#25 CFP

[Appstate88]

The most important thing we can do this week is to get to ATL and take that stadium over.

[EastHallApp]

So beyond the obvious (App to win out, other G5 contenders to lose), who do we pull for and against over the next few weeks? In addition to any other teams ranked ahead of or just behind us, I'll be pulling:

For
UNC/South Carolina (obvious reasons)
ULL: want them at 10-2 in the title game for maximum closing argument value
GS: OK, can't say I'm really pulling for them, but it would help to have them win at least a couple more to lessen the "bad loss" criticism. Still hope they lose to GSU.

Against
UCLA: lost to Cincy
TCU: lost to SMU
Florida State: lost to Boise

[EastHallApp]

How insane is it that Wake is in line right now to play in the freaking Orange Bowl and we could go 12-1 and be back in New Orleans? Crazy

Whoever the ACC sends to the Orange Bowl will almost certainly be ranked lower than multiple G5 teams (most likely, not ranked at all).

Certainly not fair but FBS has never been about fairness. Keep the money in the pockets of the big conferences. Always

Honestly it's not just bad for the G5s, it's bad for the bowls themselves. I'm not saying that Orange Bowl bid should go to a G5, but there will be plenty of teams in other P5 leagues that are way better than whoever the ACC sends to Miami.

All the specific conference tie-ins that send a "backup" team from the same league when the champion is in the CFP really water down the other games.

[Appstate88]

It’s great to be a Mountaineer! 1-0 #beatGSU

[savoyspecial21]

Great news. It wasn't long ago that this forum was filled with posts about how we would never see the rankings again this year. Took one week and this is the one that matters.

The Cotton Bowl is four wins and eight spots away. Excited to see what happens.

We had to have a lot of help. Several teams lost and we could hit the top 20 again depending on the next two weeks because a lot of teams in the 18-24 range should lose soon. They have tough games.

I'm glad to get this and these rankings are the ones that truly matter. We just need to win out or it really does all go away.

I can say this with 100% certainty as fact that we MUST have the following to happen to be a NY6 contender.

1. Cincy must lose one more. They have Memphis left to play.
2. Memphis must lose one more. They have Cincinnati left to play.
3. SMU must lose one more. They have Navy left to play. If they win out with a win over Navy and the AAC title game they would vault back over us.
4. Boise State must lose one more. They don't have a strong schedule remaining so it does not matter who they lose to. Just take one loss and their hopes are gone.
5. Navy must lose one more. They have Notre Dame and SMU left to play.
6. Most importantly we must win out.

It would help for Louisiana Tech to lose one more but it is not a must. It would just give a little cushion.

With the schedules at least 2 of the 5 things needed will play out for sure. The ideal scenario is that Memphis beats Cincy, Notre Dame beats Navy, Navy loses to SMU, Cincy then wins the AAC with 2 losses, Boise State loses the MWC, and we win out. That is the clear direct, easy path for us in a NY6. Still a lot that needs to happen.

I get what you are saying that many things have to happen but I think there are some situations you mentioned that may not be necessary. For instance, Navy or SMU winning out is probably fine as long as Memphis wins out before title game. Memphis has beaten Navy and SMU so if Memphis beats Houston, South Florida, and Cincy, doesn't Memphis make title game due to head-to-head no matter what Navy/SMU do? One loss Navy or SMU doesn't matter if they aren't in the title game.

Perhaps but I'm trying to think of a clear path. If Navy loses to SMU in theory we don't need them to lose another game but if they beat Notre Dame then they would have a win that could challenge us despite having two losses if they somehow won the AAC.

What we ideally need is the AAC Champ to have 2 losses. That would make it a safe bet. Regardless, the AAC does not matter if Boise State does not lose one more game. If Boise State wins out then my bet is they go whether we win out or not unlesss Cincy wins out then I would say they go. Right now Cincinnati has the best resume of a G5 by far. Their loss is to the #2 team in the country. Nobody else has a good loss like that.

let me preface this by saying i am pretty psyched about being ranked. Seeing that big beautiful A pop up at #25 is pretty awesome, as both an App football fan, and as someone who is proud of where they went to school, and loves telling anyone who will listen how there's no better place to spend four to five years of your life.

BUT, BUT! We all know Drink has got some work/soul searching to do, because at times, this team can look really, really average and uninspiring. I realize no team is ever firing on all cylinders, all the time, but the consistency of this team is worrisome. (and Zac Thomas seems like a shell of his 2018 self, Drink seems to not fully trust him)

This weekend is great chance to make a statement and ball out from start to finish, because at our best we can thump and/or hang with most anyone.

