YSU @ #2 EWU 6:30 PM ECB, ESPNU

[BDKJMU]

EWU gets to waltz right into Frisco.
-They get an easy win over a beat up UR team making their 2nd trip across the country in a week, with their HC with one foot out the door
-They get an easy win over a YSU team with 4 starters suspended..

"Five YSU players may be suspended
Source: Routine drug test shows players failed, could be held out of FCS semis

YOUNGSTOWN — On the heels of one of its biggest games in the past 20 years, the Youngstown State football team is dealing with some potentially devastating news.

Five players — four starters — may be held out of Saturday’s FCS national semifinal matchup with Eastern Washington. An anonymous source said the players failed a routine drug test following the Jacksonville State game in round two of the playoffs.

A YSU spokesperson said he could neither confirm nor deny the reports. The spokesperson did say that the NCAA can randomly choose when to test student-athletes.

According to the anonymous source, two of the players were starters on offense and two others started on defense. The final one was a role player. The possibility of losing four starters is a huge blow to YSU (11-3), which takes on an Eastern Washington team (12-1) that is on an 11-game win streak and beat Richmond 38-0 in last weekend’s quarterfinal. The Eagles are the No. 2 overall seed in the FCS playoffs and have one of the top offenses in the country. The game is at 6:30 p.m., in Cheney, Washington and will be nationally televised on ESPNU.

YSU’s defense has been one of the best in the nation all season, and its offense has been on roll since the postseason began, but the potential losses could have major ramifications to both sides of the ball. Two of the players who could be suspended were selected to the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s first team two weeks ago and two others were second-team choices.

Coach Bo Pelini held his weekly radio show Monday, and when asked about the suspensions, he replied, “I don’t comment on that.” His weekly press conference is today at approximately 11:30 a.m.

If the reports are true, it’s doubtful the players would be able to play in the national championship if the Penguins win Saturday. The suspensions, according to the source, could stretch into next season. The winner of YSU-Eastern Washington plays the winner of the North Dakota State-James Madison game, the other national semifinal, which will be played at 7 p.m., Friday in Fargo, North Dakota. The national title game is Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas."
http://www.tribtoday.com/sports/ysu-spo ... suspended/

[SuperHornet]

So, was it PEDS, or did they put their careers up their nose?

Sad, nonetheless. It's been a while since Youngstown has done well. They've always been one of my FCS faves back east. Hopefully, they get this cleaned up VERY soon.

[kalm]

Even with these suspensions and Richmond's injuries...our over all SoS including the playoffs would still be better than JMU's.....

[Mvemjsunpx]

I'm not going to do a position comparison for this one. The Youngstown suspension of 4 starters (reportedly), especially since the suspended players are presently unknown, makes that kind of a waste of time. I'll just note that those suspensions likely hurt, all 3 of YSU's losses were on the road, and EWU's defense has been playing quite well of late. Oh, and it's supposed to be about 0º, so the vast majority of us should be quite thrilled that we'll be watching this game on TV and not attending it in person.

• • • Youngstown St. 13-31 Eastern Washington

[89Hen]

Even with these suspensions and Richmond's injuries...our over all SoS including the playoffs would still be better than JMU's.....

JMU would have beaten #1 and #3 to get to Frisco. You lost to one of them. Your playoff run is against #14, #12 and #12.

[Gil Dobie]

Even with these suspensions and Richmond's injuries...our over all SoS including the playoffs would still be better than JMU's.....

JMU would have beaten #1 and #3 to get to Frisco. You lost to one of them. Your playoff run is against #14, #12 and #12.

Youngstown beat #3 Jacksonville St. SHSU was a questionable #5. Giving up over 60 points in their last playoff game the last 2 years.

[kalm]

Even with these suspensions and Richmond's injuries...our over all SoS including the playoffs would still be better than JMU's.....

JMU would have beaten #1 and #3 to get to Frisco. You lost to one of them. Your playoff run is against #14, #12 and #12.

Morehead State CCSU vs. NDSU and UNI.

The rest of the regular season is a push for JMU at best.

[89Hen]

JMU would have beaten #1 and #3 to get to Frisco. You lost to one of them. Your playoff run is against #14, #12 and #12.

Morehead State CCSU vs. NDSU and UNI.

The rest of the regular season is a push for JMU at best.

What does the regular season have to do with anything? And UNI? Christ, Montana beat them. They may be worse than CCSU.

[89Hen]

JMU would have beaten #1 and #3 to get to Frisco. You lost to one of them. Your playoff run is against #14, #12 and #12.

Youngstown beat #3 Jacksonville St. SHSU was a questionable #5. Giving up over 60 points in their last playoff game the last 2 years.

Gil, you're seriously going to say: JSU, Richmond and YSU > UNH, SHSU and NDSU?

[Gil Dobie]

Youngstown beat #3 Jacksonville St. SHSU was a questionable #5. Giving up over 60 points in their last playoff game the last 2 years.

Gil, you're seriously going to say: JSU, Richmond and YSU > UNH, SHSU and NDSU?

Strength of schedule until now is JSU, Richmond > UNH & SHSU.

