Its time for the top 5...almost the home stretch. And before I start, this has been pretty cool to do, are 100s of people reading this, well no, but at least I have been able to get some of these thoughts on some form of record and it feels good. Alright, sappiness done.
Just like our last entry, the Southland conference is one where it has been good but when the playoffs come around it becomes clear year after year that they are just behind some of the other conferences. And with the turnover at the top, this upcoming season should be one of the more hectic in recent memory
Placement Reasoning
This is a conference that is pretty good at the top, not much of a middle, then the bottom falls out. Its almost of a mirror image of the OVC with the one exception being the Southland is a deeper conference. But while deeper than the OVC, the same playoff struggles plague the conference. A lot of that has to do with the style of play as it is more of an offensive lead conference and struggle with some of the more physical teams around the country.
2017 Recap
How would you define this season for the conference? I mean normally when you send three teams to the playoffs, two top seeds, and an unexpected playoff season you would pat yourself on the back, right? Well not here, Sam Houston St snuck by South Dakota and got blasted by NDSU (again), Central Arkansas was one of three seeded teams not to win a game after losing at home to New Hampshire (who looked bad the week before), and while Nicholls St had an amazing season (one lost under the Austin Peay wave) they also fell short in its playoff game versus South Dakota. By the way, can someone explain how a nine-win McNeese St doesn't make the playoffs?
After that Southeast Lousiana finished with six wins then the bottom fell out as no other team had a winning record including four schools with a combined six wins...ouch
Playoff/National Championship Contenders
So talk about a competitive race, as many as five teams have legit shots at the top spot. But with every single one, major questions loom large to determine the difference between an auto-bid and staying at home and wishing we did have FCS bowl games (Mineral Water Bowl everyone!)
The Favorites
Sam Houston St.
Will there be a drop-off? Of course, it is expected when you lose a two time Payton award winner Jeremiah Briscoe. That being said, it is a team that is expected to be near the top of the mountain when 15 starters return (seven on offense and eight on defense). Here is the big question outside of replacing Brisco...how does eight returning defensive starters improve after giving up 31 points a game and lost its best defender in P.J. Hall? While it may not matter in season, the playoffs are a different story in the Bearkats want to win a national championship.
Nicolls State
Look, it is a flawed team and there might have been a dash of luck in last years surprise season but this team has all the makings of one who could take another step forward right away and contend and not just surprise. The reason for the optimism...16 returning starters (10 of which earned all-conference selections), a run-first offense that seemed to get better as the year went along and is deep, and a schedule that opens with McNeese and SHSU but gets nice and manageable afterward. Reason for concern...despite being a three-year starter, QB Chase Fourcade is turnover prone, they could easily start 0-4 and be forced to win out to earn a playoff birth and has to replace key cogs on the defensive line (including a pair of starters)
Central Arkansas
No way around it, last year ended with a huge thud. Doesn't help that former HC Steve Campbell had one foot out the door to S. Alabama and still might be washing off the stink from their playoff loss to New Hampshire when the season starts. But, former star QB Nathan Brown (he was pretty damn good) takes over as HC and former Abilene Christian head man Ken Collums is offensive coordinator. The Bears are hoping that helps offset the major losses on both sides of the ball and can navigate them thru a very tricky August schedule that sees them on the road for three out of four games and a potential trap games at home versus Murray St.
