As to how good a team Appalachian State was considered going into the game. I say this because I've seen some statements like "if we don't clean stuff up pits going to beat us" and "we can't play that way against Pitt and expect to win".
This leads me to believe that people think that Appalachian State is just an also-ran Sunbelt team, while Pitt is better than they are. Now, I'm not saying Pitt is a bad team and we're going to run over them, nor am I saying that we don't have a lot to work on, but I think many are missing the point that Appalachian State is in fact a good team.
In preseason rankings, they were actually the highest ranked OOC team were going to play. Phil Steele had them at number 39, right behind Northwestern at number 38. Pitt wasn't even in his top 50. Appalachian State was also ranked ahead of teams like Oklahoma State, LSU, and Houston.
I don't think some of us are giving Appalachian State enough credit for being a good team. While it should have never been that close if we want to be a title contender, sometimes good teams just play bad games. For example, Clemson beat Troy 30-24 in 2016, but went on to win the national title. It happens.
If we can clean up the mental mistakes, and get a better pass rush, we should be fine.
I agree App State is a very good football team and we allowed them to hang around WAY too long. In my opinion, we were lucky to have won that game......hear me out gang before you light the torches and grab the pitchforks. ASU was already in good field position before they scored with like 1:42 left on the clock. We were very lucky that they scored so quickly rather than ran another play, let the clock run down and kick the game winning field goal. Im not certain we would have had enough time to make a comeback but to play devil's advocate; had they kicked a FG and KJ still run the kickoff back 50 yards there still may have been time to run a play or two and kick the tying FG. Who knows?? Im just glad we pulled it out and now its on to Pitt.
I totally agree Bulldawgs, I actually turned in my wife after the touchdown and said "that just gave us time, it may have saved us if we can score a touchdown"
I thought it was a bad coaching mistake that they went for the touchdown there, all they needed was a field goal and they would have won.
I told my son Brett the same thing Roam, they’ve scored to fast and left to much time on the clock for McSorely. What about the 4th and 2 throw, was that a clutch throw or what? Lol
That's the mistake in a nutshell that many fans make, i.e., "if you want to be a title contender"
PSU is not really a title contender..Its a good football program, but like other schools, MSU, Georgia, Stanford, Iowa come to mind, fields good teams, but is a not national championship school..
Thats why fans overact to an Appalachian St game, they just have false hopes and overrate their team...Alabama, Clemson, Ohio St would destroy a team like that..
Alabama lost to La. Monroe under Saban. Clemson list to stinking Syracuse last year and Syracuse stinks CT. Michigan lost to App St. now I agree Stanford and Iowa are 2nd grade teams even though Iowa destroyed Ohio st last year. It’s footbal and upsets happen but the bottom line is...we won! Just win the game, who cares by how many points.
Georgia went to overtime last year in the National Title game, but you are here saying they aren't a "title contender"
Uh... yeah, ok.
You're missing the point..any given yr, any school of maybe 25-30 or so can compete for a title..Im talking over the long haul, over decades..Ga last won a national title in 1980..Going back to the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and forward to today..Certain powerhouses like Alabama, UM, OSU, Okla, ND, Texas, Nebraska, USC, have all had great runs as either champs or contenders..Some other schools, the largest amount, have been good, but not really natl championship schools..
To illustrate further my point, yes Villanova is on top now with 2 of 3 basketball titles..But Im talking UCLA, Kansas, Duke, Kentucky....the perennial powers who it seems are always in the conversation..
I wasn't trying to belittle such wins Southern...You're right, they happen every yr...Just trying to point out many fan bases have unrealistic expectations this time of year..
How can anyone be confused about how good a team is one game into the season? No one knows how good any team is at this point not even the alleged experts who continue with their blather but are almost always proven wrong by week 9 and never admit it.
One thing I do know for sure is the defense overall looked terrible and the O'line issues look like they may not be fixed till the year 2025. The brightest spot on the team is still our QB who has ice water in his veins and could be PSU's biggest Heisman contender in decades.
What the eff are you trying to say and how the hell does Clemson get lumped in with your title contenders in your post above but Georgia does not?
I know you're nothing more than a troll so SPIN BOY SPIN!!
IMO, Appalachian State main goal in the off season was this game. They held nothing back, it appeared PSU took their foot off the pedal when they got the two touchdown lead.
Similar bad decision in the Fiesta bowl that worked in PS's favor. Huskies ran the hook and ladder. Instead of going out of bounds with about 5 ticks left on the clock, the player decided to lateral it back resulting in an INT. Never know what could have happen with one more play. Hail Mary in the end zone? Holy Doug Flutie! lol
The bottom line EVERY power conference team that is in the hunt for their respective conference championship is a title contender...There is a lot of football to be played boys so lets not go anointing anybody. The winner of the B1G and ACC should be automatic bids into the tournament...My personal opinion is you take 4 conference champs from the power 5 conferences...If you can't win your conference championship you have no business playing for a national championship....The games have to matter and this eyeball test nonsense is just that...nonsense...
The big 10 champ has stayed home watching the last 2 years. I agree FD you have to win your conference to make the playoffs.
This team was never going to be a pushover. Anyone said appy is a cupcake game this year has t been paying to college foorball
They are the second youngest team in CFB and don't recruit anywhere close to what PSU does, Yes they should have been a pushover.
Michigan State was the 2nd youngest team in the NCAA last year and won 11 games.
We were the 2nd youngest team in the NCAA 2 years ago and won 11 games and the Big Ten.
Having a young roster doesn't mean you aren't good. It also doesn't mean your are playing your young players, just that your roster has a bunch of youngsters. ASU's defense had 10 upperclassmen starting on it. Only 1 player wasn't a Junior or Senior. Their offense was young, but most were 3rd year redshirt sophmores. Inexperienced, but hardly "young".
This team was picked to win 9-10 games by Phil Steele and win the Sun Belt. Just saying they are young and therfore pushovers is just plain false. Again, I am not saying it should have been this close... but it's not like they are some 4-7 FCS team like Pitt played.
OK can't argue with that but sooner or later the recruiting advantage should make a huge difference. Or doesn't recruiting ratings really mean anything?
That's certainly true, and why it shouldn't have been that close. But we all know bad games and upsets happen sometimes, luckily we were able to pull it out.
At the end of the day, maybe it is a huge wake up call for all of our highly rated recruits. Don't take anyone lightly, this isn't HS. Johnny who is 5'5" and 140lbs. isn't playing on the other team. These are all big boys now, and while you may have more talent you have to bring it every play.
