Found this a little odd....

[rb45070]

Looking over the final polls released today, I couldn't help but notice the results in the Sports Network Poll. Im sorry if I missed this in another topic, but I sure would love to hear why this person choose NDSU as the #1 over ASU. Any concrete ideas, and not "because who knows what would have happened if they made it to the playoffs?"

[*****]

Yeah, me too. Looking at the polls side by side here: http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=80343
it is unusual because no one else got a #1 vote.
1-3 was the same
4-5 was either YSU or NDSU
6-9 was either UNH, SIU, ILS, JMU
10-12 was either MSU, HU, FU
13 was UTM
14-25 was only differentiated by Yale, UCD, NAU, UCA, Maine

[gsugt1]

Maybe because they were the best team in 1aa ? :confused:

[andy7171]

Maybe because the voter went to NDSU or lives near Fargo? Who knows? Who cares? We all know who won.

[DetroitFlyer]

Simple answer people. The I-AA playoff system is broken and does not crown a champion on the field as many of you suggest! NDSU did not participate in the playoffs, so we will never know if they were #1 or not.... Being as playoff selection is essentially 100% subjective, I for one think that any person is entitled to this subjective opinion as to who is number one. Kind of like that other divison you all deride so often. When will you wake up, smell the coffee, and realize that your system is lacking and needs to be reformed? Oh that's right, the old guard would never endanger their sacred cows....

[andy7171]

Oy Vey! Again with the Old Guard!

[Gil Dobie]

Maybe because the voter went to NDSU or lives near Fargo? Who knows? Who cares? We all know who won.

App St won the Championship. :cool:

If "If's" and "but's" were candy and nuts. :eyebrow:

[lizrdgizrd]

Simple answer people. The I-AA playoff system is broken and does not crown a champion on the field as many of you suggest! NDSU did not participate in the playoffs, so we will never know if they were #1 or not.... Being as playoff selection is essentially 100% subjective, I for one think that any person is entitled to this subjective opinion as to who is number one. Kind of like that other divison you all deride so often. When will you wake up, smell the coffee, and realize that your system is lacking and needs to be reformed? Oh that's right, the old guard would never endanger their sacred cows....
Blah blah blah. :rolleyes:

Have some cheese with your whine. :bawling:

Don't think for a minute that we wouldn't have loved to see NDSU in the playoffs showing how good they are against the top teams in the FCS. I wouldn't have wanted to see them in my bracket, but that's beside the point! ;)

[Footix]

App St won the Championship. :cool:

If "If's" and "but's" were candy and nuts. :eyebrow:

I agree, but it would have been nice to know how good the Bison really were this year. Maybe App and NDSU could take a page from the HBCUs and play a postseason classic after Christmas. Say on New Year's Day.

[kardplayer]

Its possibly the NDSU was a "statement" selection - knowing full well they wouldn't be #1 overall, the voter may have chosen to make a statement that the transition period is dumb.

[AZGrizFan]

Simple answer people. The I-AA playoff system is broken and does not crown a champion on the field as many of you suggest! NDSU did not participate in the playoffs, so we will never know if they were #1 or not.... Being as playoff selection is essentially 100% subjective, I for one think that any person is entitled to this subjective opinion as to who is number one. Kind of like that other divison you all deride so often. When will you wake up, smell the coffee, and realize that your system is lacking and needs to be reformed? Oh that's right, the old guard would never endanger their sacred cows....

DF, every team that was ELIGIBLE FOR THE PLAYOFFS participated. Those that were worthy were selected (or got autobids), and the best team won. I'm pretty sure Dayton or USD weren't going to win many playoff games thisyear. When YOU wake up and smell the coffee and realize it's your stinking conference schedule strength thats keeping you out of the playoffs and not some made-up conspiracy theorist "old guard", we'll ALL be better off.

:bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:

[henfan]

Flyer, the drone is getting old. Please just cut it out before you embarrass yourself any further... if that's even possible.