The Contender
McNeese St
Of all the teams who didn't make the playoff the Cowboys probably have the biggest beef with the selection committee. That being said, the tools are in place to keep the decision out of the committee's hands this year. Yea, only five starters return to a top 15 defense but they are still really, really talented. Add on top nine starters on offense returning and a favorable schedule, this could be the year of redemption for McNeese
The Sleeper
Southeastern Louisiana
You'd be hard-pressed to keep the Lions off the list of contenders in the Southland. Granted, a new coach and major losses on defense don't put them into real contender range, but a really good (and mostly unknown) rushing attack can give defenses all sorts of trouble when its cranked up to 11. One other thing going against them...the schedule. With a three-game stretch to begin the season that includes a trip to LSU and C. Arkansas to start conference play and a three-game stretch to end the year at SHSU, McNeese, and at Nicolls, a six-loss season isn't out of the cards
Teams to add/subtract
Just like our last entry, the Southland conference is one where it has been good but when the playoffs come around it becomes clear year after year that they are just behind some of the other conferences. And with the turnover at the top, this upcoming season should be one of the more hectic in recent memory
Placement Reasoning
This is a conference that is pretty good at the top, not much of a middle, then the bottom falls out. Its almost of a mirror image of the OVC with the one exception being the Southland is a deeper conference. But while deeper than the OVC, the same playoff struggles plague the conference. A lot of that has to do with the style of play as it is more of an offensive lead conference and struggle with some of the more physical teams around the country.
2017 Recap
How would you define this season for the conference? I mean normally when you send three teams to the playoffs, two top seeds, and an unexpected playoff season you would pat yourself on the back, right? Well not here, Sam Houston St snuck by South Dakota and got blasted by NDSU (again), Central Arkansas was one of three seeded teams not to win a game after losing at home to New Hampshire (who looked bad the week before), and while Nicholls St had an amazing season (one lost under the Austin Peay wave) they also fell short in its playoff game versus South Dakota. By the way, can someone explain how a nine-win McNeese St doesn't make the playoffs?
After that Southeast Lousiana finished with six wins then the bottom fell out as no other team had a winning record including four schools with a combined six wins...ouch
Playoff/National Championship Contenders
So talk about a competitive race, as many as five teams have legit shots at the top spot. But with every single one, major questions loom large to determine the difference between an auto-bid and staying at home and wishing we did have FCS bowl games (Mineral Water Bowl everyone!)
The Favorites
Sam Houston St.
Will there be a drop-off? Of course, it is expected when you lose a two time Payton award winner Jeremiah Briscoe. That being said, it is a team that is expected to be near the top of the mountain when 15 starters return (seven on offense and eight on defense). Here is the big question outside of replacing Brisco...how does eight returning defensive starters improve after giving up 31 points a game and lost its best defender in P.J. Hall? While it may not matter in season, the playoffs are a different story in the Bearkats want to win a national championship.
Nicolls State
Look, it is a flawed team and there might have been a dash of luck in last years surprise season but this team has all the makings of one who could take another step forward right away and contend and not just surprise. The reason for the optimism...16 returning starters (10 of which earned all-conference selections), a run-first offense that seemed to get better as the year went along and is deep, and a schedule that opens with McNeese and SHSU but gets nice and manageable afterward. Reason for concern...despite being a three-year starter, QB Chase Fourcade is turnover prone, they could easily start 0-4 and be forced to win out to earn a playoff birth and has to replace key cogs on the defensive line (including a pair of starters)
Central Arkansas
No way around it, last year ended with a huge thud. Doesn't help that former HC Steve Campbell had one foot out the door to S. Alabama and still might be washing off the stink from their playoff loss to New Hampshire when the season starts. But, former star QB Nathan Brown (he was pretty damn good) takes over as HC and former Abilene Christian head man Ken Collums is offensive coordinator. The Bears are hoping that helps offset the major losses on both sides of the ball and can navigate them thru a very tricky August schedule that sees them on the road for three out of four games and a potential trap games at home versus Murray St.
