Bisons vs Falcons - Region 4 Championship

[OldBison]

Here we go. Interesting first-time match up for these two teams. Athletic passing attack vs the Flexbone. What do you think?

[OldBison]

Here’s how it looks on paper:

Harding
3rd down conversion - # 2 nationally (.553)
4th down conversion - # 2 (.883)
Pass Offense - Not ranked
Passing Allowed - # 1 (4.88 yds/attempt)
Red Zone Defense - # 1 (.412)
Total Defense - # 1 (240.8 yds/game)
Total Offense - # 3 (497.3 yds/game)

UTPB
3rd down conver. - # 19 (.469)
4th down conver. - # 10 (.709)
Pass Offense - # 3 (8.38 yds/attempt)
RZ Defense - # 45 (.742)
RZ Offense - NR
Total Defense - # 21 (303.6 yds/game)
Total Offense - # 6 (469.3 yds/game)

I predict Exline tackles Miller 38 times after he has gone 5-7 yards and Miller has the ball only 50% of the times he is tackled.

[Predatory Primates]

UTPB is a little like Pitt on D. Built to make teams pass and stop the pass. That goes out the window against Harding. They'll have to score on Harding which is possible, but hard to do. The back end of the Harding D is pretty beatable, the underneath passing is possible with the short LBs. The problem is keeping the qb upright against a very very good pass rush.

UTPB is kind of pass happy, so that's kind of what I focused on above.

I honestly think a team has to score in the 30s, to have any chance against Harding. IDK if the UTPB O is good enough to do that. Also conventional wisdom says you have to hold the ball against them, but UCM proved that track meet teams can hang with them too. I have no idea if the pb offense is good enough to do that, though.

[OldBison]

The UCM game in 2023 was what I was thinking about. I think this game could be similar. In 2023 it was Zabrowsky all day. The Mule’s defense couldn’t stop the Flexbone but they seemed to score on every drive throwing short routes and using QB scrambles. Not sure the UTPB QB is as good as Zabroski was.

[Divisiontwo]

The UCM game in 2023 was what I was thinking about. I think this game could be similar. In 2023 it was Zabrowsky all day. The Mule’s defense couldn’t stop the Flexbone but they seemed to score on every drive throwing short routes and using QB scrambles. Not sure the UTPB QB is as good as Zabroski was.

I’m sure. He is not. UTPB is good. No doubt. That offense is not on par with that UCM O

Z threw for 5200 and 61 touchdowns in 13 games. And ran for another 600. They also had a 1000 yard back. UTPB leading rusher has 600 and some change.

[Bisonfan from FLA]

UTPB is a little like Pitt on D. Built to make teams pass and stop the pass. That goes out the window against Harding. They'll have to score on Harding which is possible, but hard to do. The back end of the Harding D is pretty beatable, the underneath passing is possible with the short LBs. The problem is keeping the qb upright against a very very good pass rush.

UTPB is kind of pass happy, so that's kind of what I focused on above.

I honestly think a team has to score in the 30s, to have any chance against Harding. IDK if the UTPB O is good enough to do that. Also conventional wisdom says you have to hold the ball against them, but UCM proved that track meet teams can hang with them too. I have no idea if the pb offense is good enough to do that, though.

Glad to see your post today! On another thread I asked if you would stick around and post; you can br quite insightful on your comments.

[ARtransplantedTWolf]

UTPB is a little like Pitt on D. Built to make teams pass and stop the pass. That goes out the window against Harding. They'll have to score on Harding which is possible, but hard to do. The back end of the Harding D is pretty beatable, the underneath passing is possible with the short LBs. The problem is keeping the qb upright against a very very good pass rush.

UTPB is kind of pass happy, so that's kind of what I focused on above.

I honestly think a team has to score in the 30s, to have any chance against Harding. IDK if the UTPB O is good enough to do that. Also conventional wisdom says you have to hold the ball against them, but UCM proved that track meet teams can hang with them too. I have no idea if the pb offense is good enough to do that, though.

UTPB needed mistakes from Western to even put up 21. Western does have a great D but not on the par of Harding this year. I don't see them getting close to 30. Harding will not give them a quick fumble after a score either. Going 41-14 Harding for palindrome score special.

