Bingo nothing. They were still in the mix, only another high ranking team trumped them. If LSU would have slipped up, Va Tech still had a real path to the NC.
I think you're, misunderstanding the sentiment here. It's all about public perception. Even though most intelligent people know that App St. could beat at least half of the teams in D-1, it's still looked at as a cupcake D-1AA game, and it hurts us in SOS. We got into the NC game last year based largely on SOS. And it was REALLY close, even though we had a top 10 team in our OOC slate. It's not that we don't think anyone is "worthy" of playing us, it's that we don't want to be left out of the mix because of scheduling. If it comes down to the wire again, then playing a 1-AA school may be enough to keep us out of the big one.
You do realize we played W. Illinois in '03 when we won the championship right? :wink: Don't get me wrong, I agree with you for the most part regarding perception. I'm just saying, if we go out there and man-handle App. St. like we're expected to do then no problem whether they're 1-AA or not. If we don't, then we're next season's Michigan... We could still get to the dance with them on the schedule.. Seeing as how our odds of getting in the championship game last season were basically abysmal at best after the 2nd loss and we still went, I like our chances either way.
You are correct, we still made it that year. You do realize that if we'd had a 1-AA team on the schedule this year, we probably would have been left out? You never know going into the season what the final standing will be, or who you're going to be battling to get in. This year, it may come down to us and someone with a horribly weak schedule and we get in anyway. Or it could come down to us and someone with a pretty closee SOS to ours, and we get left out because of a 1-AA school. I'd rather not leave that to chance.
The only good thing about App St. is what they did to Michigan last year... A big deal will be made about them playing another top 5 team this year. If we handle them there will be no problems.
Touche'.. but that's just an "if"... again, I agree with you for the most part. Of course I'd rather have a stronger OOC school in that spot, who wouldn't? What I'm saying is, we can't go around worrying about how things "might" end up... Like you said, you never know going into the season what the final standing will be. This discussion would have much more purpose at the end of the '08 season once we see how it all shapes up. Then we can let hindsight take over and say "We shouldn't have scheduled that damn Appy State!". What we do know is this... We've won a championship with a 1-AA team on the slate before. We've won a championship with 2-losses. Hell last year alone any of us on this board would have called bull-chit in August had we been told that a 2-loss team would go on to win the Championship. Of course, I'd have said bull-chit had anyone told me that App St. would beat Michigan at home... :wink: Anyway, it is what it is. I do find it an interesting fact that it will be the first time a 1-A champion will face off with a 1-AA champion. I could just be making the glass half full I suppose... Grrr... I hate the off-season.
Thank you for the explanation Nutria. I think I have a reasonable grasp of the English language (at least the beautiful Southern version we speak!!) and there is no misunderstanding. The general theme throuhout this entire thread, both stated and implied, is one of disappointment in what your Ath. Dept. scheduled and how it 'looks'(?). The bottom line is that your squad must take care of business and win on the field. Had you not lost the 2 games this past season your SOS would not have been on the table. But, those things happen! We slipped up and also lost 2 games. We were fortunate enough to still get invited to our playoffs (which is the only way to truly crown a champion, IMHO) and we took care of business. I was actually pulling for you guys to win your game so you would have 3 championships just like...oh that's right ASU!! If you don't mind I would like further edification on another statement you make re. our team. You write "...most intelligent ppl. know ASU could win against 1/2 of Div-1..." I don't know what that means. If you get a chance could you expand that a bit? Thanks I gotta scoot for now but will return. GO APPS!
