'Splain Something to Me Lucy...

[elcid83]

Gardner-Webb manages to really turn things around in Coach Carroll McCray's first season as Head Coach. He inherits a 3-8 team and faces a daunting schedule to start the season [Furman, Marshall, Richmond and Wofford]. If GWU goes 0-4 with that schedule, no one would have been surprised. Instead, he turns the program around on his first night in Spangler Stadium since he graduated and all of a sudden, FCS football fans around the country are talking about the Runnin' Bulldogs.

The RBs go on to defeat Richmond - ranked #15 at the time - and then shuts out Wofford - ranked #10 at the time - at home [first time that has happened since the mid-80's]. At this point, there will be a Terrier fan or two who will complain that you can't run the Triple Option in the rain and yet Gardner-Webb was able to run the ball very effectively - and even threw a few pitchouts during the game. If Wofford's Offensive Coordinator will be honest with the fans, it was pretty obvious that his game plan was to pound the ball up the middle until GW's front 7 got worn out. Unfortunately for the OC, this defense has shown that it is very well conditioned and is prepared to play 4 full quarters with any team out there [except Marshall].

I say all of that to say this, how is it possible for those who rank the FCS Top 25 to ease Gardner-Webb into the rankings at #25 while leaving Richmond at #22 and Wofford at #17? Is there a sense that the voters have to protect the beloved SOCON and CAA from the "lowly" Big South Conference? Is there a sense that GW has to earn their way to a higher ranking? We won't play another ranked team until we meet Coastal Carolina unless Liberty moves up in the rankings - which is likely impossible if the voters have their way. Someone please 'splain it to me.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[aceinthehole]

The RBs go on to defeat Richmond - ranked #15 at the time - and then shuts out Wofford - ranked #10 at the time - at home [first time that has happened since the mid-80's]. At this point, there will be a Terrier fan or two who will complain that you can't run the Triple Option in the rain and yet Gardner-Webb was able to run the ball very effectively - and even threw a few pitchouts during the game. If Wofford's Offensive Coordinator will be honest with the fans, it was pretty obvious that his game plan was to pound the ball up the middle until GW's front 7 got worn out. Unfortunately for the OC, this defense has shown that it is very well conditioned and is prepared to play 4 full quarters with any team out there [except Marshall].

I say all of that to say this, how is it possible for those who rank the FCS Top 25 to ease Gardner-Webb into the rankings at #25 while leaving Richmond at #22 and Wofford at #17? Is there a sense that the voters have to protect the beloved SOCON and CAA from the "lowly" Big South Conference? Is there a sense that GW has to earn their way to a higher ranking? We won't play another ranked team until we meet Coastal Carolina unless Liberty moves up in the rankings - which is likely impossible if the voters have their way. Someone please 'splain it to me.
The bias against certain teams/conferences is very apparent, Gardner-Webb certainly deserves a higher ranking today.

[BennyandtheJets]

I wish I could give you a good answer but there isn't one. I know of no other team in the Top 25 who has beaten 2 of the teams currently ranked ahead of them and at the same time has a better record than those two higher ranked teams and yet sits below them in the rankings. Some may point out the close margins of victory, the low offensive output, etc. but if anyone digs a bit deeper, they would find that GWU dominated time of possession, played even or ahead in the game score for 103 of 120 minutes in those two contests and limited two strong offenses to a total of 10 points. Our O moved the ball up and down the field only to have a couple of turnovers and penalties in the redzone which would have made the margins of victory more significant. Both Richmond and Wofford had significantly fewer red zone opportunties. If you read the opposing teams (Richmond, Wofford and Furman too) message boards, you'll find most posters indicating dominant performances and those that don't ignore the statistics in those games.

We just need to keep winning, shore up our stuff offensively in the red zone and keep our guys healthy and highly motivated for each upcoming contest. Doing that and the polls don't mean jack except for playoff seeding. After wandering the wilderness of FCS Football, our Running Bulldogs will be happy to play anyone anywhere if we earn our way into the playoffs.

[RichH2]

Inertia is IMO the primary reason in all polls,even ours. That combined with preconceptions are often hard,but not impossible,to overcome. Just keep winning

[Bogus Megapardus]

This is a perfect example of why people like me never should be allowed to vote.

[Fear the Bird]

There is one primary reason - 75% of voters can not think outside the box and insist on a slotting system. GW was not ranked in the preseason. They beat Furman and get on a few radars. Then they get absolutely smoked by Marshall, and unfortunately in today's FCS, you aren't allowed to do that. The bar has been set way too high and the shutout hurt. So you slip back off the radar. The Richmond win gets people excited, but some people live in this world where you automatically get 3 points at home, so the 2 point win over Richmond isn't that great. Finally, you only score 3 points and Wofford probably plays soooo much better in dry conditions.

