Topic: SBC Bowl Games

[Flat Tire 2]

Troy #24 beat #25 UTSA last night 18-12. Currently SBC teams have three wins and two loses in bowl games. There still two more SBC bowl games left with CCU vs ECU and  GA Southern vs Buffalo.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/scoreboard

[gochneaur645]

That was 8 days ago. Yesterday was Louisiana blowing it late to Houston.

[MUther]

Not a bad loss against a would be Big 12 team from a middle of the road SBC team.  Seems like Houston adjusted and shut out the second half.  But it would have been one of our bigger scalps with the win just on name.

We did our part and that's all we can control.  I do wish we could have given Houston a taste of our defense.  If Louisiana could hold them to 23 I bet we could have held them to under 15.  They might have done the same to us though with Cam not 100%.

[Buffalo Bop]

https://twitter.com/TheHerdAD/status/1607868182739533826?s=20&t=N2-604HJIvY_dqKngUCPTA

[mu79grad]

Coastal Carolina is about ready to lose big against ECU.  I would have loved to have seen a EVU-MU match-up.  QB Ahlers would have been a good test for our defense. 

[coalherd]

Coastal Carolina is about ready to lose big against ECU.  I would have loved to have seen a EVU-MU match-up.  QB Ahlers would have been a good test for our defense.

Don't believe CCU's "All World" QB was playing in their bowl game, IIRC. 

[MicDrass1]

Coastal had many opt for draft or portal.  Winning until qb McCall Hurt in late 2nd Q.  Played many backups.  Mostly on D

[yogiherd]

Don't believe CCU's "All World" QB was playing in their bowl game, IIRC.

Yes McCall was playing and injured on the TD that put Coastal ahead 14-10 early in the game. He was hit and flipped at the goal line and came down on his head but scored on his 7-8 yard run.  I quit watching when ECU went up 24-14 and a reserve QB had been playing for Coastal since McCall's injury.

[svherd]

Houston's done a good job at ECU, getting them back on track. They'll be a very tough out for us next fall. Thankfully, their QB leaves.

[herdorbust2]

Imo the SB was a disappointment in football this year. CC was winning by the skin of their teeth early on the year and then feel apart at the end. App had an awful year with all they had coming back. We blew it after the big win at ND. Louisiana has fell off since Napier left. Troy was the bright spot this year. Solid conference but imo underperformed according to expectations.

[whf]

Imo the SB was a disappointment in football this year. CC was winning by the skin of their teeth early on the year and then feel apart at the end. App had an awful year with all they had coming back. We blew it after the big win at ND. Louisiana has feel off since Napier left. Troy was the bright spot this year. Solid conference but imo underperformed according to expectations.

I agree, I don't see the upgrade anticipated from/through the move. Now based on what C-USA has become after the original departures to the AAC, we are much better off than still being in the current C-USA.

Just think, three of the four transfers in we bowl eligible on win qualification, only ODU wasn't. That means, however, that of what would have been 8 qualified teams, three came in new.  There is a lot to be done at all three levels in the conference, top, mid and bottom.  If the conference wants that vaunted "best of the G5" position, it better get better quick.

[herdorbust2]

I agree, I don't see the upgrade anticipated from/through the move. Now based on what C-USA has become after the original departures to the AAC, we are much better off than still being in the current C-USA.

Just think, three of the four transfers in we bowl eligible on win qualification, only ODU wasn't. That means, however, that of what would have been 8 qualified teams, three came in new.  There is a lot to be done at all three levels in the conference, top, mid and bottom.  If the conference wants that vaunted "best of the G5" position, it better get better quick.

I said all along that CC was a 2 year wonder. Louisiana and App St were do to crash after Napier left and App has been living off their past to a point. Agree it's still better to be here than what CUSA has become but it's no better than what CUSA was. But there also is some good rivalries. But just from a football standpoint I don't see the step up either.

[gochneaur645]

Agree it's still better to be here than what CUSA has become but it's no better than what CUSA was.

Despite what I agree was a relatively disappointing season, the Sun Belt finished 7th this year in almost every computer poll. That's ahead of Independents, MWC, C-USA, and the MAC.

Last year, C-USA finished next to last, ahead of only the MAC.

Computer polls aren't the be-all end-all of everything, but I don't think it's fair to say the SBC is no better than what C-USA was. And it's a helluva lot better than what C-USA is going to be.

[herdorbust2]

Despite what I agree was a relatively disappointing season, the Sun Belt finished 7th this year in almost every computer poll. That's ahead of Independents, MWC, C-USA, and the MAC.

Last year, C-USA finished next to last, ahead of only the MAC.

Computer polls aren't the be-all end-all of everything, but I don't think it's fair to say the SBC is no better than what C-USA was. And it's a helluva lot better than what C-USA is going to be.

