Weber State football notebook: Not in control of own playoff shot
OGDEN — With their bye week on tap this week, the Weber State Wildcats have time to regroup and refocus after their humbling loss at Montana on Saturday.
The Wildcats now have no shot at repeating as Big Sky champions, and making a return trip to the FCS playoffs is a long shot. Weber State wraps up its season with home games against Northern Arizona on Nov. 14 and Cal Poly on Nov. 21.
Weber State had what coach Ron McBride called a "mind-cleansing" film session on Monday, will take today off and return to practice on Thursday.
"You can carry on a thing like this (the Montana loss) through the rest of the season, so you've got to cleanse their minds and get it out of their minds, and you've kind of got to reset your goals of what you want to do," McBride said. "We still have a legitimate shot to get into the playoffs. We really have to win our next two games."
But winning their next two games might not be enough for the Wildcats to qualify for the FCS playoffs. The four losses they've suffered, including bad ones to Colorado State and Montana State that McBride said were "thrown in the garbage can," will probably keep them out of the 16-team playoff field.
"I don't see any way that Weber State earns an at-large bid with four losses," said Dave Coulson, the FCS executive director for The Sports Network. "There are going to be too many one-loss, two-loss and three-loss teams trying to gobble those up. Weber State killed itself with throwing away wins over Montana State and Colorado State in the final minute of those games. It is unfortunate that one of the most talented teams in the country and one that is capable of beating any team in the country will be on the sidelines for the playoffs."
Weber State would still likely finish in second place in the Big Sky if it beats Northern Arizona. Since 1981, there have been only two seasons that the conference has gotten just one team into the playoffs. Even if Weber State takes second place, Coulson said a team that finishes below the Wildcats in the conference standings could get into the playoffs instead of them. It's also a strong possibility that Montana will be the only Big Sky team in the playoffs.
"Finishing second isn't going to make a difference," Coulson said. "The only way the Big Sky gets a second bid is if Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington or Montana State finishes with three losses."
The Wildcats would like to think that their difficult schedule will help their cause with the FCS playoff committee. They played two FBS teams in Wyoming and Colorado State to start the season, and are barely having their bye week this week.
Recent comments
Yeah, CANCER - get rid of that guy!! He's just confusion and chaos...
Wildcat Islander | Nov. 6, 2009 at 2:40 p.m.
Why won't Montana play a FBS team? Because it doesn't need the money....
to to Newbie | Nov. 6, 2009 at 9:15 a.m.
Why won't Montana play a Div 1 team? Scared!!! Too much of a risk....
to Newbie | Nov. 6, 2009 at 8:13 a.m.
- Late credit card payments drop in Q3 1:36 p.m.
- Study says basketball refs biased 1:13 p.m.
- Sanford faces 37 ethics charges 1:03 p.m.
- Woman killed in fall identified 1:00 p.m.
- October sales gains lift hopes 12:58 p.m.
- Home and garden news and notes 12:58 p.m.
- Ungrateful teen in your house? 12:54 p.m.
- Every Mon. Matters: Be neighborly 12:52 p.m.
- New offerings from past winners 12:50 p.m.
- Make a pilgrim to celebrate season 12:46 p.m.
- Buttars wants to limit gay rights laws
212 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
206 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
181 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
178 - BYU records with win
132 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
129 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
102 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
99 - Bronco, Kyle rubber match
94
I could tell BYU was ready to play Saturday afternoon even before the...
I thought the Utes played very well against SDSU on Saturday in all...
To summerize all the soccer hater comments "Blah, Blah, Blah, My life stinks"
Okay, I think its ridiculous how people get on these comment blogs and say...
when the chips are down to try raising the food tax but come up with excuses...
My purse is no more nasty and filthy and full of objectionable and disgusting...
BON JOVI!
Dude, it's "bowl" games, not "bowel" games. A "bowl" is a round object...
12:29 p.m You make it sound like I mis-represented what happend at the GL...
If you didnt see this show, you missed out! Some of the sickest fights I have...
BYU players have NO PASSION for winning and it all starts with their head...
Following Graduation in 1980 the USA was in the largest depression since the...
