UB92

Reminder on Myers https://www.hudl.com/video/3/6245299/5a272f5db019f617acd77813

He really wanted that TD (Myers). Vantrease is the leader as of now I'd assume, but I would not be shocked if it is someone else who wins the job to start the season.

ODU is like "what about us"? Maybe it will help their CIT ranking...

Any update on Perkins? I recall it said he had a G1 sprain. This will be a good opportunity for Fagan and/or Williams (or even Bertram) for more minutes if Perkins misses time.

I love that you post here -- I really do. But there is a whole (extended) thread on ranking predictions that you may have wanted to post on instead of starting a new thread.

I would agree with this. I hope 15, though.

I disagree. A team like TTU or VT could lose a few games on a row and leave the top 10. What UB has in their favor is poll momentum and a gaudy record. If they keep winning, it just looks better and better. They've banked all of their best wins and now it is just making the record look as good as possible. A big if...if UB wins all of their conference games, they will be 30 - 1 before the MACC. That will get them in the Top 10, deserved or not. If they get the autobid for winning the MACC, there will be articles that say "Why not Buffalo for a #1 seed?" We are in uncharted territory here. Remember when St. Joes were the #1 team in the nation off a perfect regular season...their OOC was a great win vs Gonzaga and, I don't believe, a single P5 win. They lost by a bunch in their conference tournament and still were given a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The momentum (polls, chatter, defeat of AZ last year, etc.) and a gaudy record...it could be a seed higher than reasonably expected. However, we must keep winning. I would say that 3 conference losses (depending on the team) would put us in bubble territory. Go Bulls. I will remember this season forever!

Maybe your are right. I think about this in a holistic sense, though. In that not too distant past, many of our players were guys who got one FBS offer -- Buffalo. Imagine you are KJ. You've played three years at UB and have a degree. You have a desire to play in the NFL. This last year is important for you to attract the attention of the scouts (AJ got the bulk of that last year...even when he didn't play). The best QB on the team, Jackson, is leaving...and there will be an unproven and inexperienced QB on the team (barring some sort of grad transfer, which would be unlikely). The likelihood of KJ attracting the NFL in Buffalo is likely less than at Miami (maybe even a lot less). That's my thought on KJ. It isn't like he is going to Kansas...he's going to Miami. I hope AJ and Tyree are fantastic at the combine/pro day and are drafted in an early round. It keeps emphasizing the point that you can get to the NFL from UB. If it was more than one player transferring and those in different situations, I'd think differently.

Williams and Segu are going to get alot of minutes this year...in the second half. That can only be of benefit later this year and in the future. I agree about Fagan. Perhaps he will get some more minutes in the first half as the season progresses.

KJ was a good receiver...for the MAC. It is unfortunate to lose him since he would easily be the next QB's #1 target, but Next Bull In. However, he wasn't AJ. He dropped a lot of passes, especially in the second half of the year. Given the state of Miami's receiving corp, he will help as an experienced player. He graduated and moved on. He will be Forever a Bull and had very important contributions to the most successful football season. I prefer to see this as a glass half full. At least we had really good players who have drawn the interest of P5 programs. Whoever comes and goes...players or coaches, I will always Bleed Blue. Go Bulls.

As of today, what percentage influence does the preseason rankings have on KENPOM and Pomeroy? Does anyone know or where to find it? There is some guy who has not cast a single vote for UB bball this season in the poll and comments that he uses the computer rankings as his basis. In the latest poll he was the only holdout.

A few things: 1. I read past the profanity since it wasn't directed at me. It isn't a big deal in my opinion. I am surprised that this caused as much of a reaction than ot did. 2. It is clear your definition of "sustained excellence" is much more restrictive than my own (or most people, I would gather). But that's fine...it is your opinion. Gonzaga is a very, very high bar, however. I hope you are right and we do meet your definition some day.

But what you say isn't true. Gonzaga is an outlier. Remember there are about 60 or 70 P5 schools...and the other nearly 300 are not. Let's look right in our own conference, the MAC, for sustained excellence: Kent State. They may not be able to read or write, but they can play basketball. From 1998-99 to 2012-13, Kent State won 20 games in all of those seasons except one (they won 19 that year, 2008-09). According to your premise, if you "just keep winning...top tier programs will come play you". So...it is easy to look at what happened during the last several years for Kent State during that time since they "kept winning" for many years in a row. Note that I include 2013-14 since that is the year after they won 21 games in 2012-13 season. OOC Home Games for KSU 2013-14: Ohio Northern, St. Peters, Western Carolina, USC-Upstate, Niagara, YSU, Kennesaw State, Bucknell, Cleveland State 2012-13: Rochester, Drexel, Temple, Chicago State, Valpo, Bethune-Cookman, Princeton, St. Francis, Arkansas State, Fairmont State 2011-12: Rochester, Alcorn State, Cleveland State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Morehead State, UAB, Shawnee State 2010-11: Rochester, Robert Morris, Furman, Lehigh, Louisiana-Monroe, Youngstown State, James Madison Just because you say things, doesn't make it true. So...if Graham Couch is going to call out teams for not playing road games in a silly way (i.e. by not ranking them), I am for it. We have only a very little voice to begin with (i.e. the mid-majors), so we have to take what we can get. Otherwise...1-bid MAC and 10-bid B1G with a team that has 16 losses.

