G5 rankings

[asunewbie]

And I thought the GOP in-house fighting was over the top...

[EastHallApp]

I love how the Stink fans love to talk about how weak our schedule is this year when their toughest Belt team was ULM. Their last 4 conference opponents are a combined 7-16 (their entire SB group they've played or are going to play, outside of us, is a combined 10-31 right now) with three of the four games at home. And we still have UL-L and A-State. Granted they are here and that hurts our SOS but we still have to play them. The only thing standing in the way of Southern and an undefeated Belt record again is Thursday unless UGA breaks some of their players. And I doubt that would matter much.

Our conference schedule, as we all know, is much tougher than theirs (again). Their OOC schedule is much tougher than ours, but what exactly does that prove when they get smoked by a WVU team that's still winless in the Big 12?

Also, they stumbled into a decent opponent in Western Michigan, who at the time that series was announced was coming off a 1-11 season. They didn't know WMU would go from 1-11 to 8-4 in one year, any more than we could know that ODU would drop off so badly.

[JTApps1]

I think we'd have a shot if we ran the table. I looked it up a while back, and it's been something like 15 years since a one-loss team wasn't ranked in the end-of-season top 25. Of course, none of those have been from the Sun Belt.

I think that last line is the key. Even if we run the table out our SOS this year will nail us. I love how the Stink fans love to talk about how weak our schedule is this year when their toughest Belt team was ULM. Their last 4 conference opponents are a combined 7-16 (their entire SB group they've played or are going to play, outside of us, is a combined 10-31 right now) with three of the four games at home. And we still have UL-L and A-State. Granted they are here and that hurts our SOS but we still have to play them. The only thing standing in the way of Southern and an undefeated Belt record again is Thursday unless UGA breaks some of their players. And I doubt that would matter much.

The win total for the G5 schools GS has played is 6-18 this year while ours is 7-18. The P5 they lost to by 44 is 3-3 and unranked while the P5 we lost to by 31 is 6-0 and ranked #5. Both of us beat bad FCS schools easily. I'm just not seeing where they're getting this "tougher schedule" nonsense from???

As you said our remaining schedule is much harder than theirs as well.

[firemoose]

I think mainly it has to do with the fact that they go/went to Georgia Southern. That's enough right there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ew6ULXMpjQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3BewLhopHg

[bigdaddyg]

Let's say we happen to run the table, win the conference and our bowl game. Do we more than likely get a "softer" schedule next season with the even crappier SB teams? That will potentially give us an even worse SOS and even if we go 12-1 or 11-2 we would still be up against it. Is there any light at the end of the tunnel with this horrible conference?

[hapapp]

Why don't we wait and see if we run the table before we bemoan the weakness of the conference. We have the toughest part of our schedule ahead of us. After GS, we still have ULL and StAte plus a trip to USA. It is certainly possible we stumble a time or two before the end of the regular season.

[EastHallApp]

The win total for the G5 schools GS has played is 6-18 this year while ours is 7-18. The P5 they lost to by 44 is 3-3 and unranked while the P5 we lost to by 31 is 6-0 and ranked #5. Both of us beat bad FCS schools easily. I'm just not seeing where they're getting this "tougher schedule" nonsense from???

Their schedule also includes Georgia, they just haven't played them yet. And while Western Michigan and ODU are both 3-3, WMU is clearly better - their other two losses are to Michigan State (by 13) and Ohio State, and they just demolished a 5-1 Ohio team on the road.

It is true, though, that the two P5 "powers" that they scheduled have been significantly worse than expected so far.

[Yosef]

Why don't we wait and see if we run the table before we bemoan the weakness of the conference. We have the toughest part of our schedule ahead of us. After GS, we still have ULL and StAte plus a trip to USA. It is certainly possible we stumble a time or two before the end of the regular season.

