Highest level of athletics in the state. We’d be like that in California if we didn’t have the NFL,NHL,NBA,PAC12,Mountain West, and Major League Soccer. Hard to imagine.
Edit left of major league baseball

In many of the rankings it’s not a poll, it’s an algorithm or an average of multiple algorithms based on the matrix of all games and all scores. It is based on who you’ve played, how you scored and how they scored against other opponents, That excludes reputation, history etc. The coaches poll is subjective and reflects reputation, as do any writers polls, or Internet polls. Based on our performance we’re somewhere in the top 10. Based on our reputation where not. If we continue to win we’ll be higher ranked in the coaches and writers polls next year. On one of the radio broadcasts the question was raised on who fills out the coaches ballots. Probably not the coaches who are otherwise occupied.

In reply to Idaho State being better than Northern Iowa; In Sagarin rankings, Northern Iowa is ranked #74 , we’re #106, and Idaho State is #137.
On a neutral field Northern Iowa would be favored over Idaho State by two touchdowns

I see we’ve allowed fewer sacks than any other team in the Big Sky only statistics. The rebuilt offensive line is doing a great job.

Thanks.... The good thing about all these is they are based on actual scores; using an algorithm defined before the season. So they aren’t polls in the sense of collcting people’s subjective opinion.

Suani our true freshman heavyweight D lineman started and played a lot of snaps, Is that a first for him?
Got to like all the young defensive players making their presence felt.

I think the coaches poll is the worst of the FCS rankings. I wonder if whoever fills out the ballots for the coaches knows anything about other conferences.
I like computer rankings based on wins and comparative scores of all games. Sagarin shows us #9 of the AA teams. At least that isn’t subjective.

The only objection to such a high ranking at this point is we haven’t beat anyone of note, Teams that looked tough prior to the season haven’t done well, for example Idaho. Our top win is probably Idaho State, which preseason looked easy. So we still are a little untested.

Montana has defeated a tougher team than anyone we’ve beat, Northern Iowa. That’s kind of scary.

Maybe they should just recommend that recruits look elsewhere. Seems reasonable.

perhaps it’s relevant that they were better after those guys left in 2016?
Sac State has always seemed to have large recruiting classes. Can’t keep that up unless players leave..

Hopefully still true after today, our rushing defense is ranked second in the Big Sky,
RUSHING DEFENSE G Att Yards Avg. TD Yards/G
1. Weber State 3 108 266 2.5 2 88.7
2. UC Davis 3 128 427 3.3 5 142.3
3. Portland State 4 151 608 4.0 8 152.0
4. Idaho State 4 153 741 4.8 6 185.2
5. Montana State 3 122 567 4.6 9 189.0
6. Eastern Washington 4 214 777 3.6 5 194.2
7. Northern Arizona 3 128 591 4.6 8 197.0
8. Idaho 4 156 845 5.4 5 211.2
9. Northern Colorado 4 183 883 4.8 14 220.8
10. Cal Poly 3 87 795 9.1 9 265.0
11. Southern Utah 3 123 831 6.8 8 277.0
12. Montana 4 233 1124 4.8 11 281.0
13. Sacramento State 3 153 1072 7.0 13 357.3

Hopefully winning some playoff games at the FCS level will get recognition similar to winning some of the no name FBS bowls. If that’s the case then better to be big fish in small pond

We could lose any game on our schedule but we have a solid chance to win any game. Indeed if we continue to play to the form we’ve established this year we’ll be favored in every game except EW with the Montana game even because they are at home. I think we’ll improve over what we’ve done so far.

Perhaps the opponents but I think Massey is based on more than just points. I think Idaho State has given up a lot of yards

Would that we had a 49-10 4th quarter lead to fritter away every Saturday.

Not to count our chickens before they hatch but this weeks results seem to bode well for us. Sac State and Montana games appear a little more winnable.
Suddenly Idaho State seems as good a team anyone on our schedule except Eastern Washington. Fortunately this ones at home.

I understand your point but I think it’s human nature to lose intensity with a big lead. I think it’s correct that the positives early outweigh the negatives later.

I missed watching the game due to being out of country and Pluto didn’t work. What I’m curious about is we played numbers on defense before
without things falling apart We only had a traveling squad in this game so I don’t think we played guys who hadn’t played in earlier games. So what’s the reason? Just momentum?

If one is myopic one can’t see California from there. I’ve said for a while that we will always be low in polls until we beat Montana, EWU or when we play them Montana State. Montana is the media hub of the big sky. Doesn’t matter much who you beat in California, Arizona or Oregon,