It was not some shadowy group who got together to conspire against NDSU, keeping them from post-season competition. NCAA by-laws prevent transitional teams from participating in post-season until they've satisfied a waiting period and that holds for any sport at any level. So even if the Playoff Selection Committee wanted to include NDSU in the playoff field, they could not. :bang:

With the type of support NDSU gets and the quality of the team they fielded, I don't imagine there's one person anywhere who, given the choice, would want to exclude them from the FCS tournament. They'd undoubtedly bring revenue that many other participants could not and could certainly match the competitive level of play. Then again, I didn't see anybody with an ounce of grey matter, whether from NDSU or elsewhere, suggest that NDSU got rooked.

The fact that NDSU, UCD and SDSU were ineligible to participate doesn't nullify the D-I FB playoffs any more than it would nullify the MBB tourney or any of the other D-I championships for which those schools will one day compete. Capice?

[89Hen]

Being as playoff selection is essentially 100% subjective
Well, except for the 8 auto bids. And except for the number of DI wins. And except for taking SOS into account. Other than that, yes it's 100% subjective. :rolleyes: xcoffeex

[wildcat2]

Who is NDSU any way? Never heard of them. UNH shuld have been third or fourth seeing how they lost to UMASS by 4 yards one game and 6 yards another.

[lizrdgizrd]

Who is NDSU any way? Never heard of them. UNH shuld have been third or fourth seeing how they lost to UMASS by 4 yards one game and 6 yards another.:boring:

[DetroitFlyer]

Yeah, those of you that think the system is perfect sure should not be embarassed.... Get real for once will you? EVERY bid to the playoffs currently is 100% subjective. How hard is this to understand? Autobids? Come on, who determines the autobids and try to convince me that the process is not 100% subjective? PLEASE show me the objective data that is used to make the decisions for autobids? To not acknowledge that this system needs serious help to be what you all claim it to be is embarassing! Teams are not "eligible" for the playoffs because, pick one of the following:

1. Transitioning from Division II
2. HBCU that makes money on an "HBCU" championship
3. Ivy League - Too much academic integrity
4. PFL/MAAC/NEC - Technically eligible but never invited in 14 years....

Yeah, this system is 100% perfect, crowns the best team in the division without question, blah, blah, blah. Glad to know FCS has a perfect system. How could I possibly be so blind?

[lizrdgizrd]

Yeah, this system is 100% perfect, crowns the best team in the division without question, blah, blah, blah. Glad to know FCS has a perfect system. How could I possibly be so blind?
Ah finally!! I knew you'd come around sooner or later! :D :thumbsup:

[andy7171]

Yeah, those of you that think the system is perfect sure should not be embarassed.... Get real for once will you? EVERY bid to the playoffs currently is 100% subjective. How hard is this to understand? Autobids? Come on, who determines the autobids and try to convince me that the process is not 100% subjective? PLEASE show me the objective data that is used to make the decisions for autobids? To not acknowledge that this system needs serious help to be what you all claim it to be is embarassing! Teams are not "eligible" for the playoffs because, pick one of the following:

1. Transitioning from Division II
2. HBCU that makes money on an "HBCU" championship
3. Ivy League - Too much academic integrity
4. PFL/MAAC/NEC - Technically eligible but never invited in 14 years....

Yeah, this system is 100% perfect, crowns the best team in the division without question, blah, blah, blah. Glad to know FCS has a perfect system. How could I possibly be so blind?
ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[eaglesrthe1]

Its possibly the NDSU was a "statement" selection - knowing full well they wouldn't be #1 overall, the voter may have chosen to make a statement that the transition period is dumb.

The transition period is there for a reason. There is always a cost though, and NDSU is having to pay it.

[kardplayer]

The transition period is there for a reason. There is always a cost though, and NDSU is having to pay it.

I didn't say I disagreed with it. I said the voter might have.

