Best conferences

[tampajag]

Yeah we didn't want your coaches to short circuit their brains trying to out coach those living computers on our side lines. And after reading a thread about the site of the Villanova/Delaware game, I know none of the fans would want to step foot in Jackson or Baton Rouge.

Huh? I've been to Baton Rouge before, well all over the LSU campus & surrounding neighborhood anyway. You want to compare Baton Rouge to Chester, PA?? Maybe I missed the excessive urban blight part of town if that's what you're referring to? If not, geez, if you ever visit Chester you'll never go North of the Mason/Dixon again....

I'd put whatever Chester has to offer against any part of North Baton Rouge including where Southern is located.

[JBB]

I dont think the MVFC is the best. I dont think the BSC is either.

[JBB]

The article also made some interesting comments concerning a few points I have been making;

MONTANA ON DOWNWARD SPIRAL:


PARITY IN THE MVFC LAST SEASON:

RANDOM SENTENCE:

Penn is seeking the league's first title three-peat since Dartmouth from 1990-92

Link?

[kalm]

Its easy to see how the #6 conference in attendance is boosted up by a national championship when it comes to rating success on the field.

Brilliant!

[JBB]

Nobody ever set out any criteria for what makes a conference the best. Using both performance on the field and attendance, providing a holistic and more comprehensive, meaningful approach, I would put the top five in this order:

1) SoCo-#1 in attendance and arguably the best on the field
2) CAA-#2 in attendance and arguably the best on the field
3) MVFC-Outdraws the BSC by +100,000, has more depth and comparable playoff history. The National Championship game appearances dont over come the attendance advantage, especially when it is this big!
4) BSC-Strong contender with a couple premier programs and a lower tier. Doesnt draw well outside of Montana.
5) Southland-Strong in attendance and on the field.

[Tribal]

deleted by Tribal

[Tribal]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sns-tsn-a ... 9611.story

[EWURanger]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sns-tsn-a ... 9611.story

1. CAA Football - Old Dominion would seem to be entering the conference at the right time - perhaps it's a down year? - but the reality is, there are few breathers in the CAA schedule in any season. William & Mary is back to being a national title contender after what it hopes was a hiccup in last year's playoffs, when they lost their first game at home as the No. 2 seed. Delaware suffered some big-time seniors, but it still has head coach K.C. Keeler, and that means a lot. Either Richmond, New Hampshire or Massachusetts (ineligible for the conference title or FCS playoffs as it gets set to move to the FBS next year) will likely give the conference a third outstanding team, and retooling Villanova, which probably lost the nation's best senior class, and an improved James Madison, with returning quarterback Justin Thorpe, will cause a lot of headaches and perhaps make the playoffs. Yes, it's foolish to doubt this conference.

2. Southern Conference - It's demolition derby at the top of the SoCon. The schedule favors Wofford, which gets to host both Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, while Georgia Southern will be visiting both of its top two foes. There's no shortage of star power with that trio of teams, including ASU quarterback DeAndre Presley, GSU nose tackle Brent Russell and Wofford fullback Eric Breitenstein and defensive end Ameet Pall. The middle and bottom tiers of the nine-team conference don't seem as strong as the CAA.

3. Big Sky Conference - Eastern Washington's September schedule looks daunting, until you look at Montana's opening slate. And that's where you wonder if a team can rise up to the level of the defending national champion Eagles and Montana State. This high-scoring, star-studded conference has had a national championship game qualifier in each of the last three seasons, but Montana, which was the runner-up in 2008 and '09, seems to have lost its footing within the conference, let alone nationally. So it seems coach Beau Baldwin's experienced Eagles squad and Montana State, which features redshirt quarterback DeNarius McGhee, are on a higher level again.

4. Missouri Valley Football Conference - The other definitive power has a lot to prove this season. Its defending champion, Northern Iowa, bowed out of the first round of last year's playoffs at home against Patriot League champion Lehigh. There was great balance in the conference last season and this season could be similar. North Dakota State is hoping to build on last season's excellent playoff run and could be a Top 10 team. Southern Illinois, Western Illinois, Indiana State and Illinois State also are part of the deep conference.

About what I thought it'd look like.....

[ArmyOfDarkness]

Seems good to me. This may be a homer thing, but I would put them in this order...

1. - CAA
2. - SOCON
2. - BSC
3. - MVFC

Actually on second thought, I didn't factor in conference attendance figures (the most important aspect of course). I don't know how this slipped my mind.
EASILY decided at MVFC at a distant number 1

[catbooster]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sns-tsn-a ... 9611.story

Pretty good article, but I'm not sure why he called DeNarius McGhee a "redshirt quarterback".

[Blue Hen Fanatic]

1. CAA
No Conference even close
9. SoCon
10. Big Sky
The rest are just garnish.

[guinzone]

I dont think the MVFC is the best. I dont think the BSC is either.

