Are We...Marshall?

[bigdaddyg]

First, hats off to the App Admin guys petitioning for us to be bowl eligible. Worst thing NCAA can say is no.

Obviously we are not Marshall but we are probably going down the same path they did after leaving FCS. They had a lot of success and now are poised to possibly go undefeated and possibly land a New Year's Day bowl; however, a 2 loss Boise team is ranked higher and could snag that sweet bowl slot. Is the 2014 Marshall season an example of the best case scenario for teams like App? Go undefeated in a G5 conference but still not rank high enough to garner a significant bowl bid? Don't get me wrong, I realize we have to grow some before we can truely be on the "big dog level" but still. How long has Marshall played at this level?

Will we be happy to reach that level and stay there for years?

[appvette]

Marshal isn't at risk of getting passed up for Boise due to name or program status... It's because of their weak schedule. Take our schedule next year: we play Clemson close and win the rest of our games and we'll have a good shot at the big bowl.

[WVAPPeer]

Yes and No ---
If we go undefeated in the next 4 years we would have beaten Clemson, Tenn, UGA or Penn St so that would be a trump card
But yes we would be Marshall without a marquee victory over a top P5 team and be undefeated - I know many of you guys hate Marshall - I don't --- I was only a casual APP fans during the days of your battles with Marshall

[AppSt94]

First, hats off to the App Admin guys petitioning for us to be bowl eligible. Worst thing NCAA can say is no.

Obviously we are not Marshall but we are probably going down the same path they did after leaving FCS. They had a lot of success and now are poised to possibly go undefeated and possibly land a New Year's Day bowl; however, a 2 loss Boise team is ranked higher and could snag that sweet bowl slot. Is the 2014 Marshall season an example of the best case scenario for teams like App? Go undefeated in a G5 conference but still not rank high enough to garner a significant bowl bid? Don't get me wrong, I realize we have to grow some before we can truely be on the "big dog level" but still. How long has Marshall played at this level?

Will we be happy to reach that level and stay there for years?

Interesting post and a valid question. My understanding is that the criteria for the G5 NYD bowl bid is the highest ranked conference champion. If Boise State and Marshall are both Conference Champions then Boise would get the NYD bowl bid. The only way that we are going to get to the point of being in the mix is through reputation. By that I mean consistently winning, winning conference titles, and winning bowl games. It will take time to gain a perception with voters. I think that our name is still recognizable but I don't know how long it would take.

[JTApps1]

First, hats off to the App Admin guys petitioning for us to be bowl eligible. Worst thing NCAA can say is no.

Obviously we are not Marshall but we are probably going down the same path they did after leaving FCS. They had a lot of success and now are poised to possibly go undefeated and possibly land a New Year's Day bowl; however, a 2 loss Boise team is ranked higher and could snag that sweet bowl slot. Is the 2014 Marshall season an example of the best case scenario for teams like App? Go undefeated in a G5 conference but still not rank high enough to garner a significant bowl bid? Don't get me wrong, I realize we have to grow some before we can truely be on the "big dog level" but still. How long has Marshall played at this level?

Will we be happy to reach that level and stay there for years?

Boise played a much tougher schedule than Marshall this year so if the Herd gets left out they have only themselves to blame. Our future schedules are all much tougher than what Marshall played this year so any undefeated season would likely put us in the top spot.

On a side note, I think it is hilarious that so many anti-FBS people pointed to Marshall saying we don't want to end up like them, and now in our first year they are in the discussion for a New Years Day bowl.

[bigdaddyg]

First, hats off to the App Admin guys petitioning for us to be bowl eligible. Worst thing NCAA can say is no.

Obviously we are not Marshall but we are probably going down the same path they did after leaving FCS. They had a lot of success and now are poised to possibly go undefeated and possibly land a New Year's Day bowl; however, a 2 loss Boise team is ranked higher and could snag that sweet bowl slot. Is the 2014 Marshall season an example of the best case scenario for teams like App? Go undefeated in a G5 conference but still not rank high enough to garner a significant bowl bid? Don't get me wrong, I realize we have to grow some before we can truely be on the "big dog level" but still. How long has Marshall played at this level?

