CAA Power Ratings

[mainejeff]

After Week 6.....

1. JMU
2. Richmond
3. W&M
4. UNH
5. Stony Brook
6. Towson
7. Villanova
8. Maine
9. URI
10. Elon
11. Delaware
12. Albany

[Mattymc727]

Have to put Stony Brook in front of UNH at this point. Aft the 5 spot, it's a crap shoot.

[tribefan40]

Flip UNH and SBU and that's an accurate list for now, IMO. The CAA is a 4 bid league this year - JMU, SBU, and two out of the three of WM, UR and UNH.

[Catsfan90]

Flip UNH and SBU and that's an accurate list for now, IMO. The CAA is a 4 bid league this year - JMU, SBU, and two out of the three of WM, UR and UNH.
I agree with you. It will definitely work itself out in the next few weeks. But seeing as SBU dismantled UNH, I can't see how they would be behind.

[aceinthehole]

My take, as common-non conference opponent of both SBU and UNH. Come the end of the year, Stony Brook will likely look like the stronger team, but with both teams facing a very favorable schedule, it's possible that both teams can make the playoffs if they win their "barometer" game.

The Seawolves defense is impressive up front, but can be picked on in the secondary. I don't think they have an explosive offense, but they have a solid running game that moves the chains and eats up clock. They can win a lot of games by holding opponents under 21 points a game. I think they just laid an egg vs. W&M, and JMU with Vlad Lee is a legit National Championship contender. Very favorable schedule for the remainder of the season.
Barometer Game - vs. Towson

New Hampshire is not up to their normal standards, but is no slouch. Wins over 'Gate, CCSU, and Elon are nothing to brag about, but they are doing it with a lot of changes at QB. They also have a very favorable schedule coming up with games vs. Delaware, Albany, URI, and Maine, but have 2 real tests to ensure the playoff streak continues.
Barometer Games - @ William & Mary, vs. Richmond

[jmu007]

I'm struggling to get a feel for the CAA this year. Every time I think I've figured it out another upset happens. (Upset in my mind anyway). What is the word on Richmond this year? Are they as good as the box scores? If so... Oh man will Oct 24 be huge.

[Gangtackle11]

At one time Villanova was better than 7th in the country & now it's only the CAA. Disappointing season to date to say the least.

[Tribal]

I don't think we can accurately assess anything at this point. There is a clear divide in SoS between teams like JMU/WM and SBU/UNH. I expect SBU and UNH to look like powerhouses when we see their end-of-the-year record.

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[paward]

I'm struggling to get a feel for the CAA this year. Every time I think I've figured it out another upset happens. (Upset in my mind anyway). What is the word on Richmond this year? Are they as good as the box scores? If so... Oh man will Oct 24 be huge.

I did not think record or power index is factored into this game. It for the most part a heated rivalry.

[Professor Chaos]

The CAA is still one of the better FCS conferences in the nation but it sure seems like the bottom end of the conference is historically bad this year. URI, Elon, Delaware, and Albany are all playing like they belong in the NEC. The unbalanced league schedule may really end up favoring some teams if they get games with all four of those teams.

[aceinthehole]

The CAA is still one of the better FCS conferences in the nation but it sure seems like the bottom end of the conference is historically bad this year. URI, Elon, Delaware, and Albany are all playing like they belong in the NEC. The unbalanced league schedule may really end up favoring some teams if they get games with all four of those teams.

Or maybe some of the NEC teams just aren't as bad as you suggest.

Last season 3 different NEC teams recorded wins over 5 different CAA teams last year.

CCSU - at Towson, vs. URI
Bryant - vs. Maine, vs. Stony Brook
Sacred Heart - at Delaware

Even supposedly upper-tier CAA teams like Maine, Towson, Stony Brook and Delaware have lost to NEC teams ... so let's not suggest its only URI and Albany that are holding down the league and let's give credit to the NEC and the new level of parity at the FCS level.

[danefan]

Albany doesn't even deserve to be on the list. Very very bad right now.

[BigHouseClosedEnd]

The CAA is still one of the better FCS conferences in the nation but it sure seems like the bottom end of the conference is historically bad this year. URI, Elon, Delaware, and Albany are all playing like they belong in the NEC. The unbalanced league schedule may really end up favoring some teams if they get games with all four of those teams.

I agree with this but to expand on that point, I don't think the top of the CAA is very good either. JMU may end up being a title contender but they're a Vad Lee sprained ankle away from being a .500 team. Richmond looked to be in a potential rebuild year, really havent beaten anybody but are 2nd or 3rd best? The Indians have looked strong but they're 2 more losses in a tough schedule away from being out of the playoffs.

There is a very real scenario that the CAA gets 2 bids this year.

[Professor Chaos]

Or maybe some of the NEC teams just aren't as bad as you suggest.

Last season 3 different NEC teams recorded wins over 5 different CAA teams last year.

