App season, Sunbelt bowls and Common opponents

[Yosefus]

May just be me and we'll see how the rest of bowls pan out but based on our big win, the Stink rolling and BYU who Coastal beat blistering UCF last night. It looks like the Sunbelt is extremely strong this year more so than I thought. You may call me captain obvious sorry. Makes me wonder how any of the 5 Sunbelt bowl teams would stack up against Cincinnati, Or any ranked 5-10 teams.

[t4pizza]

I actually think the Sun Belt is the best G5 conference this year.

[BayouApp]

I'm beginning to think the same. Depending on the outcomes of the remaining bowls, I think the Belt could possibly rate a tie with the American.

[Black Saturday]

Not sure any of us could beat Cincinnati this year or Memphis last year, but would have liked to have played somehow? The SunBelt is up this year, APP was down - still a good year. imo - 2019 APPs were around 10 or so points better than APP 2020. The 2020 games we lost were all winnable the day we played them. All things considered, this was a year to have last years success. Coastal is having a dream season, they did what they had to do to earn it, last year's APP would probably have run this year's schedule.

[booneboy92]

Not sure any of us could beat Cincinnati this year or Memphis last year, but would have liked to have played somehow? The SunBelt is up this year, APP was down - still a good year. imo - 2019 APPs were around 10 or so points better than APP 2020. The 2020 games we lost were all winnable the day we played them. All things considered, this was a year to have last years success. Coastal is having a dream season, they did what they had to do to earn it, last year's APP would probably have run this year's schedule.

I agree that last year's team beats this year's, but I wouldn't have picked this messed up season to have had it happen. If we were ever going to have a "down" year, 2020 was the one to have it in (asterisks all over everyone). Coastal's (or Cincinnati's for that matter) 2020 will never be looked at like Boise, Western Michigan, or UCF's dream seasons. Even if we were "down" and 3rd in the SBC, our 9-3 record, our 7 year history, and continuing bowl win record still plays a huge part in making the conference look as good as it does this season. App State has not left the public's mind, as many suggest. People know that we've paved the way for the success that Coastal and ULL have had this season, and that this conference has had to step it up to keep up with us. And, no, I don't think anybody in the G5 would have beaten Cincy this season or Memphis last.

[Yosef84]

I agree that, if we had to have a "down" year, this is the year to do it. That said, I think Cincy is legit and deserves respect for their accomplishments this season. What will determine how they are perceived down the road will be how they perform against Georgia. I think Georgia is going to handle them, but things happen and it isn't a gimme. Coastal added their own asterisk when they pulled out of the championship game against Louisiana. Again....not accusing them of lying, but the smell test is pretty nasty and that will be remembered. If they lose to Liberty, they'll be forgotten quickly and this season for them will be written off as an anomaly.

I know folks are upset with Coastal over the championship game and the comments before Troy, but the SBC needs them to handle Liberty.

[bigdaddyg]

If 9-3 is a “down year” record I’ll take it. We tend to forget that even schools like North Texas recruit, practice, hire coaches, graduate alumni and put teams on the field who compete like hell. Many of the schools we play would die for 9-3. All perspective

[hapapp]

I agree that, if we had to have a "down" year, this is the year to do it. That said, I think Cincy is legit and deserves respect for their accomplishments this season. What will determine how they are perceived down the road will be how they perform against Georgia. I think Georgia is going to handle them, but things happen and it isn't a gimme. Coastal added their own asterisk when they pulled out of the championship game against Louisiana. Again....not accusing them of lying, but the smell test is pretty nasty and that will be remembered. If they lose to Liberty, they'll be forgotten quickly and this season for them will be written off as an anomaly.

I know folks are upset with Coastal over the championship game and the comments before Troy, but the SBC needs them to handle Liberty.

It's unlikely that Coastal will have a carbon copy season next year, but I'm not sure why so many folks want to write them off as a one hit wonder. To go undefeated requires much good fortune and that horseshoe may drop out of their pocket some next season, just as we discovered this year, but I wouldn't count them out as a team to beat for the SBC title.

[AppSt94]

I don’t know why people think 9-3 is a down season. Given the injuries, opt outs, new HC, new staff, a lesser group of players and leadership would “hope” for 7-5. Before the announced returnees and the addition of Chase Brice, I would have guessed 7-5 to be a good season next year. I am interested to see what the 2021 version can do with a full off season and fall practice. Can’t wait for the countdown to commence.

[Stonewall]

Because we are App State.

[AppSt94]

Expectations for something that you can't control will lead to disappointment.

[Yosefus]

Well, Louisiana almost gave their game away but survived a decent UTSA, Ga State wins handily.
Sunbelt now 4-0 in bowls this year.
Let's see how the Chickens handle Falwell U. A win will be a sweep for the conference win %.

[roachgone]

Go Liberty. Time for somebody to knock the thug chickens off their over rated high horse!

[AppTraveler]

Between 94 and 76 on Coastal there’s gonna be somebody thrown out for two unsportsmanlike penalties before this is over. Coastal plays dirty all the time.

[okiapper]

The love that the chandeliers get with the media is nauseating. So tired of hearing about mullets and Cinderella story.
Hope Falwell and company take them down even though it’s not good for the conference. 4-1 bowl record wouldn’t be bad.