[ReddieMade]

I’m sure. He is not. UTPB is good. No doubt. That offense is not on par with that UCM O

Z threw for 5200 and 61 touchdowns in 13 games. And ran for another 600. They also had a 1000 yard back. UTPB leading rusher has 600 and some change.

Well said. That UCM offense was the most explosive I've ever seen at the D2 level and ZZ is far and away the best D2 QB I've ever seen.

Their RB on that team started for Virginia Tech this year and he was almost an afterthought that season with over 1000 yards rushing.

That 35-34 win in 2023 is still the most impressive Harding victory ever, IMO.

[BisonswithanS]

Well said. That UCM offense was the most explosive I've ever seen at the D2 level and ZZ is far and away the best D2 QB I've ever seen.

Their RB on that team started for Virginia Tech this year and he was almost an afterthought that season with over 1000 yards rushing.

That 35-34 win in 2023 is still the most impressive Harding victory ever, IMO.

Also faced a Matocha lead CS Mines team - with Matocha throwing for 4500 yards and 46 TDs (Total Offense of 7600 yards and 97 TDs) that season - and they, at least on paper, had a defense. Anything can happen Saturday but I don't expect Harding to be unprepared for what they will face.

[ReddieMade]

Also faced a Matocha lead CS Mines team - with Matocha throwing for 4500 yards and 46 TDs (Total Offense of 7600 yards and 97 TDs) that season - and they, at least on paper, had a defense. Anything can happen Saturday but I don't expect Harding to be unprepared for what they will face.

Mines was good too, no doubt. Much easier path to the finals, though.

I've always thought that if UCM had won that game in Searcy they would have won the national championship pretty handily.

[BisonswithanS]

Mines was good too, no doubt. Much easier path to the finals, though.

I've always thought that if UCM had won that game in Searcy they would have won the national championship pretty handily.

My money would have been on CMS as well - but it would have been kind of fun watching the 2 QBs sling it around. Have only been watching D2 Football for about 10 years and thought ZZ was the best D2 QB in at least the last 10 years...then I watched Chambless play.

[Predatory Primates]

Well said. That UCM offense was the most explosive I've ever seen at the D2 level and ZZ is far and away the best D2 QB I've ever seen.

Their RB on that team started for Virginia Tech this year and he was almost an afterthought that season with over 1000 yards rushing.

That 35-34 win in 2023 is still the most impressive Harding victory ever, IMO.

Pitt beat ucm that year, too. That UCM team could score at will. Pitt had a really good D that year and I'm not sure they stopped them once. It still came down to who had the ball last.

[Predatory Primates]

My money would have been on CMS as well - but it would have been kind of fun watching the 2 QBs sling it around. Have only been watching D2 Football for about 10 years and thought ZZ was the best D2 QB in at least the last 10 years...then I watched Chambless play.

The growth of Chambliss from week 0 to his last game last year was unbelievable. I saw him week 0 at Pitt, and was really surprised by the transformation when I sawhim in the playoffs. .

[DawgUp]

The growth of Chambliss from week 0 to his last game last year was unbelievable. I saw him week 0 at Pitt, and was really surprised by the transformation when I sawhim in the playoffs. .

Catch 22 of an Tony Annese offense. All qbs get equal reps in practice so anyone of them can step in and run the complete offense efficiently (they don't even know who the starter is the first game of the season until an hour before it starts). But in the case where 1 qb gets all the 1st team reps every week, that guy is usually in the discussion for Harlon Hill (Chambliss, Jeru Campbell, etc)

[Bisons10]

Catch 22 of an Tony Annese offense. All qbs get equal reps in practice so anyone of them can step in and run the complete offense efficiently (they don't even know who the starter is the first game of the season until an hour before it starts). But in the case where 1 qb gets all the 1st team reps every week, that guy is usually in the discussion for Harlon Hill (Chambliss, Jeru Campbell, etc)

I think everyone in the country, especially on the D1 national level now know how special Chambliss was and is currently. And even though I'm not an Ole Miss fan I am pulling hard for them in the CFP.. Tough task but I would love for them to pull it off just so Kiffin would miss out on winning a NC! HAHA.. The way things stand the University would put up a statue of the Interim head coach!