Worst FCS team to win the title?

[WeAreThePride]

Who was the worst team to win an FCS title? Lowest seed to win?

[PAllen]

NDSU pick a year.

(Ducks and covers while running away)

[TheKingpin28]

Do HBCUs count? I ask since Jay Walker calls it a national title. xlolx

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[Mattymc727]

1998 UMass

[Silenoz]

Montana State literally went from being complete ****, to national champions, to complete **** again in three years time. So I'm just gonna assume the entire FCS laid down and died for them in 1984

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

WKU's title might be the most non-descript. The Hilltoppers entered the playoffs ranked 15th. They did end GSU's run (post AP) and beat #1 McNeese State in the title game. Interestingly, McNeese St. easily took care of WKU 38-13 in Lake Charles earlier in the year.

They nearly shutdown the program in the early 90's, played as an independent, had a cup of coffee in the OVC and moved onto FBS soon after their title.

[AmsterBison]

WKU's title might be the most do non-descript. The Hilltoppers entered the playoffs ranked 15th. They did end GSU's run (post AP) and beat #1 McNeese State in the title game. Interestingly, McNeese St. easily took care of WKU 38-13 in Lake Charles earlier in the year.

They nearly shutdown the program in the early 90's, played as an independent, had a cup of coffee in the OVC and moved onto FBS soon after their title.

WKU was in the Missouri Valley (Gateway back then.) How do I remember? First, their leaving the MVFC opened a spot for SDSU and, by extension, NDSU. Second, they were involved in a postgame fight involving a sledgehammer with Western Illinois which resulted in some efforts to improve sportsmanship in our new conference.

Very small sample size, but EWU didn't look that awesome to me when they won their title.

[RootinFerDukes]

Which team had the most losses but still won it? It’s probably that one.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

It's hard to find a bad team that wins the title. But there are a few that to me stick out as being below average as far as title teams.

I was never overly impressed with EWU's 2010 team. That was probably not even the best EWU team of the past 15 years. Felt like Delaware was the better team and choked it away.

I also think Richmond's 2008 team was kind of sup-par, too. If Armanti Edwards isn't hobbling around on that hip pointer App State would've won 4 straight IMO.

I've never watched them on tape, but I suspect that Northeast Louisiana team in 1987 wasn't great as well.

[cx500d]

Montana State literally went from being complete ****, to national champions, to complete **** again in three years time. So I'm just gonna assume the entire FCS laid down and died for them in 1984

I’m gonna go with Montana state in 1984 also. Same reasons, plus they poached our coach and became ****.


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[AmsterBison]

Which team had the most losses but still won it? It’s probably that one.

Looks like 8 teams had 3 losses and still won.


Query102
Year
TeamId


2008
Richmond


2005
Appalachian State


2002
Western Kentucky


1998
Massachusetts


1992
Marshall


1991
Youngstown State


1990
Georgia Southern


1980
Boise State

[ST_Lawson]

WKU was in the Missouri Valley (Gateway back then.) How do I remember? First, their leaving the MVFC opened a spot for SDSU and, by extension, NDSU. Second, they were involved in a postgame fight involving a sledgehammer with Western Illinois which resulted in some efforts to improve sportsmanship in our new conference.

Very small sample size, but EWU didn't look that awesome to me when they won their title.

That season we beat the Hilltoppers at their place early in the season before losing the heartbreaker at Hanson Field in the playoffs.


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[OhioHen]

Might go with 1978 Florida A&M, simply because many of the teams that dominated the division in the early '80s were still either 1-A or D-2 and it was only a four team playoff field.

[RootinFerDukes]