[*****]

... PLEASE show me the objective data ... How could I possibly be so blind?No telling why you are "so blind" or why you are an AGS troll but here's some data for you:

Final 2006 Regular Season Gridiron Power Index (GPI) through 11/19/06

Conference Rank
Rank, Conference (Average Rating)
*1. Great West Football Conference (22.35)
2. Atlantic 10 Conference (24.93)
3. Gateway Football Conference (30.04)
4. Southern Conference (35.67)
5. Big Sky Conference (36.59)
*6. Ivy League (40.90)
*7. Big South Conference (46.69)
8. Ohio Valley Conference (50.21)
9. Southland Conference (50.81)
10. Patriot League (55.79)
11. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (58.23)
12. Northeast Conference (64.49)
13. Southwestern Athletic Conference (64.63)
14. Independents (67.70)
15. Pioneer Football League (69.58)
16. Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference (83.64)
*Declines participation or does not meet NCAA criteria
AQ conferences in bold

[*****]

No telling why you are "so blind" or why you are an AGS troll but here's some data for you:

Final 2006 Regular Season Gridiron Power Index (GPI) through 11/19/06

Conference Rank
Rank, Conference (Average Rating)
*1. Great West Football Conference (22.35)
2. Atlantic 10 Conference (24.93)
3. Gateway Football Conference (30.04)
4. Southern Conference (35.67)
5. Big Sky Conference (36.59)
*6. Ivy League (40.90)
*7. Big South Conference (46.69)
8. Ohio Valley Conference (50.21)
9. Southland Conference (50.81)
10. Patriot League (55.79)
11. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (58.23)
12. Northeast Conference (64.49)
13. Southwestern Athletic Conference (64.63)
14. Independents (67.70)
15. Pioneer Football League (69.58)
16. Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference (83.64)
*Declines participation or does not meet NCAA criteria
AQ conferences in boldRemoving the polls from the GPI returns this result:
*1. GWFC (145.80)
2. A10 (161.67)
3. GFC (216.00)
4. SOCON (260.25)
5. BSC (264.11)
*6. IVY (293.88)
*7. BSO (350.00)
8. SLC (380.86)
9. OVC (382.11)
10. PL (424.14)
11. MEAC (451.67)
12. NEC (503.25)
13. SWAC (503.70)
14. INDEP (531.50)
15. PFL (551.38)
16. MAAC (674.80)
*Declines participation or does not meet NCAA criteria
AQ conferences in bold

It is very clear the right conferences get the AQs.

[UAalum72]

It is very clear the right conferences get the AQs.
Which is NOT the same thing as 'Every conference gets to participate' or 'every conference gets an equal shot at the playoffs'.

[JALMOND]

DF, every team that was ELIGIBLE FOR THE PLAYOFFS participated. Those that were worthy were selected (or got autobids), and the best team won. I'm pretty sure Dayton or USD weren't going to win many playoff games thisyear. When YOU wake up and smell the coffee and realize it's your stinking conference schedule strength thats keeping you out of the playoffs and not some made-up conspiracy theorist "old guard", we'll ALL be better off.

:bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:

Um, not everyone who was eligible got in. Not everyone who was "worthy" got in either. One of the best teams was left at home, but that is what happens when you leave your fate to a committee.

That is all I'm saying.

[*****]

Which is NOT the same thing as 'Every conference gets to participate' or 'every conference gets an equal shot at the playoffs'.Which is NOT what I was talking about. MOF, no one is here. However, it is clear that conference strength is a factor in determining who gets an AQ and every conference gets an equal shot at an AQ. Right now the strongest conferences receive an AQ. :nod:

[lizrdgizrd]

Which is NOT what I was talking about. MOF, no one is here. However, it is clear that conference strength is a factor in determining who gets an AQ. Right now the strongest conferences receive an AQ. :nod:
Ralph, what kind of push-back would you expect if there was movement towards ending the AQs?

[Husky Alum]

For the hick from UNH who wants to know who NDSU is...

NDSU beat Northeastern, who beat UNH.

Rocky Hager is Northeastern's coach. As a reminder, Northeastern beat UNH.

Rocky Hager was the former HC at NDSU, who beat NU, who beat UNH.

Get the picture?

NDSU has a great stadium and amazingly warm and friendly fans who treated this NU alum very well on his trip to Fargo. When they are eligible for the NCAA's, and if NU isn't playing - we'll all have our NDSU gear on in the Husky Alum house.

[EKU05]

Here's my :twocents:

App State is the champion under the way we do things here in the FCS. No one is questioning that. But the point of a poll is to vote your opinion on the top teams. If some guy honestly believed that NDSU was the best team (and I'd say that COULD be a legitimate opinion)...then that's who he should have voted #1.

