[jcmanson]

(potentially)

[RVAparks]

West VA fans walked away impressed with our program after that game in 2009. NC State fans walked away impressed with our program after that game this year. I guarantee you Wake Forest will walk away impressed with our program after our game next year.

Tech fans won't haha... All kidding aside and hypothetically say we go 5-1 in the conference next year, someone else goes 6-0. We lose to Wake. One spot on our schedule is occupied by a DII school (so we're a meaningless 6-2 at this point). We split with Lehigh/NSU (7-3).

So the last spot in our schedule can be occupied by a second FBS school (Tech) we go 7-4. OR it could be occupied by a decent to mid-tier FCS school that we have a chance to beat go 8-3, and we have the 7 allotted wins which looks good to the selection committee. What's better for the University cashing in at Tech and maybe gaining a shroud of respect (which is ultimately meaningless for the big picture IMO) or getting an at-large bid to the playoffs? Would you rather tell a recruit you played VT hard for a couple of quarters or that we made the playoffs?

[BJWilliams]

If va tech is on the schedule, we will not have a div 2 team on it. We will have 3 FCS playoff teams out of conference, and 2 fbs teams.

This. If we hypothetically follow the path you outline, that SoS is gonna look a lot better. invert any one of those potential losses (Lehigh or NSU most likely) and you probably have a different outcome. Then you can tell recruits both.

[jcmanson]

What's better for the University cashing in at Tech and maybe gaining a shroud of respect (which is ultimately meaningless for the big picture IMO) or getting an at-large bid to the playoffs? Would you rather tell a recruit you played VT hard for a couple of quarters or that we made the playoffs?

If you have a chance to play VT, you play them. I don't care if it's your 1st FBS game, 2nd or 5th. You play them.

Bottom line is we have to win our conference to get in the playoffs. You really think 2 teams from the Big South will make the playoffs?

[jcmanson]

If va tech is on the schedule, we will not have a div 2 team on it. We will have 3 FCS playoff teams out of conference, and 2 fbs teams.

Right. 4 of our 5 OOC games are pretty much booked. No D2 and only 1 FBS. Our 5th (and last) OOC game is still to be scheduled. It’s likely either Va Tech or a d2 or someone like St Francis (if they have an opening). So if it comes down to a d2 or VT, another no-brainer.

[RVAparks]

Bottom line is we have to win our conference to get in the playoffs. You really think 2 teams from the Big South will make the playoffs?

Umm... You don't think if we would've taken care of business against Lehigh and JMU this year that their wouldn't have been two Big South teams in the playoffs? 9-2 and we're not going to playoffs? Who is going before us? Do you realize JMU's national RPI finished at 124 and we finished at 125?

It's not that far fetched. Did Furman get a boost from playing VT? What's the benefit beyond short term financials? If we're competing for local recruits can't JMU say they beat Tech, W&M can say they beat UVA, etc... If your ultimate goal is to make it to the FCS Playoffs in 2012 then playing Tech is stupid, if you're ultimate goal is make money then playing Tech is smart. What are you going to tell a recruit? "Well we missed the playoffs again this year, but we did play Virginia Tech and lost 53-27, and the game was ESPN3!"

[jcmanson]

If we’re good enough to go 9-2 against the schedule we had in 2011 and the schedule we’re putting together in 2012 we will be 6-0 in conference.

[RVAparks]

Haha way to vaguely tip-toe around every scenario/question.

You act like we were pounded by Lehigh/JMU when both games were very much in reach. Say we just beat JMU this year, who is getting an at-large before us? Would two Big South teams not be in the playoffs under that scenario?

I get why you would be excited about playing Tech, but I don't think it would be the best FOOTBALL situation for the University.

[RVAparks]

If this goes through, we will only be playing 5 home games...

Why couldn't the other "Mystery" game be a home game? 3 conference games, Lehigh, NSU, ????

[BJWilliams]

Simply put, you arent going to find a ton of FCS teams willing to give up a home game at this juncture. My guess is most teams have their home slates set (especially the teams with the smaller OOC allowances).

[RVAparks]

Because it's not a home game, haha.

Are you speculating or this a sure thing from Lang or somewhere?

[jcmanson]

Because it's not a home game, haha.

Are you speculating or this a sure thing from Lang or somewhere?

It's a sure thing from everywhere but Lang.

[jcmanson]

I get why you would be excited about playing Tech, but I don't think it would be the best FOOTBALL situation for the University.

Would you rather pay to play a d2 or get paid to play VT? If this rumor is true, that's the decision that has to be made. What’s the best “football decision for the university?” Is that really even a decision?

Not to mention if VT approached us with the possibility of this game. You don't turn them away.

[RVAparks]

You're making this more cut and dry then it may be. Unless you know something we all don't know.

Also you haven't answered any of my questions, especially this one:

Say we just beat JMU this year, who is getting an at-large before us? Would two Big South teams not be in the playoffs under that scenario?

[BJWilliams]

Illinois State says hi...more than likely they take that spot if we beat JMU and everything plays out exactly the same

[jcmanson]

You're making this more cut and dry then it may be. Unless you know something we all don't know.

Also you haven't answered any of my questions, especially this one:

Say we just beat JMU this year, who is getting an at-large before us? Would two Big South teams not be in the playoffs under that scenario?

Am I making it more cut and dry than it is? What do we know? We know it is Thanksgiving and we still have one definite opening on our schedule. Go back and look at previous seasons (starting with 2011) when we had an opening this late in the year and see who ended up as our 11th game. A D2. So, more than likely our 11th game will be a D2.

