Pros and Cons on the seeding and selection

[paul1978]

South Dakota St @ 1 Montana
Eastern Washington @ Stephen F. Austin
South Carolina St @ Appalachian St
Elon @ 4 Richmond

Eastern Illinois @ 3 Southern Illinois
Weber St @ William and Mary
New Hampshire @ McNee St
Holy Cross @ 2 Villanova

How do you feel about the seeding and selections?

I was rather pleasantly surprised to see Montana get the #1 Seed.

I like the possibility that Montana has a chance to play Richmond or App St. in the third round.

I’m also glad to see EWU and WSU make the field. I’m looking for WSU to surprise everyone and go deep into the play offs.

[siuham]

Seeds are fine. I'm surprised, honestly, Montana got the #1. I fully expected it to be Nova->SIU/Montana->SIU/Montana->Richmond.

I like the spread of East/West teams this year. Going to be a great playoffs. Is it Saturday yet?

[siuham]

Seeds are fine. I'm surprised, honestly, Montana got the #1. I fully expected it to be Nova->SIU/Montana->SIU/Montana->Richmond.

I like the spread of East/West teams this year. Going to be a great playoffs. Is it Saturday yet?

[WrenFGun]

Think this is a really solid bracket. My only quibble would be the SDSU/Montana matchup. Don't think the #1 seed deserves a team that good when it's not a regional matchup. I'd like to see Montana hosting SFA and SDSU hosting EWU.

[Saint3333]

This is the most even brackets by "quad" I've seen since regionalization. My early game of the week is Weber @ W&M.

I wonder if ESPNU is coming to Boone due to the proximity to ESPNU headquarters (Charlotte, NC) and ASU's new facilities (which are "plug and play").

[Wildcat80]

Always disappointed UNH has to travel but the Coaches & Team seem to relish the challenge. It's warm in Louisiana--yes?? Go Wildcats!!xcoolx

[mlbowl]

This is the most even brackets by "quad" I've seen since regionalization. My early game of the week is Weber @ W&M.

I wonder if ESPNU is coming to Boone due to the proximity to ESPNU headquarters (Charlotte, NC) and ASU's new facilities (which are "plug and play").

Agreed!

[tandemlax]

This is the most even brackets by "quad" I've seen since regionalization. My early game of the week is Weber @ W&M.

Agreed. I'm especially glad that neither the CAA teams nor the Big Sky teams are all stuffed together on one side of the bracket.

I'm obviously excited for the W&M- Weber St. matchup, and can't wait to see at least one more game in Zable this season. And a second round game against SIU would be a great contest as well. Absolutely can not look ahead in these FCS playoffs, though, or your season will end just like that.

SC State can't be thrilled with their draw, I thought that they would have a home game coming their way.

I think McNeese and New Hampshire is a really interesting matchup. Come to think of it there are great matchups all over the bracket.

[WMTribe90]

I like the brackets. I like the seeds, though I may have shuffled the order slightly. Some great cross-regional matchups in the first round. I think its a fair bracket. I'm sure SCST is unhappy, but they were more a victim of geography than the committee. A matchup with ASU makes sense based on regionalization. Bummer because they could host against just about anybody based on their attendance, except ASU.

[WestCoastAggie]

Yeah, SCSU is pissed.

[Eight Legger]

I was surprised to see UR as the only CAA team on its side of the bracket. Not that there aren't dangerous teams on our side, but I figured we'd be looking at a potential UNH matchup in Round Two, or at least Villanova/W&M in a possible semifinal game.

[Pard4Life]

It doesn't matter if Nova/Montana are the #1 seed... they are both #1 in their respective brackets... it's not like Nova wearing their whites instead of blue for the title game, if both make it that far, will make a difference.

Now, we can FINALLY put to rest the notion of strict geographic proximity and records not playing a role for playoff seeding.

Not that it matters, but if Liberty won, I'd think they'd be in... and at Richmond.

[Pard4Life]

It doesn't matter if Nova/Montana are the #1 seed... they are both #1 in their respective brackets... it's not like Nova wearing their whites instead of blue for the title game, if both make it that far, will make a difference.

Now, we can FINALLY put to rest the notion of strict geographic proximity and records not playing a role for playoff seeding.

