Troy or stAte?

[Saint3333]

The perception of the teams associated with Boise are up and every time they come to town I bet the opponent sales more tickets. If we want a story to tell our fanbase having conference opponents in a spot light helps.

[appchicago]

Really?? ...it's surprising to me that some appear to be wanting the outcome of the Sun Belt race this year to elevate one team (Troy) over our own team's chances of winning the championship...really??? {Not that anything we post here has any affect on the outcome}. There's still football to be played and a lot of things can happen...we put our team first and if we're out of contention (which we're NOT at this moment) then you pull for the conference. Do you think it'd be better sounding to recruits being visited by our coaches to hear: "hey come play for us because we're in a conference that had a team go 11-1 and played in a major bowl...OR "hey come play for us because we win championships even at this level." Do you think our players who have literally put in their blood, sweat, tears, hearts, souls, endured early morning workouts, made endless sacrifices, suffer painful injuries and put themselves on the line every game day...do you think they want to hear that the conference is more important than winning a championship? Maybe I'm mis-reading some posts but if not...come on.

I hear what you're saying. I do. But I also think that both teams (stAte and Troy) stand a really good chance of winning out. Each faces TxSt, with stAte also getting ULL and Troy getting GaSo. Considering how soft those teams have played this year, I see both stAte and Troy going 2-0 for their last two of the season. So in all likelihood, one of the two teams will win out, and I'd rather see a team that is representing the conference well, that has played well OOC, and that we only narrowly lost to win the conference. That's if the alternative is a perennial OOC underachiever who we didn't even get a shot at (and whose fans flap their jaws ad infinitum).

If we're talking dream scenarios, I'd STILL want Troy to win, but I'd like to see both stAte and Troy drop their last two. That'd be great! But unless Texas State gets really good really quickly, I'm talking about the art of the possible here.

[Rick83]

Really?? ...it's surprising to me that some appear to be wanting the outcome of the Sun Belt race this year to elevate one team (Troy) over our own team's chances of winning the championship...really??? {Not that anything we post here has any affect on the outcome}. There's still football to be played and a lot of things can happen...we put our team first and if we're out of contention (which we're NOT at this moment) then you pull for the conference. Do you think it'd be better sounding to recruits being visited by our coaches to hear: "hey come play for us because we're in a conference that had a team go 11-1 and played in a major bowl...OR "hey come play for us because we win championships even at this level." Do you think our players who have literally put in their blood, sweat, tears, hearts, souls, endured early morning workouts, made endless sacrifices, suffer painful injuries and put themselves on the line every game day...do you think they want to hear that the conference is more important than winning a championship? Maybe I'm mis-reading some posts but if not...come on.

I hear what you're saying. I do. But I also think that both teams (stAte and Troy) stand a really good chance of winning out. Each faces TxSt, with stAte also getting ULL and Troy getting GaSo. Considering how soft those teams have played this year, I see both stAte and Troy going 2-0 for their last two of the season. So in all likelihood, one of the two teams will win out, and I'd rather see a team that is representing the conference well, that has played well OOC, and that we only narrowly lost to win the conference. That's if the alternative is a perennial OOC underachiever who we didn't even get a shot at (and whose fans flap their jaws ad infinitum).

If we're talking dream scenarios, I'd STILL want Troy to win, but I'd like to see both stAte and Troy drop their last two. That'd be great! But unless Texas State gets really good really quickly, I'm talking about the art of the possible here.

I don't disagree with anything you've said here, my issue was with the tone of some of the posts saying it'd be like selfish to still want both Troy and stAte to lose games so that we'd share a championship and that it was more important for the conference to look good. I agree it's unlikely fo ULL to beat stAte or GS to beat Troy...but it felt like we were back to the feelings people posted about a "shared" championship not being all that...it IS all that. For me, I hope both Troy and stAte stumble so that our guys can win a championship...conference be damned.

[EastHallApp]

The perception of the teams associated with Boise are up and every time they come to town I bet the opponent sales more tickets. If we want a story to tell our fanbase having conference opponents in a spot light helps.

I'll grant you it would be a modest ticket sales boost for one game every 3-4 years, or however often they come to Boone. Personally, though, I want us to be that team people circle on their calendar.

And as far as perception of teams associated with Boise - where are the former WAC teams now? Two of them came to the Sun Belt because no one else would take them, and now they're getting kicked out. Nevada had a few good years as Boise's foil, then fell off. Most of the rest never made any headway. That's why Boise had to leave the conference to play better competition: They had long outgrown it, and the rest of the league didn't get any better.

[Michael in Raleigh]

The perception of the teams associated with Boise are up and every time they come to town I bet the opponent sales more tickets. If we want a story to tell our fanbase having conference opponents in a spot light helps.

