FCS Playoffs

For those looking for a link to the FCS playoffs, here it is.

I enjoyed trying to project the process this year.  It was fun.  A couple of lessons learned.  First, the committee does consider geography.  Second, the MEAC is stronger than I thought it was, but we will see how far they get.

My pick for the championship?

Appalachian State over William and Mary

Good luck to everyone.

One last thought...we have a playoff and yoooooowhoooo don't!

Latest FCS Playoff Picture--My final guess

By this time tomorrow, the bids will be issued.  Here is my guess.

By Conference:

Big Sky:
Automatic Bid: Montana State
Also Eligible: Eastern Washington and Montana
Note: Eastern Washington will have the higher seed because they were without Taiwan Jones when they lost to Montana State.

Big South
Automatic Bid: Liberty


CAA:
Automatic Bid: Delaware
Also Eligible: New Hampshire, Villanova, and William and Mary

Great West:
No Automatic Bid
Eligible: Cal Poly

Eligible Independents:
Old Dominion

MEAC:
Automatic Bid: Bethune-Cookman
Also Eligible: South Carolina State and Florida A&M

MVC:
Automatic Bid: Northern Iowa
Also Eligible: Western Illinois and North Dakota State

NEC:
Automatic Bid: Robert Morris
Also Eligible: Central Connecticut State and Duquesne

OVC:
Automatic Bid: SE Missouri
Also Eligible: Jacksonville State

Patriot:
Automatic Bid: Lehigh

Pioneer:
No Automatic Bid
Eligible: Dayton, Jacksonville, and Drake

SoCon:
Automatic Bid: Appalachian State
Also Eligible: Wofford and Georgia Southern

Southland:
Automatic Bid: Stephen F. Austin

The eight teams that will be left out...Central Connecticut, Duquesne, Western Illinois, Dayton, Jacksonville, Drake, Georgia Southern, Noth Dakota State, South Carolina State, Florida A&M.

Last 4 in: Cal Poly, Montana, SE Missouri and Old Dominion
First 4 out: Western Illinois, Dayton, Georgia Southern and North Dakota State.

Seedings.

1. Delaware
2. William and Mary
3. Appalachian State
4. Eastern Washington
5. New Hampshire
6. Stephen F Austin
7. Montana State
8. Wofford
9. Villanova
10. Northern Iowa
11. Chattanooga
12. Robert Morris
13. Jacksonville State
14. Old Dominion
15. Montana
16. Cal Poly
17. SE Missouri
18. Lehigh
19. Liberty
20. Bethune-Cookman

First Round Games
Game 1: Bethune-Cookman at Jacksonville State
Game 2: Liberty at Old Dominion
Game 3: Lehigh at Montana
Game 4: SE Missouri at Cal Poly

Second Round Games:
Game 4 Winner at 1. Delaware
9. Villanova at 8. Wofford

12. Robert Morris at 5. New Hampshire
Game 1 Winner at 4. Eastern Washington

11. Chattanooga at 6. Stephen F. Austin
Game 2 Winner at 3. Appalachian State

10. Northern Iowa at 7. Montana State
Game 3 Winner at 2. William and Mary

FCS Playoff Picture Part II

Six teams have already punched their ticket for the FCS Playoffs.  They are Delaware (CAA), Appalachian State (SoCon), Northern Iowa (MVC), Robert Morris (NEC), Lehigh (Patriot) and Bethune-Cookman (MEAC).  Where they are seeded is another story.  There is a lot to settle this coming weekend.  Here is how things would play out of this were to go down this week.

Some of my at-large selections, however, will go down this weekend because being mentioned in this blog means that they are cursed.  Other weird things could happen.  Jacksonville State loses and gives the Ohio Valley crown to SE Missouri.  Weber State winning in Lubbock which could give the Big Sky Conference five teams also boosting Montana and Sacramento State.

