[Purple Haize]

I know coach has a lot of people in the Liberty community fired up thinking we are somehow really being disrespected. It's what I'd expect a coach to do. It also will help keep this team motivated even with the conference championship game locked in. But let's be real here. LU is right where they should be with this weak schedule. CUSA is not a strong conference. It is reality. Just keep winning. That's all you can do.

This team has surpassed my expectations by a long shot. Weak schedule and all.

I hate agreeing with you. It makes me feel like the end of the world is nigh

[thepostman]

You're just becoming wise in your old age

[Ill flame]

We moved up 16 spots in SP+ from 43rd to 27th and they have us 13th in resume SP+ ahead of all of the other G5 NY6 contenders. Tulane is ranked 47th in SP+ behind several G5s. Interestingly it also has CUSA as the 8th best conference ahead of AAC and the MAC.

[thepostman]

Yeah some of the numbers are slowly starting to tell a different story about the conference but perception is reality. If LU wins out, it'll start to change that perception.

Look at the SEC. The perception is that is the best conference in football. Is it reality? That's debatable.

I still believe LU is right where they should be. I also think coach should keep running with the disrespected tactic to keep this team motivated.

[Kricket]

Yeah some of the numbers are slowly starting to tell a different story about the conference but perception is reality. If LU wins out, it'll start to change that perception.

Look at the SEC. The perception is that is the best conference in football. Is it reality? That's debatable.

I still believe LU is right where they should be. I also think coach should keep running with the disrespected tactic to keep this team motivated.

Where is “right where we should be”? Ranked #25 in the AP and left out of the CFP? Behind Tulane as the second best eligible G5?

[thepostman]

At this stage. Yes. That is right where I think we should be. Considering our schedule and some of the teams we've struggled to beat. Additionally, if you had told me before the season this is where we'd be this far into the season, I'd be extremely happy.

[Kricket]

At this stage. Yes. That is right where I think we should be. Considering our schedule and some of the teams we've struggled to beat. Additionally, if you had told me before the season this is where we'd be this far into the season, I'd be extremely happy.

I think it’s fair to say that not many fans would complain at starting a season 10-0.

I guess my biggest gripe with that sort of logic is that Tulane has certainly looked worse against bad opponents. They also have a very weak schedule. Almost as weak as ours except their Ole Miss loss (maybe we need a quality loss). I’m having a hard time finding ANY metric that puts them ahead of us except where people SAY we should be ranked.

[cruzan_flame13]

At this stage. Yes. That is right where I think we should be. Considering our schedule and some of the teams we've struggled to beat. Additionally, if you had told me before the season this is where we'd be this far into the season, I'd be extremely happy.

I think it’s fair to say that not many fans would complain at starting a season 10-0.

I guess my biggest gripe with that sort of logic is that Tulane has certainly looked worse against bad opponents. They also have a very weak schedule. Almost as weak as ours except their Ole Miss loss (maybe we need a quality loss). I’m having a hard time finding ANY metric that puts them ahead of us except where people SAY we should be ranked.

Since they're in the AAC, it is perceived as a better and stronger conference compared to CUSA. Plus they will be more favored than than LU. That's the reality of the business and it will continue to be that way for awhile.

[thepostman]

Tulane shouldn't be ranked so high. That is a fair assessment. 23/24 seems just about right. Top 20 is overboard but the AAC has a far superior reputation than CUSA. It's just how it is. If LU wins out and does well in their bowl, it'll go a long way in changing that reputation.

[Kricket]

At this stage. Yes. That is right where I think we should be. Considering our schedule and some of the teams we've struggled to beat. Additionally, if you had told me before the season this is where we'd be this far into the season, I'd be extremely happy.

I think it’s fair to say that not many fans would complain at starting a season 10-0.

I guess my biggest gripe with that sort of logic is that Tulane has certainly looked worse against bad opponents. They also have a very weak schedule. Almost as weak as ours except their Ole Miss loss (maybe we need a quality loss). I’m having a hard time finding ANY metric that puts them ahead of us except where people SAY we should be ranked.

Since they're in the AAC, it is perceived as a better and stronger conference compared to CUSA. Plus they will be more favored than than LU. That's the reality of the business and it will continue to be that way for awhile.

I think we all know that. We can all see that Tulane is ranked well ahead of us in the AP and CFP.

Are you saying we aren’t deserving to be ranked ahead of Tulane, and if so, why? Where SHOULD we be ranked in comparison to Tulane?

[Kricket]

I think it’s very fair and factual to say the AAC is viewed as a far superior conference than C-USA.

What I’m getting at is that I don’t think Liberty fans are being unreasonable to say Liberty should be ranked ahead of Tulane. In fact, I would argue part of changing perception is doing exactly what Ill Flame did above in pointing out metrics are favoring us over Tulane (and C-USA over the AAC).

