The Bobcat Nation

First. how did we come out of sac. st. in terms of injurys. I heard wolf got hurt again but i dont know how bad. is he out for the season or what? Did anyone else get hurt?
Next question. Are our chances of hosting a play off game over. did we lose one to many games even if that was our only loss in confrence.
Well as bad as i felt during the game on sat. i am still optimistic and will deffinantly be there sat to cheer them on.
GO CATS

Can't answer the injury question; not yet anyway...

As to hosting, I have to believe that if we knock off 2 top 20 teams in the next 2 weeks, which would make us the SOLE Champion of the Big Sky, that we would host in the first round at least.

Our 3 losses would really look like 2 to the comittee because they CLAIM the CSU loss won't hurt us and Cal Poly is in the top 10.

Only the first 4 seeds are guaranteed. After that, I believe it's open to bids so MSU could get a home playoff game. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

El, Cal Poly won't be in the top 10 after today.

I think you are correct Meat. We could bid on a home game but everything depends on the next two weeks. Win both we have a good shot at hosting, lose one win one probably not and maybe not even in the playoffs depending on other factors, lose both well, let's not talk about that.

I agree Poly will probably drop to the mid teens this week.

I would say it's a matter of winning both or no playoffs. Cal Poly's season still would look much better than ours if they get back on track. EWU looks like the best team in the Sky. The Cats can't take off the first half, but home field gives us a chance.

We definitely MUST win both to be in. 7-4 and we're done.

Jensen broke his leg I guess...I hope Gluhm is back after not playing Saturday. Hirst is a mystery. Every week they say he will play and he doesn't. We may need him this week. Bolton moved to the left side and DeCock took over at the right tackle after Jensen got hurt.

Milton is still out...boy could we use him if for nothin but a change of pace!

Cory Austin might as well have been hurt. He had problems finding the ball in coverage on long balls. He was usually right with the receiver but couldn't locate the ball, couldn't play the receiver....so he just watched Amey catch the ball! Fuller was much better in coverage....but I still think Force does a better job at corner with Grenfell at the free safety.

We will find out if theses kids can cover next week!

I realize I'm a Grizzly, but we have been to the playoffs a few times so I know a little about selection and I'll keep this as objective as possible.

You HAVE to finish with no less than 3 losses, or you're out of the playoffs unless you win the Big Sky autobid. Since the only way you can avoid 4+ losses now is to win the Sky, we'll assume that's what happens.

The selection committee first picks the field of 16. There, you're in with the autobid, no worries. Then, they pick the top 4 seeds. I have to be honest, you have no shot for one of those. Then, the draw is made almost totally based on money potential for the NCAA. They try to draw teams from the same geographic region together so save on travel costs, and then they pick who hosts based on which of the unranked teams have a better potential gate. That assumes that both schools make the minimum required bid for the game, which most usually do, but not always. Schools used to be able to 'buy' home games by submitting ultra-high bids, but not anymore. Now, the NCAA 'shops' for the best deal.

This policy really benefits Montana, because of the tradition of filling one of the biggest I-AA stadiums. In the playoffs, games at Washington-Grizzly always sell more tickets than any of the other games. The committee knows this and gives us home games regardless of record or ranking. The Bobcats, on the other hand, are a bit of an unknown for the committee, so I would guess that a 8-3 season and a low-teens ranking would send you on the road UNLESS MSU has been selling out every game at home and can clearly demonstrate a similar potential for the playoffs.

Of course, I think the Griz beat you in Missoula, but if you do make the playoffs, I hope you host. It's a longshot, but if you're in the playoffs I hope you do well and your best chance is at home.