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Playoffs
- Thread starter clawman1
- Start date
clawman said:
Most sports websites say Eastern is a lock, even though they very well may open on the road. I haven't seen a single sports news site that even thinks Eastern is on the bubble. Fact is, SDSU and NDSU were both locks win or lose, so that game shouldn't affect Eastern in the slightest. In fact, most of the results today benefitted Eastern. The team that many thought Eastern may open against, North Dakota, probably had the sketchiest day of the bunch given they had their game canceled. It may be hard to justify having them open at home assuming both NDSU and SDSU get home playoff openers.
The problem for Eastern is any chance of advancement is probably tiny against a team that can run the ball with any level of efficiency. After watching Idaho gash us over and over and over and over last week, defensively hapless NAU held them to a meager 9 points today. That's a really bad look for our defense. Frankly, it's tough to watch Eastern be so bad defensively each year with very little improvement, especially when you realize other teams just challenge our defensive toughness all game long and we rarely rise up and get physical enough to get stops.
Interestingly, NAU finished 3-2 in conference play. That probably shows a lot of weakness in the conference. I thought NAU was just atrocious and they wouldn't have been better than 8th or 9th most of the last decade in the Big Sky.
Inforum, which I think is a sports news distribution site, moved Eastern down a bit this week. We all knew that was probably given the fewer games played by the Big Sky. They went from showing Eastern playing at North Dakota in last week's projection to playing at Weber State this week. In many ways, I think Weber might be an easier matchup just because I think UND runs the ball better.
Whoever we play, it's gonna come down to two things. First, are our best players gonna play or take the game off for injury? We all know small injuries take weeks to recover from at Eastern. Must be something in the water. Second, it's whether or not the D can get stops.
Whoever we play, it's gonna come down to two things. First, are our best players gonna play or take the game off for injury? We all know small injuries take weeks to recover from at Eastern. Must be something in the water. Second, it's whether or not the D can get stops.
Atomic Eagle
Active member
Most predictions I have seen have us playing on the road at NDSU.
Obzerver said:
Sorry man but not sure what your reading. Trey Lance played 1 game in the fall to showcase himself and the school then opted out and entered the draft. He is a top 5 prospect. The qbs they have right now are maybe a small step up from Idaho calebar.
We make them throw 20 or more times we win.
EWU98 said:
Easier said than done. All we had to do against Idaho was stop the run, yet we couldn't. I just don't think we're tough enough to play with a team like North Dakota State. Man, I'd love to be wrong, but I just see too many frailties on defense to think we're gonna get many stops.
Not sure why the committee selected us as a site to host and then sent us on the road the first game.
As for NDSU...I feel like all they need to is watch the game tape from Idaho for tips on how to beat our defense. Run, run, run, play action pass...which is basically what they do anyway. I dunno, I guess we didn’t prepare for the Idaho Qb, but still would have though that we’d.make adjustments and we didn’t.
One thing is for sure...our offense is going to have to play basically.mistake-free football. No more stalled.out drives or turnovers to win this one.
As for NDSU...I feel like all they need to is watch the game tape from Idaho for tips on how to beat our defense. Run, run, run, play action pass...which is basically what they do anyway. I dunno, I guess we didn’t prepare for the Idaho Qb, but still would have though that we’d.make adjustments and we didn’t.
One thing is for sure...our offense is going to have to play basically.mistake-free football. No more stalled.out drives or turnovers to win this one.
HeavyIsTheCrown
Active member
I’ve got some questions fellas:
- How did the MVFC get FIVE TEAMS IN!? :shock:
- How did JMU get a seed over the CAA’s AQ?
- How the hell did Eastern draw ndsu?
- Why is Eastern forced to play on the road?
- Will EWU have to play all playoff games on the road?
Ok I'll bite here...HeavyIsTheCrown said:
1. Honestly lack of options after these 16 who are you really going to take. Definately no one else out of the Big Sky. I was confident but not for sure thinking we were going to get in. Weber barely wins their games we barely beat Idaho. The truly only good win for us was against DAVIS. Plus in this year how many teams are done playing. They have a good conference and are centrally located for travel.
2. JMU was in the top four for most of the year and made it to the chipper last year..and undefeated this year.
AQ don't mean you get a seed it means you get in. Some AQ suck and I wouldn't want a crappy team to get a 1 seed just because. Weber for example is not a top tier team...no way they deserve a seed, but they do deserve a home game.
3. Honestly I think it's a marquee match up. Also closest opponent for us outside of Weber and they are trying to not have conference teams play each other first round. So my best guest it location location...location.
4. People are all up in arms about not hosting and are confused about that announcement. We volunteered to host if possible. It was NEVER a guarantee. With that said I agree with lake bison on this one..$$$ is your true answer they can have fans in the stands and we can't. ...unfortunately.
5. When we win it depends ..if we play seeded teams no, but if Sam Houston loses and the team they lost to says they didn't want to host or didnt put down deposit...yes we host a playoff game. But if both teams wanted to...might just come down to a coin flip or maybe record or something.
Last 4 out...
The last four teams left out of the field, announced in alphabetical order, were ETSU, Murray State, Samford and Southeastern Louisiana, surely to the dismay of Richmond and Kennesaw State.
Richmond definately could argue but they got rocked by JMU yesterday.
Not sure about Kennesaw State but I would say strength of schedule as their conference is not a powerhouse plus if you look at the Big South standings...not very many teams played. And one of their wins was against a team called Shorter...which puts them at 3 fcs wins and if I remember hearing right they needed 4.
The last four teams left out of the field, announced in alphabetical order, were ETSU, Murray State, Samford and Southeastern Louisiana, surely to the dismay of Richmond and Kennesaw State.
Richmond definately could argue but they got rocked by JMU yesterday.
Not sure about Kennesaw State but I would say strength of schedule as their conference is not a powerhouse plus if you look at the Big South standings...not very many teams played. And one of their wins was against a team called Shorter...which puts them at 3 fcs wins and if I remember hearing right they needed 4.
