Polasek Thoughts

[NDSUstudent]

The MVFC may be as good as ever, same with the Big Sky but the rest of the FCS is massively down. The entire southeast region of the FCS is a shell of itself and that decline is moving its way up the coast.

[Kevin]

Hey everyone. I apologize for my comment. I removed it. Did not intend to piss anyone off, just thought it was funny that he used that particular name… it was naive and silly. Hopefully I can earn back your respect. FWIW, I can promise it wasn’t intended as politically malicious at all.

Also, PM sent to you all to further explain, just want to clear up any confusion.

Have you learned nothing from me you fuck? Never apologize. Double down.

[Kevin]

Have you learned nothing from me you fuck? Never apologize. Double down.

Bro I was laying in a hospital bed thinking I was going to die. Legit. You think I was lamenting all the times I offended a boomer or made tab cry? No bro I was laughing my way to Valhalla thinking of all the boomers and tab tears.

God just decided it wasn’t my time. I had more work to do.

U need to reflect.

[tony]

The MVFC may be as good as ever, same with the Big Sky but the rest of the FCS is massively down. The entire southeast region of the FCS is a shell of itself.

Based on what though?

The Big Sky won 3 games against P5 teams between the start of DI-AA (1978) to 2005. That's 28 seasons. They've beat 3 P5 teams in the last THREE seasons alone (Stanford, Washington, and Arizona.) It kind of seems like that the Big Sky is better than it's ever been.

It seems to me like the gap between the FCS and FBS is narrowing, and that's why the P5 is so suddenly interested in making the P5 into a pro league.

I'll grant you that the SoCon and CAA are down, of course, but it takes a little while to bounce back from losing great programs.

[NDSUstudent]

Based on what though?

The Big Sky won 3 games against P5 teams between the start of DI-AA (1978) to 2005. That's 28 seasons. They've beat 3 P5 teams in the last THREE seasons alone (Stanford, Washington, and Arizona.) Is the P5 down that much?

It seems to me like the gap between the FCS and FBS is narrowing, and that's why the P5 is so suddenly interested in making the P5 into a pro league.

Tony, the Big Sky and MVFC are miles beyond anything else in the FCS. That gap is widening as well, mainly because everyone else is leaving.

[Gully]

When do you think that the MVFC peaked vs the FCS? I'd argue that the MVFC is stronger than its ever been. And I think that in the 2004 to now, the gap between P5 and the FCS was narrower than it's ever been. Of course, that might change because of the portal and the P5 throwing money around like coked up investment bankers at a NYC strip club, but it hasn't happened yet.

That last part sounds fun at least

[tony]

Tony, the Big Sky and MVFC are miles beyond anything else in the FCS. That gap is widening as well, mainly because everyone else is leaving.

I can get on board on that, but it's still very competitive at the top - and the top is way better in respect to the P5 than it ever was before NDSU lumbered onto the scene.

[2011BisonAlumni]

I can get on board on that, but it's still very competitive at the top - and the top is way better in respect to the P5 than it ever was before NDSU lumbered onto the scene.

1996 Marshall and 1987 Holy Cross might disagree.

Hell even 1983 Southern Illinois might disagree. They had one loss that year and played in the Missouri Valley which was a hybrid conference. Half the teams were 1-A and half 1-AA.

[Twincitybizon]

I'm willing to be convinced that I'm wrong, but the data just isn't supporting that the MVFC is down at all.

Most playoff wins by a conference in the playoffs by year (7 or more). As you can see, the MVFC is likely to tie the all-time most playoff wins in a single year by a conference:

2014 MVFC 10
2023 MVFC 9
2021 MVFC 8
2015 MVFC 8
2016 CAA 8
2017 MVFC 8
2019 MVFC 8
2004 A10-S 8
2008 CAA 8
2009 CAA 8
1990 Ind 7
1991 Ind 7
2018 MVFC 7
2016 MVFC 7
2022 MVFC 7

SIU and YSU both curb-stomped their first round opponents this year, and the MVFC is at an all-time high for playoff wins, so imo the only way the MVFC is down, is if the whole FCS is down, but I'm not sure that's supported by the data. I mean, Georgia Southern was the greatest program in FCS history before NDSU came along, and they never beat a P5 team during their run. NDSU might be down - I mean, there is no way on earth NDSU should have lost to that Arizona team, but that's NDSU being down, not the FCS being down. Maybe the 2010's was the golden age of FCS football?


Colorado will be an interesting test.

With some changes to the seeding and first round match ups this number of wins could be inflating. Missing 1st round rematches adds some wins right?

[NDSUstudent]

The FCS may have had better individual teams but the MVFC and Big Sky are likely the strongest conferences the FCS has ever seen.