[89Hen]

Gil, you're seriously going to say: JSU, Richmond and YSU > UNH, SHSU and NDSU?

Strength of schedule until now is JSU, Richmond > UNH & SHSU.

We were talking about the road to Frisco which includes the semifinal games. But even so, I'd say the first two are pretty much a push with UR missing their QB.

[Gil Dobie]

Strength of schedule until now is JSU, Richmond > UNH & SHSU.

We were talking about the road to Frisco which includes the semifinal games. But even so, I'd say the first two are pretty much a push with UR missing their QB.

I think JSU beats both, Richmond is a toss-up with UNH or SHSU even without Lauletta.

[kalm]

Morehead State CCSU vs. NDSU and UNI.

The rest of the regular season is a push for JMU at best.

What does the regular season have to do with anything? And UNI? Christ, Montana beat them. They may be worse than CCSU.

It makes our playoff path sound better?

[89Hen]

We were talking about the road to Frisco which includes the semifinal games. But even so, I'd say the first two are pretty much a push with UR missing their QB.

I think JSU beats both

IMO what YSU did to JSU was worse than what JMU did to SHSU. Laying a complete egg at home to a very mediocre YSU was quite revealing. Wofford taking YSU to double OT while attempting three passes (completing none)... c'mon man. There were a LOT of really weak teams this year very high in the rankings.

[Gil Dobie]

I think JSU beats both

IMO what YSU did to JSU was worse than what JMU did to SHSU. Laying a complete egg at home to a very mediocre YSU was quite revealing. Wofford taking YSU to double OT while attempting three passes (completing none)... c'mon man. There were a LOT of really weak teams this year very high in the rankings.

YSU isn't really that mediocre, with the suspensions, we might never know how good they are. Last time JSU played SHSU, the put up 62 points. From the looks of things, Sam hasn't changed much.

[89Hen]

IMO what YSU did to JSU was worse than what JMU did to SHSU. Laying a complete egg at home to a very mediocre YSU was quite revealing. Wofford taking YSU to double OT while attempting three passes (completing none)... c'mon man. There were a LOT of really weak teams this year very high in the rankings.

YSU isn't really that mediocre, with the suspensions, we might never know how good they are. Last time JSU played SHSU, the put up 62 points. From the looks of things, Sam hasn't changed much.

JSU and YSU were a combined 0-2 vs playoff teams in the regular season. Mediocre.

[Gil Dobie]

YSU isn't really that mediocre, with the suspensions, we might never know how good they are. Last time JSU played SHSU, the put up 62 points. From the looks of things, Sam hasn't changed much.

JSU and YSU were a combined 0-2 vs playoff teams in the regular season. Mediocre.

YSU was 1-2 versus playoff teams in the regular season.

[89Hen]

JSU and YSU were a combined 0-2 vs playoff teams in the regular season. Mediocre.

YSU was 1-2 versus playoff teams in the regular season.

My bad. I forgot they included a 6-5 team in the playoffs.

[Gil Dobie]

YSU was 1-2 versus playoff teams in the regular season.

My bad. I forgot they included a 6-5 team in the playoffs.

They didn't lose to a truly mediocre Dartmouth team either.

[89Hen]

My bad. I forgot they included a 6-5 team in the playoffs.

They didn't lose to a truly mediocre Dartmouth team either.

And? Now you want to compare YSU to UNH? UNH was also mediocre, not sure I said otherwise.

YSU is by far the weakest of the semifinalists and it's not close. It happens most years. The brackets are just weak in spots and somebody has to make it.

[Gil Dobie]

They didn't lose to a truly mediocre Dartmouth team either.

And? Now you want to compare YSU to UNH? UNH was also mediocre, not sure I said otherwise.

YSU is by far the weakest of the semifinalists and it's not close. It happens most years. The brackets are just weak in spots and somebody has to make it.

I thought we were comparing EWU opponents to JMU opponents? YSU is no NDSU, but UNH and Sam are not Richmond and YSU.

[89Hen]

UNH and Sam are no JSU and YSU.

Sure they are. All a bunch of suck.

[BDKJMU]

JMU would have beaten #1 and #3 to get to Frisco. You lost to one of them. Your playoff run is against #14, #12 and #12.

Morehead State CCSU vs. NDSU and UNI.

The rest of the regular season is a push for JMU at best.

I'll give you OOC but the CAA > Big Sky.

I mean heck, the other 3 Big Sky playoff outside of EWU teams 0-3. Cal Poly losing to a Pioneer. Weber 1 and done. Undefeated ND 1 and done losing to UR.

[Gil Dobie]

Morehead State CCSU vs. NDSU and UNI.

The rest of the regular season is a push for JMU at best.

I'll give you OOC but the CAA > Big Sky.

I mean heck, the other 3 Big Sky playoff outside of EWU teams 0-3. Cal Poly losing to a Pioneer. Weber 1 and done. Undefeated ND 1 and done losing to UR.

You have a point as I was concentrating on the OOC schedule.

[JohnStOnge]

Regardless, I think this is a very interesting match up and am kind of pissed off that my wife's family's Christimas Party is going to kind of interfere with me watching it.