MVFC: Week 3 Scores and Analysis

[coyotecrazie5]

1:00 PM - Youngstown State (0-2) vs Valparaiso (0-1), ESPN+
2:00 PM - Missouri State (1-1) vs Northern Arizona (1-1), ESPN3
2:30 PM - North Dakota State (1-0) vs North Alabama (2-0), ESPN+
3:00 PM - Western Illinois (0-2) vs Montana (2-0), ESPN+
6:00 PM - Indiana State (0-1) at Eastern Illinois (0-2), ESPN+
6:00 PM - Southern Illinois (1-1) vs Southeast Missouri State (1-1), ESPN+
6:00 PM - South Dakota State (1-0) vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-1), ESPN+
6:30 PM - Northern Iowa (0-1) at Iowa (2-0), BTN
7:00 PM - South Dakota (1-1) at Weber State (1-1), PlutoTV www.bigskyconf.com/sports/2015/11/19/WatchBigSky.aspx

[Yotes]

Wait a minute, Youngstown has TWO non scholarship teams on the schedule? I wouldn't expect any FCS team to do that, let alone a MVFC one.

[elcoyote]

Sept 12, 2018 17:08:03 GMT -6 Yotes said:

Wait a minute, Youngstown has TWO non scholarship teams on the schedule? I wouldn't expect any FCS team to do that, let alone a MVFC one.

 One money game on the road and two creampuffs at home for OOC has kind of been their MO for the past few seasons. This season the first creampuff blew up and got all over their shirt. 

[easmus]

USD out of conference schedule has to be one of the toughest in the MVFC. Time will tell if it was a good decision. You aren’t making the playoffs going 5-6 but saying we played good teams.

[elcoyote]

UNI and Western usually have tough nonconference schedules too. Sometime that can come back to bite a team in the butt. Somewhat ridiculous if a school can schedule their way into a better shot at the playoffs.

[Yote 53]

I love playing a legit schedule, but I do have to wonder if maybe we're scheduling too hard. My ideal schedule would be 1 FBS, 1 FCS full scholarship, 1 FCS non-scholarship, MVFC schedule. The MVFC conference schedule is good enough to stand on its own. We simply need to get to 7 wins every year as a MVFC team and we're playoff bound.

I'm almost to the point I think we should maybe even go for 1 FBS, two rent-a-wins against some Pioneer teams, and then the goal is 5-3 in conference. That's 7 wins and a playoff berth. Win 5 in the MVFC and you should be automatically in the playoffs but this year, let's say we drop a nail biter game at Weber St, we'd end up at 6-5 and on the bubble. Seriously, a team that takes KSU to the wire, goes 1-1 against the BSC, and 5-3 in the MVFC could be sitting at home watching the playoffs while teams that play in cream puff conferences are in the playoffs. That's an argument for dumbing down the non-conference schedule and doing what YSU is doing.

This weekend's game is pretty much must-win for this reason. We need this game if we're going to make the playoffs because the meat grinder is coming.

[coyotecrazie5]

Since joining the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2012, 43 of South Dakota's 72 opponents have been either a nationally-ranked FCS team or an FBS opponent (60 percent).

[Yotes]

Sept 13, 2018 10:49:22 GMT -6 Yote 53 said:

I love playing a legit schedule, but I do have to wonder if maybe we're scheduling too hard. My ideal schedule would be 1 FBS, 1 FCS full scholarship, 1 FCS non-scholarship, MVFC schedule. The MVFC conference schedule is good enough to stand on its own. We simply need to get to 7 wins every year as a MVFC team and we're playoff bound.

I'm almost to the point I think we should maybe even go for 1 FBS, two rent-a-wins against some Pioneer teams, and then the goal is 5-3 in conference. That's 7 wins and a playoff berth. Win 5 in the MVFC and you should be automatically in the playoffs but this year, let's say we drop a nail biter game at Weber St, we'd end up at 6-5 and on the bubble. Seriously, a team that takes KSU to the wire, goes 1-1 against the BSC, and 5-3 in the MVFC could be sitting at home watching the playoffs while teams that play in cream puff conferences are in the playoffs. That's an argument for dumbing down the non-conference schedule and doing what YSU is doing.

