Game 7—Western Michigan Broncos (2016)

[skip-zip]

What is more amazing?  The catch?  Or that there's no flag on the field for Pass Interference if he did not catch it?

[skip-zip]

13 hours ago, K92 said:

The "let's drop down" discussion is played out, no doubt, but I think we can safely say that it is more fun to be a YSU fan than an Akron fan right about now.

 

Now you'll just bring back another dead discussion instead.  "What if we dropped down a division and just won the title every year"

[K92]

22 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

Now you'll just bring back another dead discussion instead.  "What if we dropped down a division and just won the title every year"

Do you think that would be satisfying?  Do you think fans of the top FCS schools are satisfied with their playoffs or do you think they would rather go FBS and go to a bowl instead?  Just curious.  I have mixed emotions about it and sometimes wonder if Akron would be better off if we stayed D-1AA.  Moot point, for sure, but I still wonder.

[Captain Kangaroo]

5 hours ago, K92 said:

Do you think that would be satisfying?  Do you think fans of the top FCS schools are satisfied with their playoffs or do you think they would rather go FBS and go to a bowl instead?  Just curious.  I have mixed emotions about it and sometimes wonder if Akron would be better off if we stayed D-1AA.  Moot point, for sure, but I still wonder.

I guess I would have to ask the question - what would make anyone think the Zips football program would have the success that YSU, or NDSU, or App State or Georgia Southern or Marshall enjoyed during their 1-AA hey days? Based upon what I've seen over the past 30 years...a pretty relevant statistical sampling period... I'll guess the Zips would have been nothing more than minor playoff contenders, with more losing records than winning ones. 

 

At the 1-AA level: YSU had Tressel, who won multiple championships. We had Dennison...who was a decent coach.

 

YSU's losing began when Tressel left. And mysteriously kicked back in when he returned (yeah, he's not the HC, but that's irrelevant).

 

A better, more realistic question regarding the fate of UA in general and its football program would be - what if we'd hired Tressel instead of Scarborough? Tressel seems to know what it takes to win football games. And YSU's overall prospects are also trending upward since he became President. 

 

Akron blew it every which way possible when it let Tressel walk. UA had the the cure to cancer in their back pocket, and flushed it down the toilet.

[Blue & Gold]

15 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

 

A better, more realistic question regarding the fate of UA in general and its football program would be - what if we'd hired Tressel instead of Scarborough? Tressel seems to know what it takes to win football games. And YSU's overall prospects are also trending upward since he became President. 

 

Akron blew it every which way possible when it let Tressel walk. UA had the the cure to cancer in their back pocket, and flushed it down the toilet.

Amen.  Worst decision. Ever.

[K92]

3 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

I guess I would have to ask the question - what would make anyone think the Zips football program would have the success that YSU, or NDSU, or App State or Georgia Southern enjoyed during their 1-AA hey days? Baed upon what I've seen over the past 30 years...a pretty relevant statistical sampling period... I'll guess the Zips would have been nothing more than minor playoff contenders, with more losing records than winning ones. 

 

At the 1-AA level: YSU had Tressel, who won multiple championships. We had Dennison...who was a decent coach.

 

YSU's losing began when Tressel left. And mysteriously kicked back in when he returned (yeah, he's not the HC, but that's irrelevant).

 

A better, more realistic question regarding the fate of UA in general and its football program would be - what if we'd hired Tressel instead of Scarborough? Tressel seems to know what it takes to win football games. And YSU's overall prospects are also trending upward since he became President. 

 

Akron blew it every which way possible when it let Tressel walk. UA had the the cure to cancer in their back pocket, and flushed it down the toilet.

This is very true.

 

Western just capped off the greatest regular season a MAC team has ever had.  13-0.  The prize for this is to go to the Cotton Bowl and play Wisconsin.  10 times a mid-major has gotten to a "major" bowl game and the results are overwhelmingly in favor of the mid major.

 

'04  Utah over Pitt 35-7.

'06  Boise beats Oklahoma in OT 43-42.  Classic game.

'07  Georgia smokes Hawaii 41-10.

'08  Utah beats Alabama 31-17.

'09  Boise over TCU 17-10.  The only time 2 mid majors made it to a major bowl and they played each other.

'10  TCU surprises Wisconsin 21-19.

'12  FSU trounces NIU 31-10.

'13  UCF beats Baylor 52-42 in a shootout.

'14  Boise over Arizona 38-30.

'15  Houston humbles FSU 38-24.

 

Mid majors are 8-2 in this big game  (7-2 would probably be a little more honest because '09 was a mid major win no matter what happened in the game).  Utah was able to turn their success into a P5 membership.  The 2 times that mids lost, they got manhandled.  Hopefully, Western can pick up the W.

 

If the playoffs were expanded to 8 teams, this should be ample evidence for the highest ranked G5 school to be included.  Unfortunately, more years than not that would probably mean playing the number 1 seed.

