Haley's final prediction...

[georgecostanza]

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/fcs/FCS_Bracket.pdf

[Bisonwinagn]

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/fcs/FCS_Bracket.pdf

This seem reasonable...In this bracket I think the last at large would come down to Towson, Lehigh, or UNA.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Why why why do people have Montana State being seeded higher than EWU?

[theasushow]

oh man gsu taking on shsu in the opening round...

[LeeshaJo]

Potential sdsu/ndsu matchup the third round? hmmm....

[tingly]

I wonder if nobowls.com is getting tired of me reloading their bracket page.

[ITmonarch10]

oh man gsu taking on shsu in the opening round...

The EWU bracket is most definitely the most brutal.

[ITmonarch10]

I wonder if nobowls.com is getting tired of me reloading their bracket page.

I have been doing the same thing XD. 11:30... my ***

[DFW HOYA]

No respect for Lehigh. Again.

[bostonspider]

I think UR should be in over Towson and EKU..

[theasushow]

I love how we comment on this bracket as if it was THE BRACKET.

[tingly]

nobowls is up, definite differences

[Nickels]

No respect for Lehigh. Again.
After watching a good portion of their game today, I can understand why. IMO not a playoff team, not this year.

[robsnotes4u]

Why why why do people have Montana State being seeded higher than EWU?

Everybody does, look at the wins, look who EWU lost to, look at the one possession wins by EWU, look at what MSU did to Portland State, compared to EWU luckily winning today. Actually look at the game, not the score of EWU and MSU. Look how each team performed the last 4 weeks.

[robsnotes4u]

Potential sdsu/ndsu matchup the third round? hmmm....

I would like to see that match up again

[Catbooster]

Why why why do people have Montana State being seeded higher than EWU?

Because MSU is playing better football?

[FargoBison]

The bottom half of his bracket is just brutal...

EIU @ Towson vs #3 EWU
SHSU @ GSU

CCU @ Bethune-Cookman vs #2 Montana State
ISUR @ App State

[tingly]

Comparing sports network to nobowls
#1 NDSU
#2 Montana State
#3 Eastern Washington/Old Dominion
#4 Central Arkansas/Eastern Washington
#5 Old Dominion/Central Arkansas

#6-12 agreed
Appalachian State
Cal Poly
Georgia Southern
Sam Houston State

Sports Network says #6-12, nobowls says #13-20
Illinois State
South Dakota State

Sports Network says #13-20, nobowls says #6-12
Villanova

Sports Network says #6-12, nobowls says no invite
Wofford

Sports Network says no invite, nobowls says #6-12
New Hampshire
Richmond

#13-20 agreed
Bethune-Cookman
Coastal Carolina
Colgate
Eastern Illinois
Wagner

Sports Network says #13-20, nobowls says no invite
Eastern Kentucky
Towson

Sports Network says no invite, nobowls says #13-20
Lehigh

So there is a mighty big bubble that extends clear into the #6-12 range. Tune in tomorrow. :-/

[I-16Bandit]

nm

[I-16Bandit]

I sure as hell hope we don't open up with SHSU. Bugeezus. And App better be on the other side.

[sgt smash]

I sure as hell hope we don't open up with SHSU. Bugeezus. And App better be on the other side.

Would you rather have NDSU/SDSU or SHSU/App/EWU on your half?

[FargoBison]

I sure as hell hope we don't open up with SHSU. Bugeezus. And App better be on the other side.

That bracket is pure hell for GSU....SHSU right away...a possible trip to the red turf or a very hot Towson team, and if you get through that you have App or another trip to the frozen north to play MSU.

[GSU Eagle]

We had our chance. If we beat App at home and we should have if we can make ANY field goals we are probably looking at a 9-2 record and a #2 seed. So we blew it and better be ready to travel all over the country now.

[sgt smash]

We had our chance. If we beat App at home and we should have if we can make ANY field goals we are probably looking at a 9-2 record and a #2 seed. So we blew it and better be ready to travel all over the country now.

With how the Bison have played you would probably be #1 seed if you win that game

[I-16Bandit]

Would you rather have NDSU/SDSU or SHSU/App/EWU on your half?

Man ****. Just give me the latter. I don't want to face you guys until we absolutely have to.

[sgt smash]

Man ****. Just give me the latter. I don't want to face you guys until we absolutely have to.

Either way, ***** looks brutal. Solid field.

[GSU Eagle]

Our track record playing in some freezing place like Bozeman or Cheney is not very good.

[I-16Bandit]

Either way, ***** looks brutal. Solid field.

