The last five on the board...

[chattanoogamocs]

Not sure if any other thread talks about this, but I noticed in a Times Free Press article (Tuesday Edition) mentioned who the last 5 on the board were (before they eventually picked Maine).

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/nov/25/chattanooga-comforts-home-plus/

McCutcheon (UMass AD and FCS committee chairman), said the hardest part of the selection process was picking which team received the final at-large bid. He said the committee met for two hours Saturday night and an hour Sunday morning discussing which of the final five teams on its list — Maine, Elon, William & Mary, Liberty and Jacksonville State — received the bid. It eventually went to Maine.

[tingly]

[McCutcheon] said that the group began with five teams for the last spot: Maine, William and Mary, Jacksonville State, Elon and Liberty. They eventually trimmed it to three — believed to be Maine, W&M and Jacksonville State — and finally settled on Maine.

McCutcheon said that none of the numerous ballots taken during the selection process were unanimous, only that Maine finally received a majority.

Without endorsing Maine, McCutcheon said the factors in the Black Bears' favor were: the strength of the CAA, statistically and competitively the best top-to-bottom FCS league in the country; eight wins; winning six of their last seven games; two wins versus teams with winning records.

Without criticizing William and Mary, McCutcheon said he thought that the Tribe's seven-win total was a factor, as was the fact that it lost its last two games — top-10 opponents JMU and Richmond or not. The Tribe defeated only one team with a winning record.

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt_column1125nov25,0,1149971,print.column

[luflame15]

How Elon was still even in dicussion is still crazy, Liberty should have definatley had consideration for top 3.

[Dane96]

Why's that?

[luflame15]

Because they were a four loss team from the SoCON.

[tingly]

If Elon wasn't first out, they were out with Liberty.

[mvemjsunpx]

I agree with the committee that Maine, W&M, & JSU should have been the final 3 choices, but I'm not sure why Elon was in the final 5. They were 8-4, lost three of their last four games (two in lopsided fashion), & shouldn't have even been in consideration for the final spot.

I understand why Liberty was denied. The selection criteria specifically states that those that play all-DI schedules get preferential treatment. Liberty played two non-DIs and no FBS to counter them, so they had quite a hill to climb. I thought the committee would just pick Liberty anyway because of their headline-grabbing win over Elon, but it appears I didn't give the committee enough credit on that front.

No-one has an argument for being "woofed" as far as selection for the field is concerned (Nova has a legitimate beef for being screwed out of a seed, but regionalism won the battle there I'm guessing). The final spot contenders were all pretty borderline & clearly weaker than the other 7 at-larges.

[ASUMountaineer]

Because they were a four loss team from the SoCON.

As opposed to not losing in the Big South? xeyebrowx You may view the SoCon as weak, but it's much stronger than the Big South.

[Biff]

Among that list it looks like Liberty or Jax St. should have gotten in. Elon wasn't that good. The butt whooping by Wofford and they really had too many close games with the lower half of the SoCon. The CAA has too many teams in so W&M and Maine shuld be out.

For me, its a toss among Liberty and Jax St. I would probably give the edge to Jax, but they both look to deserve a chance to play. But ... Liberty will get there shot everntually. Isn't the Big South getting an Auto-bid soon?

By the way, the Big South is stronger than the MEAC in my opinion. I would rather see the Liberty and Jax than South Carolina State Correctional Institution play this year(sorry, that is the joke about that college around these parts. It is a good school).

[Rob Iola]

No luv for the OVC - Jax St. had a solid 8-3 record with quality wins and only FBS/conference losses. Would've thought that the committee might take a 2nd OVC before a 5th CAA. Hopefully EKU will represent in the playoffs and gain back respect for the conference...

[Cocky]

CAA getting 3 home games concerns me maybe more than the 5 teams. The committee seems to be a little stack in the CAA favor at this point.

[Tribe4SF]

I would rather see the Liberty and Jax than South Carolina State Correctional Institution play this year(sorry, that is the joke about that college around these parts. It is a good school).

That's only a joke in your world. You're either part of the problem, or part of the solution.xthumbsdownx

[Tribe4SF]

CAA getting 3 home games concerns me maybe more than the 5 teams. The committee seems to be a little stack in the CAA favor at this point.

Beyond the seeding of JMU, the CAA has two home, and two away. You ought to know how the home games are determined. Pairings are made, and then the bids are looked at.

[appfan2008]

CAA getting 3 home games concerns me maybe more than the 5 teams. The committee seems to be a little stack in the CAA favor at this point.

ya think!

[Dane96]

Because they were a four loss team from the SoCON.

Ummmm..thanks...I got that-- I was referring to Liberty. Four losses to SoCon team is better than the schedule Liberty played.

Coastal Carolina put the blueprint out there-- you play, you win, you go. Albany followed it and got one of the three right, which is why we are sitting home.

Liberty's schedule pretty much kept them out.

[mcveyrl]

Beyond the seeding of JMU, the CAA has two home, and two away. You ought to know how the home games are determined. Pairings are made, and then the bids are looked at.

Yep. Look at the CAA home games...

Richmond (avg. 8,206/gm.)
v.
EKU (acg. 8,483/gm.)

