For your consideration (Dartmouth)...

[Go Green]

Colgate 14 Villanova 34
Colgate 7 Air Force 48
Colgate 10 William and Mary 38
Colgate 21 Maine 35
Colgate 3 Dartmouth 38

Penn 27 Delaware 28
Penn 28 Lafayette 24
Penn 15 Dartmouth 28


​Just sayin'.

[KPSUL]

What are you Say'n ?

I watched the whole Penn game and Dartmouth certainly played an excellent game. They are a well coached and executed offensively very effectively. I wondered why Buddy Teevens was completely dissatisfied with his team going in at the half up 21-7? I wonder if he was happier after they lost the 2nd half 8-7 ?

[Sader87]

Dartmouth is a Top 20 ( at least) FCS team....

[ngineer]

I had Dartmouth around 22 last week. Just need to keep rollin' to keep on rising.

[bonarae]

OK, just waiting on the Princeton result before I put Dartmouth in my poll.

[KPSUL]

OK, just waiting on the Princeton result before I put Dartmouth in my poll.

Quota system?

[Ivytalk]

Quota system?
Yup: the “token Ivy”

There goes the neighborhood.

[bonarae]

Quota system?

Nope. I'm just not sure of both deserving Ivies' SOS ATM.

[Sitting Bull]

Great for Dartmouth. Beating a dead horse but this is another example of where the FCS needs the Ivies participating in post season. It's a good conversation on where Dartmouth should rank but without their participation, what difference does it make? It's meaningless.

The Ivies want to live in a separate neighborhood but want to be included and compared in the bigger neighborhood when it suits them.

No offense meant as I am an Ivy fan.

[crusader11]

Dartmouth is good. Top 25 good.

Unfortunately, Go Green, you won’t get the respect you deserve when Jacksonville and Marist are on the OOC. As a fan of the program, I’d be really disappointed in this schedule.

[Son of Eli]

Dartmouth looked really good last night. They reloaded. Hard to tell how good Princeton is as they haven’t played anyone half way decent yet, but at this point I’d say Dartmouth is the best team in the Ivy League.

[Go Green]

Unfortunately, Go Green, you won’t get the respect you deserve when Jacksonville and Marist are on the OOC. As a fan of the program, I’d be really disappointed in this schedule.

Pretty sure that when those games were scheduled, Jacksonville and Marist were reasonably respectable. I agree that this year, neither is any good.

Oh well...

[Son of Eli]

Pretty sure that when those games were scheduled, Jacksonville and Marist were reasonably respectable. I agree that this year, neither is any good.

Oh well...


Maybe Jacksonville was, when they were cheating, but Marist???

[aceinthehole]

Dartmouth looked really good last night. They reloaded. Hard to tell how good Princeton is as they haven’t played anyone half way decent yet, but at this point I’d say Dartmouth is the best team in the Ivy League.

How do you evaluate that? Seriously, this isn't taking a shot at the Ivy, but right now Dartmouth, Princeton, and Yale appear to have nearly identical resumes until they play each other.

This goes to my point about voting. How can anyone vote for one of those teams in the Top-25, without including the other two? And I see no way to put all 3 in the poll.

When evaluating their results this season, how can anyone objectively rank either one of these teams ahead of the other?

Dartmouth (3-0)
at Jacksonville (Pioneer) W, 35-6 - Dolphins are 2-2, including a lower-division win; at Dayton today
vs. Colgate (Patriot) W, 38-3 - Red Raiders are 0-5 heading into today's game vs. Lehigh
at Penn (Ivy) W, 28-15 - Quakers are 1-3, including a win at Lafayette

Yale (2-0)
vs. Holy Cross (Patriot) W, 23-10 - Crusaders are 1-3, including a win vs. New Hampshire and 2 FBS losses; at Bucknell today
vs. Cornell (Ivy) W, 27-16 - Big Red is 1-1, including a win at Marist; plays Georgetown today
vs. Fordham (Patriot) 1:00 - Rams are 2-3, including win vs. Bryant and Richmond

Princeton (2-0)
vs. Butler (Pioneer) W, 49-7 - Bulldogs are 1-3, including both a lower-division win and loss.
at Bucknell (Patriot) W, 56-23 - Bison are 0-4, including a loss to Sacred Heart and a FBS opponent
vs. Columbia (Ivy) 1:00 - Lions are 1-1, including a win at Saint Francis and a loss vs Georgetown

Assuming both Yale and Princeton win today, doesn't Yale actually have the strongest resume and argument?

