program.

I agree 100% on your last two posts...

(10-12-2014 05:15 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  

(10-12-2014 05:05 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  Not to bring up the Florida game, but the fact we won at the Swamp to close out 2013 gave us credibility nationally so if we did win the conference it doesn't hurt in any way. If anything people would think the SBC has added a solid program and improved.

I disagree, solely based on the preseason polls.

Right or wrong, there was little credibility given to your program.

I think people went with the standard model of "all transitional teams struggle" and failed to consider we were much better than all that moved up recently. Even many Ga Southern fans accepted this line of thought. Also, we had a new coach and offense that added another variable. When was the last team that moved up that was a consistent top 5 FCS program when they transitioned? Marshall?

(10-12-2014 05:25 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  I think people went with the standard model of "all transitional teams struggle" and failed to consider we were much better than all that moved up recently. Even many Ga Southern fans accepted this line of thought. Also, we had a new coach and offense that added another variable. When was the last team that moved up that was a consistent top 5 FCS program when they transitioned? Marshall?

I think we all realize GSU has a nice program.

That's why we invited you. I've wanted your team in this conference for a while now. I've always respected and kept up with your program, ever since the stAte/GSU Diamond Bowl game. I'm excited for your potential.

However, I think most people here just feel that a few of you GSU fans need to slow your roll, at least until you have more on your resume than FCS victories and an upset of a horrible Florida team.

That's all.

(10-12-2014 05:17 PM)GeauxUL Wrote:  

(10-12-2014 05:15 PM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  

(10-12-2014 05:05 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  Not to bring up the Florida game, but the fact we won at the Swamp to close out 2013 gave us credibility nationally so if we did win the conference it doesn't hurt in any way. If anything people would think the SBC has added a solid program and improved.

I disagree, solely based on the preseason polls.

Right or wrong, there was little credibility given to your program.

I agree 100% on your last two posts...

I agree as well. USA blew the ball game against us it's been closer than scores indicate against NMSU and Idaho. I think much credit goes to the Fritz coaching staff for having GS ready to compete and be in ball games. Our kids have shown determination and resiliency which are immeasurable intangibles which Pollsters can't factor into their predictions. The Florida win (I wish some of our folks would stop mentioning it as evidence of anything) was a timely boost for our program against an unsuspecting and poorly coached Gator squad. I still remember being embarrassed by Wofford, Samford, App and Furman in 2013. The NC St and Ga Tech games are just losses due to poor defense and poor ball handling and settling for field goals in the red zone. Those two teams are nothing special.

Some Cajun fans were the only one's on this board who doubted our value to the conference, but I understand why they doubted it. We really do have something special here in South Ga and anyone who visits can feel it which is why the days of Middle Tenn, WKU, Troy, UAB, and USA winning recruiting battles are over.

The SBC will be the best G5 Conference by far in 2020 because Tex St., Ark St., ULL, Troy, App St, and GS are all in niche markets with a relatively small, but fully invested base of fans and supporters who drive their programs. USA appears to be doing things right, but I think it's fair to wait and see how the next few years go to read the fan base. Ga St is on the right track, but I haven't seen anything to change my mind about the long term prospects of consistent winning for that program. I see UAB which means they'll be competitive on the field from time to time, but will find it hard to build the kind of fan support that's fully invested. NMSU will probably always be NMSU, but I'd be happy to have them as full members. Idaho is really the only oddball in the conference and that's due to geography. I think a 10 team conference with a championship game would work really well.

(10-12-2014 05:46 PM)asuwon Wrote:  I think we all realize GSU has a nice program.

That's why we invited you. I've wanted your team in this conference for a while now. I've always respected and kept up with your program, ever since the stAte/GSU Diamond Bowl game. I'm excited for your potential.

However, I think most people here just feel that a few of you GSU fans need to slow your roll, at least until you have more on your resume than FCS victories and an upset of a horrible Florida team.

That's all.

I think that's a different discussion, but I agree.

If I'm correct in speaking for someone else (because you know... that's how I am), I think we are talking about the folks past the fan bases. The coaches that predicted Georgia Southern to finish 8th (I think that's will soon be a mathematical impossibility). The "national media" (I put that in quotes because very little national media pays any attention to the G5, let alone the Sun Belt) who predicted a similar finish.

