Wait…what? Well, that’s what happens when I assume. Felix Unger is very disappointed in me right now. Anyway, greetings from the road, where I am because the family is on a day trip that was planned before I knew UW would be open for business. Fortunately, I had time to come up with today’s piece, and I’ll be back tonight to work on Sunday Morning Uni Watch.
Since SMUW focuses on the teams in the FBS (formerly Division 1-A), I wanted to take today to focus on the games from Thursday and last night in the FCS (formerly Division 1-AA). You’ll see quite a few FCS teams tomorrow, since the big boys like to schedule them in the first week of the season, which I call Cupcake Week. Those games won’t be shown today. Instead, I’ll share the 13 matchups that featured FCS teams playing each other, or playing their own cupcake games with opponents in Division II or lower. I’m not going to rank these matchups, but I will put them into five different categories, beginning with…
YIKES!
If I were ranking the games, then Monmouth at Eastern Washington would be my hands-down &1.
I don’t like when Boise goes all-blue on the Smurf Turf, I don’t like when green teams go all-green on grass, and I don’t like when the Eagles pull this stunt.
Yes, in these photos you can see them, but on video they don’t always show up well, especially in the shade. Plus, both sides are way too plain for my tastes. Let’s move on quickly…
Next we have…oh no, not again, BLUE Hens…we have Bryant at Delaware. The last time I did an FCS 5&1, the Hens went BFBS. They’ve done it again.
At least Delaware kept the blue helmets and the Bulldogs went with black. Below the neck, though, it’s a real chess-match snoozer.
I’m starting to sense a pattern here, after seeing Division II Northern State at South Dakota.
The Coyotes have a pretty cool helmet logo, but they obviously don’t want you to see it. Meanwhile, I like the Wolves’ hand-me-downs from the Washington Football Team.
UM, YEAH…OKAY…
There was a true mono(tonous) vs mono(tonous) matchup, with D-2 Quincy vs Drake. I’ll give them a little slack, though, for wearing stripes and not going stealth.
Actually, that game never happened. With the score 10-0, a storm rolled in and caused the game to be canceled. I’m counting it in the roundup anyway.
Then there was a rather busy-looking Wofford vs Gardner-Webb.
My only real issue is the red numbers on black. Otherwise, I’ll take busy shoulder shenanigans over mundane minimalism.
NOT BAD…
I kind of don’t mind VMI vs William & Mary, for some reason.
William & Mary had a whiteout game to open their season. Yes, despite the lighting on that shot, they are wearing white. VMI’s number font works for me, and I’m a sucker for white/red/red. Also, the home team has the prettiest-looking ampersand in NCAA history.
2 drives. 2 TDs. Just like @CoachMikeLondon drew it up.
W&M 14 VMI 0#GoTribe pic.twitter.com/zvLu2hCMkM
— William & Mary Tribe Football (@WMTribeFootball) August 29, 2024
I’m really happy with the home team in this Presbyterian vs Mercer game.
Stripes, contrast…chef’s kiss. The “Blue Hose,” however, went with white socks and tiny shiny numbers with Puritan pants.
FINALLY…CONTRASTING PANTS!!!
Thank you to the home team in this Mercyhurst vs Wheeling matchup!
The Division II Cardinals hosted newly-promoted Mercyhurst, playing in their first-ever game as an FCS school. I love the white/red/black, and I really love the contrasting sleeves. Both teams’ helmets could have used some contrast, though. Interesting note about Wheeling’s field: the end zone graphics are beyond the end line.
LAKER TOUCHDOWN
Q3
MU: 27
WH: 17 pic.twitter.com/YizMkHX3Ta— Mercyhurst Football (@MercyhurstFB) August 30, 2024
It looks as if they did it that way to keep the soccer dimensions of the multi-purpose field all green. I think I like that.
While I like the colors and stripes in D-2 Central State vs Morehead State, the tiny letters and helmet numbers put me off a bit.