1978 - Florida A&M 12-1
1979 - Eastern Kentucky 11-2
1980 - Boise State 10-3
1981 - Idaho State 12-1
1982 - Eastern Kentucky 13-0
1983 - Southern Illinois 13-1
1984 - Montana State 12-2
1985 - Georgia Southern 13-2
1986 - Georgia Southern 13-2
1987 - Northeast Louisiana (now known as Louisiana-Monroe) 13-2
1988 - Furman 13-2
1989 - Georgia Southern 15-0
1990 - Georgia Southern 12-3
1991 - Youngstown State 12-3
1992 - Marshall 12-3
1993 - Youngstown State 10-2
1994 - Youngstown State 11-0-1
1995 - Montana 13-2
1996 - Marshall 15-0
1997 - Youngstown State 13-2
1998 - Massachusetts 12-3
1999 - Georgia Southern 13-2
2000 - Georgia Southern 13-2
2001 - Montana 15-1
2002 - Western Kentucky 12-3
2003 - Delaware 15-1
2004 - James Madison 13-2
2005 - Appalachian State 12-3
2006 - Appalachian State 14-1
2007 - Appalachian State 13-2
2008 - Richmond 13-3
2009 - Villanova 14-1
2010 - Eastern Washington 13-2
2011 - North Dakota State 14-1
2012 - North Dakota State 14-1
2013 - North Dakota State 15-0
2014 - North Dakota State 15-1
2015 - North Dakota State 13-2
2016 - James Madison 14-1
2017 - North Dakota State 14-1

Now lets dive deeper into the 3 loss teams to see which seemed like the flukiest. We can examine who they lost to, how much they lost by, their season stats and probably even there performance before and after the single year's title.

1980 - Boise State 10-3
1990 - Georgia Southern 12-3
1991 - Youngstown State 12-3
1992 - Marshall 12-3
1998 - Massachusetts 12-3
2002 - Western Kentucky 12-3
2005 - Appalachian State 12-3
2008 - Richmond 13-3

[RootinFerDukes]

You can probably immediately knock out GSU, YSU, Marshall and App State due to their eventual dynasties they established. If we don't want to disregard a single season just because of eventual repeat championships, that's fine too.

[TennBison]

You can probably immediately knock out GSU, YSU, Marshall and App State due to their eventual dynasties they established. If we don't want to disregard a single season just because of eventual repeat championships, that's fine too.
You throw around the word dynasty pretty easily. GSU had a few good great years, then good ones going back and forth. 4 of them in 6 years and then you don't see them for another 8 to win the next 2. Ysu had 4 years in a row of going to the championship game(kind of a big deal), but did so with violations(kind of a bigger deal as it taints the rep). Marshall won two championships four years apart (no big deal). App State won three years in a row and didn't do much else besides that(some props since they were the first to win 3 in a row). Kind of hard to call any of these teams a dynasty since the new standard of the term has been reset by NDSU.

[AmsterBison]

You throw around the word dynasty pretty easily. GSU had a few good great years, then good ones going back and forth. 4 of them in 6 years and then you don't see them for another 8 to win the next 2. Ysu had 4 years in a row of going to the championship game(kind of a big deal), but did so with violations(kind of a bigger deal as it taints the rep). Marshall won two championships four years apart (no big deal). App State won three years in a row and didn't do much else besides that(some props since they were the first to win 3 in a row). Kind of hard to call any of these teams a dynasty since the new standard of the term has been reset by NDSU.

Well, if Georgia Southern wasn't an FCS dynasty, nobody was.

[RootinFerDukes]

You throw around the word dynasty pretty easily. GSU had a few good great years, then good ones going back and forth. 4 of them in 6 years and then you don't see them for another 8 to win the next 2. Ysu had 4 years in a row of going to the championship game(kind of a big deal), but did so with violations(kind of a bigger deal as it taints the rep). Marshall won two championships four years apart (no big deal). App State won three years in a row and didn't do much else besides that(some props since they were the first to win 3 in a row). Kind of hard to call any of these teams a dynasty since the new standard of the term has been reset by NDSU.

And people wonder why some don't bother to post here anymore with logic like this thrown around.

[GreenGlasses]

I've never watched them on tape, but I suspect that Northeast Louisiana team in 1987 wasn't great as well.

Everyone knows Louisiana Monroe now as the smallest budgeted school in IA that tries to recruit to a school in the middle of nowhere (LA Tech is literally 7 miles away). But for about a 5-7 year stretch NLU (Northeast Louisiana University) was a pretty big power in IAA and 1987 falls in that range. NLU went 13-2 in their title year.

ULM 1987 schedule

at LA Tech W 44-7
at Texas State W 44-7
Nicholls State W 26-14
Northwestern State W 33-31
at Lamar L 28-48
Georgia Southern W 26-17
at USL (now ULL) L 7-17
McNeese State W 37-10
at Southern Miss W 34-24
Arkansas State W 31-21
North Texas W 24-23
North Texas Playoff W 30-9
Eastern Kentucky Playoff 33-32
Northern Iowa Playoff 44-41
Marshall (NC Pocatello ID) 43-42

NLU didn't beat one IA team in 1987, they beat 3 in LA Tech, Arkansas State and Southern Miss.