Then all of a sudden VT (hypothetically) calls us and offers to play us on the date of our opening. Barber: “No sorry VT. I know we’ve begged to get on your schedule before, but we have West Va Wesleyan lined up for that date.” VT AD: “Hahahahahahahahaha.”

As for answering that question – if we beat JMU, I bet we don’t make the playoffs. We would be 8-3 with 7 D1 wins and losses to NC State, Lehigh, and Stony Brook. We would have 2 wins over winning teams (Coastal and 6-5 JMU). Based on recent history I say they take 7-4 Illinois State over us.

[phoenix]

As for answering that question – if we beat JMU, I bet we don’t make the playoffs. We would be 8-3 with 7 D1 wins and losses to NC State, Lehigh, and Stony Brook. We would have 2 wins over winning teams (Coastal and 6-5 JMU). Based on recent history I say they take 7-4 Illinois State over us.

Getting 2 Big South teams into the playoffs is still a long ways off. If we had beaten both JMU AND Lehigh, then maybe we get an at-large bid at 9-2. The problem is, the committee seems to always hose a team or two that deserve a playoff shot, and odds are good that Liberty would still be one of those teams, for whatever reason. The ONLY way we are sure of getting into the playoffs is winning the Big South outright. At 8-3, we're probably one of the last four out; at 9-2, we might be one of the last four in, but we probably would still have been a bubble team.

[NotAJerry]

Great, we can't beat Stoney Brook, Liegh or NC State so let's schedule VT...
Remember that recruiting comment as VT dismantles UVA this weekend on national TV.

UVA will handle VT this weekend. Tech has not done a thing this year.

[bradyfan]

Great, we can't beat Stoney Brook, Liegh or NC State so let's schedule VT...
Remember that recruiting comment as VT dismantles UVA this weekend on national TV.

UVA will handle VT this weekend. Tech has not done a thing this year.

UVA hasn't beaten VT in almost a decade. VT has done little, UVA has done nothing except qualify for a bowl game and end its 4 year skid to...Duke. I'll believe it when I see it and I'm about 99.5% sure that I won't see it this year.

[NotAJerry]

As for answering that question – if we beat JMU, I bet we don’t make the playoffs. We would be 8-3 with 7 D1 wins and losses to NC State, Lehigh, and Stony Brook. We would have 2 wins over winning teams (Coastal and 6-5 JMU). Based on recent history I say they take 7-4 Illinois State over us.

Getting 2 Big South teams into the playoffs is still a long ways off. If we had beaten both JMU AND Lehigh, then maybe we get an at-large bid at 9-2. The problem is, the committee seems to always hose a team or two that deserve a playoff shot, and odds are good that Liberty would still be one of those teams, for whatever reason. The ONLY way we are sure of getting into the playoffs is winning the Big South outright. At 8-3, we're probably one of the last four out; at 9-2, we might be one of the last four in, but we probably would still have been a bubble team.

Agreed. The Sagarin conference ratings have the Big South as the 11th best FCS conference with the Missouri Valley as the 1st (and ahead of the Sun Belt overall). North Dakota also has an argument as the Great West finished as the 2nd best FCS conference, despite no auto bid in their last year, and they won it with an 8-3 record. An 8-3 Georgetown team could have gotten a look. Maybe Jacksonville St as the 3rd team in the Ohio Valley 3-way tie. Even Delaware is in the conversation.

The MEAC, Northeast, Pioneer, and SWAC were the only conferences to finish rated below the Big South.

[NotAJerry]

Great, we can't beat Stoney Brook, Liegh or NC State so let's schedule VT...
Remember that recruiting comment as VT dismantles UVA this weekend on national TV.

UVA will handle VT this weekend. Tech has not done a thing this year.

UVA hasn't beaten VT in almost a decade. VT has done little, UVA has done nothing except qualify for a bowl game and end its 4 year skid to...Duke. I'll believe it when I see it and I'm about 99.5% sure that I won't see it this year.

They've been essentially the same team this year and UVA is at home. This is a much closer matchup than years past and with UVA getting into the same ballpark in recruiting, the gap will disappear.

[bradyfan]

UVA will handle VT this weekend. Tech has not done a thing this year.

UVA hasn't beaten VT in almost a decade. VT has done little, UVA has done nothing except qualify for a bowl game and end its 4 year skid to...Duke. I'll believe it when I see it and I'm about 99.5% sure that I won't see it this year.[/quote]

They've been essentially the same team this year and UVA is at home. This is a much closer matchup than years past and with UVA getting into the same ballpark in recruiting, the gap will disappear.[/quote]

UVA recruiting has alwayyyys been fluffed. Never pay much attention to ESPN's Top 25 classes or Scouts top classes. Even under Groh, UVA recruited well according to those sites. UVA is obviously a better team than last. However, they lost to Southern Miss, barely beat Indiana, and barely beat Idaho in OT. All of their "impressive" wins are against ACC teams and the ACC is overrated as it is.

Furthermore, UVA's "home field advantage" is a joke. Especially when they play VaTech. Until UVA stops letting VT put 25k in the stands, leaving after halftime, and drinking Zima/wine during tailgating, their homefield advantage will continue to be the laughing stock of the ACC.

[BJWilliams]

and the man wonders why some people have his posts set to "ignore..."

[bradyfan]

and the man wonders why some people have his posts set to "ignore..."

I went to this game last time it was at UVA and I've seen Duke play there. Don't even act like this isn't true. Plus, I don't wonder why my post getting ignored. Truth being ignored is a common act by those who suffer from stupidity.

[jcmanson]

All of their "impressive" wins are against ACC teams and the ACC is overrated as it is.

And who exactly are VT's impressive wins?