CCSU - at Towson, vs. URI
Bryant - vs. Maine, vs. Stony Brook
Sacred Heart - at Delaware

Even supposedly upper-tier CAA teams like Maine, Towson, Stony Brook and Delaware have lost to NEC teams ... so let's not suggest its only URI and Albany that are holding down the league and let's give credit to the NEC and the new level of parity at the FCS level.
That was last year. This year that Sacred Heart team has lost to a Pioneer League team that's 2-4. By my count the CAA is 4-0 vs NEC teams this year with one of those wins being the aforementioned struggling Albany Great Danes over Duquesne who looks to be the best team in the NEC this year (and also lost to a Pioneer League team).

[KPSUL]

There is a very real scenario that the CAA gets 2 bids this year.

24 teams will make the playoffs, and you have to look at the entire FCS. The NEC, and Pioneer will only get autobids, only Fordham will make it from the Patriot. MEAC does not have an auto-bid, because the champion will not be in the playoffs because of the Celebration bowl. No MEAC team has yet stood-out as a possible at large selection. The OVC will likely only have 2, there is a big drop off after JSU and EKU. SOCON has Chatty as a likely autobid, and maybe one other - most likely Samford. The Southland and Big Sky have essentially the same situation as the CAA, few or even no clearly dominant top teams, and the liklihood of bunch of 6,7 and 8 win teams. In fact the CAA has the only team from the 3 conferences (JMU) that seems destined to have 9 or 10 or 11 wins. The Big South will have CCU autobid, and maybe Liberty IF they don't have another conference loss other than CCU. The MVFC conference will end up with the same sort of distribution of conference wins as we've seen in the era of NDSU dominance. This is what I think will be sure thing bids by conference:
NEC -1, Patriot - 1, Pioneer - 1, MEAC-0, SWAC - 0, OVC - 2, Southland - 2, SOCON -1, Big S - 1, Big Sky - 3, MVFC - 4, CAA - 3.
That leaves 5 bids that will end up divided up between Southland, SOCON, Big So., CAA, Big Sky and MVFC. I think it is most likely the CAA will end up with a total of 4 playoff slots, but certainly no less than 3.

[KPSUL]

Or maybe some of the NEC teams just aren't as bad as you suggest.

Last season 3 different NEC teams recorded wins over 5 different CAA teams last year.

CCSU - at Towson, vs. URI
Bryant - vs. Maine, vs. Stony Brook
Sacred Heart - at Delaware

Even supposedly upper-tier CAA teams like Maine, Towson, Stony Brook and Delaware have lost to NEC teams ... so let's not suggest its only URI and Albany that are holding down the league and let's give credit to the NEC and the new level of parity at the FCS level.

You could have made this argument last season; however, NEC will win 0 games against CAA teams teams this season. Bryant and SHU as the standout NRC teams of 2014 were more competitive than any 2015 NEC team. In fact, you are mounting a serious challenge to the Pioneer to be the worst FCS conference.

[Catsfan90]

Yah the NEC argument is pretty invalid. All of the teams beaten by NEC teams from the CAA were at their absolute lowest points they have been in awhile. With the exception of Rhode Island, and possibly Towson. Maine and Delaware were both in extreme rebuilding years. Congratulations to what the NEC accomplished last year. But they are in no way as competitive as the upper conferences.

[UNHWildcat18]

Yah the NEC argument is pretty invalid. All of the teams beaten by NEC teams from the CAA were at their absolute lowest points they have been in awhile. With the exception of Rhode Island, and possibly Towson. Maine and Delaware were both in extreme rebuilding years. Congratulations to what the NEC accomplished last year. But they are in no way as competitive as the upper conferences.

That's why I don't feel the NEC is going to be in FCS football for much longer in their current state. Monmouth left to upgrade football. Bryant is getting an IPF and a fitness center in one end zone. They aren't doing this to stay at 40 scholarships. NEC needs to go to 63 or risk losing another member IMO. Also they won't ever make deeper runs in the playoffs at 40

[Catsfan90]

That's why I don't feel the NEC is going to be in FCS football for much longer in their current state. Monmouth left to upgrade football. Bryant is getting an IPF and a fitness center in one end zone. They aren't doing this to stay at 40 scholarships. NEC needs to go to 63 or risk losing another member IMO. Also they won't ever make deeper runs in the playoffs at 40
Exactly. Especially with all the pending realignments it's going to be difficult to remain at Division 1 unless it's taken very seriously.

[MacThor]

Hard to get a sense of UR at this point. I guess they're #2 by default, but they beat two bad conference teams (and two bad OOC teams). Their schedule is back-loaded, sandwiching JMU between URI and Albany. I could easily see them at 6-2 and losing their last three.

Lauletta is looking better every week, though, and he's got two stud WR's to target. I just fear that good QBs are going to carve up the secondary.

[bostonspider]

MacThor, I don't know what to make of UR's chances. I agree that it is likely the Spiders beat both URI and UA, and lose in Harrisonburg. But then UNH, VU and W&M have all lost to teams that I think UR is significantly better than, so they could just as easily roll to 9-2 as collapse to 6-5...