Polls

[JackFan96]

The Jacks aren't in either poll this week, which I find surprising. We are "26th" in the TSN poll. The coaches' poll appears, basically, invalid as we're "34th." That would be three spots lower than NDSU. So no need to put much stock in that bunch of voters who clearly need to pull their heads out. I assume it's the fifth loss that influences those votes, but I would think there would be some thought about our body of work and tough schedule. That, though, would take research. At least we finally moved past Western Illinois.

[filbert]

Re: Polls

The Jacks aren't in either poll this week, which I find surprising. We are "26th" in the TSN poll. The coaches' poll appears, basically, invalid as we're "34th." That would be three spots lower than NDSU. So no need to put much stock in that bunch of voters who clearly need to pull their heads out. I assume it's the fifth loss that influences those votes, but I would think there would be some thought about our body of work and tough schedule. That, though, would take research. At least we finally moved past Western Illinois.

The team needs to make a BIG poster with the final polls this year, and make it a team goal for next year:

2009: The year that the Jackrabbits finally earn some respect

Lemons/lemonade, dontcha know . . .

[jackmd]

Re: Polls

The Jacks aren't in either poll this week, which I find surprising. We are "26th" in the TSN poll. The coaches' poll appears, basically, invalid as we're "34th." That would be three spots lower than NDSU. So no need to put much stock in that bunch of voters who clearly need to pull their heads out. I assume it's the fifth loss that influences those votes, but I would think there would be some thought about our body of work and tough schedule. That, though, would take research. At least we finally moved past Western Illinois.

Its the east coast bias. There is no way teams from the midwest can compete with the larger population base on the east coast, no way. Its going to be very hard to overcome and the only way we will do it is by beating those teams.

34th in the nation after finishing 3rd in the MVFC behind two top 10 teams and beating an NDSU team that was highly ranked all year. I think this pretty much tells you what would have happened had we finished 8-4, NO PLAYOFFS. Where is Maine located?

Crock of **** but reality.

[sfjacksfan99]

Re: Polls

Its the east coast bias. There is no way teams from the midwest can compete with the larger population base on the east coast, no way. Its going to be very hard to overcome and the only way we will do it is by beating those teams.

34th in the nation after finishing 3rd in the MVFC behind two top 10 teams and beating an NDSU team that was highly ranked all year. I think this pretty much tells you what would have happened had we finished 8-4, NO PLAYOFFS. Where is Maine located?

Crock of **** but reality.

Well maybe putting Delaware on the schedule wasn't such a bad thing, even if it is two there and one here. Now the Jacks have to beat the crap out of them and make a statement.

[jackmd]

Re: Polls

Well maybe putting Delaware on the schedule wasn't such a bad thing, even if it is two there and one here. Now the Jacks have to beat the crap out of them and make a statement.

My point exactly. They were down big time this year, they will be back. We have to beat some more teams on the road to really earn their respect.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Polls

I don't know if its east coast bias or the fact that our conference is so deep. It was a great season but we did lose 5 times and ended up 7-5. Sure there was a loss to BCS Iowa State. There were 4 more losses. That win/loss ratio just won't get it done.

This is our first year in the Valley as well as the first being playoff eligible. What needs to happen is the Valley teams that are in need to go out and win to show everyone how stoudt our conference is. The tough non-conference schedule makes it harder but that is how to show the rest of the country we are for real. I hope we continue the tough schedules at least for a while to establish ourselves as a tough, playoff worthy opponent. Then we can back it down a little and go on the merits of our strong conference.

SDSU and NDSU will have to play their way into the playoffs and leave no option but to select us. Pay our dues so to speak. There is no doubt that both schools will do that and be in the post season very soon.

GB, GB, GJ!

SUPERBUNNY

[jackmd]

Re: Polls

I don't know if its east coast bias or the fact that our conference is so deep. It was a great season but we did lose 5 times and ended up 7-5. Sure there was a loss to BCS Iowa State. There were 4 more losses. That win/loss ratio just won't get it done.

This is our first year in the Valley as well as the first being playoff eligible. What needs to happen is the Valley teams that are in need to go out and win to show everyone how stoudt our conference is. The tough non-conference schedule makes it harder but that is how to show the rest of the country we are for real. I hope we continue the tough schedules at least for a while to establish ourselves as a tough, playoff worthy opponent. Then we can back it down a little and go on the merits of our strong conference.

SDSU and NDSU will have to play their way into the playoffs and leave no option but to select us. Pay our dues so to speak. There is no doubt that both schools will do that and be in the post season very soon.