Ok let's say barely. I would say WKU is the best of both conferences. My point is the SB isn't this big powerful conference like some were expecting. Anybody could see CC struck lighting for a couple years and was even worse this year than their record they squeezed out some awful games like Gardner Webb. And got pummeled by teams at the end of the year. Louisiana feel off and that was easy to see after Napier left. App St crashed and burned big time. Yes it is a decent conference and we had to go but it was a dissapointing arson from what people expected.

[herdfifteen]

Imo the SB was a disappointment in football this year. CC was winning by the skin of their teeth early on the year and then feel apart at the end. App had an awful year with all they had coming back. We blew it after the big win at ND. Louisiana has feel off since Napier left. Troy was the bright spot this year. Solid conference but imo underperformed according to expectations.

Agree with that assessment, essentially posted that on the Sun Belt board and they ripped me a new one for saying it. Too, these things do run in cycles so this may have just been a bad one for the SB. I think Marshall and Troy were the best teams in the conference, but overall the conference underperformed.

[gochneaur645]

WKU lost at home to Troy. Didn't even make the C-USA title game. Definitely not the best of both conferences.

I agree CC was overrated and that their immediate future looks bleak with no Chadwell/McCall. But despite all the crashing and burning you're talking about, the numbers still say the SBC was clearly the 2nd best G5 conference.

Marshall, JMU, and App State will dominate the East going forward and make it the strongest G5 division.

[herdfan129]

WKU lost at home to Troy. Didn't even make the C-USA title game. Definitely not the best of both conferences.

I agree CC was overrated and that their immediate future looks bleak with no Chadwell/McCall. But despite all the crashing and burning you're talking about, the numbers still say the SBC was clearly the 2nd best G5 conference.

Marshall, JMU, and App State will dominate the East going forward and make it the strongest G5 division.

And we will do it on ESPN too!

[herdorbust2]

WKU lost at home to Troy. Didn't even make the C-USA title game. Definitely not the best of both conferences.

I agree CC was overrated and that their immediate future looks bleak with no Chadwell/McCall. But despite all the crashing and burning you're talking about, the numbers still say the SBC was clearly the 2nd best G5 conference.

Marshall, JMU, and App State will dominate the East going forward and make it the strongest G5 division.

App st is toast. They lose a ton and was awful this year. Shawn Clark is big time overrated. And regardless the SB didn't live up to expectations. Spinning it doesn't make it better. Again, CC and App the 2 that was supposed to be the torch carriers were both awful.

[HerdEcon]

Thanks to the transfer portal it doesn't matter what players a team loses from one year to the next.  What matters is what players the coaching staff is able to bring in.  What WKU did a few years ago is a great example of how a team can go from last or next to last in a conference to conference champion in one short off season thanks to the transfer portal.

Whether the Sun Belt underperformed as a conference this season is a matter of perspective.  As a conference the Sun Belt had some great wins vs P5 teams (plus ND) this season and finished ranked as the second best G5 conference.  I wasn't one that believed the Sun Belt was overwhelmingly stronger than CUSA when Marshall joined the Sun Belt.  I believe that G5 conferences are very close in strength overall with some strong teams and some weak teams in every conference. 

Everyone should be able to agree that Marshall is in a much better position as a member of the Sun Belt Conference that what it would be in if it had stayed in CUSA.  If Marshall would have opted to stay in CUSA then So Miss, ODU, and another CUSA school (WKU, MTSU, FIU, or a combination of schools) would have left CUSA for the Sun Belt.  If Marshall would have opted to stay in CUSA it would have been a death sentence for all Marshall sports.  Given the future line up of member schools, CUSA is on life support. 

[gochneaur645]

App st is toast. They lose a ton and was awful this year. Shawn Clark is big time overrated. And regardless the SB didn't live up to expectations. Spinning it doesn't make it better. Again, CC and App the 2 that was supposed to be the torch carriers were both awful.

App State is toast? They have 2 losing seasons in the last 38 years. They have more fans than most G5 schools and a college town recruits love to be at. Even their 6-6 campaign this year had 5 losses by 7 or less. I agree Clark might not be their guy. But they'll be back much sooner than later.

Who cares who the torch carrier was supposed to be? The actual torch carrier (Troy) beat C-USA's two best torch carriers of the last two seasons.

I don't think anybody was expecting for the SBC to be some unbeatable juggernaut or beat this year's version of the AAC. But it was definitely better top to bottom than C-USA was this year or last year. The fact that it was that way despite Coastal and App not living up to expectations just makes it that much more impressive.