Go App.

Thump Georgia State.

[t4pizza]

We had to have a lot of help. Several teams lost and we could hit the top 20 again depending on the next two weeks because a lot of teams in the 18-24 range should lose soon. They have tough games.

I'm glad to get this and these rankings are the ones that truly matter. We just need to win out or it really does all go away.

I can say this with 100% certainty as fact that we MUST have the following to happen to be a NY6 contender.

1. Cincy must lose one more. They have Memphis left to play.
2. Memphis must lose one more. They have Cincinnati left to play.
3. SMU must lose one more. They have Navy left to play. If they win out with a win over Navy and the AAC title game they would vault back over us.
4. Boise State must lose one more. They don't have a strong schedule remaining so it does not matter who they lose to. Just take one loss and their hopes are gone.
5. Navy must lose one more. They have Notre Dame and SMU left to play.
6. Most importantly we must win out.

It would help for Louisiana Tech to lose one more but it is not a must. It would just give a little cushion.

With the schedules at least 2 of the 5 things needed will play out for sure. The ideal scenario is that Memphis beats Cincy, Notre Dame beats Navy, Navy loses to SMU, Cincy then wins the AAC with 2 losses, Boise State loses the MWC, and we win out. That is the clear direct, easy path for us in a NY6. Still a lot that needs to happen.

I get what you are saying that many things have to happen but I think there are some situations you mentioned that may not be necessary. For instance, Navy or SMU winning out is probably fine as long as Memphis wins out before title game. Memphis has beaten Navy and SMU so if Memphis beats Houston, South Florida, and Cincy, doesn't Memphis make title game due to head-to-head no matter what Navy/SMU do? One loss Navy or SMU doesn't matter if they aren't in the title game.

Perhaps but I'm trying to think of a clear path. If Navy loses to SMU in theory we don't need them to lose another game but if they beat Notre Dame then they would have a win that could challenge us despite having two losses if they somehow won the AAC.

What we ideally need is the AAC Champ to have 2 losses. That would make it a safe bet. Regardless, the AAC does not matter if Boise State does not lose one more game. If Boise State wins out then my bet is they go whether we win out or not unlesss Cincy wins out then I would say they go. Right now Cincinnati has the best resume of a G5 by far. Their loss is to the #2 team in the country. Nobody else has a good loss like that.

I wouldn't quite say that drubbing Cincy took at the hands of the Buckeyes a "good" loss. Yes, they "played" them but 49-0 is not a good loss to anyone.

A loss to #2 by 49 is not equal to a loss to an unranked G5 by 3 at home. The committee will forgive that loss while our loss is held against us. If we were undefeated I still think we would be one spot behind Cincinnati. In fact, when we were undefeated we were still behind them before. We still need them to lose another game.

I completely disagree, if we were undefeated we would be the highest ranked G5. We just jumped SMU on a week they won the game. Those coaches in that room understand how difficult it is to play a rival on short rest that runs a funky antiquated offense that nobody in football faces week in and week out. I have no question that the GS loss will continue to be diminished as we keep winning. I hope Louisiana keeps winning as well because that would be a nice win in the title game against a team that would have 10 wins. I think that would equal any team that Boise might face/beat in their title game. Too many of our fans have heard from non football people for too long that belittle our team and school. I think it has given many a complex where they don't want to believe or are afraid to. Well, football people don't feel that way about App State. Football people know how good we are, and the proof is in the pudding. The committee knows we are good and if we take care of business, we will make it very hard for them to keep us out. What other G5 team ahead of us has 2 P5 wins, or a P5 win against a better team than we beat? The answer is any easy nobody. I think we have far more control of our destination than most people other people. The best part about this all is that we are literally just getting started in FBS, the future is so bright and I am so excited for the ride.

[AppFan11]

Yes Congrats to the team and Drink, they really have a good season going. I felt somewhat confident that if we could beat USC, we would be ranked in the CFP ( yes others had to lose too). Why you ask? Because it is the first time in 6 years that ANY G5 team has won two P5 games in the same season (since 2013). Regardless of the perceived status of the AAC or MW, this will matter. We have it and they don't. The CFP committee knows this. Key to remember it is the highest ranked conference Champion... not highest ranked G5. To state the obvious, as long as we win and they (Cincy, Memphis, SMU, Navy and Boise) lose we will continue to move up. Assuming we continue to win, and it comes down to two G5 champions and they look not at type of losses but what were their best wins. We will win that hands down.... need to go 1-0 baby.

