#13 Furman @ UTC (Nov. 2nd)

[gofurman]

As the result of a dropped UTC pass, Woffy jumps 8 spots to #20. Go figure. Sometimes lucky is better than good.

I swear there was someone who told me it wasn’t possible for Woff to get ranked this year. I wish Woff had lost the weekend. I wanted chatt to win bad. Not sniping, but Sometimes literal math outweighs the eye test. When you are 33 in poll and have three winnable games the top 25 is possible. They’ll drop a slot or so w Clemson but if win again will be top 25 when we go there. Big game. Let’s make it less big by us winning this weekend !

Moving on w Citadel beating us there are a lot of possibilities left. Just like the “literal” take on Woff - I see how FU could win out OR get an at large at 8-4. . That would be a 90% chance we are in playoffs. As we r 13th ranked and with all the 5-4 teams in top 25 we could drop one game and be in playoffs. Take a 3-1 finish to schedule we are easily 20th ranked

Now let’s win some games. And win conference. . Gofurman Beat Chatt!

[Paul C]

Lines are out. Paladins a 9 pt favorite on Sat. O/U is 48.5. Hmmmm the over feels attractive.

[The Jackal]

FU ranked #13 in this weeks coaches poll
https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/ ... aches-poll


1 North Dakota State (26) 8-0 650 1
2 James Madison 8-1 624 2
3 Weber State 6-2 573 5
4 Kennesaw State 7-1 569 4
5 South Dakota State 6-2 559 3
6 Sacramento State 6-2 512 8
7 Illinois State 6-2 507 7
8 Montana 6-2 447 11
9 Central Arkansas 6-2 436 10
10 Northern Iowa 5-3 411 12
11 Villanova 6-2 366 6
12 Princeton 6-0 349 13
13 Furman 5-3 321 14
14 Dartmouth 6-0 293 16
15 Montana State 5-3 264 9
16 North Carolina A&T 5-2 232 18
17 Florida A&M 7-1 185 23
18 Jacksonville State 6-3 175 21
19 Central Connecticut State 7-1 163 24
20 Wofford 5-2 136 NR
21 Southeast Missouri State 5-3 103 NR
22 Towson 4-4 85 17
23 North Dakota 5-3 81 NR
24 Nicholls 4-4 66 15
25 Austin Peay 5-3 62 NR

Believe it or not, Furman getting a seed is still very much in play. I think a 9-3 Furman team that's ranked 13th (really 12th once taking out Princeton) at 5-3 could easily move up 4-5 spots over the last four games of the season.

New No Bowls prediction would be almost a dream scenario for me ... host non-scholarship San Diego, at Kennesaw, at James Madison ... no Bison until Frisco. Meanwhile, Wofford (as the AQ) would get hosed in this scenario with back-to-back trips to Montana in the first two rounds.

http://www.nobowls.com/

Ill. State/UNI/SDSU will play one another the next two weekends, so you know the 5, 7, and 10 teams can't all keep winning.

Sacramento State plays Weber this weekend.

The problem team for everyone is Kennesaw. Their schedule is laughably easy and there really isn't a chance they will lose a game if they make it past Monmouth this weekend.

[DeepPurple]

Great to be able to play in a game that is Important. That is what Furman Football used to be all about and where we are back to today! We are a work in progress.

[FUpaladin08]

FU ranked #13 in this weeks coaches poll
https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/ ... aches-poll


1 North Dakota State (26) 8-0 650 1
2 James Madison 8-1 624 2
3 Weber State 6-2 573 5
4 Kennesaw State 7-1 569 4
5 South Dakota State 6-2 559 3
6 Sacramento State 6-2 512 8
7 Illinois State 6-2 507 7
8 Montana 6-2 447 11
9 Central Arkansas 6-2 436 10
10 Northern Iowa 5-3 411 12
11 Villanova 6-2 366 6
12 Princeton 6-0 349 13
13 Furman 5-3 321 14
14 Dartmouth 6-0 293 16
15 Montana State 5-3 264 9
16 North Carolina A&T 5-2 232 18
17 Florida A&M 7-1 185 23
18 Jacksonville State 6-3 175 21
19 Central Connecticut State 7-1 163 24
20 Wofford 5-2 136 NR
21 Southeast Missouri State 5-3 103 NR
22 Towson 4-4 85 17
23 North Dakota 5-3 81 NR
24 Nicholls 4-4 66 15
25 Austin Peay 5-3 62 NR

Believe it or not, Furman getting a seed is still very much in play. I think a 9-3 Furman team that's ranked 13th (really 12th once taking out Princeton) at 5-3 could easily move up 4-5 spots over the last four games of the season.

New No Bowls prediction would be almost a dream scenario for me ... host non-scholarship San Diego, at Kennesaw, at James Madison ... no Bison until Frisco. Meanwhile, Wofford (as the AQ) would get hosed in this scenario with back-to-back trips to Montana in the first two rounds.

http://www.nobowls.com/

Ill. State/UNI/SDSU will play one another the next two weekends, so you know the 5, 7, and 10 teams can't all keep winning.

Sacramento State plays Weber this weekend.

The problem team for everyone is Kennesaw. Their schedule is laughably easy and there really isn't a chance they will lose a game if they make it past Monmouth this weekend.