If the coach and the fans don’t advocate for Liberty, who’s going to do it? Journalists?

[thepostman]

I've said it over and over again. I get why coach does it but SOME LU fans on twitter are complete jerks about it. As soon as coach said what he did I knew twitter would be insufferable.

I hope coach continues to advocate for his team. Fans on the other hand? They have zero impact on anything. Except being annoying.

[Kricket]

I've said it over and over again. I get why coach does it but SOME LU fans on twitter are complete jerks about it. As soon as coach said what he did I knew twitter would be insufferable.

I hope coach continues to advocate for his team. Fans on the other hand? They have zero impact on anything. Except being annoying.

Oh I know you have said that. And yes people are annoying, myself included (although I'm not making arguments on Twitter).

[jack_sparrow81]

The SEC isn't that high and mighty over our conference. MTSU had Missouri up against the ropes and Jax State almost beat South Carolina (still an SEC team)

[TH Spangler]

I'm a BIG App State fan this week

[flamehunter]

I'm a BIG App State fan this week

I'd love to see JMU fall flat in front of the College Gameday crowd.

[Dalegarz1]

I’m not so sure that JMU losing would be best for us ( believe me, I understand the ranking logic). It might be more satisfying and more beneficial to meet them in a bowl game and settle this on the field ruining their perfect season.”

[LUOrange]

I’m not so sure that JMU losing would be best for us ( believe me, I understand the ranking logic). It might be more satisfying and more beneficial to meet them in a bowl game and settle this on the field ruining their perfect season.”

I'd rather JMU lose & we get a brand named P5 opponent in a Bowl game. It'd be our luck & the NCAA/CFP joy to grant their whininess a waiver & rank them ahead of us and/or even grant them a NY6 Bowl. Regardless of what happens to us JMU needs to drop their last 2.

[ballcoach15]

I fully expect NCAA to surrender to JMU's crying and grant a wavier, but I hope they don't . JMU should abide by NCAA rules.

[Cider Jim]

JMU needs to drop their last 2.

They end the season with App State and Coastal. Nothing would make me happier than seeing JMU lose the last two games in a row.

[Purple Haize]

I wanna say that Tulane beat USC last year in their Bowl game. I also believe LU lost to a MAC team. Those also influence opinion and perception

[AATL]

I wanna say that Tulane beat USC last year in their Bowl game. I also believe LU lost to a MAC team. Those also influence opinion and perception

Agreed. It takes time. Even if it shouldn't, previous success bleeds in to each new year. The top dog of the AAC will get the benefit of the doubt over other G5s even though their big brands are now in the B12. Clemson will ride the high of the Watson/Lawrence years even though they're not in the same stratosphere. The SEC and B10 East traditional powers will start on top of the preseason hill.

Just keep winning.

[AATL]

I generally don't care about poll rankings unless they directly affect the CFP or NY6, which I suppose they now may. Not even the voters totally agree on the criteria; just look at the AP ballots. Eye test? Best team? Best resumé? Best win? You can't point to any one as a major determining factor because it's not even consistently applied across the top 25.

But. Just for fun, here are some broad metrics per ESPN.

TEAM A

• Strength of Schedule: 120

• Strength of Record: 11

• FPI: 44

• SP+: 25

• Best Win (FPI): @#45 by 2

TEAM B

• Strength of Schedule: 133

• Strength of Record: 16

• FPI: 47

• SP+: 27

• Best Win (FPI): @#87 by 13

TEAM C

• Strength of Schedule: 109

• Strength of Record: 20

• FPI: 54

• SP+: 47

• Best Win (FPI): @#55 by 10

I'm not sure there's much (statistically) to make between the three. If anything, I'd argue teams A and B (JMU/LU) are a notch above team C (Tulane). Even if you ignore the numbers and watch the actual football (and, I'd argue, especially if you watch the actual football), I'm not sure I understand how JMU/Tulane climb as many as 6-7 spots in the polls and Liberty doesn't budge.

Stats and metrics obviously don't tell the whole story. Tulane has struggled down the stretch and is likely staring down their two most difficult games of the season between a very hot UTSA team and a matchup with our old friend Scott Symons in the AAC championship. They're capable of playing better than they have been, but if they continue that current trend they will not win both of those games.

I included the SBC's new top dog for comparison.. but sadly, they're currently ineligible
Liberty's SoS is abysmal and the "ain't played nobody" complaints are reasonably justified. However, JMU is not far ahead; they're certainly not so far ahead that it should be a major determining factor, especially since they likely won't play in a conference championship game.

[rtb72]

Based on Tulane and JMU's bumps this week after victories over less than stellar programs (one win not so pretty), there seems to be a precedent. I fully expect LU moving several spots IF we beat the brakes off UMass (insert sarcasm)

[Kricket]

Bowling Green is beating Toledo 21-10 in the first half. Could be a nice little bump to our resume if they can hold on.