FB: Liberty League

[New Tradition]

Ice Bear says he is very excited for this upcoming matchup between RPI and North Central. Ice Bear could not be more proud of the manner in which RPI has battled through so much BS this year to reach the success they have this season.

Ice says this is an excellent RPI team with a seasoned and poised QB in George M,  an excellent defense, a great coaching staff, a capable running game, and some excellent playmakers. Ice will continue to root for and respect RPI as they have certainly earned it. With all of that said Ice thinks that this is where the separate tiers will show. Ice just doesn't think RPI, or any team from this region in fairness, is good enough to hang with a team of North Central's caliber. Ice says that is no knock on RPI, but looking at the past and even the manner in which Hopkins ****ing smacked Salisbury, played amazing, and still lost to Mount, Ice just doesn't see this game being close. Believe Ice, he hopes he is wrong, and if there is a team from our side of the tracks that can do this, that deserves to do this, it's RPI. Ice thinks it will be at least a three score margin at best.

Ice has been wrong many ****ing times and he has never wanted to be wrong more than here. Let's ****ing go RPI!

Happy Birthday Ice Bear! Love your perspective on football, keeps the posts a rollin'.

Ice Bear says thank you very kindly for the nice words. The Bear is getting ****ing old...

Enjoying playing against a LL team because Ice is one of my absolute fav posters.  Extra enjoyment that comes with the added incentive to roll over here more often!

[Jonny Utah]

Good luck to RPI this weekend, but it doesn't look good if you take a glance at the TOP stats:

North Central #47
RPI #85

Also a quick glance around the NCAA stats brought me to completion percentage.  Below are the Playoff teams with their national ranking in comp%.

1. Mt. Union
2. Central
4. Muhlenberg
5. Linfield
6. UWW
25. North Central
37. RPI
54. UMHB

Also took a look at all the starting QBs left in the playoffs.  North Central has a freshman at QB and it looks like most of the other teams all have Seniors or Juniors.  Only UWW has a transfer (Looks like UMHBs QB King transferred from within the conference from Howard Payne to UMHB).  Looks like 4 of the starting QBs also play baseball at their respective schools.

[Machiavelli]

Ice Bear says he is very excited for this upcoming matchup between RPI and North Central. Ice Bear could not be more proud of the manner in which RPI has battled through so much BS this year to reach the success they have this season.

Ice says this is an excellent RPI team with a seasoned and poised QB in George M,  an excellent defense, a great coaching staff, a capable running game, and some excellent playmakers. Ice will continue to root for and respect RPI as they have certainly earned it. With all of that said Ice thinks that this is where the separate tiers will show. Ice just doesn't think RPI, or any team from this region in fairness, is good enough to hang with a team of North Central's caliber. Ice says that is no knock on RPI, but looking at the past and even the manner in which Hopkins ****ing smacked Salisbury, played amazing, and still lost to Mount, Ice just doesn't see this game being close. Believe Ice, he hopes he is wrong, and if there is a team from our side of the tracks that can do this, that deserves to do this, it's RPI. Ice thinks it will be at least a three score margin at best.

Ice has been wrong many ****ing times and he has never wanted to be wrong more than here. Let's ****ing go RPI!

The major thing that makes me question this is that RPI is a defense first team. If they were like a Cortland or something that relies on offense, no shot. But if somehow, RPI is able to stifle NC's offense, anything can happen. I know their talent will be more than RPI has faced all year, but that is their biggest chance in this one. They can't win a shootout.

[Machiavelli]

Copied from another board:

HansenRatings has the following for this weekend:

MHB v Linfield +5
North Central v RPI +36
Mt Union v Muhlenberg +11.5
UWW v Central +6

As a reminder last week he had NCC -19 (they won by 14), Wheaton -1 (lost by 2), Mt Union -13 (won by 10), UWW -31.

Ouch.

[Jonny Utah]

Ice Bear says he is very excited for this upcoming matchup between RPI and North Central. Ice Bear could not be more proud of the manner in which RPI has battled through so much BS this year to reach the success they have this season.