The real shame is that people on THIS BOARD decided to start a thread that complains that it takes away from Apps title. IT DOESN'T. It couldn't!!!! The NCAA title is the NCAA title and the SN poll is the SN poll. The two can have different results. There can be a difference between the overall best team, and the team that wins a tournament.

For the record...this year I really do believe that the best team won the National Title, but there have been years in the past where it was more a case of a very good (but not the best) team getting really hot and having the best stretch of their season at an opportune time.

Congratulations to App on a much deserved second championship.

[UAalum72]

MOF, no one is here. However, it is clear that conference strength is a factor in determining who gets an AQ and every conference gets an equal shot at an AQ. Right now the strongest conferences receive an AQ. :nod:
It's not that the wrong conferences get them, just that not every eligible one does, like in every other NCAA sport.

The NEC is rated higher than the SWAC, which hasn't kept some posters from saying they should get an autobid if they chose to participate.

It's not inconceivable that the NEC could be rated ahead of the MEAC and/or the Patriot in the next couple of years. Taking a bid from those leagues to give to the NEC would be wrong, too.

What's MOF? Wikipedia doesn't list it.

[lizrdgizrd]

What's MOF? Wikipedia doesn't list it.
Matter Of Fact

[Tealblood]

hell I thought Ralph was calling him a Mother f---er, which I would concur with.

I love it we(Coastal Carolina) have been playing football a total of 4 years and we are already part of the old guard. And I guess Cal-Poly after
last year is already now an established member of the old guard.

I love it I am "Old Guard"

MOF--my way not Ralphs

[lizrdgizrd]

hell I thought Ralph was calling him a Mother f---er, which I would concur with.

I love it we(Coastal Carolina) have been playing football a total of 4 years and we are already part of the old guard. And I guess Cal-Poly after
last year is already now an established member of the old guard.

I love it I am "Old Guard"

MOF--my way not Ralphs
I think that's MOFO

[Tealblood]

as in lowdown honky MOFO, I forgot about that

[UAalum72]

hell I thought Ralph was calling him a Mother f---er, which I would concur with.
GDAH, it's easy to take that stand when your conference isn't eligible. Let me know what you think if the BS conference ever get a sixth team but it's champion doesn't get a bid.

I've said before I'd be perfectly happy with no autobids at all, but if the NEC keeps improving, the Great West and Big South pick up more teams, and maybe the CAA splits, something in this system's going to break.

[*****]

... if the NEC keeps improving, the Great West and Big South pick up more teams, and maybe the CAA splits, something in this system's going to break.I'll have that on WAVES next week as I have a special on the Division I Football Committee meeting I was at in Chatty. A bunch of interesting stuff like # expansion, AQ expansion w/o # expansion, etc.

[eaglesrthe1]

GDAH, it's easy to take that stand when your conference isn't eligible. Let me know what you think if the BS conference ever get a sixth team but it's champion doesn't get a bid.

I've said before I'd be perfectly happy with no autobids at all, but if the NEC keeps improving, the Great West and Big South pick up more teams, and maybe the CAA splits, something in this system's going to break.

It won't break, it'll just be adjusted. The AQ's aren't set in stone, they are chosen every year. There just hasn't been anything to upset the applecart. The NCAA could easily decide that more than 50% of the field could be AQ's, or expand the field, or change the particular qualifiers, or even do away with them. All it takes is a simple vote.

These teams just need to do what is necessary to make the adjustments needed, instead of just wailing away that they should be included just because they want to be included.

[BigApp]

When will you...realize that your system is lacking and needs to be reformed?

You know, you're right! It IS lacking. The SWAC doesn't participate! REFORM THE SWAC!

[ccd494]

I agree with Flyer and the Albany fan.

The I-AA playoffs aren't the all inclusive nirvana they are made out to be.

It's like if the NC$$ handed out 4 more at larges in basketball and dropped 4 small conferences from auto-bids.

Some of you love I-AA so much you turn a blind eye willingly to its warts.

[eaglesrthe1]

I'd be up for doing away with autos, before having more of them.

