First game: ETSU

[MountaineerChemist10]

Hey guys, ETSU fan here. Looking forward to the game and the short (but winding) drive over. Can you all give me any info on places to tailgate?

Welcome sir! The two best places I know of are the parking lot across from Boone Advent Christian Church & Cherry Dr. The church's address is:

220 W King St, Boone, NC 28607

Should be free, but fills up fast so try to get there ASAP. You can also try the parking lot aside from McKinney Alumni Center & along Clement St. The Alumni Center's address is:

553 Blowing Rock Rd, Boone, NC 28608

This one will be at least $20 but still within walking distance. Good luck!

[appstate77]

Hey guys, ETSU fan here. Looking forward to the game and the short (but winding) drive over. Can you all give me any info on places to tailgate?

Welcome sir! The two best places I know of are the parking lot across from Boone Advent Christian Church & Cherry Dr. The church's address is:

220 W King St, Boone, NC 28607

Should be free, but fills up fast so try to get there ASAP. You can also try the parking lot aside from McKinney Alumni Center & along Clement St. The Alumni Center's address is:

553 Blowing Rock Rd, Boone, NC 28608

This one will be at least $20 but still within walking distance. Good luck!

Also First Baptist Church on 375 W King St opens their parking lot. Little bit of a walk through a beautiful campus. Donation of $20 requested.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

ETSU is better than a good number of bottom tier MAC, C-USA and SunBelt teams. We're still much better than them, but we've lost to UMass, Liberty, and ULM in recent history and I believe we were better than all three of those.

Can’t say I’ve given it much thought, but assuming their ranking as a fringe top 25 FCS team is accurate, I don’t think I’d agree that they’re better than many - if any - Sun Belt teams.

Hard to compare so I understand why you might not agree, but I would not be surprised to see a fringe top 25 FCS team beat Texas State, Georgia State, S. Alabama or Coastal Carolina. Especially some of the ones with a strong history of football culture like Delaware or Montana.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

Hey guys, ETSU fan here. Looking forward to the game and the short (but winding) drive over. Can you all give me any info on places to tailgate?

Welcome sir! The two best places I know of are the parking lot across from Boone Advent Christian Church & Cherry Dr. The church's address is:

220 W King St, Boone, NC 28607

Should be free, but fills up fast so try to get there ASAP. You can also try the parking lot aside from McKinney Alumni Center & along Clement St. The Alumni Center's address is:

553 Blowing Rock Rd, Boone, NC 28608

This one will be at least $20 but still within walking distance. Good luck!

The parking lot at River Street Ale House usually has spots for $20 and is a close walk to the stadium. It is also on the west side of town which would make your arrival and departure a little easier for you. Shorter lines at the porta johns and you can head in to River Street Ale House or Portofino's if you want to catch any earlier games on TV.

[Rick83]

ETSU is better than a good number of bottom tier MAC, C-USA and SunBelt teams. We're still much better than them, but we've lost to UMass, Liberty, and ULM in recent history and I believe we were better than all three of those.

Can’t say I’ve given it much thought, but assuming their ranking as a fringe top 25 FCS team is accurate, I don’t think I’d agree that they’re better than many - if any - Sun Belt teams.

Hard to compare so I understand why you might not agree, but I would not be surprised to see a fringe top 25 FCS team beat Texas State, Georgia State, S. Alabama or Coastal Carolina. Especially some of the ones with a strong history of football culture like Delaware or Montana.

I was curious so I did a quick search. The SBC teams you mentioned all beat their FCS opponents last year and Georgia State (who only had 2 wins and finished last in the SBC East) beat Kennesaw State who finished the season ranked 4th in FCS and were Big South Champions for the second year in a row.

[APPdiesel]

cutting back to 75 scholarships would redistribute the wealth, but that's just sports talk radio idea.

I've literally been laughed off the air for making that suggestion but it's a valid one considering there's about 5 different ways to get guys on a roster and/or extend their eligibility without burning scholarships.

[brock20]

Thanks for all the info guys. As I said looking forward to the game.

No I do not mind the trash talk. The reality is you all are a potential fringe top 25-30 and ETSU, right now, is an up and coming FCS program with lots of potential but a long way to go. If I was you all I would be looking at this as an easy win. That said, I think our team, especially on the defensive side can cause some problems for anyone. Nasir Player, Tyree Robinson and Jared Folks are very good players. Our offense has been mediocre at best since the restart of the program. We have 2 good backs but everything else just isn't where it needs to be on that side of the ball. Depth is also an issue for both offense and defense. Special teams are also another question mark.

