Nicholls State

[coyote70]

I think from here on out our team's success will depend on our quarterback more than anything else. In the playoffs, opponents are often not as familiar with each other as they would be if they were in the same conference. If Strev is healthy, we could have some success and win a few games.

I think it boils down to that - kind of like the NFL. You know, Brady, Manning, Case Keenum, (ha!) etc. Same thing in my opinion.

[Yotes]

I really like this draw for us. Nichols State should be a comfortable victory, and then Sam Houston State and Jacksonville State are teams with gaudy records built in terrible conferences. There isn't one standout win among the first three teams we would face.

All of our games will be in the deep south, the lone possible exception being a trip to Fargo. One could expect favorable conditions in all of these games far from home.

Finally, I'd rather have our road go through Fargo than James Madison, and we still wouldn't have to go there until the semis.

I think we got the best possible draw, aside from not hosting Nichols. I'm expecting this to be a great run.

[gopheryote]

I'm excited for the game! One thing I am clearly missing here though: why would we be considered heavy favorites? What don't I know? I see it as a road game in a very unfamiliar setting against a team that has played well against some good teams. Playoff games favor home teams, right?

[wylie]

Nov 19, 2017 12:34:23 GMT -6 elcoyote said:

I don't really understand how we're not hosting and yes, I understand it's a bid process. I checked out their stadium and it's really nothing more than a glorified high school field. The Dome would have a higher seating capacity I would think. Other than that, I do like our draw and that of the entire MVFC for that matter. The conference should win a lot of playoff games.

Totally agree- I can't figure out how we get outbid by Nichols. Traveling on Thanksgiving weekend on top of the rigorous MVFC schedule has to be taxing. We need to get this figured out for the future! The good news is we have Streveler who is an ironman!

[Yotes]

Nov 19, 2017 19:27:59 GMT -6 gopheryote said:

I'm excited for the game! One thing I am clearly missing here though: why would we be considered heavy favorites? What don't I know? I see it as a road game in a very unfamiliar setting against a team that has played well against some good teams. Playoff games favor home teams, right?

Sure, playing at home helps them. But there are a lot of indicators that USD is a much better team. The Southland is a poor conference. Nichols finished 3rd while avoiding the 1st place team and losing 66-17 to the 2nd place team. Sagarin ratings have the MVFC as the best FCS conference, Southland is 8th. Sagarin has USD as a top 10 team in the FCS, Nichols is all the way down by Southern Illinois and UND.

Playing on the road isn't on our favor, but everything else is.

[Coyote Fan]

I would like the Coyotes chances much better overall had the playoffs started after the Indiana State game. Unfortunately the last 5 games happened and therefor the chances of making a run on the road are just not that good. The Coyotes are not a good road team and even against teams that one would think they should beat turn into games that end up being decided at the end and if that happens I don't like the Coyotes chances. They panic and tend to turn the ball over late in games where a play or two ends up deciding a game. If the Coyotes are to get as far as the semi's they will have to beat a team like Sam Houston and Jacksonville State who are at least as good as Illinois State or UNI and the Coyotes didn't win those games. If they can't beat mid level Valley teams on the road they likely won't beat seeded teams on the road either. Just the reality of the situation that the Coyotes have created for themselves. I agree that the Valley is the toughest conference but the 5th best team is still an under dog on the road against a 1st or 2nd place team in a weaker conference. The confidence right now is low on this team compared to where it was and that is not the kind of a mentality that travels well.

[kiyoat]

Manning Field @ John L. Guidry Stadium (Thibodaux, LA) - Capacity 10,500

This is the site of the Manning Passing Acadamy football camp.

The field turf is brand-new this year, and supposedly is one of the safest field turf/pad systems in the industry right now.  It sure looks nice.

Forecast: 75 F and sunny, 8MH winds, 52 percent humidity.  Perfect weather, nice field.  Our team will be right at home.

[Coyote Fan]

A very nice looking field with a pretty crummy looking grand stand. If I could choose between sitting on a crappy bleacher with a good view of the field from a high angle I would take that over a nice comfortable seat with a bad view of the field. Not to say that the view is either good or bad but to me any old seat would do.

[flagshipU]

Nicholls State will not be an easy opponent as some suggest. They will be a high quality team with great athletes. To take them lightly, would be a serious mistake. I know that our coaching staff certainly will not be doing so and I hope that our players give them the respect they deserve as well.

[wiley]

I'm not that surprised we aren't hosting to be honest. I would love to have the game in Vermillion, but it's so hard to bid on a game and expect a lot of people to show up on a holiday weekend, especially students (not that their turnout is great). Very likely that most teams lose money on the first week's games. Also guessing if we hosted, we may very well be in NDSU's part of the bracket the way it appears the committee regionalized teams.

[aldewitt]

For the first round: USD Coyotes @ Nicholls Colonels.  Southland conference foe.  They lost their last game to a 7-3 unranked conference finisher.  Finished 3rd @ 7-2 tied with Mcneese St. whom they beat by 2 in the first game of the season.  Mcneese was ranked by AGS but did not go to the playoffs. The Colonels were swamped 66-17 by SHSU. They didn't play conference champion Central Arkansas which went undefeated.  Home crowds ranged from 5,000 - 9,500.

Their best game was Texas A&M.  They lost 24-14.  Overall they play in a weak conference.  They finished ranked 31 in the AGS poll.  I was suprised they are in.


PREDICTED WINNER:  USD -11
TYPICAL SCORE:  USD 31 NICHOLLS COLONELS 20
OVER/UNDER:  51

I expect the Coyotes to win.  It could look like the Drake game, maybe SIU or even Indiana State.  They didn't score above 20 in their losses to better teams.  They might get chincy like they did against Texas A&M.  If they do it will look like 31-20.  If they don't get chincy and play a typical game it could get out of hand and send the locals home early.  11 is a fair spot.

I am taking USD to cover the 11.  I am going with the over.

 

[flagshipU]

While it sucks from a fan's standpoint to not host a game, it may be the best thing for the team to establish a routine and prepare for the game, especially knowing that round 2 would be on the road to a similar part of the county.

I will tell you this from experience; this will be one of the best (most memorable) Thanksgiving meals that the players will ever experience. Pretty special to still be playing over Thanksgiving when you are in the FCS.

[bt71]

Nov 20, 2017 8:48:40 GMT -6 flagshipU said:

Nicholls State will not be an easy opponent as some suggest. They will be a high quality team with great athletes. To take them lightly, would be a serious mistake. I know that our coaching staff certainly will not be doing so and I hope that our players give them the respect they deserve as well.

With the way this team has approached the entire season do we really think the players are going to overlook Nichols State? We were one of the last 2 in and I think that gives them a chip on their shoulder. There is no way we take this game lightly and you can take that to the bank. My only concern is the health of the team.

[yodayote]

Nov 20, 2017 8:51:59 GMT -6 wiley said:

I'm not that surprised we aren't hosting to be honest. I would love to have the game in Vermillion, but it's so hard to bid on a game and expect a lot of people to show up on a holiday weekend, especially students (not that their turnout is great). Very likely that most teams lose money on the first week's games. Also guessing if we hosted, we may very well be in NDSU's part of the bracket the way it appears the committee regionalized teams.

Students are irrelevant, they don't pay for tickets anyway.  Next year it would be advantageous to host a 1st round game and sell the student section to paying spectators as a cheap general admission ticket to get them in the door.

[wiley]

Good point yoda. Probably included students more strictly from an attendance perspective and home field advantage. But you're right, Should have little to no impact on the bid.