geezer

Been on the road so just catching up. Lamar offense still struggling. Lamar only one for three on field goal attempts with one blocked and one missed. Central Arkansas out rushing Lamar 3-1. Defense has only stopped UCA once. Passing is similar for both teams.

I agree that there are lots of other sports and things in general that should be driving conference realignment, but my position is that college football and basketball tv revenue is the current driving factor. Tell me what other thing other than money makes sense for multiple schools to all want to move conferences at the same time. The PAC 12 was a great conference in all sports except for tv revenue. Because the football playoff system allowed for them to be excluded didn't help but the twelve team playoff system starting this year would have fixed that. Maybe Oregon and others will be able to overcome the perceived competitive advantage of the SEC and Big 10 by playing them consistently but that may take several years. Look at the schools that left other conferences before and tell me how they are doing on a competitive basis. Examples are Missouri or A&M competing for conference championships on a routine basis? What about Nebraska or Colorado? All four were original members of the Big 12.

Lamar is at Conway for a 6 PM start against the Bears Saturday evening. This game will show if Lamar is ready for a playoff berth or not. UCA is ranked #7 in the FCS coach's poll. A road game against a top ten nationally ranked opponent would be a big feather in Lamar's tail.

Only five games on tap this weekend and Lamar at Central Ark is the premier game. SELA takes on Tarleton and McNeese plays Weber St. These three games should provide some real insight for Lamar in conference. HCU plays Indiana St and NWST plays Southeast Missouri. The last two I suspect are losses for the conference. Hopefully the conference can win some of the first three.

Gonzaga doesn't play football, Montana, Montana State and Idaho and the Dakotas are all FCS teams. Hawaii is already a member. FBS schools that make sense geographically are UTEP, Texas St, UTSA, New Mexico, New Mexico St and maybe a couple of others. Now the Mountain West is beginning to look a lot like the old WAC.

I'm not sure any quarterback can be a successful passer if he is worrying about getting sacked every time he goes to throw the ball. Bottom line is the o-line has to protect him consistently. I think the reason so many coaches like or want a dual threat is that the dual threat has a better chance to make something out of a broken play.

Until the o-line improves, especially at pass blocking Lamar is one dimensional and that dimension is named Griffin.

At some point I think you're going to see a conference including the Pac12 disappear not add FCS schools. The prestige of the PAC-12 name may save it as they poach the best from the rest of the conferences. The Sun Belt currently has fourteen members. The Mountain West after the initial poaching is down to eight members. The American has fourteen members. C-USA has ten members, the Mid-American has twelve, The Pac-12 probably needs to get to ten members to be comfortable, but needs two to survive, who are the most likely targets? The Pac-12 may also be thinking that one or two teams might decide to return to get them to ten or twelve but that will be a big pill for the returning teams to swallow. So, who do they go after?

I suppose the question is have both Volleyball and Soccer played tough enough competition to be prepared adequately for conference. We'll see starting this week.

I too am disappointed with the penalties. This week I might give the offense a little break as it is possible that the game plan was more conservative since it was Longino's first start. The o-line has to improve.

Missed a game when I first looked at this weeks schedule. Final count for the week, one loss to an FBS school, three wins against SWAC competition, two wins and two losses against the Big Sky and a loss to MVFC. 5-3 overall versus FCS but not impressive and no wins against upper tier FCS. Looks like the SLC won't deserve more than one bid for the playoffs.

Lamar wins 20-17. Ugly ugly but a win

Thank you TSU for multiple penalties to keep Lamar's drive going. Griffin gets a running touchdown with 1:05 to go.

TSU comes right back with a strong drive to get a touchdown with under four minutes left in the game. They make the extra point to take a four point lead.

Lamar finally takes the lead on a Longino to Gibbs pass, but the extra point is missed. Lamar up by three with 8:32 left in the game.

Including the Lamar's first drive of the 2nd half they have eight penalties for 72 yards. Lamar can't play without yellow flags flying. The O-line can't block without holding. This has to change. Griffin needs to get in better shape. I know he isn't getting much help but as soon as he comes out the offense stalls.

Evening games finds Lamar down by ten at the half, NWST and SELA both down twenty and Commerce down by twenty-seven. UIW is up by three. McNeese and SFA are still in the first quarter with each up by fourteen.

Lamar offense starts out good for about three to four plays before a illegal block cost ten yard followed directly by another penalty stopped the drive.

Texas Southern takes the opening kick off and makes an impressive 16 play drive settling for a field goal to take the early lead. Lamar couldn't stop TSU rush offense until the last two plays at the goal line to hold them to the field goal.

The two early games directionally have gone as expected. UTSA blew out HCU and with under six minutes left Nicholls is bombing Miss Valley St. Lookes like Nicholls is taking out their frustrations from the first three weeks.

Pure seating capacity Lamar doesn't need much if any to meet FBS standards. Lamar would pretty much need to sell out for what is supposed to be the attendance standard. Every time I think about what it would really take, I think how short sighted the Lamar administration has been over the years. They could have attached the Dauphin Athletic Complex to the south side of the Montagne which then would have left the south end open to create a horseshoe down the road and also made the complex easily accessed by both football and basketball for meeting rooms and weight rooms. But since they didn't really think about what might be needed to get to FBS when they built it expanding seating now is a lot harder and a lot more expensive.

I think this is one of two or three trap games left, although Lamar should not overlook anyone. Of the remaining games Texas Southern may be the one chance for a three or more scores win. Northwestern St and Commerce are the other two potentially should win games left.

8 Games are on tap this weekend. UIW is off, HCU plays FBS UTSA. Remainder of games are three versus Big Sky, three versus SWAC and one MVFC. SELA takes on FCS #1 ranked South Dakota State. Lamar, McNeese and Nicholls play SWAC schools with Lamar hosting Texas Southern who currently sits first in the west division of their conference. I believe the SLC can win all three of the SWAC contests and maybe one of the Big Sky games.

Getting recognized is nice, but what ranking does the selection committee use. I don't think the FCS Coaches Pole is updated yet.

When you look at conference standings, they are sorted by conference games first and overall record second.