A different approach, where do I rate the Sun Belt after week#1?... Currently, 5th among G5 conferences.

1. Mountain West... Against P5 (2-0), CUSA (0-0), AAC (0-0), MAC (0-1), SBC (0-0), FCS (8-1)... 10-2
2. Conference USA... Against P5 (2-3), MW (0-0), AAC (1-1), MAC (1-0), SBC (1-0), FCS (3-0)... 8-4
3. American... Against P5 (1-2), MW (0-0), CUSA (1-1), MAC (0-0), SBC (0-0), FCS (7-0)... 9-3
4. Mid-American... Against P5 (0-5), MW (1-0), AAC (0-0), CUSA (0-1), SBC (1-0), FCS (3-0)... 5-6
5. Sun Belt... Against P5 (0-7), MW (0-0), AAC (0-0), MAC (0-1), CUSA (0-1), FCS (2-0)... 2-9

(09-06-2015 03:28 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(09-06-2015 12:10 PM)StanMolsonMan Wrote:  We played Friday? Man my head hurts. Where are my shoes? And how'd I end up in Laredo?

Man, I feel for you Stan . . . . It's been a tough week . . . . . The only thing I can think of, worse than losing a day game to Charlotte, is to end up in Laredo with no idea as to how you got there . . .

If you have time, slip over the border for The Donkey Show . . . .

Watch out for the Cartels . . . .

You need bus money to get back to Atlanta?

I'll pick you up at El Gallo in Cleveland Avenue when you get back.

If we are only looking at week one, then I don't see how we can be anywhere but dead last. We did nothing, and I mean NOTHING to prove we are better than anyone in this conference (or any conference for that matter).

(09-06-2015 07:58 AM)Eagle22 Wrote:  1) Louisiana - impressed w/ the effort, caught the last few minutes of the game
2) App State - Not surprised at the outcome, but shutting out an average MEAC team not a bad start for the season
3) Troy - Decent start for Neal Brown, defense looks like it might need some work
4) ULM - Played a better 2nd half, Ceasar had a nice game.
5) South Alabama - Gardner Webb not a FCS power, but it's a W
T6) Arkansas State - About what I expected,
T6) NMSU - Did not watch, was surprised UF scored this many.
T6) TXST - Did not watch, how good is FSU going to be this year ?
9) Idaho - Thought Ohio didn't play all that well, Vandals seemed to shoot themselves in the foot.
10) Georgia Southern - Pathetic game versus a decent opponent
11) Georgia State - Pathetic game versus a bad opponent

Can't really disagree with El Captain.

No way to really tell how our individual teams come out of this week.

But, our goal is to finish catching up to a depleted CUSA in perception while the gap is the narrowest it has ever been.

How are we doing?

We aren't even maintaining the gap the last two years. CUSA has widened it so far.

But, its a long-term project so...back to work this week.

Did not realize the MWC played 9 FCS teams and the AAC played 7. SBC played only 2 FCS so hard for me to accurately compare right now. SBC also played the most and higher ranked A5 schools.

SBC played #8, 9 and 10. CUSA played #18 and 22.

Since the bad App had a 66-0 win early last season, the good App should have put at least 85 on Howard. Am I doing this right?

1. Appalachian State - The only team to really do what they should have.

2. Louisiana - Showed a lot of determination after getting down a few scores. Will be a force in the SBC again this year. Hard to pick them near the top group after losing to the second worst team in the SEC, but the others showings were just that bad.

2. Troy - Lots of work to be done, but a decent showing with 21 points despite only running 50 or so plays. NCSU more than doubled Troy in time of possession. No INTs from our QB in the opener. He finished with a 75% completion percentage. Could easily be in the three group.

