FCS playoffs and bowl games? It's a thought (STATS FCS article)

[Panther88]

There are people in the FCS who feel the three-week gap between the playoff semifinals and the national championship is about a week too long.
It includes some of the participants who have ventured to the bowl-like week in early January in Frisco, Texas.

((read the remainder of the article here-----> http://www.fcs.football/cfb/story.asp?i=20180606101455926161004&ref=rec&tm=&src=FCS )

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I don't think there is enough general interest in FCS football, like the interest in big-state-U of the FBS world, for something like FCS bowl games to be successful.

[Bisonator]

I stopped reading when it said Football Gameplan.......

[NoVABison]

I stopped reading when it said Football Gameplan.......

In spite of FBGP being the source, I read on... bowls for those that don't make the playoffs? More unwatchable bowl games by horrible teams. no thanks!

[DFW HOYA]

The Celebration Bowl works because it has TV, sponsors, and fan bases willing to travel to a central location. Many pre-Christmas bowls struggle to get even that, and it shows, not to mention the fact that multiple bowls in a single metro area dilutes overall interest. There are now four bowl games in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, not counting the divisional championship game, and three in Orlando.

And this scenario: what if one of the lower level bowls (e.g., Las Vegas Bowl, Bahamas Bowl, etc.) invited the Missouri Valley or Big Sky champions outright, mindful of what they would bring to the gate?

[JacksFan40]

If they did male bowl games, you’d have to put them in places close enough for fans. Not all teams travel well like NDSU. SDSU fans would only go as far as Minnesota with a solid crowd. I’d say only Quarterfinal teams play in bowl games. The 4 teams who lost there plus the 2 semifinal losers, 3 games in total.

[FUBeAR]

Didn’t read the article, but I could see FCS Bowl games as ‘extensions’ of FBS Bowls, probably UNofficial extensions for any big bowls, but maybe some of the smaller ones could see it as a way to increase out-of-town attendance & add this sort of thing to their overall package. Let’s say Tennessee is playing Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in ATL. Once those Teams were determined, you could...maybe match up UT-Martín or Tennessee Tech vs. Furman or Wofford (if any of those didn’t make the Playoffs) in a game the night before the FBS game in the same venue or at a nearby, smaller venue. The fans of the FCS Programs might find spending to go to both worthwhile & maybe some of the FBS Team’s fans would ‘adopt’ the FCS program from their area for the week & attend the FCS game.

I’m not saying this is a good idea. There’s a lot about it that I despise...but it could work...in some situations & with the right people driving it. Personally, if either of my FCS Teams was playing in a “Jr” Bowl in the same location as Clemson (Grad Alma Mater) or Georgia (Family Members’ Alma Mater) in a fun location, I would think about making the trip and attending both, whereas, otherwise, I’m good with watching the FBS game from the couch...maybe, if I watch it at all.

[dewey]

I like this part.

""You get rid of the whole 'we got snubbed'," Hashagene said. "OK, you did, fair enough. But you've got a bowl game to play.""

You can't play for a National Championship but go play in this crap bowl game that will not be on ESPN or ESPN2.

Dewey

[bonarae]

FYI, just curious about past bowls involving FCS, e.g. Ivy Bowl... what was it and who faced who?

[Professor Chaos]

If they did male bowl games, you’d have to put them in places close enough for fans. Not all teams travel well like NDSU. SDSU fans would only go as far as Minnesota with a solid crowd. I’d say only Quarterfinal teams play in bowl games. The 4 teams who lost there plus the 2 semifinal losers, 3 games in total.
Yeah, well at least they'd have testicles...

[katss07]

This is stupid as hell...if your team isn’t good enough to make the playoffs, then their season should be over! No one wants to play in a bowl game that is basically an appetizer for the championship. Its pointless! No one wants to play in a bowl game with a crowd of 500 and literally nobody watching on TV. It makes no sense at all.

The postseason needs to include the playoffs. And only the playoffs.

[ST_Lawson]

Only aspect of this that stands an even remote possibility of working is if the Ivy League sent their champ and played the top non-playoff Patriot League team somewhere around NYC.

Still immensely unlikely.


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[Hammerhead]

I doubt there would be enough TV money to subsidize bowls that aren't even on national TV.

