NCAA Division 1 Championship - Friday Night

[Blue Hen]

..enough said

[Stumpy Stew]

Should be a good game betweend the #1 seeded Montana Grizzilies and the #2 seeded Villanova Wildcats. I think Montana wins it this year, thus App. St. lost to the Nat'l Champs 2 years in a row. hehe

[Blue Hen]

Have you ever seen a bigger offensive line than Montana's ? 3 starters are 6'7" and one is 6'-8"

[Bucs90]

You know what would be cool? If the BCS National Championship and the 1-AA National Championship were played on the same day at the same stadium. Not sure logistically how that would work, but it would be cool.

UNFORTUNATELY......1-AA has a playoff which concludes in early December, and the BCS has the system which extends the football season an extra month!!

[Stumpy Stew]

Well next year it's gonna happen. Not in the same stadium but the same weekend. The FCS championship game is moving to January (the first Saturday I think) because the playoff is expanding to 20 teams.

[Blue Hen]

So every conference has a qualifier ?

[Stumpy Stew]

no, the Patriot and the Big South are now automatic qualifers and the NCAA says that you must have at least 50% at large, which is why it's going to 20teams. A bad rule IMHO

[Bucs90]

I've always thought it would be cool if D3, D2, D1-AA and D1-A had all their champ games on the same weekend at the same stadium, like the SC High School leagues do. It gives the small schools a chance to rub shoulders with the big ones, players and fans alike. In SC high school it's really cool. Would make a spectacular college football weekend and event IMO.

Although, I do love the small school atmosphere, but would be cool to see Nova vs Montana in the Rose Bowl the night before Bama vs Texas.

[Blue Hen]

I agree. I think I'd like to see more AQs and less ALs.

[Bucs90]

I agree. I think I'd like to see more AQs and less ALs.

So, Hen, what do you think about recent talks of conference expansion? Two in particular, the Big 10 and Big South. USA Today led with a story on sports page today saying Big 10 officially considering expansion. Paterno wants Rutgers, Pitt or Syracuse. He said no Notre Dame.

And the Big South is really pushing for some new teams. Stoney Brook won't be there long. NY is too far away, they are using the Big South as a springboard to a bigger Northeast based conference. So knowing SBU is destined to leave, the Big South is looking. Savannah State was considered, but they have corruption knee deep. SSU wants to be in the MEAC, but MEAC don't want them. Jacksonville is who Big South wanted, but they are settled in Pioneer League. Davidson would be a dream team pickup for Big South, but they want all sports in same conf, and they won't leave SoCon due to basketball. They initially wanted to go hard after UNC-Charlotte since they are starting football, but UNC-C is building a 40,000 seat stadium, and shooting for 1-A fast.

I've heard West Georgia wants to go 1-AA, and would be a great pick. But IMO, the Big South needs a Tennessee or Georgia school, and Tusculum is a great choice to lobby for. They have 1-AA facilities already and a competitive football program. Also heard upstart Campbell U in NC was considered. But the Big South is a very solid 1-AA conference and they are improving with each year.

As for the Big 10, who knows. I think Rutgers is the perfect fit really. That would give the other Big Ten schools some footing in the fertile New Jersey recruiting area. They already have it, but offering a kid a chance to come home and play in front of his family could be the deciding factor between Ohio State and UF or Texas. I don't see Pitt or Cuse leaving the Big East.

[Blue Hen]

I don't have an opinion on the FCS expansion. The Big south is a 'coming' league. Have you kept up with all the CAA changes ? It will look quite differently in 2011. Northeastern and Hofstra have dropped football. Georgia State and Old Dominion are joining and there is another Southern University wanting membership...UNC-Charlotte. Saw their ambitious stadium plans. The Southern Division is really getting strong. Towson and Delaware will probably be shifted to the CAA North and if the Southern Div grows to 7, the North division will likely add Albany State to have 7.

B10 expansion ? I think it happens soon . The league is missing out on some big revenue without a CCG and everything in FBS football is pretty much revenue driven.

[Blue Hen]

Interesting idea

[GatorGrad]

no, the Patriot and the Big South are now automatic qualifers and the NCAA says that you must have at least 50% at large, which is why it's going to 20teams. A bad rule IMHO

If that rule sticks, then there would be no way for a 16 team FBS playoff that includes all 11 conference champs + 5 at large bids...correct?

[Blue Hen]

Interesting that Montana is the #1 seed in the playoff but Villanova is a 2 point favorite.

[CJHawkeyes]

So Montana could be ONLY the fourth perfect FCS team since the division was established in 1978? That couldn't be because a playoff makes for a more competitive division and encourages more competitive OOC games?

[TigerStripe]

Villanova gets its first-ever football national title.

Montana 21
Villanova 23
Final

Villanova had 2 100-yard rushers: QB Chris Whitney (103 yards) and RB Matt Szczur (159 yards).

[CJHawkeyes]

FWIW, higher seeds under my system go 12-3 in the FCS playoffs.

[Blue Hen]

So Montana could be ONLY the fourth perfect FCS team since the division was established in 1978? That couldn't be because a playoff makes for a more competitive division and encourages more competitive OOC games?

Playoff sports are more competitive than exhibition sports...regular and post season...common knowledge.

[Blue Hen]

Nice goin NOVA...National Champs !! What great coaching adjustments by the VU staff at halftime. Howie Long is proud. Congrats to a great Montana team for their season. Villanova is a fine school and has SAC quality FB standards and classy, intelligent players.

Interesting that Sagarin's computer says Villanova is stronger than 28 'bowl' teams...and stronger than 67.5% of the entire FBS .

[MasterBevo]

.

Interesting that Sagarin's computer says Villanova is stronger than 28 'bowl' teams...and stronger than 67.5% of the entire FBS .

Interesting, but not surprising to me....

GOOD teams from smaller schools can beat BAD teams from big schools...