Worst playoff season in memory?

[TypicalTribe]

Call me crazy, but I can’t remember a less interesting playoff season. Yes, we’re clearly going to have a title game with the two best teams in the country, but other than that the playoffs have been pretty terrible with these two dumpster fire performances by SHSU and SDSU as exhibits A and B. Out of 22 games, we’ve had only a handful that have had any 4th quarter drama and that’s been really disappointing.

Let’s hope the Bison and Dukes can give us something more in Frisco.


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[th0m]

That weber game tho. Also kennesaw jsu. Unh upsetting uca. Slim pickings but we tend to forget the games from previous rounds quickly when we have such blowout games

[FargoBison]

GSU, App State, CCU.....starting to see the result of good programs leaving.

That said it will help that Montana has a real coach again.

[Professor Chaos]

Just because the top seeds advanced hasn't made it bad. I think the same when people complain about March Madness being too much chalk. The semis being stinkers didnt change the fact that there were plenty of great games in the earlier rounds. USD/Nicholls, USD/SHSU, WIU/Weber, Weber/JMU, Furman/Elon, Kennesaw/SHSU, etc

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Call me crazy, but I can’t remember a less interesting playoff season. Yes, we’re clearly going to have a title game with the two best teams in the country, but other than that the playoffs have been pretty terrible with these two dumpster fire performances by SHSU and SDSU as exhibits A and B. Out of 22 games, we’ve had only a handful that have had any 4th quarter drama and that’s been really disappointing.

Let’s hope the Bison and Dukes can give us something more in Frisco.


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The FCS playoffs have serious issues. I think that has become more apparent recently. 24 teams is simply too many because it creates a lot of fluff. The playoffs would be much better at 16 teams and no byes but I'd be happy if it was cut down to 8 teams. Like or not, there's very little parity in FCS.

[Bisonwinagn]

It's no surprise really. Most of the top teams in the FCS were down this year leaving a clear path for JMU and NDSU. That was the expectation coming into the year and it played out that way.

[CockyGeek]

Too many teams that didn't deserve to be in the playoff.

A bracket that was geared towards a NDSU/JMU game because those are obviously the only two teams who are elite. (Maybe Weber too? Ha)

Just too predictable. I'm still going to watch the hell out of the championship game though.

[Bisonwinagn]

The FCS playoffs have serious issues. I think that has become more apparent recently. 24 teams is simply too many because it creates a lot of fluff. The playoffs would be much better at 16 teams and no byes but I'd be happy if it was cut down to 8 teams. Like or not, there's very little parity in FCS.

The biggest blowouts were in the semifinals. I would be ok with 16 and everyone has a bye over Thanksgiving.

[katss07]

No way! There were some great storylines and fun games. IMO, this was a playoff season to remember. For me one of the most fun in recent memory.

Going into Selection Sunday this was one of the most intriguing reveals I can remember. Bubble was very strong. Who would be in? Delaware? UNH? Austin Peay? Nicholls? It was fun, as was the last week of the season. Sure there were some committee mistakes (Monmouth) but that doesn’t overshadow everything. Elon-Furman, WIU-Weber, Nicholls-USD were all fun first round games. This was the most interesting first round in years. Second round games like JMU-Stony Brook, JSU-Kennesaw, UCA-UNH, Sam-USD and SUU-Weber were all fun. Upsets like UNH beating UCA made things very interesting, and KSU knocking off JSU was awesome! Weber State-JMU was game of the year quality on a Friday Night on ESPN. Kennesaw State at SHSU was also very intriguing and turned out to be very fun.

Sure, the semis were snooze-fests, but this was a very fun playoff IMO. JMU-NDSU is the ending it deserves.

[Reign of Terrier]

The games would be so much more interesting if there wasn't such space between the top 2/3 teams and the rest of everyone.

What makes the playoffs interesting is the tension, and there's a lot of that in the early rounds because there are a lot of unknowns and more teams, so it's just more likely to happen at baseline.

But really, it's just a brute fact that no one is playing on the level of NDSU and JMU. It's not that the teams are bad, it's just that those two teams are so good.

[veinup]

i agree. too many blowouts. boring. weber state/jmu was my highlight.

[mvemjsunpx]

Oh, no, 1996 was the worst playoff season. Only 1 road team won during the entire thing (Furman over NAU), and only 1 game during the last 3 rounds was decided by less than 17.

