Better season: Us or A-State?

[EastHallApp]

Thanks for the view from the other sideline, chiefsfan. I noted the differences in schedules in the OP, as certainly you have to consider that in comparing the two teams' seasons.

Considering what each team would have done against the other's schedule is an interesting hypothetical. I agree that A-State would have very likely matched our 3-1 OOC regular season record. Would they also have beaten Southern and Ohio? We'll never know, of course.

I do think there's a chance App might have done a little better against your schedule. I'd have liked our chances against Missouri at home (esp. early, when we were healthy). I think we at least would have competed with Toledo and La. Tech - might have beaten them, might not, but I don't think we'd have lost by 30 and 19.

But again, all we can do is guess. Have to compare realities, and that's somewhat more apples-to-oranges.

My view is that you guys have head-to-head "braggin' rights" over us, but if I were looking at the two teams from the outside, I think I'd rather have our season.

[fjblair]

I have a difficult time saying a 4 loss season is better than a 2 loss season. The Arkansas State team is the conference champion that speaks for itself but I would not trade our season for theirs. Period.

[fjblair]

What's the point of this thread? Of course we would have traded seasons with you guys. An 11-2 record for us would have meant wins over 2 of La Tech, Missouri, and Toledo. Those would have been some of the biggest wins in our history.

Now, trading schedules is another matter entirely. We would never have taken 9-4 with your schedule, and 10-2 would have been the minimum expectation of playing games against MWC Cellar Dwellar Wyoming and Low Tier CUSA Old Dominion. Likewise, if you guys had finished 9-4 with our OOC schedule, I think many of you would have gladly taken it.

You have to understand that our understanding of our current situation is very clear to most of our fans. We know that we have not shot at ever getting into CUSA, regardless how many SBC Titles we win, because we don't carry a television market. TV execs don't flock to a metropolitan area of 70K. It just doesn't happen. Because of that, the minimum expectation for us in a given season is 7 wins and a challenge for the conference title. In that sense, we did not really surpass the expectations of our fans this season by losing all of our OOC games. In a way its a bit of an embrrassment to us, because we believe we are up to the level of the Toledo's and La Tech's of the world, and getting blown out by those schools is a big wake up call that Anderson doesn't have us where we want yet. So in that note, we're not thrilled by this season. We're happy to be conference champs, but not happy we failed to show out against the top of the G5.

I had to lol at the tv market remark. We feel your pain. We don't even have a tv market and need another county to get 70k

[AppFan11]

I guess we could continue this.... I don't like arguing injuries b/c they are part of the game. We had other injuries that I didn't mention, however, once Chapman went out the replacement snapped the ball all over the place. Taylor Lamb had to be a catcher and completely disrupted our timing offense. Which then led to our D being out in the field to much (your time of possession advantage). Ok enough. You did beat us and good for you guys. You had a good season and I wish you did beat La Tech. I look forward to playing you guys next season. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas season.

[AppState89]

App State and Ga Southern, the "new guys" in the conference, won their bowl games. I'm sure that pisses off the teams that didn't want us in the conference to begin with. Guess the "new guys" are making the Sun Belt look good these days. Ga Southern destroying the MAC champion just made the top part of the Sun Belt look a little better, IMO.

[appst89]

I look forward to playing you guys next season. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas season.

stAte is rotating off our schedule next year.

[chiefsfan]

Thanks for the view from the other sideline, chiefsfan. I noted the differences in schedules in the OP, as certainly you have to consider that in comparing the two teams' seasons.

Considering what each team would have done against the other's schedule is an interesting hypothetical. I agree that A-State would have very likely matched our 3-1 OOC regular season record. Would they also have beaten Southern and Ohio? We'll never know, of course.

I do think there's a chance App might have done a little better against your schedule. I'd have liked our chances against Missouri at home (esp. early, when we were healthy). I think we at least would have competed with Toledo and La. Tech - might have beaten them, might not, but I don't think we'd have lost by 30 and 19.

But again, all we can do is guess. Have to compare realities, and that's somewhat more apples-to-oranges.

My view is that you guys have head-to-head "braggin' rights" over us, but if I were looking at the two teams from the outside, I think I'd rather have our season.

Keep in mind that we played Missouri and Toledo when they were healthy, and we played them without Fredi Knighten. (Got hurt at halftime against Mizzou with us up 7 points, missed next 3 games) For that reason I don't doubt you could have beaten Missouri. I think Toledo beats you in a close game. As for Tech, it depends on which version of you guys had shown up. If you guys had tried to play against them like you did for a couple quarters against Ohio, they win going away. Otherwise it's probably a close game.

Our weakness this year was pass defense and a lack of depth on the offensive line. Tech was literally the worst possible matchup we could have gotten with an NFL caliber QB and RB. I know I spent most of the time insisting that we were a far superior program, but that was more to annoy Tech fans because they see themselves as a P5 hybrid. They were better than us, and frankly we did well to stay in it till the 4th quarter.

We don't play next year, so I guess the growing rivalry is on hold until the 2017 League Championship Game in Jonesboro.

[BUTCH1991]

Everybody keeps saying stAte is off our schedule, but no one has showed yet anything to make that rumor true. Where does this keep coming from?

[APPdiesel]

Does anyone know...since Benson wants to start a championship, if the Sunbelt chooses not to renew New Mexico State and Idaho's status if that then disqualifies us from hosting a conference championship?

And if we do choose to dump them, do we go after 2 more top FCSers to fill in the ranks or hope the NCAA allows 10 team leagues to host a championship.

twitter.com/DieselOnRadio

[AppFan11]

I believe it's highly unlikely that NMST and Idaho will be booted out. Idaho turned their season around and will be better next season and we need NMST for basketball. The presidents and ADs will decide about championship game for football probably this spring.

[TheMoody1]

NMST is football only.

[AppFan11]

Oops.... good point... guess I was thinking about them as a full member....

[Yosef84]

I don't think anything that Chiefsfan is saying is inaccurate or inflammatory. There is no doubt that Chapman's injury set us back and took the rhythm out of our offense, which killed us. Because we couldn't sustain a drive, our D got worn down and stAte pulled away. Injuries and depth are part of the game. It hurts because we have reason to believe that, if the gamer were played gain, we would have a good shot at winning. Unfortunately, it was played when it was played and stuff happened. Let's just enjoy the incredible season that the Apps put together. That game was an opportunity missed, but we still had a great season.

[Saint3333]

As Chief is over here trying to convince us Ark St had the better season I'm going to say that is a sign he's somewhat jealous of a 11-2 record and a bowl victory.

I wouldn't trade a win vs Ark St vs, a record number of wins in the SBC and the first team to win a bowl game their first full FBS year (GS we did it first).


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[bcoach]

Us, we won more games. Would you rather see us win 8 games or 10 games. Goodnight

[Gregscot]

No one mentioned the way the schedule was constructed with the two toughest games on Thursday night with an improving Troy between them. That schedule didn't help us play our best. If chapman doesn't go out we win by 14.

[proasu89]

No one mentioned the way the schedule was constructed with the two toughest games on Thursday night with an improving Troy between them. That schedule didn't help us play our best. If chapman doesn't go out we win by 14.

If Chapman doesn't go out and we don't hand them 14 points ......and if my aunt had.......

[hapapp]

It hurt to lose Chapman but there is no way to be so definitive about winning that game.

[EastHallApp]

Chapman is a good player, but if you think he is worth 28 points per game...

[JTApps1]

Do the final polls put an end to this debate?

App finishes #33 in the AP poll and #34 in the Coaches poll. The Red Wolves didn't receive a vote in either.