Most surprising game this weekend

[Eric]

The 1-AA teams are right there with the Air Forces of the world and the Ball States of the world. I wouldn't rank them with teams like UAB or even Central Michigan this year. Air Force played Tennessee tight, just like Eastern Illinois actually beat Eastern Michigan a couple years ago, but that doesn't mean they're better.

[Spence]

I don't think that is true at all. If a 1-AA played all of their games in a mid major conference, they wouldn't do as well. There may be the occassional exception, like Marshall. They made the jump and made a splash early on, but to sustain a competitive team inside a D-1 program isn't very easy.

[Eric]

I agree. Could Appalachian State do anything if they played in C-USA? No. Maybe an upset here in conference play and a split with Rice and Tulane.

Could Illinois State do anything in the MAC? No. If they played in the MAC, they'd probably only beat Buffalo and Kent State, maybe upset Eastern Michigan.

Could Montana do anything in the WAC? No. An upset (because the conference is so topsy-turvy), maybe Hawaii if they got them in Missoula and they'd take one from New Mexico State/Idaho/SJSU.

There is a talent gap between the divisons, and the top 1-AA teams are about the equivilent of an Air Force or a Ball State from previous years.

Billybud, you talk about the Sun Belt, and in that I'm in total agreement with you. I think the top 1-AA teams are better than every team in that conference.

[colorado_loves_football]

Right -- top-tier IAA teams are often better than some of the bottom feeders in the MAC and WAC. I believe Jeff Sagarin had three or four IAA conferences ranked ahead of the Sun Belt last season.

Yeah, I've heard of Sagarins' rankings, and find them to be 'questionable' if not altogether 'biased', in their approach.

In 2003, Delaware (I-AA national champions) defeated Navy 21-17. Navy was 8-5 on the year, losing to Texas Tech in the Houston Bowl 14-38. Navy, obviously wasn't too bad, as evidenced by their 'near' upset of Notre Dame, in S. Bend, IN. I'm not altogether surprised by those games, where a I-AA team plays 'to the level' of their opposition.

Now, as far as the 'bottom-feeders' of the WAC I'd like to know which teams you are referring to. The three 'Sun Belt' additions (Utah St, Idaho, New Mexico St) maybe aren't very good, according to your standard, they can still play 'good' football. Is a 20-0 loss at Arkansas a 'blow-out'? I'm curious. What about Idaho's near 'upset' of Michigan st? I thought Michigan St was lucky to escape with a win, myself (27-17 really didn't reflect how close the game was). As far as New Mexico St goes, they nearly beat New Mexico, last week. Utah was 6-5 last year, which included a win over New Mexico St. (and wins over Missouri, Utah).
So, I take what you say with a grain of salt.

If the teams you suggest are 'bottom' feeders you have to somehow explain how a 4-7 Sun-Belt team (Troy) nearly takes the defending ACC champion (FSU) to the wire. 'beginner's luck'? I doubt it. There are teams in every conference that can play 'outstanding' football.

[Spence]

Is a 20-0 loss at Arkansas a 'blow-out'? I'm curious. What about Idaho's near 'upset' of Michigan st? I thought Michigan St was lucky to escape with a win, myself (27-17 really didn't reflect how close the game was). As far as New Mexico St goes, they nearly beat New Mexico, last week. Utah was 6-5 last year, which included a win over New Mexico St. (and wins over Missouri, Utah).

20-0 is a blowout. It isn't the 20 points as much as it is the zero. If you can't score and the other team scores 3 or 4 times that is domination.

[Eric]

can play 'outstanding' football.

Can is the key word there. Troy is not as good as Florida State. Delaware is not as good as Navy in 2003 (the Middies have a way of playing everybody close, that's why the 1 point win over UMass last week came to no suprise). Northwestern is better than New Hampshire. New Mexico is better than Portland State. Colorado is probably better than Montana State. Duke, eh, well, I'm not going to go there; Richmond is likely better than Duke.

The problem with your logic, CLF, is that you think every team is outstanding. Heck, why don't we just put Troy in the BCS because they're such an "outstanding" football team?

[Spence]

I think the key to understanding who the best teams are would be to look at the top 12 teams in the country and ask your self "if all of these teams were in one conference and we had to play them all, could we win 8 games?". If the answer is yes, then you are probably a top 5 team.