Article In Football Scoop

[app73]

Saw this today.

. Speaking of Appalachian State, the Mountaineers are officially in the conversation for best Group of 5 team after UCF’s loss and following a 34-31 win at North Carolina on Saturday. It was App State’s first win over a Power 5 opponent since beating Michigan in 2007, and it was also clinched on a blocked field goal.

[ericsaid]

UCF still dominated a PAC - 12 team like it was no ones business. If the defense didn't wither in the heat in the 2nd half, and App was able to keep UNC below 30 while scoring into the 40's, I'd say that they have a point.

[Yosef84]

It would be great it if happened but I think folks are setting themselves up for disappointment if they start worrying about the NY6 bid at this point. We need to focus on our part...winning. There are too many variables not under our control to worry about the NY6 just yet.

[Yosefus]

There are 5-6 in the NY6 conversation. App is in that count. I am afraid that even at 13-0 we will be out ranked by UCF or Boise even if both have a loss. At that level we are truly still the new kids on the block plus the Carolinas having tough season will not help our SOS. 1-0 at a time and we see what happens at seasons end. Go APP!

[t4pizza]

Not sure I completely agree. I agree that South Carolina is having a down year but they are still very talented football team playing in the best conference. If they were in the ACC, they would be the second best team and rank highly because of that. If we can beat South Carolina, and win out, we will be ahead of a one lose Boise or UCF team. The pollsters love the SEC. Look how far Cal just jumped after beating a bad Ole Miss team (and on a controversial call at that). They moved up 8 spots in the AP and 7 spots in the coaches. Say what you will be beating an SEC team at their house is a very big deal to the pollsters and it will be rewarded ahead of other G5 teams that also have a loss. We just need to take care of business and the business will take care of us.

[ah59396]

Our path to NY6 is pretty straight forward:

Step 1: go undefeated
Step 2: SMU, Memphis and Boise must all lose a game

It’s really that simple. WMU got in as an undefeated team over a pile of one loss teams. They weren’t ranked until week 5 and their wins came over two Big 10 teams.

I’d argue we carry more national brand power now than WMU did in their NY6 season. Which sadly matters in these decisions.

[EastHallApp]

UCF still dominated a PAC - 12 team like it was no ones business. If the defense didn't wither in the heat in the 2nd half, and App was able to keep UNC below 30 while scoring into the 40's, I'd say that they have a point.

UCF played two P5s that both look like they'll struggle to make a bowl. They got a convincing home win and a close road loss.

Obviously their conference is tougher than ours, but if we beat South Carolina I think you have to give App the edge in OOC play.

[EastHallApp]

Our path to NY6 is pretty straight forward:

Step 1: go undefeated
Step 2: SMU, Memphis and Boise must all lose a game

It’s really that simple. WMU got in as an undefeated team over a pile of one loss teams. They weren’t ranked until week 5 and their wins came over two Big 10 teams.

I’d argue we carry more national brand power now than WMU did in their NY6 season. Which sadly matters in these decisions.

I think you are correct in your assessment of what needs to happen, and that brand probably makes a difference.

One correction: WMU didn't get in over any one-loss teams. In fact the other G5 champions that year had at least three losses. That was the year that the CFP committee announced in advance that, had Navy won the AAC title game, they'd have waited until after the Army-Navy game the following week to decide who got the G5 bid. Which strongly implied that a two-loss Navy team would have been picked over an unbeaten WMU. Again, to your point about brand mattering.

[ah59396]

Our path to NY6 is pretty straight forward:

Step 1: go undefeated
Step 2: SMU, Memphis and Boise must all lose a game

It’s really that simple. WMU got in as an undefeated team over a pile of one loss teams. They weren’t ranked until week 5 and their wins came over two Big 10 teams.

I’d argue we carry more national brand power now than WMU did in their NY6 season. Which sadly matters in these decisions.

I think you are correct in your assessment of what needs to happen, and that brand probably makes a difference.

One correction: WMU didn't get in over any one-loss teams. In fact the other G5 champions that year had at least three losses. That was the year that the CFP committee announced in advance that, had Navy won the AAC title game, they'd have waited until after the Army-Navy game the following week to decide who got the G5 bid. Which strongly implied that a two-loss Navy team would have been picked over an unbeaten WMU. Again, to your point about brand mattering.

Oh wow that’s right. I totally forgot about that.

[AppStFan1]

Let's talk about that if we handle our business. Seriously we don't need to care about being the best G5 right now. It is way too early. We lose 2 games and we can forget that. Heck, if we lose to CCU or Louisiana we can forget that. Let's go 12-0 and then start to think about it.

I hate reading articles like that because of our goals and I don't want our players seeing them and reading into the hype. All we have to worry about for now is #BeatCoastal

[VNova]

Time to go 1-0 this week.

[fjblair]

We beat UNC. We thought we would beat UNC. We need to worry about the conference championship and let everything else go wherever it goes.

[ericsaid]

UCF still dominated a PAC - 12 team like it was no ones business. If the defense didn't wither in the heat in the 2nd half, and App was able to keep UNC below 30 while scoring into the 40's, I'd say that they have a point.

UCF played two P5s that both look like they'll struggle to make a bowl. They got a convincing home win and a close road loss.

Obviously their conference is tougher than ours, but if we beat South Carolina I think you have to give App the edge in OOC play.

I like the Sun Belt this year honestly. I don't think there is much, if any, disparity between the Sun Belt and MWC, top to bottom. The top of the AAC is clearly stuck in purgatory between G5 and P5 land though. I think it's unfair to classify them as G5 solely based on membership because the quality of their product is relatively high, and far more consistent than the ACC. UCF losing didn't help the perception but, by most objective observations of the Pitt game, they should've been able to close out. That last scoring play by Pitt is something you pull out when you prepared for the game like you've got nothing to lose.