We've only seen #1 vs. #2 in the title game 3 times since then: 2009, 2011, 2017.

[mmiller_34]

The games would be so much more interesting if there wasn't such space between the top 2/3 teams and the rest of everyone.

What makes the playoffs interesting is the tension, and there's a lot of that in the early rounds because there are a lot of unknowns and more teams, so it's just more likely to happen at baseline.

But really, it's just a brute fact that no one is playing on the level of NDSU and JMU. It's not that the teams are bad, it's just that those two teams are so good.

This ^

[MR. CHICKEN]

....WORST.....xconfusedx.....KENNESAW STATE....FURMAN.....ELON.....SAN DIEGO.....WEBER....ETAL.......WORFF....COST UH ESPN 3......xhypedx......BRAWK!!

[kalm]

The games would be so much more interesting if there wasn't such space between the top 2/3 teams and the rest of everyone.

What makes the playoffs interesting is the tension, and there's a lot of that in the early rounds because there are a lot of unknowns and more teams, so it's just more likely to happen at baseline.

But really, it's just a brute fact that no one is playing on the level of NDSU and JMU. It's not that the teams are bad, it's just that those two teams are so good.

The furthest thing from my mind was any of this. Weber played on the level of JMU. Should have won. WIU played Weber tough at home. KSU was a compelling story.

Two bad semi's are not the entire playoffs.

I'd like to see 32 seeded teams.

[Professor Chaos]

Oh, no, 1996 was the worst playoff season. Only 1 road team won during the entire thing (Furman over NAU), and only 1 game during the last 3 rounds was decided by less than 17.

We've only seen #1 vs. #2 in the title game 3 times since then: 2009, 2011, 2017.
And so far #1 is 0-2 in those matchups. :D

[katss07]

Only reason I couls say this year was not great was the snubs. EWU, Delaware and Sac St should have been in. Austin Peay was overrated.

[mvemjsunpx]

And so far #1 is 0-2 in those matchups. :D

The #1 (Montana) also lost in '96. I'm not sure before that because I can't find any sites that show the brackets with seeds.

[TennBison]

Only reason I couls say this year was not great was the snubs. EWU, Delaware and Sac St should have been in. Austin Peay was overrated.
Yeah, but the playoffs got it right with having a 5-6 Lehigh make it.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Yeah, but the playoffs got it right with having a 5-6 Lehigh make it.

+1

[Lehigh Football Nation]

It's not so much that the playoffs were boring, it's that two teams were the best by a country mile, they were familiar teams, and they got to play all their games at home.

[katss07]

Yeah, but the playoffs got it right with having a 5-6 Lehigh make it.
Nothing the committee could do about that...

[CHIP72]

Call me crazy, but I can’t remember a less interesting playoff season. Yes, we’re clearly going to have a title game with the two best teams in the country, but other than that the playoffs have been pretty terrible with these two dumpster fire performances by SHSU and SDSU as exhibits A and B. Out of 22 games, we’ve had only a handful that have had any 4th quarter drama and that’s been really disappointing.

Let’s hope the Bison and Dukes can give us something more in Frisco.

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Interestingly, the exact opposite was largely true in the Division II playoffs this year - lots of compelling games, especially up through the quarterfinals.

[TheKingpin28]

Nothing the committee could do about that...

I mean they could have given them the bird and said this:

https://i.giphy.com/media/3xz2BtrwQ2wIBeciAw/giphy.webp

[BisonFan02]

It's not so much that the playoffs were boring, it's that two teams were the best by a country mile, they were familiar teams, and they got to play all their games at home.

Good luck in "cost control" FCS shipping teams all over the place to neutral sites. The best/better teams win....weird.

[ST_Lawson]

WIU played Weber tough at home.

And should not have been a first round game. That Weber State team I saw against us and against JMU was easily top 8, maybe top 4. They played three really strong games against very good opponents. They were definitely better than #s 6, 7, and 8...I know that.



Nothing the committee could do about that...

I'd rather have all participating conferences get an autobid and every now and then get an "unqualified" 6-5 Lehigh as opposed to fewer autobids and missing out on a Kennesaw State or another really good "anomaly" from a generally "not great" conference. At 24 teams, I'm ok with that, even if it does occasionally mean that a borderline team might not make it in. Lehigh won their conference, they deserved to be included in the conversation. Didn't prove it this year, but doesn't mean they might not next year.

