Tuesday, November 15, 2011

What if the FBS Had a Playoff

In the Football Championship Subdivision (D-IAA), there is a 20-team playoff.  Here is what a 20-team playoff would look like in the Football Bowl Subdivision (D-IA).

Automatic Bids...

ACC...Clemson
Big 12...Oklahoma State
Big East...Cincinnati
Big Ten...Michigan State
Conference-USA...Houston
MAC...Northern Illinois
Mountain West...Texas Christian
PAC-12...Oregon
SEC...Louisiana State
Sun  Belt...Arkansas State
WAC...Nevada

Seedings

1.  LOUISIANA STATE
2.  OKLAHOMA STATE
3.  Alabama
4.  OREGON
5.  Oklahoma
6.  Arkansas
7.  CLEMSON
8.  Virginia Tech
9.  Stanford
10. Boise State
11. HOUSTON
12. South Carolina
13. Kansas State
14. MICHIGAN STATE
15. Georgia
16. TEXAS CHRISTIAN
17. CINCINNATI
18. NEVADA
19. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
20. ARKANSAS STATE

First Round Games (Saturday, December 10)

Game 1
20. Arkansas State at 13. Kansas State

Game 2
19. Northern Illinois at 14. Michigan State

Game 3
18. Nevada at 15. Georgia

Game 4
17. Cincinnati at 16. TCU

Second Round (Thursday December 15 to Saturday December 17)

Game 4 winner at 1. LSU (Saturday)
9. Stanford at 8. Virginia Tech (Thursday)
Winners Play Friday December 23 in Arlington, Texas

Game 1 winner at 4. Oregon (Saturday)
12. South Carolina at 5. Oklahoma (Friday)
Winners Play Saturday December 24 in San Diego, California

Game 2 winner at 3. Alabama (Saturday)
11. Houston at 6. Arkansas (Thursday)
Winners Play Friday December 23 in Detroit, Michigan

Game 3 winner at 2. Oklahoma State (Saturday)
10. Boise State at 7. Clemson (Friday)
Winners Play Saturday December 24 in Miami Gardens, Florida

Quarter Final Round (Friday December 23 and Saturday December 24)
Friday Sites...Arlington and Detroit
Saturday Sites...Miami and San Diego

Semi Final Round (Saturday December 31)
Sites Pasadena, California (Winners of the Friday games) and Glendale, Arizona (Saturday games)

Championship
Saturday, January 7, 2012 New Orleans, Louisiana

Last 4 in...Georgia, Kansas State, South Carolina, Boise State
First 4 out...Nebraska, Wisconsin, Mississippi State, Southern Mississippi
Next 4 out...Penn State, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame

This also means that 10 current bowl games would be discontinued...GoDaddy.com, BBVA Compass, Ticket City, Kraft Fight Hunger, Pinstripe, Military, New Mexico, Idaho Famous Potato, New Orleans, and Beef 'o' Brady's.

What if the NFL Playoffs Were Held Today...November 15, 2011

NFC Playoffs

Division Champions
East...New York
North...Green Bay
South...New Orleans
West...San Francisco

Wild Card...Chicago, Detroit.

NFC Championship Home Field...Green Bay

Brackets...Chicago at New York winner to play at Green Bay
Detroit at New Orleans winner to play at San Francisco

Tie Breaker...Chicago and Detroit have the same record and split their season series.  Chicago has the better division record and plays their opening round game against the division champion with the worst record.

AFC Playoffs

Division Champions
East...New England
North...Pittsburgh
South...Houston
West...Oakland

Wild Card...Baltimore, Cincinnati

AFC Championship Home Field...Houston

Brackets...Baltimore at Oakland winner to play at Houston
Cincinnati at New England winner to play at Pittsburgh

Tie Breakers...Houston and Pittsburgh have an identical records and do not play each other this season.  Houston, as of today, has the better division record.  Cincinnati and Baltimore have identical records and have not yet played each other.  Baltimore has the better division record and plays the division champion with the worst record.

Monday, November 14, 2011

NBA Lockout Continues.

The players have rejected the owners latest proposal.  There is a move to disband the players union.  Looks like the 2011-12 season will be a complete wash. 

I suspect that in the end the deal that the players actually sign will be worse.  That some players will regret not accepting this deal.

Some owners may also regret not pushing for a solution to the problem as TV deals are renegotiated and some fans fail to return.

One Week to FCS Playoffs, Where We Now Stand.

How do the FCS Playoffs look now that there is a week left in the season?  Here is my preview.

Automatic Bids

Big Sky--Montana State
Big South--Stony Brook
CAA--Maine
MEAC--Norfolk State*
Missouri Valley--North Dakota State
NEC--Albany
Ohio Valley--Tennessee Tech
Patriot--Lehigh*
Southern--Georgia Southern*
Southland--Sam Houston State*
*These teams have already won their conference championship and have the automatic bid all sewn up.