[caribbeanhen]

Colgate 14 Villanova 34
Colgate 7 Air Force 48
Colgate 10 William and Mary 38
Colgate 21 Maine 35
Colgate 3 Dartmouth 38

Penn 27 Delaware 28
Penn 28 Lafayette 24
Penn 15 Dartmouth 28


​Just sayin'.

I have Dartmouth ranked #11 in my poll

last year ranked higher than most people

Why? only because I watch a lot of FCS games and I just think they are better football team, well coached and talent is a dangerous thing

maybe if I guy with Dreadlocks and flip flops shows up at a November Dartmouth game with some type of sign encouraging you guys to start participating in the Playoffs.......

[crusader11]

Pretty sure that when those games were scheduled, Jacksonville and Marist were reasonably respectable. I agree that this year, neither is any good.

Oh well...

Neither have ever been respectable on the national stage.

[CHIP72]

I attended the Penn/Delaware game and watched part of the Dartmouth/Penn game, and Dartmouth played Penn a lot tougher than Delaware did (the Quakers probably outplayed the Blue Hens for the game as a whole). I don’t think Delaware is chopped liver either...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KPSUL]

Very glad that Dartmouth and UNH have a home and away series scheduled for 2021 - 22. Dartmouth's resurgence seemed to begin with their 2016 22-21 win at home vs UNH. For the cost of a 90 minute bus ride, both teams will have an opportunity for a "quality" OOC win, and a game that will create some genuine enthusiasm and state-wide interest.

[caribbeanhen]

Very glad that Dartmouth and UNH have a home and away series scheduled for 2021 - 22. Dartmouth's resurgence seemed to begin with their 2016 22-21 win at home vs UNH. For the cost of a 90 minute bus ride, both teams will have an opportunity for a "quality" OOC win, and a game that will create some genuine enthusiasm and state-wide interest.

Now this game really interests me, Nice!

I think Dartmouth and Princeton would be big factors in CAA right now...... Yale as well

[Go Green]

Maybe Jacksonville was, when they were cheating, but Marist???

YMMV, but Marist has been about (or I guess slightly below) a .500 team for most of this decade.

[smilo]

I had Dartmouth in my last poll, but I appreciate you sharing. Initially a 13 point win for a -910 favorite didn't blow me away but I appreciate the comparison of results to Delaware and others. Of course that result almost knocked Delaware out of my poll until last week happened but it remains an impressive road trip.

Princeton otoh seems to have had slow starts two weeks in a row. Leaning towards Dartmouth moving ahead of them. Let's see how H2 goes in New Jersey.

[Son of Eli]

How do you evaluate that? Seriously, this isn't taking a shot at the Ivy, but right now Dartmouth, Princeton, and Yale appear to have nearly identical resumes until they play each other.

This goes to my point about voting. How can anyone vote for one of those teams in the Top-25, without including the other two? And I see no way to put all 3 in the poll.

When evaluating their results this season, how can anyone objectively rank either one of these teams ahead of the other?

Dartmouth (3-0)
at Jacksonville (Pioneer) W, 35-6 - Dolphins are 2-2, including a lower-division win; at Dayton today
vs. Colgate (Patriot) W, 38-3 - Red Raiders are 0-5 heading into today's game vs. Lehigh
at Penn (Ivy) W, 28-15 - Quakers are 1-3, including a win at Lafayette

Yale (2-0)
vs. Holy Cross (Patriot) W, 23-10 - Crusaders are 1-3, including a win vs. New Hampshire and 2 FBS losses; at Bucknell today
vs. Cornell (Ivy) W, 27-16 - Big Red is 1-1, including a win at Marist; plays Georgetown today
vs. Fordham (Patriot) 1:00 - Rams are 2-3, including win vs. Bryant and Richmond

Princeton (2-0)
vs. Butler (Pioneer) W, 49-7 - Bulldogs are 1-3, including both a lower-division win and loss.
at Bucknell (Patriot) W, 56-23 - Bison are 0-4, including a loss to Sacred Heart and a FBS opponent
vs. Columbia (Ivy) 1:00 - Lions are 1-1, including a win at Saint Francis and a loss vs Georgetown

Assuming both Yale and Princeton win today, doesn't Yale actually have the strongest resume and argument?