[CCU97]

The system does have flaws...not sure that anyone denies that....if a 4 loss team wins their conference and it is an AQ conference and pushes a team with 2 losses out who played a tough schedule and won then there are issues. However, the arguments are currently being made by teams who played weak ass schedules and won. So you beat one good team....that means you played one good game...that is all it means. Coastal knows this from having it happen to us....we were in the same boat as SD and Albany the previous two years. Strengthen your schedule and you make it...that is all they ask....is it soooo hard to play tough teams...I mean...why would you want to make the dance if you just stood on the side every year and never danced....If you get blown out by the any of the 16 teams that make the tourney each time you play them in tourney games....it doesn't make sense that you would want to keep going back for the whooping. You were not good enough to beat any of the teams in the tourney....just face it and move on....would be like saying Charleston Southern could have won the tourney....

[Fordham]

It's clearly a much, much better system than our little BCS brothers have but I agree that the auto bids should go. I don't think it would change much in reality for the big conferences or for the mid majors but I do think the principle is important. The league most likely to be impacted (at least this year) by such a move would have been my dear old PL, though, as we likely would not have received a bid. Nonetheless, it's the right call imo.

[andy7171]

Conference champions should be rewarded. Even if it's a 6-5 Lafayette.
I don't want to see a playoff of just 4 conferences. Seeing different and new teams is enjoyable. Get rid of the autobids and the smaller confernces suffer more.

[FurmanPaladins4138]

Simple answer people. The I-AA playoff system is broken and does not crown a champion on the field as many of you suggest! NDSU did not participate in the playoffs, so we will never know if they were #1 or not.... Being as playoff selection is essentially 100% subjective, I for one think that any person is entitled to this subjective opinion as to who is number one. Kind of like that other divison you all deride so often. When will you wake up, smell the coffee, and realize that your system is lacking and needs to be reformed? Oh that's right, the old guard would never endanger their sacred cows....

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH.
When will you wake up, smell the coffee, and realize that Appalachian was by far the best team in FCS this year? (this is a Furman fan saying this)

[BrevardMountaineer03]

Here's my :twocents:

App State is the champion under the way we do things here in the FCS. No one is questioning that. But the point of a poll is to vote your opinion on the top teams. If some guy honestly believed that NDSU was the best team (and I'd say that COULD be a legitimate opinion)...then that's who he should have voted #1.

The real shame is that people on THIS BOARD decided to start a thread that complains that it takes away from Apps title. IT DOESN'T. It couldn't!!!! The NCAA title is the NCAA title and the SN poll is the SN poll. The two can have different results. There can be a difference between the overall best team, and the team that wins a tournament.

For the record...this year I really do believe that the best team won the National Title, but there have been years in the past where it was more a case of a very good (but not the best) team getting really hot and having the best stretch of their season at an opportune time.

Congratulations to App on a much deserved second championship.

I gotta agree with EKU here. I was upset when I saw 1 vote for NDSU to be #1 in the SN poll, however, the SN poll doesn't crown a champion like the AP does for the Bowl Subdivision. We prove it on the field and I am sorry that NDSU didn't get a chance to participate, I think it would have been a much better play off with them, but they knew going into the season they couldn't participate in the postseason.
But I digress and go back to the topic, the SN poll is (in actuallity) an opinion poll. ASU won the playoff, they are National Champs, that is what is recognized by the NCAA. NDSU had a fantastic season and deserve a top 5 spot in the polls, and by one voter a first place vote, so be it. That's that person's opinon and it doesn't take away from anybody else's accomplishments.
Good Luck to NDSU in the future, and all other FCS teams.
Go App!

[JALMOND]

The system does have flaws...not sure that anyone denies that....if a 4 loss team wins their conference and it is an AQ conference and pushes a team with 2 losses out who played a tough schedule and won then there are issues. However, the arguments are currently being made by teams who played weak ass schedules and won. So you beat one good team....that means you played one good game...that is all it means. Coastal knows this from having it happen to us....we were in the same boat as SD and Albany the previous two years. Strengthen your schedule and you make it...that is all they ask....is it soooo hard to play tough teams...I mean...why would you want to make the dance if you just stood on the side every year and never danced....If you get blown out by the any of the 16 teams that make the tourney each time you play them in tourney games....it doesn't make sense that you would want to keep going back for the whooping. You were not good enough to beat any of the teams in the tourney....just face it and move on....would be like saying Charleston Southern could have won the tourney....

