BSC Comparison

[4KornerKat]

If the frizz are in Tier 2, they barely are. They lost at home to a team that lost to Tier 4 UNC and they barely beat Tier 3 EWU. That being said I remember last year licking my chops after they lost to NAU and next thing you know they kicked our butts and went to the natty.

The Griz tend to get stronger/sharper as the season rolls along under Hauck. Even with all their struggles, they're 3rd in overall record, 3rd in conference record, and 2nd in scoring differential. I'm expect them to get rolling here in the second half of the season and climb back up into the top ~5 of the FCS before coming to Bozeman and getting waxed.

Yes, it’ll be interesting to see how the Griz evolve. I’m told they scaled back/simplified their defense last week and that seemed to help but NAU was without its starting quarterback. If they can, by basically moving back to 101, add more elements back to their defense they could gradually get back to their former selves. I don’t think they can stick with the 101 version and beat Davis or MSU.

I think this narrative that the Griz get better as the season goes is almost totally based on last year. In '22 they were getting first place votes before dropping 3 straight, getting run out of the stadium by the Cats and nearly lost at home to an average SEMO team in the playoffs. '21 they started off beating Washington and beat the Cat's but it was one and done in the playoffs as well. '19 lose to the Cats and lose in the playoffs vs a Weber team they embarrassed just a month earlier. I get why people are expecting them to rise from the ashes this season but in reality last year is really the only time they have definitively got it rolling to end the year under Hauck 2.0. It was the exception, not the rule.

I think that's a good point, but digging a little deeper I think it's even more related to QB play. Last year they were trying to win with a guy (Vidlak) that couldn't stop turning the ball over, once they went to McDowell they got rolling. Seems like similar with Ah Yat vs. Fife this year. The previous years collapses were fairly strongly tied to injuries to QB1. I think there is reason to assume they will continue to roll with Fife, but if/when he gets hurt they will be in trouble.

Not sure if you meant "continue to roll" as in, they're rolling anything? lol. They're just not a very good football team right now. They might improve, we'll see. Lost to UND, Lost to Weber at home, which is insane considering that stadium get them a 14 point advantage. Then won some squeakers against marginal teams, including this last weekend when NAU was down their 3rd string QB from what I read. Not impressed yet.

Well I think they're rolling, just maybe not very smooth or fast. Offensive output has been significantly better since they switched from Ah Yat, seems like maybe they are coming around on defense, so who knows where the season takes them.

Agree that they aren't that impressive, point I was trying to make is that they seem to take a bit to find the right fit at QB the last few seasons, and then start to put things together from there.

Griz looked terrible and shockingly won. Not sure that is the definition of “rolling.”

Again not saying they are world beaters. But beyond the Dakotas and Bobcats, are there really any teams that are 7+ points better? Easy to pick up steam against NAU w/ QB3, UNC, and CPSLO, and I don't know that anyone quite rides momentum waves like Booby.

[tetoncat]

If the frizz are in Tier 2, they barely are. They lost at home to a team that lost to Tier 4 UNC and they barely beat Tier 3 EWU. That being said I remember last year licking my chops after they lost to NAU and next thing you know they kicked our butts and went to the natty.

The Griz tend to get stronger/sharper as the season rolls along under Hauck. Even with all their struggles, they're 3rd in overall record, 3rd in conference record, and 2nd in scoring differential. I'm expect them to get rolling here in the second half of the season and climb back up into the top ~5 of the FCS before coming to Bozeman and getting waxed.

Yes, it’ll be interesting to see how the Griz evolve. I’m told they scaled back/simplified their defense last week and that seemed to help but NAU was without its starting quarterback. If they can, by basically moving back to 101, add more elements back to their defense they could gradually get back to their former selves. I don’t think they can stick with the 101 version and beat Davis or MSU.

I think this narrative that the Griz get better as the season goes is almost totally based on last year. In '22 they were getting first place votes before dropping 3 straight, getting run out of the stadium by the Cats and nearly lost at home to an average SEMO team in the playoffs. '21 they started off beating Washington and beat the Cat's but it was one and done in the playoffs as well. '19 lose to the Cats and lose in the playoffs vs a Weber team they embarrassed just a month earlier. I get why people are expecting them to rise from the ashes this season but in reality last year is really the only time they have definitively got it rolling to end the year under Hauck 2.0. It was the exception, not the rule.