After watching Yale double up on Fordham 48-24 today I feel a whole lot better about Yale’s chances of beating Dartmouth in Hanover next weekend. I still think Dartmouth will be favored though.

[bulldog10jw]

After watching Yale double up on Fordham 48-24 today I feel a whole lot better about Yale’s chances of beating Dartmouth in Hanover next weekend. I still think Dartmouth will be favored though.

Dartmouth should be favored. They are a more complete team. I still worry about the Yale D

[caribbeanhen]

I have Dartmouth ranked #11 in my poll

last year ranked higher than most people

Why? only because I watch a lot of FCS games and I just think they are better football team, well coached and talent is a dangerous thing

maybe if I guy with Dreadlocks and flip flops shows up at a November Dartmouth game with some type of sign encouraging you guys to start participating in the Playoffs.......

Dartmouth going into top 10 in my poll

Princeton right with em

Yale ? Knocks off another CAA team same as last year

Harvard ? Beats Holy Cross, HC did beat UNH earlier this year

For those of You like me, that criticize the Ivies For not participating in the playoffs Just be careful what you wish for.

[Professor Chaos]

Dartmouth going into top 10 in my poll

Princeton right with em

Yale ? Knocks off another CAA team same as last year

Harvard ? Beats Holy Cross, HC did beat UNH earlier this year

For those of You like me, that criticize the Ivies For not participating in the playoffs Just be careful what you wish for.
Combined records of the 14 teams that Dartmouth, Princeton, and Yale have beaten: 25-64 (meaning those teams are losing two thirds of their game that didn't involve the 3 aforementioned Ivy League teams).

As a group they have 1 win over a team with a winning record and that is Dartmouth over Yale.

Dartmouth's opponents are 10-21 (6-20 outside of Yale). Princeton's opponents are 5-26. Weren't you the leader of the anti-Kennesaw St movement and stating how they had no business in the top 10? Princeton and Dartmouth have had schedules right there Kennesaw to this point in the season. According to Massey Dartmouth's SOS is 99th, KSU's is 105th, and Princeton's is 108th.

[McNeese75]

the Ivies will never be in my top 10 until they play a decent out of conference schedule.

[caribbeanhen]

Combined records of the 14 teams that Dartmouth, Princeton, and Yale have beaten: 25-64 (meaning those teams are losing two thirds of their game that didn't involve the 3 aforementioned Ivy League teams).

As a group they have 1 win over a team with a winning record and that is Dartmouth over Yale.

Dartmouth's opponents are 10-21 (6-20 outside of Yale). Princeton's opponents are 5-26. Weren't you the leader of the anti-Kennesaw St movement and stating how they had no business in the top 10? Princeton and Dartmouth have had schedules right there Kennesaw to this point in the season. According to Massey Dartmouth's SOS is 99th, KSU's is 105th, and Princeton's is 108th.

could say similar things about Villanova before they started conference play, but they were deservedly ranked

[Professor Chaos]

could say similar things about Villanova before they started conference play, but they were deservedly ranked
True. The nice thing about that situation is we knew Villanova would be either vindicate their ranking or get exposed by their conference schedule. Can't really say that about the Ivies. I do think Dartmouth and Princeton are good teams so one of them is going to pick up a really nice win when they play each other but until then I don't think either has the clout to justify a top 10 ranking.

[Sader87]

the Ivies will never be in my top 10 until they play a decent out of conference schedule.

Yale won at Richmond yesterday....

The top half of the Ivy League (Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale and Harvard) is as good as any other FCS conference in the country.

[Professor Chaos]

Yale won at Richmond yesterday....

The top half of the Ivy League (Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale and Harvard) is as good as any other FCS conference in the country.
Of course we'll just have to trust you on that since they can't/won't prove it.