And to be honest, if we don't improve a LOT, I'd be surprised if we make it past the quarterfinals.

[asujch]

I sure as hell hope we don't open up with SHSU. Bugeezus. And App better be on the other side.

I will be livid if we are (potentially) matched up in the quarters. If there are only 2 teams from the same conference in the playoffs, they should not be on the same side of the bracket.

[theirish]

If Towson is in consideration, then so should Youngstown State. I think each ultimately misses out.

[Mr. C]

No way that Eastern Kentucky gets in over Stony Brook, or Lehigh. Second-tier auto-bid conferences all, with Stony Brook ranked in the top 10 and with an FBS win and a close FBS loss. Lehigh is at 10-1. EKU at 8-3 overall and one FBS loss can't match up to either of these teams. Lehigh also has playoff rep, with wins in the past two years. EKU hasn't won a playoff game since like 1994. Stony Brook also won a playoff game last year.

[Mr. C]

If Towson is in consideration, then so should Youngstown State. I think each ultimately misses out.

Towson is one of the hottest teams in the country and played as tough of a schedule as anyone. YSU lost four straight games at one point in the season. Right now, I'd say Towson is playing better than any team in the CAA and has the best chance to be successful, in terms of balance, of any CAA team. How you close your season counts for a lot.

[theirish]

UNI AD:
@TroyDannenUNIAD: If Youngstown State doesn’t make FCS field with 7 wins in the best league plus a win over Pitt, then we need to reevaluate at large criteria

[LehighU11]

No way that Eastern Kentucky gets in over Stony Brook, or Lehigh. Second-tier auto-bid conferences all, with Stony Brook ranked in the top 10 and with an FBS win and a close FBS loss. Lehigh is at 10-1. EKU at 8-3 overall and one FBS loss can't match up to either of these teams. Lehigh also has playoff rep, with wins in the past two years. EKU hasn't won a playoff game since like 1994. Stony Brook also won a playoff game last year.


Right now, I'd say Towson is playing better than any team in the CAA and has the best chance to be successful, in terms of balance, of any CAA team. How you close your season counts for a lot.

I agree with both statements, Mr. C. EKU was throttled by an average Purdue team, who has a losing record and has only beaten losing FBS teams aside from EKU. 8-3 in the OVC does not compare to what Stony Brook has done this year, and even with a 10 win Lehigh.

Towson is certainly a more deserving playoff team than Youngstown St. They went 6-2 in their conference, not 4-4, and played incredibly well down the stretch after giving #3 LSU an early scare in Death Valley. I watched 7 of their games this year and they have become significantly better over the course of the season. I don't believe the committee would ever pick a team that backed into the playoffs over a team that turned it on over the last 4 games.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Everybody does, look at the wins, look who EWU lost to, look at the one possession wins by EWU, look at what MSU did to Portland State, compared to EWU luckily winning today. Actually look at the game, not the score of EWU and MSU. Look how each team performed the last 4 weeks.

Yeah, look at the wins. EWU has beaten 3 teams that were ranked at the time, MSU has beaten none. EWU also has an FBS win, while MSU struggled with non-schollie Drake (no, Drake isn't good, stop kidding yourself). What about all the one possession wins for MSU? Actually look at the game... MSU needed 4 Sac turnovers to beat the hornets by the same margin EWU did with a -1 turnover margin. EWU throttled co-champ Cal Poly. EWU is clearly more deserving, sorry.

[CopperCat]

Yeah, look at the wins. EWU has beaten 3 teams that were ranked at the time, MSU has beaten none. EWU also has an FBS win, while MSU struggled with non-schollie Drake (no, Drake isn't good, stop kidding yourself). What about all the one possession wins for MSU? Actually look at the game... MSU needed 4 Sac turnovers to beat the hornets by the same margin EWU did with a -1 turnover margin. EWU throttled co-champ Cal Poly. EWU is clearly more deserving, sorry.

You're really digging for something with the turnover argument here dude.

And MSU forced at least two of those turnovers. That's because they have the best defense in the sky.

And I'm going to say it: drake would beat Idaho seven out of ten.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

You're really digging for something with the turnover argument here dude.

And MSU forced at least two of those turnovers. That's because they have the best defense in the sky.

And I'm going to say it: drake would beat Idaho seven out of ten.

I'm reach just as much as robnotes is in regards to looking at the stats. And a big

http://www.memes.at/faces/trollol.jpg

about Drake beating Idaho.

[CopperCat]

I'm not talking about stats at all.

