Who's #1??

[igo4uni]

Who's the best team in FCS??

Post your opinion!!!

[guinzone]

UNI IS BY FAR #1.

Ever since Appy Lost, they have been my #1. No-one has played as good as they have.

[igo4uni]

How about Montana??

[Cap'n Cat]

I don't know if UNI is #1. I'm comfortable with NDSU carryin' that badge. Just play 'em one at a time.

[rabidrabbit]

There are 3 teams that are undefeated, and have a win over a FBS team now.

McNeese, NDSU & UNI.

UNI has a D-II win, Iowa St., SDSU, Drake, SIU, Il St. Very nice run Panthers! Right now, the most impressive of those wins is vs SIU, and domination of a bad IA St. Cyclones.

McNeese has wins over another D-II NCC team (USD), a bottom 10 ULL (FBS), and Tx St., SHSU, Portland St. & SUU. Best two games there are SHSU and Portland St. wins. A bottom Sunbelt win (and arch rival) doesn't generate much passion.

NDSU is at 6-0 also. No D-II games, FBS team demolished (MAC west leading CMU), and wins over WIU, MVSU, UCD, SHSU & SFA. Best two wins are the dismantling of the CMU Chippawas in Michigan, and tied between the last second win over SHSU in the FargoDome and ending WIU's 30+ OOC home win streak.

Montana, Yale, Hofstra are still all undefeated, but have no FBS wins.

All other contenders have a loss, usually to an FBS team.

So where my vote counts, UNI continues at #1, as they have since App St. fell to Wofford. But if NDSU plays another FBS team (Minn Gophers) like they did CMU, then Bison leap to #1, because undefeated and 2 FBS (including 1 BCS) win.

[skinny_uncle]

My current top 10:

1. NDSU
2. UNI
3. App. State
4. SIU
5. UMass
6. Wofford
7. McNeese State
8. Yale
9, JMU
10. YSU

[HI54UNI]

I don't know if UNI is #1. I'm comfortable with NDSU carryin' that badge. Just play 'em one at a time.

Yep.

[MrTitleist]

My current top 10:

1. NDSU
2. UNI
3. App. State
4. SIU
5. UMass
6. Wofford
7. McNeese State
8. Yale
9, JMU
10. YSU

Yale instead of Montana.. interesting.

Regardless, UNI or NDSU is at the #1 for me.

[skinny_uncle]

My current top 10:

1. NDSU
2. UNI
3. App. State
4. SIU
5. UMass
6. Wofford
7. McNeese State
8. Yale
9, JMU
10. YSU

Yale instead of Montana.. interesting.

Regardless, UNI or NDSU is at the #1 for me.

11. Montana

[igo4uni]

Yale instead of Montana.. interesting.

Regardless, UNI or NDSU is at the #1 for me.

Sure!!!
11. Montana

[MrTitleist]

Laugh it up, Gateway, laugh it up.

[lifesapuntreturn]

Just for the sake of discussion:

Let's say NDSU wins out, goes undefeated for the season and is ranked #1 in the final regular season poll(s). Since they can't go to the playoffs, their season ends at that point. After the playoffs, and there is a FCS champion, regardless of who that ends up being, where does NDSU rank in the final poll of the season, after the playoffs are over?

#2, because that's the highest they can realistically be ranked given that the FCS champion has the only legitimate claim to being #1? #3, because out of respect for the team that loses the FCS championship game they get the #2 ranking as a "reward" for at least making it through the playoffs and to the championship game which would leave NDSU at #3? Or what? #4? #5?

Just wondering how you think this will turn out, since NDSU would have to beat Big 10 Minnesota this week to have an undefeated season.

[lifesapuntreturn]

Just for the sake of discussion:

Let's say NDSU wins out, goes undefeated for the season and is ranked #1 in the final regular season poll(s). Since they can't go to the playoffs, their season ends at that point. After the playoffs, and there is a FCS champion, regardless of who that ends up being, where does NDSU rank in the final poll of the season, after the playoffs are over?

#2, because that's the highest they can realistically be ranked given that the FCS champion has the only legitimate claim to being #1? #3, because out of respect for the team that loses the FCS championship game they get the #2 ranking as a "reward" for at least making it through the playoffs and to the championship game which would leave NDSU at #3? Or what? #4? #5?

Just wondering how you think this will turn out, since NDSU would have to beat Big 10 Minnesota this week to have an undefeated season.

I thought of another question but it was too late to edit the above post. Are the voters of either or both the TSN poll or the Coaches poll required to vote the FCS champion #1 after the playoffs? Or could they theoretically vote NDSU #1 based on their undefeated season and two FBS victories, including one over a Big 10 team on the road, if that were to happen? Not saying this will happen but I'm wondering if it could happen - the FCS champion ending up #2 in the final poll(s)? I doubt the coaches would do that but could the TSN voters? Or SME? Since SME posts on this board, maybe he could answer that?

[skinny_uncle]

Regardless of any of the polls, there is only one team crowned DI National Champion. That is the whole purpose of the playoffs. Although NDSU could end up with a #1 ranking in some poll, it is the equivalent of winning a popularity contest. Next year, you will get your shot to participate and welcome aboard. You will only make the Gateway toughr than it already is.

[lifesapuntreturn]

Regardless of any of the polls, there is only one team crowned DI National Champion. That is the whole purpose of the playoffs. Although NDSU could end up with a #1 ranking in some poll, it is the equivalent of winning a popularity contest. Next year, you will get your shot to participate and welcome aboard. You will only make the Gateway toughr than it already is.

I'm a Montana State alum and have no affiliation with NDSU. I am just curious what others thought about this.

