Does anybody feel just a little down?

[bigdaddyg]

I preface this by saying that this season has been awesome. We all anticipated a great season and no matter what happens over the last two games it has been fantastic. That being said I personally feel just a liiiitle bit down. I don't know what it is exactly. I think a little bit of me still misses the playoffs. Even though being in big boy football is WAAAAYYYY better I still miss the excitement of the win or go home tournament. I also have to admit that the Ark State loss stings. I can accept the Clemson loss (hell they might win the whole thing) but we all know that there is enough talent on this App team to have otherwise run the table. Oh well that's how it goes. The old saying is true, you can't win them all. There are a whole bunch of schools out there who would kill to be 9-2 (soon to be 10-2). Maybe I am greedy or have been really spoiled this season. My Panthers are 11-0 so my college and pro teams are a combined 20-2 heading into December. That is unbelievable but....

[WVAppsfan]

I feel a little blue due to the fact that the end of the home games is over. But, the Arkansas State loss shows that anything can happen at any time. But they learned, and bounced back. And they will roll USA and then on to the bowl game.

[Boone Goon]

Morning JG! Hope you and the family had a great Thanksgiving!

Driving home from Boone yesterday and knowing it was going to be the last football weekend for a while definitely gave me some pause. But I think we've come up with a new Thanksgiving tradition at our place. Every other year, we're planning on hosting the extended family in Boone for a monster tailgate party! Hope you and everyone in AppNation can make it for the 2017 festivities!

Now we sit and wait to find out if we're going to a Bowl game on 12/19 or the MBB game in the Dean Dome on 12/21. Either way, we've got an exciting game to look forward to!

~ your favorite Boone Goon!

[Saint3333]

Heck no, I'm pumped about the idea of winning TEN games at the FBS level and going to our first bowl!

Two or three years ago I never dreamed we'd make a bowl game in 2015, and be looking forward to our first of two P5 home games in 2016.

I don't see how any App fan can be down right now.

[sixtoes9134]

The only thing I am bummed about is no more KBS until next Fall.

[Yosef10]

Not down at all, would've been nice to come away with a W against Ark State but ecstatic with 9/10/11 wins.

[bigdaddyg]

After the way we finished last season this year's campaign could not begin quickly enough. I don't think I ever wanted a season to arrive as soon as this year. We anticipated a special season and were not cheated, although I really felt like we would run the table in the conference. I am as pumped as anybody but I share the same feeling as a few folks- no more games at home this year kind of stinks. Seems like we just played Clemson a few weeks ago. I guess if hoops were more promising I might feel differently. Let's go stomp the Jags then go back to Alabama in a few weeks and lay it on some poor unfortunate soul.

As a side note I don't think I have seen a thread talking about the game last Saturday. Am I missing something or was there no interest?

[Longrifle28]

Sad that the season is coming to an end. Happy with the way it is going.

We owe South Alabama one for the way they beat us up last year.

[hotrod2001]

I'm a little down that stAte is probably going to win the SBC on the account they had a bunch of ham and eggers to play their final few games, and a little funked that the injuries are piling up, but we are looking realistically at a possible 11-2 season after two years of trying to figure things out. It's hard to not be excited at what the program is facing.

[MAD Doctor]

A little bummed about a few things out of our control:
1) We had to play ALL conference contenders and be perfect, while Stink and Ark State didn't have to face each other, thus eliminating a loss for one, and the real possibility of a 3-way tie and share of the title.
2) A home schedule that was less than ideal, with big games on weeknights and the Thanksgiving weekend
3) A situation where losing could possibly mean a higher payout and a Dec. 19 date in Orlando, but winning out likely lands us in Mobile (2nd game in a row) on December 23, resulting in a weak crowd.

BUT....It's been a great season. The team isn't whining, so I won't either. I'll be in Mobile if necessary, and as for Christmas Eve, the family will probably talk to me again by April

[WataugaMan]

as for Christmas Eve, the family will probably talk to me again by April

Sounds (no pun intended) like a plan to me.

[EastHallApp]

Not really down, but I get what you mean. Only thing slightly underwhelming is that despite heading into the final game at 9-2, there's relatively little tangible at stake. A 10-win season and making sure we don't finish behind Southern are both important, but (likely) no conference title implications, no top 25, no real improvement in our bowl destination.

