Reply to Northern Iowa & others
First off...the GFC is proud of our teams. We are a football only conference. However Northern...I like how you talk basketball and the MVC...then discount the Horizon (which YSU is a member of)? The Horizon League is the new name for the MCC, we boast such perrenial basketball/sports traditions as Butler, Detroit, Loyola, Chicago and Cleveland St., . Formerly had Xavier, DePaul, Dayton & Cincinati as well. SO what's this "Minor" conference crap? Last year Butler advanced to the sweet-16 & Detroit made the final 4 in the NIT. I don't think UNI's 2 games against Horizon teams have been very successful this year. No insult inteded UNI & Indy St have great programs. Please..... not to insult the MVC...but be serious. Also, GFC member Western Kentucky plays in the Sunbelt & a very powerful team this year...ask UK. (that "1" next to Kentucky's 9 came from WKU)
Now, back to football.... UNI did very well this year & we are proud of them. We are equally proud of WKU & YSU. YSU was 8-3 & did not make it. W. Kentucky lost to Furman by 2 (a very solid showing). YSU proved that they are good with a great game against Marshall...but threw the INT with :31 seconds left & lost (this is a top-20 IA team [well was at that time & I willl admitt I doubt they belonged there]. Still held leftwich to his lowest output of the season (208yds) & also held Watts to his lowest ever with 3 catches for 24 yards. Traditionally, we have Western Illinois & Illinois St as powerful members as well.
But to compare the two conferences is not fair....equally the number of GFC members in the NFL is just as high for the SWAC. However, most SWAC stars are in skilled positions & you hear of them. There is only 2 or 3 well-known GFC players, the rest are lineman & LB's. Look at Western Illinois...who puts more players into the NFL than they? Yes, the SWAC does pass though.
I remember the Play-off game with Alcorn & McNair threw for a record against us. (over 500 yards as I recall). However, he was the whole team & could not get the ball in the end zone on the ground...so we won 73 to 20. They could not stop our ground attack & we picked McNair off for TD's 2 or 3 times and the SWAC does not have a clue what a "red-zone defense" is. However, Kurt Warner did not get anywhere's near as many yards against us as McNair & we won National titles both years. The MEAC...well NCA&T was little more than a high-school club when we played them...but Hampton was tough & FLAMU was the biggest team I ever saw!!
Attendance...the GFC has 3 teams in the top-20...but we still pale as a conference in comparison.
I did not know this board is still up...thanks for the info Cap'. Please come to the GFC board at
http://www.thegatewayconnection.com any time ....we are always happy to talk football.