I think that's a good point, but digging a little deeper I think it's even more related to QB play. Last year they were trying to win with a guy (Vidlak) that couldn't stop turning the ball over, once they went to McDowell they got rolling. Seems like similar with Ah Yat vs. Fife this year. The previous years collapses were fairly strongly tied to injuries to QB1. I think there is reason to assume they will continue to roll with Fife, but if/when he gets hurt they will be in trouble.

Not sure if you meant "continue to roll" as in, they're rolling anything? lol. They're just not a very good football team right now. They might improve, we'll see. Lost to UND, Lost to Weber at home, which is insane considering that stadium get them a 14 point advantage. Then won some squeakers against marginal teams, including this last weekend when NAU was down their 3rd string QB from what I read. Not impressed yet.

Well I think they're rolling, just maybe not very smooth or fast. Offensive output has been significantly better since they switched from Ah Yat, seems like maybe they are coming around on defense, so who knows where the season takes them.

Agree that they aren't that impressive, point I was trying to make is that they seem to take a bit to find the right fit at QB the last few seasons, and then start to put things together from there.

Griz looked terrible and shockingly won. Not sure that is the definition of “rolling.”

Again not saying they are world beaters. But beyond the Dakotas and Bobcats, are there really any teams that are 7+ points better? Easy to pick up steam against NAU w/ QB3, UNC, and CPSLO, and I don't know that anyone quite rides momentum waves like Booby.

Let's see what they can do ob the road.

[Catprint]

While I agree the Gris will get stronger as the season moves on, i think it is highly unlikely they will climb back into the Top 10, much less the Top 5. The Top 5 is almost certainly a lock between SDSU, NDSU, MSU, Nova and Mercer (based on schedules). USD, Davis, UCA, SEMO and UIW are all likely to be in the Top 10. All of these teams will have 1 or at most 2 losses come later November. Maybe the Gris can get in around 9 or 10 but Top 5 is simply out of reach barring a total collapse by 5 or 6 teams.

Maybe top 5 is out of reach, but they're #11 right now so I can't imagine that 9 or 10 is their ceiling.

Gris still have to play UCD and the Cats. I think both can be a loss. Regardless, I expect average victories against Cal Poly and UNC and poor performances against PSU, UCD and the Cats. I think UIW, Central Arkansas and maybe even Idaho will have strong wins and move ahead of the Gris. I still think they are looking at 10-14 in the polls. But of course I don't know anything either. Maybe they can string 4 victories together and move up to 8 or 9 spot.

[TomCat88]

While I agree the Gris will get stronger as the season moves on, i think it is highly unlikely they will climb back into the Top 10, much less the Top 5. The Top 5 is almost certainly a lock between SDSU, NDSU, MSU, Nova and Mercer (based on schedules). USD, Davis, UCA, SEMO and UIW are all likely to be in the Top 10. All of these teams will have 1 or at most 2 losses come later November. Maybe the Gris can get in around 9 or 10 but Top 5 is simply out of reach barring a total collapse by 5 or 6 teams.

Maybe top 5 is out of reach, but they're #11 right now so I can't imagine that 9 or 10 is their ceiling.

Gris still have to play UCD and the Cats. I think both can be a loss. Regardless, I expect average victories against Cal Poly and UNC and poor performances against PSU, UCD and the Cats. I think UIW, Central Arkansas and maybe even Idaho will have strong wins and move ahead of the Gris. I still think they are looking at 10-14 in the polls. But of course I don't know anything either. Maybe they can string 4 victories together and move up to 8 or 9 spot.

UM’s next game is fascinating. So is UNC’s. And they play each other after both teams getting a week off. The game’s in Greeley. Huge win by the Bears in Ogden last week despite needing five turnovers. If UNC can get off to a good start vs UM, there’s no telling what might happen. They came so close to beating Abilene. Their only other home game was a loss to Cal Poly. The Griz get time to work out their issues on defense.