The Contender
McNeese St
Of all the teams who didn't make the playoff the Cowboys probably have the biggest beef with the selection committee. That being said, the tools are in place to keep the decision out of the committee's hands this year. Yea, only five starters return to a top 15 defense but they are still really, really talented. Add on top nine starters on offense returning and a favorable schedule, this could be the year of redemption for McNeese
The Sleeper
Southeastern Louisiana
You'd be hard-pressed to keep the Lions off the list of contenders in the Southland. Granted, a new coach and major losses on defense don't put them into real contender range, but a really good (and mostly unknown) rushing attack can give defenses all sorts of trouble when its cranked up to 11. One other thing going against them...the schedule. With a three-game stretch to begin the season that includes a trip to LSU and C. Arkansas to start conference play and a three-game stretch to end the year at SHSU, McNeese, and at Nicolls, a six-loss season isn't out of the cards
Teams to add/subtract
When the conference shuffle happened a few years ago one of the conferences with the most movement was the Southland. Three schools, UTSA, UT-Arlington, and Texas St. all took their show to a higher level. And to replace the loss, Albeline Christian, Incarnate Word, Houston Baptist, and Lamar all either came from D-II or started a new football program.
With that being said, change is not something that is needed but a team or two has come to mind that would make a good fit in the southland moving forward and help spread the conference's wings a bit
Adding: Dallas Baptist (start-up program), Central Oklahoma (DII - MIAA)
Here is the thing about both... it's not an overly needed addition but both programs would be interesting choices moving forward. Both would be fits because of the location, getting into the Dallas market and Oklahoma would be big.
For Dallas Baptist, the move would be a major step up as while there are plenty of areas to house a stadium, it's never easy starting a program and as other programs in the Southland have shown, the results aren't always good.
Central Oklahoma would be good for a couple of reasons. The model of good Division II programs to the Southland has been repeated and wouldn't a major stretch since the Broncos have one of the better stadiums in D-II. And getting into the Oklahoma market would be a win for the conference and FCS (currently there are no FCS programs in Oklahoma)
Subtracting: No One
Just like most FCS programs who have a run of success, the idea is thrown out of a possible move to the FBS level and it was no different a few years ago with Sam Houston St. Now mind you these went nowhere but if Texas State could, its worth a quick thought. And also, while it would be easy to boot one of the newer programs, its too early in the process and just because one is bad doesn't mean you should get the boot. Everyone gets to stay
Best/Worst
Well, this one should be fun...its a conference of mostly run of the mill with some exceptions which makes picking a best and worse all the more difficult but let's see what we can do
Stadium
Best - Estes Stadium (UCA)
Ok, I'm guilty of basing this one off the field mostly. Its pretty awesome. The rest of the stadium isn't terrible but isn't anything special. But with the rest not being that much better, with Abeliene Christain being the lone exception, the nod goes to one with that most flare.
Worst - Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium
This place reminds me of an upgraded version of Valpo Stadium...which if you read my Pioneer League entry (shameless plug) you would get an idea of how bad it looked and how this one mirrors it. Yes, they are doing camouflage endzones, which does look really cool but wouldn't it have been awesome to do the whole field? Yes I know, the NCAA would never allow that but oh well, dreaming big here.
Logo and Nickname
Best - Northwestern State Demons
Not much of a debate here. And no it's not an overly unique nickname but the design of the logos is what sets this apart from the rest of the conference. It is really fucking cool. The demon doesn't come off too scary or too happy and the burning staff with the state is just dope.
Worst - UIW & Lamar Cardinals
So if you are going to have a super basic nickname like Cardinals you have to do something with your logo to help it stand out from the crowd. Lamar does try and do it by attempting to make the cardinal look more menacing, but it doesn't quite hit the mark the way I think they intended. It just looks a tad too cartoonish. Now for UIW...sigh...this is just "hey here it is." Nothing special about it and its almost is a negative because of how basic it is
Uniforms
Best - Abilene Christan
This was hard. Most of the uniform combinations are really basic and don't really do a ton to stand out. Which is fine a dandy for most, but when you gotta pick the best of the bunch it makes for some "fun" But alas, ACU has a really good combination of uniforms that are cool without being over the top. The use of the white, purple, and black is blended well and one never takes over the rest.