Ice says this is an excellent RPI team with a seasoned and poised QB in George M,  an excellent defense, a great coaching staff, a capable running game, and some excellent playmakers. Ice will continue to root for and respect RPI as they have certainly earned it. With all of that said Ice thinks that this is where the separate tiers will show. Ice just doesn't think RPI, or any team from this region in fairness, is good enough to hang with a team of North Central's caliber. Ice says that is no knock on RPI, but looking at the past and even the manner in which Hopkins ****ing smacked Salisbury, played amazing, and still lost to Mount, Ice just doesn't see this game being close. Believe Ice, he hopes he is wrong, and if there is a team from our side of the tracks that can do this, that deserves to do this, it's RPI. Ice thinks it will be at least a three score margin at best.

Ice has been wrong many ****ing times and he has never wanted to be wrong more than here. Let's ****ing go RPI!

The major thing that makes me question this is that RPI is a defense first team. If they were like a Cortland or something that relies on offense, no shot. But if somehow, RPI is able to stifle NC's offense, anything can happen. I know their talent will be more than RPI has faced all year, but that is their biggest chance in this one. They can't win a shootout.

It was actually Cortland's defense that was nationally ranked this year.  But I think Ithaca, Springfield and then RPI kind of put that notion to rest.

I think what you said before is that RPI's coaches will hopefully have a game plan.  Going against a freshman QB but they gotta stop the run first. 

I don't know but I don't see them beating RPI by 36 but WTF knows.

[WashedUpCard]

Ice Bear says he is very excited for this upcoming matchup between RPI and North Central. Ice Bear could not be more proud of the manner in which RPI has battled through so much BS this year to reach the success they have this season.

Ice says this is an excellent RPI team with a seasoned and poised QB in George M,  an excellent defense, a great coaching staff, a capable running game, and some excellent playmakers. Ice will continue to root for and respect RPI as they have certainly earned it. With all of that said Ice thinks that this is where the separate tiers will show. Ice just doesn't think RPI, or any team from this region in fairness, is good enough to hang with a team of North Central's caliber. Ice says that is no knock on RPI, but looking at the past and even the manner in which Hopkins ****ing smacked Salisbury, played amazing, and still lost to Mount, Ice just doesn't see this game being close. Believe Ice, he hopes he is wrong, and if there is a team from our side of the tracks that can do this, that deserves to do this, it's RPI. Ice thinks it will be at least a three score margin at best.

Ice has been wrong many ****ing times and he has never wanted to be wrong more than here. Let's ****ing go RPI!

The major thing that makes me question this is that RPI is a defense first team. If they were like a Cortland or something that relies on offense, no shot. But if somehow, RPI is able to stifle NC's offense, anything can happen. I know their talent will be more than RPI has faced all year, but that is their biggest chance in this one. They can't win a shootout.

It was actually Cortland's defense that was nationally ranked this year.  But I think Ithaca, Springfield and then RPI kind of put that notion to rest.

I think what you said before is that RPI's coaches will hopefully have a game plan.  Going against a freshman QB but they gotta stop the run first. 

I don't know but I don't see them beating RPI by 36 but WTF knows.

That has been every teams game plan against NCC.  Wheaton is the only team to really slow down their running game... holding them to 126 net rushing yards.  That "freshman QB" is 2nd in the nation in passing efficiency... so its not like NCC is inept at throwing the ball. 

[USee]

NCC's QB is also a true Sophomore since he has practiced all fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 with the FB team (even while being an all conferece baseball player). He is also throwing to a group of veteran WR's. But the big reason NCC's offense has been so dominant is their OL. They as physical an OL as anyone in D3 will see. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but those guys get off the ball and try to pancake people every play. And they are more successful than not.

I am intrigued by the matchup because RPI, having beaten the likes of Ithaca, Cortland and Union, has shown itself to be a physical and aggressive defense. LB's lead all the tackling categories but also have very limited sacks (13). RPI hasn't given up more than 22 pts all year. They also haven't scored more than 24 except 2 times. Make no mistake, NCC is gonna run the ball with Ethan Greenfield and Terrance Hill about 60% of the time. And they will throw the ball down the field.....a lot. A great defensive front that can keep two safeties back can be effective against them. Hasn't happened much.

With that defense of RPI and NCC's offense, it should be a great game. It looks like RPI's game plan is usually to hold the opponent to 3 scores or less and find a way to score 4x. That doesn't leave much room for error.

[WashedUpCard]

NCC's QB is also a true Sophomore since he has practiced all fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 with the FB team (even while being an all conferece baseball player). He is also throwing to a group of veteran WR's. But the big reason NCC's offense has been so dominant is their OL. They as physical an OL as anyone in D3 will see. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but those guys get off the ball and try to pancake people every play. And they are more successful than not.

