Welcome to the HERO Sports FCS Mailbag, FCS playoffs second round edition. FCS writers Brian McLaughlin and Sam Herder take questions each and every week on Twitter and give in-depth answers here in the mailbag. Tweet them both at @BrianMacWriter and @TheHerd215 to get your questions answered!
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Which 12/2 game do you think has the best chance for an upset?
— Mark Ahrens (@MarkAhrens) November 27, 2017
Brian: I'll define upset differently than some would. Four of these games involving seeded teams would not be upsets if the seed went down (SDSU, SHSU, Wofford and Southern Utah). The teams they're hosting are very, very good and in one case — SDSU — Northern Iowa has actually already beaten SDSU, while Furman was within a point of Wofford in the regular season and Weber State played Southern Utah tough in the regular season.
So that leaves the other four games. I don't think that three of those four games have a chance of an upset, so I'll say Kennesaw State at Jacksonville State. To me it’s the only true 'upset' possibility where JSU should win, but Kennesaw could make this very interesting.
MORE: Unseeded FCS Playoff Teams Most Likely to Pull Off a Second-Round Upset
Sam: If I'm calling a seed being knocked off an upset, I can see five of those happening this weekend. The most likely being Weber State at No. 8 Southern Utah, just because it's a 50/50 ballgame.
So I'll call an upset in my book a game where I think one team should win, but might not. And that's Northern Iowa at No. 5 South Dakota State. The Jacks are a completely different team than when they lost big to the Panthers in October. I think they'll win by a couple scores. But if there's one team that I would consider good enough to pull an actual upset, it's UNI.
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Will Stick lead the Bison to a title win in his own right?
— Jack Dura (@JackFromNoDak) November 27, 2017
Brian: He certainly can. And who are we kidding? If he'd been QBing the 2015 team in the title game instead of Wentz, who was returning from injury, Stick could very well have led NDSU to that title too. And honestly, if it doesn't happen this year? He'll be in the mix again next year. The kid is composed and a winner.
MORE: VOTE: FCS Football Play of the Week (Playoffs Round 1)
Sam: Any Bison fan who doesn't believe Stick can lead the Bison to a national title is mistaken. He did so in 2015, just didn't get the start over the future No. 2 overall draft pick. He's had his ups and downs, sure. But he's also had his clutch moments. People seem to point to the James Madison game in the semifinals as a reason they have little confidence in the junior. But it's evident the Duke cornerbacks were dominant against the NDSU wide receivers.
If the Bison come up short again this season, it's likely going to be because of JMU in Frisco. That's my opinion anyway. But the Bison are going to be pretty dang good again next season, especially offensively. Stick will get his ring before he graduates.
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Bigger surprise, Western Illinois losing or San Diego winning?
— Eric Asmus (@EricAsmus) November 27, 2017
Brian: Oh, San Diego winning. Weber State is totally legit so the WIU loss isn't a surprise. That Weber-WIU game was a quarterfinal game in 1st Round's clothing. The way San Diego knocked Northern Arizona around was just flat out stunning.
MORE: Predicting the Weekend's Second Round Winners
Sam: San Diego winning, for sure. WIU winning was a 50/50 chance in my opinion. I didn't think USD was going to be as good this season with the loss of running back Jonah Hodges and cornerback Jamal Agnew, who was drafted. But the Toreros took it to Northern Arizona and showed last year's win against a Big Sky team was no fluke with bad weather.
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@PeterMooney09: Is the JMU/SB game the CAA Championship Game? Chuck Priore thinks so.
Brian: Well, let's face it. If this was Week 12 of the season and we had one team undefeated and another team with one loss to a team not in the running, this would be. So why not? Coach Priore is doing what coaches do — he's motivating the kids. I'm sure it'll work. Personally? I wish they'd find a way to put the top half of last year's standings against each other (with natural rivals also scheduled each year no matter what) and games like JMU and Stony Brook would happen in a year like this.
We knew SB would at least be a 6 or 7-win type of team. I wish the Southland and Big Sky would do this too. The NFL makes their non-inter divisional sked based on creating the best matchups. I know it's a pipe dream, but I wish games like SB-JMU happened in years where they were both coming off strong seasons.
MORE: Doomed No More: Why JMU will Win the FCS National Championship
Sam: I suppose a team can call it whatever they want to try and get a little more hyped for the game. Many called the NDSU and Illinois State national championship game the MVFC title game as well because those two teams didn't play each other. While it is a bit disappointing to see so many conference matchups this weekend, it's not as bad when the two haven't faced each other in a couple years. And because JMU and Stony Brook are the top two teams in a powerful CAA conference, it should be hyped up as such. So sure, we can call it an unofficial championship game.
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With Bolden likely out, how would you guys evaluate Stony Brook's current WR corp (any sleepers, young talent?), considering they'll be playing the best DB group in the country next week jQuery172046383332659955423_1511926869687jQuery172022780285257862753_1511930504165jQuery172004360930608873881_1511930958503jQuery17205379814315643205_1511930969178jQuery17207708374284074699_1511961520024jQuery1720864346676639526_1511962209795
— Michael Evangelista (@Michael_2Clutch) November 27, 2017
Brian: I think Stony Brook is going to try to run, run and run some more and on the other side slow down JMU's offense. The Seawolves will be going for the slobber knocker tone and not the high-flying shootout with potential for a lot of mistakes — because they know there won't be any room for mistakes. I doubt the SB passing attack comes into play that much in this one.
MORE: FCS Podcast: James Madison Coach Mike Houston
Sam: As cliche as it is, Stony Brook will have to replace Bolden with more than one guy. Establishing the run is going to be quite the challenge against the Dukes, but the Seawolves will try to anyway. Maybe a spreading the ball around through the air with quick hits and letting your athletes make plays in space as well can get JMU off balanced a bit. Obviously Lehigh is nowhere close to the same level defensively as the Dukes, but Stony Brook coming off a 354-yard performance on the ground has any offensive line feeling good.
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Brian is it true if you don’t use it you lose it?
— NOT Mike Houston (@NOTJMUcoach) November 27, 2017
Brian: I wouldn't know. {Mike Ditka voice} NEXT QUESTION!
Sam: I'm just here so I won't get fined.
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NEXT: LISTEN: Brian McLaughlin Talks FCS 2nd Round on The Brakedown
MORE: James Madison Defense Has Been Beyond Stingy