Having said that....
https://media.giphy.com/media/I5xVnGJRHZZf2/giphy.gif

[caribbeanhen]

Yale won at Richmond yesterday....

The top half of the Ivy League (Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale and Harvard) is as good as any other FCS conference in the country.

No disagreement from me

As a CAA guy, right now I would dare say Dartmouth would be favored over

every CAA team minus James Madison and Villanova

Dartmouth Nova would be a great game if we could only see it

The same for Princeton

[KPSUL]

Yale won at Richmond yesterday....

The top half of the Ivy League (Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale and Harvard) is as good as any other FCS conference in the country.

How does a one point win by a top Ivy team over the 10th best CAA team lead one to conclude that The Ivy is as good as any FCS conference "in the country"? The country is a big place filled with teams that never play the Ivy League.

[Go Green]

How does a one point win by a top Ivy team over the 10th best CAA team lead one to conclude that The Ivy is as good as any FCS conference "in the country"?

The fact that the Ivy team that beat Richmond was absolutely destroyed by another Ivy team the week before does give the theory some credibility IMHO.

[Sader87]

The top half of conference i.e. the first 4 Ivies are as deep/good as just about any other conference's top 4 teams is my point.

[NY Crusader 2010]

I know Dartmouth and Princeton's out of conference schedules are pretty bad this year so we will not get to really see how good those teams are. Top 15? Top 10? Top 5? We'll never know. A real shame that the 150th Anniversary of college football couldn't have been celebrated this year at the Meadowlands with Princeton getting a P5 scalp against Rutgers.

Last year, Yale did get a big FCS win when they beat CAA champ and national semi-finalist Maine. The Eli finished 4th in the Ivy last year.

Here are some games I'd love to see the Ivies schedule (or re-schedule):

Dartmouth-UNH: these two need to go ahead and ink a 12-year series
Dartmouth-Maine
Harvard-UNH
Princeton-Delaware
Princeton-William & Mary
Penn-Villanova (this game should be played more frequently)
Penn-Richmond
Penn-Georgetown (because I feel bad for DFW Hoya that Georgetown can't find any DI teams to schedule them)
Columbia-Fordham -- this early-season NYC rivalry dropped off the map
Cornell-Stony Brook
Brown-CCSU
Yale-CCSU

[McNeese75]

Yale won at Richmond yesterday....

The top half of the Ivy League (Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale and Harvard) is as good as any other FCS conference in the country.

What the Professor said. Prove it!!!!

[GoBlueHens83]

I know Dartmouth and Princeton's out of conference schedules are pretty bad this year so we will not get to really see how good those teams are. Top 15? Top 10? Top 5? We'll never know. A real shame that the 150th Anniversary of college football couldn't have been celebrated this year at the Meadowlands with Princeton getting a P5 scalp against Rutgers.

Last year, Yale did get a big FCS win when they beat CAA champ and national semi-finalist Maine. The Eli finished 4th in the Ivy last year.

Here are some games I'd love to see the Ivies schedule (or re-schedule):

Dartmouth-UNH: these two need to go ahead and ink a 12-year series
Dartmouth-Maine
Harvard-UNH
Princeton-Delaware
Princeton-William & Mary
Penn-Villanova (this game should be played more frequently)
Penn-Richmond
Penn-Georgetown (because I feel bad for DFW Hoya that Georgetown can't find any DI teams to schedule them)
Columbia-Fordham -- this early-season NYC rivalry dropped off the map
Cornell-Stony Brook
Brown-CCSU
Yale-CCSU

I’d love to see a home and home with Princeton.

[Son of Eli]

I know Dartmouth and Princeton's out of conference schedules are pretty bad this year so we will not get to really see how good those teams are. Top 15? Top 10? Top 5? We'll never know. A real shame that the 150th Anniversary of college football couldn't have been celebrated this year at the Meadowlands with Princeton getting a P5 scalp against Rutgers.

Last year, Yale did get a big FCS win when they beat CAA champ and national semi-finalist Maine. The Eli finished 4th in the Ivy last year.