[RootinFerDukes]

We’re those three sun belt/cusa teams classified as I-A at the time? I think Arkansas state and LA tech used to be I-AA.

[GreenGlasses]

We’re those three sun belt/cusa teams classified as I-A at the time? I think Arkansas state and LA tech used to be I-AA.

Yes all 3 were IA

LA Tech reclassified in 1984 and Arkansas State in 1985. And ULL has never been classified anything but a High Major College or IA.

[Bisonator]

1991 - Youngstown State 8-3

What's with the 8-3 record?xconfusedx

[mvemjsunpx]

Might go with 1978 Florida A&M, simply because many of the teams that dominated the division in the early '80s were still either 1-A or D-2 and it was only a four team playoff field.

They dominated most of their opponents, though (they also beat Miami the following year).


The 1995 Montana team might've been the worst regular-season team to win the title (9-2 with 3 non-DI wins), but they were much better in the playoffs. Other contenders for worst would be 2010 EWU, 2007 App State, 2004 JMU, 2002 WKU, 1997 Youngstown. I can't think of a clear-cut worst, though.

[RootinFerDukes]

What's with the 8-3 record?xconfusedx

So the wiki page I looked at must have been wrong or that was just the regular season listed as the "overall record". 15 game season that year.

http://www.ysusports.com/sports/fball/2016-17/releases/1991-season-recap

They had a 12-3 record. I'll update the post.

[GreenGlasses]

You throw around the word dynasty pretty easily. GSU had a few good great years, then good ones going back and forth. 4 of them in 6 years and then you don't see them for another 8 to win the next 2. Ysu had 4 years in a row of going to the championship game(kind of a big deal), but did so with violations(kind of a bigger deal as it taints the rep). Marshall won two championships four years apart (no big deal). App State won three years in a row and didn't do much else besides that(some props since they were the first to win 3 in a row). Kind of hard to call any of these teams a dynasty since the new standard of the term has been reset by NDSU.

What are you drinking in Tennessee and remind me to never drink it.

Georgia Southern National Titles 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2000, Runner Ups 1988, 1998, In Playoffs 19 times
Marshall National Titles 1992, 1996, Runners up 87, 91, 93, 95, In Playoffs 14 times, was in the polls somewhere without being knocked out of them 7 years straight (1989-96), moved up after 1996 to IA
App State National Titles 2005, 2006, 2007, Runners Up 0, In Playoffs 20 times

[RootinFerDukes]

2007 App State... maybe. JMU did have them on the ropes for a loss in the 1st round at their place. JMU was down 28-27 with seconds remaining, probably just 5 or 10 yards from the endzone. We easily could've settled for the game winning field goal that would have dethroned the 2-time champions at the time. Instead Mickey makes one of the worst coaching decisions of his career, gets greedy and gives a freshman RB the ball to try and run it in down their throats to add an exclamation point to the upset.

That RB then fumbles the ball away and it bounces right to an ASU defender who falls on it quickly. The game went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in literally seconds. Probably still the single most devastating JMU loss I've ever experienced. ASU going on to 3-peat only put more salt on that wound. Their players even said to the media they thought they were going to lose until they didn't.

Now the 2004 JMU team as one of the worst? We had two losses. 1 to WVU and another to WM, a semifinalist that year who we turned around and beat in their house during our 2004 playoff run. We also won every single playoff game on the road and are still the only program to have accomplished that feat. The worst? Give me a break. Not even close.

[McNeese75]

1998 UMass

xnodx That damn team was just destined to win it all. Seems everyone that played them had an off day. I think McNeese receivers dropped 3 or 4 sure TD passes against them.

[Little Stevie]

Montana State-1984

[slostang]

One of Boise State's losses in 1980 was to Cal Poly. Cal Poly won the DII National Champion that year as well.



Looks like 8 teams had 3 losses and still won.