3. ULM - No one else in the SBC would have done better, despite the score.

3. Arkansas State - No one else in the SBC would have done better, despite the score.

3. Texas State - No one else in the SBC would have done better, despite the score.

4. NMSU - Florida is not in the same camp as the above three. NMSU could have done better.

4. Georgia Southern - This game could have been in either the 3 or 4 group considering competition, but being shutout puts this game in the 4 group.

4. Idaho - Ohio was/is not a very good team. Turnovers doomed the vandals.

4. South Alabama - Terrible performance. Gardner Webb was ranked #90 FCS (#254 overall). Should have been 52-0. USA will get much better as the season progresses. Too many holes to fill early on.

4. Georgia State - Close loss vs a terrible opponent. All preseason rankings had Charlotte almost ten spots higher than GSU. They proved them right.

TroyFootball05, your signature is not showing up (at least not for me).

Everybody pretty much did what was thought they would (though I'd say USA and Texas State underperformed).

(09-06-2015 10:26 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  1. Appalachian State - The only team to really do what they should have.

2. Louisiana - Showed a lot of determination after getting down a few scores. Will be a force in the SBC again this year. Hard to pick them near the top group after losing to the second worst team in the SEC, but the others showings were just that bad.

2. Troy - Lots of work to be done, but a decent showing with 21 points despite only running 50 or so plays. NCSU more than doubled Troy in time of possession. No INTs from our QB in the opener. He finished with a 75% completion percentage. Could easily be in the three group.

3. ULM - No one else in the SBC would have done better, despite the score.

3. Arkansas State - No one else in the SBC would have done better, despite the score.

3. Texas State - No one else in the SBC would have done better, despite the score.

4. NMSU - Florida is not in the same camp as the above three. NMSU could have done better.

4. Georgia Southern - This game could have been in either the 3 or 4 group considering competition, but being shutout puts this game in the 4 group.

4. Idaho - Ohio was/is not a very good team. Turnovers doomed the vandals.

4. South Alabama - Terrible performance. Gardner Webb was ranked #90 FCS (#254 overall). Should have been 52-0. USA will get much better as the season progresses. Too many holes to fill early on.

4. Georgia State - Close loss vs a terrible opponent. All preseason rankings had Charlotte almost ten spots higher than GSU. They proved them right.

Agree with this.

T1. Ragin' Cajuns: ULL never gave the game away to the Wildcats. While the Cajuns didn't come out on top, they did show that they are strong competitors and they will be in the running for the top spot of the conference this year. I expect good things out of them over the next few weeks.

T1. Mountaineers: Appalachian State did what was expected today. They went into The Rock and didn't allow Howard an inkling of hope from the moment the ball hit the field. While they did hold Howard, next week will be a true test as to where the Mountaineers stand this season. If we have as strong (or even better) of a showing as ULL did at UK, the Mountaineers will be in for a great season.

T2. Trojans: Troy came out fighting this season. While they didn't walk away with a W, they definitely can walk away with their heads held high, as they remained in competition up until the fourth quarter. Troy has vastly improved this year and I could see them finishing in the top half. I'm excited to see how they do in their next match.

T2. Warhawks: Were the Warhawks demolished? Not entirely. ULM didn't put much on the scoreboard, but they proved that they have it in them to do that this season. There is always room for improvement, but when you're playing a top 10 school, only so much can be expected. The Warhawks will likely finish in the top half.

T2. Bobcats: Much like the Warhawks, the Bobcats proved that there is something in them while playing Florida State. While Florida State is in the top 10, the Bobcats were able to hang a few points on them, showing that they can compete with every team they play. I'm looking forward to watching where they land this year.

T3. Red Wolves: While this may have been an off game against a #8 ranked school, I still expected a little more from Arkansas State. Hanging only 6 points on USC's 55 points disappointed me a little, but that doesn't mean stAte won't be competitive. With it being early on, I still predict the Red Wolves will finish in the top 4.

T3. Aggies: While this may be a controversial placement, NMSU (at least) showed up to the game. Although they never scored big, at least they scored on an SEC opponent, which is surprising coming from a low-ranked team. I don't see NMSU doing great this year, but I see them doing better than they did last year.

