Herder has Cats at #3

[kwcat]

On another note, are we learning something from the Gris schedule? Maybe it’s a good idea to play 3-4 home games in the OOC, pad your resume with wins, and have an excellent chance for a top seed. Maybe instead of playing SDSU in week 2, we play Utah Tech or some team like that, kill em, and rise in the polls. I personally would rather be challenged in the OOC, but that doesn’t seem to get as much respect from the voters.

I think the tougher schedule does make a difference. I think the strength of schedule is why you saw Montana State placed above U M on the committees midseason ranking.

The economics of scheduling more home games and paying another FCS team to come may be a different story. Add that to the opportunity to also be seeded and draw more playoff revenue, which I’m not sure how those numbers work. Nonetheless, all of those may play into an economic decision to do what Missoula did.

[RickRund]

I get it, but... LAME. Griz play a soooft schedule

remind me who has beat a top 10 team?

When the CATS beat NAU they were #8 on Massey…

[profisme]

I think this is the best gris team in a long time. And easily the best gris team under hauck 2.0.

What performance tells you that? One win over a ranked team? They also should have lost that game except for the terrible UND coaching decisions.

Woulda/shoulda… they are undefeated. They have found ways to win. Wortham is the best player in the conference, maybe country. They finally have a qb. Much worse gris teams have beaten the crap out of really good Cat teams.

Which team in hauck 2.0 is better than this years squad?

The '23 squad was definitely better. Gillman/Ostmo, Cliff and Bergen with Gubner and that defense. This team has talent, but I don't think this team would stay within 2 scores of that one.

[coloradocat]

I think this is the best gris team in a long time. And easily the best gris team under hauck 2.0.

What performance tells you that? One win over a ranked team? They also should have lost that game except for the terrible UND coaching decisions.

Woulda/shoulda… they are undefeated. They have found ways to win. Wortham is the best player in the conference, maybe country. They finally have a qb. Much worse gris teams have beaten the crap out of really good Cat teams.

Which team in hauck 2.0 is better than this years squad?

The 2023 griz team was way better than this team. That defense was tough, up front and at CB. This year, they are weaker on defense, especially on the line. They don't have that dominant NT who commands a double team every play. They can be run on and passed on. They've given up 30 to Idaho who sucks, 38 to Idaho state, 20 to indiana state (in missoula) who hasn't won a game since Sept 6; 21 points to sacred heart high, and 35 to Sac State.

Offensively they are better this year at the skill spots for sure, but not on the O line. They have gotten by OK so far but they have some issues that could be a problem when they play a good D-line. We shall see.

ALSO the 2023 team had Junior Bergan who single handedly won several games for them as a returner, including in the playoffs. Wortham is a stud but he's not Junior, not as a returner anyway.

So Wortham < Bergen as a returner, but is he better in other facets? Has Wortham "single handedly" won some games for the griz, or will he?

He hasn't returned any kicks or punts for TDs yet but he seems to be most of their offense, especially when the RB often struggles to get 75 yards on the ground.

[91catAlum]

I think this is the best gris team in a long time. And easily the best gris team under hauck 2.0.

What performance tells you that? One win over a ranked team? They also should have lost that game except for the terrible UND coaching decisions.

Woulda/shoulda… they are undefeated. They have found ways to win. Wortham is the best player in the conference, maybe country. They finally have a qb. Much worse gris teams have beaten the crap out of really good Cat teams.

Which team in hauck 2.0 is better than this years squad?

The 2023 griz team was way better than this team. That defense was tough, up front and at CB. This year, they are weaker on defense, especially on the line. They don't have that dominant NT who commands a double team every play. They can be run on and passed on. They've given up 30 to Idaho who sucks, 38 to Idaho state, 20 to indiana state (in missoula) who hasn't won a game since Sept 6; 21 points to sacred heart high, and 35 to Sac State.

Offensively they are better this year at the skill spots for sure, but not on the O line. They have gotten by OK so far but they have some issues that could be a problem when they play a good D-line. We shall see.

ALSO the 2023 team had Junior Bergan who single handedly won several games for them as a returner, including in the playoffs. Wortham is a stud but he's not Junior, not as a returner anyway.

So Wortham < Bergen as a returner, but is he better in other facets? Has Wortham "single handedly" won some games for the griz, or will he?

Oh Wortham is a much better WR than Bergen from what I've seen. I can't say whether he's won games for them, haven't watched them enough. But Bergen won 2 playoff games for the griz in 2023 including the semi final against ndsu. Plus other games. So I'm not putting Wortham in that same class as a returner.