Seedings

1. NORTH DAKOTA STATE (MVFC)
2. MONTANA STATE (Big Sky)
3. SAM HOUSTON STATE (Southland)
4. GEORGIA SOUTHERN (SoCon)
5. Northern Iowa (MVFC)
6. LEHIGH (Patriot)
7. New Hampshire (CAA)
8. Montana (Big Sky)
9. Wofford (SoCon)
10. Appalachian State (SoCon)
11. Old Dominion (CAA)
12. Towson (CAA)
13. MAINE (CAA)
14. Illinois State (MVFC)
15. STONY BROOK (Big South)
16. Delaware (CAA)
17. Liberty (Big South)
18. TENNESSEE TECH (OVC)
19. NORFOLK STATE (MEAC)
20. ALBANY (NEC)

First Round Games...
Game 1...Albany at Maine
Game 2...Norfolk State at Illinois State
Game 3...Tennessee Tech at Stony Brook
Game 4...Liberty at Delware

Second Round Games

Game 4 winner at 1. North Dakota State
9. Wofford at 8. Montana

Game 1 winner at 4. Georgia Southern
12. Towson at 5. Northern Iowa

Game 2 winner at 3. Sam Houston State
11. Old Dominion at 6. Lehigh

Game 3 winner at 2. Montana State
10. Appalachian State at 7. New Hampshire

Last 4 in...Liberty, Delaware, Illinois State, Towson

First 4 out...Furman, Central Arkansas, Jackson State, Alabama State
Next 4 out...Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Portland State, North Dakota

Sunday, November 13, 2011

How Utah's Basketball Teams Rank...Nov 13

Now that we have people play games, here is how they stack up...

1.  Utah State (1-0) Defeated BYU...On tap @Weber State Tuesday, vs. Southern Utah Saturday

2.  Weber State (1-0) Defeated Northern New Mexico...On tap Utah State Tuesday, @ UC Irvine Saturday

3.  Brigham Young (0-1) Lost @ Utah State...On tap BYU-Hawaii Tuesday, Longwood Friday

4.  Southern Utah (2-1) Defeated UC Davis, Lost @ San Diego State, Defeated Bryant...On tap Montana State Billings Thursday, @ Utah State Saturday

5.  Utah (0-0) DNP...On Tap San Diego Christian Monday, @ Boise State Wednesday, Montana State Saturday

6.  Utah Valley (1-0) Defeated Simpson...On tap @ Houston Monday, Grambling State Wednesday, Missouri Kansas City Saturday

Player of the Week: Weber State G Damien Lillard with 25 points.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Conference Report

PAC-12
UCLA and ASU forget their skates.

Game of the week: Washington State stuns Arizona State 37-27
(Yes, that was the best game.)
Utah skates past UCLA 31-6
Colorado runs past Arizona 48-29
Oregon surprises Stanford 53-30
California all over Oregon State 23-6
USC tromps Washington 40-17

MVP: Washington State QB Connor Halliday

Independents

Game of the Week: Navy sinks SMU 24-17
BYU cruises past Idaho 42-7
Army tripped by Rutgers 27-12
Notre Dame trips Maryland 45-21

MVP: Notre Dame RB Jonas Gray

WAC

Game of the Week: New Mexico State stuns Fresno State 48-45
Utah State outduels San Jose State 34-33
Louisiana Tech sinks Ole Miss 27-7
Nevada shoots down Hawaii 42-28
Idaho bows to BYU 42-7

MVP: New Mexico State QB Matt Christien

Big Sky

Game of the Week: Weber State stuns Northern Arizona 34-31
Eastern Washington outduels Cal Poly 53-51 in 3OT
Sacramento State stomps Idaho State 24-9
Portland State outruns Northern Colorado 24-17

MVP: Weber State RB CJ Tuckett

Big West

Game of the Week: Eastern Washington outduels Cal Poly 53-51 in 3OT
Southern Utah trips at Northern Iowa 34-21
North Dakota slips past UC Davis 14-7
Sout Dakota blows out Missouri S&T 48-14

MVP: Cal Poly RB Jake Romanelli

Post Season Possibilities for Utah Schools

BYU

BYU has the Armed Forces Bowl bid locked up.  At this point it looks like their opponent will be SMU.  Why?  The Mustangs are now in 4th in C-USA, but Houston could be BCS bound.  That would put Tulsa in the Liberty Bowl, Southern Mississippi in the Hawaii Bowl and leave SMU for the Armed Forces Bowl.  If Houston does not earn a BCS bid, then BYU's opponent appears to be Southern Mississippi.

Utah

The Utes are bowl eligible for the 9th consecutive season.  The last time Utah failed to make a bowl game was 2002.  But let's examine were they will go.

Here is the current BCS picture.  I will update this post when the BCS standings are released, but I imagine that Stanford and Boise State will not be in the BCS any longer.