Wishful thinking but I would hope in 10 years that more conference realignment shakes out and ETSU finds a way to move up an FBS conference with you all. Unlike the dark days of the late 90s and early 00s, we have an administration that not only cares but wants athletics to succeed and will do what it takes to get there.

[AtlAppMan]

ETSU is better than a good number of bottom tier MAC, C-USA and SunBelt teams. We're still much better than them, but we've lost to UMass, Liberty, and ULM in recent history and I believe we were better than all three of those.

Can’t say I’ve given it much thought, but assuming their ranking as a fringe top 25 FCS team is accurate, I don’t think I’d agree that they’re better than many - if any - Sun Belt teams.

Hard to compare so I understand why you might not agree, but I would not be surprised to see a fringe top 25 FCS team beat Texas State, Georgia State, S. Alabama or Coastal Carolina. Especially some of the ones with a strong history of football culture like Delaware or Montana.

I was curious so I did a quick search. The SBC teams you mentioned all beat their FCS opponents last year and Georgia State (who only had 2 wins and finished last in the SBC East) beat Kennesaw State who finished the season ranked 4th in FCS and were Big South Champions for the second year in a row.

Great points Rick, this basically confirms my earlier points about FCS teams relative to their talent/competitive level. I would ask, in the last 5 yrs, which Sun Belt teams have lost to FCS and who were they? here aren't many.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

ETSU is better than a good number of bottom tier MAC, C-USA and SunBelt teams. We're still much better than them, but we've lost to UMass, Liberty, and ULM in recent history and I believe we were better than all three of those.

Can’t say I’ve given it much thought, but assuming their ranking as a fringe top 25 FCS team is accurate, I don’t think I’d agree that they’re better than many - if any - Sun Belt teams.

Hard to compare so I understand why you might not agree, but I would not be surprised to see a fringe top 25 FCS team beat Texas State, Georgia State, S. Alabama or Coastal Carolina. Especially some of the ones with a strong history of football culture like Delaware or Montana.

I was curious so I did a quick search. The SBC teams you mentioned all beat their FCS opponents last year and Georgia State (who only had 2 wins and finished last in the SBC East) beat Kennesaw State who finished the season ranked 4th in FCS and were Big South Champions for the second year in a row.

And Idaho, a one year removed former bottom tier SunBelt team is ranked right outside the top 25 FCS.

[Rick83]

ETSU is better than a good number of bottom tier MAC, C-USA and SunBelt teams. We're still much better than them, but we've lost to UMass, Liberty, and ULM in recent history and I believe we were better than all three of those.

Can’t say I’ve given it much thought, but assuming their ranking as a fringe top 25 FCS team is accurate, I don’t think I’d agree that they’re better than many - if any - Sun Belt teams.

Hard to compare so I understand why you might not agree, but I would not be surprised to see a fringe top 25 FCS team beat Texas State, Georgia State, S. Alabama or Coastal Carolina. Especially some of the ones with a strong history of football culture like Delaware or Montana.

I was curious so I did a quick search. The SBC teams you mentioned all beat their FCS opponents last year and Georgia State (who only had 2 wins and finished last in the SBC East) beat Kennesaw State who finished the season ranked 4th in FCS and were Big South Champions for the second year in a row.

And Idaho, a one year removed former bottom tier SunBelt team is ranked right outside the top 25 FCS.

I would imagine that Idaho's recruiting took a major hit when it became known that they were dropping down to FCS, maybe even had players transfer out. Just a guess, I haven't researched it or anything and won't. It seems more relevant to me that our worst team (Ga State) beat a premier FCS team last year.

[Yosef84]

It has to cause a major problem for a program once they announce they are moving down. Since there is a reduction of 22 scholarships, there would have to be some pulling of scholarships (or splitting since in FCS you can give partials). I think you would almost NEED some attrition in order to get to where you have to be. It hurts to even think about it

[T-Dog]

ETSU is better than a good number of bottom tier MAC, C-USA and SunBelt teams. We're still much better than them, but we've lost to UMass, Liberty, and ULM in recent history and I believe we were better than all three of those.

If a low-level FBS team plays ETSU ten times, the low-level FBS team wins most of the games just based on depth alone.

ETSU was a hair away from going 4-8 last season. I don't think they're Top 25 FCS quite yet.