[katss07]

And should not have been a first round game. That Weber State team I saw against us and against JMU was easily top 8, maybe top 4. They played three really strong games against very good opponents. They were definitely better than #s 6, 7, and 8...I know that.
Weber-WIU was a quarterfinal game in round one. I’m glad my Kats didn’t run into Weber. We would have been in for a hell of a fight.

[DFW HOYA]

Are the playoffs devolving into what befell NCAA lacrosse, where there are only seven or eight schools capable of advancing and everyone else watches from the sidelines?

[mvemjsunpx]

It's not so much that the playoffs were boring, it's that two teams were the best by a country mile, they were familiar teams, and they got to play all their games at home.

Except there were a lot of blowouts that didn't involve those two, as well.

[JayJ79]

So after both semifinals are boring blowouts, people say that there should be fewer teams.
I'm not understanding the logic, since even with fewer teams, those same teams would have a pretty good shot at ending up in the semifinals, which would have a pretty good shot at ended up in the same blowouts.

[MTfan4life]

2003 was a pretty rough playoffs results wise. Yes, you had the storyline of Colgate and Florida Atlantic both making a run. Outside of that, though, there were just three games decided by single digits, two of those in the first round. The championship was a 40-0 snoozer. This year, the first round gave us three very good games, but outside of that, it has been comparable to 2003. The championship SHOULD be closer this year, though. At least one would imagine so...

[MTfan4life]

And should not have been a first round game. That Weber State team I saw against us and against JMU was easily top 8, maybe top 4. They played three really strong games against very good opponents. They were definitely better than #s 6, 7, and 8...I know that.


Weber did get robbed out of a seed, yes, but even going with the field, it should not have been Weber/WIU. Those were arguably the two best non-seeded teams. Geographically there were four games that weren't within the 400 mile barrier. Of those four, WIU should have went to Nicholls, San Diego should have played Weber State, and NAU and South Dakota should have been matched up. It wouldn't have mattered, as JMU and NDSU would still be in the title game, but it was a crime to pair Weber State and WIU considering there wasn't an obligation to do so in a case where every other game was a bus trip.

[mvemjsunpx]

2003 was a pretty rough playoffs results wise. Yes, you had the storyline of Colgate and Florida Atlantic both making a run. Outside of that, though, there were just three games decided by single digits, two of those in the first round. The championship was a 40-0 snoozer. This year, the first round gave us three very good games, but outside of that, it has been comparable to 2003. The championship SHOULD be closer this year, though. At least one would imagine so...

One of those blowouts was NAU beating the #1-seed 35-3, though—still Souers's only playoff win.

2003 also had two playoff teams (FAU & Montana) that had both I-A wins and DII losses. FAU actually got blown out by Valdosta State.

[BisonTru]

*cough 2013.

NDSU was so far ahead of everyone else that year the championship game seemed like a formality.

JMU isn't the one hit one future NFL RB team Towson was. I'd be shocked if the championship game ends up that lopsided either way this year. The top 2 programs in the country in a collision course.

Even take NDSU and JMU out of it. San Diego with no schollies embarrassed a Big Sky foe on their place. Then Weber St blows past SUU and takes a good JMU squad to the wire. My heads still spinning trying to figure the Big Sky out.

Kennesaw St who just started football a few years ago takes out a top seed. Even USD pulls an away victory in their first D1 playoff game in their programs history.

Even UNH who I as well as others were hating on for even making it in takes out a seed.

Maybe it's the prospect that we are looking at either another Bison Natty or a repeat champion but imo collectively this might be the two best squads to face off in recent history.


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[Twentysix]

*cough 2013.

NDSU was so far ahead of everyone else that year the championship game seemed like a formality.

JMU isn't the one hit one future NFL RB team Towson was. I'd be shocked if the championship game ends up that lopsided either way this year. The top 2 programs in the country in a collision course.

Even take NDSU and JMU out of it. San Diego with no schollies embarrassed a Big Sky foe on their place. Then Weber St blows past SUU and takes a good JMU squad to the wire. My heads still spinning trying to figure the Big Sky out.

Kennesaw St who just started football a few years ago takes out a top seed. Even USD pulls an away victory in their first D1 playoff game in their programs history.

Even UNH who I as well as others were hating on for even making it in takes out a seed.

Maybe it's the prospect that we are looking at either another Bison Natty or a repeat champion but imo collectively this might be the two best squads to face off in recent history.


