Looking ahead to 20TEN

[Tighteye]

I was just wondering which two conferences will get the automatic bids. According to FCS bylaws (paraphrasing) the total number of automatic bids must equal the number of at large openings.

Using the current (10/26/09) 2009 Gridiron Power Index (GPI) by conference rankings, which two conferences that are not in BOLD deserve the automatic bid in your opinion. Please support your selections in a brief narrative

1. Colonial Athletic Association (24.46)
2. Great West Conference (27.78)
3. Missouri Valley Football Conference (31.95)
4. Big Sky Conference (32.35)
5. Southern Conference (38.13)
6. Southland Conference (40.69)
7. Ohio Valley Conference (46.74)
8. Ivy League (52.33)
9. Big South Conference (52.91)
10. Patriot League (53.36)
11. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (55.62)
12. Southwestern Athletic Conference (61.04)
13. Northeast Conference (66.39)
14. Pioneer Football League (76.23)
15. Independents (78.59)

IMO, I would like to see the Northeast Conference get the automatic bid simply because it brings that region into the playoffs and would make for interesting first round games among the lower ranked conferences.

Yet, I am torn on the second one. Initially, I thought that the Big South should get the bid with it’s seven members, but now the Great West is adding University of Texas- Pan America to give its conference the required number of football teams to be playoff eligible. But there is a catch, word on the street is that when UTPA picks up football it will leave the Great West and petition the Southland for admission into that league leaving the GW high and dry giving the bid automatically to the Big South.

Round One (8 teams) November 27, 2010

Round Two (4 from the 1st round +12 BYES = 16 teams) December 4, 2010

Quarterfinals (8 teams) December 11, 2010

Semifinals (4 teams) December 18, 2010

Week off for Christmas December 25, 2010

Finals (2 teams)
National Championship Wednesday, January 6, 2010 (Chattanooga, TN)

[UNH Fanboi]

While we're on the subject, will the 12 bye teams be seeded, or will they continue with only seeding 1 through 4?

[WestCoastAggie]

All conferences that play in FCS and chose to participate in the playoffs deserve a playoff AQ, "weak" schedule or not.

[TexasTerror]

IMO, I would like to see the Northeast Conference get the automatic bid simply because it brings that region into the playoffs and would make for interesting first round games among the lower ranked conferences.

Umm...the NEC is getting an auto bid. The Big South will get one when eligible (2010) and the Pioneer League has begun the application process. I am confused on why you would like to see XYZ happen when the process has begun.


Yet, I am torn on the second one. Initially, I thought that the Big South should get the bid with it’s seven members, but now the Great West is adding University of Texas- Pan America to give its conference the required number of football teams to be playoff eligible. But there is a catch, word on the street is that when UTPA picks up football it will leave the Great West and petition the Southland for admission into that league leaving the GW high and dry giving the bid automatically to the Big South.

1) UTPA is part of the Great West already in all sports that they participate. They are one of several new members.
2) UTPA does not participate in football NOR do they have any intentions on having football
3) The Great West will NOT reach the number of required football schools with UTPA since UTPA does not have football
4) UTPA will NEVER join the SLC. They were an affiliate member and I can assure you that most of the league has no interest in adding them.

[fltheadgriz]

I agree with WestCoast Aggie.
All conferences in the FCS deserve an AQ.
If this happened I think that some "weak" conferences in a couple of years might become strong conferences.

[TBIRDSFN10]

I think the Great West should get a AQ because they have some good teams and unfortunatly for them they don't have enough teams in their conference for one. But they to me are much deserving. It is not the teams fault they don't have enough members...I blame that on the people who run the GWC.

[FargoBison]

The people that run the GWFC try like heck to get more teams, there just aren't many teams available to pursue out west. Then you have teams like San Diego who should join the GWFC but won't.

[Tighteye]

Umm...the NEC is getting an auto bid. The Big South will get one when eligible (2010) and the Pioneer League has begun the application process. I am confused on why you would like to see XYZ happen when the process has begun.


Please provide the information you discussed above in a factual manner by posting the links or go kick rocks.

1) UTPA is part of the Great West already in all sports that they participate. They are one of several new members.

