Title game helps Southland seize national spotlight

NCAA Football Betting Lines

07/28/2010 - Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the first time in 14 years, the FCS national championship game will not run through Chattanooga, Tennessee. Understandably, people aren't pleased in Chattanooga. "It's hard to believe that the NCAA would walk away from 13 years of solid game experience to start over, regardless of the site," said Scott Smith, president of the Greater Chattanooga Sports and Events Committee.

The site Smith refers to is Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The stadium, which is home to Major League Soccer's FC Dallas, has a capacity of 23,500. The city, which was recently named the nation's fastest-growing city by the U.S. Census Bureau, is the home of the FCS' Southland Conference. Folks around the league, as you might imagine, are pleased.

"It's certainly an honor for our conference to be one of the hosts for the FCS championship game," says McNeese State head coach Matt Viator. "Since I have been here we have played in one championship game and it was a great experience. I know that everyone connected with our football program feels a bit of pride in our conference's hosting roll this coming season."

The game Viator is referring to is the 2002 FCS championship game between Western Kentucky and McNeese State. McNeese lost 33-14, but the coach still recalls the experience fondly.

In 2010, with the road to the FCS championship running through their backyard, will any team in the Southland prove capable of representing its conference on the division's largest stage?

In both the media and coaches polls released today, Stephen F. Austin has been established as the favorite. SFA, the reigning Southland Conference co- champion, received seven of eight first-place votes in both polls. The Lumberjacks advanced to the second round of the playoffs last year, before suffering a severe 51-0 defeat to eventual FCS runner-up Montana.

Speaking on SFA's status as team to beat in the Southland, head coach J.C. Harper refers to incumbent stars Jeremy Moses and Jabara Williams as reasons for self-assurance. "When you start with two guys like that on both sides of the ball, we welcome it all," says Harper.

Also on Wednesday, Moses and Williams were both announced as 2010 Preseason All-Southland Conference First-Team members. The quarterback and linebacker, respectively, would seem to represent the Southland's best shot at taking home a national award in Frisco this January.

In a conference rife with parity, McNeese State proved to be the only other team worthy of a first-place vote in the polls, receiving one vote in both the media and coaches preseason polls. In 2009, McNeese lost only one conference game; a tough 16-13 decision against Stephen F. Austin. As with SFA, McNeese reached the playoffs, falling in the first round to New Hampshire.

MSU returns 15 of its starters in 2010, including 2009 Southland Conference freshman of the year Malcolm Bronson. Bronson heads a defensive backfield which placed three players on the 2010 Preseason All-Southland Conference First-Team. Along with Bronson, defensive backs Darrell Jenkins and Seth Thomas were also selected. In all, McNeese State had a conference-leading 14 selections.

Stephen F. Austin and McNeese State represent the Southland's best chance to capitalize on a unique opportunity. To host one of their own in the FCS championship game would be dream scenario for the Southland. Both teams will have to significantly improve their playoff performances from a year ago. Both teams will have to survive tough competition within the conference itself. Both teams will have to rely upon returning veteran leadership. Both teams, in reality, will need a little bit of luck.

Stephen F. Austin head coach J. C. Harper is aware. Speaking about championship aspirations, the coach says, "My dad always told me, 'If you're going to win a championship, you've got to be a little lucky.'"

It took a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck to get the FCS championship game moved to Frisco. Maybe adherence to the same formula will result in another victory of sorts for the Southland.

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL (Coaches)

1. Stephen F. Austin (7 first-place votes), 49 points;

2. McNeese State (1), 43;

3. (tie) Southeastern Louisiana, 29;

3. (tie) Texas State, 29;

5. Central Arkansas, 27;

6. Northwestern State, 20;

7. Sam Houston State, 18;

8. Nicholls, 9

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL (Media)

1. Stephen F. Austin (7 first-place votes), 49 points;

2. McNeese State (1), 40;

3. Southeastern Louisiana, 35;

4. Texas State, 31;

5. Central Arkansas, 29;

6. Sam Houston State, 16;

7. Nicholls, 13;

8. Northwestern State, 11

2010 PRESEASON ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TEAMS

First-Team Offense

QB- Jeremy Moses, Stephen F. Austin; RB- Champlain Babin, McNeese State; RB- Jackie Hinton, Central Arkansas; FB/HB- Rico Moss, Central Arkansas; WR- Da'Marcus Griggs, Texas State; WR- Willie Landers, Central Arkansas; TE- Simmie Yarborough, Southeastern Louisiana; OL- D. J. Hall, Texas State; OL- Miguel Gauthreaux, McNeese State; OL- Austin Emerson, Central Arkansas; OL- Michael Booker, Northwestern State; OL- Jonothan Landry, McNeese State

First-Team Defense

DL- Desmund Lighten, McNeese State; DL- Markell Carter, Central Arkansas; DL- Kenneth Charles, Stephen F. Austin; DL- Sean Warren, Stephen F. Austin; LB- Jabara Williams, Stephen F. Austin; LB- Mark Newbill, Southeastern Louisiana; DB- Re'Keem Wilson, Southeastern Louisiana; DB- Malcolm Bronson, McNeese State; DB- Darrell Jenkins, McNeese State; DB- Seth Thomas, McNeese State; DB- Tommy Connors, Southeastern Louisiana

First-Team Specialists

PK- Eddie Carmona, Central Arkansas; P- Patrick Dolan, Nicholls; RS- Gralyn Crawford, Stephen F. Austin

Second-Team Offense

QB- Paul Harris, Northwestern State; RB- Zeke Jones, Southeastern Louisiana; RB- Romonte Hampton, Stephen F. Austin; FB/HB- Gralyn Crawford, Stephen F. Austin; WR- Daren Dillard, Texas State; WR- Chris Royal, McNeese State; TE- Corday Clark, McNeese State; OL- Kevin Hughes, Southeastern Louisiana; OL- Taylor Johnson, McNeese State; OL- George Bias, Stephen F. Austin; OL- Zach Case, Northwestern State; OL- Brandon Ward, Nicholls

Second-Team Defense

DL- Terrance Freeman, McNeese State; DL- Devan Walker, Southeastern Louisiana; DL- Adley Eshraghipour, Texas State; DL- Josh Ellison, McNeese State; LB- Geremy Pilate, McNeese State; LB- Devin Ducote, Stephen F. Austin; DB- Bobby Felder, Nicholls; DB- Andre Banks, Stephen F. Austin; DB- Ford Smesny, McNeese State; DB- Henry Minor, Central Arkansas; DB- Marcus Clark, Texas State

Second-Team Specialists

PK/P- Drew Nelson, Stephen F. Austin; RS- Bradley Brown, Northwestern State

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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