I am intrigued by the matchup because RPI, having beaten the likes of Ithaca, Cortland and Union, has shown itself to be a physical and aggressive defense. LB's lead all the tackling categories but also have very limited sacks (13). RPI hasn't given up more than 22 pts all year. They also haven't scored more than 24 except 2 times. Make no mistake, NCC is gonna run the ball with Ethan Greenfield and Terrance Hill about 60% of the time. And they will throw the ball down the field.....a lot. A great defensive front that can keep two safeties back can be effective against them. Hasn't happened much.

With that defense of RPI and NCC's offense, it should be a great game. It looks like RPI's game plan is usually to hold the opponent to 3 scores or less and find a way to score 4x. That doesn't leave much room for error.

Well said, USee.  D3football.com just dropped a nice article on him....

https://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2021/north-central-lehnen-learning-on-run

[USee]

Little known fact. North Central's coach Jeff Thorne's son, Peyton Thorne, is the starting QB for Michigan State.

[Jonny Utah]

NCC's QB is also a true Sophomore since he has practiced all fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 with the FB team (even while being an all conferece baseball player). He is also throwing to a group of veteran WR's. But the big reason NCC's offense has been so dominant is their OL. They as physical an OL as anyone in D3 will see. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but those guys get off the ball and try to pancake people every play. And they are more successful than not.

I am intrigued by the matchup because RPI, having beaten the likes of Ithaca, Cortland and Union, has shown itself to be a physical and aggressive defense. LB's lead all the tackling categories but also have very limited sacks (13). RPI hasn't given up more than 22 pts all year. They also haven't scored more than 24 except 2 times. Make no mistake, NCC is gonna run the ball with Ethan Greenfield and Terrance Hill about 60% of the time. And they will throw the ball down the field.....a lot. A great defensive front that can keep two safeties back can be effective against them. Hasn't happened much.

With that defense of RPI and NCC's offense, it should be a great game. It looks like RPI's game plan is usually to hold the opponent to 3 scores or less and find a way to score 4x. That doesn't leave much room for error.

Only watching two RPI games this year, I wouldn't even call them "aggressive".  But in the Ithaca game the Ithaca QB would sit in the pocket and simply not be able to find anyone open and that was VERY rare for Ithaca this year, especially if they had time.  My guess is that whatever RPI did confused Ithaca and their offense and made them do things they weren't used to doing.  It did look like RPI is very good at rushing 4 and getting enough pressure to cause QBs to make pressure throws.  Hobart ran for over 200 yards against them, while Ithaca, Union and Cortland didn't seem to have great run games this year (nationally).  North Central is rushing for 300 yards per game.  That is another level of offense right there that RPI simply hasn't seen.  And North Central is 1st in the country in rushing if you take away the triple option teams ahead of them.  That is impressive. 

Just watching some youtube games from North Central it looks like they are your basic spread/RPO team with an RB that explodes when he finds an opening in that inside zone read.  QB can also pull it away and make precision throws off of the read and made some nice deep throws. 

[Ice Bear]

NCC's QB is also a true Sophomore since he has practiced all fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 with the FB team (even while being an all conferece baseball player). He is also throwing to a group of veteran WR's. But the big reason NCC's offense has been so dominant is their OL. They as physical an OL as anyone in D3 will see. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but those guys get off the ball and try to pancake people every play. And they are more successful than not.

I am intrigued by the matchup because RPI, having beaten the likes of Ithaca, Cortland and Union, has shown itself to be a physical and aggressive defense. LB's lead all the tackling categories but also have very limited sacks (13). RPI hasn't given up more than 22 pts all year. They also haven't scored more than 24 except 2 times. Make no mistake, NCC is gonna run the ball with Ethan Greenfield and Terrance Hill about 60% of the time. And they will throw the ball down the field.....a lot. A great defensive front that can keep two safeties back can be effective against them. Hasn't happened much.

With that defense of RPI and NCC's offense, it should be a great game. It looks like RPI's game plan is usually to hold the opponent to 3 scores or less and find a way to score 4x. That doesn't leave much room for error.