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Agreed. I've only been following since 2006, but these two teams seem to be at the pinnacle of FCS strength. I don't think this years NDSU team is the best iteration, in fact im pretty certain it isn't. However, this matchup and the ISUr v NDSU matchups were the two strongest games (where both teams are at an incredible level) I've seen since I started watching. I hope it lives up to NDSU vs ISUr.

[Lehigh'98]

JMU and NDSU are probably both top 25-35 FBS teams this year. Hats off to Weber for almost pulling the upset, but this was a collision course waiting to happen. They both completely dismantled several really good FCS teams.

[Gangtackle11]

JMU and NDSU are probably both top 25-35 FBS teams this year. Hats off to Weber for almost pulling the upset, but this was a collision course waiting to happen. They both completely dismantled several really good FCS teams.

Agree. These 2 teams are the best the FCS offers.

[Tribe4SF]

JMU and NDSU are probably both top 25-35 FBS teams this year. Hats off to Weber for almost pulling the upset, but this was a collision course waiting to happen. They both completely dismantled several really good FCS teams.

+1

Finding the disappointment expressed in this thread amusing. It's a real playoff, and there will always be surprises (KSU, UNH, Weber) and disappointments (JSU, UCA, NAU).

[KPSUL]

+1

Finding the disappointment expressed in this thread amusing. It's a real playoff, and there will always be surprises (KSU, UNH, Weber) and disappointments (JSU, UCA, NAU).

Exactly! This playoff season has been as interesting and full of surprises as any. We also have the makings of a championship game that should be very competitive.

[MTfan4life]

My heads still spinning trying to figure Northern Arizona out.


FIFY. I don't know why the Big Sky gets lumped into confusion for you based off NAU's loss, especially considering a 5-6 team from the Big Sky did to San Diego what San Diego did to NAU. The results of Weber State vs. SUU and SDSU vs. UNI were quite similar; both proving it's tough to beat a team twice in the same season. Northern Arizona could get your head spinning, but I don't know why the whole Big Sky would.

[caribbeanhen]

2003 was a pretty rough playoffs results wise. Yes, you had the storyline of Colgate and Florida Atlantic both making a run. Outside of that, though, there were just three games decided by single digits, two of those in the first round. The championship was a 40-0 snoozer. This year, the first round gave us three very good games, but outside of that, it has been comparable to 2003. The championship SHOULD be closer this year, though. At least one would imagine so...

Rough? that run was a thing of beauty.... back when Delaware was good

[Cocky]

And should not have been a first round game. That Weber State team I saw against us and against JMU was easily top 8, maybe top 4. They played three really strong games against very good opponents. They were definitely better than #s 6, 7, and 8...I know that.




I'd rather have all participating conferences get an autobid and every now and then get an "unqualified" 6-5 Lehigh as opposed to fewer autobids and missing out on a Kennesaw State or another really good "anomaly" from a generally "not great" conference. At 24 teams, I'm ok with that, even if it does occasionally mean that a borderline team might not make it in. Lehigh won their conference, they deserved to be included in the conversation. Didn't prove it this year, but doesn't mean they might not next year.

Dont forget the 3 seed, they were better than that team too.

[ST_Lawson]

Dont forget the 3 seed, they were better than that team too.

3-4 are arguable I think. The way Weber played JMU, I think they could have been the 3rd best team in the playoffs, but I'd want to take a deep dive into each teams strengths and weaknesses to make that call.

I never really got the chance to dig into JSU the way I dug into teams like Weber, SHSU, or Wofford, for example.


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[caribbeanhen]

3-4 are arguable I think. The way Weber played JMU, I think they could have been the 3rd best team in the playoffs, but I'd want to take a deep dive into each teams strengths and weaknesses to make that call.

I never really got the chance to dig into JSU the way I dug into teams like Weber, SHSU, or Wofford, for example.


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I would go with Weber State at #3 in a poll right now, they played JMU tough for a reason

[Cocky]

3-4 are arguable I think. The way Weber played JMU, I think they could have been the 3rd best team in the playoffs, but I'd want to take a deep dive into each teams strengths and weaknesses to make that call.

I never really got the chance to dig into JSU the way I dug into teams like Weber, SHSU, or Wofford, for example.


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Dont waste your time on JSU, just move Weber and most everyone else above them.

[ST_Lawson]

Dont waste your time on JSU, just move Weber and most everyone else above them.