1.      Delaware**

2.      William and Mary

3.      Appalachian State **

4.      Eastern Washington*

5.      New Hampshire

6.      Stephen F Austin*

7.      Montana State

8.      Wofford

9.      U-Mass

10. Jacksonville State*

11.  Villanova

12.  Northern Iowa**

13.  Chattanooga

14.  Montana

15.  Sacramento State

16.  Georgia Southern

17.  Robert Morris**

18.  Lehigh**

19.  Liberty*

20.  Bethune-Cookman**

Last 4 in: Georgia Southern, Sacramento State, South Alabama, Chattanoog

First 4 out: Western Illinois, North Dakota State, Richmond, Weber State

Next 4 out: South Dakota State, McNeese State, SE Missouri, Cal-Poly

First Round Games
Game 1: Bethune-Cookman at Chattanooga
Game 2: Liberty at Montana
Game 3: Lehigh at Sacramento State
Game 4: Robert Morris at Georgia Southern

Second Round Games
Game 4 winner at 1. Delaware
9. U-Mass       at 8. Wofford

12. Northern Iowa at 5. New Hampshire
Game 1 winner      at 4. Eastern Washington

11. Villanova    at 6. Stephen F. Austin
Game 2 winner at 3. Appalachian State

10. Jacksonville State at 7. Montana State
Game 3 winner           at 2. William and Mary

FCS Playoff Picture...last week of Season--part 1.

This week, a conference-by-conference look at who is eligible and who still has a shot to make it.  All of the teams on the bubble are currently 6-5.

Big Sky Conference:
Automatic Bid:
None yet, Montana State and Eastern Washington are currently tied for the conference lead.  The Bobcats have the tie breaker but play at cross-state rival Montana while Eastern Washington is home to Idaho State.

Currently At-large eligible:
Montana State
Eastern Washington
Montana

On the bubble
Sacramento State (vs Cal-Davis)Weber State (vs Texas Tech)

Big South:
Automatic Bid:
None yet, Stony Brook and Liberty meet this Saturday and the winner will be the conference champion.

At-large eligible:
Liberty (vs Stony Brook)

On the bubble:
Stony Brook (vs Liberty)

CAA:
Automatic Bid: Delaware

At-Large Eligible:
William and Mary

On the Bubble:
New Hampshire (vs Towson)
U-Mass (vs Rhode Island)
Villanova (vs Delaware)
Richmond (vs William and Mary)

Missouri Valley:
Automatic Bid: Northern Iowa

At-large Eligible:
North Dakota State

On the Bubble:
Western Illinois (vs. Northern Iowa)
Indiana State (vs. Southern Illinois)

Great West:
Does not have an automatic bid.  Southern Utah is the champion, but does not qualify for an at-large bid as they finished their season 6-5.

At large eligible:
Cal Poly

On the Bubble:
None

At-large eligible Indepenents:
Old Dominion


MEAC
Automatic Bid: Bethune-Cookman

At-large Eligible:
South Carolina State
Florida A&M

On the Bubble:
None

NEC
Automatic Bid: Robert Morris

At-large eligible:
Central Connecticut
Bryant

On the Bubble:
Duquesne

OVC:
Automatic Bid: None yet, Jacksonville State will clinch the championship if they defeat Tennessee Tech this Saturday.  Otherwise, the championship will go to Southeast Missouri.

At-large eligible:
Jacksonville State
Southeast Missouri

On the Bubble:
None

Patriot:
Automatic Bid: Lehigh

At-large Eligible:
None

On the Bubble:
Colgate (vs Fordham)

Pioneer League:
Automatic Bid: None, the Pioneer Conference does not get an automatic bid.

At-large Eligible:
Jacksonville
Dayton
Drake

On the Bubble:
None

SoCon:
Automatic Bid: Appalachian State

At-large Eligible:
Wofford

On the Bubble:
Chattanooga (vs Wofford)
Georgia Southern (vs Furman)

Southland:
Automatic Bid: None yet, but Stephen F. Austin has the tie breaker over McNeese State.  The Lumberjacks play arch-rival Northwestern State while McNeese plays Central Arkansas.

At-large Eligible:
Stephen F. Austin
McNeese State

Publish Post

On the Bubble:
Central Arkansas (vs. McNeese State)