[AppStFan1]

I get what you are saying that many things have to happen but I think there are some situations you mentioned that may not be necessary. For instance, Navy or SMU winning out is probably fine as long as Memphis wins out before title game. Memphis has beaten Navy and SMU so if Memphis beats Houston, South Florida, and Cincy, doesn't Memphis make title game due to head-to-head no matter what Navy/SMU do? One loss Navy or SMU doesn't matter if they aren't in the title game.

Perhaps but I'm trying to think of a clear path. If Navy loses to SMU in theory we don't need them to lose another game but if they beat Notre Dame then they would have a win that could challenge us despite having two losses if they somehow won the AAC.

What we ideally need is the AAC Champ to have 2 losses. That would make it a safe bet. Regardless, the AAC does not matter if Boise State does not lose one more game. If Boise State wins out then my bet is they go whether we win out or not unlesss Cincy wins out then I would say they go. Right now Cincinnati has the best resume of a G5 by far. Their loss is to the #2 team in the country. Nobody else has a good loss like that.

I wouldn't quite say that drubbing Cincy took at the hands of the Buckeyes a "good" loss. Yes, they "played" them but 49-0 is not a good loss to anyone.

A loss to #2 by 49 is not equal to a loss to an unranked G5 by 3 at home. The committee will forgive that loss while our loss is held against us. If we were undefeated I still think we would be one spot behind Cincinnati. In fact, when we were undefeated we were still behind them before. We still need them to lose another game.

I completely disagree, if we were undefeated we would be the highest ranked G5. We just jumped SMU on a week they won the game. Those coaches in that room understand how difficult it is to play a rival on short rest that runs a funky antiquated offense that nobody in football faces week in and week out. I have no question that the GS loss will continue to be diminished as we keep winning. I hope Louisiana keeps winning as well because that would be a nice win in the title game against a team that would have 10 wins. I think that would equal any team that Boise might face/beat in their title game. Too many of our fans have heard from non football people for too long that belittle our team and school. I think it has given many a complex where they don't want to believe or are afraid to. Well, football people don't feel that way about App State. Football people know how good we are, and the proof is in the pudding. The committee knows we are good and if we take care of business, we will make it very hard for them to keep us out. What other G5 team ahead of us has 2 P5 wins, or a P5 win against a better team than we beat? The answer is any easy nobody. I think we have far more control of our destination than most people other people. The best part about this all is that we are literally just getting started in FBS, the future is so bright and I am so excited for the ride.

I really believe we would be one spot behind them. I know people realize our loss to GSU was close and really could have gone our way so they are not going to hammer us as hard as it appeared they would at halftime. However, Cincinnati's loss to Ohio State is looked at more favorably than one to an unranked G5 team. Ask any major media member.

As for SMU. They beat a really bad ECU team by 8 points at home. We got the nod because we beat a decent P5 team on the road. It is like in FCS when you beat a FBS team, even if a MAC school, you get more credit than a FCS team who beat a top 20 FCS team that week. Same thing here. We get more credit for 2 P5 wins on the road than SMU gets for beating a bad G5 team at home.

Just keep in mind that the AAC is at the top of the food chain in the minds of the committee. I mean all of them have a loss and yet 4 are ranked. If the SBC was considered anywhere near as close then Louisiana would be 24-25 and we would be 17-20 range. Having 4 teams from one G5 conference is an impressive feat. I hope the SBC can rise up to that level of respect while we are here. We really need a couple other teams to have the OOC success we are having.

We are definitely in for a fun ride.

[HighPointApp]

Just win

[AppStFan1]

Just win

It is all we can control. I just hope if we win out that enough shakes out to give us a shot. The bottom line is that had we won out we had a 50-60% chance to get the spot but now we need a lot of help. Chance is not dead but took a big hit. Just win baby.

[ah59396]

If the CFP has shown anything, it isn’t “just win”. It’s passing the eye test.

Scraping by GSU with a backup QB won’t cut it. We will need to roll em if we want to stay in the conversation. Just my two cents.

[hotrod2001]

Wow, let this sink in, Appalachian State is #25 in the CFP. I remember standing in the parking lot at KBS after our last FCS game and having a Western fan tell me we would never be relevant again.

Like someone from WCU would even know what it was like to be relevant.

