Does Montana make the playoffs?

[dudeitsaid]

Yes.

Their defense is better than I thought they'd be.

I'm thinking they will host USD, an MVFC 3 or 4, or a SLC 2 and we will get them again in the 2nd round.

I wouldn't think it's a given for them to beat any of the teams you listed. I'd call it a push at best.

 

[luckyintheorder]

Most likely. On the road at UNC will be their biggest remaining challenge.

Wouldn't have thought they lose this game, but they don't seem to be traveling well. Guess anything can happen.

 

[LDopaPDX]

At 8-3, they'll definitely be in. If I had to bet on their likely outcome, I'd say they'll finish 8-3.

At 7-4, they'd need an absolute train wreck of teams that currently have 2 or 3 losses losing two more games. The strength of schedule doesn't work in their favor.

 

[Atomic Eagle]

Most likely. On the road at UNC will be their biggest remaining challenge.

Wouldn't have thought they lose this game, but they don't seem to be traveling well. Guess anything can happen.

Don't write off UNC. Montana plays poorly outside of Missoula and isn't that much better than UNC, if at all. I think the Bears will end their playoffs hopes.

 

[JPN17]

Most likely. On the road at UNC will be their biggest remaining challenge.

Wouldn't have thought they lose this game, but they don't seem to be traveling well. Guess anything can happen.

Don't write off UNC. Montana plays poorly outside of Missoula and isn't that much better than UNC, if at all. I think the Bears will end their playoffs hopes.

I don't think UNC is really that good to be honest. They are 3-2 in conference. They beat Sac St by 8 and beat Portland St by 7. Two not very good teams. They beat a Cookus-less NAU at home by only 3. And they lost to UC Davis, Davis' only BSC win so far this year. I agree that Montana isn't as good as we are used to this year, but I really don't see them losing to UNC. Maybe I am too high on Montana though, we will see.

 

[rickb2525]

I think the chances are slim at 8-3. Their 3 losses are all in Conference (not to an FBS school) and one of their wins is to a small school. The only way they do get in is if they take 4 BSC teams, otherwise Cal Poly finishes 8-3 and gets in over the Grizz.

If they do get in at 8-3 it will strictly be because of the money they will generate.

FTG

 

[Seattle Eagle]

Most likely. On the road at UNC will be their biggest remaining challenge.

Wouldn't have thought they lose this game, but they don't seem to be traveling well. Guess anything can happen.

Don't write off UNC. Montana plays poorly outside of Missoula and isn't that much better than UNC, if at all. I think the Bears will end their playoffs hopes.

I don't think UNC is really that good to be honest. They are 3-2 in conference. They beat Sac St by 8 and beat Portland St by 7. Two not very good teams. They beat a Cookus-less NAU at home by only 3. And they lost to UC Davis, Davis' only BSC win so far this year. I agree that Montana isn't as good as we are used to this year, but I really don't see them losing to UNC. Maybe I am too high on Montana though, we will see.

Nothing would surprise me. They suck on the road.

 

[kalm]

edit

 

[kalm]

I think the chances are slim at 8-3. Their 3 losses are all in Conference (not to an FBS school) and one of their wins is to a small school. The only way they do get in is if they take 4 BSC teams, otherwise Cal Poly finishes 8-3 and gets in over the Grizz.

If they do get in at 8-3 it will strictly be because of the money they will generate.

FTG

You could be right, but...

The OVC might very well be a 1 bid conference with EIU finishing 7-4 at best. They'd still have better wins than Montana though.

I don't see Wofford getting a 4th bid out of the SoCon unless they can beat UTC.

UNH has almost as weak a resume as the Griz.

The bubble will be interesting as always. Montana needs EIU, Albany, Stony Brook, Wofford, and UNH to lose. Weber, Poly, and NAU are also threats to them.

 

[Get'emGriz]

Montana will definitely make the playoffs if we can go 8-3. The issue is the home Griz vs the road Griz. At home, we thrive and play like a very good team. On the road, we make too many mistakes.

No game in football is a gimmie, but we should beat Idaho State next week. The biggest test will be on the road @ UNC to finish our road trips for 2016. Then hosting MSU in the Brawl to end the regular season, I like our chances being at home. That one Montana should win, but in a rivalry like the Brawl, it's anyone's game.

So if we do make the playoffs, we will be hosting a first-round cupcake game and then back on the road and probably done. I think we're one more year away from putting it all together once we have Stitt's full recruits in the system. This year's team is very young and they're already competitive, so I expect them to grow and get better. Next season is looking very promising for a deep run. I hope if all pans out!

 

[ewueagle2010]

8-3 they absolutely get in.

7-4 it's 50-50....history still makes me believe yes...NCAA wants that money.

I do think this rivalry will continue to heat up even further over the next couple years. These are clearly the two best programs in the Big Sky and I don't foresee that changing any time soon.

 

[EWU98]

8-3 they absolutely get in.

7-4 it's 50-50....history still makes me believe yes...NCAA wants that money.