You can consider JSU where you want them to be...I'd prefer to look into it myself. Not that it really matters, I don't vote in the poll.

[BisonTru]

FIFY. I don't know why the Big Sky gets lumped into confusion for you based off NAU's loss, especially considering a 5-6 team from the Big Sky did to San Diego what San Diego did to NAU. The results of Weber State vs. SUU and SDSU vs. UNI were quite similar; both proving it's tough to beat a team twice in the same season. Northern Arizona could get your head spinning, but I don't know why the whole Big Sky would.

You went farther in depth than I was really going for. NAU was one of the worst showings and Weber st had one of the most impressive runs both coming in as Big Sky at larges.

To be fair I was pretty high on Weber and didn't think NAU was a deserving seat. EWU should have been in over them and I doubt they lose to San Diego at home.


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[Panthers1995]

I think FCS should move to a 8 team playoff and take the top 4 MVFC teams and the best 4 from the other conferences.... 😏

[Lehigh Football Nation]

San Diego loses: "The PFL sucks, why are they here"

San Diego wins 1st round games consecutive years: "Worst Playoffs ever, NAU/Cal Poly were overrated"

[Derby City Duke]

I've seen '03 tossed around here with some justification. You might be able to throw '04 in as well. Unseeded JMU won three road games, including knocking out the #2 and #3 seeds in the quarters and semis, respectively. The #1 and #4 didn't survive their 1st game. JMU went on to beat Montana in Chattanooga in the cow pasture game.

Many are saying this was a bad playoff year because the final predictions since January 8, 2017 came to fruition. There have been some really good games. I agree that WIU/Weber was a round too early (as was JMU/YSU in 2006 -- country's #4 & #5 met in a 1st rounder)., Hindsight says Weber should've gotten a seed, but as the cliche goes, hindsight is always 20/20.

Weber/JMU, SHSU/Kennesaw, Kennesaw/JSU, Furman/Elon, and UNH/UCA were pretty good games.

Remember for all the 1/16 and 2/15 blowouts in March Madness, we rarely hear too many harping about it being a bad tourney.

[centraljerseycat]

When the time comes to letting 6-5 teams into the playoff you've jumped the shark. 24 is too many. 16 is perfect. Would also love to see the Ivy League champ and the 2nd place teams from the MEAC and SWAC be part of 16 team playoff even if it means the 4th place teams from the MVFC and CAA don't make it.

[clenz]

Worst playoff memory?

All of them


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[ST_Lawson]

When the time comes to letting 6-5 teams into the playoff you've jumped the shark. 24 is too many. 16 is perfect. Would also love to see the Ivy League champ and the 2nd place teams from the MEAC and SWAC be part of 16 team playoff even if it means the 4th place teams from the MVFC and CAA don't make it.

16 teams - sure
Ivy League champ - yup
2nd place MEAC and SWAC teams - hell no
If they want to participate in the playoffs, then win the conference and turn down the bowl bid. Or be a phenomenally good team but somehow come in second in your conference.
No auto-bids for 2nd place teams in any conference. If you don't win your conference, be a good team and get an at-large.

[AmsterBison]

I thought it was a pretty interesting year... too bad some good teams fell apart.

A Pioneer team blew out Big Sky team for the second-straight year. Go back to the old system and San Diego would never have gotten a playoff spot.

Margins of victories by round:



PlayoffRound
MoV


1
16.88


2
16.50


3
21.00


4
38.50



Since 2010, inclusive:


PlayoffRound
MoV


1
17.94


2
15.86


3
17.83


4
19.25


5
14.00



1=First round, 5=Championship

Semis are the round for blowouts so that kind of hurts the argument for fewer teams.

[KPSUL]

2nd place MEAC and SWAC teams - hell no
If they want to participate in the playoffs, then win the conference and turn down the bowl bid.

Yep, fortunately there would be zero support for this throughout FCS football.

[Professor]

These conversations .....lol. Something better be done quick

- - - Updated - - -


Yep, fortunately there would be zero support for this throughout FCS football.

The MEAC and SWAC are the least of your worries

[Gil Dobie]

Been following FCS playoffs since the Bison went I-AA in 2004. Have enjoyed the playoffs every year. 24 is about right, giving the seeds a bye. FCS gets a real National Champ, so it doesn't get any better than that. No problem with Ivy, MEAC and SWAC having their own thing, but they are welcome to join us in playoff football anytime they want.