150% aware of that...you assumption was pointless and wasted bandwith.

2) UTPA does not participate in football NOR do they have any intentions on having football

Your statement is proven to be fallible once a gain...

The University of Texas–Pan American competes in NCAA Division I. It is one of five schools in the University of Texas System that compete in Division I. It has been announced that the Broncs would be charter members of the previously football-only Great West Conference when it begins all-sports play in 2008. Former UTPA President, Dr. Manuel Ibanez, in an interview with The Monitor (RGV newspaper) predicted that "Pan Am" would reach an enrollment of 20,000 students by 2010 and that by 2012, UTPA would begin a national search for it's first head coach and band director for the 1st UTPA Broncs Football Team and Broncs Marching Band to add to the tradition-rich Bronc culture that is famously known throughout Texas and beyond simply as "Pan Am." Thank you for your support of UTPA Football in South Texas! www.utpa.edu

http://www.myspace.com/utpabroncsfootball

3) The Great West will NOT reach the number of required football schools with UTPA since UTPA does not have football.

Very much aware of that and eluded to that in my post.


4) UTPA will NEVER join the SLC. They were an affiliate member and I can assure you that most of the league has no interest in adding them.

Unless you're GOD, the SLC Commissioner, or president at every SLC institution you really need to revamp your comments to the thing you hold so precious..."THE FACTS!"

[TBIRDSFN10]

I think they should just dissolve the conference and make each conference in the west take one or two of each..That would make it easier.

[UAalum72]

IF the Monitor's prediction is correct, UTPA may have a team on the field by 2013 or more likely 2014. At that time, if no other teams have left the GWC, then the Great West will deserve an autobid.

The Ivy League never has and likely never will apply for an autobid. The SWAC prefers its championship game, and I don't think you can give an autobid to a conference runner-up.

The PFL, NEC and Big South currently fulfill all requirements for an autobid, as long as there are enough slots.

[bincitysioux]

A MySpace page? xeyebrowx

If UTPA is thinking of adding football, I'd be all for it, we need members, but this is the first I've ever heard of it.

There is also a facebook page dedicated to Utah Valley football. ;)

The NEC and Big South are getting the next two auto-bids.

[Bogus Megapardus]

The Ivy League already is entitled to an AQ. The League chooses not to participate in post-season play.

[TexasTerror]

The University of Texas–Pan American competes in NCAA Division I. It is one of five schools in the University of Texas System that compete in Division I. It has been announced that the Broncs would be charter members of the previously football-only Great West Conference when it begins all-sports play in 2008. Former UTPA President, Dr. Manuel Ibanez, in an interview with The Monitor (RGV newspaper) predicted that "Pan Am" would reach an enrollment of 20,000 students by 2010 and that by 2012, UTPA would begin a national search for it's first head coach and band director for the 1st UTPA Broncs Football Team and Broncs Marching Band to add to the tradition-rich Bronc culture that is famously known throughout Texas and beyond simply as "Pan Am." Thank you for your support of UTPA Football in South Texas!

That's just it - FORMER President.

Unless he's the current guy on staff, which pretty much no one is if you look at the staff from three years ago, there's not much to it. Can not believe anything that was said back then. If it was said yesterday or in the last year, you could.


Unless you're GOD, the SLC Commissioner, or president at every SLC institution you really need to revamp your comments to the thing you hold so precious..."THE FACTS!"

1) UTPA has applied to the SLC before and been rejected.

2) The SLC Commissioner has said in the last few years that when you do not have football in Texas, people want to know why not?

3) UTPA is in such bad financial straights and has had several NCAA issues, can they really support football? They are very poorly funded. Their coaches are near, if not at the bottom of the Div I pay scale. It's a miserable situation. Turnover there is rampant.

4) Most of their teams fall to sub-Div I teams on a regular basis. The VB team lost to UT-Brownsville 3-0 this year! Women's hoops lost to A&M-Kingsville last year. The men squeaked by Huston-Tillotson, who is bad by NAIA standards. And while not sub-Div I, the baseball team gets whooped routinely by a SWAC that only wins at a 10% clip in baseball against the SLC - the league they desire to be in!