Lehigh Football Nation
November 13th, 2005, 12:23 AM
If you're an at-large team, here's what you are looking for next weekend. I've broken this down in two ways. The first is "expected autobid preservation". This is to ensure that teams which are expected to win autobids win them. Two teams are already locks: Hampton, NIU.
Montana beats Montana St.
UNH beats Maine
Eastern Illinois beats Jacksonville St.
Lehigh beats Lafayette
Appalachian St. beats Elon
Nicholls St. beats McNeese St.
The second is "at-large elimination". This is to reduce the pool of potential at-large teams, which is trickier with the "7 D-I Wins" criteria. For this I split this into two categories. "Heavy Loss" would mean a loss would probably damage their playoff cred completely, while "Light Loss" would weaken the team, but still keep them in the playoff discussion. "Heavy losses" mean the loss is so bad, it can't be ignored, or it puts you at 7-4.
Basically a lock for an at-large invite is: Georgia Southern, and I believe YSU is also going to make it.
"Heavy Loss"
NDSU beating Southern Illinois (7-4)
William & Mary beating Richmond (7-4)
Hofstra beating UMass (7-4)
Idaho St. beating Cal Poly (7-4)
Georgetown beating Colgate (7-4)
NC A&T beating South Carolina St.
Charleston Southern beating Coastal Carolina
SHS beating Texas St. (8-3, 6 D-I wins)
"Light Loss"
Chatty beating Furman
See a trend? There is a lot of football left to play. An at-large team has a lot to root for, especially if the expected conference champs hold out.
Montana beats Montana St.
UNH beats Maine
Eastern Illinois beats Jacksonville St.
Lehigh beats Lafayette
Appalachian St. beats Elon
Nicholls St. beats McNeese St.
The second is "at-large elimination". This is to reduce the pool of potential at-large teams, which is trickier with the "7 D-I Wins" criteria. For this I split this into two categories. "Heavy Loss" would mean a loss would probably damage their playoff cred completely, while "Light Loss" would weaken the team, but still keep them in the playoff discussion. "Heavy losses" mean the loss is so bad, it can't be ignored, or it puts you at 7-4.
Basically a lock for an at-large invite is: Georgia Southern, and I believe YSU is also going to make it.
"Heavy Loss"
NDSU beating Southern Illinois (7-4)
William & Mary beating Richmond (7-4)
Hofstra beating UMass (7-4)
Idaho St. beating Cal Poly (7-4)
Georgetown beating Colgate (7-4)
NC A&T beating South Carolina St.
Charleston Southern beating Coastal Carolina
SHS beating Texas St. (8-3, 6 D-I wins)
"Light Loss"
Chatty beating Furman
See a trend? There is a lot of football left to play. An at-large team has a lot to root for, especially if the expected conference champs hold out.