I'll grant you it would be a modest ticket sales boost for one game every 3-4 years, or however often they come to Boone. Personally, though, I want us to be that team people circle on their calendar.

And as far as perception of teams associated with Boise - where are the former WAC teams now? Two of them came to the Sun Belt because no one else would take them, and now they're getting kicked out. Nevada had a few good years as Boise's foil, then fell off. Most of the rest never made any headway. That's why Boise had to leave the conference to play better competition: They had long outgrown it, and the rest of the league didn't get any better.

From Boise's era in the WAC:

Hawaii: Had that one great year in 2007 when they went 12-0 and then got embarrassed against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. It's been all downhill since then.

Nevada: Went 12-1 one year with Colin Kaepernik, the year Boise State was on track to go to the BCS national championship game or at least to another Fiesta Bowl before Nevada ruined it.

Fresno State: Won the MWC in 2013 during a down year for Boise. Lately, they could be better, could be worse

San Jose State: Fortunate to be in the MWC as the WAC fell apart. Made it to a bowl game last year as a 5-7 team, beating 6-6 Georgia State.

Utah State: I think they almost beat Auburn a few years back. Also fortunate to be in MWC after the WAC fell apart.

Idaho: They've experienced the worst-case scenario.

New Mexico State: Next-to-worst-case scenario.

Boise State: Their story is well-known.

La. Tech: Moved to C-USA a few years back and have been competitive there.

From the post-Boise/pre-dissolution of the WAC era:

Texas State: Good first year in the Sun Belt in 2013, and struggles since then.

UTSA: Around .500 this year in C-USA

[TroyFootball05]

Hello APP Fans,

First I want to say I have a huge respect for your storied program. What a great game our teams played Saturday in Troy. Certainly the most evenly matched football game I have ever watched. You guys probably should have won the game on 4th and 6 when you had us dead to rights, but our guys made a fantastic play that helped determine the outcome of the game. Thanks to everyone who came to Troy, it was the biggest SBC we've ever had.

For this week, seems like most of you want Troy to win, but what do you think of the matchup itself? I think we're the better team, but we can't ever count out the red wolves. Thoughts?

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

Hello APP Fans,

First I want to say I have a huge respect for your storied program. What a great game our teams played Saturday in Troy. Certainly the most evenly matched football game I have ever watched. You guys probably should have won the game on 4th and 6 when you had us dead to rights, but our guys made a fantastic play that helped determine the outcome of the game. Thanks to everyone who came to Troy, it was the biggest SBC we've ever had.

For this week, seems like most of you want Troy to win, but what do you think of the matchup itself? I think we're the better team, but we can't ever count out the red wolves. Thoughts?

I think they are a poorly coached team with really good athletes and play off momentum. Keep them from getting big plays and you will crush them. Since NB is a great coach, I think he understands this.

[EastHallApp]

Hello APP Fans,

First I want to say I have a huge respect for your storied program. What a great game our teams played Saturday in Troy. Certainly the most evenly matched football game I have ever watched. You guys probably should have won the game on 4th and 6 when you had us dead to rights, but our guys made a fantastic play that helped determine the outcome of the game. Thanks to everyone who came to Troy, it was the biggest SBC we've ever had.

For this week, seems like most of you want Troy to win, but what do you think of the matchup itself? I think we're the better team, but we can't ever count out the red wolves. Thoughts?

You are unquestionably the better team. However, so were we when we played them last year. Like us last year, you had to deal with the other good team in the conference while stAte didn't. Like us last year, you had a draining last-second win less than a week before playing them (for us it was the triple-OT game against you guys).

I think the big concern I'd have for Troy is how will they bounce back physically and mentally from the App game to play a second quasi-championship game five days later. I suspect we took a lot out of you while stAte has been on cruise control the past few weeks.

[Saint3333]

Ark St. has athletes on defense much like App does. I think Troy should use the same gameplan as they used for us, run right at them with Chunn. Then get #11 in space to keep the safety honest.

When you're on defense Ark St. doesn't have as many play makers as they had in 2015. Pressure the QB and he'll make a mistake. If Troy finishes even or positive in the turn over battle I see them winning by 10.

Ark St. will play through the whistle (even moreso than App), keep a cool head.

[hapapp]

Really?? ...it's surprising to me that some appear to be wanting the outcome of the Sun Belt race this year to elevate one team (Troy) over our own team's chances of winning the championship...really??? {Not that anything we post here has any affect on the outcome}. There's still football to be played and a lot of things can happen...we put our team first and if we're out of contention (which we're NOT at this moment) then you pull for the conference. Do you think it'd be better sounding to recruits being visited by our coaches to hear: "hey come play for us because we're in a conference that had a team go 11-1 and played in a major bowl...OR "hey come play for us because we win championships even at this level." Do you think our players who have literally put in their blood, sweat, tears, hearts, souls, endured early morning workouts, made endless sacrifices, suffer painful injuries and put themselves on the line every game day...do you think they want to hear that the conference is more important than winning a championship? Maybe I'm mis-reading some posts but if not...come on.

