FCS FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

[Comrade]

In high school we had a sign in the weight room - “Respect comes from winning in the playoffs”.

I really like our path. We have to beat Western Illinois (MVFC), then get a rematch with the thunder turds, then probably face the defending champions JMU. At first I wanted San Diego but the path we have been given, if successful, will move Weber’s football program to a national (fcs) level its never before.

 

[AlumniWSU]

From the MVFC, the Western Illinois Leathernecks, clad in purple & gold, 8-3 record this year, located in Macomb. Stewart Stadium should be well covered in purple next Sat. at 2pm ? A fan quote in their forum: Wildcats? - "Just get that SUU @ WSU tape and study, study, study..."

If there's not enough incentive for the Weber St Wildcats to win this game (I'm sure there is), they should ponder the thought of the possibility of going to Cedar City and handing those T-birds a beat down at their place!! But not too much, first game business, BEAT THE LEATHERNECKS! :thumb:

Hear is hoping.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fcs/simple-ratings-system

SUU 4th
Weber 7th
W Illinois 9th

...and
NAU 22nd
San Diego 40th

...seems like a good system.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

If W Illinois were to win, their first two playoff games would be in Utah and would have played three BSC teams this year.

Some drive mile distances: 1266 miles from WIllinois to WSU; 1470 miles from WIllinois to SUU; 780 miles from U San Diego to WSU; 487 miles from U San Diego to NAU.

Anyone know what WIllinois will look like? Strengths/weaknesses? Style of play? When the camera went to them during the selection show, there was next to no excitement whatsoever. Maybe traveling to Ogden is beneath the mighty MVFC?

 

[oldrunner]

If W Illinois were to win, their first two playoff games would be in Utah and would have played three BSC teams this year.

Some drive mile distances: 1266 miles from WIllinois to WSU; 1470 miles from WIllinois to SUU; 780 miles from U San Diego to WSU; 487 miles from U San Diego to NAU.

Anyone know what WIllinois will look like? Strengths/weaknesses? Style of play? When the camera went to them during the selection show, there was next to no excitement whatsoever. Maybe traveling to Ogden is beneath the mighty MVFC?

Statistically, they look very much like us. They have a huge running back who looks hard to bring down. Looks to me like they have a solid, well rounded game. This should be a great game. I'm glad this game is here and not in western Illinois.

I wonder if they will come in on Thursday or Friday? They are coming up a few thousand feet in elevation, so they may try to get acclimated. If they stay downtown, they could enjoy some of the pubs on 25th, or take in the activities at the Junction. They can make a mini vacation out of it.

 

[Neckfan6]

Hey ya'll!

Not here to trash talk! Just here for some good natured football talk!

I saw someone ask if WIU thought Ogden was beneath the MVFC. I went to High School with Brett Taylor, the All-American Linebacker, and asked him why they didn't seem excited. He just said that they were hoping for a road game (6-1 on the road vs 2-2 at home this year) but they were hoping for a bus ride instead of flight for the first round.

As someone who doesn't know a ton about Weber State, I looked up your stadium, and I must say, I'm glad I get to watch the game on TV there and not Macomb! The scenery is amazing!

As for weaknesses and strengths, WIU can be suspect against the pass, but the have held 5 teams to under 50 yards rushing this season, so they are really good in that aspect. Offensively, they have a couple of play makers and a really solid QB. They will use 2-3 backs and they are all pretty effective!

I'm excited for this game, I was just hoping it would be later in the playoffs! Good luck to the Wildcats this week!

 

[hawkssb04]

NAU hosts San Diego. This is bullshit! NAU gets the easier matchup.

Agreed. That's infuriating. That whole bracket is the cupcake bracket for NDSU.

 

[hawkssb04]

Committee loves the MVFC. Gives them 5 bids, including an undeserving UNI. 9-2 McNeese should be pissed. Also NDSU getting a 2 seed over Jacksonville St is a joke.

UNH has no business in the playoffs either, especially after getting shut out yesterday, but their AD is on the FCS Playoff selection committee. Soooo, they got a home game. Surprise!

 

[WILDCAT]

The more i look at the bracket the more it looks like they tried to set James Madison and NDSU on the easiest paths possible to meet in the Championship.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

Hey ya'll!

Not here to trash talk! Just here for some good natured football talk!

I saw someone ask if WIU thought Ogden was beneath the MVFC. I went to High School with Brett Taylor, the All-American Linebacker, and asked him why they didn't seem excited. He just said that they were hoping for a road game (6-1 on the road vs 2-2 at home this year) but they were hoping for a bus ride instead of flight for the first round.

As someone who doesn't know a ton about Weber State, I looked up your stadium, and I must say, I'm glad I get to watch the game on TV there and not Macomb! The scenery is amazing!

As for weaknesses and strengths, WIU can be suspect against the pass, but the have held 5 teams to under 50 yards rushing this season, so they are really good in that aspect. Offensively, they have a couple of play makers and a really solid QB. They will use 2-3 backs and they are all pretty effective!

I'm excited for this game, I was just hoping it would be later in the playoffs! Good luck to the Wildcats this week!

I made the comment more tongue-in-cheek than seriously or to try and take a shot at WIU, I was just really surprised at the overwhelming lack of reaction by the players. Maybe it's from my perspective of it not being a common occurrence for Weber to be in the playoffs and this is Weber's first time hosting a game-- this is an exciting accumulation of Coach Hill's four years at Weber State.

