FCS National Championship Game thread and predictions.

[Gil Dobie]

Tommy sounds like a James Madison QB

Tommy Mellott reacts to national title loss.
"This year was very special. Hats off to North Dakota State for beating us today. Unfortunately, I think the better team lost, but that's how it goes sometimes. It's football.

Maybe NDSU will get that football only invite to the MWC.
Oh wait, nevermind. They gave it to NIU..

Good, FCS is the right place for NDSU.

[Gil Dobie]

Tommy sounds like a James Madison QB

Tommy Mellott reacts to national title loss.
"This year was very special. Hats off to North Dakota State for beating us today. Unfortunately, I think the better team lost, but that's how it goes sometimes. It's football.

QB’s are cocky and that’s not a surprising nor dishonest comment from a 22 year old having just lost the biggest game of his life.

The Cats slow start buried them. Otherwise these were two evenly matched teams and the cats would win their fair share in a series. I’d hope he felt the better team lost.

MSU was a good team and it was a great game. Not taking away from them at all. Tommy didn't need to make that passive aggressive statement belittling NDSU.

[Caribbean Hen]

Sam Herder gets it wrong again, I didn't check the odds because I don't bet on football and Incorrectly assumed that North Dakota State was favored by 3.5 points. That's because the MVFC is still better and tougher conference. Playing N Arizona and Cal Poly is not doing anything for a Big Sky team that wants to win a Championship. They are getting closer though so maybe next year

https://herosports.com/fcs-2024-champio ... ndsu-bzbz/

MSU is a 3.5-point favorite on BetMGM with the total points set at 56.5. Kickoff on ESPN is 6 p.m. CT on Monday, Jan. 6.

Sam Herder Prediction: Montana State 31-28

Caribbean Hens gazed into the Glass Onion and not only saw the Walrus was Paul but came up with a pick of
North Dakota State 35
Montana State 31

didn't see that 2-point play coming

[BDKJMU]

Maybe NDSU will get that football only invite to the MWC.
Oh wait, nevermind. They gave it to NIU..

Good, FCS is the right place for NDSU.

I bet a lot of NDSU fans beg to differ.

[Bobcat]

[Gil Dobie]

Good, FCS is the right place for NDSU.

I bet a lot of NDSU fans beg to differ.

I bet a lot of NDSU fans also agree with me. NDSU has the 26th highest budget in FCS, how would we finance a FBS move? Montana St had the highest budget.

https://www.sportico.com/leagues/colle ... 234822944/

[dal4018]

I bet a lot of NDSU fans beg to differ.

I bet a lot of NDSU fans also agree with me. NDSU has the 26th highest budget in FCS, how would we finance a FBS move? Montana St had the highest budget.

https://www.sportico.com/leagues/colle ... 234822944/

Plenty of ppl that are on Twitter think NDSU is afraid of making a move up to THE FBS that they should have made it to FBS a full decade ago.

[Gil Dobie]

I bet a lot of NDSU fans also agree with me. NDSU has the 26th highest budget in FCS, how would we finance a FBS move? Montana St had the highest budget.

https://www.sportico.com/leagues/colle ... 234822944/

Plenty of ppl that are on Twitter think NDSU is afraid of making a move up to THE FBS that they should have made it to FBS a full decade ago.

Who are these people? Will they help pay for a move or give us a conference invite?

Can't move up without a conference invite and money. The nearest conference teams are in Illinois and Wyoming. B1G or Big 12 won't be inviting them.

[Bobcat]

[Bobcat]

[UNI88]

QB’s are cocky and that’s not a surprising nor dishonest comment from a 22 year old having just lost the biggest game of his life.

The Cats slow start buried them. Otherwise these were two evenly matched teams and the cats would win their fair share in a series. I’d hope he felt the better team lost.

MSU was a good team and it was a great game. Not taking away from them at all. Tommy didn't need to make that passive aggressive statement belittling NDSU.

That game could have gone either way. Was it really belittling the bizumbs?

I don't think it's unusual for the QB or any player on a team that lost a close one to feel that way.

[Bobcat]

Wow

[Bobcat]

[dal4018]

Plenty of ppl that are on Twitter think NDSU is afraid of making a move up to THE FBS that they should have made it to FBS a full decade ago.

Who are these people? Will they help pay for a move or give us a conference invite?

Can't move up without a conference invite and money. The nearest conference teams are in Illinois and Wyoming. B1G or Big 12 won't be inviting them.

Excellent point they forgot about the obvious the lack of money is why NDSU is staying out in the FCS I think the only conference that might have had a chance to play in was the The MAC.

[dal4018]

MSU was a good team and it was a great game. Not taking away from them at all. Tommy didn't need to make that passive aggressive statement belittling NDSU.

That game could have gone either way. Was it really belittling the bizumbs?

I don't think it's unusual for the QB or any player on a team that lost a close one to feel that way.

Montana St should have came out swinging courtesy of the passing game in the first half of that game vs NDSU.But yes they nearly came back on the Bison.

[Gil Dobie]

MSU was a good team and it was a great game. Not taking away from them at all. Tommy didn't need to make that passive aggressive statement belittling NDSU.

That game could have gone either way. Was it really belittling the bizumbs?

I don't think it's unusual for the QB or any player on a team that lost a close one to feel that way.

NDSU has beaten Tommy 2 years in row and NDSU over Montana St the last 6 consecutive times in the playoffs. Sure Montana St could have had a chance to win, but they couldn't stop NDSU when they needed to. Montana St had a great team and great season, but the championship was won on the field not in a press conference.

[Gil Dobie]

Who are these people? Will they help pay for a move or give us a conference invite?

Can't move up without a conference invite and money. The nearest conference teams are in Illinois and Wyoming. B1G or Big 12 won't be inviting them.

Excellent point they forgot about the obvious the lack of money is why NDSU is staying out in the FCS I think the only conference that might have had a chance to play in was the The MAC.

NDSU has the 26th highest football budget in FCS, Montana St the highest.

[dal4018]

Excellent point they forgot about the obvious the lack of money is why NDSU is staying out in the FCS I think the only conference that might have had a chance to play in was the The MAC.

NDSU has the 26th highest football budget in FCS, Montana St the highest.

Didn't know about the financial situation with NDSU

[UNI88]

That game could have gone either way. Was it really belittling the bizumbs?

I don't think it's unusual for the QB or any player on a team that lost a close one to feel that way.

NDSU has beaten Tommy 2 years in row and NDSU over Montana St the last 6 consecutive times in the playoffs. Sure Montana St could have had a chance to win, but they couldn't stop NDSU when they needed to. Montana St had a great team and great season, but the championship was won on the field not in a press conference.

I don't disagree.

Was it Tommy's fault they lost? Could the outcome have been different if the Cats had punted on 4th down near the end of the first half?

I would just give Tommy and MSU some grace since he's a young adult and a competitor who said that at a highly emotional point.

[SuperHornet]

NDSU has beaten Tommy 2 years in row and NDSU over Montana St the last 6 consecutive times in the playoffs. Sure Montana St could have had a chance to win, but they couldn't stop NDSU when they needed to. Montana St had a great team and great season, but the championship was won on the field not in a press conference.

I don't disagree.

Was it Tommy's fault they lost? Could the outcome have been different if the Cats had punted on 4th down near the end of the first half?

I would just give Tommy and MSU some grace since he's a young adult and a competitor who said that at a highly emotional point.

Good point, 88.

A former Sac State AD once wrote a book where he asserted that one of the biggest reasons a game is lost is the failure to kick on 4th down. Analytics is killing football by bringing in too much of an aggressive attitude. When aggression fails, you're lost.

Of course, I think it was Joe Theismann who once said that one should know when to break the rules. My main point is that when one is aggressive ALL the time, one is courting defeat.

[dal4018]

I don't disagree.

Was it Tommy's fault they lost? Could the outcome have been different if the Cats had punted on 4th down near the end of the first half?

I would just give Tommy and MSU some grace since he's a young adult and a competitor who said that at a highly emotional point.

Good point, 88.

A former Sac State AD once wrote a book where he asserted that one of the biggest reasons a game is lost is the failure to kick on 4th down. Analytics is killing football by bringing in too much of an aggressive attitude. When aggression fails, you're lost.

Of course, I think it was Joe Theismann who once said that one should know when to break the rules. My main point is that when one is aggressive ALL the time, one is courting defeat.

I remember a quote "Dance with what got you in the big dance" If you are a run happy team then use it but then again it would have been nice to introduce the Bison to their passing game in the first half "

[dal4018]

In case anyone who is associated with Montana St they have been hit hard by the transfer portal some of their top players have flown the coup.

[Gil Dobie]

NDSU has beaten Tommy 2 years in row and NDSU over Montana St the last 6 consecutive times in the playoffs. Sure Montana St could have had a chance to win, but they couldn't stop NDSU when they needed to. Montana St had a great team and great season, but the championship was won on the field not in a press conference.

I don't disagree.

Was it Tommy's fault they lost? Could the outcome have been different if the Cats had punted on 4th down near the end of the first half?

I would just give Tommy and MSU some grace since he's a young adult and a competitor who said that at a highly emotional point.

Had the Bison defender followed threw on the tackle, it's probably a punt. If ifs and buts were candy and nuts. One of the more entertaining championships for the Bison for sure.

[BDKJMU]

In case anyone who is associated with Montana St they have been hit hard by the transfer portal some of their top players have flown the coup.

Not as bad as SDSU. 15 at least following Rogers to WA St.
(Only reason I know this is because WA St @ JMU next season). WA St in turn got hit hard by the portal when Dickert got hired by Wake Forest.

So doesn’t look like SDSU will be a FCS title contender at least for next season.. They had a nice run the last 5 years with 3 NC appearances and 2 titles..

[UNI88]

In case anyone who is associated with Montana St they have been hit hard by the transfer portal some of their top players have flown the coup.

Not as bad as SDSU. 15 at least following Rogers to WA St.
(Only reason I know this is because WA St @ JMU next season). WA St in turn got hit hard by the portal when Dickert got hired by Wake Forest.

So doesn’t look like SDSU will be a FCS title contender at least for next season.. They had a nice run the last 5 years with 3 NC appearances and 2 titles..

How does SDSU (players leaving, players following the coach to WSU) compare to JMU (players leaving, players following the coach to IU) ?