McNeese State (9-2) left out of FCS playoffs

[mvfcfan]

Why? How can you be 9-2 and not make the playoffs? (Well save that for the Pioneer League.) Their two losses were also to playoff teams, so it's not like they were bad losses. Seems rigged to me. They should have been in before New Hampshire or Furman in my opinion. The Southland has had success in past playoffs, so giving the SLC 4 bids wouldn't have been ridiculous.

Kind of interested to hear thoughts on this. This is worse than Stephen F Austin not getting a bid to the NCAA basketball tournament with a 27-4 record. Why are Southland teams always getting screwed over? This coming from an Indiana State (Missouri Valley) fan.

[HensRock]

Yeah, I am just noticing this myself.
Nicholls in and hosting at 8-3, but 9-2 McNeese left home.

HUGE Miss for the selection committee.
And Why is UNH in? McNeese should be in before UNH.

[Daytripper]

Not sure about this, either. McNeese had no bad losses. I think it was between Nicholls and McNeese for a spot. Nicholls won head-to-head with McNeese and played TAMU very close. But they got blasted by SHSU 66-7. I don't know.

[PantherRob82]

8-2. D-II wins don’t count.

[achrist70]

Yeah, I am just noticing this myself.
Nicholls in and hosting at 8-3, but 9-2 McNeese left home.

HUGE Miss for the selection committee.
And Why is UNH in? McNeese should be in before UNH.

Hosting has nothing to do with being one of the best 8 first round teams, they pair up the teams mostly based upon geography, both for first round and possible second round, then award the home game to who is willing to pay the most for it.

[Terrier19]

Dang....thats harsh. Helluva season to not be competing in the playoffs.

[Sammy94]

8-2. D-II wins don’t count.

They counted for Sam a few years ago.

[clenz]

They counted for Sam a few years ago.
They used to not count at all.

Now they don't count but can count sometimes with a nerfing multiplier.

Best I can come up with is a D2 win counts for like a third of a win.

[FormerPokeCenter]

We didn't play anybody this year....we didn't have SHSU in conference this time around...and we lost to Nicholls and UCA.

We weren't particularly convincing against anybody else.

And, let's not forget the real issue. Our strength of schedule was 209th.

When your schedule has that many cupcakes on it, you better damn well be dominating the **** out of your opponents. We kinda meh'd our way by them. We didn't step on anybody's throat, nor twist our heel when we should have.

I'm not upset about staying home under the circumstances....we didn't deserve to be in the playoffs....

I'd much rather have this, than get rocked in the first round by a genuine playoff caliber team.

[HensRock]

8-2 is still better than 8-3 Nicholls.

Did they not submit a bid?

[LehighU11]

No bad losses? They were slaughtered by Central Arkansas. Additionally, they lost to Nicholls, who was destroyed by SHSU. McNeese built its 9-2 resume with wins against a losing D2 team, Alcorn St., and the 7 teams below it in the Southland who combined for just 2 wins OOC, 1 against TX Southern and 1 against a 2-9 D2 program Lamar UTPB. That doesn't build a strong case for an at-large coming out of the Southland, which is not a 4 bid conference.

In some years, 8 D1 wins against weaker teams is going to place you on the outside looking in. This is one of them. We've seen 10-1 teams with 10 D1 wins get left out of the playoffs, albeit in a 20 team field.

[lionsrking2]

Why? How can you be 9-2 and not make the playoffs? (Well save that for the Pioneer League.) Their two losses were also to playoff teams, so it's not like they were bad losses. Seems rigged to me. They should have been in before New Hampshire or Furman in my opinion. The Southland has had success in past playoffs, so giving the SLC 4 bids wouldn't have been ridiculous.

Kind of interested to hear thoughts on this. This is worse than Stephen F Austin not getting a bid to the NCAA basketball tournament with a 27-4 record. Why are Southland teams always getting screwed over? This coming from an Indiana State (Missouri Valley) fan.

I think it boiled down to the committee not wanting to place four Southland teams in the tournament. They went into it with the notion it was a two or three bid league and didn't matter what happened elsewhere. McNeese didn't play a particularly strong schedule but they played the hand they were dealt, and are better than several teams who did get in. Hopefully the Southland will revisit the 9-game conference schedule, and will allow it's members more flexibility in non-conference scheduling. I would like to see some type of arrangement/agreement with other conferences for home-and-homes to help alleviate scheduling issues.

[lionsrking2]

8-2 is still better than 8-3 Nicholls.

Did they not submit a bid?

They were both 8-2 vs Division I teams but Nicholls won head-to-head. Nicholls also played Texas A&M close while McNeese did not play an FBS opponent. The committee got it right taking Nicholls over McNeese, however, McNeese should have gotten in over New Hampshire and Monmouth in my opinion.

