FB: Liberty League

[Jonny Utah]

If Hobart beats Ithaca, they will have beaten a good football team, that may have gone undefeated in 4 or 5 other d3 football conferences

Who cares that they'd go undefeated in 4 to 5 other conferences? They'd miss the playoffs in more than that.

Are they good? Yeah, about as good as a 7-3 team usually is. But there's also nothing on that team that a 10-0 Hobart shouldn't be able to handle

I'm just making the point that they have a good football team, and the 7-3 record would probably be 10-0 if they played in the LL, and Hobart played in the E8.  (Although Ithaca seems to lose games they should win, while Hobart tends to take care of business more, so that might not be true, so it may be unfair to Hobart for me to make that statement)

But LD has a point bombers, by saying things like you are saying, is kind of a passive aggressive way of not caring, when you should care.  Not really being a good fan/sport when you say things like that.

[UfanBill]

Hobart and Ithaca's only common opponent this year was Union.  Union played right with the Bombers and actually outgained them. They also had three shots from the 10 yd line in the final seconds to win the game, final 21-16.  Hobart rather easily pushed Union around, final 30-6.. Both D's are solid but in my opinion  'Bart has a much better offense. With the home field, I see it Hobart 24-16.

[Jonny Utah]

Hobart and Ithaca's only common opponent this year was Union.  Union played right with the Bombers and actually outgained them. They also had three shots from the 10 yd line in the final seconds to win the game, final 21-16.  Hobart rather easily pushed Union around, final 30-6.. Both D's are solid but in my opinion  'Bart has a much better offense. With the home field, I see it Hobart 24-16.

I wouldn't put any stock in first games.  I think Hobart will win by 3 or 7, but I don't see Ithaca getting pushed around.

Ithaca is doing different things on offense lately with different people getting involved.  Some of that is due to injuries, but they have been trying to figure things out all year on offense.  It seems like just when they get good at one thing, that thing fails miserable the next week and they get good at another thing, which then fails the next week, etc, etc.

[Bombers798891]

But LD has a point bombers, by saying things like you are saying, is kind of a passive aggressive way of not caring, when you should care.  Not really being a good fan/sport when you say things like that.

Of course I care. But I'm being a bad sport by saying that an undefeated, top-10 team beating an unranked 7-3 team at home isn't noteworthy?

I've watched them play a lot this season. On offense, they have some nice pieces, and it's unfortunate that Tristan Brown is/was hurt. But they do a lot of dink and dunk passes for a reason: the WR's aren't explosive, and they can't pass protect well enough to give Dempsey time to go deep. They're also a mediocre offense in the red zone, though having two excellent kickers helps.

I think the defense is very good, allowing just 17 TDs in 10 games, which is why I think the game will be reasonably close. Hobart doesn't look to have a great passing game, and I think Ithaca can hang around for a bit. But Hobart's simply the better team, especially along the lines. I think I predicted 23-10, which is probably closer than the records/rankings suggest, but not as close as the score suggests. Kind of like the Wesley game last year.

[Jonny Utah]

But LD has a point bombers, by saying things like you are saying, is kind of a passive aggressive way of not caring, when you should care.  Not really being a good fan/sport when you say things like that.

Of course I care. But I'm being a bad sport by saying that an undefeated, top-10 team beating an unranked 7-3 team at home isn't noteworthy?

I've watched them play a lot this season. On offense, they have some nice pieces, and it's unfortunate that Tristan Brown is/was hurt. But they do a lot of dink and dunk passes for a reason: the WR's aren't explosive, and they can't pass protect well enough to give Dempsey time to go deep. They're also a mediocre offense in the red zone, though having two excellent kickers helps.

I think the defense is very good, allowing just 17 TDs in 10 games, which is why I think the game will be reasonably close. Hobart doesn't look to have a great passing game, and I think Ithaca can hang around for a bit. But Hobart's simply the better team, especially along the lines. I think I predicted 23-10, which is probably closer than the records/rankings suggest, but not as close as the score suggests. Kind of like the Wesley game last year.

Like I said, you just seem to have a passive aggressive tone about it, which can be annoying to fans of other teams.  Nothing more, nothing less I guess it's just an honest opinion.  If Hobart beats Ithaca, they will have beaten a great football team, and probably the best team they have faced so far.  This can't be said for many of the other "top seeds".

And I think ithacas Oline has improved, as has Dempsey.

[ITH radio]

I think SLU and IC are pretty equivalent, although Dempsey is probably a better overall QB than Lefflbine. I noted a lot of the Bombers top players were a bit undersized (e.g., Recio, Oliver, Vito B, etc) but their spread offense is a good matchup for Hobart in that the Statesmen don't play a lot of teams like that and it should create some advantages for IC if they can keep TC and the Statesmen DL in check.

Curious to see if DeWall uses a lot of running plays to run clock and wear down the Bombers DL or if he tries a gadget or two. Hartigan has had a couple of 100+ yard games in B2B weeks which is saying a lot since he only gets around 12-13 carries a game.

[Bombers798891]

I say that Ithaca had a "more winnable" game than we expected for a 7-3 team that was likely to go to Mount or Wesley—a statement that no rational person could even remotely argue against—and people start talking about how the E8 guys are already banking on a win.

I say that Ithaca isn't the best team in the E8—a opinion factually supported by the poll on this very site—and that an undefeated top 10 team should be able to beat a three-loss unranked team at home without us being shocked—really going out on a limb there—and I'm a bad fan and poor sport.

No thanks. Enjoy the playoffs, guys. Best of luck in round two to whichever team wins the Hobart/Ithaca matchup. I'll see you next year.