It isn't like that at all. Ken Griffey, Jr. was not voted in unanimously for the hall of fame...just because, as you say, a few writers didn't want anyone to be voted in at 100%. There really isn't a good, actionable reason for this and they are not asking/implying any change for the future. On the other hand, Couch is clearly implying that teams need to play true road games in OOC. Yes...he "couches" it with statements about not having enough information to evaluate those teams, etc., but it isn't difficult to infer his meaning. And this sort of scheduling (that Syracuse was famous for) has impact since it allows teams to get firmly established in the rankings for two months and build up win totals before being tested on the road. And perception is very important. It is valuable that there is a lot of talk now about UB, for example, because of that WVa win early on. UB played on home against SIU on a Saturday, went on the road vs. Syracuse on a Tuesday and played in Marquette on a Friday. It would have been nice if UB drove back from Syracuse on Tuesday to prepare for a home game against Marquette on Friday ...but they don't have that luxury. Duke didn't have to face those road tests. As a fan of UB, I would think this issue would be a no-brainer for UB fans (and all mid-major fans) to support. Of course, if/when UB is in a P5 conference and plays one road test in 14 games (instead of the 7 this year), I may have a different opinion. 😀

I disagree wholeheartedly. He is trying to make a point and has done this for several weeks in a row. Once they play on the road, he puts them back in and evaluates them. Duke is the ONLY team of 353 schools that have not played a true road game. We are about 1/2 through the season. That's crazy. Graham is shining a light on this issue. Here is the deal...imagine if UB played Marquette the second game of the season and lost by the same score..and all of the other results were the same. I believe that UB would not be ranked at this time. But because they won early, they get that benefit of starting from a higher position and the inertia it creates. Duke....because they haven't played a road game yet..has all of that inertia from playing only home/neutral games already. It gives them an unfair advantage. Graham is calling them out for it. Nothing else is...Duke is #1 in the AP poll and #2 in the NET.

I will say 19 or 18. Every week we don't lose we should move up a spot or two. If we ever lose, we will likely drop 10 spots. Thus, my guess is we'd have to get through January w/o a conference loss to allow us to lose and still stay in the poll. It is what it is -- the life of the mid-major. We can either try to change the system or join the system. And you can't change the system -- too much money involved and not enough interest. Thus, if you want change, you have to join the system. We need to be attractive in football and basketball now...and for the next few years. Being in the public eye because of our ranking is a good thing. Tyree Jackson declaring for the draft and being an "above the fold" story is a good thing. Go Bulls.

Tyree was throwing to AJ, who made next level plays against MAC level defenders. Certainly that helped Tyree. One evaluator said that you are wasting everyone's time if you make poor decisions and are not accurate. Those are the things we've associated with Tyree (of course, in addition to the really good things he provides). But it seems like the areas where he has the most problems are big red flag issues for scouts. I guess if he has a good Pro Day or at the Combine, it will work out for him since he will have the numbers scouts like (arm strength, height, etc.) I think he felt the weakness of the 2019 QB class plays to his favor more than what a season at a P5 might do (it could expose him, for example, and then he would have to be in the 2020 draft against a deeper field.) I am disappointed he won't be at UB another season. He was the best QB we have had (overall), in my opinion. He was a difference maker. Forever a Bull...

I love this team, too! For 30 years!!! The bandwagon is big enough for all comers. I hope that ticket is cashed.

Starting next November, Fagan will be getting all the minutes he can handle I expect! Segu, Williams and Fagan will get alot of minutes like they did tonight. Garbage time. I expect they may get those minutes in some games at the under 8 timeout. By the way, is our backup QB playing basketball this year again?

Kent's OOC has been strong as well -- maybe stronger. They lost to Louisville and, at home, to Liberty (NET 48). They also have a few good wins (notably Vandy on the road). While I think it is a long shot that the MAC gets two, the odds increase the more people talk about the MAC getting two!

Big 4 Hoops Blogger --> keep writing. The more press we receive, the better. I read the article on BN. I don't know if I would have characterized it as offended. Perhaps bothered by the question. Oats' has a point in that it was a big game for the Griffs (i.e. to play a ranked team at home...and a local one at that) . However, Oats isn't as diplomatic as maybe he should be in how he communicates his points (see the comment about Coach Cal). I also can't believe this topic is on its third page...and we don't play again for a few more days.

I guess I am glad we have players that are good enough to be competitive within the transfer protocol. I don't want to dwell on this. I'd rather it not happen. However... Next Bull In.

Auburn is a big time program...a program thinking about making the final 4 each year. Is Tyree that good that he will start as a transfer for Auburn? If Tyree actually goes to Auburn, good for him. I hope he gets the top notch coaching he needs to maximize his potential. If he ends up at a non-P5 or a low end P5 school, I am not sure it would be worth it. The transfer portal means he is exploring transferring, but it doesn't mean he will. He has a good situation at UB...he knows the offense, he is comfortable here, he can play lower level teams and boost his numbers. Transferring to another program has to really be a big benefit to him, otherwise why would he go through that? So...I guess this will be a side drama for a bit. I am not sure when he has to make his decision on transferring.

P5 transfer would be interesting. If he gets a good offer, he should take it. He needs better coaching and maybe he'll get that elsewhere. If he can't get into a good P5, going back to UB is a good 2nd choice. The NFL...now? Where? A practice squad? Will he even be drafted?

If MBB was 7 - 4 with losses to SBU, Syracuse, WVa and San Fran, there would be five different, active threads right now on football (e.g. bowl game, next year depth chart at WR, LL extension?, etc.) But...we live in unprecedented times with MBB so everything else has played second fiddle (even the WBB vs Stanford). It is what it is. Even with lack of traffic, I will be watching the game on Saturday. I want to see a lot of Tyree to AJ and plenty of Patterson with YAC. Go Bulls!