 

Fun to talk about.

[kreed5120]

Yeah, I never entirely understood the reasoning behind letting Tressel walk. Sure the day to day operations of running a University might not have been his strength, but we could have easily hired a right hand man to advise him on that stuff. Just having him at fundraising events would generate more dinner plates purchased or whatever else sold. It would have also gotten more local businesses invested in the University as being associated with a cult figure like Tressel is would be good PR for them. Hell it might have even gotten some of those "OSU honks" as you guys love to refer to them, to take a mild interest in the football team and adopt them as a 2nd team.

[LZIp]

33 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

Yeah, I never entirely understood the reasoning behind letting Tressel walk. Sure the day to day operations of running a University might not have been his strength, but we could have easily hired a right hand man to advise him on that stuff. Just having him at fundraising events would generate more dinner plates purchased or whatever else sold. It would have also gotten more local businesses invested in the University as being associated with a cult figure like Tressel is would be good PR for them. Hell it might have even gotten some of those "OSU honks" as you guys love to refer to them, to take a mild interest in the football team and adopt them as a 2nd team.

What sticks out to me was the "he didn't have a doctorate" bullshit. The academia nerds got what they wanted. 

[Blue & Gold]

17 minutes ago, LZIp said:

What sticks out to me was the "he didn't have a doctorate" bullshit. The academia nerds got what they wanted. 

Exactly.  Shows you what a doctorate is worth.

[zippy5]

5 hours ago, K92 said:

Do you think that would be satisfying?  Do you think fans of the top FCS schools are satisfied with their playoffs or do you think they would rather go FBS and go to a bowl instead?  Just curious.  I have mixed emotions about it and sometimes wonder if Akron would be better off if we stayed D-1AA.  Moot point, for sure, but I still wonder.

I think if they succeed over a period of time they'd probably want to join the big boys. I'm thinking YSU fans were kicking themselves when they saw Marshall on the verge of a New Year's day bowl a couple years ago

[skip-zip]

3 hours ago, K92 said:

Mid majors are 8-2 in this big game  (7-2 would probably be a little more honest because '09 was a mid major win no matter what happened in the game).  Utah was able to turn their success into a P5 membership.  The 2 times that mids lost, they got manhandled.  Hopefully, Western can pick up the W.

 

If the playoffs were expanded to 8 teams, this should be ample evidence for the highest ranked G5 school to be included.  Unfortunately, more years than not that would probably mean playing the number 1 seed.

 

Fun to talk about.

 

I wonder how many people know this?  It's definitely legitimate data for including the best of the mid-majors in the picture.  That's why I have stated many times that I think it's damn near a crime that this system doesn't give a 13-0 team a chance to even compete for the title.  

[Lee Adams]

On 12/18/2016 at 7:46 PM, K92 said:

The "let's drop down" discussion is played out, no doubt, but I think we can safely say that it is more fun to be a YSU fan than an Akron fan right about now.

Can't argue with the tail end of your statement. I find it rather odd that folks who think 'dropping back' is taboo(not that its going to happen) appear to believe that in spite of history at Akron that soon the football program will become competitive YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. There hasn't even been an Eastern Division Championship in a decade. A lot of people on this site refer to the MAC in general when talking about being competitive year in and year out at the DI level. We can't talk about our program because it just hasn't ever happened consistently at D-I. Somebody commented that good I-AA schools won't come to a place like Akron to play. It was also commented that DI schools don't play I-AA

schools on the road. Teams like OSU don't have to go on the road to play a I-AA. The MAC is not OSU. And,those P-5 schools are going to have to get away from playing any I-AA schools if they want to be in the playoff mix. Teams Like ND State,E.Washington,S.Dakota State don't need to play at a program like Akron or KSWho because there is nothing in it for them. If they win so what? The pay day isn't that great. They are better off playing another good I-AA team or maybe getting an invite from one of the real big boys in D-I.

Akron and KSWho used to play Y.town even when Akron moved to D-I. Why not now? 

Maybe Bowden will get this thing turned into a consistent winner in the next couple of seasons But,there are still a lot of holes to fill on the field and on the sidelines.

In the meantime I'll take more than a passing glance at the I-AA championship game,reup my Zips season tix while wearing my 2005 MAC championship hat.

Happy Holidays to all!

[Captain Kangaroo]

2 hours ago, Lee Adams said:

Akron and KSWho used to play Y.town even when Akron moved to D-I. Why not now? 

By conference rule, MAC schools are prevented from playing away games at 1-AA stadiums.

 

Akron last played YSU when the Zips were an independent. Or prior to when the rule was enacted. I forget which.

 

FWIW - Kent also hasn't played @ YSU for around 20 years.

[zippy5]

Why the heck would we want to play there anyway?