BCS Championship...LSU vs. Oklahoma State
Rose Bowl...Oregon vs. Michigan State
Fiesta Bowl...Oklahoma vs. Virginia Tech
Sugar Bowl...Alabama vs. Houston
Orange Bowl...Clemson vs. Cincinnati

Pac-12 Bowl Picture

BCS (Rose Bowl)...Oregon vs. Michigan State
Alamo Bowl...Stanford vs. Baylor
Holiday Bowl...Arizona State vs. Texas
Sun Bowl...Washington vs. Georgia Tech
Las Vegas Bowl...Utah vs. TCU
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl...California vs. Miami (FL)
New Mexico Bowl...UCLA* vs. San Diego State

*UCLA is yet bowl eligible.

UCLA is currently 5-5 with Colorado and USC remaining.

USC, Arizona, Colorado and Washington State are no longer bowl eligible.

Can Utah still play in the Rose Bowl?  It is not impossible.  Arizona State, which has dropped their last two games, would have to lose both of their remaining games and Utah would have to win both of their remaining games.  The way ASU played against Washington State, that is not too far fetched.  Then Utah would have to beat, presumably Oregon, on the road in the PAC-12 championship game.  That would be, at this point, an epic upset.

Utah State/WAC Bowl Picture

Nevada appears to be the WAC champion, but can wrap the championship up if they defeat Louisiana Tech in Reno next week.  You should expect to see the Wolfpack in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Louisiana Tech is now bowl eligible.  They will go to the Idaho Famous Potato bowl unless there is another eligible team from the WAC.  If there are only 3 bowl eligible teams from the WAC, La Tech will be obligated to go to Boise.  If not, they may get to go to a bowl game closer to Rushton.  Why? Look at the Conference USA Bowl Picture.  It will be all messed up if Houston gets to the BCS.  Then C-USA will have only 3 or 4 bowl eligible teams and 6 bowl slots.  I think that Louisiana Tech would rather go to New Orleans Bowl if that option is open to them.  And if C-USA can't fill that slot, the New Orleans Bowl would probably prefer La Tech as a substitute.  But if La Tech beats Nevada and wins the WAC, I'm sure that they would be just fine going to San Diego and the Poinsettia Bowl.

Utah State is now 4-5 and needs to win 2 out of the last 3 to be bowl eligible.  They have @ Idaho, Nevada and @ New Mexico State left.

New Mexico State can still become bowl eligible, but they have @ BYU, @ La Tech and Utah State left.

Fresno State, San Jose State and Idaho can no longer become bowl eligible.

Here is how I think things will work out...

Poinsettia Bowl...Nevada vs. Boise State
Hawaii Bowl...Hawaii vs. Southern Mississippi
Idaho Famous Potato Bowl...Utah State vs. Ohio
New Orleans Bowl...Louisiana Tech vs. Temple

Utah State needs to win 2 of their remaining three to be bowl eligible.  Sagarin has USU a 10 point favorite over Idaho on the road.  They are very slim favorite over Nevada at home...1/4 of a point.  And they are a 9 point favorite over New Mexico State on the road.  They can win all three of their remaining games.

For Conference-USA...For Reference.  Again, in order for the Aggies to make a bowl they need to take care of business.  It will be easier if Houston makes the BCS, leaving the New Orleans Bowl free to pick La Tech.

BCS Sugar Bowl...Houston
Liberty Bowl...Tulsa
Hawaii Bowl...Southern Mississippi
Armed Forces Bowl...SMU
New Orleans Bowl...(None Eligible)...Lousiana Tech substitutes.
Beef 'O' Bradys Bowl...(None Eligible)...Ball State substitutes.

For Conference USA...UCF, Marshall and East Carolina are one more loss away from not being bowl eligible and UTEP is 5-5.  Maybe one of those teams wins out and makes a bowl game.  If so, I think that the New Orleans Bowl would still want La Tech ahead of any of them...but we will see what works out.

Neither Southern Utah nor Weber State are eligible for the FCS playoffs.  7 wins are required.

Houston, Boise State and the BCS

Boise State is still ranked higher in the BCS than Houston.  BSU is 10 and UH is 11.  But you have to be the conference champion to get the #12 automatic bid.  BSU is not in the drivers seat in the MWC any longer.  TCU is in the drivers seat and Boise State needs to hope that both UNLV and Colorado State can knock off TCU.

BTW...

The Mountain West has another reason to be mad at BYU.  TCU tripped up Boise State.  The MWC will not have a team in the BCS and may have more bowl eligible teams then they have bowl slots for.  Here is the current MWC bowl picture...

Las Vegas...TCU
Poinsettia...Boise State
Independence...Wyoming
New Mexico...San Diego State
Also Eligible...Air Force

Note...Air Force and Wyoming are both at 5 wins.  Wyoming has New Mexico, Boise State and Colorado State remaining.  Air Force has UNLV and Colorado State remaining. BYU took the Armed Forces Bowl away from the MWC this year.  My hunch is, however, that someone will invite Air Force as they have fans everywhere.