The Bobcat Nation

catatac wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 12:59 pm

I got to thinking about this on the drive home. Things are going to start getting real for this team starting Saturday night, but I think this team has all the pieces needed to be a championship contender. In my pea brain, this is how things play out. We take down Idaho Saturday night, check. Win the next four games, then take down UM to end the season, check. Win the first two playoff games, then host NDSU in the semis and take them down, check. Then meet SDSU in Frisco and win it all, check. That path would of course avenge all four of our losses last year, and you could flip the NDSU and SDSU games based on who wins their matchup. Looks like they both dominated yesterday.

All that being said, I hope we actually don't have to play both of the DSUs.

Prodigal Cat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 2:46 pm

I get what you’re saying and that could very well happen. My complaint would be if the Cats are 12-0 they should get the #1 PERIOD. But right now it looks like there are really only 3 contenders so if the Cats finish 12-0, Jacks 11-1, Bison 10-2 losing the Marker I could see the committee going Jacks 1, Cats 2, Bison 3. And it would be complete BS.

grizzh8r wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 1:28 pm

catatac wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 12:59 pm

I got to thinking about this on the drive home. Things are going to start getting real for this team starting Saturday night, but I think this team has all the pieces needed to be a championship contender. In my pea brain, this is how things play out. We take down Idaho Saturday night, check. Win the next four games, then take down UM to end the season, check. Win the first two playoff games, then host NDSU in the semis and take them down, check. Then meet SDSU in Frisco and win it all, check. That path would of course avenge all four of our losses last year, and you could flip the NDSU and SDSU games based on who wins their matchup. Looks like they both dominated yesterday.

All that being said, I hope we actually don't have to play both of the DSUs.

On the flip side, if that does happen in that order, and the Cats win the chipper, there's no one who could say it was a fluke, or that they didn't play anybody.

Prodigal Cat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 2:46 pm

I get what you’re saying and that could very well happen. My complaint would be if the Cats are 12-0 they should get the #1 PERIOD. But right now it looks like there are really only 3 contenders so if the Cats finish 12-0, Jacks 11-1, Bison 10-2 losing the Marker I could see the committee going Jacks 1, Cats 2, Bison 3. And it would be complete BS.

CodyCat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 5:00 pm

Prodigal Cat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 2:46 pm

I get what you’re saying and that could very well happen. My complaint would be if the Cats are 12-0 they should get the #1 PERIOD. But right now it looks like there are really only 3 contenders so if the Cats finish 12-0, Jacks 11-1, Bison 10-2 losing the Marker I could see the committee going Jacks 1, Cats 2, Bison 3. And it would be complete BS.

That’s exactly how it would be.

VimSince03 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 6:07 pm

CodyCat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 5:00 pm

Prodigal Cat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 2:46 pm

I get what you’re saying and that could very well happen. My complaint would be if the Cats are 12-0 they should get the #1 PERIOD. But right now it looks like there are really only 3 contenders so if the Cats finish 12-0, Jacks 11-1, Bison 10-2 losing the Marker I could see the committee going Jacks 1, Cats 2, Bison 3. And it would be complete BS.

That’s exactly how it would be.

If we go 12-0...we would almost want NDSU to beat SDSU right? Assuming the seeding gods don't smite us?

GoldstoneCat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 6:04 pm

Prodigal Cat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 2:46 pm

I get what you’re saying and that could very well happen. My complaint would be if the Cats are 12-0 they should get the #1 PERIOD. But right now it looks like there are really only 3 contenders so if the Cats finish 12-0, Jacks 11-1, Bison 10-2 losing the Marker I could see the committee going Jacks 1, Cats 2, Bison 3. And it would be complete BS.

Cats at 12-0 have at least a coin flip chance to be #1 overall.