[mvemjsunpx]

I doubt there would be enough TV money to subsidize bowls that aren't even on national TV.

No kidding. If most FBS schools can't even make money on their bowl games, what hope does the bulk of FCS have?

[DFW HOYA]

Only aspect of this that stands an even remote possibility of working is if the Ivy League sent their champ and played the top non-playoff Patriot League team somewhere around NYC. Still immensely unlikely.

Better yet: Ivy champ against the highest ranked non-bowl participant out of these schools: Air Force, Army, Duke, Navy, Northwestern, Rice, SMU, Tulane, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest.

[cx500d]

Better yet: Ivy champ against the highest ranked non-bowl participant out of these schools: Air Force, Army, Duke, Navy, Northwestern, Rice, SMU, Tulane, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest.

If the ivy will play a bowl game but not partake in the playoffs, they should be kicked out of fcs.

Of course I think they should be kicked out anyway since they don’t follow the middle initial of fcs

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[DFW HOYA]

If the ivy will play a bowl game but not partake in the playoffs, they should be kicked out of fcs.


What about these teams?

https://78.media.tumblr.com/8650fb454ec20c5dd43d1c21f90b23f4/tumblr_inline_p117efdhyQ1rlg9aw_400.jpg

[WestCoastAggie]

What about these teams?

https://78.media.tumblr.com/8650fb454ec20c5dd43d1c21f90b23f4/tumblr_inline_p117efdhyQ1rlg9aw_400.jpg

Uhh... A&T played a playoff game at Richmond in 2016. The MEAC still participates, if a team earns an At-Large Bid.

Leave us out of this one.

[cx500d]

What about these teams?

https://78.media.tumblr.com/8650fb454ec20c5dd43d1c21f90b23f4/tumblr_inline_p117efdhyQ1rlg9aw_400.jpg

Them too


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[katss07]

If the ivy will play a bowl game but not partake in the playoffs, they should be kicked out of fcs.

Of course I think they should be kicked out anyway since they don’t follow the middle initial of fcs

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Couldn’t agree more. SWAC needs to go too. I am alright with the MEAC staying and participating in the CB, only because they allow teams to go to the playoffs. But the Ivy and SWAC need to be gone.

[WestCoastAggie]

Couldn’t agree more. SWAC needs to go too. I am alright with the MEAC staying and participating in the CB, only because they allow teams to go to the playoffs. But the Ivy and SWAC need to be gone.

As long as a SWAC team not named Grambling or Southern plays and wins a strong enough OOC schedule + wins 7 or more games, they can be invited to the playoffs. That team would also have to avoid making the SWAC Championship Game.

There are hurdles but technically, The SWAC never came out as a conference to say they won't play in the playoffs. You just need a team like Alcorn, Jackson State or Prairie View to schedule and win high quality OOC games on the way to an 8-win season, avoiding the SCG.

[ASU33]

Couldn’t agree more. SWAC needs to go too. I am alright with the MEAC staying and participating in the CB, only because they allow teams to go to the playoffs. But the Ivy and SWAC need to be gone.

We follow the same model as the MEAC though.

[ASU33]

If the ivy will play a bowl game but not partake in the playoffs, they should be kicked out of fcs.

Of course I think they should be kicked out anyway since they don’t follow the middle initial of fcs

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The name change from 1-A and 1-AA had nothing to do with playoff eligibility. A present day FCS school is no more required to participate in the playoffs present day as a 1-AA was back in the 80s,90s or 2000s

[JacksFan40]

D2 has some bowl games like the Mineral Water Bowl. It has the top teams from the NSIC and MIAA who didn’t make the playoffs.

[DeltaDevil662]

We follow the same model as the MEAC though.

The exact DAMN model. That's why I try to limit my posts over here because some of these "holier-than-thou" (closet racist) posters over here act like they are the gatekeepers of the FCS and FCS playoffs talking out the side of their neck. The SWAC didn't leave the playoffs. They gave up the autobid.

Schools like Alabama State, Southern and Grambling didn't eliminate themselves from the FCS playoffs. They had long standing traditional games that predate the FCS playoffs and expansion of said playoffs. WHY should they move their games to participate in a money losing playoff system that hardly anyone care about. And since the championship game has been moved back 3 weeks to around the same time as the FBS title game, it would make perfect sense to move the playoffs back one week.