1. CAA
2. MVFC
3. SOCON
The rest...

[kalm]

1. CAA
No Conference even close
9. SoCon
10. Big Sky
The rest are just garnish.

Big Sky and CAA are 3-3 the last three seasons.

[JBB]

Obviously the tie-breaker on that deal is attendance backed up by national championship game wins.

[AZGrizFan]

Obviously the tie-breaker on that deal is attendance backed up by national championship game wins.

And yet nowhere in that tiebreaker discussion to you find a mention of the MVFC or SoCon.

[GannonFan]

I didn't know there was even any doubt about this:

1 - CAA
2 - SoCon
3 - Big Sky
and a big gap to
4 - MVFC (come on, UNI loses at home to Patriot League champ Lehigh last year? that has to hurt)

and really 5th is a tie between everyone else as no one is any significant amount better than anyone else.

[AZGrizFan]

I didn't know there was even any doubt about this:

1 - CAA
2 - SoCon
3 - Big Sky
and a big gap to
4 - MVFC (come on, UNI loses at home to Patriot League champ Lehigh last year? that has to hurt)

and really 5th is a tie between everyone else as no one is any significant amount better than anyone else.

Maybe if you're going back to 1985 then your rankings are accurate....in more recent times (last three years), 2 & 3 are flipped.

[lakesbison]

NDSU pummelled the big sky #1 champion last year and beat the national champs on BOTH of their fields (1 by Bill Fette official) that proves that MVFC is better than big fluffy

[BigSkyBears]

NDSU pummelled the big sky #1 champion last year and beat the national champs on BOTH of their fields (1 by Bill Fette official) that proves that MVFC is better than big fluffy

ummm...you lost that game fair and square frat kid.

[AZGrizFan]

NDSU pummelled the big sky #1 champion last year and beat the national champs on BOTH of their fields (1 by Bill Fette official) that proves that MVFC is better than big fluffy

Plus you have 4 FBS wins and you are 3-10 against UND and you outscored them by a zillion points and you have really big crowds at your games and more people at the Minnesota game root for the Bison than the Gophers and you have 2 games on TV and you have a conglomerate and and and and and....

You fellas are fuckin' funny, I'll give you that. If not for injuries, crooked refs or cowbells, you'd be national champs every fucking year.

[DJH]

I didn't know there was even any doubt about this:

1 - CAA
2 - SoCon
3 - Big Sky
and a big gap to
4 - MVFC (come on, UNI loses at home to Patriot League champ Lehigh last year? that has to hurt)

and really 5th is a tie between everyone else as no one is any significant amount better than anyone else.

Anyone who thinks there is a big gap between the BSC and the MVFC is a certified retard. Both conferences sucked last year. Not to mention that, NDSU who was the definition of mediocre in the MVFC last year, beat one of the BSC champs on the road.

And the Socon is still the #2.

[GannonFan]

I didn't know there was even any doubt about this:

1 - CAA
2 - SoCon
3 - Big Sky
and a big gap to
4 - MVFC (come on, UNI loses at home to Patriot League champ Lehigh last year? that has to hurt)

and really 5th is a tie between everyone else as no one is any significant amount better than anyone else.

Maybe if you're going back to 1985 then your rankings are accurate....in more recent times (last three years), 2 & 3 are flipped.

I wouldn't argue too much against that. It's been a lot of Appy and very little else in the SoCon since GSU and Furman went away. GSU is showing signs of life again, so maybe that changes. But I wouldn't disagree with flipping them.

[houndawg]

I didn't know there was even any doubt about this:

1 - CAA
2 - SoCon
3 - Big Sky
and a big gap to
4 - MVFC (come on, UNI loses at home to Patriot League champ Lehigh last year? that has to hurt)

and really 5th is a tie between everyone else as no one is any significant amount better than anyone else.

Anyone who thinks there is a big gap between the BSC and the MVFC is a certified retard. Both conferences sucked last year. Not to mention that, NDSU who was the definition of mediocre in the MVFC last year, beat one of the BSC champs on the road.

And the Socon is still the #2.

This.

[alvin kayak]

Colonial, Big Sky, SOCON, and Missouri Valley are the top 4 IMO.

I would put:
1. SOCON
2. CAA
3. Big Sky
4. MVC

OVC needs to have a premier team like Jacksonville State step up.