Will we be happy to reach that level and stay there for years?

Interesting post and a valid question. My understanding is that the criteria for the G5 NYD bowl bid is the highest ranked conference champion. If Boise State and Marshall are both Conference Champions then Boise would get the NYD bowl bid. The only way that we are going to get to the point of being in the mix is through reputation. By that I mean consistently winning, winning conference titles, and winning bowl games. It will take time to gain a perception with voters. I think that our name is still recognizable but I don't know how long it would take.

I completely agree. It will undoubtably require an undefeated season that includes a marquee win over a P5 opponent. We might still have some mileage left on the Michigan win and the 3 NC's. Not sure how much mileage though. Just for kicks let's say that we go nuts next year and run the table. Would next season's potential strength of schedule trump this year's Marshall schedule? Shoot for the moon baby!

[appvette]

Looking a little closer at the results this year, Boise lost by 22 points to number 18 Miss and by 14 points to Air Force and still have to play 9-3 Utah State yet they are considered the favorite. With the way we have been playing and the low number of players we lose this offseason, I really think we have a shot at playing Clemson close or winning and also winning all of our other games. That type of season would be considered better than Boise's season so I don't think it will come down to reputation. In other words: no, there is no glass ceiling as you questioned. Granted, the Sun Belt is weaker than MWC so we'll have to show stronger results than a team like that. Heck, look at Ga Southern this year... they were in the discussion until they got blown out by Navy simply because they were undefeated in conference and played two P5s close.

[spong]

Marshall dug their own grave this year. They played no P5 school and no top of the pack G5 school. If they had scheduled 1 P5 school and a game against the likes of East Carolina, UConn, Boise, or Navy and were undefeated they would be going to a big bowl no questions asked. But instead they are in a weak conference that is down this year (and everyone expected them to be down this year) and played their non-conference games against FCS and MAC teams (and not even good MAC teams).

Scheduling is hard for G5 schools but it isn't this hard.

[AppSt94]

First, hats off to the App Admin guys petitioning for us to be bowl eligible. Worst thing NCAA can say is no.

Obviously we are not Marshall but we are probably going down the same path they did after leaving FCS. They had a lot of success and now are poised to possibly go undefeated and possibly land a New Year's Day bowl; however, a 2 loss Boise team is ranked higher and could snag that sweet bowl slot. Is the 2014 Marshall season an example of the best case scenario for teams like App? Go undefeated in a G5 conference but still not rank high enough to garner a significant bowl bid? Don't get me wrong, I realize we have to grow some before we can truely be on the "big dog level" but still. How long has Marshall played at this level?

Will we be happy to reach that level and stay there for years?

Interesting post and a valid question. My understanding is that the criteria for the G5 NYD bowl bid is the highest ranked conference champion. If Boise State and Marshall are both Conference Champions then Boise would get the NYD bowl bid. The only way that we are going to get to the point of being in the mix is through reputation. By that I mean consistently winning, winning conference titles, and winning bowl games. It will take time to gain a perception with voters. I think that our name is still recognizable but I don't know how long it would take.

I completely agree. It will undoubtably require an undefeated season that includes a marquee win over a P5 opponent. We might still have some mileage left on the Michigan win and the 3 NC's. Not sure how much mileage though. Just for kicks let's say that we go nuts next year and run the table. Would next season's potential strength of schedule trump this year's Marshall schedule? Shoot for the moon baby!

While an undefeated season against a good schedule removes all doubt but I don't think that it is the only way. Boise State's two losses were a neutral site loss to a top 25 team (Ole Miss) and a road loss to 8-3 Air Force. So here is what I think that our resume would need to look like on a yearly basis:
1) conference champion,
2) no bad losses,
3) good losses (ranked team on the road),
4) good wins
5) no home losses

I think that with that formula we can end up ranked and high enough to garner the top G5 spot.

I don't want to jump to next year too soon (I am excited for August 2015) but next year might be difficult to sway voters on how good we are. A loss to Clemson would most likely be a good loss. Our problems are with the rest of our schedule. We play all of our tough conference games at home along with Wyoming. So any road loss would be devastating to our resume except maybe South Alabama. But let's win them all and put the conversation to bed.
I don't want to

[bigdaddyg]

With the new playoff format in place and "seeding" being decided by the committee, does the committee make this decision as well- G5 bowl slot? What ranking makes the call?

