final week winners

[skinny_uncle]

The last Saturday of the regular season is upon us. Your predictions, please. My winners in bold:

Ill State over UNI Panther's dim hopes of a playoff berth fade away, Redbirds earn a seed.
SIU over Southern Utah Salukis firm up their playoff hopes.
WKU over Austin Peay Hilltoppers finsh their last IAA season with a winning record.

[DannyCooksey]

skinny:

Thats like 3 weeks in a row I am in total agreement!!! hahahah

Yeah I think those are accurate picks. UNI has senior day to play for and that's about it. The Redbirds are playing for a seed and a 1st round home game. Plus, they are as healthy as they've been all season with Laurent Robinson back.

SIU smells the playoffs again and will win at home. Coach Kill has done a very sound job considering the graduation loss as well as his own health problems. He just gets it done.

WKU will end their IAA existance with a W at home against the Governors

[valleyclimber]

ISU, SIU and WKU are my picks too. Would disagree wholeheartly with both of you though on UNI's playoff chances if they take down the Redbirds. A 7-4UNI team with wins over YSU and ISU in this crazy year WILL get a pretty good look by the selection committee.

[DannyCooksey]

A 7-4UNI team with wins over YSU and ISU in this crazy year WILL get a pretty good look by the selection committee

I sure hope not. In 2005 a 7-4 IlSU team that destroyed playoff teams SIU and UNI by a combined score of 99-38 didn't get a sniff. In addition to that, 8-3 YSU didn't get in a year ago.

If UNI wins 143-0 on Saturday, they still don't deserve consideration in my opinion.

[skinny_uncle]

The Redbirds will probably make this a moot point on Saturday by beating UNI. Even at 7-4, UNI would be a longshot.

[Phantom]

ISU, SIU and WKU are my picks too. Would disagree wholeheartly with both of you though on UNI's playoff chances if they take down the Redbirds. A 7-4UNI team with wins over YSU and ISU in this crazy year WILL get a pretty good look by the selection committee.

UNI lost to a DII team though. The selection committee will certainly frown upon that. Even if they do beat IlSt tomorrow losing to a DII team will likely be enough to keep them out. (Playing a DII team is basically what kept YSU out last year even though they were 8-3).

[DannyCooksey]

great win by UNI.

They dominated the game in many ways, but especially with the turnovers. They played with a ton of heart and deserved to win. Congrats to them and ISU is 1 and done in the playoffs with that type of ball protection.

Very frustrating game by ISU, but the credit goes to the Panthers who were clearly the better team today.

DC

[Phantom]

UNI came out ready to play and they had more intensity than we did today.

However, IMHO, this game comes down to 6 plays: 3 turnovers by us and the subsequent 1-play drives resulting in 3 TD's by UNI. That was it. When the Panthers went up 28-7 that was all she wrote. If we protect the ball, its likely a different game. But hats off to UNI for forcing turnovers and capitalizing on them. They were the better team today.

[skinny_uncle]

Well I was right on 2 of 3. UNI had more motivation yesterday trying to keep their playoff hopes alive. SIU certainly looked motivated yesterday too. In a few hours the committee will announce the playoff field. Good luck to all.