I, too, am arguing and my team, Portland State, certainly did not play a "weak ass schedule". SOS does not mean diddly. Have Coastal (or any team in the CS) play a schedule consisting of 3 bowl bound BS teams and a Big Sky conference slate and that school would be lucky to finish 7-4. Then, thumb your nose at them and say sorry, no playoffs.

We at PSU know exactly how well we could have done in the playoffs, due to the success of the Cats and Griz, two teams from the Big Sky, that we were (at least) on a par with.

[GOKATS]

I, too, am arguing and my team, Portland State, certainly did not play a "weak ass schedule". SOS does not mean diddly. Have Coastal (or any team in the CS) play a schedule consisting of 3 bowl bound BS teams and a Big Sky conference slate and that school would be lucky to finish 7-4. Then, thumb your nose at them and say sorry, no playoffs.

We at PSU know exactly how well we could have done in the playoffs, due to the success of the Cats and Griz, two teams from the Big Sky, that we were (at least) on a par with.

This is not a slam by any means, you guys had a great year with the schedule you had, but the reason you didn't make the playoffs and MSU did is because you lost to both MSU and UM, the two teams from the BSC who did make it.

[UAalum72]

Coastal knows this from having it happen to us....we were in the same boat as SD and Albany the previous two years. Strengthen your schedule and you make it...that is all they ask....is it soooo hard to play tough teams...I mean...why would you want to make the dance if you just stood on the side every year and never danced
The difference is that Coastal only has four league games (the reason the BS doesn't have an autobid), so they can easily schedule seven OOC games and expect to have a quality win or two; the NEC beat Georgia Southern, Delaware, Lehigh, AND Colgate all in one year, but sorry, they all happened to suck this year, so no playoff for you - even though those are better wins than a couple of autobid conferences had this year, including an AC that got an at-large.

And selection is supposed to be based on wins, not who you lost to.

[UAalum72]

It won't break, it'll just be adjusted. The AQ's aren't set in stone, they are chosen every year. There just hasn't been anything to upset the applecart. The NCAA could easily decide that more than 50% of the field could be AQ's, or expand the field, or change the particular qualifiers, or even do away with them. All it takes is a simple vote.

That's what I've been saying, it's time to adjust it. But the change doesn't benefit the cartel already in charge.


These teams just need to do what is necessary to make the adjustments needed, instead of just wailing away that they should be included just because they want to be included.
I say we have done what's necessary, and deserve an autobid at least as much as some leagues whose teams last won a championship 25 years ago or a playoff game 10 years ago, and have been coasting (downward) ever since.

[eaglesrthe1]

The difference is that Coastal only has four league games (the reason the BS doesn't have an autobid), so they can easily schedule seven OOC games and expect to have a quality win or two; the NEC beat Georgia Southern, Delaware, Lehigh, AND Colgate all in one year, but sorry, they all happened to suck this year, so no playoff for you - even though those are better wins than a couple of autobid conferences had this year, including an AC that got an at-large.

And selection is supposed to be based on wins, not who you lost to.

Why are you comparing Coastal (a team) to the NEC (a league)? All of those wins you mentioned were by 3 different teams, and like you said "they all sucked this year". Teams go to the playoffs, not leagues.

The only way that Coastal can "expect to have a quality win or two" is to first schedule them and second beat them. There is nothing easy about it. If any single NEC team had scheduled those games (like a Coastal), and then won (like a Coastal) then perhaps that team would have went to the playoffs (like a Coastal), and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

The sad thing is, that's all that anybody has ever asked for. Schedule some quality, beat some quality, and you will be rewarded. Even the eighth ranked AC league was stronger than the NEC.

[JBB]

The AQ is essential. Otherwise what is a conference about. I think the FCS system finds the real champion because all the deserving teams are in. Its the combination of the AQs and at large bids that assures that.

D2 system is a mess with no at large bids so they often leave a national championship contender on the sidelines. They went a long way to solving that when they expanded the field.

I dont think that is necessary in the FCS. All teams in the playoff are deserving of the national championship and the winner of the tournament is bone a fide.