[AtlAppMan]

ETSU is better than a good number of bottom tier MAC, C-USA and SunBelt teams. We're still much better than them, but we've lost to UMass, Liberty, and ULM in recent history and I believe we were better than all three of those.

If a low-level FBS team plays ETSU ten times, the low-level FBS team wins most of the games just based on depth alone.

ETSU was a hair away from going 4-8 last season. I don't think they're Top 25 FCS quite yet.

ETSU did get plastered by UT 59-3 last year. UT was 5-7, did beat Auburn and Kentucky, however, won against Charlotte 14-3.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

ETSU is better than a good number of bottom tier MAC, C-USA and SunBelt teams. We're still much better than them, but we've lost to UMass, Liberty, and ULM in recent history and I believe we were better than all three of those.

Can’t say I’ve given it much thought, but assuming their ranking as a fringe top 25 FCS team is accurate, I don’t think I’d agree that they’re better than many - if any - Sun Belt teams.

Hard to compare so I understand why you might not agree, but I would not be surprised to see a fringe top 25 FCS team beat Texas State, Georgia State, S. Alabama or Coastal Carolina. Especially some of the ones with a strong history of football culture like Delaware or Montana.

I was curious so I did a quick search. The SBC teams you mentioned all beat their FCS opponents last year and Georgia State (who only had 2 wins and finished last in the SBC East) beat Kennesaw State who finished the season ranked 4th in FCS and were Big South Champions for the second year in a row.

Great points Rick, this basically confirms my earlier points about FCS teams relative to their talent/competitive level. I would ask, in the last 5 yrs, which Sun Belt teams have lost to FCS and who were they? here aren't many.

2018: None
2017: Tennessee State beat Georgia State, Western Illinois destroyed Coastal Carolina, New Hampshire beat Georgia Southern
2016: Central Arkansas beat Arkansas State
2015: Liberty beat Georgia State
2014: Abilene Christian beat Troy, Liberty beat App
In 2013 (6 years), the SunBelt lost 5 games to FCS competition

[bigdaddyg]

Can’t say I’ve given it much thought, but assuming their ranking as a fringe top 25 FCS team is accurate, I don’t think I’d agree that they’re better than many - if any - Sun Belt teams.

Hard to compare so I understand why you might not agree, but I would not be surprised to see a fringe top 25 FCS team beat Texas State, Georgia State, S. Alabama or Coastal Carolina. Especially some of the ones with a strong history of football culture like Delaware or Montana.

I was curious so I did a quick search. The SBC teams you mentioned all beat their FCS opponents last year and Georgia State (who only had 2 wins and finished last in the SBC East) beat Kennesaw State who finished the season ranked 4th in FCS and were Big South Champions for the second year in a row.

Great points Rick, this basically confirms my earlier points about FCS teams relative to their talent/competitive level. I would ask, in the last 5 yrs, which Sun Belt teams have lost to FCS and who were they? here aren't many.

2018: None
2017: Tennessee State beat Georgia State, Western Illinois destroyed Coastal Carolina, New Hampshire beat Georgia Southern
2016: Central Arkansas beat Arkansas State
2015: Liberty beat Georgia State
2014: Abilene Christian beat Troy, Liberty beat App
In 2013 (6 years), the SunBelt lost 5 games to FCS competition

Over the same time period how many wins does the Belt have over FCS competition? I would estimate a lot. In my opinion back during our FCS championship years we could have contended in several G5 conferences and probably could have at least gotten bowl eligible.

[Rick83]

Hard to compare so I understand why you might not agree, but I would not be surprised to see a fringe top 25 FCS team beat Texas State, Georgia State, S. Alabama or Coastal Carolina. Especially some of the ones with a strong history of football culture like Delaware or Montana.

I was curious so I did a quick search. The SBC teams you mentioned all beat their FCS opponents last year and Georgia State (who only had 2 wins and finished last in the SBC East) beat Kennesaw State who finished the season ranked 4th in FCS and were Big South Champions for the second year in a row.

Great points Rick, this basically confirms my earlier points about FCS teams relative to their talent/competitive level. I would ask, in the last 5 yrs, which Sun Belt teams have lost to FCS and who were they? here aren't many.