Here are some games I'd love to see the Ivies schedule (or re-schedule):

Dartmouth-UNH: these two need to go ahead and ink a 12-year series
Dartmouth-Maine
Harvard-UNH
Princeton-Delaware
Princeton-William & Mary
Penn-Villanova (this game should be played more frequently)
Penn-Richmond
Penn-Georgetown (because I feel bad for DFW Hoya that Georgetown can't find any DI teams to schedule them)
Columbia-Fordham -- this early-season NYC rivalry dropped off the map
Cornell-Stony Brook
Brown-CCSU
Yale-CCSU


I’m for Yale vs. CCSU. Also for Yale vs:

Stony Brook
Albany
William & Mary
Delaware
any FBS program that will play us.

I’m a little tired of playing Maine and Georgetown. Yale is 9-0-1 against Maine and 6-0 against Georgetown.

[GoBlueHens83]

I’m for Yale vs. CCSU. Also for Yale vs:

Stony Brook
Albany
William & Mary
Delaware
any FBS program that will play us.

I'd be happy with a home and home with Yale as well.

[KPSUL]

Here are some games I'd love to see the Ivies schedule (or re-schedule):

Dartmouth-UNH: these two need to go ahead and ink a 12-year series


Dartmouth and UNH start another home and home in 2021. The teams played every two years for 30+ years with our most recent meeting occurring in 2016.

[taper]

Yale won at Richmond yesterday....

The top half of the Ivy League (Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale and Harvard) is as good as any other FCS conference in the country.

Here's a list of teams with a winning record that those 4 have beaten this year:




Here's a list of full scholarship teams those 4 have beaten this year:
Richmond (3-4)
Howard (1-6)

Saying the Ivy is the equal of the power conferences is one of the dumbest things I've seen this week. It's not supported by anything but ego and delusion. You want to prove otherwise, schedule teams that aren't in walking distance or join the playoffs.

[Son of Eli]

Here's a list of teams with a winning record that those 4 have beaten this year:




Here's a list of full scholarship teams those 4 have beaten this year:
Richmond (3-4)
Howard (1-6)

Saying the Ivy is the equal of the power conferences is one of the dumbest things I've seen this week. It's not supported by anything but ego and delusion. You want to prove otherwise, schedule teams that aren't in walking distance or join the playoffs.


Aren’t Holy Cross, Bucknell, Colgate, Lafayette and Fordham full scholarship teams?

[DFW HOYA]

Aren’t Holy Cross, Bucknell, Colgate, Lafayette and Fordham full scholarship teams?

Six PL teams are 60 full-scholarship teams and one is stubbornly not.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Six PL teams are 60 full-scholarship teams and one is stubbornly not.

Are we sure Lafayette and Bucknell are giving out the full 60? xeyebrowx

[Son of Eli]

I’d like to see an enhanced scheduling alliance between the CAA and the Ivy League. I don’t want to see any more Ivy League games scheduled against the Pioneer League, other than perhaps San Diego. Ivy League OOC scheduling should be focused against the Patriot, CAA and NEC in that order.

[taper]

No they're not, and if you're using PL wins to support a rank there's no point to any of this.

[Son of Eli]

No they're not, and if you're using PL wins to support a rank there's no point to any of this.

I wonder why FBS teams are scheduling them if you’re correct. The games wouldn’t have bowl counter status.

[taper]

I wonder why FBS teams are scheduling them if you’re correct. The games wouldn’t have bowl counter status.

You only need 90% scholarship to be a bowl counter. Even then some FBS schedule non-counter FCS, like Robert Morris, CCSU, and Wagner this year. As for why FBS would schedule a non-counter, probably because they know they're not making the bowl series, just like the Ivy doesn't go to playoffs.

[Gangtackle11]

Aren’t Holy Cross, Bucknell, Colgate, Lafayette and Fordham full scholarship teams?

We played 3 PL teams this season. Nothing personal, but it’s the worst football I’ve seen in many years. Nova is something like 38-4 vs. the PL in the last 20 years. Very smart kids, mostly inferior football. Every once in awhile a team like Colgate last season appears, but it’s more likely to be seen as frequent as Haley’s comet. They catch our top teams sleeping here or there, but the football is pretty bad especially in the scholarship era. Go figure. xpeacex

[CenMEBlackBearFan]

I’m for Yale vs. CCSU. Also for Yale vs:

Stony Brook
Albany
William & Mary
Delaware
any FBS program that will play us.