I don't want to be cocky and full of ourselves because we should always have that chip and be humble but WCU was really only relevant in baseball. They have never been able to field a good football team. I really believe it was more jealousy that made him say that. WCU is 20 years away from being able to move up and that is assuming they got together today and decided that was their future goal and truly made moves to improve to where they could.

Never going to happen. The closest WCU is going to get to the FBS is their annual visit to Tuscaloosa to give the Crimson Tide's 4th string some exercise. That ship hasn't even been built, much less sailed.

[EastHallApp]

If the CFP has shown anything, it isn’t “just win”. It’s passing the eye test.

Scraping by GSU with a backup QB won’t cut it. We will need to roll em if we want to stay in the conversation. Just my two cents.

Agree. SMU "just won" this weekend, and they dropped out.

AP and coaches' polls are basically win-and-move-up. CFP seems to look more closely at how you play.

[AppStFan1]

Wow, let this sink in, Appalachian State is #25 in the CFP. I remember standing in the parking lot at KBS after our last FCS game and having a Western fan tell me we would never be relevant again.

Like someone from WCU would even know what it was like to be relevant.

I don't want to be cocky and full of ourselves because we should always have that chip and be humble but WCU was really only relevant in baseball. They have never been able to field a good football team. I really believe it was more jealousy that made him say that. WCU is 20 years away from being able to move up and that is assuming they got together today and decided that was their future goal and truly made moves to improve to where they could.

Never going to happen. The closest WCU is going to get to the FBS is their annual visit to Tuscaloosa to give the Crimson Tide's 4th string some exercise. That ship hasn't even been built, much less sailed.

I don't think so either. My point is that even if they decided today to put everything they have into it it would take them 20 years, at least, to even hope to be in position to be at a low level FBS conference or go independent. I don't see them ever doing it though. The only SoCon team I could see up with us is UTC and I don't think they have the fan support for that to happen. The only FCS team in the GA/Carolinas/TN area I see moving up one day is Kennesaw State.

[AppStFan1]

If the CFP has shown anything, it isn’t “just win”. It’s passing the eye test.

Scraping by GSU with a backup QB won’t cut it. We will need to roll em if we want to stay in the conversation. Just my two cents.

100%. Drink needs to use the Jet Tempo or whatever it takes. Just winning isn't enough if you want to stay ranked in this poll and the CFP is all that matters now. There is no question about it that if the NY6 was picked this week that Cincinnati would get the spot. We have a lot of work to do and need some help.

[Mjohn1988]

I get the “eye test” thing, but I’ll let Drink decide how to win games. Remember Penn State and Tennessee? We closed out those P5 games this year. I would really like to watch us blow GS out this weekend but just wining comes first.

[bigdaddyg]

Agree with a bunch of guys here. 1-0 ass whipping must be the mantra every week now. Eye test matters!

[AppFan11]

To address the idea that Cincy’s loss to OSU is a “good” loss; really, that was like a FCS loss. A good loss was like when we played UGA in’17 like 31-10... that is a good loss. Believe it or not if we played OSU we would not lose 49-0. Yesterday on a Greenville sports radio station, they were talking about Minn. schedule and saying, that their come from behind win with GASO was “ok.” Referring to they are not a bad team. Whether the CFP thinks that way, who knows? ULL and GASO and Apps could beat any of the the AAC teams. Lastly, we are in the process of raising the SBC standards and perceptions nationally.

[bigdaddyg]

To address the idea that Cincy’s loss to OSU is a “good” loss; really, that was like a FCS loss. A good loss was like when we played UGA in’17 like 31-10... that is a good loss. Believe it or not if we played OSU we would not lose 49-0. Yesterday on a Greenville sports radio station, they were talking about Minn. schedule and saying, that their come from behind win with GASO was “ok.” Referring to they are not a bad team. Whether the CFP thinks that way, who knows? ULL and GASO and Apps could beat any of the the AAC teams. Lastly, we are in the process of raising the SBC standards and perceptions nationally.

If the committee is truly dissecting every aspect of every team and drilling down “good wins”, “bad losses” and “good losses” Stink’s near win at Minnesota might help us in a way. If Minnesota climbs higher next week the perception could be that Stink really isn’t that bad. We also own the fact that we beat an SEC team at home who whipped the current number 4 playoff team. Isn’t that huge?

[AppFan11]

Don’t know if it’s huge but it is certainly a point in our favor. The fact that No AAC team has played a Top 10 team that close this season is not lost on the CFP Committee. It (the GASO game) is now being brought up in the same breadth as the Minn v GASO. 1-0 baby!