FCS - Polls

[93BlueHen]

Hens drop to #8:

1. South Dakota State (9-0, 6-0 MVFC), 1,400 points (56 of 56 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking: 1; Week 10: 33-16 win over then-No. 11 North Dakota State; Week 11: at Youngstown State

2. Furman (8-1, 6-0 SoCon), 1,298
Previous Ranking: 2; Week 10: 17-14 win at Chattanooga; Week 11: VMI

3. Montana (8-1, 5-1 Big Sky), 1,279
Previous Ranking: 4; Week 10: 34-7 win over then-No. 7 Sacramento State; Week 11: at Portland State

4. Idaho (7-2, 5-1 Big Sky), 1,265
Previous Ranking: 3; Week 10: 27-13 win at Northern Colorado; Week 11: at Weber State

5. Montana State (7-2, 5-1 Big Sky), 1,190
Previous Ranking: 6; Week 10: 45-21 win over Northern Arizona; Week 11: Eastern Washington

6. South Dakota (7-2, 5-1 MVFC), 1,110
Previous Ranking: 9; Week 10: 14-7 win at then-No. 10 Southern Illinois; Week 11: North Dakota

7. North Carolina Central (8-1, 3-0 MEAC), 907
Previous Ranking: 12; Week 10: 38-24 win over Norfolk State; Week 11: at Howard

8. Delaware (7-2, 5-1 CAA), 870
Previous Ranking: 5; Week 10: 33-27 loss to Elon; Week 11: at Campbell

9. Sacramento State (6-3, 3-3 Big Sky), 857
Previous Ranking: 7; Week 10: 34-7 loss at then-No. 4 Montana; Week 11: Cal Poly

10. North Dakota (6-3, 4-2 MVFC), 812
Previous Ranking: 13; Week 10: 45-31 win at Murray State; Week 11: at South Dakota

11. Southern Illinois (6-3, 3-3 MVFC), 730
Previous Ranking: 10; Week 10: 14-7 loss to then-No. 9 South Dakota; Week 11: at North Dakota State

12. North Dakota State (6-3, 3-3 MVFC), 655
Previous Ranking: 11; Week 10: 33-16 loss at then-No. 1 South Dakota State; Week 11: Southern Illinois

13.(tie) Florida A&M (8-1, 7-0 SWAC), 654
Previous Ranking: 15; Week 10: 42-28 win at Alabama A&M; Week 11: Lincoln (Calif.)

13.(tie) Villanova (7-2, 5-1 CAA), 654
Previous Ranking: 17; Week 10: 45-33 win at New Hampshire; Week 11: Towson

15. Northern Iowa (6-3, 5-1 MVFC), 615
Previous Ranking: 18; Week 10: 50-6 win over Western Illinois; Week 11: at Missouri State

16. UIW (7-2, 4-1 Southland), 566
Previous Ranking: 8; Week 10: 45-32 loss to Nicholls; Week 11: No game

17. Western Carolina (6-3, 4-2 SoCon), 517
Previous Ranking: 16; Week 10: 28-25 win at Wofford; Week 11: ETSU

18. UAlbany (7-3, 5-1 CAA), 504
Previous Ranking: 23; Week 10: 24-8 win over then-No. 24 William & Mary; Week 11: at Stony Brook

19. Chattanooga (7-3, 6-2 Southern), 490
Previous Ranking: 14; Week 10: 17-14 loss to then-No. 2 Furman; Week 11: No game

20. Austin Peay (7-2, 4-0 UAC), 477
Previous Ranking: 19; Week 10: 33-30 OT win at Eastern Kentucky; Week 11: Utah Tech

21. UT Martin (7-2, 4-1 Big South-OVC), 348
Previous Ranking: 21; Week 10: 44-41 OT win at Tennessee Tech; Week 11: Southeast Missouri

22. Youngstown State (6-3, 4-2 MVFC), 342
Previous Ranking: 22; Week 10: 19-7 win at Indiana State; Week 11: South Dakota State