The converse of that is people had Wofford top 10 and Richmond top 15-18 preseason and can't fathom dropping them more than 5 "slots."

It's absolutely ridiculous and FWIW, I have Gardner-Webb at 19 this week, Wofford at 22 and Richmond around 25-27.

[CID1990]

Gardner-Webb manages to really turn things around in Coach Harold McCray's first season as Head Coach. He inherits a 3-8 team and faces a daunting schedule to start the season [Furman, Marshall, Richmond and Wofford]. If GWU goes 0-4 with that schedule, no one would have been surprised. Instead, he turns the program around on his first night in Spangler Stadium since he graduated and all of a sudden, FCS football fans around the country are talking about the Runnin' Bulldogs.

The RBs go on to defeat Richmond - ranked #15 at the time - and then shuts out Wofford - ranked #10 at the time - at home [first time that has happened since the mid-80's]. At this point, there will be a Terrier fan or two who will complain that you can't run the Triple Option in the rain and yet Gardner-Webb was able to run the ball very effectively - and even threw a few pitchouts during the game. If Wofford's Offensive Coordinator will be honest with the fans, it was pretty obvious that his game plan was to pound the ball up the middle until GW's front 7 got worn out. Unfortunately for the OC, this defense has shown that it is very well conditioned and is prepared to play 4 full quarters with any team out there [except Marshall].

I say all of that to say this, how is it possible for those who rank the FCS Top 25 to ease Gardner-Webb into the rankings at #25 while leaving Richmond at #22 and Wofford at #17? Is there a sense that the voters have to protect the beloved SOCON and CAA from the "lowly" Big South Conference? Is there a sense that GW has to earn their way to a higher ranking? We won't play another ranked team until we meet Coastal Carolina unless Liberty moves up in the rankings - which is likely impossible if the voters have their way. Someone please 'splain it to me.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

This must be your first year of following FCS polls.

[elcid83]

This must be your first year of following FCS polls. 90, I have been following the FCS polls for years. Unfortunately, our alma mater didn't provide much reason to do so. To beat two top 15 teams and still be ranked behind both of them is absurd. Voters who did that should have their voting privileges revoked.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[bjtheflamesfan]

Under most circumstances, Id ask why so much raging butthurt. That said, I think G-W has a beef here (although I will admit I had Richmond at 18 and G-W at 19 in my AGS ballot this week), but RichH2 is right...just keep winning. I do have Liberty picked over G-W in our matchup in Boiling Springs, but I dont think it will be as one-sided as I had predicted before the season (although I have been wrong before on things like that)

[URMite]

People start with preconceived notions of the strength of teams. It definitely takes a couple games to even start changing that.

Last year we were coming off a (0-8, 3-8) year so it took too long for us to get noticed and missed the playoffs at 8-3.

If you played Wofford then us, I bet we would be ranked higher than we are. Although nothing on the field would be different.

Voters aren't the only ones with rankings that differ from head to head.
http://masseyratings.com/rate.php?s=cf2013&sub=11605
How much bias from last season is still included here?

[rokamortis]

Coach Harold McCray's first season as Head Coach.Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

I thought you guys hired Carrol McCray.

[elcid83]

Busted.

[rokamortis]

I agree with what other posters have said,a nd agree that it sucks and is not right. I just can't fathom how some people will rank teams that lost to GWU or other teams with losing records over teams like GWU. As a fan of a team that had to bust through some barriers we are being given the benefit of the the doubt by most voters. It sucks but you have to pay your dues before the respect will be given in the polls - usually takes a full season as people want to see if you can sustain the success. If you make it to the playoffs then that will help, winning a game would go a long way but even that won't convince everyone.

FWIW, I had GWU at 20, Wofford at 22, and Richmond unranked this week.

[walliver]

There is very little transparency at the FCS level. Few if any national telecasts. As a result, most poll voters really know almost nothing about teams outside their area (conference or geographic). The farther away schools are often ranked more on "name" than performance.

It is hard to break into the "name" group, but once you are there, you tend to stick around a while, even if performance falls off.

[Twentysix]

It's pretty simple to me.

Gardner Webb is the 24th best team.

Wofford is the 25th best team.

UR is better than neither of them.

24: Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs
25: Wofford Terriers
NR: Richmond

[AmsterBison]

Just keep winning and be thankful that you don't have a school with a similar name who sucks. :)

[superman7515]

The same way Northern Iowa started 1-5 last year, with their only win over a D2 school, and folks were still voting them into the top 5.