Only watching two RPI games this year, I wouldn't even call them "aggressive".  But in the Ithaca game the Ithaca QB would sit in the pocket and simply not be able to find anyone open and that was VERY rare for Ithaca this year, especially if they had time.  My guess is that whatever RPI did confused Ithaca and their offense and made them do things they weren't used to doing.  It did look like RPI is very good at rushing 4 and getting enough pressure to cause QBs to make pressure throws.  Hobart ran for over 200 yards against them, while Ithaca, Union and Cortland didn't seem to have great run games this year (nationally).  North Central is rushing for 300 yards per game.  That is another level of offense right there that RPI simply hasn't seen.  And North Central is 1st in the country in rushing if you take away the triple option teams ahead of them.  That is impressive. 

Just watching some youtube games from North Central it looks like they are your basic spread/RPO team with an RB that explodes when he finds an opening in that inside zone read.  QB can also pull it away and make precision throws off of the read and made some nice deep throws.

Ice Bear says there is a lot to think about here because so much is unknown because of the very little crossover inter-region games being played and/or any other data to provide us with a real picture of what this game will look like. Ice Bear says he is honestly going by the past results of our region vs. any type of tier 1 D3 team. Ice Bear says he has the same feeling as years past where our (region 1/2) best teams are really really good teams (and we have a bunch of them) but, they simply are not on that next tier where the few D3 championship teams sit (admittedly the number of teams on that tier seems to be growing, where in the past there were like ****ing 3 or 4 tops). The question is, is if our best teams are getting closer to that tier with some of the increased parity? Ice doesn't think so, but man he mother****ing hopes so.

Ice Bear says if any team this season from our beloved eastern part of the nation can compete with that tier and does deserve to compete with that tier based on all the adversity they have faced, it's RPI (unless you include Hopkins here which Ice admittedly considers more of a south region team).

[MRMIKESMITH]

NCC's QB is also a true Sophomore since he has practiced all fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 with the FB team (even while being an all conferece baseball player). He is also throwing to a group of veteran WR's. But the big reason NCC's offense has been so dominant is their OL. They as physical an OL as anyone in D3 will see. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but those guys get off the ball and try to pancake people every play. And they are more successful than not.

I am intrigued by the matchup because RPI, having beaten the likes of Ithaca, Cortland and Union, has shown itself to be a physical and aggressive defense. LB's lead all the tackling categories but also have very limited sacks (13). RPI hasn't given up more than 22 pts all year. They also haven't scored more than 24 except 2 times. Make no mistake, NCC is gonna run the ball with Ethan Greenfield and Terrance Hill about 60% of the time. And they will throw the ball down the field.....a lot. A great defensive front that can keep two safeties back can be effective against them. Hasn't happened much.

With that defense of RPI and NCC's offense, it should be a great game. It looks like RPI's game plan is usually to hold the opponent to 3 scores or less and find a way to score 4x. That doesn't leave much room for error.

Only watching two RPI games this year, I wouldn't even call them "aggressive".  But in the Ithaca game the Ithaca QB would sit in the pocket and simply not be able to find anyone open and that was VERY rare for Ithaca this year, especially if they had time.  My guess is that whatever RPI did confused Ithaca and their offense and made them do things they weren't used to doing.  It did look like RPI is very good at rushing 4 and getting enough pressure to cause QBs to make pressure throws.  Hobart ran for over 200 yards against them, while Ithaca, Union and Cortland didn't seem to have great run games this year (nationally). North Central is rushing for 300 yards per game.  That is another level of offense right there that RPI simply hasn't seen.  And North Central is 1st in the country in rushing if you take away the triple option teams ahead of them.  That is impressive. 

Just watching some youtube games from North Central it looks like they are your basic spread/RPO team with an RB that explodes when he finds an opening in that inside zone read.  QB can also pull it away and make precision throws off of the read and made some nice deep throws.

This is my love hate relationship with Salisbury (Flexbone) offenses. I spoke to many former players about the Flexbone and I always bring up this stat. If you look at the UW-W, Mounts, and now NCC, they are Top 10 to Top 15 in both run and pass. I think Pat and Crew had done a statistic some years ago that many one-dimensional teams don't want to hear, you have to be damn near 50-50 to win the national championship. I think 65% - 35% is the furthest you can be. Aside from being more talented than your opponent, when you face a similar talented foe and you bring one-dimension, you limit your chances.

