2018 Playoff thread

[Professor Chaos]

I doubt a west coast team would ever get the Saturday early quarterfinal or the Friday night semifinal. If UCD or EWU host, I think they get Saturday for sure.

Weber is mountain time I believe so it would be a bit easier for them to play Friday night.

Next week's Saturday semifinal is at 2PM ET/11AM PT. I'd agree with you on the Saturday quarterfinal TV spot never going to a team west of the central time zone but I think the semi time slots are set up to where a team in any time zone can host either day.

In 2010 Eastern Washington hosted a Friday night semifinal against Villanova: http://www.espn.com/college-football...meId/303510331

[WeAreThePride]

How does rain help a TO team that pitches the ball around? Asking for Loaf.

It's a lot easier to pitch a football than to throw it. Far more control, much lower velocity, and better control.

[totoinfl]

The Rabbits still only lost by 7 and I think they are a better team this year.

Weather folks saying high of 41 and 100% chance of rain this Saturday in Kennesaw...that may make this interesting...sometimes the ball in the TO becomes a slippery pig in the rain...but it will be a cold soaker for both teams...i would rather play in snow.

[WeAreThePride]

There's a reason pitches are basically never dropped, where somewhere around 40% of passes aren't completed.

[totoinfl]

How does rain help a TO team that pitches the ball around? Asking for Loaf.

Most of the TO I have seen in the rain is hand-off for the fullback dive or counter, QB line or follow option...the pitches become a bit more hazardous. There was a TO game between Navy and Georgia Southern a few years ago in non-stop rain...I think between the two teams the threw the ball 3 times (all by GSU). The fumbles were few...the slips on cuts by the slotbacks were probably a bigger issue.

[NDSUstudent]

Next week's Saturday semifinal is at 2PM ET/11AM PT. I'd agree with you on the Saturday quarterfinal TV spot never going to a team west of the central time zone but I think the semi time slots are set up to where a team in any time zone can host either day.

In 2010 Eastern Washington hosted a Friday night semifinal against Villanova: http://www.espn.com/college-football...meId/303510331

GSU-UD did kickoff at noon eastern that year, kind of left them stuck with Friday night. I think ESPN will try to accomodate the schools as best as possible, I don't think there is a big enough difference between the two time slots...It was a bigger issue when previously one game was on ESPNU, glad they made things more equal.

ESPN is also probably more worried about drawing in viewers to the bowl game on ESPN than the FCS game on ESPN2.

[Vet70]

Weather folks saying high of 41 and 100% chance of rain this Saturday in Kennesaw...that may make this interesting...sometimes the ball in the TO becomes a slippery pig in the rain...but it will be a cold soaker for both teams...i would rather play in snow.

This is exactly why I think KSU will have a difficult time as opposed to a team that runs with a handoff.

[totoinfl]

It's a lot easier to pitch a football than to throw it. Far more control, much lower velocity, and better control.

You will probably see less of the speed option to the outside with the longer pitches. Some quick pitches to the SB and let them figure out if they can go outside or cut inside. IF KSU can get a constant push at the point of attack, this could be a long day for the Jacks...nothing worse than watching your stud passing QB sit on the sidelines while a TO team takes 15 plays and 10 minutes to go score a TD, really cuts down on the number of possessions.

[totoinfl]

This is exactly why I think KSU will have a difficult time as opposed to a team that runs with a handoff.

Which is why I said there will be a lot of FB Dive and Counter, QB Follow and Line plays...

[Professor Chaos]

There's a reason pitches are basically never dropped, where somewhere around 40% of passes aren't completed.

Yeah, but when pitches are dropped it's a live ball and potentially much more damaging to the offensive team than when a pass falls incomplete. TO offenses are prone to putting the ball on the ground so wet weather could lead to more of that but it'll also make it tougher for SDSU to play the gap sound defense they'll need to play when one defender slipping up a step can open the window for a big gain against an offense like that.

Christion also usually wears a glove on this throwing hand, he did last week even in the snow. That may help with his grip on a wet ball this week. I don't think a sloppy field will be an advantage for either team. It'll probably be advantageous to both offenses and I don't think either needed much help there.