I’m a little tired of playing Maine and Georgetown. Yale is 9-0-1 against Maine and 6-0 against Georgetown.

Maine and Yale played in 2105 & 2018, the previous 8 games were played between 1913-1937, I can see why you are tired of playing usxnodx

[UNHWildcat18]

I’d like to see an enhanced scheduling alliance between the CAA and the Ivy League. I don’t want to see any more Ivy League games scheduled against the Pioneer League, other than perhaps San Diego. Ivy League OOC scheduling should be focused against the Patriot, CAA and NEC in that order.

I agree, we do one FBS two OOC, Id much rather have the FBS,IVY,PL or NEC over the current FBS/NEC/PL format we have

[NY Crusader 2010]

We played 3 PL teams this season. Nothing personal, but it’s the worst football I’ve seen in many years. Nova is something like 38-4 vs. the PL in the last 20 years. Very smart kids, mostly inferior football. Every once in awhile a team like Colgate last season appears, but it’s more likely to be seen as frequent as Haley’s comet. They catch our top teams sleeping here or there, but the football is pretty bad especially in the scholarship era. Go figure. xpeacex

Unfortunately, this is pretty much spot on. The decline in level of play has been especially frustrating during the scholarship era. Most years, I would say the PL manages to have at least ONE pretty formidable team that can compete with FCS Top 20 opponents. This is definitely NOT one of those years. PL had a nice stretch from about 1999-2010. Lehigh, Colgate, Fordham and Lafayette all had respectable programs during MOST of that time frame with Holy Cross putting together strong teams during the second half of that time period.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Here's a list of teams with a winning record that those 4 have beaten this year:




Here's a list of full scholarship teams those 4 have beaten this year:
Richmond (3-4)
Howard (1-6)

Saying the Ivy is the equal of the power conferences is one of the dumbest things I've seen this week. It's not supported by anything but ego and delusion. You want to prove otherwise, schedule teams that aren't in walking distance or join the playoffs.

Using Jeff Sagarin's ratings, Ivy League is a notch below the top conferences, 4th overall in FCS:

1) Valley
2) Big Sky
3) CAA
4) IVY
5) Southland
6) SoCon
7) OVC
8) Patriot
9) Big South
10) NEC
11) SWAC West
12) MEAC
13) SWAC East
14) Pioneer

[taper]

Computer rankings completely rely on well connected teams. The Ivy is so disconnected I wouldn't trust that. Whatever algorithm they use really likes NDSU and UNI also, I think we're both higher than we should be.

[Son of Eli]

Maine and Yale played in 2105 & 2018, the previous 8 games were played between 1913-1937, I can see why you are tired of playing usxnodx

Made you look! I was waiting for someone to call me on that. Good job. xdrunkyx

[Sitting Bull]

I’m for Yale vs. CCSU. Also for Yale vs:

Stony Brook
Albany
William & Mary
Delaware
any FBS program that will play us.

I’m a little tired of playing Maine and Georgetown. Yale is 9-0-1 against Maine and 6-0 against Georgetown.

I'm with you.

The three Ivies I would like to see on W&M schedules (series to-date)
Harvard 4-4-2
Yale 1-1
Princeton 2-1-1

[aceinthehole]

You only need 90% scholarship to be a bowl counter. Even then some FBS schedule non-counter FCS, like Robert Morris, CCSU, and Wagner this year. As for why FBS would schedule a non-counter, probably because they know they're not making the bowl series, just like the Ivy doesn't go to playoffs.

The NEC teams are "bowl counters"

[Derby City Duke]

Yale won at Richmond yesterday....

The top half of the Ivy League (Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale and Harvard) is as good as any other FCS conference in the country.

By virtue of Richmond U. not being able to stop two 4th and 12s inside the final 2 minutes or being able to even get a hand on an onside kick. It takes a special group to give up 2 TDs in the last 1:15 of a game. The Spatters are CAA in name only; kind of like Vandy in the SEC.

[Sitting Bull]

The top half of conference i.e. the first 4 Ivies are as deep/good as just about any other conference's top 4 teams is my point.