But nope. Let's continue the "SWAC and MEAC are scared of competition" narrative to make ourselves feel better

[Panther88]

As long as a SWAC team not named Grambling or Southern plays and wins a strong enough OOC schedule + wins 7 or more games, they can be invited to the playoffs. That team would also have to avoid making the SWAC Championship Game.

There are hurdles but technically, The SWAC never came out as a conference to say they won't play in the playoffs. You just need a team like Alcorn, Jackson State or Prairie View to schedule and win high quality OOC games on the way to an 8-win season, avoiding the SCG.

+1. Precisely.

[Professor Chaos]

As long as a SWAC team not named Grambling or Southern plays and wins a strong enough OOC schedule + wins 7 or more games, they can be invited to the playoffs. That team would also have to avoid making the SWAC Championship Game.

There are hurdles but technically, The SWAC never came out as a conference to say they won't play in the playoffs. You just need a team like Alcorn, Jackson State or Prairie View to schedule and win high quality OOC games on the way to an 8-win season, avoiding the SCG.
Sorry if you take offense to this but the SWAC as a whole, not just a few teams, needs to upgrade their game if an 8 win SWAC team that doesn't win their league is going to be a playoff team. Last year 9-2 McNeese missed out and I'd argue the SLC was head and shoulders above the SWAC last year.

Also, isn't the SWAC title game done? So, presumably, the 2nd best team in the SWAC would be eligible for the playoffs if that isn't Grambling or Southern?


The exact DAMN model. That's why I try to limit my posts over here because some of these "holier-than-thou" (closet racist) posters over here act like they are the gatekeepers of the FCS and FCS playoffs talking out the side of their neck. The SWAC didn't leave the playoffs. They gave up the autobid.

Schools like Alabama State, Southern and Grambling didn't eliminate themselves from the FCS playoffs. They had long standing traditional games that predate the FCS playoffs and expansion of said playoffs. WHY should they move their games to participate in a money losing playoff system that hardly anyone care about. And since the championship game has been moved back 3 weeks to around the same time as the FBS title game, it would make perfect sense to move the playoffs back one week.

But nope. Let's continue the "SWAC and MEAC are scared of competition" narrative to make ourselves feel better

Alright, I'll bite. If you move the playoffs back a week you'd be playing the semifinals on or very near Christmas. We've already seen how well Thanksgiving weekend games are attended.... imagine that being Christmas weekend especially when you only have a week to sell tickets. It's not going to happen.

As far as the playoffs being a "money losing system" if you don't host a game you're not going to lose any money unless you want to bring more than the NCAA allotted travel party (which is something like 110 and includes players, coaching staff, support staff, and cheer team).

[WestCoastAggie]

Sorry if you take offense to this but the SWAC as a whole, not just a few teams, needs to upgrade their game if an 8 win SWAC team that doesn't win their league is going to be a playoff team. Last year 9-2 McNeese missed out and I'd argue the SLC was head and shoulders above the SWAC last year.

Also, isn't the SWAC title game done? So, presumably, the 2nd best team in the SWAC would be eligible for the playoffs if that isn't Grambling or Southern?

I don't take offense to what you said here at all. It's honestly objective and could be said about the MEAC as a whole too. It's theoretically possible for the SWAC to land At-Large bids. But for that to happen, teams overall have to drastically improve their OOC scheduling, and win those games. If Alcorn, Alabama A&M, Pine Bluff, Jackson State, Valley, Prairie View, and Texas Southern gave themselves a winning record collectively against quality OOC competition, they could give themselves compelling resumes for bids. If they do that, the 2nd place team in either division could have a compelling argument to get in at 8-3 or even 7-4.

The MEAC has to do this too, and to many of their member teams, they do schedule quality teams. But that doesn't matter if they don't win.

Overall, it's a tough thing to do when you're also looking to schedule games that maximize your school's athletic budget, not just the football program. Oftentimes, most of us are looking for FBS money games, compelling classics or looking for FCS teams that will pay to play.