[Jonny Utah]

NCC's QB is also a true Sophomore since he has practiced all fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 with the FB team (even while being an all conferece baseball player). He is also throwing to a group of veteran WR's. But the big reason NCC's offense has been so dominant is their OL. They as physical an OL as anyone in D3 will see. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but those guys get off the ball and try to pancake people every play. And they are more successful than not.

I am intrigued by the matchup because RPI, having beaten the likes of Ithaca, Cortland and Union, has shown itself to be a physical and aggressive defense. LB's lead all the tackling categories but also have very limited sacks (13). RPI hasn't given up more than 22 pts all year. They also haven't scored more than 24 except 2 times. Make no mistake, NCC is gonna run the ball with Ethan Greenfield and Terrance Hill about 60% of the time. And they will throw the ball down the field.....a lot. A great defensive front that can keep two safeties back can be effective against them. Hasn't happened much.

With that defense of RPI and NCC's offense, it should be a great game. It looks like RPI's game plan is usually to hold the opponent to 3 scores or less and find a way to score 4x. That doesn't leave much room for error.

Only watching two RPI games this year, I wouldn't even call them "aggressive".  But in the Ithaca game the Ithaca QB would sit in the pocket and simply not be able to find anyone open and that was VERY rare for Ithaca this year, especially if they had time.  My guess is that whatever RPI did confused Ithaca and their offense and made them do things they weren't used to doing.  It did look like RPI is very good at rushing 4 and getting enough pressure to cause QBs to make pressure throws.  Hobart ran for over 200 yards against them, while Ithaca, Union and Cortland didn't seem to have great run games this year (nationally). North Central is rushing for 300 yards per game.  That is another level of offense right there that RPI simply hasn't seen.  And North Central is 1st in the country in rushing if you take away the triple option teams ahead of them.  That is impressive. 

Just watching some youtube games from North Central it looks like they are your basic spread/RPO team with an RB that explodes when he finds an opening in that inside zone read.  QB can also pull it away and make precision throws off of the read and made some nice deep throws.

This is my love hate relationship with Salisbury (Flexbone) offenses. I spoke to many former players about the Flexbone and I always bring up this stat. If you look at the UW-W, Mounts, and now NCC, they are Top 10 to Top 15 in both run and pass. I think Pat and Crew had done a statistic some years ago that many one-dimensional teams don't want to hear, you have to be damn near 50-50 to win the national championship. I think 65% - 35% is the furthest you can be. Aside from being more talented than your opponent, when you face a similar talented foe and you bring one-dimension, you limit your chances.

I'm trying to think of the last team at any level to run some sort of triple option and win a national championship.  It looks like Georgia Southern won it in 2000 running your true flexbone triple option like Salisbury and Springfield run.  But even Ithaca (and looks like Wisconsin LaCrosse in 1992) ran that two back veer look back in the 1980s, it was not your flexbone option. 

[WashedUpCard]

NCC's QB is also a true Sophomore since he has practiced all fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 with the FB team (even while being an all conferece baseball player). He is also throwing to a group of veteran WR's. But the big reason NCC's offense has been so dominant is their OL. They as physical an OL as anyone in D3 will see. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but those guys get off the ball and try to pancake people every play. And they are more successful than not.

I am intrigued by the matchup because RPI, having beaten the likes of Ithaca, Cortland and Union, has shown itself to be a physical and aggressive defense. LB's lead all the tackling categories but also have very limited sacks (13). RPI hasn't given up more than 22 pts all year. They also haven't scored more than 24 except 2 times. Make no mistake, NCC is gonna run the ball with Ethan Greenfield and Terrance Hill about 60% of the time. And they will throw the ball down the field.....a lot. A great defensive front that can keep two safeties back can be effective against them. Hasn't happened much.

With that defense of RPI and NCC's offense, it should be a great game. It looks like RPI's game plan is usually to hold the opponent to 3 scores or less and find a way to score 4x. That doesn't leave much room for error.

Only watching two RPI games this year, I wouldn't even call them "aggressive".  But in the Ithaca game the Ithaca QB would sit in the pocket and simply not be able to find anyone open and that was VERY rare for Ithaca this year, especially if they had time.  My guess is that whatever RPI did confused Ithaca and their offense and made them do things they weren't used to doing.  It did look like RPI is very good at rushing 4 and getting enough pressure to cause QBs to make pressure throws.  Hobart ran for over 200 yards against them, while Ithaca, Union and Cortland didn't seem to have great run games this year (nationally). North Central is rushing for 300 yards per game.  That is another level of offense right there that RPI simply hasn't seen.  And North Central is 1st in the country in rushing if you take away the triple option teams ahead of them.  That is impressive. 

