FCS Playoff Picture for November 1st

Who is in the playoffs today?  There were a couple of upsets in the Big Sky this week, and that knocked the conference down a notch, but they still get 3 teams in the playoffs, but only one second round home game.  But the conference leaders can not afford another loss.  The CAA would also get 5 teams in the playoffs, but they have teams that can not afford another loss, either.

I do not believe that the committee will invite a team with five losses, even if one of those losses is to an FBS team.  They will likely take a team with four losses if one of those losses is to an FBS school (Like Sacramento State who lost to Stanford) or if that team is in a power conference and has a victory over an FBS school (Like James Madison who beat Virginia Tech).  I got roasted last week for having Montana State and Northern Arizona meet in a second round game.  I made certain that that two teams from the same conference will not meet in either the first or second round, but there is one CAA situation where it could not be avoided unless I dropped JMU completely out of the picture, so I did.  And I had to drop Northern Arizona and Sacrament State because they will not have enough Division I wins.  In fact, that ruined my 11-15 seeds, but those are the rules.

Seedings:

1.      Villanova

2.      Delaware

3.      William and Mary*

4.      Appalachian State*

5.      New Hampshire

6.      Jacksonville State*

7.      Eastern Washington*

8.      Wofford

9.      Stephen F. Austin

10.  Western Illinois

11.  Montana State

12. Montana

13. U-Mass

14. South Alabama

15. Jacksonville

16.  Northern Iowa*

17.  Robert Morris*

18.  Liberty*

19.  Lehigh*

20.  Bethune-Cookman*

Last four in: U-Mass, Montana, Chattanooga, South Alabama and Jacksonville
Teams not eligible for an at-large bid because they can not reach 7 division I wins: Northern Arizona, Sacramento State, Southern Utah

* Denotes the conference leader in an automatic-bid conference
** Denotes a team with four losses, but one of those losses is to a FBS team.
*** Denotes a team with four FCS losses, but with a victory over an FBS school.

First round games:
Game 1: Bethune-Cookman at U-Mass
Game 2: Lehigh at South Alabama
Game 3: Liberty at Jacksonville
Game 4: Robert Morris at Northern Iowa

Second Round Games
Game 4 Winner        at 1. Villanova
9. Stephen F. Austin at 8. Wofford

Game 1 Winner     at 4. Appalachian State
12. Montana         at 5. New Hampshire

Game 2 Winner          at 3. William and Mary
11. Montana State     at 6. Jacksonville State

Game 3 Winner       at 2. Delaware
10. Western Illinois at 7. Eastern Washington