Weber has a tendency to run by committee also, with our QB Cantwell as effective as any. Typically, Weber tries to run to open up the pass but has had their share of rushing struggles against sound run defenses, and more so with the RBs in my observations. Weber's strength is defense, the run D is fairly sound and a talented secondary has handled business pretty well too with mostly man coverage. It's not uncommon for Weber to give up chucks of yardage with some outside runs or passes underneath but they get pretty stingy the closer they get to the goal line. As I'm sure most of the country does, we hear much about the MVFC and the respect it garners. We tend to believe the Big Sky can compete with any conference and would hope has the respect of FCS as well.

I too am excited for this match-up and really looking forward to a playoff game that I am able to attend. I think our fan base would also rather have met WIU in a later round in hopes of an easier opponent for round one. Yes, Northern Utah and the Ogden area is an exceptionally scenic area and hopefully your team and fans will have an opportunity to experience it while here. Should you win-- and I really hope you don't-- you'll be traveling to an equally scenic (in a different way) area around Cedar City, in Southern Utah. Good luck to the 'Necks (after this week, as in next season :lol: )!

 

[NDSUSR]

NDSU getting a 2 seed over Jacksonville St is a joke.

How so? JSU played the softest schedule imaginable. They have 1 good win.

Yeah after looking at it closer, I'm okay with NDSU getting a 2.

How do you see WIU/Weber going?

I see Weber by 10 points.

 

[NDSUSR]

NAU hosts San Diego. This is bullshit! NAU gets the easier matchup.

Agreed. That's infuriating. That whole bracket is the cupcake bracket for NDSU.

It is, but its about time. Look at the bracket NDSU has had to deal with the last 5 years.

 

[oldrunner]

NAU hosts San Diego. This is bullshit! NAU gets the easier matchup.

Agreed. That's infuriating. That whole bracket is the cupcake bracket for NDSU.

It is, but its about time. Look at the bracket NDSU has had to deal with the last 5 years.

I don't mind any of the bracketing or matchups. I say, add 8 more teams and make it all random on the matchups. Any way you cut it, to be the best you must beat the best. The only thing I don't like is having to bid on getting a home game. Pick the field, put the names in a hat, pull them out and play the games. Take all of the subjective crap out of it altogether.

 

[WILDCAT]

NAU hosts San Diego. This is bullshit! NAU gets the easier matchup.

Agreed. That's infuriating. That whole bracket is the cupcake bracket for NDSU.

It is, but its about time. Look at the bracket NDSU has had to deal with the last 5 years.

I don't mind any of the bracketing or matchups. I say, add 8 more teams and make it all random on the matchups. Any way you cut it, to be the best you must beat the best. The only thing I don't like is having to bid on getting a home game. Pick the field, put the names in a hat, pull them out and play the games. Take all of the subjective crap out of it altogether.

What they need to do more than anything is get rid of the regionalization and seed all 24 teams. That would also eliminate the bidding for the home game crap as the higher seed would host regardless of attendance. But the NCAA's are all about the $$$

 

[SWeberCat02]

Agree on dumping the regionalization. I'd be good with the 10 auto-bids and 6 at-large. 16 is enough teams, and if you don't win your conference you'd better be damn good. You'd really have to earn a spot in playoffs. Also, seed all 16 teams with higher seed getting home games.

 

[cats25061]

Congrats on the playoffs and the BSC championship, I will be cheering for you all the way, great to see you get a home game.

 

[AlumniWSU]

This will be the first time to host a FCS playoff game for both WSU & SUU & that's great! Read online the chair of the selection committee say that the rule now is no matchup of conference teams who have met in the regular season in the 1st round of the playoffs. After that, it's doable, obviously. Glad to see the Wildcats have a chance to win then meet the T-birds again. Whining that it's too early is useless, there's alway complaints all around on bracketing.

Nice to see Coach Hill interviewed on both KSL TV & Channel 4 TV last night. He was proud of course, & praised everyone involved, said it's momentous for the program & community. Also nice to see his wife come on at the end, looking well & doing good they said.

Let's all get out & see a FCS Playoff game right here in O-town & cheer the WSU Wildcats to victory!

 

[oldrunner]

Agree on dumping the regionalization. I'd be good with the 10 auto-bids and 6 at-large. 16 is enough teams, and if you don't win your conference you'd better be damn good. You'd really have to earn a spot in playoffs. Also, seed all 16 teams with higher seed getting home games.

If you have a 16 team field, you eliminate one round. If you add 8 teams to make it a 32 team field, you would have the same number of rounds you have now. I'm okay with either. I just think that you could drop the seeding thing altogether just make it a lottery issue. You could remove all of the bias from the process. As far as the NCAA losing money on the deal, they could set up a standard hosting amount that all participating teams could prepare for. Coin toss for hosting rounds 2 through the semi-finals.

 

[AlumniWSU]

Just noticed at WeberStateSports.com that tickets to the WIU playoff game will go on sale to the public tomorrow (11/21) @ noon. Loyal donors get first dubs today. Hope it's a great crowd Sat. maybe largest this home season? Weather outlook for high 50s & partly cloudy, as of right now

 

[n.ogdencat]

Congrats on the playoffs and the BSC championship, I will be cheering for you all the way, great to see you get a home game.

Thanks for the support!! By the way, if you can't make it into the playoffs, beating the Griz (for me, getting the chance to read the Egriz melt-down is epic) is the next best thing. Nice win over the weekend.