Not that it matters, but if Liberty won, I'd think they'd be in... and at Richmond.

[soccerguy315]

IMO these are really good brackets...

[Silenoz]

Elon @ 4 Richmond
Weber St @ William and Mary
New Hampshire @ McNeese St

Really excited to see how those 3 games turn out

[soccerguy315]

Would also like to point out that the bracket is organized for the #3 and #4 seeds to get the #5 and #6 teams in the polls in the 2nd round, while the #1 and #2 seeds get lower ranked teams. That's how it should work in a seeded bracket (1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5)... wonder if they did that on purpose.

[Eight Legger]

This will come off sounding like sour grapes, which is not at all my intent; however, it seems a bit odd to me that Weber State, which I assume was the last team in, goes across the country to play an unseeded team, while UR (a seeded team) hosts a better team in Elon. If you are sending Weber across the country anyway, why not have them play UR and Elon play at W&M? It would seem more reasonable to give the seeded team the "worse" opponent, no?

I think the committee gets too bogged down trying to set regional matchups for the top four seeds, but then ignores the fact that by doing so it creates some other odd matchups. If you can have an all-regional-matchup bracket across the board, great. But if you can't, and situations like this Weber one arise, then scrap your initial regional plan for seeds and adjust accordingly. Just my two cents.

[Saint3333]

It would have put the two SoCon teams on opposite sides as well, which I see as a plus for all conferences.

[JTCowboy]

Always disappointed UNH has to travel but the Coaches & Team seem to relish the challenge. It's warm in Louisiana--yes?? Go Wildcats!!xcoolx

High of 65, low of 50. Probably around 59-60 for kick off. Thats today. things change fast down here on the Gulf of Mexico.

[EmeryZach]

That is a great point. I was thinking the same thing when I saw the bracket. I was really surprised that UR has to play Elon.

But I thought about it some more and I think Elon might actually be easier for Richmond to beat.

[MacThor]

It doesn't matter if Nova/Montana are the #1 seed... they are both #1 in their respective brackets... it's not like Nova wearing their whites instead of blue for the title game, if both make it that far, will make a difference.

Besides, they flip a coin for who is the home team in Chattanooga. Higher seed makes no difference.

[MacThor]

Don't count on that.

Agreed. Elon is #7 in GPI. That's a tough draw for a 4 seed.

The Richmond bracket is the toughest based on GPI, polls, and computer rankings.

Interesting note about the Elon @ Richmond game...the loser's next game will be Elon @ Richmond.

[AlphaSigMD]

I was kinda hoping for someone different from South Carolina State this year. Not to say that I'm disappointed, but I would have liked to have seen an opponent that we haven't faced in a while.

However, for as much as the Bulldogs have been talking about how they'll come to Boone and win this year, it adds another layer of complexity.

[paul1978]

so do the seeds automatically get the home game in round 2? i have always heard that wasn't necessarily a given. i would hate for richmond to have to play at APP again in the 2nd round lol. (assuming both richmond and asu win)

Higher seeds alwas get the home game. If seeds don't advance high bid gets the game.

[Reign of Terrier]

the seeded teams have home field throughout unless playing a higher seed

[bigappfan10]

This may sound crazy but even though I think Richmond is a much tougher opponent than Elon, if App is lucky enough to get to the 2nd round I think I'd rather see App go to Richmond than play Elon at home. There are so many variables in football which you must take into consideration and one thing I've noticed through the years is that ASU seems unfocused in 2nd round games. Even during the 3 year run they didn't play that well in the 2nd round. Thus, talking about a wake up call! How about playing the team that took away your title at their home field.
I really would worry about playing a solid Elon team at home that just gotta butt whoopin' from App. They'd have the emotional advantage.
But of course SC State comes first...

[MSU_77]

Always disappointed UNH has to travel but the Coaches & Team seem to relish the challenge. It's warm in Louisiana--yes?? Go Wildcats!!xcoolx

Forecast for next Saturday - sunny with a high of 67. Enjoy the weather!

That's all you're going to enjoy. Welcome to "the Hole"! xrulesx xsmiley_wix

[SpiderInTheMixingBowl]

Personally, I love that the Spiders wouldn't meet another CAA team until the finals.

