FCS Cupcake Feast

[lakesbison]

NDSU are kickass cupcakes!!! U-minn, Kansas, Ball st, Central Mich.....sprinkles anyone??

[eaglesfootball]

The Montana of DII? More like the Wofford of DII, solid program but not a powerhouse.

Yeah. I kinda hesitate to put them even on a par, much less above, the likes of Grand Valley and TX A&I.

either way they are a quality program for their level, and it's a joke that FCS can't count a win against a quality DII opponent towards playoff wins but east coast non-schol cupcakes somehow count.

[bluehenbillk]

Is this another Towson thread?? Lay off with the cupcake comments....

[McNeese72]

McNeese's first home game this next season is with the University of Sioux Falls. They are a NAIA school moving to Div II this season. But their record the last few years scares the hell out of me. I think our Assistant AD, who is in charge of scheduling, needs lessons in how to schedule "cupcakes".

Doc

[SuperHornet]

Yeah. I kinda hesitate to put them even on a par, much less above, the likes of Grand Valley and TX A&I.

either way they are a quality program for their level, and it's a joke that FCS can't count a win against a quality DII opponent towards playoff wins, but east coast non-scholly FCS cupcakes somehow count.

I agree with you, but what the NCAA is probably thinking is that "quality lower division" is a somewhat fuzzy concept. Do we limit it to certain teams? What happens if said team hits a downcycle? Do we use the polls, say the Top Ten/Twenty? What do we do if they hit a losing skid during conference and therefore drop? Does a "countable" game all of a sudden become uncountable unexpectedly?

That's a really hard mental hurdle to overcome, especially when we're talking about what is essentially a corrupt bureaucracy.

[EWURanger]

either way they are a quality program for their level, and it's a joke that FCS can't count a win against a quality DII opponent towards playoff wins, but east coast non-scholly FCS cupcakes somehow count.

I agree with you, but what the NCAA is probably thinking is that "quality lower division" is a somewhat fuzzy concept. Do we limit it to certain teams? What happens if said team hits a downcycle? Do we use the polls, say the Top Ten/Twenty? What do we do if they hit a losing skid during conference and therefore drop? Does a "countable" game all of a sudden become uncountable unexpectedly?

That's a really hard mental hurdle to overcome, especially when we're talking about what is essentially a corrupt bureaucracy.

They should either allow one Division II win to count towards playoff eligibility (similar to what the FBS does with FCS wins counting towards Bowl eligibility), or they should disallow wins against non-scholarship FCS programs. I know the difference between D-II and FCS is some 30 odd scholarships compared to the 22 between FBS and FCS, but scheduling FCS non-conference games is becoming increasingly difficult in a region where there's basically going to be one FCS super-conference in 2012. And as was previously mentioned, there are some really good D-II programs out there - certainly many of which would destroy teams from the lesser FCS conferences.

[Silenoz]

either way they are a quality program for their level, and it's a joke that FCS can't count a win against a quality DII opponent towards playoff wins, but east coast non-scholly FCS cupcakes somehow count.

I agree with you, but what the NCAA is probably thinking is that "quality lower division" is a somewhat fuzzy concept. Do we limit it to certain teams? What happens if said team hits a downcycle? Do we use the polls, say the Top Ten/Twenty? What do we do if they hit a losing skid during conference and therefore drop? Does a "countable" game all of a sudden become uncountable unexpectedly?

That's a really hard mental hurdle to overcome, especially when we're talking about what is essentially a corrupt bureaucracy.

Take out stupid at-large win qualifications and judge solely by the games themselves. For instance, EWU beating CWU being worth nothing, while MSU beating Drake moves them one game closer to the playoffs, when it should be the opposite if anything.

[EWURanger]

I agree with you, but what the NCAA is probably thinking is that "quality lower division" is a somewhat fuzzy concept. Do we limit it to certain teams? What happens if said team hits a downcycle? Do we use the polls, say the Top Ten/Twenty? What do we do if they hit a losing skid during conference and therefore drop? Does a "countable" game all of a sudden become uncountable unexpectedly?

That's a really hard mental hurdle to overcome, especially when we're talking about what is essentially a corrupt bureaucracy.

Take out stupid at-large win qualifications and judge solely by the games themselves. For instance, EWU beating CWU being worth nothing, while MSU beating Drake moves them one game closer to the playoffs, when it should be the opposite if anything.

Kinda what I was getting at, although with this solution you are kind of opening up the door for subjective interpretations of what is a quality win and what isn't - especially when you are dealing with a lower Division.

[Silenoz]

Take out stupid at-large win qualifications and judge solely by the games themselves. For instance, EWU beating CWU being worth nothing, while MSU beating Drake moves them one game closer to the playoffs, when it should be the opposite if anything.

Kinda what I was getting at, although with this solution you are kind of opening up the door for subjective interpretations of what is a quality win and what isn't - especially when you are dealing with a lower Division.

That's what committees are for, who (you assume) would do their due dilligence

If the basketball committee can seed 68 teams in a weekend, selecting 20 should be a piece of cake

[andy7171]

God damn, bill k never disappoints in being the a-hole.

[EWURanger]

Kinda what I was getting at, although with this solution you are kind of opening up the door for subjective interpretations of what is a quality win and what isn't - especially when you are dealing with a lower Division.