I'm sorry, but not close.

Having watched JMU at Homecoming, this is not your average FCS talent. In fact, it was talent on a level I haven't seen at FCS as yet.

So to try and compare the top Ivy 4 with: JMU, Villanova, Stony Brook and pick another (Maine, Elon, UNH, Delaware, Towson) - it's not the same.

I could buy they could compete head-to-head with the bottom four of the CAA, which would be my takeaway from Yale pulling one out of their backside at bottom tier Richmond.

[taper]

The NEC teams are "bowl counters"

NCAA 2019-2020 manual:
18.7.2.1.1
Exception -- Football Championship Subdivision Opponent. [FBS] Each year, a Football Bowl Subdivision institution may count one victory against a Football Championship Subdivision opponent toward meeting the definition of a "deserving team," provided the opponent has averaged 90 percent of the permissible maximum number of grants-in-aid per year in football during a rolling two-year period.

There is another exception that lets a non-counter FCS win 'count' if there aren't enough bowl eligible FBS teams otherwise, but the NEC are not FBS counters at 45 scholarships.

[NY Crusader 2010]

NCAA 2019-2020 manual:
18.7.2.1.1


There is another exception that lets a non-counter FCS win 'count' if there aren't enough bowl eligible FBS teams otherwise, but the NEC are not FBS counters at 45 scholarships.

Interesting stuff -- didn't know that. Seems like Wagner somehow manages to schedule an FBS every year in spite of this. I think you can get an also get an exemption if you can prove that there were no available "bowl counter" teams to schedule on a given open date, forcing you to either a) schedule a 2nd FCS team or b) an FCS team below the scholarship minimum.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Unfortunately, this is pretty much spot on. The decline in level of play has been especially frustrating during the scholarship era. Most years, I would say the PL manages to have at least ONE pretty formidable team that can compete with FCS Top 20 opponents. This is definitely NOT one of those years. PL had a nice stretch from about 1999-2010. Lehigh, Colgate, Fordham and Lafayette all had respectable programs during MOST of that time frame with Holy Cross putting together strong teams during the second half of that time period.

The PL has produced really good teams the last 10 years but the league has had zero depth. Lehigh in 2011 and 2012 (especially 2011 legit Top 5-10) were really good teams imo. Fordham in 2013 was really good too. Colgate caught fire in the playoffs in 2015 and last year's Raider team is one of their best ever at the 1-AA/FCS level. There's also been some ugliness too. Two teams with losing records repping the league in the playoffs (' 13 Lafayette and '17 Lehigh). There were also three really brutal playoff performances ('12 Colgate, '15 Fordham and '16 Lehigh).

[caribbeanhen]

By virtue of Richmond U. not being able to stop two 4th and 12s inside the final 2 minutes or being able to even get a hand on an onside kick. It takes a special group to give up 2 TDs in the last 1:15 of a game. The Spatters are CAA in name only; kind of like Vandy in the SEC.

Yale did the same on side kick a few weeks ago vs Cornell only Yale returned that one for 6

wonder if Richmond staff even knew it was coming

[grayghost06]

NCAA 2019-2020 manual:
18.7.2.1.1
Exception -- Football Championship Subdivision Opponent. [FBS] Each year, a Football Bowl Subdivision institution may count one victory against a Football Championship Subdivision opponent toward meeting the definition of a "deserving team," provided the opponent has averaged 90 percent of the permissible maximum number of grants-in-aid per year in football during a rolling two-year period.

There is another exception that lets a non-counter FCS win 'count' if there aren't enough bowl eligible FBS teams otherwise, but the NEC are not FBS counters at 45 scholarships.


Interesting stuff -- didn't know that. Seems like Wagner somehow manages to schedule an FBS every year in spite of this. I think you can get an also get an exemption if you can prove that there were no available "bowl counter" teams to schedule on a given open date, forcing you to either a) schedule a 2nd FCS team or b) an FCS team below the scholarship minimum.

The NEC (and probably others) are allowed to count players who are receiving non-athletic forms of aid for scholarships toward their total. Makes it possible for some to reach the magic 57 counter level for FBS teams to play them. http://www.college-sports-journal.com/how-wagner-made-38-equal-61/