[herdorbust2]

App State is toast? They have 2 losing seasons in the last 38 years. They have more fans than most G5 schools and a college town recruits love to be at. Even their 6-6 campaign this year had 5 losses by 7 or less. I agree Clark might not be their guy. But they'll be back much sooner than later.

Who cares who the torch carrier was supposed to be? The actual torch carrier (Troy) beat C-USA's two best torch carriers of the last two seasons.

I don't think anybody was expecting for the SBC to be some unbeatable juggernaut or beat this year's version of the AAC. But it was definitely better top to bottom than C-USA was this year or last year. The fact that it was that way despite Coastal and App not living up to expectations just makes it that much more impressive.

Just my opinion but it underperformed and next year looks even worse to me. I said CC, App St and Louisiana would all be down. Next year looks worse.

[chris88]

Funny how people disparage CC and Louisiana but they both beat Marshall in Hton.  And Louisiana didn't have their starting QB. Best two teams in SB were JMU and Troy imo. Troy's loss to Appy was pure fluke and they beat ranked CUSA champ in bowl and will finish in top 25 (already there before bowl win). Don't pretend that we didn't catch a huge break with JMU starting QB ruled out morning of game with us forcing them to play a FR in his first start.  If we played JMU tomorrow on a neutral field they would be favored IMO. SAlabama or MU probably third best team.

Cam and the offense got better as season went on but still one of worst offenses in college FB. 24.5 pts a game is 107th nationally. Take out the two FCS teams and the team averaged 21.4 ppg. Take out the two defensive TD's and the average goes to 20 ppg.  That doesn't even include the defense setting up the offense with great field position with other TO's and defensive stops. The kicking game was just as bad as last year going only 1-5 in kicks over 40 yds. The punter was also below average at less than 40 ypp.  What saved this team was the emergence of Laborn and a fabulous defense. The defense had two bad quarters all year. 2nd Qtr vs BGSU and 1st quarter vs CC.

[herdorbust2]

Funny how people disparage CC and Louisiana but they both beat Marshall in Hton.  And Louisiana didn't have their starting QB. Best two teams in SB were JMU and Troy imo. Troy's loss to Appy was pure fluke and they beat ranked CUSA champ in bowl and will finish in top 25 (already there before bowl win). Don't pretend that we didn't catch a huge break with JMU starting QB ruled out morning of game with us forcing them to play a FR in his first start.  If we played JMU tomorrow on a neutral field they would be favored IMO. SAlabama or MU probably third best team.

Cam and the offense got better as season went on but still one of worst offenses in college FB. 24.5 pts a game is 107th nationally. Take out the two FCS teams and the team averaged 21.4 ppg. Take out the two defensive TD's and the average goes to 20 ppg.  That doesn't even include the defense setting up the offense with great field position with other TO's and defensive stops. The kicking game was just as bad as last year going only 1-5 in kicks over 40 yds. The punter was also below average at less than 40 ypp.  What saved this team was the emergence of Laborn and a fabulous defense. The defense had two bad quarters all year. 2nd Qtr vs BGSU and 1st quarter vs CC.

I agree that we weren't great either. Our D was great but our offense was awful. And look at CC body of work. They were squeezing by some bad teams early and it finally caught up with them. And when MCall wasn't playing they were getting hammered. App St was just plain awful and was very lucky to beat Troy. And regardless, louisiana has went downhill from what Napier built. JMU was kind of like CC. They were below average with their QB. No doubt Troy was the best team but showed me very little against us. If we would have had any offense at all, we beat them.

[muherd34]

Simple fact of the matter is that once UCF, UH and Cinci head to the Big 12 all the G5's will be on even ground.  It is up to the SBC schools to get better and become the best.  All G5 conferences are pretty much the same.  But I think with the SBC leadership and being on ESPN we have a chance to become the best G5 conference period.  Regional rivalries, fans that care and exposure will do nothing but help the conference grow.  The new Cusa will be terrible and they are lost in the mix with their tv deal.

[NewfieHerdFan]

Simple fact of the matter is that once UCF, UH and Cinci head to the Big 12 all the G5's will be on even ground.  It is up to the SBC schools to get better and become the best.  All G5 conferences are pretty much the same.  But I think with the SBC leadership and being on ESPN we have a chance to become the best G5 conference period.  Regional rivalries, fans that care and exposure will do nothing but help the conference grow.  The new Cusa will be terrible and they are lost in the mix with their tv deal.

This. The "new" AAC isn't going to be what it once was. The SBC is in a great position to become the top G5 conference in upcoming years. And we (the Herd) need to somehow start developing better OOC schedules (more P5s and top shelf G5s)...even if we have to go to their house. We did that and won at Notre Dame, Kansas State, Clemson,South Carolina and almost pulled it off at Georgia and Ohio State. SOS is, and will continue to be, important when rankings are considered.