[hapapp]

There are plenty of reasons to dislike this Coastal team starting with their coach. However, in the end a major reason so many of our fans celebrate their loss is because we are jealous or envious of the attention they've garnered at our expense. All understandable, but let's be honest they stole the spotlight this year and relegated us to the shadows of national attention.

[appst89]

There are plenty of reasons to dislike this Coastal team starting with their coach. However, in the end a major reason so many of our fans celebrate their loss is because we are jealous or envious of the attention they've garnered at our expense. All understandable, but let's be honest they stole the spotlight this year and relegated us to the shadows of national attention.

I'm gonna disagree with you, at least for me. I rooted for Coastal most of this season. I rooted for them to beat BYU, even after we had lost to them. It was only when the coach started whining that I turned against them. Ducking out of the conference championship game and having their players roaming through the stands taunting App fans at our bowl game sealed it for me. So, no, I am not the least bit jealous of them. In the end, they didn't do anything that I would want App to emulate.

They acted like trash, played dirty, whined and complained and karma got them in the end.

[Longrifle28]

There are plenty of reasons to dislike this Coastal team starting with their coach. However, in the end a major reason so many of our fans celebrate their loss is because we are jealous or envious of the attention they've garnered at our expense. All understandable, but let's be honest they stole the spotlight this year and relegated us to the shadows of national attention.

I'm gonna disagree with you, at least for me. I rooted for Coastal most of this season. I rooted for them to beat BYU, even after we had lost to them. It was only when the coach started whining that I turned against them. Ducking out of the conference championship game and having their players roaming through the stands taunting App fans at our bowl game sealed it for me. So, no, I am not the least bit jealous of them. In the end, they didn't do anything that I would want App to emulate.

They acted like trash, played dirty, whined and complained and karma got them in the end.

Agreed. The whining, trash talking and dirty play was one thing, but their sense of entitlement did me in. You ain't entitled to crap. Can't wait until next year in Boone.

[hapapp]

There are plenty of reasons to dislike this Coastal team starting with their coach. However, in the end a major reason so many of our fans celebrate their loss is because we are jealous or envious of the attention they've garnered at our expense. All understandable, but let's be honest they stole the spotlight this year and relegated us to the shadows of national attention.

I'm gonna disagree with you, at least for me. I rooted for Coastal most of this season. I rooted for them to beat BYU, even after we had lost to them. It was only when the coach started whining that I turned against them. Ducking out of the conference championship game and having their players roaming through the stands taunting App fans at our bowl game sealed it for me. So, no, I am not the least bit jealous of them. In the end, they didn't do anything that I would want App to emulate.

They acted like trash, played dirty, whined and complained and karma got them in the end.

I don't disagree with a thing you said. But, it also doesn't change a thing I said. Our fans have tried to diminish everything they have accomplished. They were lucky, it's only because of COVID, etc. There are a ton of reasons to dislike them, pull against them, I've got no grief with that. But, so many of our fans, not all, want to discount what they have accomplished. You have to at least acknowledge that, along with UL, have elevated the profile of the Sun Belt. And yes we have certainly played a role leading up to this point. Our performance over the last 4 years set the stage for this Belt breakout.

[AppState89]

If this year is a down year, I will take it. I really wouldn't call it a down year. The past few years, we had all the breaks go our way, this season, they didn't. We lost 3 games against very good teams. We should have won all 3 of those games, but a few mistakes and bad breaks didn't go our way.

Marshall (7-3) - We should have won. They were good all season until the last 3 games of the season and got beat by a good Buffalo team. A missed 26 yard FG and ball gets punched out after a 46 yard reception and happens to go through the end zone (bad break). 10 points left on the field.

Coastal Carolina (11-1) - A team that beat Kansas, ULL and BYU. Got beat in the bowl game by a team that beat 2 ACC teams and should have beat NCSU too. Take away a 75 yard TD pass on the first play for CC and the 62 yard TD run by McCall, we win the game. That was 137 yards of their 369 yards for the game. We held them to 60 or so yards in the 1st half if you take away the first play. Mistakes killed us in the 4th.

ULL (10-1) - A team that beat Iowa State. They tried over and over to give us this game. If there ever was a bad break it was the 3rd quarter. Jolly saves a touchdown by knocking the ball out of the receiver's hand (just like the Marshall game), BUT BUT BUT the ball happens to get lucky and fall in the hands of a ULL player. ULL goes on to score. It the ball ends up with us, I don't think we get beat. Then we miss a 30 yard FG at the end of the game. Should have made it, but the weather sucked. Could happen to anyone.

We lost 3 games by a total of 24pts against teams that went to bowls and had a combined record of 28-5. The breaks didn't go our way in these games, but with COVID (lack of true practice and weight training), new coaches and this season being out of sorts, I'm still happy with the season. I thought we weren't going to have a season at all, but we played 12 games. We have been blessed.

I get the down season thing in a way. We are App State. We should win every game. Anybody, anywhere, ANYTIME!!!!!

2020 has been a horrible year due to COVID, but I imagine most App fans are like me, APP STATE FOOTBALL has been my "out" & my "stress reliver" this year. Everyday I see more and more seniors coming back next year. Our defense should be DA BOMB next year. If our new OL can protect and open holes, we will have another great season.

Happy New YEAR everyone. Go App!!!