[ArmyOfDarkness]

Sagarin rankings as of Jan. 2011...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbc10.htm

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS WIN50%

1 PAC-10 (A) = 80.87 81.43 ( 1) 10 81.14 ( 1)
2 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 79.84 79.56 ( 2) 12 79.72 ( 2)
3 BIG 12 (A) = 75.42 75.64 ( 3) 12 75.66 ( 3)
4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 74.32 74.18 ( 6) 12 74.20 ( 6)
5 BIG TEN (A) = 74.18 74.72 ( 4) 11 74.52 ( 4)
6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 73.88 74.27 ( 5) 3 74.21 ( 5)
7 BIG EAST (A) = 73.27 73.00 ( 7) 8 73.04 ( 7)
8 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.19 70.24 ( 8) 9 70.03 ( 8)
9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 66.63 67.69 ( 9) 9 66.90 ( 9)
10 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 63.09 63.51 ( 10) 12 63.40 ( 10)
11 COLONIAL (AA)= 61.81 61.32 ( 11) 10 61.57 ( 11)
12 SOUTHERN (AA)= 59.14 58.43 ( 12) 9 58.62 ( 12)
13 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 58.25 58.18 ( 13) 13 58.18 ( 13)
14 BIG SKY (AA)= 57.22 56.76 ( 16) 9 56.83 ( 15)
15 MISSOURI VALLEY (AA)= 56.82 57.00 ( 14) 9 56.98 ( 14)
16 SUN BELT (A) = 56.06 56.85 ( 15) 9 56.76 ( 16)
17 GREAT WEST (AA)= 52.75 52.55 ( 17) 5 52.56 ( 17)
18 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 51.08 51.34 ( 18) 8 51.28 ( 18)
19 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 48.77 48.26 ( 19) 9 48.40 ( 19)
20 NORTHEAST (AA)= 46.30 45.78 ( 21) 9 45.88 ( 21)
21 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 46.28 45.86 ( 20) 8 45.97 ( 20)
22 PATRIOT LEAGUE (AA)= 43.22 43.41 ( 22) 7 43.30 ( 22)
23 I-AA INDEPENDENTS (AA)= 41.41 40.85 ( 24) 6 41.28 ( 24)
24 SOUTHWESTERN (AA)= 40.88 40.04 ( 25) 10 40.39 ( 25)
25 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 40.84 41.55 ( 23) 7 41.43 ( 23)
26 PIONEER (AA)= 35.58 36.34 ( 26) 10 36.18 ( 26)
27 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 32.60 32.54 ( 27) 9 32.58 ( 27)
28 ***UNRATED*** (**)= -90.00 -90.00 ( 28) 1 -90.00 ( 28)


CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS WIN50%

4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 74.32 74.18 ( 6) 12 74.20 ( 6)
7 BIG EAST (A) = 73.27 73.00 ( 7) 8 73.04 ( 7)
5 BIG TEN (A) = 74.18 74.72 ( 4) 11 74.52 ( 4)
3 BIG 12 (A) = 75.42 75.64 ( 3) 12 75.66 ( 3)
10 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 63.09 63.51 ( 10) 12 63.40 ( 10)
13 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 58.25 58.18 ( 13) 13 58.18 ( 13)
8 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.19 70.24 ( 8) 9 70.03 ( 8)
1 PAC-10 (A) = 80.87 81.43 ( 1) 10 81.14 ( 1)
2 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 79.84 79.56 ( 2) 12 79.72 ( 2)
16 SUN BELT (A) = 56.06 56.85 ( 15) 9 56.76 ( 16)
9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 66.63 67.69 ( 9) 9 66.90 ( 9)
6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 73.88 74.27 ( 5) 3 74.21 ( 5)
14 BIG SKY (AA)= 57.22 56.76 ( 16) 9 56.83 ( 15)
25 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 40.84 41.55 ( 23) 7 41.43 ( 23)
11 COLONIAL (AA)= 61.81 61.32 ( 11) 10 61.57 ( 11)
17 GREAT WEST (AA)= 52.75 52.55 ( 17) 5 52.56 ( 17)
21 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 46.28 45.86 ( 20) 8 45.97 ( 20)
27 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 32.60 32.54 ( 27) 9 32.58 ( 27)
15 MISSOURI VALLEY (AA)= 56.82 57.00 ( 14) 9 56.98 ( 14)
20 NORTHEAST (AA)= 46.30 45.78 ( 21) 9 45.88 ( 21)
19 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 48.77 48.26 ( 19) 9 48.40 ( 19)
22 PATRIOT LEAGUE (AA)= 43.22 43.41 ( 22) 7 43.30 ( 22)
26 PIONEER (AA)= 35.58 36.34 ( 26) 10 36.18 ( 26)
12 SOUTHERN (AA)= 59.14 58.43 ( 12) 9 58.62 ( 12)
18 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 51.08 51.34 ( 18) 8 51.28 ( 18)
24 SOUTHWESTERN (AA)= 40.88 40.04 ( 25) 10 40.39 ( 25)
23 I-AA INDEPENDENTS (AA)= 41.41 40.85 ( 24) 6 41.28 ( 24)
28 ***UNRATED*** (**)= -90.00 -90.00 ( 28) 1 -90.00 ( 28)

1 - CAA
2 - SOCON
3 - Big Sky

Although, I still think you can swap SOCON and BSC back and forth all day long for now.