[Lord Vigo]

While I agree the Gris will get stronger as the season moves on, i think it is highly unlikely they will climb back into the Top 10, much less the Top 5. The Top 5 is almost certainly a lock between SDSU, NDSU, MSU, Nova and Mercer (based on schedules). USD, Davis, UCA, SEMO and UIW are all likely to be in the Top 10. All of these teams will have 1 or at most 2 losses come later November. Maybe the Gris can get in around 9 or 10 but Top 5 is simply out of reach barring a total collapse by 5 or 6 teams.

Maybe top 5 is out of reach, but they're #11 right now so I can't imagine that 9 or 10 is their ceiling.

Gris still have to play UCD and the Cats. I think both can be a loss. Regardless, I expect average victories against Cal Poly and UNC and poor performances against PSU, UCD and the Cats. I think UIW, Central Arkansas and maybe even Idaho will have strong wins and move ahead of the Gris. I still think they are looking at 10-14 in the polls. But of course I don't know anything either. Maybe they can string 4 victories together and move up to 8 or 9 spot.

I fully expect UM to get trounced in Bozeman but I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them run the table until then. In fact, I’d be surprised if they don’t. And this is all to the good— the higher they’re ranked for the brawl, the better.

[BelligerentBobcat]

While I agree the Gris will get stronger as the season moves on, i think it is highly unlikely they will climb back into the Top 10, much less the Top 5. The Top 5 is almost certainly a lock between SDSU, NDSU, MSU, Nova and Mercer (based on schedules). USD, Davis, UCA, SEMO and UIW are all likely to be in the Top 10. All of these teams will have 1 or at most 2 losses come later November. Maybe the Gris can get in around 9 or 10 but Top 5 is simply out of reach barring a total collapse by 5 or 6 teams.

Maybe top 5 is out of reach, but they're #11 right now so I can't imagine that 9 or 10 is their ceiling.

Gris still have to play UCD and the Cats. I think both can be a loss. Regardless, I expect average victories against Cal Poly and UNC and poor performances against PSU, UCD and the Cats. I think UIW, Central Arkansas and maybe even Idaho will have strong wins and move ahead of the Gris. I still think they are looking at 10-14 in the polls. But of course I don't know anything either. Maybe they can string 4 victories together and move up to 8 or 9 spot.

I fully expect UM to get trounced in Bozeman but I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them run the table until then. In fact, I’d be surprised if they don’t. And this is all to the good— the higher they’re ranked for the brawl, the better.

The last thing I want is for that team and their fans to feel like they’re going to lose, like they suck, etc.

I want them to think they’re going to win and crush their dreams.

[catatac]

While I agree the Gris will get stronger as the season moves on, i think it is highly unlikely they will climb back into the Top 10, much less the Top 5. The Top 5 is almost certainly a lock between SDSU, NDSU, MSU, Nova and Mercer (based on schedules). USD, Davis, UCA, SEMO and UIW are all likely to be in the Top 10. All of these teams will have 1 or at most 2 losses come later November. Maybe the Gris can get in around 9 or 10 but Top 5 is simply out of reach barring a total collapse by 5 or 6 teams.

Maybe top 5 is out of reach, but they're #11 right now so I can't imagine that 9 or 10 is their ceiling.

Gris still have to play UCD and the Cats. I think both can be a loss. Regardless, I expect average victories against Cal Poly and UNC and poor performances against PSU, UCD and the Cats. I think UIW, Central Arkansas and maybe even Idaho will have strong wins and move ahead of the Gris. I still think they are looking at 10-14 in the polls. But of course I don't know anything either. Maybe they can string 4 victories together and move up to 8 or 9 spot.

I fully expect UM to get trounced in Bozeman but I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them run the table until then. In fact, I’d be surprised if they don’t. And this is all to the good— the higher they’re ranked for the brawl, the better.

I think UM will lose one more game before the brawl, but of course I could be wrong. Really interested to see what happens today between UCD and EWU. If UCD thumps EWU on the red turf, then I'm saying UCD will beat UM in Missoula. That would also make me even more nervous about the Cats having to play at Davis.