[kreed5120]

Akron's 1 point loss to Gardner-Webb was probably my most humiliating experience as an Akron Zips football fan. FCS opponents are designed to be a guaranteed win to get you that 1 step closer to bowl eligibility and for G5 they are designed to offset that butt kicking you are expected to take from Bama, Michigan, or Ohio State. Playing an FCS opponent that could actually beat you does you no good, only harm. Ask Iowa how that worked out for them.

 

I will just overlook the fact for a second that dropping down would lower our public perception and that our peers would now be YSU and CSU instead of Kent, Miami, and OU. We weren't some FCS powerhouse school the 1st go at it, why are you so sure we would be now? 

Edited December 20, 2016 by kreed5120

[Captain Kangaroo]

40 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

Why the heck would we want to play there anyway?

We wouldn't. But YSU wants a home-home, 2-year contract. And MAC schools won't play @ YSU. 

 

So - we won't play YSU.

 

If YSU wants to play the Zips, they should move to 1-A. Problem solved.

[Lee Adams]

On 12/20/2016 at 3:14 PM, Captain Kangaroo said:

We wouldn't. But YSU wants a home-home, 2-year contract. And MAC schools won't play @ YSU. 

 

So - we won't play YSU.

 

If YSU wants to play the Zips, they should move to 1-A. Problem solved.

Why? They are playing for a 1-AA national championship.

[Lee Adams]

On 12/20/2016 at 3:14 PM, kreed5120 said:

Akron's 1 point loss to Gardner-Webb was probably my most humiliating experience as an Akron Zips football fan. FCS opponents are designed to be a guaranteed win to get you that 1 step closer to bowl eligibility and for G5 they are designed to offset that butt kicking you are expected to take from Bama, Michigan, or Ohio State. Playing an FCS opponent that could actually beat you does you no good, only harm. Ask Iowa how that worked out for them.

 

I will just overlook the fact for a second that dropping down would lower our public perception and that our peers would now be YSU and CSU instead of Kent, Miami, and OU. We weren't some FCS powerhouse school the 1st go at it, why are you so sure we would be now? 

U said it! Playing a 1-AA team that would likely beat U does no good for Akron or the MAC. UMMM.

[kreed5120]

18 minutes ago, Lee Adams said:

U said it! Playing a 1-AA team that would likely beat U does no good for Akron or the MAC. UMMM.

 

Akron would still be decent sized favorites so I wouldn't say Akron would likely lose. In fact I'd say it's unlikely they would. However, the possibility of them losing to YSU is significantly greater than them losing to VMI.

[K92]

21 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

Akron would still be decent sized favorites so I wouldn't say Akron would likely lose. In fact I'd say it's unlikely they would. However, the possibility of them losing to YSU is significantly greater than them losing to VMI.

Akron would not be favored against YSU this year.

[skip-zip]

8 minutes ago, K92 said:

Akron would not be favored against YSU this year.

 

Lets assume that the games would obviously always be a road game for the I-AA team. 

1) I would expect a high level MAC team to be a heavy favorite against a I-AA playoff-level team.

2) And I would expect a mid-level MAC team to still at least be favored against a playoff-level I-AA team in almost every case.  

 

That's not a prediction of game results.  Just who would be favored.  Anyone but the poorest level in I-A would generally have better talent, more size and speed, better facilities for talent development, a higher level of coaching, etc.  

 

I would apply the same thing to the Zips.  Our weakest teams would have certainly been vulnerable to a good I-AA team (unfortunately, we found that out a few years back).  But I am sure there was no I-AA team in the country that could have come to Akron in September or October (pre late season collapse) of this year, and be favored to win.   

 

 

 

 

[Zipgrad01]

16 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

Lets assume that the games would obviously always be a road game for the I-AA team. 

1) I would expect a high level MAC team to be a heavy favorite against a I-AA playoff-level team.

2) And I would expect a mid-level MAC team to still at least be favored against a playoff-level I-AA team in almost every case.  

 

That's not a prediction of game results.  Just who would be favored.  Anyone but the poorest level in I-A would generally have better talent, more size and speed, better facilities for talent development, a higher level of coaching, etc.  

 

I would apply the same thing to the Zips.  Our weakest teams would have certainly been vulnerable to a good I-AA team (unfortunately, we found that out a few years back).  But I am sure there was no I-AA team in the country that could have come to Akron in September or October (pre late season collapse) of this year, and be favored to win.   

 

 

 

 

We weren't a top 15 1-AA team. Be honest here. 

[K92]

YSU has a Sagarin rank of 60.

Akron has a Sagarin rank of 139.

[skip-zip]

10 minutes ago, Zipgrad01 said:

We weren't a top 15 1-AA team. Be honest here. 

 

???

 

So, you choose to judge our strength, speed, talent, etc., based on the where we stood in the division we played in 30 years ago?

[K92]

There are 29 FCS teams ahead of Akron in the Sagarin rankings.