(10-12-2014 05:46 PM)asuwon Wrote:  

(10-12-2014 05:25 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  I think people went with the standard model of "all transitional teams struggle" and failed to consider we were much better than all that moved up recently. Even many Ga Southern fans accepted this line of thought. Also, we had a new coach and offense that added another variable. When was the last team that moved up that was a consistent top 5 FCS program when they transitioned? Marshall?

I think we all realize GSU has a nice program.

That's why we invited you. I've wanted your team in this conference for a while now. I've always respected and kept up with your program, ever since the stAte/GSU Diamond Bowl game. I'm excited for your potential.

However, I think most people here just feel that a few of you GSU fans need to slow your roll, at least until you have more on your resume than FCS victories and an upset of a horrible Florida team.

That's all.

If you think we're bad now, just wait til we actually win the conference.

(10-12-2014 05:46 PM)asuwon Wrote:  

(10-12-2014 05:25 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  I think people went with the standard model of "all transitional teams struggle" and failed to consider we were much better than all that moved up recently. Even many Ga Southern fans accepted this line of thought. Also, we had a new coach and offense that added another variable. When was the last team that moved up that was a consistent top 5 FCS program when they transitioned? Marshall?

I think we all realize GSU has a nice program.

That's why we invited you. I've wanted your team in this conference for a while now. I've always respected and kept up with your program, ever since the stAte/GSU Diamond Bowl game. I'm excited for your potential.

However, I think most people here just feel that a few of you GSU fans need to slow your roll, at least until you have more on your resume than FCS victories and an upset of a horrible Florida team.

That's all.

We added something this weekend, does that help?

First team to go 4-0 in their inaugural Sun Belt season.

This should be Georgia Southern's best year to win the Belt since they don't have to play Ark. St. or the Cajuns this year. We will never know if they would've beat them anyway. It's there Championship to lose. I think TXST could give them trouble on the road and you never know with ULM.

I think they have a good chance of going undefeated in conference this year. They are so close to being undefeated overall with close 1 point loss at NCST, which they should've won and a 4 point loss at Georgia Tech. They have represented the conference well in their first year.

But it is the Sun Belt, so you never know what could happen. Injuries could hurt down the stretch, like it did to the Cajuns last year.

Absolutely, injuries could do us in. That's exactly what caused us to be a 7-4 team in a weak Southern Conference last year, and it is precisely why some Georgia Southern fans took a wait-and-see approach with what this year would bring us with a new coaching staff.

It is understandable though, as someone who has followed the Eagles since 1984, that some diehard fans saw only a high ceiling for this team. I found myself unsure if we'd crack 8 or more wins, but definitely felt we'd find 6.

A lot of the depth and talent that was injured last season has logged valuable minutes this year, and made significant contributions. If that continues, the sky is the limit for the rest of the season and next year we'll worry/contemplate next year.

(10-12-2014 07:08 PM)IdahoCajun Wrote:  This should be Georgia Southern's best year to win the Belt since they don't have to play Ark. St. or the Cajuns this year. We will never know if they would've beat them anyway. It's there Championship to lose. I think TXST could give them trouble on the road and you never know with ULM.

I think they have a good chance of going undefeated in conference this year. They are so close to being undefeated overall with close 1 point loss at NCST, which they should've won and a 4 point loss at Georgia Tech. They have represented the conference well in their first year.

But it is the Sun Belt, so you never know what could happen. Injuries could hurt down the stretch, like it did to the Cajuns last year.

4/5 of the O-Line graduates as well.

(10-12-2014 09:19 PM)bullitt_60 Wrote:  

(10-12-2014 07:08 PM)IdahoCajun Wrote:  This should be Georgia Southern's best year to win the Belt since they don't have to play Ark. St. or the Cajuns this year. We will never know if they would've beat them anyway. It's there Championship to lose. I think TXST could give them trouble on the road and you never know with ULM.

I think they have a good chance of going undefeated in conference this year. They are so close to being undefeated overall with close 1 point loss at NCST, which they should've won and a 4 point loss at Georgia Tech. They have represented the conference well in their first year.

But it is the Sun Belt, so you never know what could happen. Injuries could hurt down the stretch, like it did to the Cajuns last year.

4/5 of the O-Line graduates as well.

I'm not really worried about this. None of the guys playing right now had ever played in this system, at least in college. They all adapted greatly. We are also playing Foreman, Kwon, Hunt, and Boynton a lot, so they will be up to speed next season.