T4. Eagles: I don't think many people expected the Eagles to pull out a win at WVU, I do think most of us expected them to at least compete. The Eagles disappointed me with this shut out. Do I think this is season ending for them? Heck no, but they have some weaknesses that need to be fixed. I expect them to finish in the top half still.

T4. Jaguars: I mean, at least they won? USA kept it too close for comfort, in my opinion. Even if Gardner-Webb had won the FCS Championship last year, USA should have been able to hang a few more points on them. I think USA has some work to do, but should they show their dedication, they may compete this year. I'm not sure after this game, though.

5. Vandals: Idaho lost to a not-so-great MAC team, which makes the Sun Belt and the Vandals look bad. I never expected Idaho to demolish Ohio, but I, at least, expected them to keep it within two touchdowns. Idaho continues on its track record of being at the bottom of the barrel and I don't foresee it getting much better this season.

6. Panthers: Did either team practice prior to this game, or did they just show up and act like it was powder puff football? This was not only a disgrace to the Belt, but a disgrace to the Georgia State Athletic Department. The Panthers should have gotten their first win against a very young Charlotte team, but instead, they squandered that. I don't foresee the Panthers winning another match this year, but I do foresee their attendance nosediving (even more so than before) this season.

Ranking based on best teams now and where they will end the season and not a one week "how'd they look?"


1a) Georgia Southern - ULL recently trailed OkSt 41-0 at halftime and went on to share the conference title so the WV game has no impact on the conference run especially considering our all conference QB was out. Defense is solid and the OL has a little time to get worked out before SBC play.
1b) Louisiana - nice comeback, but missed an opportunity to beat a team WKU has beaten twice recently. Appears to be similar team as the last 4 years.
1c) App State - Learned zero from game one. App had a 66-0 win during their disastrous start last season.
4a, b) Ark St, Tx St - FSU, USC so hard to tell much.
6) ULM - Ceasar is a legit talent at WR.
7) Troy - were bad last year, so hard to move to the top half after one game.
8) South Alabama - way too much roster turnover. Will be a long season.
11) NMSU,Idaho, GaSt - Only thing positive is they can feel less guilty given the performance of the other SBC teams last week.

Way too early to tell what the conference will do...

just because you were good last year doesn't mean you will be this year see Troy in 2010 (8-5) then 2011 (3-9)

And just because you were bad last year doesn't mean you will be this year see ULL 2010 (3-9) and 2011 (9-3)

There's just not a ton of separation from the top to the bottom. Unlike maybe the SEC or ACC.

(09-07-2015 12:06 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  Way too early to tell what the conference will do...

just because you were good last year doesn't mean you will be this year see Troy in 2010 (8-5) then 2011 (3-9)

And just because you were bad last year doesn't mean you will be this year see ULL 2010 (3-9) and 2011 (9-3)

There's just not a ton of separation from the top to the bottom. Unlike maybe the SEC or ACC.

Yes, there are always exceptions but I think you can agree that if you were BAD last year it is much more likely that you will be BAD vs Good the following year.

(09-06-2015 08:03 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  A different approach, where do I rate the Sun Belt after week#1?... Currently, 5th among G5 conferences.

1. Mountain West... Against P5 (2-0), CUSA (0-0), AAC (0-0), MAC (0-1), SBC (0-0), FCS (8-1)... 10-2
2. Conference USA... Against P5 (2-3), MW (0-0), AAC (1-1), MAC (1-0), SBC (1-0), FCS (3-0)... 8-4
3. American... Against P5 (1-2), MW (0-0), CUSA (1-1), MAC (0-0), SBC (0-0), FCS (7-0)... 9-3
4. Mid-American... Against P5 (0-5), MW (1-0), AAC (0-0), CUSA (0-1), SBC (1-0), FCS (3-0)... 5-6
5. Sun Belt... Against P5 (0-7), MW (0-0), AAC (0-0), MAC (0-1), CUSA (0-1), FCS (2-0)... 2-9

Good list. This illustrates how bad the MAC and SBC were this weekend. A combined 0-12 against P5 schools. The MWC, AAC, CUSA and BYU went a combined 6-5 against P5 schools.