This. If we look at our schedule to this point, the teams we have played have been very, very weak (save for Clemson). Some of us are thumping our chests like we've beaten a team that has only 1 loss and that's to us. We've beaten teams with a combined record of 7-24 (and at least 3 of those wins were against FCS teams). Our schedule has not been tough nor have we faced what I or many would consider a good G5 team. To me - the Georgia Southern game Thursday will really be our first true test of whether this team we have is really special, or if the team we have has just been bullying the little kids.

[boonetown1]

I think we have a lot left to prove...but we have handled team convincingly with decent offenses. At least Georgia State beat a so/so MAC team in Ball State this past weekend.

[firemoose]

Why don't we wait and see if we run the table before we bemoan the weakness of the conference. We have the toughest part of our schedule ahead of us. After GS, we still have ULL and StAte plus a trip to USA. It is certainly possible we stumble a time or two before the end of the regular season.

This. If we look at our schedule to this point, the teams we have played have been very, very weak (save for Clemson). Some of us are thumping our chests like we've beaten a team that has only 1 loss and that's to us. We've beaten teams with a combined record of 7-24 (and at least 3 of those wins were against FCS teams). Our schedule has not been tough nor have we faced what I or many would consider a good G5 team. To me - the Georgia Southern game Thursday will really be our first true test of whether this team we have is really special, or if the team we have has just been bullying the little kids.

Honestly I wasn't saying anything about our schedule. I know it's been weak. But I spend hours every day searching the net for little nuggets like I just posted in the 2016 WBB Recruiting thread. And along with those I have to endure the hundreds of daily Southern student/fan posts about all things App Hate. I think if they put the effort into actual school that they do on social media their APR and overall rates might climb close to our lowest scores from the past 20 years.

They've been at it for months about our SOS vs theirs so I just decided to list their cupcake Belt road as a comparison.

[JTApps1]

The win total for the G5 schools GS has played is 6-18 this year while ours is 7-18. The P5 they lost to by 44 is 3-3 and unranked while the P5 we lost to by 31 is 6-0 and ranked #5. Both of us beat bad FCS schools easily. I'm just not seeing where they're getting this "tougher schedule" nonsense from???

Their schedule also includes Georgia, they just haven't played them yet. And while Western Michigan and ODU are both 3-3, WMU is clearly better - their other two losses are to Michigan State (by 13) and Ohio State, and they just demolished a 5-1 Ohio team on the road.

It is true, though, that the two P5 "powers" that they scheduled have been significantly worse than expected so far.

It is worth pointing out that Ohio has only beaten 1 team with a winning record (Marshall so good W) as well. I guess the point I'm making is all of the teams that each of us have beaten are mediocre at best yet the GS fans act like they've knocked off a few top 25 squads.

[AppinATL]

Let's say we happen to run the table, win the conference and our bowl game. Do we more than likely get a "softer" schedule next season with the even crappier SB teams? That will potentially give us an even worse SOS and even if we go 12-1 or 11-2 we would still be up against it. Is there any light at the end of the tunnel with this horrible conference?

"This horrible conference" gave us a home and the ticket out of the SmallCon that we so desperately wanted and needed. We came in at a turbulent time when other teams were leaving. Can we give it a little time to stabilize and see if we can help build it up? It really bothers me to hear our fans badmouth the only conference that would have us. We may be here awhile or we may be invited somewhere else the next round of shakeups, who knows? But for now it's our home. Let's stop crapping on it.

[bigdaddyg]

Let's say we happen to run the table, win the conference and our bowl game. Do we more than likely get a "softer" schedule next season with the even crappier SB teams? That will potentially give us an even worse SOS and even if we go 12-1 or 11-2 we would still be up against it. Is there any light at the end of the tunnel with this horrible conference?

"This horrible conference" gave us a home and the ticket out of the SmallCon that we so desperately wanted and needed. We came in at a turbulent time when other teams were leaving. Can we give it a little time to stabilize and see if we can help build it up? It really bothers me to hear our fans badmouth the only conference that would have us. We may be here awhile or we may be invited somewhere else the next round of shakeups, who knows? But for now it's our home. Let's stop crapping on it.