[SuperHornet]

I don't mind Yale in the Top 10. However, to drop the #1 team completely out of the Top 10 for a failure to blow out a team in an antagonistic homecoming atmosphere just boggles the mind. Even if it wasn't pretty, the Griz got the job done when it counted. They're taking care of the schedule before them. To me, they are #1 until they fail to do so. Give what I saw of their defense on Saturday, I don't believe that that will happen. The naysayers can whine and cry about them until Opening Day next year for all I care, because I don't see a single team that can beat that D.

[JayJ79]

I thought of another question but it was too late to edit the above post. Are the voters of either or both the TSN poll or the Coaches poll required to vote the FCS champion #1 after the playoffs? Or could they theoretically vote NDSU #1 based on their undefeated season and two FBS victories, including one over a Big 10 team on the road, if that were to happen?

Moot point. UNI will win in Chatty with an undefeated season, including a win over a Big 12 team on the road.
NDSU can be #2

(okay, so that's just my scenario as a fan with too much time on my hands. Obviously UNI can't be looking any farther ahead than their next game, as we still have some tough opponents left to play)

[igo4uni]

I thought of another question but it was too late to edit the above post. Are the voters of either or both the TSN poll or the Coaches poll required to vote the FCS champion #1 after the playoffs? Or could they theoretically vote NDSU #1 based on their undefeated season and two FBS victories, including one over a Big 10 team on the road, if that were to happen?

Moot point. UNI will win in Chatty with an undefeated season, including a win over a Big 12 team on the road.
NDSU can be #2

(okay, so that's just my scenario as a fan with too much time on my hands. Obviously UNI can't be looking any farther ahead than their next game, as we still have some tough opponents left to play)

Sure, why not???

[tplesuk111]

Just for the sake of discussion:

Let's say NDSU wins out, goes undefeated for the season and is ranked #1 in the final regular season poll(s). Since they can't go to the playoffs, their season ends at that point. After the playoffs, and there is a FCS champion, regardless of who that ends up being, where does NDSU rank in the final poll of the season, after the playoffs are over?

#2, because that's the highest they can realistically be ranked given that the FCS champion has the only legitimate claim to being #1? #3, because out of respect for the team that loses the FCS championship game they get the #2 ranking as a "reward" for at least making it through the playoffs and to the championship game which would leave NDSU at #3? Or what? #4? #5?

Just wondering how you think this will turn out, since NDSU would have to beat Big 10 Minnesota this week to have an undefeated season.

If NDSU finishes the regular season undefeated, they along with Northern Iowa should garner pretty much all of the #1 consideration in the polls. My (admittedly objective) opinion is to put NDSU at #1 and UNI at #2 should both teams finish without a loss and maintain their current level of play. But regardless, it will be impossible for NDSU to be #1 after the playoffs, I think they would be very fortunate to end up at #2 just because by that time no one will have seen them play for over a month and they'll catch the Michigan syndrome from the end of last year's BCS rankings and drop some spots because they're "out of sight... out of mind". It's just too bad someone can't organize an exhibition between this year's champ and the Bison, but alas no team would man up to play that game because what kind of national champion would they be if they ended their season with a loss.

[igo4uni]

Just for the sake of discussion:

Let's say NDSU wins out, goes undefeated for the season and is ranked #1 in the final regular season poll(s). Since they can't go to the playoffs, their season ends at that point. After the playoffs, and there is a FCS champion, regardless of who that ends up being, where does NDSU rank in the final poll of the season, after the playoffs are over?

#2, because that's the highest they can realistically be ranked given that the FCS champion has the only legitimate claim to being #1? #3, because out of respect for the team that loses the FCS championship game they get the #2 ranking as a "reward" for at least making it through the playoffs and to the championship game which would leave NDSU at #3? Or what? #4? #5?

Just wondering how you think this will turn out, since NDSU would have to beat Big 10 Minnesota this week to have an undefeated season.

If NDSU finishes the regular season undefeated, they along with Northern Iowa should garner pretty much all of the #1 consideration in the polls. My (admittedly objective) opinion is to put NDSU at #1 and UNI at #2 should both teams finish without a loss and maintain their current level of play. But regardless, it will be impossible for NDSU to be #1 after the playoffs, I think they would be very fortunate to end up at #2 just because by that time no one will have seen them play for over a month and they'll catch the Michigan syndrome from the end of last year's BCS rankings and drop some spots because they're "out of sight... out of mind". It's just too bad someone can't organize an exhibition between this year's champ and the Bison, but alas no team would man up to play that game because what kind of national champion would they be if they ended their season with a loss.

I feel your pain. Why can't the playoff commitee invite the Bison?? Who cares about the transitional period???

[Grizball]

I feel your pain. Why can't the playoff commitee invite the Bison?? Who cares about the transitional period???

from what I understand... ndsu has div ii players still on the roster that otherwise wouldnt be eligible in div i... the transition period provides time for the program to move those players out...

I may be wrong or off on this... Im sure itll stand corrected or clarified if so

[OpieGSU]

Barring a loss on the road this weekend UNI is clearly #1 right now. They are the most tested of the elite teams thus far, and nobody wants to play in that piss pot they call the UNI-Dome. Arena football anyone. Does Jon Bon Jovi or John Elway own your team?

http://www.opiegsu.blogspot.com

[MrTitleist]

Hard to argue with NDSU.. two FBS wins, undefeated.. hard not to vote 'em #1.

[jegbomb52]

Hard to argue with NDSU.. two FBS wins, undefeated.. hard not to vote 'em #1.

You can not seriously give them credit for two FBS wins can you? Minnesota, okay. Nice job. But Central Michigan wouldn't finish in the top half of the Gateway or the Big Sky!

[BigApp]

Minnesota is a terrible football team.