Just because EKU has the higher average attendance does not mean that they had the higher bid. The numbers are close enough that Richmond probably outbid them with guarantees.

Villanova (avg. 7,131/gm.)
v.
Colgate (avg. 5,473/gm)

Not a stretch to say that Villanova probably outbid Colgate.

The two games where the CAA didn't receive home games.

Maine at UNI - UNI blows them out of the water on attendance, but they were seeded anyway.

UNH (8,000/gm.)
at
SIU (9,654/gm.)

Closer than Villanova-Colgate, but not hard to imagine that UNH was outbid here.

[ChickenMan]

CAA getting 3 home games concerns me maybe more than the 5 teams. The committee seems to be a little stack in the CAA favor at this point.

How is 3 out of 5 stacked???

Last year the Gateway and the SoCon played every playoff game.. in every round.. at 'home' until ASU reached the finals.. and even that turned into a 'home' game for ASU... :p

[Skjellyfetti]

Last year the Gateway and the SoCon played every playoff game.. in every round.. at 'home' until ASU reached the finals.. and even that turned into a 'home' game for ASU... :p

The SoCon didn't. I know many in the CAA think of the conference as a one-team league... but you are forgetting Wofford traveling to Montana.

[ChickenMan]

The SoCon didn't. I know many in the CAA think of the conference as a one-team league... but you are forgetting Wofford traveling to Montana.

You are correct.. the SonCon played 3 out of 4 at home.. the Gateway 2 of 2 at home.. the CAA played 7 out of 10 on the 'road'.

[nutterlyattled]

no body has yet to answer from any thread why maine didnt deserve it... i feel they were even across the line with W&M and above liberty

[nutterlyattled]

yes W&M beat us, at home when there was nothing on the line, but maines last couple of games, their opponents were fighting for a spot in the playoffs

[Tribe4SF]

yes W&M beat us, at home when there was nothing on the line, but maines last couple of games, their opponents were fighting for a spot in the playoffs

xlolx Nothing on the line??? Good thing you're not a coach.

[89Hen]

No luv for the OVC - Jax St. had a solid 8-3 record with quality wins
Name them.

[nutterlyattled]

ya think!

i think it is pretty obvious that JMU Villinova, and richmond are among the top teams, just because they are the caa doesnt mean a thing i think if holy cross won you could have see 4 CAA teams at home, unh would have had a good argument

[nutterlyattled]

xlolx Nothing on the line??? Good thing you're not a coach.

maybe, but playing at home means something

fighting to stay in the playoff race means a lot more

[mcveyrl]

maybe, but playing at home means something

fighting to stay in the playoff race means a lot more

Talk about trashing the rest of your opponents.

What you're saying is that UNH knew, given their opponents remaining, that a loss to W&M was no big deal...

[Green26]

Beyond the seeding of JMU, the CAA has two home, and two away. You ought to know how the home games are determined. Pairings are made, and then the bids are looked at.

Tribe (or anyone else), is the above in fact true? How do you know that?

I'm not doubting you; I just want to verify that this is accurate. I know that the field of 16 is selected before bids are looked at, but I did not know that pairings were made before bids were looked at. Thx.

[Dukie95]

Tribe (or anyone else), is the above in fact true? How do you know that?

I'm not doubting you; I just want to verify that this is accurate. I know that the field of 16 is selected before bids are looked at, but I did not know that pairings were made before bids were looked at. Thx.

Well, pairings are done geographically before the home team designations are made - that much is fact. There is precedent to support that bids aren't considered when the pairings are made. When they actually physically look at the bids isn't well known.

For example...last year, JMU was sent to un-seeded ASU because they were close. If it were really about money (and if the bids mattered at that point), they would have paired ASU with someone else and let another team come to JMU for the gate receipts we would have generated.

So, it's clear that bids aren't considered when the pairings are made, only when it comes to deciding which of the pair gets a home game.

[RationalGriz]

Green, I believe that the matchups are done prior to opening bids. It is posible for two teams in one game submitting larger bids than two teams in another. I would also add that the committee knows which schools bid what, I would assume that they use that in selecting matchups. I am pretty sure that only bids for teams in unseeded games are opened, so possbile first round bids for say Texas St are not even opened.

[Green26]

Thanks, guys. I also confirmed that Tribe was correct, i.e. that pairings are done before bids are looked at. Thus, it's possible for 2 high bid (or low bid) teams to be paired.

[jaxstatealum]

Name them.

The only real quality win was against TSU. Our losses were to Georgia Tech - turns out they aren't so bad xsmiley_wix and two conference losses to EKU - by 3 and Martin by 1. I do think that gives our fans a slight gripe, but it is what it is.

I DO think we deserved the nod over Maine, but not sure we were better than Liberty. My opinion would be obviously biased.

[CAAisBOSS]

The only real quality win was against TSU. Our losses were to Georgia Tech - turns out they aren't so bad xsmiley_wix and two conference losses to EKU - by 3 and Martin by 1. I do think that gives our fans a slight gripe, but it is what it is.

I DO think we deserved the nod over Maine, but not sure we were better than Liberty. My opinion would be obviously biased.

Haha Maine is better than Liberty...