[FargoBison]

And I'm going to say it: drake would beat Idaho seven out of ten.


http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/seriously.gif

[danefan]

No way that Eastern Kentucky gets in over Stony Brook, or Lehigh. Second-tier auto-bid conferences all, with Stony Brook ranked in the top 10 and with an FBS win and a close FBS loss. Lehigh is at 10-1. EKU at 8-3 overall and one FBS loss can't match up to either of these teams. Lehigh also has playoff rep, with wins in the past two years. EKU hasn't won a playoff game since like 1994. Stony Brook also won a playoff game last year.


+1

I bet EKU is on the selection board was long as Albany.......not very long.

Nice seasons but fell short when it mattered.

[EKUSteve]

I agree with both statements, Mr. C. EKU was throttled by an average Purdue team, who has a losing record and has only beaten losing FBS teams aside from EKU. 8-3 in the OVC does not compare to what Stony Brook has done this year, and even with a 10 win Lehigh.

Towson is certainly a more deserving playoff team than Youngstown St. They went 6-2 in their conference, not 4-4, and played incredibly well down the stretch after giving #3 LSU an early scare in Death Valley. I watched 7 of their games this year and they have become significantly better over the course of the season. I don't believe the committee would ever pick a team that backed into the playoffs over a team that turned it on over the last 4 games.

EKU also had their starting QB out against Purdue as well as lost their best wide receiver in the first quarter due to a concussion.

[Engineer86]

After watching a good portion of their game today, I can understand why. IMO not a playoff team, not this year.

I assume you watched the first half?

[kalm]

So margin of victory and a win over Drake vs. loss to Washington State is greater than SOS and head to head?

[App1928]

This thread is the most publicity if seen for Drake since season 4 of seinfeld...

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/21814265.jpg

[robsnotes4u]

So margin of victory and a win over Drake vs. loss to Washington State is greater than SOS and head to head?

So why is everybody picking MSU as a #2 seed and you at around #4 or #5? Why are you guys lower in the polls? A couple of EWU fans are voting with their hearts not their heads. The reasons must be obvious to everyone else but you.

[robsnotes4u]

I'm reach just as much as robnotes is in regards to looking at the stats. And a big

http://www.memes.at/faces/trollol.jpg

about Drake beating Idaho. When people can not justify their side of a discussion, they turn to name calling. You are amazing....

[MarkyMark]

"Eleven of our preseason picks are in our final field,"

I think any FCS fan could get at least 11 out of 20 picks in a pre-season poll.

[robsnotes4u]

So margin of victory and a win over Drake vs. loss to Washington State is greater than SOS and head to head?

So if you look at this game, who is the better team. The score didn't show it, you won by 3 points, but you got your asses kicked. The better team didn't not win.

EWU MSU

FIRST DOWNS................... 13 27
Rushing..................... 7 8
Passing..................... 4 15
Penalty..................... 2 4
NET YARDS RUSHING............. 71 70
Rushing Attempts............ 26 52
Average Per Rush............ 2.7 1.3
Rushing Touchdowns.......... 0 1
Yards Gained Rushing........ 87 146
Yards Lost Rushing.......... 16 76
NET YARDS PASSING............. 140 295
Completions-Attempts-Int.... 12-30-2 29-37-2
Average Per Attempt......... 4.7 8.0
Average Per Completion...... 11.7 10.2
Passing Touchdowns.......... 1 2
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS........... 211 365
Total offense plays......... 56 89
Average Gain Per Play....... 3.8 4.1
Fumbles: Number-Lost.......... 0-0 2-1
Penalties: Number-Yards....... 7-51 7-59
PUNTS-YARDS................... 5-211 4-122
Average Yards Per Punt...... 42.2 30.5
Net Yards Per Punt.......... 34.8 22.8
Inside 20................... 1 3
50+ Yards................... 0 1
Touchbacks.................. 2 0
Fair catch.................. 0 0
KICKOFFS-YARDS................ 5-315 4-251
Average Yards Per Kickoff... 63.0 62.8
Net Yards Per Kickoff....... 41.6 39.0
Touchbacks.................. 2 2
Punt returns: Number-Yards-TD. 3-31-1 2--3-0
Average Per Return.......... 10.3 -1.5
Kickoff returns: Number-Yds-TD 2-45-0 3-67-0
Average Per Return.......... 22.5 22.3
Interceptions: Number-Yds-TD.. 2-21-1 2-3-0
Fumble Returns: Number-Yds-TD. 1-40-0 0-0-0
Miscellaneous Yards........... 0 0
Possession Time............... 21:34 36:47
1st Quarter................. 9:27 5:33
2nd Quarter................. 3:27 11:33
3rd Quarter................. 6:04 8:56
4th Quarter................. 2:36 10:45
Third-Down Conversions........ 4 of 12 11 of 19
Fourth-Down Conversions....... 0 of 1 0 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 0-0 0-0
Touchdowns.................. 0-0 0-0
Field goals................. 0-0 0-0
Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 7-46 4-10
PAT Kicks..................... 3-3 3-3
Field Goals................... 2-2 1-2

[Saint3333]

"Eleven of our preseason picks are in our final field,"

I think any FCS fan could get at least 11 out of 20 picks in a pre-season poll.