Year
TeamId


2008
Richmond


2005
Appalachian State


2002
Western Kentucky


1998
Massachusetts


1992
Marshall


1991
Youngstown State


1990
Georgia Southern


1980
Boise State

[bostonspider]

UR's 2008 squad had a average loss to UVA, then worked back up to the #1 ranking before losing to #19 Villanova on the road 26-20. Two weeks later Richmond hosted #1 JMU and lost on a last second punt return, which might have crushed any other team. Instead UR reeled off 9 straight wins to end up champs, including wins over the #10, #16, #21, #2, #4 and #5 teams.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

UR's 2008 squad had a average loss to UVA, then worked back up to the #1 ranking before losing to #19 Villanova on the road 26-20. Two weeks later Richmond hosted #1 JMU and lost on a last second punt return, which might have crushed any other team. Instead UR reeled off 9 straight wins to end up champs, including wins over the #10, #16, #21, #2, #4 and #5 teams.

The CAA was also ridiculously good at that time! I believe it rated higher than the Big East (when WVU was still really good) at least one year.

Richmond was led by 2 defensive ends iirc. Not sure their names but I think they wore single digits. The pair overwhelmed Montana's OL in the title game.

[TennBison]

And people wonder why some don't bother to post here anymore with logic like this thrown around.
Wasn't it you who guaranteed victory for JMU in the championship game? What kind of logic was that. Look at the last sentence in my post NDSU has set a new standard for the word dynasty, which not one of those other teams mentioned have even come close to.

[NY Crusader 2010]

In my time following FCS, I would probably put the following on my list of "least impressive" national champs (not in any particular order):

1) 1998 UMass - I followed the Yankee/CAA conference pretty closely as early as 1995 (dad went to W&M) and I remember thinking that UMass team was going to get KILLED by GSU. IIRC, Georgia Southern had a nightmare of a championship game turnover-wise. SDSU reminded me of this game with their JMU performance.

2) 2004 JMU - barely, and controversially, escaped the Patriot champ in Round of 16. William & Mary should have beaten this team in the semis but dug a deep early hole. HARVARD actually finished the season even with JMU in the Sagarins.

3) 2009 Villanova - Certainly a solid team but having watched all their playoff games that year closely, they would not hold a candle to the NDSU or JMU squads of late. Lucked out somewhat by not having to face App State en route to the title.

4) 2010 EWU - See Nova above. Just wasn't impressed much at all by the overall playoff field in 2010.

Teams that others have mentioned that I disagree with:

1) 2008 Richmond - CAA was absolutely LOADED in 2007 and 2008 and they emerged from the meat grinder.
2) 2002 WKU - I remember watching this game and being really impressed by the team on the field. They were a big, physical group.

[Bison56]

Wasn't it you who guaranteed victory for JMU in the championship game? What kind of logic was that. Look at the last sentence in my post NDSU has set a new standard for the word dynasty, which not one of those other teams mentioned have even come close to.

Just shut up please.

[RootinFerDukes]

Wasn't it you who guaranteed victory for JMU in the championship game? What kind of logic was that. Look at the last sentence in my post NDSU has set a new standard for the word dynasty, which not one of those other teams mentioned have even come close to.

Nope. That wasn't me. I didn't predict anything either way.

You can't change a term to solely apply to only your team.

Winning six in sixteen years with three different repeat championship periods and two other runner ups in the same time? Dynasty.
Winning four in seven years and six title game appearances in nine years? Dynasty.
Winning three in a row? Give me a break. Dynasty.
Winning two in four years and runner up four other times within that same decade? Also Dynasty.

[clenz]

05 App State
08 Richmond

Both only won titles because UNI **** ups in offense.

05 App State trailing UNI with 6 min left in the 4th. A freshman LT whiffed on a block leading to a strip sack for the winning TD.

08 semi finals UNI lead UR right before half with a chance to slit the throat. UNI perfectly executed a WR throw back. No one within 40 yards of the QB and he had 3 AA OL in front of him. Throw back hits him right between the numbers and he drops it. Fast forward to the 4th quarter with 230 left. UNI leads by 6 with the ball. UR has all 3 TO and for some reason UNI runs three dice/off tackle plays. UNIs All American punter then hits his only shank of the season - been averaging 44 per punt landing 85% of them inside the 20. Hits a 27 yarder that goes OB just past midfield. UNI plays typical UNI special prevent defense and UR dinks down the sidelines and scores with 13 seconds left to win.


