Conference Requirements for Automatic Bid

[TitanCzar]

Hi new to this board and wanted some info about FCS.

What are the requirements for a conference to get an automatic bid for the FCS playoffs?

In basketball a conference must have six members, who have been D-1 for at least eight years etc.

I'm sure there are requirements, other than just six schools, for a conference to get an automatic bid. I'm sure the schools in the conference need to be D-1 for a certain number of years.

I also heard that the playoffs will expand to 20 teams, 10 automatics and 10 at large bids in 2010.

I heard that the Big South is going to get an automatic and maybe the Northeast. Is that true?

Thanks in advance.

Oh, Cal State Fullerton is trying to bring back football. But it would only be non scholarship. At best I would put the chances, right now, at 50/50. With fee increases due to CA budget, I doubt students would vote to increase their fees again. The plan is for the vote to happen in the spring of 09.

[gophoenix]

Hi new to this board and wanted some info about FCS.

What are the requirements for a conference to get an automatic bid for the FCS playoffs?

In basketball a conference must have six members, who have been D-1 for at least eight years etc.

I'm sure there are requirements, other than just six schools, for a conference to get an automatic bid. I'm sure the schools in the conference need to be D-1 for a certain number of years.

I also heard that the playoffs will expand to 20 teams, 10 automatics and 10 at large bids in 2010.

I heard that the Big South is going to get an automatic and maybe the Northeast. Is that true?

Thanks in advance.

Oh, Cal State Fullerton is trying to bring back football. But it would only be non scholarship. At best I would put the chances, right now, at 50/50. With fee increases due to CA budget, I doubt students would vote to increase their fees again. The plan is for the vote to happen in the spring of 09.

First, it helps to do a search on a board, or in google news first before asking a question on whether a piece of news is true or not. Not beating you up over it, though some will.

Second, to be eligible for an automatic bid, you may not get one, you must have 6 of the same D-I members for 2 years straight. Go below 6, you are ineligible and start over. Being eligible doesn't mean you'll receive one though.

[BlueHen86]

First, it helps to do a search on a board, or in google news first before asking a question on whether a piece of news is true or not. Not beating you up over it, though some will.

Second, to be eligible for an automatic bid, you may not get one, you must have 6 of the same D-I members for 2 years straight. Go below 6, you are ineligible and start over. Being eligible doesn't mean you'll receive one though.

I disagree. If it's an FCS question I'm coming to AGS first. I might google the question also, but I would also ask it here.xpeacex

[carney2]

Hi new to this board and wanted some info about FCS.

What are the requirements for a conference to get an automatic bid for the FCS playoffs?

In basketball a conference must have six members, who have been D-1 for at least eight years etc.

I'm sure there are requirements, other than just six schools, for a conference to get an automatic bid. I'm sure the schools in the conference need to be D-1 for a certain number of years.

I also heard that the playoffs will expand to 20 teams, 10 automatics and 10 at large bids in 2010.

I heard that the Big South is going to get an automatic and maybe the Northeast. Is that true?

Thanks in advance.

Oh, Cal State Fullerton is trying to bring back football. But it would only be non scholarship. At best I would put the chances, right now, at 50/50. With fee increases due to CA budget, I doubt students would vote to increase their fees again. The plan is for the vote to happen in the spring of 09.

I agree with Mr. 86. AGS is where one goes for all things FCS. I wouldn't even Google. I'd just ask the question(s) here as you did. Responding to your questions, I know that the playoffs are expanding to 20 in 2010 and I believe that you are correct regarding the two new autobids. I defer to more knowledgeable posters however, since I am not yet thinking on a 2010 horizon.

[TheValleyRaider]

Hi new to this board and wanted some info about FCS.

Excellent. Don't be shy about sticking around xthumbsupx


What are the requirements for a conference to get an automatic bid for the FCS playoffs?

In basketball a conference must have six members, who have been D-1 for at least eight years etc.

I'm sure there are requirements, other than just six schools, for a conference to get an automatic bid. I'm sure the schools in the conference need to be D-1 for a certain number of years.

Well, it's a multi-step process. First, the conferences must be eligible, which means having 6 memebers who have been togehter for the requisite amount of time. I believe that time is 2 years, but someone may be able to correct me on it. I would believe there is a rule regarding members who have been D-I long enough, but given the current state of FCS, every conference with at least 6 teams (which is all except 1, the Great West) has at least 6 members who have been D-I for more than a couple years

Once you've established who is eligible, every conference that wants to can apply to the NCAA for one of FCS' 8 autobids. The Playoff Committee then chooses which conferences get the autobids based on some combination of past performance and ranking. Until recently, the selection of the autobids was a formality as only 8 conferences would apply. In the last 2 years, the NEC started applying as well, and that is one of the things that got the wheels turning on expansion

There are currently 12 conferences in FCS that are eligible.

Of those, 8 get regular autobids. They are: Big Sky, CAA, MEAC, Missouri Valley (formerly known as Gateway), OVC, Patriot League, SoCon, Southland

Of the 4 remaining conferences, the NEC is the only one to apply for an autobid.
-The SWAC chooses not to have an autobid because the playoffs conflict with their conference schedule, including the Bayou Classic, the Turkey Day Classic and the Conference Championship Game. Technically, a SWAC team that does not participate in those games is eligible for an at-large, but those teams are hard to come by
-The Ivy League chooses not to participate in the postseason for football. According to tradition, the Ivy season should end with Harvard-Yale (and all the other games that weekend as well)
-The Pioneer League has not asked for an autobid, nor have they ever had a program selected as an at-large

The Big South is currently not eligible because they only recently added their 6th team (Stony Brook) and have not been together for the minimum number of years


I also heard that the playoffs will expand to 20 teams, 10 automatics and 10 at large bids in 2010.

I heard that the Big South is going to get an automatic and maybe the Northeast. Is that true?

The playoffs will be expanding to 20 teams in 2010 and the Big South and NEC are likely to be the recipients of the new autobids, but they'll all have to apply like every year. In the interim, the NEC also gets a Conditional Autobid. If their conference champion satisfied a predetermined set of requirements, they get in. I think it's 2 wins over teams from autobid conferences and a high national ranking, but I'm not certain of the details. No doubt one of the NEC fans around here will know the particulars

EDIT: Found those NEC requirements. The Football Championship Committee has determined to award a guaranteed at-large position to any conference champion team that: 1) accrues at least eight Division I victories, 2) wins a minimum of two non-conference games against Division I teams from a league that has earned an automatic berth in that given year, and 3) ranks 16th or higher in an average of the last regular season media, coaches and/or computer polls.

Hope this helps xpeacex

[QUOTE}Oh, Cal State Fullerton is trying to bring back football. But it would only be non scholarship. At best I would put the chances, right now, at 50/50. With fee increases due to CA budget, I doubt students would vote to increase their fees again. The plan is for the vote to happen in the spring of 09.[/QUOTE]

Good luck to 'em xnodx

[appfan2008]

there is no where else to get this time information other than right here on ags

[danefan]

there is no where else to get this time information other than right here on ags

NCAA Bylaws. That's where I start.