First round winners

[89Hen]

Who you got?

[Silenoz]

Voted for all the "majors"

[89Hen]

Voted for all the "majors"

+1

edit: this shouldn't be a shocker since I'm an "elitist".

[danefan]

WIU
UNI
GSU

and

RMU......


With no offensive attack in sight for NDSU, I really think RMU will pull this off.

[AZGrizFan]

Voted for all the "majors"

+1

edit: this shouldn't be a shocker since I'm an "elitist".

Apparently so am I.

[BlueHen86]

+1

edit: this shouldn't be a shocker since I'm an "elitist".

Apparently so am I.

Me too.

[AshevilleApp]

My money would be on the favorites, but I'd like to see at least one upset this weekend. Particularly Coastal Carolina over WIU. SC State over Georgia Southern seems like the most likely candidate though. I hope this games lands on Sports South.

[houndawg]

I don't know anything about the opponents, but the MVC is the weakest it has been in a very long time.

UNI and WIU both lost to a crippled SIU team and the Bison looked very unimpressive while winning, being outgained by a hundred yards and managing only one fluke TD on offense against a secondary manned by freshmen and rotating in a walk on.

Now, of the three, NDSU is the weakest, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them last the longest in the playoff because of their ability to keep the score close. When you can do that, weird stuff has a chance to happen.

[GoneTribal]

picked 2 upsets in Coastal & RMU. UNI & GSU I think move on as well.

[SeattleGriz]

Voted for all the "majors"

Same here. Pretty much feel it will be a welcome to the Bigs opening weekend.

[Neckfansince71]

WIU has received absolutely no love from the TSN poll all season. The 1-10 season from a year ago has kept the Necks from rising as far as people "not in the know go!" The MVC has had one of the most competitive seasons ever and again the people "not in the know" look at this as a weakness and not as a strength. I guess we will find out very soon, ala Saturday and on! I have got to admit that WIU has been a bit of a Dr. Jeykle - Mr. Hyde all season. I wonder who will show up in Conway?



jc

[JBB]

Out of the whole bunch WIU is my favorite for the national championship. NDSU is of course a winner and darkhorse. I liked UNI too. I picked SCS over GSU too. I just think GSU is kind of a weak program that ducks big games. Sure they are smart at business and stuff but I dont see them with the resolve or character to go too far. 1 win would surprise me, but I dont know anything about SCS either.

[PX15]

I just think GSU is kind of a weak program that ducks big games. Sure they are smart at business and stuff but I dont see them with the resolve or character to go too far. 1 win would surprise me, but I dont know anything about SCS either.

JBB:

Respectfully, how to you quantify "resolve" or "character"?

This is the FIRST season as a head football coach for Coach Monken... This is the first time in 3 years that our GSU Eagles have even made the 1st round playoffs, and pre-season we were picked by the "experts" to finish in the bottom third of the SOCON conference.

The great majority of our players were NOT recruited for the triple option (with the obvious exception of the QB who basically came from GT when coach Monken got the job).. Most of the team were recruited by ex-head coach Chris Hatcher for a dedicated passing type offense.

We have had an unusually large number of injuries on both sides of the line and I believe our number one running back (Brown) was originally 4th or 5th on the depth chart until those in front of him got hurt.

I don't have a clue as to how our Eagles will do this coming Saturday against SCSU.. I have read that the SCSU players are huge, fast, and have one of the best, if not the best, defenses in our division.

So, until after the game on Saturday neither of us have a clue as to who will come out a winner...

I can say this..

Coach Monken and our GSU Eagles are ALREADY winners just by making the play-off's, and win or lose this play-off season I'm willing to bet better times are in store for the GSU football program as Coach Monken gets some serious recruiting done for players who fit the triple option...

As to the game Saturday between my Eagles and SCSU?

I just hope we have a good contest, with no serious injuries to players of either team and may the best team win.... SCSU is just up the road from Statesboro, in Orangeburg, SC, and I think a lot of fans from both schools would like to see a "home and home" schedule between our respective teams as standard scheduling practice in years to come.

No offense to you, just conversin', not confrontin'..

Best Wishes,

jesse

P.S. Never heard anyone say GSU ducks "big games" before....

[AppStateAlumQC]

Georgia Southern is going to dog South Carolina State

I've been following WIU's turnaround all season, it should be a difficult matchup for Apps in week two

NDSU needs to find some offense, I can see the Colonials pulling off the upset but I think the Bison edge them by a field goal

UNI and Lehigh is a no-brainer

[Gil Dobie]

P.S. Never heard anyone say GSU ducks "big games" before....

I think he is delivering a little smack talk about GSU buying out a home and home with NDSU.

[PX15]

P.S. Never heard anyone say GSU ducks "big games" before....

I think he is delivering a little smack talk about GSU buying out a home and home with NDSU.

GD:

I believe most GSU folks thought traveling half way across the country every other year just to play a team not in our conference was too expensive and more trouble than it was worth..

Great folks out there in the Dakota's, but the distance, cold weather, and expense just didn't make economic sense.

