Autobid Struggles

[89Hen]

This is NOT smack, but a few of the autobid conferences are really struggling this year. Who is struggling the worst and who do you think will have a tough time in the playoffs?

[TexasTerror]

After the problems of the past years, the Southland is shaking them off a little. Wins over the Big Sky, Great West, Big South, SWAC and Missouri Valley this year for SLC squads...

Hurricanes hurt a bit (took away a few winnable matchups), but things are much better...

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

I feel like JSU will take the OVC trophy this year and has a good shot of winning the OVC's first playoff game in a long time. Holy Cross played UMASS well so I can't knock the Patriot. I'm going to go with the MEAC. I don't think any of the teams that have a chance to win the MEAC are better than they were last year (one of the MEAC people can correct me if I am mistaken)

[LehighFan11]

PL takes the cake.

[Go...gate]

Patriot League.

[Syntax Error]

ummmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

1. Colonial Athletic Association (22.78)
2. Southern Conference (27.97)
3. Big Sky Conference (32.59)
4. Missouri Valley Football Conference (34.41)
5. Southland Conference (34.46)
6. Ohio Valley Conference (49.79)
7. Patriot League (51.91)
8. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (61.94)

Not really a question huh?

[crusader11]

I would have said the PL, but it seems that every year the PL representative in the playoffs always gives whoever they play a good game. I really think Colgate, Lafayette, and Holy Cross are by far the class of the league of this year (sorry Fordham, but losing to Dayton and squeaking by Columbia doesn't do it) and can be competitive with most teams in the country.

[Seawolf97]

Patriot League by far.

[Dane96]

I dont know why, but in the end I think the PL will put up a better fight (witness the Holy Cross-UMass result) in the playoffs than any MEAC team this year.

[Syntax Error]

Patriot League by far.
PL takes the cake.
Patriot League.How so? Any discussion on how the PL (and OVC) is ranked much better than the MEAC yet you three say (as well as those who voted) the OVC/PL is worse? xconfusedx

[Big Dawg]

I don't think any of the teams that have a chance to win the MEAC are better than they were last year (one of the MEAC people can correct me if I am mistaken)

Actually SCSU is VERY strong this season. DSU is on a decline and Hampton I don't really know about yet. FAMU and BCU are actually back on the rise.

Honestly, FAMU could realistically finish 10-2 this season 8-4 at worse and SCSU may not lose again this. SCSU has only lost to TWO FBS squads(UCF and Clemson). BCU may not lose again until the Florida Classicxsmiley_wix and their lone loss came at the hands of SCSU.

Honestly SCSU could go pretty deep in the playoffs this season.

[TheValleyRaider]

Patriot League is 11-12 OOC, all FCS competition. 2 wins vs. an autobid conference (Howard, Rhode Island)

OVC is 15-17 OOC. Subtract FBS record of 0-11, and the record is 15-6. Subtract sub-D-I record of 5-0, and the FCS record is 10-6. 4 wins vs. an autobid conference (Chattanooga, Illinois State, Indiana State 2x)

MEAC, well I can't find a comprehensive listing, but my count from their composite schedule has them at 13-13 OOC. Subtract FBS record of 0-5, and the record is 13-8. Subtract sub-D-I record of 3-0, and the FCS record is 10-8. 1 win vs. an autobid conference (Tennessee State)

Head-to-Head
MEAC 1-0 OVC (Florida A&M over Tennessee State)
MEAC 0-1 PL (Georgetown over Howard)
OVC 0-0 PL

In other words, a whole lot of nothing. A real race to the bottom, though I think the PL and MEAC are further down than the OVC. This is all, of course, considering the whole conference. The performance of each conference's representative wil be as related to their weak links as Appalachian State's playoff run last year was to Western Carolina and Chattanooga xtwocentsx

[DSUrocks07]

Actually SCSU is VERY strong this season. DSU is on a decline and Hampton I don't really know about yet. FAMU and BCU are actually back on the rise.

Honestly, FAMU could realistically finish 10-2 this season 8-4 at worse and SCSU may not lose again this. SCSU has only lost to TWO FBS squads(UCF and Clemson). BCU may not lose again until the Florida Classicxsmiley_wix and their lone loss came at the hands of SCSU.

Honestly SCSU could go pretty deep in the playoffs this season.

I think people are still thinking of DSU as the leader of the MEAC...and of last year too xbawlingx
We are having a down year.
We're always going to be the down and out conference until one of our teams makes a deep run into the playoffs...all the way Chatty maybe?xwhistlex
And does so on a consistent basis...

SC State looks like the team to beat this year but I havent had the chance to watch them play. Hampton has the offense do so as well, but their defense is questionable. And our then that hiccup against us, FAMU is in the mix as well, and being a young team can be one of those schools that can make a consistent run in the playoffs. If Hampton and SCSU are on top of the MEAC by the playoffs than whoever doesnt get the autobid has a strong argument for an at-large IMO

[Syntax Error]

Patriot League is all FCS competition.

