OVC at-large team

[jsualum97]

What scenarios have to play out this year, for the OVC to get a 2nd team in the playoffs.

[GeauxColonels]

I think first off the OVC should worry about winning a playoff game with its champion before they talk about an at-large team.

But there are numerous scenarios that could get almost any AQ conference a 2nd team in the playoffs. The most obvious being....win all of your games (or pretty darn close) without winning the conference auto-bid. That's what happened with Texas St. last year in the SLC. They and Nicholls State were 2005 SLC Co-Champions with Nicholls State holding the tie-breaker in head-to-head competition. Texas St. had a great season and had been regarded by many as a top 5 team nearly all season long. They got an at-large bid because of that. I'm not sure this scenario can play out for the OVC, however.

[89Hen]

What scenarios have to play out this year, for the OVC to get a 2nd team in the playoffs.
Win OOC...

JSU vs. Furman, Chatty and MissSt
EKU vs. WKU, WCU and Cincy
EIU vs. Indiana State, Illinois State, Hawaii and Illinois

IF each of those three lose two of their OOC games, it's gonna be tough to get an at-large IMO.

Beyond that, you will need help from other AQ conferences not having multiple teams at 8-3 or better. You also have to hope for help against CalPoly and Coastal not getting a bid.

[*****]

Win OOC...

JSU vs. Furman, Chatty and MissSt
EKU vs. WKU, WCU and Cincy
EIU vs. Indiana State, Illinois State, Hawaii and Illinois

IF each of those three lose two of their OOC games, it's gonna be tough to get an at-large IMO.

Beyond that, you will need help from other AQ conferences not having multiple teams at 8-3 or better. You also have to hope for help against CalPoly and Coastal not getting a bid.X ___________ co-sign

[Cocky]

Win OOC...

JSU vs. Furman, Chatty and MissSt
EKU vs. WKU, WCU and Cincy
EIU vs. Indiana State, Illinois State, Hawaii and Illinois

IF each of those three lose two of their OOC games, it's gonna be tough to get an at-large IMO.

Beyond that, you will need help from other AQ conferences not having multiple teams at 8-3 or better. You also have to hope for help against CalPoly and Coastal not getting a bid.

That would be real tough for EIU.

If the OVC teams beat Furman, WKU, Illinois State, and any I-A teams they would get consideration.

[bluehenbillk]

89 has it right, beat some OOC's.

[89Hen]

That would be real tough for EIU.

If the OVC teams beat Furman, WKU, Illinois State, and any I-A teams they would get consideration.
EIU put themselves in a tough spot by taking advantage of the Hawaii 12th game rule. All three have tough I-AA games to boot. I think your best hope is for EIU to go 8-0 OVC, because they will have at least 2 OOC losses (I think a third to IllSt) and for EKU or JSU to be 7-1 OVC and 2-1 OOC. I think it will be darn tough for both to be 2-1 OOC. This assumes that none of the three lose to Murray, Martin, etc... if you do, stick a fork in the at-large. :twocents:

[EKU05]

I remember the last time the OVC got two teams in (which was in 2002 by the way) it was a Murray team that went 7-5, but was OVC co-champs at 5-1 (the lone loss a 30-7 drubbing at EKU) and EIU earned an at large as the other co-champ. Getting two teams in is not as much of a long shot as it would seem. The year before that we legitmately earned two spots and an 8-2 EKU team got left out (to make my point, even SportsCenter which generally ignores I-AA talked about how screwed EKU was).

But like people have been saying...the key for any team in any conference to get in is to perform well OOC. EKU will likely be favored against both WKU and WCU with a decent chance to beat UC as well. EIU could (potentially) get in at 9-3 if they beat both Gateway teams, lost the I-A games and maybe even lost one OVC game (if it was to the champion or co-champ). I'd say JSU is a long shot for an at-large, but they could win the auto-bid with one of the Eastern's going at-large.

[Pard4Life]

It will be extremely tough given that an 8-3 Lafayette, with a GPI in the 40s, recieved an at-large. Other leagues are stronger than the Patriot League in the at-large pecking order. The OVC is not one of them unfortunately... and the rest of I-AA will ahve to have a down year for an OVC at-large.

[EKU05]

I'd take a look at last year's GPI, Pard. I believe the OVC was ahead of the Patriot League.

Here's the thing, people are thinking about this in terms of the whole OVC, rather than in terms of the two (maybe three) teams that have a chance to do this who play football at a level not common to the rest of the league. This is the first time in a while that the OVC has started the season with two consensus top 25 teams. If both of those teams go 8-0/7-1 in the league (AND THAT DID HAPPEN LAST YEAR) and win the games they will be favored to outside the league then they will have a chance.

[Cocky]

I remember the last time the OVC got two teams in (which was in 2002 by the way) it was a Murray team that went 7-5, but was OVC co-champs at 5-1 (the lone loss a 30-7 drubbing at EKU) and EIU earned an at large as the other co-champ. Getting two teams in is not as much of a long shot as it would seem. The year before that we legitmately earned two spots and an 8-2 EKU team got left out (to make my point, even SportsCenter which generally ignores I-AA talked about how screwed EKU was).

But like people have been saying...the key for any team in any conference to get in is to perform well OOC. EKU will likely be favored against both WKU and WCU with a decent chance to beat UC as well. EIU could (potentially) get in at 9-3 if they beat both Gateway teams, lost the I-A games and maybe even lost one OVC game (if it was to the champion or co-champ). I'd say JSU is a long shot for an at-large, but they could win the auto-bid with one of the Eastern's going at-large.

We beat Furman, UC and play tough or beat Miss State, JSU will have an excellent shot at an at-large bid.

If EKU beats WCU and WKU, EIU beats both Gate teams, and JSU beats Furman and UC the OVC will not be looked at as a weak conference. All we need to do is win some OOC games. I promise it will be easier said than done.