23. Mercer (7-3, 5-2 SoCon), 183
Previous Ranking: 25; Week 10: 38-16 win at The Citadel; Week 11: Samford

24. Harvard (7-1, 4-1 Ivy), 112
Previous Ranking: NR; Week 10: 38-24 win at Columbia; Week 11: Penn

25. Lafayette (7-2, 3-1 Patriot), 90
Previous Ranking: 20; Week 10: 37-34 OT loss to Colgate; Week 11: Fordham

Dropped Out: William & Mary (24)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Central Arkansas (6-3, 3-1 UAC) 75; Tarleton (7-3, 3-2 UAC) 47; Holy Cross (6-3, 4-1 Patriot) 43; Elon (5-4, 5-1 CAA) 41; Richmond (6-3, 5-1 CAA) 23; Nicholls (4-4, 5-0 Southland, including forfeit win) 15; William & Mary (5-4, 3-3 CAA) 13; Tennessee State (6-3, 2-2 Big South-OVC) 9

https://theanalyst.com/na/2023/11/teams ... off-prize/

[Cluck U]

Frankly, we might not beat any of the top 25…the exception being that we have beaten ourselves.

[Henny]

Frankly, we might not beat any of the top 25…the exception being that we have beaten ourselves.

Just a bad loss against a team that wasn't as good as UD. It happens on occasion. They found a way to get it done. We're back on track at Campbell getting ready for some playoffs. The Nova game will decide if we get a bye, plenty to play for.

[Hens79]

Frankly, we might not beat any of the top 25…the exception being that we have beaten ourselves.

What? Are you meds okay Cluck? This isn’t a great UD team for sure. But in the FCS in 2023, we are certainly in the top 15 right now. I mean look at the top 25. It is a joke. Now if the Hens continue shizzing the bed to end the season like Saturday and end up 7-4, that is another story.

[Hens79]

Frankly, we might not beat any of the top 25…the exception being that we have beaten ourselves.

Just a bad loss against a team that wasn't as good as UD. It happens on occasion. They found a way to get it done. We're back on track at Campbell getting ready for some playoffs. The Nova game will decide if we get a bye, plenty to play for.

Yep Henny. Elon played out of their minds and the Hens stunk, and still were set up to win at the end. A deep playoff run can still happen, or not.

[Cluck U]

Frankly, we might not beat any of the top 25…the exception being that we have beaten ourselves.

What? Are you meds okay Cluck? This isn’t a great UD team for sure. But in the FCS in 2023, we are certainly in the top 15 right now. I mean look at the top 25. It is a joke. Now if the Hens continue shizzing the bed to end the season like Saturday and end up 7-4, that is another story.

Off the meds…have been for several days.

I’ve watched a lot of football (most of the top 25 teams can be found on ESPN+) and we would have trouble with the majority of the top 20. Can we beat them? Sure. Any given Saturday. But, our D has problems and our O is wildly inconsistent.

I will enjoy the rest of our season, and hope we beat Campbell and nova and then beat one or two playoff teams. Wouldn’t bet on it, though.

EDIT: clarification. I think we will make the playoffs and beat a first round patsy. The nova game…and a second playoff win? Not so sure.

[Udforever1]

https://herosports.com/fcs-football-202 ... ns-4-bzbz/

[72 Hen]

Frankly, we might not beat any of the top 25…the exception being that we have beaten ourselves.

Just a bad loss against a team that wasn't as good as UD. It happens on occasion. They found a way to get it done. We're back on track at Campbell getting ready for some playoffs. The Nova game will decide if we get a bye, plenty to play for.

In 2003 we won the national Championship. Lost one game all season. The loss at Northeastern is still unbelievable. Sometimes the underdog just plays their best game. After than loss we beat UMass in overtime and finished the season with a win at Villanova.

[Info Hound]

In 2003 we won the national Championship. Lost one game all season. The loss at Northeastern is still unbelievable. Sometimes the underdog just plays their best game. After than loss we beat UMass in overtime and finished the season with a win at Villanova.

That is a fine memory!

[Cluck U]

Definitely a fun year…2003.

Strange, too.

We barely squeaked by UNH, crushed Rhody, edged both Navy and Maine, lost to NE, then barely got by UMass and nova.