VimSince03 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 6:07 pm

CodyCat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 5:00 pm

Prodigal Cat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 2:46 pm

I get what you’re saying and that could very well happen. My complaint would be if the Cats are 12-0 they should get the #1 PERIOD. But right now it looks like there are really only 3 contenders so if the Cats finish 12-0, Jacks 11-1, Bison 10-2 losing the Marker I could see the committee going Jacks 1, Cats 2, Bison 3. And it would be complete BS.

That’s exactly how it would be.

If we go 12-0...we would almost want NDSU to beat SDSU right? Assuming the seeding gods don't smite us?

VimSince03 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 6:07 pm

CodyCat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 5:00 pm

Prodigal Cat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 2:46 pm

I get what you’re saying and that could very well happen. My complaint would be if the Cats are 12-0 they should get the #1 PERIOD. But right now it looks like there are really only 3 contenders so if the Cats finish 12-0, Jacks 11-1, Bison 10-2 losing the Marker I could see the committee going Jacks 1, Cats 2, Bison 3. And it would be complete BS.

That’s exactly how it would be.

If we go 12-0...we would almost want NDSU to beat SDSU right? Assuming the seeding gods don't smite us?

VimSince03 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 6:07 pm

CodyCat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 5:00 pm

Prodigal Cat wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 2:46 pm

I get what you’re saying and that could very well happen. My complaint would be if the Cats are 12-0 they should get the #1 PERIOD. But right now it looks like there are really only 3 contenders so if the Cats finish 12-0, Jacks 11-1, Bison 10-2 losing the Marker I could see the committee going Jacks 1, Cats 2, Bison 3. And it would be complete BS.

That’s exactly how it would be.

If we go 12-0...we would almost want NDSU to beat SDSU right? Assuming the seeding gods don't smite us?

Catprint wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 06, 2024 9:55 pm

Here is what I have posted elsewhere in my weekly post. I do think there is room for us to get #2 seed but I do not see the committee giving us the #1 seed over the winner of the Marker game. Their SOS will simply be one of the best in the country and that is huge......

The seeding conundrum of SDSU and NDSU

I know it is early in the season but I see potential roadblock to the Cats getting a number 1 or number 2 seed and hosting three playoff games. First, looking at NDSU, I don’t see them less dominating on defense as some sportswriters and commentators have discussed after the first three games. Based on their schedule, NDSU will dominate every MVFC team they play except SDSU. And there is no way SDSU has lost a step. I anticipate the winner of The Dakota Marker game will end the season 11-1 with NO FCS losses. The loser of the Marker game will end up 10-2 with ONE FCS loss to the #1 team in the country.

I know this is controversial but this leaves everyone else out in the cold including the Cats. Because in my view, if the Cats have 1 FCS loss (the most likely scenario), they will get a 3 or 4 seed. However, even if the Cats are 12-0, I am not sure that gives them a #1 or #2 seed. I know most fans will say how can you NOT give a 12-0 team a #1 or #2 seed? For the same reason Mercer will not get a Top 4 seed if they go 12-0: Strength of Schedule. SDSU currently has the #1 toughest future SOS and NDSU has the #4 toughest. MSU has #26 and Mercer has the #71. We all know SOS is important in the seeding of playoff teams. It is the main reason the Cats got a #6 seed last year (vs. no seed) when we were 8-3 and NDSU got the #3 seed over the Cats in 2022. I think the best seed we can hope for is #3 short of a massive upset to SDSU or NDSU during the season. It actually frustrates me immensely that SDSU/NDSU have such a stranglehold on the top seeds and the Natty. In the last 12 years, NDSU/SDSU have won 11 of 12 Natty’s. (I don’t count the 2020 season) and the only exception is JMU (who is currently 4-1 in the FBS). It is the way.

catatac wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 07, 2024 1:41 pm

I disagree with the idea that a 12-0 Cat teams gets seeded lower than a 10-2 DSU team. I totally understand what you're saying and yes I get the SOS thing, but that would be blatantly wrong and biased. As we all know, the SOS concept changes as we go through the season, and at 12-0 that means the Cats would have WON their FBS game, and beaten at least four top 20 teams, with at least two of them likely top 10 teams.