2018: None
2017: Tennessee State beat Georgia State, Western Illinois destroyed Coastal Carolina, New Hampshire beat Georgia Southern
2016: Central Arkansas beat Arkansas State
2015: Liberty beat Georgia State
2014: Abilene Christian beat Troy, Liberty beat App
In 2013 (6 years), the SunBelt lost 5 games to FCS competition

Over the same time period how many wins does the Belt have over FCS competition? I would estimate a lot. In my opinion back during our FCS championship years we could have contended in several G5 conferences and probably could have at least gotten bowl eligible.

If you pull Ga State out of this list the number drops significantly and they didn't start playing football until 2010. I only count 4 FCS losses in 2013 and 3 of those were Ga State who was in their 3rd year of existence. Our OT loss to Liberty was our 2nd year of transition and Coastal's 2017 year was its 2nd year of transition to FBS. It seems that the SBC has improved over time (adding us and Ga Southern definitely elevated the conference) and the bowl games and P5 wins of late have shown this as well. It'll be interesting to see if the improvement continues into the 2019 season.

[bigdaddyg]

Bottom line. Except for NDSU and an extremely rare situation the FCS is simply inferior and we should crush ETSU.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

I was curious so I did a quick search. The SBC teams you mentioned all beat their FCS opponents last year and Georgia State (who only had 2 wins and finished last in the SBC East) beat Kennesaw State who finished the season ranked 4th in FCS and were Big South Champions for the second year in a row.

Great points Rick, this basically confirms my earlier points about FCS teams relative to their talent/competitive level. I would ask, in the last 5 yrs, which Sun Belt teams have lost to FCS and who were they? here aren't many.

2018: None
2017: Tennessee State beat Georgia State, Western Illinois destroyed Coastal Carolina, New Hampshire beat Georgia Southern
2016: Central Arkansas beat Arkansas State
2015: Liberty beat Georgia State
2014: Abilene Christian beat Troy, Liberty beat App
In 2013 (6 years), the SunBelt lost 5 games to FCS competition

Over the same time period how many wins does the Belt have over FCS competition? I would estimate a lot. In my opinion back during our FCS championship years we could have contended in several G5 conferences and probably could have at least gotten bowl eligible.

If you pull Ga State out of this list the number drops significantly and they didn't start playing football until 2010. I only count 4 FCS losses in 2013 and 3 of those were Ga State who was in their 3rd year of existence. Our OT loss to Liberty was our 2nd year of transition and Coastal's 2017 year was its 2nd year of transition to FBS. It seems that the SBC has improved over time (adding us and Ga Southern definitely elevated the conference) and the bowl games and P5 wins of late have shown this as well. It'll be interesting to see if the improvement continues into the 2019 season.

Idaho and S. Alabama, 3 Ga State losses

[Rick83]

Great points Rick, this basically confirms my earlier points about FCS teams relative to their talent/competitive level. I would ask, in the last 5 yrs, which Sun Belt teams have lost to FCS and who were they? here aren't many.

2018: None
2017: Tennessee State beat Georgia State, Western Illinois destroyed Coastal Carolina, New Hampshire beat Georgia Southern
2016: Central Arkansas beat Arkansas State
2015: Liberty beat Georgia State
2014: Abilene Christian beat Troy, Liberty beat App
In 2013 (6 years), the SunBelt lost 5 games to FCS competition

Over the same time period how many wins does the Belt have over FCS competition? I would estimate a lot. In my opinion back during our FCS championship years we could have contended in several G5 conferences and probably could have at least gotten bowl eligible.

If you pull Ga State out of this list the number drops significantly and they didn't start playing football until 2010. I only count 4 FCS losses in 2013 and 3 of those were Ga State who was in their 3rd year of existence. Our OT loss to Liberty was our 2nd year of transition and Coastal's 2017 year was its 2nd year of transition to FBS. It seems that the SBC has improved over time (adding us and Ga Southern definitely elevated the conference) and the bowl games and P5 wins of late have shown this as well. It'll be interesting to see if the improvement continues into the 2019 season.

Idaho and S. Alabama, 3 Ga State losses

Gotcha...but Idaho was an independent in 2013 and joined the SBC in 2014..

[EastHallApp]

Sun Belt had a lot of FBS move-ups (and start-ups) around the time that we joined - us, GS, GSU, USA, Coastal, Texas State...

Some of those losses, as pointed out already, happened to teams in their first year in FBS. Others were teams that didn't yet have a full roster of FBS recruits (Coastal still doesn't).

As the league's membership stabilizes and those programs continue to mature, I think we'll see less of those upsets (though they'll still happen occasionally).