Then, come playoff time, we blew the doors off the best I-AA had to offer.

That team was battled hardened by the CAA and then gelled at the right time for the playoff run.

But, one or two plays separated us from the rest of the pack in the CAA. Flip a game or two a couple points and we might not have made the playoffs.

Mind boggling.

[Hens79]

Definitely a fun year…2003.

Strange, too.

We barely squeaked by UNH, crushed Rhody, edged both Navy and Maine, lost to NE, then barely got by UMass and nova.

Then, come playoff time, we blew the doors off the best I-AA had to offer.

That team was battled hardened by the CAA and then gelled at the right time for the playoff run.

But, one or two plays separated us from the rest of the pack in the CAA. Flip a game or two a couple points and we might not have made the playoffs.

Mind boggling.

It is literally mind boggling that anyone could say a 15-1 team that won a national championship was only “one or two plays separated from the rest of the pack in the CAA”. Teams don’t go 15-1 by accident.

2003 wasn’t a “strange year”. The 2003 Hens, a vey talented team, continually did whatever they had to do to win. And winning is what matters. That is what I hoped for against Elon after they fell behind. It is a great characteristic for a team to have. The Hens missed an opportunity to do it Saturday.

I wonder what is good enough for some folks? Geesh!

[72 Hen]

When you think about the 2003 final season game at Villanova what are some of the thing that come to mind?

[Gannonfan]

When you think about the 2003 final season game at Villanova what are some of the thing that come to mind?

I just remember that Andy Hall gutted it out. Tough game, UD didn't have much to play for other than seeding, and I think nova was fighting for their playoff lives (which didn't work out for them, the loss to UD ended their season at 7-4).

Oh, and our flagpole (and two quality flags) got stolen from our tailgate. I partly blame BHBK for leaving the flagpole up during the game, but most of the blame goes to the ingrates at nova and the rent-a-cop Radnor police force.

Oh, and wasn't that the game where the drunk/soon-to-be-retired priest almost ran down a group of UD parents and supporters after the game? Good times.

[Caribbean Hen]

When you think about the 2003 final season game at Villanova what are some of the thing that come to mind?

A win

And Ryan Carty actually playing in the game

[Cluck U]

Definitely a fun year…2003.

Strange, too.

We barely squeaked by UNH, crushed Rhody, edged both Navy and Maine, lost to NE, then barely got by UMass and nova.

Then, come playoff time, we blew the doors off the best I-AA had to offer.

That team was battled hardened by the CAA and then gelled at the right time for the playoff run.

But, one or two plays separated us from the rest of the pack in the CAA. Flip a game or two a couple points and we might not have made the playoffs.

Mind boggling.

It is literally mind boggling that anyone could say a 15-1 team that won a national championship was only “one or two plays separated from the rest of the pack in the CAA”. Teams don’t go 15-1 by accident.

2003 wasn’t a “strange year”. The 2003 Hens, a vey talented team, continually did whatever they had to do to win. And winning is what matters. That is what I hoped for against Elon after they fell behind. It is a great characteristic for a team to have. The Hens missed an opportunity to do it Saturday.

I wonder what is good enough for some folks? Geesh!

Huh?

UD 22-21 UNH. A FG separated us from a loss. Remember that? A play going the other way and we lose that game.

UD 24-21 Maine. OT FG wins the game…we block their FG. We trailed 21-0 at half and almost to the end of the 3Q. A play going the other way and we lose that game.

UD 51-45 UMass. 31-31 after regulation. A play going a different way and we lose that game.

UD 20-17 nova. Hall makes his signature TD run with less than two minutes left in the game…with a separated shoulder. A single play going the other way and we lose that game.

4 plays, 4 potential losses. Record wise…middle of the pack. We don’t make the playoffs and we don’t get a championship.

Yes, we made those plays. But that team was not a juggernaut blowing teams off the field (until the playoffs).

Plenty of coaches say they have had talented teams that were just a few plays from being great/champions, but they just didn’t pull it off. Keeler’s 2003 team pulled it off. But…a few plays going the other way and we aren’t even in the playoffs.