[ASU33]

I don't take offense to what you said here at all. It's honestly objective and could be said about the MEAC as a whole too. It's theoretically possible for the SWAC to land At-Large bids. But for that to happen, teams overall have to drastically improve their OOC scheduling, and win those games. If Alcorn, Alabama A&M, Pine Bluff, Jackson State, Valley, Prairie View, and Texas Southern gave themselves a winning record collectively against quality OOC competition, they could give themselves compelling resumes for bids. If they do that, the 2nd place team in either division could have a compelling argument to get in at 8-3 or even 7-4.

The MEAC has to do this too, and to many of their member teams, they do schedule quality teams. But that doesn't matter if they don't win.

Overall, it's a tough thing to do when you're also looking to schedule games that maximize your school's athletic budget, not just the football program. Oftentimes, most of us are looking for FBS money games, compelling classics or looking for FCS teams that will pay to play.

Only once or twice that I can remember that a SWAC non champ was considered for an at large. 2005 when Alabama A&M back doored into there way into the title game after it looked like they would be left out at 9-2 and a top 20 ranking, and 2013 where Alcorn State went 9-2 but missed the title game.

[WestCoastAggie]

Only once or twice that I can remember that a SWAC non champ was considered for an at large. 2005 when Alabama A&M back doored into there way into the title game after it looked like they would be left out at 9-2 and a top 20 ranking, and 2013 where Alcorn State went 9-2 but missed the title game.

This year, PV has a really good shot for an At-Large bid. But they have to beat NCCU and Sam Houston State. If they can go 2-2 or 3-1 OOC, an 8-3 record (with a loss to Southern or Grambling) gives the Panthers a really good shot at the playoffs. They're a lock if they beat Rice, if they don't win the SWAC West.

They certainly scheduled for the playoffs, if they don't make the SCG.

[ASU33]

This year, PV has a really good shot for an At-Large bid. But they have to beat NCCU and Sam Houston State. If they can go 2-2 or 3-1 OOC, an 8-3 record (with a loss to Southern or Grambling) gives the Panthers a really good shot at the playoffs. They're a lock if they beat Rice, if they don't win the SWAC West.

They certainly scheduled for the playoffs, if they don't make the SCG.


Good point. Not sure if PV is ready to take that step though.

[WestCoastAggie]

Miss. Valley has a really strong schedule too. If they can pull off an upset against JSU and Bethune-Cookman, they'll definitely get attention from the committee.

[ASU33]

Miss. Valley has a really strong schedule too. If they can pull off an upset against JSU and Bethune-Cookman, they'll definitely get attention from the committee.


Valley keeps a killer schedule. The problem is they usually go 1-10. Valley hasn't won more than 4 games in a season in over a decade now.

[Panther88]

Good point. Not sure if PV is ready to take that step though.

ASU33, I'm very cautiously optimistic. This is a differing type of staff and I think it show(s/ed) in the way in which they recruited. Game #1 vs Rice University will show the tale of the tape as to what's what. It's been eerily quiet (coaching staff) and that makes me slightly nervous regarding their potential.

[Panther88]

Sorry if you take offense to this but the SWAC as a whole, not just a few teams, needs to upgrade their game if an 8 win SWAC team that doesn't win their league is going to be a playoff team. Last year 9-2 McNeese missed out and I'd argue the SLC was head and shoulders above the SWAC last year.



You stated nothing offensive other than giving the truth. SWAC teams need to perform OOC @ a dominating level in order to be considered.

Most may have forgotten but in our former HC's first year, PV went 9-2 w/ losses to D-I FBSer tx st and IC foe Grambling State. PV created a viral buzz of "#PVToThePlayoffs" immediately after the last game almost begging for some type of consideration into the FCS playoffs. That squad was the best suited for FCS playoff potential, from top to bottom. That was also the year that PV won the D-I FCS Scoring Title (avg pts per game).

[katss07]

So really 12 conferences can participate (with the end of the SWAC title) but only 10 get autobids correct?

[AmsterBison]

Don't really care what other programs do, but if NDSU doesn't get into the playoffs, I don't want to compound the failure with a bowl game appearance.

[cx500d]

You just need a team like Alcorn, Jackson State or Prairie View to schedule and win high quality OOC games on the way to an 8-win season, avoiding the SCG.

So, never?


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