Ok perhaps "horrible conference" might have been a little harsh. I only meant "horrible" in the sense that, based on the opinions of many, our prospects for a significant bowl invite are dimmed due to the fact that our conference is, and probably will, remain one of the lowest of the G5's (despite our possible stellar record). It is a shame that we can go 11-1 or 8-4 and still get the same bowl invite. It is also a shame that we could be even better next season, play a worse conference schedule and get the same result at season's end. I know we have to pay some dues and see how things play out. How exactly can one conference school build up the conference? I don't ask that in an ugly way, I simply would like to know.

[AppinATL]

Not one school. Don't forget The Stink, who so far are getting (and have earned) more national attention than we have. Hopefully no longer after Thursday. StAte maybe is a little off this year, but they have been solid and I don't doubt they'll come back strong, U-L-L, if the NCAA does not throw the whole book at them is also capable of bringing in OOC wins. Granted, the bottom half of the conference is wretched, I'm not denying that, but if GS and we stay strong and two or three other teams get back to their normal, we can start building the respect level up a bit. Also, I'm an optimist...GA State, NMST, Idaho and especially Troy can't suck forever.

[MtnDevil95]

One team to beat P5's teams, one team to rule them all. . .

What G5 powerhouse are you guys comparing the Sun Belt too? Yeah the AAC has 3 ranked teams, but only Memphis has beaten another Top 25 team, and of all the other G5's only Toledo and Utah State have wins against Top 25 opponents and Utah State is 1-1.

I'm not saying the Sun Belt is gang busters, but the conference also did not have the luxury of being raised from the ashes of the Big East either. No one paid attention to the Mountain West until Boise State started making waves. App State can do the same for the Sun Belt. It all comes down to winning games.

[CVAPP]

How exactly can one conference school build up the conference? I don't ask that in an ugly way, I simply would like to know.

I don't view that as our role whether we could do it or not. I assume you feel the same way.

[JTApps1]

First we need to dump NMSU and Idaho. Both programs have been bad for a long time (NMSU hasn't been good since the 60's), and the travel for them/us is not helping anyone out. Troy will rebound before long so I'm not worried about them. GSU will probably just be our Vandy/Wake/Kansas. The rest of the conference has shown flashes at times, but haven't been able to get big wins consistently.

The biggest change we can make as a league is to cut back on "money" games. All but 4 schools played 2 P5's this year and a few schools played 3. We need to cut that back to 1 per school and replace those with G5 games. Of course winning those games is the final step.

[EastHallApp]

One team to beat P5's teams, one team to rule them all. . .

What G5 powerhouse are you guys comparing the Sun Belt too? Yeah the AAC has 3 ranked teams, but only Memphis has beaten another Top 25 team, and of all the other G5's only Toledo and Utah State have wins against Top 25 opponents and Utah State is 1-1.

I'm not saying the Sun Belt is gang busters, but the conference also did not have the luxury of being raised from the ashes of the Big East either. No one paid attention to the Mountain West until Boise State started making waves. App State can do the same for the Sun Belt. It all comes down to winning games.

AAC has three teams in the top 25 this week. That's pretty good regardless of whom they've beaten. Temple beat Penn St., who isn't top 25 but is still Penn State. Plus Cincy beat Miami, ECU beat VT and nearly beat Florida, etc.

Mountain West was the top non-power league before Boise ever joined. TCU, BYU, Utah and Nevada were all nationally prominent programs. Of course only Nevada is still in the league, and they've slipped quite a bit.

[KissMyApp14]

Would be curious to see a hypothetical G5 ranking. Wonder where App would be. There are some horrible G5's out there.

I know that CBS Sports does a ranking of all FBS schools each week, but I'm not certain on what factors go in to each schools' ranking. To me, it looks as though it's voted on a "too high, too low" scale by whomever wants to participate; plus record and SOS I'm sure.

Here's the link to it if you're interested:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... gs/cbs/128