[mikeyosef]

A NY6 bowl bid...now that would be our Superbowl!

[ah59396]

UCF still dominated a PAC - 12 team like it was no ones business. If the defense didn't wither in the heat in the 2nd half, and App was able to keep UNC below 30 while scoring into the 40's, I'd say that they have a point.

UCF played two P5s that both look like they'll struggle to make a bowl. They got a convincing home win and a close road loss.

Obviously their conference is tougher than ours, but if we beat South Carolina I think you have to give App the edge in OOC play.

I like the Sun Belt this year honestly. I don't think there is much, if any, disparity between the Sun Belt and MWC, top to bottom. The top of the AAC is clearly stuck in purgatory between G5 and P5 land though. I think it's unfair to classify them as G5 solely based on membership because the quality of their product is relatively high, and far more consistent than the ACC. UCF losing didn't help the perception but, by most objective observations of the Pitt game, they should've been able to close out. That last scoring play by Pitt is something you pull out when you prepared for the game like you've got nothing to lose.

I’d put the Belt right behind the MWC. I’d say the conference is closer to the MWC than CUSA or the MAC are to the Belt. The AAC is the clear strength of the G5, as you said. That’d be a tough conference for us to be in.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen “SunBelch”. I don’t know if the National perception is changing or I’m just biased. But CUSA and the MAC are just bad. They have a couple decent teams but their bottom half’s are just brutal.

But this needs to sustain for a while. A one or two year blip won’t matter long term.

[ah59396]

A NY6 bowl bid...now that would be our Superbowl!

I tried to explain to my wife the other day that this would have to be that one time in our lives where it’s just going to have to be acceptable for me to spend $2000 to go to a football game.

[Yosefus]

FWIW. Let's go undefeated again this week and the next 10 as well. Waaayyy to much season left for NY6 talk in my opinion. Or at least let's see where we are when the first committee rankings come out.

[hotrod2001]

Beating UNC got their interest, running the table and beating USC will get their attention.

We’ve got a loooong way before we’re in that conversation, especially with SMU showing a resurgence.

AAC is going to have a bad remainder of the season for us to be up there, even if we do run the table.

[Seattleapp]

Not sure I completely agree. I agree that South Carolina is having a down year but they are still very talented football team playing in the best conference. If they were in the ACC, they would be the second best team and rank highly because of that. If we can beat South Carolina, and win out, we will be ahead of a one lose Boise or UCF team. The pollsters love the SEC. Look how far Cal just jumped after beating a bad Ole Miss team (and on a controversial call at that). They moved up 8 spots in the AP and 7 spots in the coaches. Say what you will be beating an SEC team at their house is a very big deal to the pollsters and it will be rewarded ahead of other G5 teams that also have a loss. We just need to take care of business and the business will take care of us.

South Carolina would not be the second best team in the acc.

[ericsaid]

UCF still dominated a PAC - 12 team like it was no ones business. If the defense didn't wither in the heat in the 2nd half, and App was able to keep UNC below 30 while scoring into the 40's, I'd say that they have a point.

UCF played two P5s that both look like they'll struggle to make a bowl. They got a convincing home win and a close road loss.

Obviously their conference is tougher than ours, but if we beat South Carolina I think you have to give App the edge in OOC play.

I like the Sun Belt this year honestly. I don't think there is much, if any, disparity between the Sun Belt and MWC, top to bottom. The top of the AAC is clearly stuck in purgatory between G5 and P5 land though. I think it's unfair to classify them as G5 solely based on membership because the quality of their product is relatively high, and far more consistent than the ACC. UCF losing didn't help the perception but, by most objective observations of the Pitt game, they should've been able to close out. That last scoring play by Pitt is something you pull out when you prepared for the game like you've got nothing to lose.

I’d put the Belt right behind the MWC. I’d say the conference is closer to the MWC than CUSA or the MAC are to the Belt. The AAC is the clear strength of the G5, as you said. That’d be a tough conference for us to be in.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen “SunBelch”. I don’t know if the National perception is changing or I’m just biased. But CUSA and the MAC are just bad. They have a couple decent teams but their bottom half’s are just brutal.

But this needs to sustain for a while. A one or two year blip won’t matter long term.

The Sun Belt has been better than C-USA and all but one year of the MAC since 2015 (WMU Access Bowl year). The Sun Belt ditching FIU, FAU, MTSU, NMSU, and Idaho while adding App and Georgia Southern was probably the biggest move no one in the national media talks about after realignment. Perhaps when grades begin to funnel in following the 5 year period of that change and people analyze the result of the changes in depth, they will realize what happened at this level in terms of the conference power shift.

I'd still like to give Georgia State, Coastal, and Texas State for USM, Marshall, and WKU. I feel that they could elevate the profile and the overall play of the conference in ways it needs in and outside of football. No offense to those three schools really, but the profile of them fits the Sun Belt better than C-USA at this point.

Another thing, I dislike the AAC labeling themselves P6 but they really have a point for the top few teams in the conference. They get a lot of ESPN games they are generally competitive in, they have UCF, Houston, Memphis and ECU (who is a sleeping giant in that conference that was shot in the ass with elephant dosage of ketamine by Compher when he fired McNeil) who all can and will ooze money when the wins roll in. I'd like to see App included as a football only member, or perhaps some group could be brought in from the outside (think the feasibility study) to determine how to raise the other programs from the depths while maintaining funding and support for the cash cow (football), eventually allowing App to pitch itself to the AAC in the eventuality that spots open up in the AAC.