Scheduling

[dan_beeding]

Just a comment about scheduling.

Two years in a row, we end the year with InSU, possibly the worst team in FCS, and SUU, who is nothing to write home about.

I am wondering if anybody else feels like this gives us a HUGE disadvantage going into the playoffs. Last year, we coasted in, and a UNH team that was good, but should have never hung around as long as they did, came into the dome and gave us a major scare. Then we got beat pretty well by UD.

It had the feeling as though the guys got complacent, expecting every game to be a blow out in our favor. Especially with Delaware, we got down, panicked and completely vacated our bread and butter, the running game. With MSU, InSU and SUU being the only pins standing in our way of the playoffs, I wanted to get some thoughts from others about this.

[Panther-Sheik]

Re: Scheduling

I don't think this was the reason for our loss or scare last year. There are equally as many that would probably argue that it was an extra week or two of rest and healing. I think UNH had a very solid team last year and it was a close game as a result. I saw the UD game as a mis-play by the coaching and bad timing on a turn over or two. I thought we abandoned the run way too soon and had a fumble returned for a TD. We came out ready to play and played very well to start though.

[UNIFanSince1983]

Re: Scheduling

I agree with Sheik.

This year, however, I see SUU as a trap game. They are much much improved and have a terrible place to play because for their home games they only draw about 3,000 people.

[JayJ79]

Re: Scheduling

There are positives and negatives to this sort of schedule.

If you play a not-so-tough team, it might give you a chance to rest some starters that are banged up. where as if you finish the game with a tough game (or especially a tough, crucial conference game), you'd be more likely to play them, possibly aggravating the injuries.

Personally, I think a good team should be able to not only win tough games, but also be able to be smart enough not to let easier games disrupt their momentum.

But I do think that SUU could be somewhat of a trap game if they're not careful.

[UNIAlum95]

Re: Scheduling

They are much much improved and have a terrible place to play because for their home games they only draw about 3,000 people.

If InSU has 3K people, I will be shocked. I don't think crowd size is the trap for that game. It's a trap because they are better than their record and we have a long trip ahead of us. That said, if we take care of business the next two weeks, the guys won't be coasting into that game. They know they'll be playing for a seed.

[UNIAlum95]

Re: Scheduling

FWIW we had the toughest #1 seed bracket I've seen in a long time last year.

[Mountain Panther]

Re: Scheduling

FWIW we had the toughest #1 seed bracket I've seen in a long time last year.

Bingo.

And regarding cake games at the end of the year, it's also good to have hurt starters rest up before the playoffs.

[JayJ79]

Re: Scheduling

FWIW we had the toughest #1 seed bracket I've seen in a long time last year.

The committee only seeds the top 4.
Which means that a seed only gets you:
a) home games if you meet the minimum bid for each round (assuming you're not playing a higher seed)
b) the guarantee that you won't play one of the other 3 seeds in the first two rounds.

It does NOT mean that you will get the easiest opponent from the non-seeded playoff participants.

[06panther10]

Re: Scheduling

With that said, I think we can all agree that being seeded number 1 is generally recognized as having the easiest road to the championship. Afterall, it IS the number 1 seed. And I do think that we had a tougher road than the number 1 usually would have last year.

As for the scheduling, I kind of think it can work to our advantage. I mean, right now we are coasting to the end of the year playing teams like Indiana State, which are virtually un-losable, while teams like SIU are playing tough games down the stretch trying to get into the playoffs. We already played the tough games and can just sit back and wait for them to screw up.

[Pantherpower]

Re: Scheduling

With that said, I think we can all agree that being seeded number 1 is generally recognized as having the easiest road to the championship. Afterall, it IS the number 1 seed. And I do think that we had a tougher road than the number 1 usually would have last year.

As for the scheduling, I kind of think it can work to our advantage. I mean, right now we are coasting to the end of the year playing teams like Indiana State, which are virtually un-losable, while teams like SIU are playing tough games down the stretch trying to get into the playoffs. We already played the tough games and can just sit back and wait for them to screw up.

Yep. As a fan you can look at it in golf terms saying the Panthers have the lead in the clubhouse and SIU is still out on the course with a couple of tough holes yet to play. Hoping they hit a wicked-nasty slice O.B. against the bunnies next week!

[JayJ79]

Re: Scheduling

I'm kind of torn.
Yes, it would be nice for UNI to win the autobid, which would mean SIU would have to lose.
But would an SIU loss really help our chances for a seed?

And I'd hate to see the MVFC possibly be a single-bid league for the first time in like a decade or more.

[TravelingPanther]

Re: Scheduling

I don't think the autobid has anything to do with the seed. If we win out, I think we get seeded.

[JayJ79]

Re: Scheduling

I don't think the autobid has anything to do with the seed. If we win out, I think we get seeded.

I'd like to believe that.
However, with the usual east coast bias, and the Montana hype,
along with the perception that the MVFC overall might be kind of down this year,
I worry a little.

[Cat80]

Re: Scheduling

I'd like to believe that.
However, with the usual east coast bias, and the Montana hype,
along with the perception that the MVFC overall might be kind of down this year,
I worry a little.

I worry a lot. An SIU loss will give UNI the autobid, but I don't think we back into a seed that way. It may have happened, but does anyone remember a seeded team NOT being an autobid team? UNI could finish 10-2, get it's first at large bid and be considered team 11-14 in the field. A SIU loss may get us home cooking for a week or two, but a seed? IMO highly unlikely.

[JayJ79]

Re: Scheduling

UNI won't be considered "team 11-14" (unless they lose to InSU or SUU), regardless of what SIU does.

But really, it only matters whether you're in the top 4 teams or not. As they are the only ones guaranteed home games (assuming they meet the minimum bid requirements). Beyond that, it's all a matter of bidding (i.e. $$$), how the regionality shakes out, and perhaps whoever the committee is partial to.