National Championship Game Week

[penguinpower]

Use this thread.

[penguinpower]

On Friday, Jan. 6, the evening before the title game, YSU alumni, friends and family will gather at Urban Rio Cantina & Grill 1000 East 14th St., Plano, Texas, 75074. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. Central. RSVP to either or both of the events at jmleviseur@ysu.edu or 330-941-2136.
 
 

[Wick250]

As the game approaches, I have a few thoughts.

I love the way a feeling of invulnerability and inevitability seems to encase JMU in this game.  I guess that is based on the large number of points they have scored and their outstanding victory in Fargo.  We know how hard it is to beat NDSU there; we have done it only twice in five attempts.  But I really wonder if JMU fans realize how badly injuries had decimated the NDSU defense for that game.

Statistics can be manipulated to support virtually any position.  Politicians have exploited this for centuries.  Now the JMU offense looks scary good.  Glancing at the most recent Sagarin ratings, JMU has played only three teams in the top 100 this season, including North Carolina.  YSU has played seven, including West Virginia.  At the other end of the spectrum, five of JMU wins have come against teams that ranked below Missouri State, believe it or not.  So is the JMU offense very, very good or are the stats a reflection of plenty of games against unimpressive opponents?  I suspect it is a bit of both.

Since they started to play college football fourteen decades ago, teams with the best line play have won most of the time.  I don't expect this game to be any different.

[Guinfan1990]

I was down by the stadium today and saw 27 interviewing a people, they seemed to ask some more bashing type questions about merchandise than advertising than anything else from what i could over-hear

[Dukester]

As the game approaches, I have a few thoughts.

I love the way a feeling of invulnerability and inevitability seems to encase JMU in this game.  I guess that is based on the large number of points they have scored and their outstanding victory in Fargo.  We know how hard it is to beat NDSU there; we have done it only twice in five attempts.  But I really wonder if JMU fans realize how badly injuries had decimated the NDSU defense for that game.

Statistics can be manipulated to support virtually any position.  Politicians have exploited this for centuries.  Now the JMU offense looks scary good.  Glancing at the most recent Sagarin ratings, JMU has played only three teams in the top 100 this season, including North Carolina.  YSU has played seven, including West Virginia.  At the other end of the spectrum, five of JMU wins have come against teams that ranked below Missouri State, believe it or not.  So is the JMU offense very, very good or are the stats a reflection of plenty of games against unimpressive opponents?  I suspect it is a bit of both.

Since they started to play college football fourteen decades ago, teams with the best line play have won most of the time.  I don't expect this game to be any different.

Without a doubt MVC is by far the class conference.

To be honest you're on to something.  Yes we shut down the SHSU offense, but their QB was hurt the week before, and was a game time decision to even play against us.  How injured and how it effected him is anyone's guess.     To be honest I was not aware of all the injuries to NDSU.  I guess that explains a lot about that game.  And as I posted on our boards a month ago - If N Iowa played in the CAA this year, they would of likely been the 2nd best team in the CAA.  Personally I think they should of made the playoffs this year despite their record.

Head coach experience certainly is on your side - your coach just came from Nebraska and is used to these layoffs.  Ours comes from The Citidel   A little different.   

I'm just happy we made it this far.  The last two years we got knocked out at home the first round of the playoffs. 

And very true we played a weak schedule compared to YSU.  Two of our games were against the worst in FCS much to my and many of our fans dismay.

Wick - don't have access to this "Sagarin Rating" you referenced?    It must be a solid tool you use to analyze FCS football.  Where does it Rank JMU for FCS schools?

[Penguin Nation]

Natty teams (SOS):
39  James Madison  161
60  Youngstown State  121

Their opponents' Sagarin ranking:
24  West Virginia
30  North Carolina
44  North Dakota State
51  Eastern Washington
80  South Dakota State
85  Wofford   
89  Jacksonville State
91  Sam Houston State
95  Northern Iowa
107  Villanova   
109  Illinois State     
119  Samford
121  Richmond
124  New Hampshire
124  New Hampshire
136  South Dakota
145  Southern Illinois
158  Maine
163  Duquesne
171  Indiana State
175  William & Mary
182  Missouri State
183  Delaware
218  Rhode Island
228  Elon
229  Robert Morris
232  Central Connecticut
240  Morehead State

http://sagarin.com/sports/cfsend.htm

I thought YSU had a light path in the playoffs, although this would suggest otherwise, at least compared to JMU.  SOS clearly favors the Penguins.  I've mocked our OOC schedule, and still believe there should be some MAC in it, but geez...JMU's OOC schedule is really sad.  In conference/CAA, three teams below MSU...two way below? Good god, man. 

[penguinpower]

As the game approaches, I have a few thoughts.

I love the way a feeling of invulnerability and inevitability seems to encase JMU in this game.  I guess that is based on the large number of points they have scored and their outstanding victory in Fargo.  We know how hard it is to beat NDSU there; we have done it only twice in five attempts.  But I really wonder if JMU fans realize how badly injuries had decimated the NDSU defense for that game.

Statistics can be manipulated to support virtually any position.  Politicians have exploited this for centuries.  Now the JMU offense looks scary good.  Glancing at the most recent Sagarin ratings, JMU has played only three teams in the top 100 this season, including North Carolina.  YSU has played seven, including West Virginia.  At the other end of the spectrum, five of JMU wins have come against teams that ranked below Missouri State, believe it or not.  So is the JMU offense very, very good or are the stats a reflection of plenty of games against unimpressive opponents?  I suspect it is a bit of both.

Since they started to play college football fourteen decades ago, teams with the best line play have won most of the time.  I don't expect this game to be any different.

Without a doubt MVC is by far the class conference.

To be honest you're on to something.  Yes we shut down the SHSU offense, but their QB was hurt the week before, and was a game time decision to even play against us.  How injured and how it effected him is anyone's guess.     To be honest I was not aware of all the injuries to NDSU.  I guess that explains a lot about that game.  And as I posted on our boards a month ago - If N Iowa played in the CAA this year, they would of likely been the 2nd best team in the CAA.  Personally I think they should of made the playoffs this year despite their record.

Head coach experience certainly is on your side - your coach just came from Nebraska and is used to these layoffs.  Ours comes from The Citidel   A little different.   

I'm just happy we made it this far.  The last two years we got knocked out at home the first round of the playoffs. 

And very true we played a weak schedule compared to YSU.  Two of our games were against the worst in FCS much to my and many of our fans dismay.

Wick - don't have access to this "Sagarin Rating" you referenced?    It must be a solid tool you use to analyze FCS football.  Where does it Rank JMU for FCS schools?

These are the two best and most insightful posts that I have read on Amy board to date.  Thanks both of you for this dialogue

[IAA Fan]

I think everyone is missing something here. That is that both teams have already exceeded expectations & are playing on some thing that cannot be found in the stats. That is what it takes to get this far. This is something I never expected to see from such a young YSU staff & it makes me proud. These players (really on both teams) are holding nothing back at this point. JMU has played 3 games and YSU has played 4. YSU's skilled defense is all gone for the season & no one cares, they are just going out and giving 110% I expect no less this Saturday.

[The YO Show]

IAA excellent thoughts. Both teams deserve to be in this game and did the unexpected this year. Really hats off to jmu and the guins. Will be a good game, and one I know jmu is going to be fired up and ready to give Eire all for just like the guins.