[AppSt94]

With the new playoff format in place and "seeding" being decided by the committee, does the committee make this decision as well- G5 bowl slot? What ranking makes the call?

Good question. I don't know the answer to that one.

[Gonzo]

What would it take for a G5 team to land in the playoff? I think had ECU gone undefeated, they'd be in the conversation.

[EastHallApp]

To underscore the point about Marshall's OOC schedule, it was only three years ago that a team from their league (Houston) was in line to get a BCS bid until they lost the conference title game. And that was before there was a guaranteed spot for a G5 team.

If we get to that point, we have to hope the Sun Belt improves significantly, because that's what's helping Boise - they actually play some good teams in their own conference.

[appvette]

With the new playoff format in place and "seeding" being decided by the committee, does the committee make this decision as well- G5 bowl slot? What ranking makes the call?

My understanding is the same committee does the selection. They say it is simply the highest ranked G5 team so I assume they use the same criteria they use to rank the top 25. However, that becomes tricky when there are no Top 25 G5 teams since they don't publish their rankings beyond the top 25.

[appvette]

What would it take for a G5 team to land in the playoff? I think had ECU gone undefeated, they'd be in the conversation.

Beat a top 5 P5 team and win their conference

[appvette]

Does anybody know how good Clemson is projected to be next year? I know it is early but do they have a lot of returning starters?

[appstate2007]

Have to say one thing about Marshall's schedule, they originally had Louisville on the schedule for this year until Louisville left for the ACC and canceled the game due to conflicting dates with ACC games. So it left Marshall in a position of having to fill that spot at the last minute. This can happen to anyone. If Marshall had played that game against Louisville then win or lose I think they would have been ahead of Boise St.

[bigdaddyg]

With the new playoff format in place and "seeding" being decided by the committee, does the committee make this decision as well- G5 bowl slot? What ranking makes the call?

My understanding is the same committee does the selection. They say it is simply the highest ranked G5 team so I assume they use the same criteria they use to rank the top 25. However, that becomes tricky when there are no Top 25 G5 teams since they don't publish their rankings beyond the top 25.

If that is the case, and I think you are correct, that would make things REALLY interesting, and potentially very controversial. I don't have a problem with a committee deciding the top 4 and possibley the top 8 if this thing is expanded. I am a firm believer that this deal usually sorts itself out. I have always thought that there should be no rankings until everyone plays at least 6 or 7 games. I mean come on, how can a team be pre-season number 24? How much validity is there with that? If nobody gets ranked until the midway point then there is a level playing field and prior reputations mean nothing. Hell, a month ago everyone thought that the Egg Bowl was going to be the game of the century- now look at Ole Miss!

Is the committee really spending dissecting the games played by the G5 teams? Let's say that next season after 7 games we are 6-1 with a narrow road loss to Clemson and after 7 games they are 6-1 and ranked around 15. Would that be the kind of strength needed to garner committee attention? I have not paid attention to the week by week committee rankings. Where have Marshall and Boise been ranked? Is Boise moving up based on past reputation?

[ASUPATCH]

Here are some tv ratings that might interest you guys.

As far as exposure goes the Sunbelt teams in bowl games, even the so called crappy ones, got far more exposure than any FCS team in the playoffs or championships. Only two bowl games had lower viewership than FCS playoff games. OK State vs Purdue was up against 4 bigger bowls the same day in the Rose, Orange, Capital One and Outback bowl. Likewise Ariz St vs Navy was competing with 4 other bowl games the same day. The three highest rated FCS games competed for ratings against a total of one bowl,the BBVA Compass bowl. So if its exposure you want for App, than a crappy bowl game is head and shoulders above any FCS playoff game including the championship.

http://www.championshipsubdivision.com/ ... =4&t=34126

[ASUPATCH]

What would it take for a G5 team to land in the playoff? I think had ECU gone undefeated, they'd be in the conversation.

With their OOC lineup they would probably be on that 5-8 bubble. They had two ACC and one SEC schools.