If KSU wins out I think they could still be passed up for a seed due to that schedule. I certainly don’t see them deserving of more than a 7 seed. I would love for Furman to match up in the 2nd round at KSU (should we be fortunate enough to keep winning).

[The Jackal]

The committee hasn't made a great record of caring too much about the strength of schedule.

It'd be nice to see them treat some of these teams from weaker conferences a bit like the BCS treated Boise State and TCU for years - we appreciate the efforts, but you are going to have to schedule some tougher teams in ooc play to get in the conversation for the title game.

[AstroDin]

A few things I'll watch for in this match against the Mocs.

Taylor Hodge had a very good game against Western, in the second half the Dins defensive front made life miserable for Adams. I think the three-headed monster at NG is starting to wear down opposing centers.

I think this game is a great matchup for Gilby. Gilby's sideline to sideline play at Western was impressive. Plus, he's a very physical linebacker. We need Gilby and Perryman and McKoy to play well.

I loved the play of the Spur and the Corners at WCU. After the first Cat drive, Furman attacked the blocking trash on the corners. Blackshear is going to be a great one. Western has athletes it's impressive that Blackshear can blow up outside runs - I think Blackshear will be a big factor in the next three games.

Latest weather update >> sunny high 50s >> PERFECT!

[stonemd]

Anyone driving from or thru Asheville want to share a ride ? Gas $$?

[Paul C]

After the first Cat drive

Probably more appropriate for this response in WCU game thread, but we played very passive defense on that first WCU drive, basically looked like we wanted to see what they were going do and how they were going to do it, and if Adams would be playing and if so to what capacity.....no blitzing, base "cover 2" (to my uneducated eye) on every snap. Then after that drive we started mixing up pressures and looks and shut em down until the 3rd string came in on the last drive.

[The Jackal]

After the first Cat drive

Probably more appropriate for this response in WCU game thread, but we played very passive defense on that first WCU drive, basically looked like we wanted to see what they were going do and how they were going to do it, and if Adams would be playing and if so to what capacity.....no blitzing, base "cover 2" (to my uneducated eye) on every snap. Then after that drive we started mixing up pressures and looks and shut em down until the 3rd string came in on the last drive.

I haven't dug into this deeply, but it seems like in most games we've allowed a score early and then clamped down.

I'm sure some of that is just allowing the offense to run their scripted plays, but I'm also quite sure the defense didn't want a 9 minute WCU drive to open the game.

[gofurman]

After the first Cat drive

Probably more appropriate for this response in WCU game thread, but we played very passive defense on that first WCU drive, basically looked like we wanted to see what they were going do and how they were going to do it, and if Adams would be playing and if so to what capacity.....no blitzing, base "cover 2" (to my uneducated eye) on every snap. Then after that drive we started mixing up pressures and looks and shut em down until the 3rd string came in on the last drive.

I haven't dug into this deeply, but it seems like in most games we've allowed a score early and then clamped down.

I'm sure some of that is just allowing the offense to run their scripted plays, but I'm also quite sure the defense didn't want a 9 minute WCU drive to open the game.

Right. You both have good points. Obviously our d was outstanding vs Western. But we don’t want to give 7 points to ‘figure out how to play the rest of the game ‘ onward. 7 points and an 8 minute drive TOP do matter vs better teams.

Maybe I’m under educated (probably am!) here so IM ASKING. What I know - even going back to some great Bobby Johnson defenses! Is that Furman seems to allow more scoring overt the years on first drives by opposing teams. We allow scoring at a higher pct on first drives it seems to me. Like in baseball how 1st inning is higher scoring than next few innings often. (best batters leading, pitcher not showing all his stuff etc)

My question - is it common across NCAA football for first drives to have a higher success rate? Maybe it is. If so Why? . Perhaps Because of film study vs the opponent D the OC has found weakness and then the D adjusts a series later ? Is this common for most teams? It seems it is for us - just a good football learnin’ question. Nothing anti-Furman here. Maybe that’s a very common thing. I know why it’s true in MLB - they def score more early.

In some sense you would think 4th q would have more scoring as D wears down. And maybe that’s true too?

Thanks in advance for answers

[gofurman]

I’m scared of this UTC team !

[DungeonRealm]

[apaladin]

After the first Cat drive

Probably more appropriate for this response in WCU game thread, but we played very passive defense on that first WCU drive, basically looked like we wanted to see what they were going do and how they were going to do it, and if Adams would be playing and if so to what capacity.....no blitzing, base "cover 2" (to my uneducated eye) on every snap. Then after that drive we started mixing up pressures and looks and shut em down until the 3rd string came in on the last drive.

I haven't dug into this deeply, but it seems like in most games we've allowed a score early and then clamped down.

I'm sure some of that is just allowing the offense to run their scripted plays, but I'm also quite sure the defense didn't want a 9 minute WCU drive to open the game.

CCH said we have given up a TD drive on the first series the last 3 games. Said we need to start faster.

[apaladin]

Back to the task at hand. Maybe some of you do but I do not have a clue to how good this team is. We have seen a near perfect game sandwiched by 2 of the worst offensive performances in PS history. Not the worst but just 2 of the worst. I do believe this is the game of the year and is the make or break game. Win and we continue on and try to achieve all the goals. Lose and I am afraid it will be another wait till next year.