Neither of those teams were that special. Just UNI doing UNI things.


2010 EWU....UD would be here if they’d won. That was an attricious FCS season. UNI won the MvFC, outright by week 10 despite being 6-3. It was that kind of season.

[PAllen]

05 App State
08 Richmond

Both only won titles because UNI **** ups in offense.

05 App State trailing UNI with 6 min left in the 4th. A freshman LT whiffed on a block leading to a strip sack for the winning TD.

08 semi finals UNI lead UR right before half with a chance to slit the throat. UNI perfectly executed a WR throw back. No one within 40 yards of the QB and he had 3 AA OL in front of him. Throw back hits him right between the numbers and he drops it. Fast forward to the 4th quarter with 230 left. UNI leads by 6 with the ball. UR has all 3 TO and for some reason UNI runs three dice/off tackle plays. UNIs All American punter then hits his only shank of the season - been averaging 44 per punt landing 85% of them inside the 20. Hits a 27 yarder that goes OB just past midfield. UNI plays typical UNI special prevent defense and UR dinks down the sidelines and scores with 13 seconds left to win.


Neither of those teams were that special. Just UNI doing UNI things.


2010 EWU....UD would be here if they’d won. That was an attricious FCS season. UNI won the MvFC, outright by week 10 despite being 6-3. It was that kind of season.

Yeah, that was a pretty weak UNI team ;)

[Nor Eastern]

05 App State
08 Richmond

Neither of those teams were that special. Just UNI doing UNI things.
.


Nope. not special at all. Together they just won the title four years in a row.


But I agree, that App team shouldn't have won in '05. They shouldn't have beaten Furman in the Semi. They shouldn't have beaten UNI in the Finals. But they did. Both times.

[clenz]

Nope. not special at all. Together they just won the title four years in a row.


But I agree, that App team shouldn't have won in '05. They shouldn't have beaten Furman in the Semi. They shouldn't have beaten UNI in the Finals. But they did. Both times.they did not combine for 4. The 06 and 07 ASU teams were much better than that 05 team.

You’re argument of “they still won the title” is irrelevant in this thread. It’s literally about the worst teams to do so.

Both are also tied for most losses by a champion. It’s not like I’m going on out a limb here. I even justified my opinion.

[MR. CHICKEN]

05 App State
08 Richmond

Both only won titles because UNI **** ups in offense.

05 App State trailing UNI with 6 min left in the 4th. A freshman LT whiffed on a block leading to a strip sack for the winning TD.

08 semi finals UNI lead UR right before half with a chance to slit the throat. UNI perfectly executed a WR throw back. No one within 40 yards of the QB and he had 3 AA OL in front of him. Throw back hits him right between the numbers and he drops it. Fast forward to the 4th quarter with 230 left. UNI leads by 6 with the ball. UR has all 3 TO and for some reason UNI runs three dice/off tackle plays. UNIs All American punter then hits his only shank of the season - been averaging 44 per punt landing 85% of them inside the 20. Hits a 27 yarder that goes OB just past midfield. UNI plays typical UNI special prevent defense and UR dinks down the sidelines and scores with 13 seconds left to win.


Neither of those teams were that special. Just UNI doing UNI things.


2010 EWU....UD would be here if they’d won. That was an attricious FCS season. UNI won the MvFC, outright by week 10 despite being 6-3. It was that kind of season.

......DELAWARE WAS RANKED #1....HEAD'N...INTA FINAL REGULAR SEASON GAME WHIFF 'NOVA....LOST IN OT......DROPPED TA #5.......WENT THRU LEHIGH/NEW HAMPSHIRE/GEORGIA SOUTHERN......HAD DUH #1 RATED DEFENSE IN FCS.......LOST ON UH CHAIN GANG MISHAP.......WOODAH...HARDLAH QUALIFIED FO' WORST TEAM TA WIN BLING.....IFIN' IN FACT WE WOODAH WON...xmadx......AWK!

https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/2011-01-07/ewu-edges-delaware-fcs-title

[Derby City Duke]

2) 2004 JMU - barely, and controversially, escaped the Patriot champ in Round of 16. William & Mary should have beaten this team in the semis but dug a deep early hole. HARVARD actually finished the season even with JMU in the Sagarins.