[jmcozenlaw]

I say that Ithaca had a "more winnable" game than we expected for a 7-3 team that was likely to go to Mount or Wesley—a statement that no rational person could even remotely argue against—and people start talking about how the E8 guys are already banking on a win.

I say that Ithaca isn't the best team in the E8—a opinion factually supported by the poll on this very site—and that an undefeated top 10 team should be able to beat a three-loss unranked team at home without us being shocked—really going out on a limb there—and I'm a bad fan and poor sport.

No thanks. Enjoy the playoffs, guys. Best of luck in round two to whichever team wins the Hobart/Ithaca matchup. I'll see you next year.

Somebody is taking their glove, bat and ball and going home.......................c'mon Bombers, you have to hang around until Ithaca and Hobart are knocked out

[lewdogg11]

I say that Ithaca had a "more winnable" game than we expected for a 7-3 team that was likely to go to Mount or Wesley—a statement that no rational person could even remotely argue against—and people start talking about how the E8 guys are already banking on a win.

I say that Ithaca isn't the best team in the E8—a opinion factually supported by the poll on this very site—and that an undefeated top 10 team should be able to beat a three-loss unranked team at home without us being shocked—really going out on a limb there—and I'm a bad fan and poor sport.

No thanks. Enjoy the playoffs, guys. Best of luck in round two to whichever team wins the Hobart/Ithaca matchup. I'll see you next year.

Whatever dude.  You know damn well that if Ithaca wins, the E8 is all mighty and glorious head and shoulders above the LL.  On the other side, if Hobart wins, you're just setting yourself up with some excuses that Ithaca should have lost in the first place.  Whether Ithaca had a bad loss or 2 this season or not, they won a fantastic conference this year and Utah is right, that Ithaca is pretty damn good and they did what they needed to do to get to the postseason.  They DID get a favorable match-up and it IS a winnable game.  It's winnable for both teams, and it's also a great match-up of 2 conferences that are both tough, with one having more depth the last few years.  You're playing both sides of the fence, hedging your bets, and at the end of the day, if Hobart wins, everyone will just say they were given a gift.  The same gift that knocked almighty SJF out of the NCAA's.

[jmcozenlaw]

I say that Ithaca had a "more winnable" game than we expected for a 7-3 team that was likely to go to Mount or Wesley—a statement that no rational person could even remotely argue against—and people start talking about how the E8 guys are already banking on a win.

I say that Ithaca isn't the best team in the E8—a opinion factually supported by the poll on this very site—and that an undefeated top 10 team should be able to beat a three-loss unranked team at home without us being shocked—really going out on a limb there—and I'm a bad fan and poor sport.

No thanks. Enjoy the playoffs, guys. Best of luck in round two to whichever team wins the Hobart/Ithaca matchup. I'll see you next year.

Whatever dude.  You know damn well that if Ithaca wins, the E8 is all mighty and glorious head and shoulders above the LL.  On the other side, if Hobart wins, you're just setting yourself up with some excuses that Ithaca should have lost in the first place.  Whether Ithaca had a bad loss or 2 this season or not, they won a fantastic conference this year and Utah is right, that Ithaca is pretty damn good and they did what they needed to do to get to the postseason.  They DID get a favorable match-up and it IS a winnable game.  It's winnable for both teams, and it's also a great match-up of 2 conferences that are both tough, with one having more depth the last few years.  You're playing both sides of the fence, hedging your bets, and at the end of the day, if Hobart wins, everyone will just say they were given a gift.  The same gift that knocked almighty SJF out of the NCAA's.

That's the "heads I win......tails I was supposed to lose anyway" approach. It makes one feel as if they can't lose

[pg04]

When was the last time someone threw a temper tantrum and threatened to not come back here? It's been far too long.

[pg04]

As far as the actual football is concerned. The E8 is head and shoulders (and getting better next year) above the LL as a conference. However, this year the LL's conference champion is a little better than the E8's champ and thus Hobart will get the nod from me.

[AUPepBand]

As far as the actual football is concerned. The E8 is head and shoulders (and getting better next year) above the LL as a conference. However, this year the LL's conference champion is a little better than the E8's champ and thus Hobart will get the nod from me.

Agreed, PG, there are no easy wins in the Empire 8.

Pep is thinking AU, with gas prices dropping, might be tempted to bolt the Empire 8 and join the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference where the undefeated conference champion's only loss, out-of-conference, was to the 5-5 Saxons. 

Here's a nice transition. After the Saxons' 34-12 loss at the hands of St. John Fisher on Yunevich Stadium Saterday, Pep immediately had a new season to get excited about as the Saxon men's basketball team opened a newly renovated McLane Center gym, now known as the Galanis Family Arena, with a 95-57 win over SUNY-ESF. Saxons, who turned some heads last year by averaging close to 100 points a game (as well as leading the nation in personal fouls) and making the Empire 8 Conference Tourney, are coached this year by Russ Phillips, former assistant at Hobart.

Let's go Saxons!

[Limbs66]

"How far can they go?   Hobart hasn't been tested by playoff-caliber competition this season so it's hard to tell what the ceiling is for the Statesmen."

What a disappointing cop out of a prediction ...Just pick them to lose first round so I get more fired up!

[lewdogg11]

"How far can they go?   Hobart hasn't been tested by playoff-caliber competition this season so it's hard to tell what the ceiling is for the Statesmen."

What a disappointing cop out of a prediction ...Just pick them to lose first round so I get more fired up!

Ali Marpet, is that you again?  Or your friend of a cousin's friend from Wittenburg?