The point of my original post was that the 2023 griz team was better than this current one. Do you disagree with me?

[nanacat]

I think this is the best gris team in a long time. And easily the best gris team under hauck 2.0.

What performance tells you that? One win over a ranked team? They also should have lost that game except for the terrible UND coaching decisions.

Woulda/shoulda… they are undefeated. They have found ways to win. Wortham is the best player in the conference, maybe country. They finally have a qb. Much worse gris teams have beaten the crap out of really good Cat teams.

Which team in hauck 2.0 is better than this years squad?

The 2023 griz team was way better than this team. That defense was tough, up front and at CB. This year, they are weaker on defense, especially on the line. They don't have that dominant NT who commands a double team every play. They can be run on and passed on. They've given up 30 to Idaho who sucks, 38 to Idaho state, 20 to indiana state (in missoula) who hasn't won a game since Sept 6; 21 points to sacred heart high, and 35 to Sac State.

Offensively they are better this year at the skill spots for sure, but not on the O line. They have gotten by OK so far but they have some issues that could be a problem when they play a good D-line. We shall see.

ALSO the 2023 team had Junior Bergan who single handedly won several games for them as a returner, including in the playoffs. Wortham is a stud but he's not Junior, not as a returner anyway.

So Wortham < Bergen as a returner, but is he better in other facets? Has Wortham "single handedly" won some games for the griz, or will he?

Oh Wortham is a much better WR than Bergen from what I've seen. I can't say whether he's won games for them, haven't watched them enough. But Bergen won 2 playoff games for the griz in 2023 including the semi final against ndsu. Plus other games. So I'm not putting Wortham in that same class as a returner.

The point of my original post was that the 2023 griz team was better than this current one. Do you disagree with me?

No I don't disagree with you. Was just curious your thoughts.

[GoldstoneCat]

I think this is the best gris team in a long time. And easily the best gris team under hauck 2.0.

What performance tells you that? One win over a ranked team? They also should have lost that game except for the terrible UND coaching decisions.

Woulda/shoulda… they are undefeated. They have found ways to win. Wortham is the best player in the conference, maybe country. They finally have a qb. Much worse gris teams have beaten the crap out of really good Cat teams.

Which team in hauck 2.0 is better than this years squad?

The '23 squad was definitely better. Gillman/Ostmo, Cliff and Bergen with Gubner and that defense. This team has talent, but I don't think this team would stay within 2 scores of that one.

I said the same. I think the 18 team with sneed as well.

[Prodigal Cat]

Anyone sit down and look at the top 8 seeds as they are currently looking? Due to early season matchups its pretty inevitable that there will likely be quarter final rematches. The fact that SDSU, NDSU, UM, UND and MSU will all have played multiple (some 3) teams will mean its going to happen. I know they try and avoid first and second round rematches but the qtrs could be quite a few. I was playing around with it and one scenario had all 3 Valley teams on one half of the bracket and the BSC teams on the other:

NDSU
Tarleton
MSU (2-3 could swap but not sure, they would have 2 more D1 wins)
UND
SDSU
UM
Davis (non counter hurts even though UM has a D2 but they wouldn't have a win like gris do versus UND)
Lehigh
This infers that UND loses to NDSU but beats SDSU, Tarleton goes undefeated, and Cats win out including the brawl. Cats would host Davis again then either go to Tar or host the Gris. That QTR would be nuts but if we win in zoo we would smoke em at home. Fair chance SDSU and UM could swap the 5 and 6 which means we would host the Jacks again but then your putting UM right below a UND team they beat.

So???:
NDSU
Tarleton
MSU
UM
UND
Davis
SDSU
Lehigh
Davis just doesn't have a good win to put them higher unless they win in Bozeman. The Mercer game if they would have been able to finish and win it definitely would have helped but their lone good win is NAU at home. But this would be pretty decent for the Cats, Davis again and then hosting the Jacks again or going to Tarleton or hosting the Jacks and then the Tar/Davis winner.

Obviously there is lots to be decided yet but I like doing this.

[Go Scats Go]

The Griz have @Weber, EWU, @PSU before the Brawl. I think Glacier High School could sweep those 3 teams. So their only realistic chance for a loss is the Brawl. TRUE!

Turder has always put UM lower than the poll that comes out... But not this year

[Helcat72]

Isn't Leon on the committee now? So he can't vote us into a preferable spot if it comes down to it. Right?

[JoeCatsJoe]

Isn't Leon on the committee now? So he can't vote us into a preferable spot if it comes down to it. Right?

Nope, each AD recuses themselves from the conversation about their own team. And I really hope he wouldn’t do that anyway.