In my time following FCS, I would probably put the following on my list of "least impressive" national champs (not in any particular order):


2) 2004 JMU - barely, and controversially, escaped the Patriot champ in Round of 16. William & Mary should have beaten this team in the semis but dug a deep early hole. HARVARD actually finished the season even with JMU in the Sagarins.

W&M actually led in the 3rd quarter of that game 26-21. Game was all scoring runs: 21 by JMU, 26 by W&M, followed by 27 for JMU. W&M tacked on a late TD/2pt conv. Key sequence in the game - after W&M took a 26-21 lead on their 1st possession of the 2nd half, JMU scored in 2 plays: a 30-yd run up the middle by Fenner (the shot of him trucking the Tribe DB was in the next issue of Sports Illustrated. The next play Rascati hit D.D. Boxley (at full extension) for a 40+ yard TD pass. 27-26 and it was 48-26 in fairly short order after that.

The loss to W&M during regular season came on a last-second FG. Turning point in that game was Rascati trying to reach the ball over the OL for a 1st down; W&M defender swatted it out his hands and the Tribe recovered it.

That JMU didn't blow many people out -- they were able to run the ball very well, culminating in the 300+ yd peformance against Montana. Rascati ran the read option very well; didn't hurt that he completed 75% of his passes in the playoffs with no INTs.

[kalm]

It's hard to find a bad team that wins the title. But there are a few that to me stick out as being below average as far as title teams.

I was never overly impressed with EWU's 2010 team. That was probably not even the best EWU team of the past 15 years. Felt like Delaware was the better team and choked it away.

I also think Richmond's 2008 team was kind of sup-par, too. If Armanti Edwards isn't hobbling around on that hip pointer App State would've won 4 straight IMO.

I've never watched them on tape, but I suspect that Northeast Louisiana team in 1987 wasn't great as well.

I can understand why EWU was a popular choice, but that was a very talented team. It was far and away the best defense we've had in forever led by JC Sherrit who holds the CFL single season tackles record and has had long a great run in Edmonton, and Matt Johnson who could take away half of the field, shut down Sczur in the semi's and was a 4th round pick by Dallas before injuries ended his career. On offense, Bo Levi Mitchell - Grey Cup MVP, the big 3 WR's in Herd, Edwards, and Kaufmann, and of course Taiwan Jones. The team was good enough to beat NDSU without Jones for the 2nd half as well as Nova and Delaware.

[dbackjon]

Everyone knows Louisiana Monroe now as the smallest budgeted school in IA that tries to recruit to a school in the middle of nowhere (LA Tech is literally 7 miles away). But for about a 5-7 year stretch NLU (Northeast Louisiana University) was a pretty big power in IAA and 1987 falls in that range. NLU went 13-2 in their title year.

ULM 1987 schedule

at LA Tech W 44-7
at Texas State W 44-7
Nicholls State W 26-14
Northwestern State W 33-31
at Lamar L 28-48
Georgia Southern W 26-17
at USL (now ULL) L 7-17
McNeese State W 37-10
at Southern Miss W 34-24
Arkansas State W 31-21
North Texas W 24-23
North Texas Playoff W 30-9
Eastern Kentucky Playoff 33-32
Northern Iowa Playoff 44-41
Marshall (NC Pocatello ID) 43-42

NLU didn't beat one IA team in 1987, they beat 3 in LA Tech, Arkansas State and Southern Miss.

1) Arkansas State didn't go I-A until 1992 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_State_Red_Wolves_football
2) Louisiana Tech didn't go I-A until 1989 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Tech_Bulldogs_football
2) Ruston to Monroe is 35 miles. Ruston to Grambling is 7 miles.


UL-M beat only 1 I-A team that year.

[caribbeanhen]

not a direct answer to the question but worse team to lose a title game..... Colgate in 2003 and they rightfully got crushed

[DFW HOYA]

not a direct answer to the question but worse team to lose a title game..... Colgate in 2003 and they rightfully got crushed

Did you see the 2003 Red Raiders? This was a really, really good team that narrowly escaped a loss in Week 1 (don't ask how) and ran the table right to Chattanooga. Underrated in many respects.

[caribbeanhen]

Did you see the 2003 Red Raiders? This was a really, really good team that narrowly escaped a loss in Week 1 (don't ask how) and ran the table right to Chattanooga. Underrated in many respects.

