Ever done the izzy dizzy bat race? You start out going in circles with your forehead affixed to the bat handle. Then, if you don’t fall down almost immediately, your job is to somehow locate the finish line and run toward it in a convoluted “race” – one which turns into comedy in about three seconds for observers, because nobody in the bat race can run straight.
This year’s FCS spring version? Is nuttier than the izzy dizzy bat race.
But it doesn’t mean it hasn’t been fun, or entertaining, for the observers.
So, this weekend, North Dakota State dominated in-state North Dakota — the team that had been dominating the entire Missouri Valley Football Conference for the past month. If you dig the transitive property of math, you would think that:
A) When North Dakota beat Southern Illinois by 23 …
AND
B) SIU beat North Dakota State by 24
NATURALLY THEN …
C) UND would beat NDSU by 47 or so, right?
Cue the laughter. OK, nobody expected that, but it would stand to reason you would think UND might be able to at least hang with NDSU, right? But the Bison blew out UND by 21 this weekend, thus sending us poll voters into Ouija board mode. Folks, if you never felt compassion for the FCS playoff committee … I’d beg of ya to start feeling bad now.
Along with the confusion of how exactly to put the top of this order in … well, order … we have the rest of the poll. Look, Jacksonville State has played good football since the fall. They deserve to be in the top five. Heck, they even had the Florida State Seminoles on the ropes last fall and beat an FBS (Florida International). Sam Houston has been impressive, but we just need a few more weeks of this before we put in the top five. And honestly? That’s pretty much what I’d say about several of the teams lurking in that 3-0 or 2-0 range … we just need a few more results before you ascend to the pinnacle of my ballot.
Who did I leave out by a hair? I’m keeping a close eye on ETSU, Tarleton State, San Diego, Albany, and Monmouth. I just want to see more results, or in Monmouth’s situation – results (as they haven’t been allowed to even play yet). We know these programs are good, we just need more time. As for Jackson State and the SWAC? I’m ready to rank a SWAC team, but with Jackson State falling to Alabama State, who fell to Southern U, who fell to Arkansas-Pine Bluff? I’m prepared to rank UAPB with some more evidence. Or I’m ready to rank Deion Sanders’ JSU team again if they get back on a winning streak.
Catch y’all next week … when they move the finish line to the izzy dizzy bat race in the same way they change the hole locations on golf greens. All for the sake of drama value, right? And fan enjoyment, of course.
Top 25 Ballot
1. NDSU
2. JMU
3. UND
4. SDSU
5. Jacksonville State
6. Weber State
7. Sam Houston
8. Delaware
9. Chattanooga
10. Kennesaw
11. SIU
12. UC Davis
13. Idaho
14. EWU
15. VMI
16. Rhody
17. Incarnate Word
18. Richmond
19. Murray State
20. Villanova
21. Missouri State
22. UNI
23. Nicholls
24. Maine
25. Gardner-Webb
