After Game Thoughts

[indianahusker]

You have some good points about Div. ll football, but Maine was not a good ball club.  They were middle of their conference last year.  Husker mistakes were their own fault.  Maine had nothing to do with the ... I still can't believe that when the state of montana packs every person into their 20,000 seat stadium, you think it can compete with Nebraska ... NU is one of the most storied programs in the nation, with the best fans in the world, there is no argument there.

I was not talking about D-II except that ridiculous I-A fans post obligatory slurs like that, thanks for once again proving my point. Look at these ratings for all of the NCAA:

 

39 James Madison

50 Harvard

63 New Hampshire

66 William & Mary

 

71 Nebraska

 

75 Montana

77 Delaware

79 S Illinois

80 Ga Southern

87 Furman

88 E Washington

90 Cal Poly

95 Villanova

99 Sam Houston St

101 Massachusetts

102 Penn

104 Northeastern

106 N Dakota St

108 Maine

 

That makes Maine the #18 team in I-AA last year according to Massey (http://www.masseyratings.com/rate.php?lg=cf&yr=2004) who has a BCS computer system that rates all of NCAA football. Oh, and looky there... three A-10 teams are ranked ahead of Nebraska... and Maine is the eighth-ranked A-10 team... so out of 12 teams Maine was eighth, not in the middle.

 

Everyone knows that Maine knocked off an SEC team last year and surely everyone knows that they could not possibly have any affect on the great Nebraska team this year...

 

I went to the University of Michigan's stadium, you know, the "BIG HOUSE" and I have also been to the Montana Stadium. Guess what, Mich had 110K and Montana had 23+K and Montana was much louder. It has to do with acoustics, not the number of fans.

 

BTW, I have never slighted Nebraska fans (NU= Northeastern in I-AA) so I'll let you stay all paranoid and insular while I enjoy a knowledgable college football existance. Bon voyageeeeeeee!

Wow...good research, excellent points.

[IrishAZ]

So, is this a running argument for the validity of I-AA football or a comparison of Maine to NU?

 

Sure, granted, there are lots of good athletes in I-AA that perhaps don't make the NFL that should just by virtue of being in lower profile programs. And there are plenty of NFL standouts that have come from I-AA.

 

And absolutely, I believe that smaller programs can compete with larger programs, regardless of Division, and win (vis the "Giant Killer" role ND used to have back in the leather helmet days or the recent success of teams like UConn and UAB).

 

However, you can't deny the .800+ winning pct of IA over IAA.

 

And it's hard to argue with 25-7 as well.

 

IRISH!

GBR!

[ralph]

So, is this a running argument for the validity of I-AA football or a comparison of Maine to NU?

Sure, granted, there are lots of good athletes in I-AA that perhaps don't make the NFL that should just by virtue of being in lower profile programs. And there are plenty of NFL standouts that have come from I-AA.

And absolutely, I believe that smaller programs can compete with larger programs, regardless of Division, and win  (vis the "Giant Killer" role ND used to have back in the leather helmet days or the recent success of teams like UConn and UAB).

However, you can't deny the .800+ winning pct of IA over IAA.

And it's hard to argue with 25-7 as well. ...

I-AA has alums that are perhaps the best ever in the NFL. While I-AA alums only make up 10% of the NFL for various reasons, real college football watchers know what I mean, my point is that Maine vs. Nebraska is not a cupcake game for the Cornhuskers. It was proven last Saturday. Just give some respect, even if it kills you (I know as a fan that it does). Visit a website I publish if you want to find out... http://www.I-AA.org and you'll find out how your cost-containment brethren in D-I operate and succeed without the BCS $$$ and decide their champion on the field with a playoff like the rest of NCAA football. I come here with the utmost respect for Nebraska football and their respectful fans, just not those who smack other subclassification teams. Undoubtably you'll be seeing more I-AA in the future so cool it on the smack and enjoy the games. Its not the end of your season if I-AA beats or plays you close. Its D-I football. Sure, I-A has more $$$ and 22 more scholarships and should always win but some seasons I-AA wins 30+% of the time. No biggie. It doesn't make I-AA feel bigger. It shouldn't make I-A feel smaller. I-AA plays I-AA in front of 70+K every year so I-A stadiums aren't scary. I-AA is not afraid of the dark or any other analogy that might be given. We may all be D-I with BCS and PCS very soon anyway. Playoffs or not may soon be the choice. I-A should have a playoff anyway, it would dwarf the basketball tourney if they would ever get it together. They probably won't though. ramble... ramble... ramble... ramble... Sorry. good night huskers and have a great season!