I should be put off by the BLACK Bears wearing mono double blue, but man, this Colgate vs Maine game looks great.
There’s a difference between minimalist and simple, and ‘gate is simply wonderful. Properly sized numbers, contrasting sleeves and pants…if only they went with white facemasks.
We’ve got ourselves a ball game 🍿
📺 | https://t.co/b3G9yVMv76 (FloSports)@PatriotLeagueHQ @espn pic.twitter.com/xUbI4449NZ
— Colgate Football (@ColgateFB) August 31, 2024
NOW WE’RE GETTING SOMEWHERE!
Another D-2 vs FCS matchup, but Sioux Falls vs St. Thomas was no cupcake game.
The visiting Cougars, looking almost like a blackened version of Colgate, pulled off a big upset. Another game that was simple and easy on the eyes.
No contrasting pants in this one, but I still liked Youngstown State vs Villanova.
That’s a nice properly sized Y! If only they had gone with black pants. And while my favorite basketball school looks good on the gridiron, they’d look even better with their navy blue helmets.
Wrapping things up, we have an NAIA/FCS contest with North American vs Stephen F. Austin.
No mountains on the sleeves for the Lumberjacks, just pine trees. As for the Stallions, the only thing better than contrasting sleeves is contrasting sleeves with numbers in them. Digging the pants stripes on both schools as well.
Lots more FCS, D-2, D-3 and NAIA games today…just wish we had the room and the time for them. Back to the big boys tomorrow morning.
hey Jim thanks for the fcs dive, I loved it! side note, william and mary have nice decals
agree with the ampersand
Glad to see FCS schools get their place in the sun. If memory serves, the New England Patriots put their wordmarks behind the end zone in the 1970s.
How sad that the Black, err…Blue Hens wore that slop…and I don’t like the shade of blue or the finish they’ve got on those helmets. Get back to the Gannon days.
Meanwhile, those other birds of the same feather- Morehead State – looked great.
“…love the(Wheeling)white/red/black,…” –
Let’s hope the NFL Cardinals never ever follow suit!
‘Nova in simple navy/white is how it oughta be. Wish they’d steer clear of the powdery trend…Main Line Blue, anyone?
Glad to see VOTF return – like the content and love the banner!
While *you* may love a long volleyball rally, as someone who occasionally calls college volleyball stats, give me an ace any day. Makes my job WAY easier.
In fairness, the job has gotten much easier with new software. As a caller, I no longer need to declare what every touch is. It used to be “dig 6, set 10, attack 12; dig 14, attack 2, continue, dig 2, set 5, over, dig 6,” and so on. Now it’s just “6, 10, 12, 14, 2, continue.”
It’s still a mess when there’s a ping-pong ball, though, not to mention that net posts and the floor ref are my enemies.
I’m all about making things easier for statisticians, officials and announcers (one of the reasons I love properly sized numbers)… but aces are way too easy.
Appreciate what you do for the great sport of volleyball. Keep up the good work!
Jim, keep up the good work. I’m pretty sure the old administration would have covered the FBS uniform changes. As far as the voice of the fan goes, if you don’t care about something then just skip it.
Love how you went out with the volleyball video!!!
I’m not a big volleyball fan or anything (just love sport in general), but that was pretty epic & fun! Thanks!
I don’t like this thing that UnderArmor is doing with the pant stripes (Morehead above, and also Colorado State today).
(Morehead): link
(Colorado State): link
They’ve got a triple-stripe with the the outside stripes white and the colored stripe in the middle, on a light-colored background. For Morehead it was white/blue/white stripes on athletic gold (yellow). For CSU it was white/green/white stripes on metallic gold (tan/khaki).
In both cases, the white outer stripes have so little contrast with the pants that they fade away, and all of the elements look like they’re receding from the eye. The opposite of “popping”. Those stripes would look so much better as dark/white/dark.