The Sun Belt was the only FBS conference without a win against an FBS school.

This isn't the week to rank the Belt or our teams. It's not just a cliché, it's a fact: the biggest improvement for all teams comes between the first and second games. We'll have a MUCH more accurate picture of where our teams and conference stand after this weekend (Week 2).

(09-06-2015 08:03 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  A different approach, where do I rate the Sun Belt after week#1?... Currently, 5th among G5 conferences.

1. Mountain West... Against P5 (2-0), CUSA (0-0), AAC (0-0), MAC (0-1), SBC (0-0), FCS (8-1)... 10-2
2. Conference USA... Against P5 (2-3), MW (0-0), AAC (1-1), MAC (1-0), SBC (1-0), FCS (3-0)... 8-4
3. American... Against P5 (1-2), MW (0-0), CUSA (1-1), MAC (0-0), SBC (0-0), FCS (7-0)... 9-3
4. Mid-American... Against P5 (0-5), MW (1-0), AAC (0-0), CUSA (0-1), SBC (1-0), FCS (3-0)... 5-6
5. Sun Belt... Against P5 (0-7), MW (0-0), AAC (0-0), MAC (0-1), CUSA (0-1), FCS (2-0)... 2-9

In all fairness, that is not a good comparison. The MW played 9 FCS teams (actually lost to one of them!), 1 G5 team (lost to NIU) and only play 2 P5 teams.Granted they won those games, but so would most teams out there. Both Washington and Colorado suck!

The SB only played 2 FCS and won them both. You played 7 good P5 teams where 3 of those were ranked.

(09-06-2015 06:56 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  No offense to ULL, but Kentucky ain't middle of the pack in the SEC.

No they are not, but I'm sure its just eating at you that they had a chance to win. BTW, there really is nothing to tell from week one matchups other than the SBC is not good right now.

(09-07-2015 02:34 PM)westernwilly Wrote:  

(09-06-2015 08:03 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  A different approach, where do I rate the Sun Belt after week#1?... Currently, 5th among G5 conferences.

1. Mountain West... Against P5 (2-0), CUSA (0-0), AAC (0-0), MAC (0-1), SBC (0-0), FCS (8-1)... 10-2
2. Conference USA... Against P5 (2-3), MW (0-0), AAC (1-1), MAC (1-0), SBC (1-0), FCS (3-0)... 8-4
3. American... Against P5 (1-2), MW (0-0), CUSA (1-1), MAC (0-0), SBC (0-0), FCS (7-0)... 9-3
4. Mid-American... Against P5 (0-5), MW (1-0), AAC (0-0), CUSA (0-1), SBC (1-0), FCS (3-0)... 5-6
5. Sun Belt... Against P5 (0-7), MW (0-0), AAC (0-0), MAC (0-1), CUSA (0-1), FCS (2-0)... 2-9

In all fairness, that is not a good comparison. The MW played 9 FCS teams (actually lost to one of them!), 1 G5 team (lost to NIU) and only play 2 P5 teams.Granted they won those games, but so would most teams out there. Both Washington and Colorado suck!

The SB only played 2 FCS and won them both. You played 7 good P5 teams where 3 of those were ranked.

Anytime a G5 school beats a P5 school it is a good thing. UW is coming off an 8-6 season. They are not bad and they recruit well. Beating Colorado is a great win for a struggling Hawaii program. They do not have the financial resources and talent to compete with Colorado, but they did. Colorado just finished a $156 million upgrade to their football facilities. They won't be down forever.