That's what committees are for

If the basketball committee can seed 68 teams in a weekend, selecting 20 should be a piece of cake

True. I just think that if they'd allowed one win against a fully-funded D-II to count towards the playoffs it'd be a lot more cut and dry.

[FargoBison]

I'm fine with the DI standard, the committee shouldn't have to deal with what lower division school is better than the other. I don't care how good CWU is, they aren't DI and beating them/playing them should have zero bearing as far as the playoffs are concerned.

[Silenoz]

I'm fine with the DI standard, the committee shouldn't have to deal with what lower division school is better than the other. I don't care how good CWU is, they aren't DI and beating them/playing them should have zero bearing as far as the playoffs are concerned.

Beating an elite D2 should count more than beating a wretched FCS. Especially out West where FCS opponents are a luxury. Otherwise I propose our AD outpays everyone else and gets 2 Pioneer teams every year at any cost.

FBS already does some weeding out of it's own with the FCS-scholarship minimums for their matchups. FCS needs to do something too

[EWURanger]

I'm fine with the DI standard, the committee shouldn't have to deal with what lower division school is better than the other. I don't care how good CWU is, they aren't DI and beating them/playing them should have zero bearing as far as the playoffs are concerned.

But wins against non-scholarship programs that are defacto FCS simply because all their other sports are Division I should?!? That's similiar to counting wins against Division III and NAIA schools.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

McNeese's first home game this next season is with the University of Sioux Falls. They are a NAIA school moving to Div II this season. But their record the last few years scares the hell out of me. I think our Assistant AD, who is in charge of scheduling, needs lessons in how to schedule "cupcakes".

Doc

They may be NAIA but they are similar to a D2 and a pretty good one. I think the size difference will keep McNeese where they need to be controlling that game but you're correct that if you're gonna swing at one of those the choice sure could have been better.

Those top couple NAIA's should really just be looked upon as D2's cuz they beat some real good D2's at a pretty fair clip. I think they just beat UND the year before last as well.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

BTW, bitching about D2's not counting seems pretty silly to me in comparison to the non scholly's. I watched Drake/MSU and Drake had a size advantage on CWU although I don't know if they were better. CWU is very good but the fact of the matter is that the rules are pretty god damn clear and bitching about them being followed because it doesn't benefit what you think just doesn't make a bit of fucking sense to me.

If you find a non scholly that's willing to travel then pay them for the privilege of the home game but quit acting like we're getting the screw job in the system. There are other choices out there that could be made even if they don't fit perfectly into what you want.

[FargoBison]

Those schools are in the FCS and yes some of them are terrible but they are FCS nonetheless. Playing DI opponents should have more meaning when deciding who gets to be in the DI playoffs.

Sorry that Big Sky can't figure out how to put together an all DI schedule. NDSU and SDSU haven't played a non-DI since 2006, if we can do it so can Big Sky schools.

[Silenoz]

Those schools are in the FCS and yes some of them are terrible but they are FCS nonetheless. Playing DI opponents should have more meaning when deciding who gets to be in the DI playoffs.

Sorry that Big Sky can't figure out how to put together an all DI schedule. NDSU and SDSU haven't played a non-DI since 2006, if we can do it so can Big Sky schools.

labels =/= talent on the field

And the Dakota schools are a million times closer to the Austin Peays and Wagners of the world. Flying to southeast South Dakota or Fargo is way easier to swallow than Cheney, Washington, San Luis Oscipo, Pocatello, Bozeman, etc. Since we destroyed the Great West we have 2 Pioneer teams and whoever wants to do a home-and-home across the nation. And the Dakotas...

[GannonFan]

If we, as FCS, won more than maybe 5% of the games we play against FBS year in and year out, then they wouldn't refer to us as cupcakes. Sure, there's some big wins for FCS sprinkled in here and there, especially by the elite in FCS, but on the whole, there's a lotta bending over and grabbing the ankles being done by the FCS side in these matchups. Can't argue against results.

[bluehenbillk]

God damn, bill k never disappoints in being the a-hole.

Thanks for recognizing

[wayne7070]

God damn, bill k never disappoints in being the a-hole.

Thanks for recognizing

You love to take your shots at Towson and do it often. Most everyone else has gotten tired and feel sorry for us. Not you, I gotta respect your loving hate.

[wayne7070]

ah fuck

[andy7171]

Sh1t another cover blown. Good thing I don't work for the CIA.

[FargoBison]

Those schools are in the FCS and yes some of them are terrible but they are FCS nonetheless. Playing DI opponents should have more meaning when deciding who gets to be in the DI playoffs.

Sorry that Big Sky can't figure out how to put together an all DI schedule. NDSU and SDSU haven't played a non-DI since 2006, if we can do it so can Big Sky schools.

labels =/= talent on the field

And the Dakota schools are a million times closer to the Austin Peays and Wagners of the world. Since we destroyed the Great West we have 2 Pioneer teams and whoever wants to do a home-and-home across the nation. And the Dakotas...

I've watched DII football for about a decade and can say the most of the division is on par with the PFL, and maybe a few are better than the top PFL teams.

Honestly those schools have to charter a flight to get here, we are closer but I don't think that makes a huge difference.

[andy7171]

Thanks for recognizing

You love to take your shots at Towson and do it often. Most everyone else has gotten tired and feel sorry for us. Not you, I gotta respect your loving hate.

+100