GB, GB, GJ!

SUPERBUNNY

That doesn't explain why NDSU was ranked in the poll all year and after we beat them we aren't. The voters don't know who we are. Instead of looking at the quality of the wins and losses they take an east coast team with a better record against a much weaker schedule and rank them ahead of us in the poll. The GPI ranks us very near the top 25 with all of our losses coming against teams with higher GPIs. We beat a ranked team on the road and didn't even come close to cracking the top 25. We finished in the top 25 with the same number of wins last year.

There is definitely some bias there.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Polls

That doesn't explain why NDSU was ranked in the poll all year and after we beat them we aren't. The voters don't know who we are. Instead of looking at the quality of the wins and losses they take an east coast team with a better record against a much weaker schedule and rank them ahead of us in the poll. The GPI ranks us very near the top 25 with all of our losses coming against teams with higher GPIs. We beat a ranked team on the road and didn't even come close to cracking the top 25. We finished in the top 25 with the same number of wins last year.

There is definitely some bias there.

I don't necessarily disagree. It certainly doesn't all make sense. The bias comes from us being the new kids on the block. NDSU has a tradition. The great news is we are heading that way.

Jackmd, you and I are kind fo saying the same thing.

GB, GB, GJ!

SUPERBUNNY

[BTownJack]

Re: Polls

It might have something to do with the fact the MVFC was way down the list in terms of conference rankings this year. When we got into the MVFC we said it was one of the best FCS conferences in the country, if not the best. I for one still think that but this year's GPI does not do anything to justify that:

Conference Ranking:
Rank, League, Total Average
1. Colonial Athletic Association (22.16)
2. Southern Conference (29.16)
3. Big Sky Conference (32.32)
4. Southland Conference (35.74)
5. Great West Football Conference (36.13)
6. Missouri Valley Football Conference (40.02)
7. Patriot League (45.74)
8. Big South Conference (46.38)
9. Ivy League (46.47)
10. Ohio Valley Conference (52.71)
11. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (61.37)
12. Northeast Conference (65.60)
13. Southwestern Athletic Conference (70.20)
14. Pioneer Football League (72.38)
15. Independents (78.38)

Rankings can be found here.

Bottom line, our conference teams need to do a much better job winning their out of conference games, SDSU included.

[EQguy]

Re: Polls

That doesn't explain why NDSU was ranked in the poll all year and after we beat them we aren't.

Apparently the voters also thought the refs "gave" us the game

[22jack]

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I find it hard to beleive that the Great West is better than the MVFC. Besides Cal Poly they did not have anyone that was any good.

[jackmd]

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Bottom line, our conference teams need to do a much better job winning their out of conference games, SDSU included.

You aren't wrong about that. We lost 2 OOC games at home. Granted they were to teams that were highly ranked. We need to win the OOC home games, no matter how highly ranked the opponents are. McNeese taking a nose dive didn't help our GPI any.

[joeboo22]

Re: Polls

The one thing that hurt us in the polls is not having that signature win this year.... NDSU was probably the best win we had all year..... We lost to UNI, SIU, Cal Poly a McNeese State.... We win 1 of those and we are a top 20 team and quite possibly in the play offs.... When it comes to polls most coaches don't look at moral losses or close losses they just look at losses.... 8-4 is a lot nicer lookin then 7-5....

[JimmyJack]

Re: Polls

The one thing that hurt us in the polls is not having that signature win this year.... NDSU was probably the best win we had all year..... We lost to UNI, SIU, Cal Poly a McNeese State.... We win 1 of those and we are a top 20 team and quite possibly in the play offs.... When it comes to polls most coaches don't look at moral losses or close losses they just look at losses.... 8-4 is a lot nicer lookin then 7-5....

Next year, we play NDSU, SIU, and UNI at home. That should help. I still worry about the strength of our out-of-conference schedule. Yes, we need to play the best to be the best and all that. But we also need to be healthy and confident to win the MVFC. Why should we schedule so differently than everybody else in the conference?

[joeboo22]

Re: Polls

Next year, we play NDSU, SIU, and UNI at home. That should help. I still worry about the strength of our out-of-conference schedule. Yes, we need to play the best to be the best and all that. But we also need to be healthy and confident to win the MVFC. Why should we schedule so differently than everybody else in the conference?

I agree with you for the most part on OOC schedule.... But I think that some of it is that we have contracted games that were set up while we didn't have a conference..... I think when we get out of those contracts it will be a little bit easier....