No joke just pick the top three from the SoCon, CAA, Big Sky, and MVC and you'll get 10 right.

[asumike83]

Interesting that he has UNH out of the field with 8 DI wins and a 6-2 record in the CAA.

[Engineer86]

No joke just pick the top three from the SoCon, CAA, Big Sky, and MVC and you'll get 10 right.

Disagree, other than the SoCon picking the top three in the other leagues is not easy at all, examples, just this year. Nova, Richmond, UNI, YSU, SDSU?, Montana

[Saint3333]

I could pick 20 teams for the 2015 playoffs and get 11 right.

[THE HERD]

I sure as hell hope we don't open up with SHSU. Bugeezus. And App better be on the other side.

The Katz are stout against the run with a lot of team speed.....they would be a bad match up for the Eagles. Not that they would be a good match up for anybody, but worse for a team that lives and dies by the run.

[Red & Black]

So if you look at this game, who is the better team. The score didn't show it, you won by 3 points, but you got your asses kicked. The better team didn't not win.

EWU MSU

FIRST DOWNS................... 13 27
Rushing..................... 7 8
Passing..................... 4 15
Penalty..................... 2 4
NET YARDS RUSHING............. 71 70
Rushing Attempts............ 26 52
Average Per Rush............ 2.7 1.3
Rushing Touchdowns.......... 0 1
Yards Gained Rushing........ 87 146
Yards Lost Rushing.......... 16 76
NET YARDS PASSING............. 140 295
Completions-Attempts-Int.... 12-30-2 29-37-2
Average Per Attempt......... 4.7 8.0
Average Per Completion...... 11.7 10.2
Passing Touchdowns.......... 1 2
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS........... 211 365
Total offense plays......... 56 89
Average Gain Per Play....... 3.8 4.1
Fumbles: Number-Lost.......... 0-0 2-1
Penalties: Number-Yards....... 7-51 7-59
PUNTS-YARDS................... 5-211 4-122
Average Yards Per Punt...... 42.2 30.5
Net Yards Per Punt.......... 34.8 22.8
Inside 20................... 1 3
50+ Yards................... 0 1
Touchbacks.................. 2 0
Fair catch.................. 0 0
KICKOFFS-YARDS................ 5-315 4-251
Average Yards Per Kickoff... 63.0 62.8
Net Yards Per Kickoff....... 41.6 39.0
Touchbacks.................. 2 2
Punt returns: Number-Yards-TD. 3-31-1 2--3-0
Average Per Return.......... 10.3 -1.5
Kickoff returns: Number-Yds-TD 2-45-0 3-67-0
Average Per Return.......... 22.5 22.3
Interceptions: Number-Yds-TD.. 2-21-1 2-3-0
Fumble Returns: Number-Yds-TD. 1-40-0 0-0-0
Miscellaneous Yards........... 0 0
Possession Time............... 21:34 36:47
1st Quarter................. 9:27 5:33
2nd Quarter................. 3:27 11:33
3rd Quarter................. 6:04 8:56
4th Quarter................. 2:36 10:45
Third-Down Conversions........ 4 of 12 11 of 19
Fourth-Down Conversions....... 0 of 1 0 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 0-0 0-0
Touchdowns.................. 0-0 0-0
Field goals................. 0-0 0-0
Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 7-46 4-10
PAT Kicks..................... 3-3 3-3
Field Goals................... 2-2 1-2





You act like your Qb throwing a pick and a great special teams play shouldn't count. Those are all parts of the game, dude. Who cares what the stats are when you lost the game?


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[Red & Black]

You're really digging for something with the turnover argument here dude.

And MSU forced at least two of those turnovers. That's because they have the best defense in the sky.

And I'm going to say it: drake would beat Idaho seven out of ten.

LMFAO. Talk about really "digging". Drake would win probably 2 games in the Big Sky. Idaho would at least be around .500.


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[Red & Black]

Why why why do people have Montana State being seeded higher than EWU?