I hear what you're saying. I do. But I also think that both teams (stAte and Troy) stand a really good chance of winning out. Each faces TxSt, with stAte also getting ULL and Troy getting GaSo. Considering how soft those teams have played this year, I see both stAte and Troy going 2-0 for their last two of the season. So in all likelihood, one of the two teams will win out, and I'd rather see a team that is representing the conference well, that has played well OOC, and that we only narrowly lost to win the conference. That's if the alternative is a perennial OOC underachiever who we didn't even get a shot at (and whose fans flap their jaws ad infinitum).

If we're talking dream scenarios, I'd STILL want Troy to win, but I'd like to see both stAte and Troy drop their last two. That'd be great! But unless Texas State gets really good really quickly, I'm talking about the art of the possible here.

I don't disagree with anything you've said here, my issue was with the tone of some of the posts saying it'd be like selfish to still want both Troy and stAte to lose games so that we'd share a championship and that it was more important for the conference to look good. I agree it's unlikely fo ULL to beat stAte or GS to beat Troy...but it felt like we were back to the feelings people posted about a "shared" championship not being all that...it IS all that. For me, I hope both Troy and stAte stumble so that our guys can win a championship...conference be damned.

I haven't read each post carefully but I don't think anyone said they want Troy to win the championship outright. The question was who do you pull for tomorrow? I want both Troy and Ark State to lose at some point. However, I would rather Troy win the title than Ark State. I don't hold any grudge against StAte, but I think if it isn't going to be us, then I would rather it be Troy. I will be a huge Ga Southern fan when they host Troy.

[bigCasu]

As much as I want a title for our boys, I wont feel good about it if we share with Troy. I know that gives us a banner and the players rings, but splitting with a team to you lost to head-to-head doesn't feel right. We spent too much time in the FCS with tiebreakers coming into play a lot. Remember they used tiebreakers to determine who got the autobid in the playoffs. Sometimes that mattered, and most times it didn't. I don't like that idea today, but if somehow there is a three way 7-1 split in conference play when its all said and done, I'll reserve the right to celebrate a championship.

[Rick83]

As much as I want a title for our boys, I wont feel good about it if we share with Troy. I know that gives us a banner and the players rings, but splitting with a team to you lost to head-to-head doesn't feel right. We spent too much time in the FCS with tiebreakers coming into play a lot. Remember they used tiebreakers to determine who got the autobid in the playoffs. Sometimes that mattered, and most times it didn't. I don't like that idea today, but if somehow there is a three way 7-1 split in conference play when its all said and done, I'll reserve the right to celebrate a championship.

I disagree with the "head-to-head" comment, yes it's used for tie breakers for deciding playoff spots but they've got to use something for differentiation in those situations. It's a little weird right now in the SBC because all teams don't play each other and the divisions are not set up yet. Normally if you end up with equal conference records and you each have a loss that means that you beat somebody else that they lost to so IMO that negates the head-to-head loss. Obviously, going undefeated and being the sole team that's undefeated, is the crowning achievement, but if we end up tied with either or both Troy and stAte at 7-1 it's cause for celebrating a championship for our guys.

[bigdaddyg]

I'll just go Troy. I don't want State to back into a championship although I'm ok if we happen to.Troy would end up the best team (I still think we are the best but..).

[appbio91]

Nobody from SB will play in a major bowl this year.

[MtnMan09]

Nobody from SB will play in a major bowl this year.

Other than the off hand cotton bowl comment about Troy has anyone ever advanced that notion here? Im not sure what this post is intended to accomplish?

[appbio91]

Nobody from SB will play in a major bowl this year.

Other than the off hand cotton bowl comment about Troy has anyone ever advanced that notion here? Im not sure what this post is intended to accomplish?

"hey come play for us because we're in a conference that had a team go 11-1 and played in a major bowl...

Did not want to quote the long post this came from. Are you offended by this notion?

[BUTCH1991]

Currently stAte in a route, 28-3

[hapapp]

StAte wasn't afraid to be aggressive on D. They pressured Silvers all night. We didn't do it often enough especially on that 4th down play.

[SayYesToTheRock]

So...Arkansas State beat Troy in a 35-3 ROUT.

Assuming the Apps win out, and Arkansas State drops one of their last two: @ULL and @TXST...

...we could be pinning up a banner this December.

[EastHallApp]

Had a feeling stAte would win. Shocked by the margin. Honestly had forgotten this game was on, so I haven't seen a second of it, but you'll never convince me our game with Troy didn't have an effect on this one.