 

Come by http://www.anygivensaturday.com for a I-AA national messageboard.

[Blackshirtsguru]

Come by http://www.anygivensaturday.com for a I-AA national messageboard.

No thanks I think I am washing my hair that day!

[NamelessHusker]

Maine did not cause Cory Ross to fumble the ball twice. He did that on his own cause he could not protect the ball. Had Maine punched it out of his hands, that would be a different story. Ross did the same thing last year against DIV-AA Western Illinois. He fumbled twice in critical area. I will give Maine credit for the 2 interceptions. Maine forced our QB to throw those 2 picks when he clearly should not have.

 

Maine had a good game, but to say Maine deserves credit just because we had a bad offensive production is pretty lame. Maine did not even capatilize on those turnovers. Not even 1 of them. That just goes to show you how far behind DIV-AA is from Div-A teams. Every once in a while a DIV-AA team manages to give a DIV-A team a run for it's money, but if you break down those games, it usually the DIV-A team making mistakes during it's first game of the season. Usually Div-AA teams get the snot beat out of them. Did Maine play a good game? Yes. Did they play a great game? No

 

In the last 10 years, Nebraska has played 128 games. 8 of those have been against DIV-AA (although 3 of those 8 was against Troy which is now DIV-A). They were outscored 302-95 (avg 38-12). We definetly kept Maine in that range, but we were about 2 touchdowns shy of our average. If you count our RB not fumbling at Maines goaline and our offense punching it in on the other play from the 2 yard line, there's your 38 point average. We just simply shot ourselves in the foot. If NU had punched in those 2 touchdowns, we wouldn't be having this discussion

[NamelessHusker]

Here is more info to consider

 

NU 25 Maine 7 =NU 5 turnovers

LA Monroe 24 Northwestern St 27 = LA Monroe 5 turnovers

KSU 35 Fla Internation 21 = KSU 5 turnovers

Mich 33 Northern Illinois 17 = Mich 3 turnovers

Iowa St 31 Illinois St 21 = 4 turnovers

Oklahoma St 15 Montana St 10 = 2 turnover

Troy 27 Cal Poly 10 = Troy 3 turnovers

 

You get the general idea. You give any team 2 or 3 turnovers, of course they are going to be in the game. You give them 5, hell yeah they will be sticking around for much longer then you want them to. If Maine proved how much more we need to go, then NU proved how far behind Maine is and the rest of DIV-AA is

[ralph]

Here is more info to consider

 

NU 25 Maine 7 =NU 5 turnovers

LA Monroe 24 Northwestern St 27 = LA Monroe 5 turnovers

KSU 35 Fla Internation 21 = KSU 5 turnovers

Mich 33 Northern Illinois 17 = Mich 3 turnovers

Iowa St 31 Illinois St 21 = 4 turnovers

Oklahoma St 15 Montana St 10 = 2 turnover

Troy 27 Cal Poly 10 = Troy 3 turnovers

 

You get the general idea. You give any team 2 or 3 turnovers, of course they are going to be in the game. You give them 5, hell yeah they will be sticking around for much longer then you want them to. If Maine proved how much more we need to go, then NU proved how far behind Maine is and the rest of DIV-AA is

Thanks for your esteemed opinion but it would carry a bit more weight if you hadn't listed two I-A teams as I-AA. Florida International and Northern Illinois are not I-AA. Plus I'm assuming you think Maine, Northwestern State, Illinois State, Montana State and Cal Poly had no turnovers of their own?