As an NDSU fan, thanks for the vote! :hurray: :thumbsup: xcoffeex

[UAalum72]

Why are you comparing Coastal (a team) to the NEC (a league)? All of those wins you mentioned were by 3 different teams, and like you said "they all sucked this year". Teams go to the playoffs, not leagues.

The only way that Coastal can "expect to have a quality win or two" is to first schedule them and second beat them. There is nothing easy about it. If any single NEC team had scheduled those games (like a Coastal), and then won (like a Coastal) then perhaps that team would have went to the playoffs (like a Coastal), and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

The sad thing is, that's all that anybody has ever asked for. Schedule some quality, beat some quality, and you will be rewarded. Even the eighth ranked AC league was stronger than the NEC.
I'm comparing them because the NEC teams have to get in as an at-large. Coastal gets to schedule seven non-conference games, so the odds are better that some of them will be good. The NEC teams scheduled most of the most storied names in I-AA and still didn't get a whiff of consideration. Without a league bid, how can you get a strong enough schedule a year or two in advance when kicking the ass of team with six championship banners isn't good enough?

And if you remember, Coastal LOST to Georgia Southern, had glorious wins over Savannah St. and transitional Winston-Salem, and four other wins by a total of 11 points. So impressive. Eastern Illinois got an at-large on the strength of an OOC win over 1-10 Indiana State.

[JALMOND]

This is not a slam by any means, you guys had a great year with the schedule you had, but the reason you didn't make the playoffs and MSU did is because you lost to both MSU and UM, the two teams from the BSC who did make it.

Thank you. And to carry it one point further, the success that both the Cats and Griz had in the playoffs shows me how well we could have done in the playoffs, if given the chance. The point that is trying to be made, though, is that teams schedule cream puffs and then complain when they don't gain consideration for the playoffs (especially those from the non auto bid conferences). Those same arguments do not hold water when applied to a team like Portland State, a team that did meet the seven win requirement (as stated by the committee), a team that did play a full DI schedule (as stated by the committee), and a team that beat a bowl bound BS team (New Mexico). Just like Charleston Southern, PSU also was sent home for Thanksgiving. Where is the common reasoning? Certainly not in SOS.

I don't mean to get hostile. I just would like to see the committee follow its own guidelines when choosing the at large berths and not just on the name of the school.

[JALMOND]

I'm comparing them because the NEC teams have to get in as an at-large. Coastal gets to schedule seven non-conference games, so the odds are better that some of them will be good. The NEC teams scheduled most of the most storied names in I-AA and still didn't get a whiff of consideration. Without a league bid, how can you get a strong enough schedule a year or two in advance when kicking the ass of team with six championship banners isn't good enough?

And if you remember, Coastal LOST to Georgia Southern, had glorious wins over Savannah St. and transitional Winston-Salem, and four other wins by a total of 11 points. So impressive. Eastern Illinois got an at-large on the strength of an OOC win over 1-10 Indiana State.

All my ramblings here on AGS have seemed to indicate that I had a beef with the inclusion of Montana State over Portland State, which could not be further from the truth. MSU, being a fellow conference school, was an easy target for me. However, as you indicated (and I do agree with), I am also at a loss as to how Coastal and Eastern Illinois received at large berths over PSU. As you state, UA, compare their OOC wins over PSU's win on the road at bowl bound New Mexico at the least. Both school's resumes pale drastically to PSU's.

[*****]

... Those same arguments do not hold water when applied to a team like Portland State, a team that did meet the seven win requirement (as stated by the committee), a team that did play a full DI schedule (as stated by the committee)... I just would like to see the committee follow its own guidelines when choosing the at large berths and not just on the name of the school.PSU was not the only "eligible" team not selected for the playoffs. The committee plainly said it was the losses to UM and MSU that did you in.

[JALMOND]

PSU was not the only "eligible" team not selected for the playoffs. The committee plainly said it was the losses to UM and MSU that did you in.

UM---was one of the top tier teams in the CS consistently all year. We lost to the Griz by six.

MSU---loss at Bozeman with two top offensive threats battling injury. Seems like everyone else in the CS was allowed at least one bad loss. Are we excluded? Do we have to be perfect?