[caribbeanhen]

They were both 8-2 vs Division I teams but Nicholls won head-to-head. Nicholls also played Texas A&M close while McNeese did not play an FBS opponent. The committee got it right taking Nicholls over McNeese, however, McNeese should have gotten in over New Hampshire and Monmouth in my opinion.

agree

[WrenFGun]

Uh. Nicholls beat McNeese and they both finished with 8 DI wins. It's not difficult to see that. McNeese beat zero quality teams.

The question is why Monmouth got in with the same issue and where the outrage is..

UNH has a better resume than all 3, and it's not even a debate.

[clenz]

Uh. Nicholls beat McNeese and they both finished with 8 DI wins. It's not difficult to see that. McNeese beat zero quality teams.

The question is why Monmouth got in with the same issue and where the outrage is..

UNH has a better resume than all 3, and it's not even a debate.
I wouldn't say it isn't a debate.

McNeese wasn't shut out by a 3 win team.

[BisonTru]

They counted for Sam a few years ago.

No they didn't. You had 6 D1 wins that year and that is playoff eligible. 6 D1 wins has been the threshold for quite a few years now.

[mvfcfan]

I wouldn't say it isn't a debate.

McNeese wasn't shut out by a 3 win team.

Exactly and one of McNeese's two losses was on the road by 2 (to a playoff team) in the very first game of the year.

[clenz]

Exactly and one of McNeese's two losses was on the road by 2 (to a playoff team) in the very first game of the year.
UNH's wins per massey
Avg opprank 208
Ave MOV 15

McNeese State's wins per massey
Avg opp rank 318
Avg MOV 19

I mean, MSU's resume is REALLY bad. Their D2 opponent actually is their 4th best win
SELA 201
NWLA 270
SFA 279
Florida Tech 303
ACU 311
Alcorn St 312
Lamar 375
IWU 395
Houston Baptist 408

I....I think UNH's resume is better but it's not as home run as UNH fans think. Maybe a double, not a home run

[Sammy94]

Uh. Nicholls beat McNeese and they both finished with 8 DI wins. It's not difficult to see that. McNeese beat zero quality teams.

The question is why Monmouth got in with the same issue and where the outrage is..

UNH has a better resume than all 3, and it's not even a debate.

Plus an AD on the committee......

[CHIP72]

We didn't play anybody this year....we didn't have SHSU in conference this time around...and we lost to Nicholls and UCA.

We weren't particularly convincing against anybody else.

And, let's not forget the real issue. Our strength of schedule was 209th.

When your schedule has that many cupcakes on it, you better damn well be dominating the **** out of your opponents. We kinda meh'd our way by them. We didn't step on anybody's throat, nor twist our heel when we should have.

I'm not upset about staying home under the circumstances....we didn't deserve to be in the playoffs....

I'd much rather have this, than get rocked in the first round by a genuine playoff caliber team.

Sounds like Lehigh in 2012.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MTfan4life]

bad losses.

I don't think bad losses come into play with the committee. New Hampshire has recorded a double digit loss to at least one NON-playoff team six of the last seven seasons and still has made the playoffs.
This year they lost to (4-7) Holy Cross 51-26 and (4-7) Albany 15-0
In 2016 they lost to Albany 36-25
In 2015 they lost to (4-7) Delaware 31-14 and (5-5) Stony Brook 31-6
In 2013 they lost to William & Mary 17-0
In 2012 they lost to Towson 64-35
In 2011 they lost to (5-6) William & Mary 24-10

It just doesn't seem like bad losses are fully a problem. You'd think they value good wins more, but then you look at Monmouth or Nicholls or the fact Austin Peay was the first team out and you just don't know what they value.

[katss07]

We know bad losses don’t matter. If they did, UNH wouldn’t be here. Holy Cross, really? Shut out by Albany?? Come on...

Hate to say it because the bracket talk is done and its on to the first round, but UD should have gotten in.

[Bisonoline]

I think it boiled down to the committee not wanting to place four Southland teams in the tournament. They went into it with the notion it was a two or three bid league and didn't matter what happened elsewhere. McNeese didn't play a particularly strong schedule but they played the hand they were dealt, and are better than several teams who did get in. Hopefully the Southland will revisit the 9-game conference schedule, and will allow it's members more flexibility in non-conference scheduling. I would like to see some type of arrangement/agreement with other conferences for home-and-homes to help alleviate scheduling issues.

If you would of had 4 playoff worthy teams then you would of had 4 teams in the playoffs.

[Professor Chaos]

According to their last 2 in/first 2 out (which was a little goofy IMO) McNeese wasn't even in the first 2 out. That was Delaware and Austin Peay.

[Professor]

Glad to see it more than HBCUs that get screwed by the committee

[wheatstraw78]

Glad to see it more than HBCUs that get screwed by the committee

You beat me to it! They may have confused them with Southernxlolx

[Reign of Terrier]

There were a lot of questionable decisions this year with the playoff committee.

I think everyone expected a few questionable calls; but I think what makes this year different from last year is the mass of bad ones. Between New Hampshire getting in and EWU getting left out, I think we are in a maximally questionable bracket, if that makes sense.