 

A recent study has shown that I-AA plays BCS I-A closer than non-BCS I-A does. Sorry you didn't get your blowout, maybe you should have played Idaho.

[cubhusker23]

I think you guys are missing a huge point, it's a great thing that this game was close regardless of divisional rankings. Our players needed experience and they wouldn't have gotten it if we were up by 30 points. Having a close game like that can really improve the team by getting real-time experience. I don't care if we were playing Northwest Poly Po-Dunk U, we can use this game as a barometer of what we need to do to improve.

[AF_Husker]

Great points made.

 

Any given Saturday, any team can beat another.

[Bring Out The Gimp]

These are the Gimp's top 10 positive things from Sat...

 

10. No penalties! Awesome for a first game. Definitely give credit to the coaching staff for that!

 

9. 11 Sacks! Enough said!

 

8. The recruits in town loved Nebraska (Bradford especially!)

 

7. Punt return yardage (a little shaky with communication and hands but at least we have some solid talent out there).

 

6. Mike McNeill committed!

 

5. Congdon looked great! We will have a sweet kicker for the next 4 years!

 

4. -6 Rushing yards for Maine!

 

3. The North is 6-0...South 3-2!

 

2. Oklahoma lost! Pittsburgh lost! Wake Forest lost!

 

1. We are 1-0 and this game counts towards making a bowl!

 

The Gimp has spoken.

[formerfan]

Ralph,

 

Maine deserves credit for playing hard, and giving NU all it could handle. NU certainly didnt play a very good game, at least offensively. Maine is not even a top level 1AA school, so NU should have won by a much larger margin.

 

Maine, congrats on a good showing. NU has work to do.

 

 

NEXT!!!!!!!!!!

[clone]

One offensive TD against Maine does not bode well. No spin will change that.

[BigRedJake]

Ralph,

 

Maine deserves credit for playing hard, and giving NU all it could handle. NU certainly didnt play a very good game, at least offensively. Maine is not even a top level 1AA school, so NU should have won by a much larger margin.

 

Maine, congrats on a good showing. NU has work to do.

 

 

NEXT!!!!!!!!!!

Darnit Former, that's for us to use against you!

[formerfan]

Ralph,

 

Maine deserves credit for playing hard, and giving NU all it could handle.  NU certainly didnt play a very good game, at least offensively. Maine is not even a top level 1AA school, so NU should have won by a much larger margin.

 

Maine, congrats on a good showing. NU has work to do.

 

 

NEXT!!!!!!!!!!

Darnit Former, that's for us to use against you!

 

[NamelessHusker]

Thanks for your esteemed opinion but it would carry a bit more weight if you hadn't listed two I-A teams as I-AA. Florida International and Northern Illinois are not I-AA.

 

Florida International just moved up to Div-A this year. They do not even have a year under their belt. Once they finish out the minimum 2 year evaluation period and STAY in DIV-A, then they earn the title of a DIV-A school. Keep in mind, DIV-A schools have to keep an average of 34,000 plus fans to stay in DIV-A level. With schools like Miami, Florida, Florida St, Central Florida, South Florida who are already DIV-A schools, there is no gurantee that they might even survive that and could be back in DIV-AA by the end of next season. You also have Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, and Buthane Cookman (DIV-AA) competing for a fan base.

 

Thanks for pointing out the Northern Illinois thing. I mixed up Northern Illinois with Northern Iowa becaus Northern Iowa has played Iowa St 3 of the last 4 years i believe. Thinking one thing and typing another. Northern Illinois dropped out of DIV-A for a couple of years to DIV-AA i believe and dropped back in to DIV-A.