Just watching some youtube games from North Central it looks like they are your basic spread/RPO team with an RB that explodes when he finds an opening in that inside zone read.  QB can also pull it away and make precision throws off of the read and made some nice deep throws.

This is my love hate relationship with Salisbury (Flexbone) offenses. I spoke to many former players about the Flexbone and I always bring up this stat. If you look at the UW-W, Mounts, and now NCC, they are Top 10 to Top 15 in both run and pass. I think Pat and Crew had done a statistic some years ago that many one-dimensional teams don't want to hear, you have to be damn near 50-50 to win the national championship. I think 65% - 35% is the furthest you can be. Aside from being more talented than your opponent, when you face a similar talented foe and you bring one-dimension, you limit your chances.

So far this season:

NCC play selection: 65.6% Run and 34.4% Pass (492 Run Plays / 258 Pass Plays / 750 Total Plays).

NCC yardage output: 53.4% Run and 46.6% Pass (3,407 Run Yards / 2,972 Pass Yards / 6,379 Total Yards)

Average of 8.51 yards / play

[Machiavelli]

NCC's QB is also a true Sophomore since he has practiced all fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 with the FB team (even while being an all conferece baseball player). He is also throwing to a group of veteran WR's. But the big reason NCC's offense has been so dominant is their OL. They as physical an OL as anyone in D3 will see. Doesn't mean they can't lose, but those guys get off the ball and try to pancake people every play. And they are more successful than not.

I am intrigued by the matchup because RPI, having beaten the likes of Ithaca, Cortland and Union, has shown itself to be a physical and aggressive defense. LB's lead all the tackling categories but also have very limited sacks (13). RPI hasn't given up more than 22 pts all year. They also haven't scored more than 24 except 2 times. Make no mistake, NCC is gonna run the ball with Ethan Greenfield and Terrance Hill about 60% of the time. And they will throw the ball down the field.....a lot. A great defensive front that can keep two safeties back can be effective against them. Hasn't happened much.

With that defense of RPI and NCC's offense, it should be a great game. It looks like RPI's game plan is usually to hold the opponent to 3 scores or less and find a way to score 4x. That doesn't leave much room for error.

Only watching two RPI games this year, I wouldn't even call them "aggressive".  But in the Ithaca game the Ithaca QB would sit in the pocket and simply not be able to find anyone open and that was VERY rare for Ithaca this year, especially if they had time.  My guess is that whatever RPI did confused Ithaca and their offense and made them do things they weren't used to doing.  It did look like RPI is very good at rushing 4 and getting enough pressure to cause QBs to make pressure throws.  Hobart ran for over 200 yards against them, while Ithaca, Union and Cortland didn't seem to have great run games this year (nationally). North Central is rushing for 300 yards per game.  That is another level of offense right there that RPI simply hasn't seen.  And North Central is 1st in the country in rushing if you take away the triple option teams ahead of them.  That is impressive. 

Just watching some youtube games from North Central it looks like they are your basic spread/RPO team with an RB that explodes when he finds an opening in that inside zone read.  QB can also pull it away and make precision throws off of the read and made some nice deep throws.

This is my love hate relationship with Salisbury (Flexbone) offenses. I spoke to many former players about the Flexbone and I always bring up this stat. If you look at the UW-W, Mounts, and now NCC, they are Top 10 to Top 15 in both run and pass. I think Pat and Crew had done a statistic some years ago that many one-dimensional teams don't want to hear, you have to be damn near 50-50 to win the national championship. I think 65% - 35% is the furthest you can be. Aside from being more talented than your opponent, when you face a similar talented foe and you bring one-dimension, you limit your chances.

So far this season:

NCC play selection: 65.6% Run and 34.4% Pass (492 Run Plays / 258 Pass Plays / 750 Total Plays).

NCC yardage output: 53.4% Run and 46.6% Pass (3,407 Run Yards / 2,972 Pass Yards / 6,379 Total Yards)

Average of 8.51 yards / play

I'm not impressed. What was their TOP?