Not sure why...because they have "Montana" in their name? Their resume this season and a relatively poor historical showing in the playoffs do not justify a #2 seed for MSU.


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[asumike83]

Overall, I think EWU has a stronger resume than MSU but it is close. They have the same number of DI wins, EWU picked up an FBS win and beat both Big Sky co-champs head to head. It was due to no fault of their own but the unbalanced schedule made it so that MSU only played 1 of the 3 other Big Sky members that are getting playoff consideration and they lost at home.

In looking at who they beat, EWU beat 2 playoff teams and an FBS. MSU does not have a win over any playoff teams and the OOC was soft. EWU's one FCS loss was worse than MSU's but I think the head to head win and other quality victories still gives EWU the edge. Not sure the committee will see it that way though.

[robsnotes4u]

Not sure why...because they have "Montana" in their name? Their resume this season and a relatively poor historical showing in the playoffs do not justify a #2 seed for MSU.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
With that logic, and Montans's past performance, I guess they are in.

[tingly]

MSU didn't lose to an unranked team and EWU did. But head-to-head is supposedly huge. The committee is asked not to consider past seasons. I don't know who "we" are, but Big Sky's commissioner was on TV last night and said "we" ask the committee not to look at the polls or put much weight on them, but to concentrate on the computer rankings. (Available to them are the elements of the NCAA's version of GPI: laz index, ashburn win-loss, massey bcs, self, wolfe, coaches poll, media poll. But apparently they don't use the GPI itself.) "We" also ask them not to look at score differential, past seasons. I forget what else he said if anything.

[Professor Chaos]

Overall, I think EWU has a stronger resume than MSU but it is close. They have the same number of DI wins, EWU picked up an FBS win and beat both Big Sky co-champs head to head. It was due to no fault of their own but the unbalanced schedule made it so that MSU only played 1 of the 3 other Big Sky members that are getting playoff consideration and they lost at home.

In looking at who they beat, EWU beat 2 playoff teams and an FBS. MSU does not have a win over any playoff teams and the OOC was soft. EWU's one FCS loss was worse than MSU's but I think the head to head win and other quality victories still gives EWU the edge. Not sure the committee will see it that way though.
Precisely! EWU has the same number of wins, better quality wins, and an FBS win. They should be seeded over Montana St IMO. FWIW, I have MSU as the #3 and EWU as the #2.

[MarkyMark]

Precisely! EWU has the same number of wins, better quality wins, and an FBS win. They should be seeded over Montana St IMO. FWIW, I have MSU as the #3 and EWU as the #2.

As a Bison fan I would much rather see MSU as the 2nd seed than EWU but EWU clearly deserves the 2nd seed.

[Red & Black]

Glad at least some people are seeing it...should be interesting to say the least.


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[Engineer86]

Precisely! EWU has the same number of wins, better quality wins, and an FBS win. They should be seeded over Montana St IMO. FWIW, I have MSU as the #3 and EWU as the #2.

I agree with you, margin of victory should have nothing to do with it. A win is a win.:D

[robsnotes4u]

Precisely! EWU has the same number of wins, better quality wins, and an FBS win. They should be seeded over Montana St IMO. FWIW, I have MSU as the #3 and EWU as the #2.

I will take 2 and 3 either way, even though I think the Cats are better, then they have the chance to play each other before the Bison. The Bison played better in the second half yesterday compared to recent games, with that in mind I think the whoever is going to have to play in the Fargodome has it the hardest.

Common Opponents
MSU EWU
Southern Utah W 24-17 L 30-27
Sacramento State W 20-17 W 31-28
Portland State W 65-30 W 41-34
UC Davis W 48-41 W 31-28

Results no losses to common opponents for MSU and 1 loss for EWU
Average win MSU +13 EWU +4 (EWU did not have a larger margin of victory on any common opponent)

Just how I see it. I am not on the committee, nor do I know what goes on in their conversations. Each side of this can make a good argument that their team is better. Good luck to EWU today. At least we are both in, and will have byes, and the only game that really matters is the last one you play. Just hoping it is the National Championship. Last year was awesome for us, our house had three to cheer for, MSU, UM, and NDSU. This year I still have three, MSU, NDSU, and EWU, in that order. Always a fan of the Big Sky. Live in Fargo, although I went to school at UND, I will cheer for NDSU except for games against UND.

[robsnotes4u]

Precisely! EWU has the same number of wins, better quality wins, and an FBS win. They should be seeded over Montana St IMO. FWIW, I have MSU as the #3 and EWU as the #2.

Were you in on the meetings?


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