This weekend's game is pretty much must-win for this reason. We need this game if we're going to make the playoffs because the meat grinder is coming.

I agree that we shouldn't even seek potentially difficult teams in the non-conference (aside from the FBS game that pays the bills). History shows a tough schedule does nothing for you, so why play Weber when you can play Drake and be better off?

I like good football, but I'll take it in December instead of September.

[aldewitt]

UND looked good, and physical, against SHSU.  It was a pound-it-out game.  UND squeeked by with a 1 point win.  

The GAM had the game pegged perfectly.  Sammy was behind by 1 with 4 min. to go.  They were in possession.   A FG would have given them the 2 point win.  As it was it ended UND 23 SHSU 22.  I questioned the Sammy coach that went for it on 4th down.   There was 2-3 min left.  Sammy is 4th and 2 on their own 33.  They go for it and come up short.  They should have punted but their D isn't the best and that will tell down the road.

NDSU rolled.  They appear unstoppable.  Its not spectacular but it just keeps coming at you.  The defense is strong and stingy.  The offense is loaded with running backs.  The red shirt freshman QB they played looks like a big winner.  Stick is Steady Eddie but the freshman is charging ahead.  It looks like the Bison wil be in good hands when the Ducks roll around.  

[Yotes]

NDSU rolled? They played a D2 team and looking at the box it was only 17-0 at half.

[aldewitt]

Yea, they rolled.  The game was never in doubt.  By the time it was over everyone on the NDSU bench played.    NDSU kept the lid on it.  The best explanation I have heard was the coaches were breaking tendencies to make it harder for opposing coaches down the schedule to game plan.  

This has been a suspicion of mine for many years.  Right now they are setting up JMU.  They are also sending signals to the Ducks.  They got a look at Lance and later in last nights game they saw a lot of the team they will face.

UNA is a stout team.  They remind me of UND without Santiago.  They come at you physically using the old Mike Tyson philosophy:  Everyone has a plan A until you smash them in the mouth.  they play smash mouth and so does UNA.  UNA is just starting out and represented themselves well with a roster full of JUCO transfers.  This is not UNAs D2 roster.

Starting the transition its tough to recruit.  Recruits want a chance at the playoffs and it will be a couple of years before they can promise that so they went JUCO.  They will be competitive and are building a strong FCS program.    

[gopheryote]

Sept 16, 2018 8:54:58 GMT -6 aldewitt said:

Yea, they rolled.  The game was never in doubt.  By the time it was over everyone on the NDSU bench played.    NDSU kept the lid on it.  The best explanation I have heard was the coaches were breaking tendencies to make it harder for opposing coaches down the schedule to game plan.  

This has been a suspicion of mine for many years.  Right now they are setting up JMU.  They are also sending signals to the Ducks.  They got a look at Lance and later in last nights game they saw a lot of the team they will face.

UNA is a stout team.  They remind me of UND without Santiago.  They come at you physically using the old Mike Tyson philosophy:  Everyone has a plan A until you smash them in the mouth.  they play smash mouth and so does UNA.  UNA is just starting out and represented themselves well with a roster full of JUCO transfers.  This is not UNAs D2 roster.

Starting the transition its tough to recruit.  Recruits want a chance at the playoffs and it will be a couple of years before they can promise that so they went JUCO.  They will be competitive and are building a strong FCS program.    

Do we have an eye-rolling emoji?

[aldewitt]

Missouri State represented too with a big win over Northern Az. 40-8!   Since their loss to OK State 58-17 they have put up 92 points in 2 games allowing only 32.

[aldewitt]

double post for some reason?