Plus the fact that they started beating our butts on a regular basis took most of the fun out it...

Best Wishes,

Jesse

[SeattleGriz]

I think he is delivering a little smack talk about GSU buying out a home and home with NDSU.

GD:

I believe most GSU folks thought traveling half way across the country every other year just to play a team not in our conference was too expensive and more trouble than it was worth..

Great folks out there in the Dakota's, but the distance, cold weather, and expense just didn't make economic sense.

Plus the fact that they started beating our butts on a regular basis took most of the fun out it...

Best Wishes,

Jesse

GSU bought out a home and home. Oh Lord, GSU will NEVER hear the end of that one.

[Gil Dobie]

I think he is delivering a little smack talk about GSU buying out a home and home with NDSU.

GD:

I believe most GSU folks thought traveling half way across the country every other year just to play a team not in our conference was too expensive and more trouble than it was worth..

Great folks out there in the Dakota's, but the distance, cold weather, and expense just didn't make economic sense.

Plus the fact that they started beating our butts on a regular basis took most of the fun out it...

Best Wishes,

Jesse

We understand, good luck in the playoffs.

[JBB]

Exactly Gil. Thats what I meant when I said

"they were smart at business and stuff"

but the fact that they were unable to muster the resolve to make the trip, and what some feel is kind of a "gentleman's agreement" type thing on the buy-out, led to my comment. Im pretty sure that will be the last of the $60,000 buyouts. By all means they had the right and privilege to buy the game out. Unfortunately when it happens conclusions can be drawn.

Im sure everyone wishes them the best on Saturday. I have no dog in the fight. I made my pick.

[dgreco]

WIU
UNI
GSU

and

RMU......


With no offensive attack in sight for NDSU, I really think RMU will pull this off.

I hope they do. I am very excited for the game.

[Ibanez]

Ok Ok. So i'm a complete homer because Ithink CCU has a shot at beating WIU today. I have UNI, GSU and NDSU winning as well. If we win tonight, I expect us to lose to Applachain State.

[blueballs]

Exactly Gil. Thats what I meant when I said

"they were smart at business and stuff"

but the fact that they were unable to muster the resolve to make the trip, and what some feel is kind of a "gentleman's agreement" type thing on the buy-out, led to my comment. Im pretty sure that will be the last of the $60,000 buyouts. By all means they had the right and privilege to buy the game out. Unfortunately when it happens conclusions can be drawn.

Im sure everyone wishes them the best on Saturday. I have no dog in the fight. I made my pick.

You're assuming that GSU sees a trip to North Dakota State as- in your own words- a big game.

I can assure you with 100% certainty that is NOT the case. For GSU, whose idea of success is only measured in championships, a big game is a) a conference rivalry game against App, Furman, Wofford or whoever is doing well in a given year like Elon, b) playoff game, c) title game, d) game against FBS.

GSU had a chance to pick up a sixth home game and it only cost them $60k to do so. When you figure the average ticket price is $22 and the average attendance is 19,000+ it doesn't take a genius to figure out the program. Besides, GSU will still play @App, Furman, @Wofford, @Elon, Chatty, Coastal Carolina and @Alabama next year. Their schedule has plenty of "big games."

[WIU2013]

I took WIU, UNI, GSU, RMU.
I think Coastal has a real shot at upsetting the 'Necks though. Western is a far different team on the road.

[SeattleGriz]

Exactly Gil. Thats what I meant when I said but the fact that they were unable to muster the resolve to make the trip, and what some feel is kind of a "gentleman's agreement" type thing on the buy-out, led to my comment. Im pretty sure that will be the last of the $60,000 buyouts. By all means they had the right and privilege to buy the game out. Unfortunately when it happens conclusions can be drawn.

Im sure everyone wishes them the best on Saturday. I have no dog in the fight. I made my pick.

You're assuming that GSU sees a trip to North Dakota State as- in your own words- a big game.

I can assure you with 100% certainty that is NOT the case. For GSU, whose idea of success is only measured in championships, a big game is a) a conference rivalry game against App, Furman, Wofford or whoever is doing well in a given year like Elon, b) playoff game, c) title game, d) game against FBS.

GSU had a chance to pick up a sixth home game and it only cost them $60k to do so. When you figure the average ticket price is $22 and the average attendance is 19,000+ it doesn't take a genius to figure out the program. Besides, GSU will still play @App, Furman, @Wofford, @Elon, Chatty, Coastal Carolina and @Alabama next year. Their schedule has plenty of "big games."

Hey now, those dollars and cents type arguments never worked for Montana, they won't work for GSU. Be prepared to be called "afraid of NDSU" for eternity.

[Pwns]

GSU/SCSU is the game of the week. The the winner will be a handful for W&M. RMU and Coastal have a decent chance of getting the upset. Lehigh is going to get drubbed.

And BTW, I'm not too sure I'd want GSU on my schedule OOC next year. Every offensive player on the two-deep is back and all but two starters on defense are back.