Worst - Nicholls
Yeah, it simple and basic. Nothing bad about them. Just red, white, silver. Boom. This will not win over any potential recruits and that's ok
2018 Outlook
Will this conference race be good? Yes, probably one of the more competitive ones in FCS. Will this be a multi-bid league? Yes, the Southland typically gets no less than three teams and five are good enough to make the playoffs. However, the Southland's level of success will be determined not what happens during the season but what happens in the postseason. This could easily be another major flop for the conference, the gap is still there between the Southland and the top schools. But the hope is that the gap has been shortened enough for a team like a Nicholls to make a deep run...time will tell
Here is the thing about both... it's not an overly needed addition but both programs would be interesting choices moving forward. Both would be fits because of the location, getting into the Dallas market and Oklahoma would be big.
For Dallas Baptist, the move would be a major step up as while there are plenty of areas to house a stadium, it's never easy starting a program and as other programs in the Southland have shown, the results aren't always good.
Central Oklahoma would be good for a couple of reasons. The model of good Division II programs to the Southland has been repeated and wouldn't a major stretch since the Broncos have one of the better stadiums in D-II. And getting into the Oklahoma market would be a win for the conference and FCS (currently there are no FCS programs in Oklahoma)
Subtracting: No One
Just like most FCS programs who have a run of success, the idea is thrown out of a possible move to the FBS level and it was no different a few years ago with Sam Houston St. Now mind you these went nowhere but if Texas State could, its worth a quick thought. And also, while it would be easy to boot one of the newer programs, its too early in the process and just because one is bad doesn't mean you should get the boot. Everyone gets to stay
Best/Worst
Well, this one should be fun...its a conference of mostly run of the mill with some exceptions which makes picking a best and worse all the more difficult but let's see what we can do
Stadium
Best - Estes Stadium (UCA)
Ok, I'm guilty of basing this one off the field mostly. Its pretty awesome. The rest of the stadium isn't terrible but isn't anything special. But with the rest not being that much better, with Abeliene Christain being the lone exception, the nod goes to one with that most flare.
Worst - Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium
This place reminds me of an upgraded version of Valpo Stadium...which if you read my Pioneer League entry (shameless plug) you would get an idea of how bad it looked and how this one mirrors it. Yes, they are doing camouflage endzones, which does look really cool but wouldn't it have been awesome to do the whole field? Yes I know, the NCAA would never allow that but oh well, dreaming big here.
Logo and Nickname
Best - Northwestern State Demons
Not much of a debate here. And no it's not an overly unique nickname but the design of the logos is what sets this apart from the rest of the conference. It is really fucking cool. The demon doesn't come off too scary or too happy and the burning staff with the state is just dope.
Worst - UIW & Lamar Cardinals
So if you are going to have a super basic nickname like Cardinals you have to do something with your logo to help it stand out from the crowd. Lamar does try and do it by attempting to make the cardinal look more menacing, but it doesn't quite hit the mark the way I think they intended. It just looks a tad too cartoonish. Now for UIW...sigh...this is just "hey here it is." Nothing special about it and its almost is a negative because of how basic it is
Uniforms
Best - Abilene Christan
This was hard. Most of the uniform combinations are really basic and don't really do a ton to stand out. Which is fine a dandy for most, but when you gotta pick the best of the bunch it makes for some "fun" But alas, ACU has a really good combination of uniforms that are cool without being over the top. The use of the white, purple, and black is blended well and one never takes over the rest.
Worst - Nicholls
Yeah, it simple and basic. Nothing bad about them. Just red, white, silver. Boom. This will not win over any potential recruits and that's ok
2018 Outlook
Will this conference race be good? Yes, probably one of the more competitive ones in FCS. Will this be a multi-bid league? Yes, the Southland typically gets no less than three teams and five are good enough to make the playoffs. However, the Southland's level of success will be determined not what happens during the season but what happens in the postseason. This could easily be another major flop for the conference, the gap is still there between the Southland and the top schools. But the hope is that the gap has been shortened enough for a team like a Nicholls to make a deep run...time will tell
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