I saw the playoff games, although it was hard to really see anything in the blizzard against the mid western team (they do not fair well in snow), next up was down in the S Florida heat with FAU...... And of course the final game, Delaware fans were not complaining about having to play Colgate but Congrats on the outstanding playoff run

[Daytripper]

After giving this much thought, I've decided to state the truth that nobody else is willing to speak... The worst teams to win the natty were every NDSU team.... they got lucky every year......

https://media1.giphy.com/media/QmJr6ewZqfQvC/giphy.gif

[cx500d]

After giving this much thought, I've decided to state the truth that nobody else is willing to speak... The worst teams to win the natty were every NDSU team.... they got lucky every year......

https://media1.giphy.com/media/QmJr6ewZqfQvC/giphy.gif

http://media.tumblr.com/60457d37db6fa740636ed9028a181c29/tumblr_inline_mrcsqdv6ll1qz4rgp.gif



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheKingpin28]

After giving this much thought, I've decided to state the truth that nobody else is willing to speak... The worst teams to win the natty were every NDSU team.... they got lucky every year......

https://media1.giphy.com/media/QmJr6ewZqfQvC/giphy.gif

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/583/973/fc8.png

[ST_Lawson]

I saw the playoff games, although it was hard to really see anything in the blizzard against the mid western team (they do not fair well in snow)

Still bitter about that game xmadx

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I can understand why EWU was a popular choice, but that was a very talented team. It was far and away the best defense we've had in forever led by JC Sherrit who holds the CFL single season tackles record and has had long a great run in Edmonton, and Matt Johnson who could take away half of the field, shut down Sczur in the semi's and was a 4th round pick by Dallas before injuries ended his career. On offense, Bo Levi Mitchell - Grey Cup MVP, the big 3 WR's in Herd, Edwards, and Kaufmann, and of course Taiwan Jones. The team was good enough to beat NDSU without Jones for the 2nd half as well as Nova and Delaware.


A NDSU team loaded with RFR. Tough loss but a good start to a nice run since then....xnodx

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Still bitter about that game xmadx

How about the 2000 playoff game against Lehigh? That was a REALLY good, 11-0, LU team that had no business being sent on the road.

WIU had a rough go at it against PL teams in the playoffs in the early 2000s.

[TheValleyRaider]

I saw the playoff games, although it was hard to really see anything in the blizzard against the mid western team (they do not fair well in snow), next up was down in the S Florida heat with FAU...... And of course the final game, Delaware fans were not complaining about having to play Colgate but Congrats on the outstanding playoff run

Of course they don't, seeing as it never snows in the Midwest... xeyebrowx

[ST_Lawson]

How about the 2000 playoff game against Lehigh? That was a REALLY good, 11-0, LU team that had no business being sent on the road.

WIU had a rough go at it against PL teams in the playoffs in the early 2000s.

Not really bitter about that one...we just got steamrolled by a better team. It was disappointing...of course I would have loved to win the game, but Lehigh was really good that year and the game got out of hand pretty quickly. For me, '02 and '03 were rough...
In '02 we destroyed Tony Romo's EIU team, but then lost by 3 to eventual national champion Western Kentucky, whom we'd beaten earlier in the season at their place.
In '03 we won a nailbiter at Montana (2 OT) in the first round then headed out east and only narrowly lost to a (admittedly very good) Colgate team.

Against Colgate, we had the lead until just under 2 minutes left in the game, so it was a close one. If one or two little things had gone our way, we could have won. Against Lehigh in '00 we could have had 10 more things go our way and still lost by 2+ scores. For me, it's the close ones...the ones that we should have (or at least very easily could have) come away with the win...that hurt the most.


Of course they don't, seeing as it never snows in the Midwest... xeyebrowx
Right, I did think that was a rather silly comment. Hamilton, NY does get more snow on average than Macomb, IL, but it's not a completely foreign concept to us (https://goleathernecks.com/news/2015/11/21/FB_1121152138.aspx).

[TheValleyRaider]

In '03 we won a nailbiter at Montana (2 OT) in the first round then headed out east and only narrowly lost to a (admittedly very good) Colgate team.