I do think this rivalry will continue to heat up even further over the next couple years. These are clearly the two best programs in the Big Sky and I don't foresee that changing any time soon.

I hate that it comes down to money for making the tournament because a more deserving team should have that home game instead of UM.

 

[Rjones61]

8-3 they absolutely get in.

7-4 it's 50-50....history still makes me believe yes...NCAA wants that money.

I do think this rivalry will continue to heat up even further over the next couple years. These are clearly the two best programs in the Big Sky and I don't foresee that changing any time soon.

I hate that it comes down to money for making the tournament because a more deserving team should have that home game instead of UM.

Yup... looking at our current conference standings, here is what I predict will happen:

Eastern, UND, and Cal Poly will all get into playoffs after finishing top of the conference.

Montana and NAU will win out. NAU will win out and finish higher than Montana in conference standings. However, despite dominating the head to head match up, Sagarin schedule rankings, and having an FBS loss, Montana will be picked over NAU, because they will have one more win on record (so they will say).

Big Sky football gets four participants in EWU, UND, Cal Poly, and Montana.

 

[EWU98]

So out of those four who do you want in the second round? I know they will match us up with one of them.
For me I would love another shot at the Griz, but my guess will be UND.

 

[HookedonGriz]

8-3 they absolutely get in.

7-4 it's 50-50....history still makes me believe yes...NCAA wants that money.

I do think this rivalry will continue to heat up even further over the next couple years. These are clearly the two best programs in the Big Sky and I don't foresee that changing any time soon.

I hate that it comes down to money for making the tournament because a more deserving team should have that home game instead of UM.

Yup... looking at our current conference standings, here is what I predict will happen:

Eastern, UND, and Cal Poly will all get into playoffs after finishing top of the conference.

Montana and NAU will win out. NAU will win out and finish higher than Montana in conference standings. However, despite dominating the head to head match up, Sagarin schedule rankings, and having an FBS loss, Montana will be picked over NAU, because they will have one more win on record (so they will say).

Big Sky football gets four participants in EWU, UND, Cal Poly, and Montana.

But don't forget the best that NAU can finish is 7-4. And one of those wins was a D2 so the committee will be looking at a team with only 6 D1 wins. We saw a 6-5 team, Western Illinois, get in last year out of the MVFC due to their strength of schedule being one of the toughest, if not toughest, SOS in all of FCS. They put them in and left a 7-4 UND team out. It was the only time a 6 win team got a bid.

With that being said, a 6 D1 win NAU team is out because their SOS will hurt them and not help them.

 

[Rjones61]

8-3 they absolutely get in.

7-4 it's 50-50....history still makes me believe yes...NCAA wants that money.

I do think this rivalry will continue to heat up even further over the next couple years. These are clearly the two best programs in the Big Sky and I don't foresee that changing any time soon.

I hate that it comes down to money for making the tournament because a more deserving team should have that home game instead of UM.

Yup... looking at our current conference standings, here is what I predict will happen:

Eastern, UND, and Cal Poly will all get into playoffs after finishing top of the conference.

Montana and NAU will win out. NAU will win out and finish higher than Montana in conference standings. However, despite dominating the head to head match up, Sagarin schedule rankings, and having an FBS loss, Montana will be picked over NAU, because they will have one more win on record (so they will say).

Big Sky football gets four participants in EWU, UND, Cal Poly, and Montana.

But don't forget the best that NAU can finish is 7-4. And one of those wins was a D2 so the committee will be looking at a team with only 6 D1 wins. We saw a 6-5 team, Western Illinois, get in last year out of the MVFC due to their strength of schedule being one of the toughest, if not toughest, SOS in all of FCS. They put them in and left a 7-4 UND team out. It was the only time a 6 win team got a bid.

With that being said, a 6 D1 win NAU team is out because their SOS will hurt them and not help them.

Solid post. Didn't realize one of their wins was d2. This why we shouldn't schedule division 2 teams.

 

[Rjones61]

So out of those four who do you want in the second round? I know they will match us up with one of them.
For me I would love another shot at the Griz, but my guess will be UND.

Give me UND. I don't want any dispute that we are better than them.

 

[dudeitsaid]

So out of those four who do you want in the second round? I know they will match us up with one of them.
For me I would love another shot at the Griz, but my guess will be UND.

Give me UND. I don't want any dispute that we are better than them.

+1

 

[Hambone]

So out of those four who do you want in the second round? I know they will match us up with one of them.
For me I would love another shot at the Griz, but my guess will be UND.

Give me UND. I don't want any dispute that we are better than them.

Absolutely. If both teams win out, send UND to Cheney and let's see who the better team is.

 

[Rontheoldwiseeagle]

I think the chances are slim at 8-3. Their 3 losses are all in Conference (not to an FBS school) and one of their wins is to a small school. The only way they do get in is if they take 4 BSC teams, otherwise Cal Poly finishes 8-3 and gets in over the Grizz.

If they do get in at 8-3 it will strictly be because of the money they will generate.

FTG

that's right they are in :nod: