Bracketology 1.0

[FargoBison]

Still early for this and the bubble is more or less a mess of 3 loss teams. But here are my thoughts....

Sacred Heart at Fordham vs 1. JMU
SUU at SHSU vs 8. NDSU
Furman at Richmond vs 5. Chattanooga
Charleston Southern at The Citadel vs 4. CCU


PSU at McNeese State vs 6. EWU
Dayton at William and Mary vs 3. JSU
WIU at Montana State vs 7. SDSU
ISUB at EKU vs 2. ISUR


Autobids: EWU, CCU, JMU, ISUR, Sacred Heart, JSU, Fordham, Dayton, Chattanooga, McNeese State
At-Large: SDSU, NDSU, SHSU, The Citadel, EKU, WIU, ISUB, Richmond, William and Mary, SUU, Portland State, Montana State, Charleston Southern, Furman


Bubble(In no order): Weber State, UND, Montana, Northern Colorado, Villanova, NAU, YSU, USD, EIU, UT Martin, WCU, Samford, UCA, SLU, Lamar, UNH, Towson

Also Nobowls.com Bracket...
http://nobowls.com/images/week07.png

[mmiller_34]

Jesus. If they actually put all MVFC teams on the same side of the bracket like this I would blow a gasket.

[wapiti]

It's not looking good for Montana State to qualify for the playoffs this year. They have to win out to get 7 Div 1 wins.

[FargoBison]

It's not looking good for Montana State to qualify for the playoffs this year. They have to win out to get 7 Div 1 wins.

Sadly 7-4 with a non-DI win might get in this year. Not a lot of depth in the FCS this year.

[RabidRabbit]

Yes. Strongest conference who has already cannibalized during regular season, then don't get to play the other leagues in play off? More importantly, òther leagues don't get to prove that they can beat MVFC teams?

What I do like is sdsu/ndsu don't play til semis. And then in Brookings if happens. Hope Jacks and Bison get opposite brackets. Chance for the two Dakota States to play in Frisco? Naw, committee would never allow that.

5 char

[Southern Bison]

Jesus. If they actually put all MVFC teams on the same side of the bracket like this I would blow a gasket.

After last year's All-MVFC final in Frisco, would the NCAA Selection Committee make sure they didn't have a repeat??

[JALMOND]

I like that Portland State is being included in the playoff talk, but I don't think the committee will take the chance that EWU would face PSU in the second round of the playoffs. EWU ends the season playing PSU and, if PSU did beat McNeese, then the Eagles would have to play them in consecutive games. PSU beating McNeese is a tall order, but I don't think the committee would want to risk having PSU/EWU right after they played two weeks before.

[melloware13]

This is how I have it right now, with Auto Bids going to current team leading the conference (so very subject to change):

Sacred Heart @ Fordham v. 1. James Madison
Charleston Southern @ Eastern Kentucky v. 8. North Dakota State

Southern Utah @ Eastern Washington v. 4. South Dakota State
Dayton @ Western Illinois v. 5. Jacksonville State

UT Martin @ Sam Houston State v. 2. Illinois State
Indiana State @ Portland State v. 7. Sam Houston State

The Citadel @ William & Mary v. 3. Coastal Carolina
Youngstown State @ Richmond v. 6. Chattanooga

Auto Bids: Southern Utah, Charleston Southern, James Madison, Illinois State, Sacred Heart, Jacksonville State, Fordham, Dayton, Chattanooga, McNeese State
At Large (A-Z): Coastal Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Washington, Indiana State, North Dakota State, Portland State, Richmond, Sam Houston State, South Dakota State, The Citadel, UT Martin, Western Illinois, William & Mary, Youngstown State

Last 4 In: Indiana State, Youngstown State, The Citadel, UT Martin
First 4 Out:​ Montana, Montana State, Western Carolina, Villanova

[BisonTru]

I like that Portland State is being included in the playoff talk, but I don't think the committee will take the chance that EWU would face PSU in the second round of the playoffs. EWU ends the season playing PSU and, if PSU did beat McNeese, then the Eagles would have to play them in consecutive games. PSU beating McNeese is a tall order, but I don't think the committee would want to risk having PSU/EWU right after they played two weeks before.

I believe they did that to Maine and UNH, IIRC.

[melloware13]

I like that Portland State is being included in the playoff talk, but I don't think the committee will take the chance that EWU would face PSU in the second round of the playoffs. EWU ends the season playing PSU and, if PSU did beat McNeese, then the Eagles would have to play them in consecutive games. PSU beating McNeese is a tall order, but I don't think the committee would want to risk having PSU/EWU right after they played two weeks before.

They did it a few years ago with UNH and Maine. They played to end the season, then UNH hosted Lafayette in the first round (where is that thread) to go on to play at Maine. I think UNH swept the meetings, but especially with regionalization, places like Maine and the PNW are hard to bring in a variety of teams

[FargoBison]

I believe they did that to Maine and UNH, IIRC.

Also not exactly back to back but in 2012 NDSU played SDSU in their second to last game in the regular season and also played SDSU in their first playoff game. Some very unhappy people in the Dakota's over that happening but it did and NDSU was the #1 seed.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Also not exactly back to back but in 2012 NDSU played SDSU in their second to last game in the regular season and also played SDSU in their first playoff game. Some very unhappy people in the Dakota's over that happening but it did and NDSU was the #1 seed.

....EASTERN ILLINOIS PLAYED @ SOUTH DAKOTA STATE.......IN FIRST ROUND OF 2012 PLAYOFFS....WHIFF WINNER...TA #1 FARGO.....IN SECOND ROUND........FIRE BRAWK!

[MR. CHICKEN]

I like that Portland State is being included in the playoff talk, but I don't think the committee will take the chance that EWU would face PSU in the second round of the playoffs. EWU ends the season playing PSU and, if PSU did beat McNeese, then the Eagles would have to play them in consecutive games. PSU beating McNeese is a tall order, but I don't think the committee would want to risk having PSU/EWU right after they played two weeks before.

.....YEA DEY WOOD....RULE IS....CAIN'T PLAY UH CONFERENCE MATE IN FIRST ROUND......AFTERAH DAT......ANYTHIN' GOES.............WANTED...WR'S/QB'S........FIRE BRAWK!

[kalm]

I like that Portland State is being included in the playoff talk, but I don't think the committee will take the chance that EWU would face PSU in the second round of the playoffs. EWU ends the season playing PSU and, if PSU did beat McNeese, then the Eagles would have to play them in consecutive games. PSU beating McNeese is a tall order, but I don't think the committee would want to risk having PSU/EWU right after they played two weeks before.

IIRC they did that very thing to
Maine and UNH a few years back

[kalm]

Oops. Got beat to the punch.

Another thought...

If PSU's only other loss is to a 9-2 and seeded EWU wouldn't it be tough to not seed them at 9-2 with no bad losses and two FBS wins?

[RabidRabbit]

.....YEA DEY WOOD....RULE IS....CAIN'T PLAY UH CONFERENCE MATE IN FIRST ROUND......AFTERAH DAT......ANYTHIN' GOES.............WANTED...WR'S/QB'S........FIRE BRAWK!

Can play conference mate if didn't play in regular season. See SELA vs SHSU last year. Does SUU not play EWU? If not match up could occur. You can be sure if und makes it, they'll be paired into a xDSU, even first one then other if either xDSU doesn't seed.

[RabidRabbit]

Oops. Got beat to the punch.

Another thought...

If PSU's only other loss is to a 9-2 and seeded EWU wouldn't it be tough to not seed them at 9-2 with no bad losses and two FBS wins?

Agreed. PSU is a seed with either 1 or 2 losses. Especially if other loss is to BSc auto bid.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Can play conference mate if didn't play in regular season. See SELA vs SHSU last year. Does SUU not play EWU? If not match up could occur. You can be sure if und makes it, they'll be paired into a xDSU, even first one then other if either xDSU doesn't seed.

....YES RABBITT...GOOD POINT......FO'GOT DAT.....POSS'BILITY...................FIRE BRAWK!

[tribefan40]

This is how I have it right now, with Auto Bids going to current team leading the conference (so very subject to change):

Sacred Heart @ Fordham v. 1. James Madison
Charleston Southern @ Eastern Kentucky v. 8. North Dakota State

Southern Utah @ Eastern Washington v. 4. South Dakota State
Dayton @ Western Illinois v. 5. Jacksonville State

UT Martin @ Sam Houston State v. 2. Illinois State
Indiana State @ Portland State v. 7. Sam Houston State

The Citadel @ William & Mary v. 3. Coastal Carolina
Youngstown State @ Richmond v. 6. Chattanooga

Auto Bids: Southern Utah, Charleston Southern, James Madison, Illinois State, Sacred Heart, Jacksonville State, Fordham, Dayton, Chattanooga, McNeese State
At Large (A-Z): Coastal Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Washington, Indiana State, North Dakota State, Portland State, Richmond, Sam Houston State, South Dakota State, The Citadel, UT Martin, Western Illinois, William & Mary, Youngstown State

Last 4 In: Indiana State, Youngstown State, The Citadel, UT Martin
First 4 Out:​ Montana, Montana State, Western Carolina, Villanova

Good looking bracket.

[JALMOND]

Oops. Got beat to the punch.

Another thought...

If PSU's only other loss is to a 9-2 and seeded EWU wouldn't it be tough to not seed them at 9-2 with no bad losses and two FBS wins?

Food for thought. We got a long way to go.

[Sycamore62]

I'm just interested what the records will look like with a 24 team bracket and an 11 game season

[Bisonwinagn]

Oops. Got beat to the punch.

Another thought...

If PSU's only other loss is to a 9-2 and seeded EWU wouldn't it be tough to not seed them at 9-2 with no bad losses and two FBS wins?

Or if PSU beats EWU they would get a seed and EWU would play at PSU xnodx

[cardiaccowboy]

This is how I have it right now, with Auto Bids going to current team leading the conference (so very subject to change):

Sacred Heart @ Fordham v. 1. James Madison
Charleston Southern @ Eastern Kentucky v. 8. North Dakota State

Southern Utah @ Eastern Washington v. 4. South Dakota State
Dayton @ Western Illinois v. 5. Jacksonville State

UT Martin @ Sam Houston State v. 2. Illinois State
Indiana State @ Portland State v. 7. Sam Houston State

The Citadel @ William & Mary v. 3. Coastal Carolina
Youngstown State @ Richmond v. 6. Chattanooga

Auto Bids: Southern Utah, Charleston Southern, James Madison, Illinois State, Sacred Heart, Jacksonville State, Fordham, Dayton, Chattanooga, McNeese State
At Large (A-Z): Coastal Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Washington, Indiana State, North Dakota State, Portland State, Richmond, Sam Houston State, South Dakota State, The Citadel, UT Martin, Western Illinois, William & Mary, Youngstown State

Last 4 In: Indiana State, Youngstown State, The Citadel, UT Martin
First 4 Out:​ Montana, Montana State, Western Carolina, Villanova

Did you mean to put McNeese as the 7 seed instead of Sam Houston? You had them as the auto bid but listed Sam twice.

[MTfan4life]

Twice since 2010 has a MEAC team been selected as an at-large. Bethune Cookman can trip over their shoelaces and still finish 9-2. Hate it all you want, but it's still possible the committee makes it 3 out of 6. Yes BCU's schedule is horrendous, but it is no worse than SCSU's in 2010. This season, with all the crazy results, it's very likely a lot of teams won't break the 6 win total. I think the committee would rather pick a 6 win team instead of BCU, but you can't say this hypothetical is without precedent.

Here's my bracket for that scenario: (Understand that this is a projection and not based on how teams are ranked currently. In this projection, teams like McNeese and SDSU take a loss or two against their brutal conference schedules.)




1. James Madison

3. Illinois State



William & Mary



Western Illinois


Citadel



Dayton









New Hampshire



South Dakota State


NEC Champ



Portland State



8. Fordham

6. North Dakota State











4. Coastal Carolina

7. Chattanooga



Charleston Southern



Eastern Kentucky


Bethune-Cookman



Richmond









McNeese State



Sam Houston State


Southern Utah



Southeastern Louisiana



5. Eastern Washington

2. Jacksonville State

[kalm]

Or if PSU beats EWU they would get a seed and EWU would play at PSU xnodx

That one was kind of obvious as EWU already has 2 losses. PSU might have one to give.

[McNeese72]

Good looking bracket.

Except he has Sam Houston listed twice in the brackets.

Doc

[Samalum'10]

I think McNeese or SHSU will be seeded.

[PantherRob82]

I like that Portland State is being included in the playoff talk, but I don't think the committee will take the chance that EWU would face PSU in the second round of the playoffs. EWU ends the season playing PSU and, if PSU did beat McNeese, then the Eagles would have to play them in consecutive games. PSU beating McNeese is a tall order, but I don't think the committee would want to risk having PSU/EWU right after they played two weeks before.

There are many examples of that happening in the past.

[PantherRob82]

Twice since 2010 has a MEAC team been selected as an at-large. Bethune Cookman can trip over their shoelaces and still finish 9-2. Hate it all you want, but it's still possible the committee makes it 3 out of 6. Yes BCU's schedule is horrendous, but it is no worse than SCSU's in 2010. This season, with all the crazy results, it's very likely a lot of teams won't break the 6 win total. I think the committee would rather pick a 6 win team instead of BCU, but you can't say this hypothetical is without precedent.
That would be a huge bummer.

[jacksfan29]

I want to be in the bottom bracketxthumbsupx.

The top contains the three who I think are the top 3 in the country (JMU, ISUr, NDSU). And of course, we get to go to Fargo again. I also don't think the committee would put all four MVFC schools in the same bracket and give Richmond an easier route than JMU, but they might.


Twice since 2010 has a MEAC team been selected as an at-large. Bethune Cookman can trip over their shoelaces and still finish 9-2. Hate it all you want, but it's still possible the committee makes it 3 out of 6. Yes BCU's schedule is horrendous, but it is no worse than SCSU's in 2010. This season, with all the crazy results, it's very likely a lot of teams won't break the 6 win total. I think the committee would rather pick a 6 win team instead of BCU, but you can't say this hypothetical is without precedent.

Here's my bracket for that scenario: (Understand that this is a projection and not based on how teams are ranked currently. In this projection, teams like McNeese and SDSU take a loss or two against their brutal conference schedules.)




1. James Madison

3. Illinois State



William & Mary



Western Illinois


Citadel



Dayton









New Hampshire



South Dakota State


NEC Champ



Portland State



8. Fordham

6. North Dakota State











4. Coastal Carolina

7. Chattanooga



Charleston Southern



Eastern Kentucky


Bethune-Cookman



Richmond









McNeese State



Sam Houston State


Southern Utah



Southeastern Louisiana



5. Eastern Washington

2. Jacksonville State

[ST_Lawson]

I'm liking this whole "Dayton comes to Western in the first round" thing you guys got going on. I'm sure they're a great team, but I have family connections to Dayton (both the city and the school) and I think it could be a fun game. Plus I'd love to have a home playoff game again...it's been 13 years since we had one of those.

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

jacksfan29 - MT's bracket would playout left vs. right, not top vs. bottom. Seeds 1, 4, 5, 8 on one side, and seeds 2, 3, 6, 7 on the other side.

The committee could care less about relative power in terms of an "easier or harder" road for a higher seeded team. They do care about regionalization - it rules the pairings. The CAA and Big Sky have both been regionally separated from each other time and time again. It's not until the semis that you would see a CAA vs. Big Sky match up. I remember one year Furman being sent out to Montana St I believe though. That was an outlier due to more East teams vs. West in the bracket. With the power shift from the SoCon and CAA to the MVFC, I think the East-West team balance is better than 5-10 years ago.

[WileECoyote06]

Twice since 2010 has a MEAC team been selected as an at-large. Bethune Cookman can trip over their shoelaces and still finish 9-2. Hate it all you want, but it's still possible the committee makes it 3 out of 6. Yes BCU's schedule is horrendous, but it is no worse than SCSU's in 2010. This season, with all the crazy results, it's very likely a lot of teams won't break the 6 win total. I think the committee would rather pick a 6 win team instead of BCU, but you can't say this hypothetical is without precedent.

Here's my bracket for that scenario: (Understand that this is a projection and not based on how teams are ranked currently. In this projection, teams like McNeese and SDSU take a loss or two against their brutal conference schedules.)




1. James Madison

3. Illinois State



William & Mary



Western Illinois


Citadel



Dayton









New Hampshire



South Dakota State


NEC Champ



Portland State



8. Fordham

6. North Dakota State











4. Coastal Carolina

7. Chattanooga



Charleston Southern



Eastern Kentucky


Bethune-Cookman



Richmond









McNeese State



Sam Houston State


Southern Utah



Southeastern Louisiana



5. Eastern Washington

2. Jacksonville State





Well we'll do our best to force a tie in the MEAC standings or eliminate A&T entirely. xnodx xthumbsupx Maybe the Aggies will get a long overdue playoff bid.

SCSU is still alive for the championship, and Celebration Bowl berth too.

[jmufan999]

jacksfan29 - MT's bracket would playout left vs. right, not top vs. bottom. Seeds 1, 4, 5, 8 on one side, and seeds 2, 3, 6, 7 on the other side.

The committee could care less about relative power in terms of an "easier or harder" road for a higher seeded team. They do care about regionalization - it rules the pairings. The CAA and Big Sky have both been regionally separated from each other time and time again. It's not until the semis that you would see a CAA vs. Big Sky match up. I remember one year Furman being sent out to Montana St I believe though. That was an outlier due to more East teams vs. West in the bracket. With the power shift from the SoCon and CAA to the MVFC, I think the East-West team balance is better than 5-10 years ago.

exactly. JMU had plenty of insanely difficult first round matchups due to geography. just one example: playing at App State in 2007, when I believe those were the two best teams in the country (and we totally blew that game in the worst way possible). it happens sometimes, just have to win them and be happy you have the playoffs at all.