Against Colgate, we had the lead until just under 2 minutes left in the game, so it was a close one. If one or two little things had gone our way, we could have won.

Still probably the best sporting event I've ever attended xnodx

I forgot you guys were in Montana the week before. That back-and-forth travel must have been brutal. Much kudos to the hardy WIU fans who did make it to Hamilton xthumbsupx

[caribbeanhen]

Of course they don't, seeing as it never snows in the Midwest... xeyebrowx

it was a reference to what happened to the Mid western team that came to Newark, Delaware right after a blizzard back in 2003... A hidden reference I guess you could say...

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Montana State or EWU

[uni88]

it was a reference to what happened to the Mid western team that came to Newark, Delaware right after a blizzard back in 2003... A hidden reference I guess you could say...

Your reference was noted but the bait was poor and not worth taking.

[cx500d]

Montana State or EWU

Montana state.
Or Furman

Or FAMU


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[Vandal03]

1980 BJC - They lost three games, only won two playoff games, and Vandal fans hate Boise Junior College.

[clenz]

Your reference was noted but the bait was poor and not worth taking.

Nothing he says in.

Petty, whiney, troll of a man that 3 years after me pointing it out still goes out of his way to try to target using the exact same type of bait.


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[caribbeanhen]

Nothing he says in.

Petty, whiney, troll of a man that 3 years after me pointing it out still goes out of his way to try to target using the exact same type of bait.


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those that live in glass houses shall not cast stones, I figured you would of Clenzed yourself of that beatdown by now, it's been 15 years.... move on.... haha

[grizband]

I don't know if they're the worst, but WKU is probably the biggest fluke title team I recall. McNeese dominated that season, and its still a shock they didn't win the title.

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[Terry2889]

This should lead to the next conversation... Best teams that didn't win a national championship. My early pick is my own Wildcats of 2005, ran roughshod over the CAA and then farted (Fumbled) away a playoff game in one of three epic losses to UNI!

[WeAreThePride]

This should lead to the next conversation... Best teams that didn't win a national championship. My early pick is my own Wildcats of 2005, ran roughshod over the CAA and then farted (Fumbled) away a playoff game in one of three epic losses to UNI!
This thread was created in response to that very thread. Consensus was Montana ‘96. NDSU ‘16 was perhaps a runner up.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

This thread was created in response to that very thread. Consensus was Montana ‘96. NDSU ‘16 was perhaps a runner up.

'98 GSU should be in the running too.....

[Derby City Duke]

'98 GSU should be in the running too.....

'08 JMU

[JacksFan40]

This thread was created in response to that very thread. Consensus was Montana ‘96. NDSU ‘16 was perhaps a runner up.
This thread was because of a chain of threads that started when I posted “Best FCS team ever.” Then we had the worst, best team to not win title, this one and some others.

[WeAreThePride]

This thread was because of a chain of threads that started when I posted “Best FCS team ever.” Then we had the worst, best team to not win title, this one and some others.
Ask the original thread poster why he started.

[Thumper 76]

Who was the worst team to win an FCS title? Lowest seed to win?

Why did you start it :D


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[WeAreThePride]

Why did you start it :D


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I wanted everyone to say “Every team but NDSU”

[KPSUL]

'08 JMU

I think Richmond, not JMU won the 2008 Season Championship ?

[Terry2889]

This thread was created in response to that very thread. Consensus was Montana ‘96. NDSU ‘16 was perhaps a runner up.

DOH!

[Derby City Duke]

I think Richmond, not JMU won the 2008 Season Championship ?

Sorry, I was participating in the thread drift of 'best to not win' the 'ship. We were looking forward to slapping the Spatters around Chattanooga until Rodney Landers got Rozeboom'd vs. Montana...

[clenz]

Sorry, I was participating in the thread drift of 'best to not win' the 'ship. We were looking forward to slapping the Spatters around Chattanooga until Rodney Landers got Rozeboom'd vs. Montana...
Richmond was lucky to get passed UNI in the semis.

UNI decided to literally give that game to Richmond in the final 2 minutes after leading all game.

The coaches and players went "Well, we should be up by 3 scores but we are only up by 6, so screw it, let them score the winning TD with 13 seconds left"

[frozennorth]

anyway the correct answer to the thread is the three loss team that lost to a d2.

Boise State, worst champion ever!