OVC is ... FBS ... sub-D-I ... FCS

MEAC is ... FBS ... sub-D-I ... FCS

In other words, a whole lot of nothing. So the PL is the worst??????? xconfusedx

[TheValleyRaider]

So the PL is the worst??????? xconfusedx

I'm not sure you can say that

The PL's OOC wins are:
Coastal Carolina
Rhode Island
Dartmouth
Columbia
Pennsylvania
Marist (2 times)
Howard
Duquesne
Robert Morris
Drake

The MEAC's OOC wins are:
Alabama State (2 times)
Jackson State
Winston-Salem State (3 times)
North Carolina Central (2 times)
Savannah State (2 times)
Tennessee State

I'm not really seeing any worldbeaters on there. Of those, who's the best team? Penn? Tennessee State?

I wasn't necessarily trying to suggest which conference was better or worse, just provide some numbers for context. If I'm either the PL or the MEAC (well, one of those is the case), I'm not proud of any of those numbers xsmhx

If I had to pick one conference as the worst, I'd probably go with the MEAC because
-I think the PL's perception gets unfairly dinged for playing the Ivy League
-6 of the PL's losses have gone right down to the wire, and they could just as easily be 17-6 OOC with a win over nationally-ranked UMass
-the PL has played schools like Furman, UMass and Villanova while the MEAC's best FCS opponent is SIU, and that's it, and that includes 7 games total against WSSU, Savannah St, and NCCU (that's 2 transitional schools who are practically MEAC anyway, or at least WSSU is, and arguably one of FCS's absolute worst programs
-and because I'm a bit of a homer :p

Whether or not either conference champion will struggle in the playoffs is another question entirely. Hampton has put up strong performances in the recent past, as had the various Patriot League champions (add in HC taking a pretty good UMass team to the wire this year). I think the PL champ will be strong enough to acquit themselves nicely in the postseason come Thanksgiving weekend. Whether or not they win will be another question....

[Hoyadestroya85]

How so? Any discussion on how the PL (and OVC) is ranked much better than the MEAC yet you three say (as well as those who voted) the OVC/PL is worse? xconfusedx

it is not out of the ordinary for the MEAC to struggle, the PL has been uncharacteristically bad this year, and is seriously struggling. So this year, the Patriot League has struggled the most.

[Syntax Error]

it is not out of the ordinary for the MEAC to struggle, the PL has been uncharacteristically bad this year, and is seriously struggling. So this year, the Patriot League has struggled the most.I see your point. The MEAC is worst and the PL is uncharacteristically struggling the most.

But that isn't the answer to the question "Who is struggling the worst and who do you think will have a tough time in the playoffs?" If it is the MEAC then just say so. You voted the PL.

[Hoyadestroya85]

i didn't vote because i honestly can't pinpoint which, but this is quite an interesting year with how far ahead of the rest of the pack the CAA and SOCON are (mostly the CAA)

[appfan2008]

I am going with the Patriot league but the MEAC and OVC are close second and third respectively... the other five are doing well IMO

[OL FU]

How so? Any discussion on how the PL (and OVC) is ranked much better than the MEAC yet you three say (as well as those who voted) the OVC/PL is worse? xconfusedx

I dunno. I suppose it depends on how you look at the conferences. Not real sure what the answer is but the MEAC usually has two or three decent to good teams and then the other members are simply horrible which brings down the conference rating. Personally waiting to see how Hampton and SC State play out the year. If they are good then I suppose it depends on whether you look at the entire conference or look at the top teams. The answer to struggling conference would seem to include everyone. The answer to toughest time in the playoffs only looks at the top teams.

[Fordham]

it's tough for me to see how other conferences are doing from way down in this hole that we seem to have dug for ourselves in the PL.

[94Terrier]

CAA ..........3........4.41%
Southern....4........5.88%

As of when I voted (68 voters), there are 7 heavy drug user morons who voted before me. Maybe they haven't seen any of the polls from this year that show these 2 conferences have nearly half of the teams represented. Wannabe's I guess.

[89Hen]

The MEAC is worst and the PL is uncharacteristically struggling the most.

who do you think will have a tough time in the playoffs?
That's my assessment. I think the very top of the MEAC (1 or 2 teams) could beat the very top of the MEAC, but then I think the PL is deeper and would win the rest. Because of this, I think the MEAC could have a better playoff performance this year, but I don't think either conference (nor OVC) will have a win this year.

[GSUhooligan]

ummmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

1. Colonial Athletic Association (22.78)
2. Southern Conference (27.97)
3. Big Sky Conference (32.59)
4. Missouri Valley Football Conference (34.41)
5. Southland Conference (34.46)
6. Ohio Valley Conference (49.79)
7. Patriot League (51.91)
8. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (61.94)

Not really a question huh?

It is if you don't buy in to that particular ranking.

[jus10asu]

Def. Patriot

[bluehenbillk]

I don't need a 3-letter faulty-a#$% predictor to tell me that the PL just flat out is terrible nowadays.

[McTailGator]

This is NOT smack, but a few of the autobid conferences are really struggling this year. Who is struggling the worst and who do you think will have a tough time in the playoffs?


It is too early to tell.

Conference play starts for real in the SLC this week, except for one game that was last week.

And who knows about the playoffs.

Give McNeese it's 3 All American and ALL SLC tailback back that were injured before the 1st playoff game last season and we could have been in the NC game.

The real season just got started.