BUT - before the season I predicted 9-3, which I considered to be a very good year, with the idea that anything better would be outstanding. A 10-win season with a shot at 11 would be an awesome accomplishment.

[AppOrange]

I see what you mean. The way the stAte game went down still gets me a little and has me thinking what if. We were dominating the beginning of the game, made some bad turnovers, kept them in it, then came the o line injuries that doomed our O and kept our d on the field too long. If we would have won that game, we would be a 1 loss team to the #1 team in the nation and be ranked in the high teens (imo) the way teams have been losing. Does that mean we are truly atop 20 team, probably not, but for recruiting purposes it would have been amazing.

I hear you, but still can't wait for Saturday night and our bowl announcement.

Btw, if we do get the 23rd bowl game, I feel like there will be several guys in the same boat as me, going alone, wife said no to wanting anything to do with that date. Maybe we should have a MMB tailgate for anyone going stag.

[EastHallApp]

Btw, if we do get the 23rd bowl game, I feel like there will be several guys in the same boat as me, going alone, wife said no to wanting anything to do with that date. Maybe we should have a MMB tailgate for anyone going stag.

Think the same might be true if we wind up in Montgomery. For folks with non-football-fanatic spouses, Orlando or New Orleans are probably an easier sell for a pre-holiday vacation than Montgomery.

[bigdaddyg]

I see what you mean. The way the stAte game went down still gets me a little and has me thinking what if. We were dominating the beginning of the game, made some bad turnovers, kept them in it, then came the o line injuries that doomed our O and kept our d on the field too long. If we would have won that game, we would be a 1 loss team to the #1 team in the nation and be ranked in the high teens (imo) the way teams have been losing. Does that mean we are truly atop 20 team, probably not, but for recruiting purposes it would have been amazing.

You pretty much captured a bunch of my thoughts. That one loss really stings. If we could have played those guys on a normal schedule with adequate rest it could have been different. I know, "ifs and buts...". But still, dang man! I agree, a win in that game might have made a world of difference with rankings and other benefits. It is kind of a shame that as far as bowls go there isn't a tremendous amount of reward for 11-1 in the Sunbelt versus 8-4 or in our case possibly 10-2. Hopefully next season the conference will attempt to have all of the top dogs play each other.

I hear you, but still can't wait for Saturday night and our bowl announcement.

Btw, if we do get the 23rd bowl game, I feel like there will be several guys in the same boat as me, going alone, wife said no to wanting anything to do with that date. Maybe we should have a MMB tailgate for anyone going stag.

[EastHallApp]

It is kind of a shame that as far as bowls go there isn't a tremendous amount of reward for 11-1 in the Sunbelt versus 8-4 or in our case possibly 10-2. Hopefully next season the conference will attempt to have all of the top dogs play each other.

Two issues I think the Sun Belt needs to address:

1) Unbalanced schedules - get the top teams all playing one another, at least until you can schedule a championship game.

2) No real bowl hierarchy - there needs to be a "prize" for the conference champion, or at least the option to pick their bowl destination like CUSA does. Right now the bowl selections have more to do with geography than the standings, and there's no clear-cut #1 bowl. (I know New Orleans gets first pick, but there's nothing that really makes it better than the other tie-ins.)

[bigdaddyg]

If my math is correct we have a chance to be one of I believe only 20 FBS teams to finish the regular season with at least 10 wins. I think that App, Baylor and Navy are sitting on 9 right now. That ain't too shabby either. I think that equates to about 16% of the FBS teams would finish with at least 10 wins.

[biggie]

I'm down, but its the weather this week, I'm a cowboys fan, and my fantasy teams are horrible.

[Wally]

Like some others, that stAte game still irks me a little... we dominated them in the first half and almost certainly would have won that game if Chapman hadn't gone down... I really wanted that conference title this year... and an excuse to vacation to New Orleans in a couple of weeks! I'm still proud of this team though and the special year we've had! I'll be at whatever bowl we are invited to but if it's in Alabama I'll likely be without the family, looking for that stag tailgate...

[appmaj]

It is a little sad that we won't be back at KBS until next season.