Bring on the So Con! xnodx

[elon77]

That is a great point. I was thinking the same thing when I saw the bracket. I was really surprised that UR has to play Elon.

But I thought about it some more and I think Elon might actually be easier for Richmond to beat.

Don't count on that.

[theasushow]

so do the seeds automatically get the home game in round 2? i have always heard that wasn't necessarily a given. i would hate for richmond to have to play at APP again in the 2nd round lol. (assuming both richmond and asu win)

[theasushow]

Don't count on that.

agreed, a rematch at THE ROCK would be a lot of fun.

[GolfingGriz]

It would have put the two SoCon teams on opposite sides as well, which I see as a plus for all conferences.

Then all three BSC teams are on the same side of the bracket. It makes more sense to do the brackets like they did. I think the only games with big favorites will be Villanova and SIU. The other 6 games could really go one way or another.

[theasushow]

This may sound crazy but even though I think Richmond is a much tougher opponent than Elon, if App is lucky enough to get to the 2nd round I think I'd rather see App go to Richmond than play Elon at home. There are so many variables in football which you must take into consideration and one thing I've noticed through the years is that ASU seems unfocused in 2nd round games. Even during the 3 year run they didn't play that well in the 2nd round. Thus, talking about a wake up call! How about playing the team that took away your title at their home field.
I really would worry about playing a solid Elon team at home that just gotta butt whoopin' from App. They'd have the emotional advantage.
But of course SC State comes first...


Agreed about playing at Richmond. But ASU handled Southern Illinois in 2005 and Montana State 2006 pretty well in the 2nd round those years. And they dominated much of the game against Eastern Washington in 2007 before EWU staged a late game comeback.

[soccerguy315]

so do the seeds automatically get the home game in round 2? i have always heard that wasn't necessarily a given. i would hate for richmond to have to play at APP again in the 2nd round lol. (assuming both richmond and asu win)

as long as they bid the minimum for the round.

1/2 seeds have 3 home games, 3/4 seeds have 2 (assuming they win, obviously)

[WMTribe90]

This will come off sounding like sour grapes, which is not at all my intent; however, it seems a bit odd to me that Weber State, which I assume was the last team in, goes across the country to play an unseeded team, while UR (a seeded team) hosts a better team in Elon. If you are sending Weber across the country anyway, why not have them play UR and Elon play at W&M? It would seem more reasonable to give the seeded team the "worse" opponent, no?

I think the committee gets too bogged down trying to set regional matchups for the top four seeds, but then ignores the fact that by doing so it creates some other odd matchups. If you can have an all-regional-matchup bracket across the board, great. But if you can't, and situations like this Weber one arise, then scrap your initial regional plan for seeds and adjust accordingly. Just my two cents.

WSU might have been the last team in, but I'm not sure Elon is that tougher an opponent.

[Griswold]

This may sound crazy but even though I think Richmond is a much tougher opponent than Elon, if App is lucky enough to get to the 2nd round I think I'd rather see App go to Richmond than play Elon at home. There are so many variables in football which you must take into consideration and one thing I've noticed through the years is that ASU seems unfocused in 2nd round games. Even during the 3 year run they didn't play that well in the 2nd round. Thus, talking about a wake up call! How about playing the team that took away your title at their home field.
I really would worry about playing a solid Elon team at home that just gotta butt whoopin' from App. They'd have the emotional advantage.
But of course SC State comes first...

You're right, that does sound crazy. There's no way I'd rather go on the road than play at home.

[jstclmet]

After the HC game, the schedule for Nova could play out where they play a CAA team as long as they keep winning.
1st round HC
2nd round UNH
3rd round W&M
NC Game UR.

Nova and the CAA, round 2. With the SOS of the CAA, is that a blessing or a curse??

[SpidersSportsEditor]

I think Richmond got a tough draw, and I think I may have been right when I said that losing the William & Mary game may have helped. I like W&M's draw a lot better than I like Richmond's in terms of advancing a long way. Yes, we get home field, but we have to face a good Elon team in round one and then likely App St and AE for the third year in a row. Not saying I don't think we can win all these games, but we are going to have to earn it if we want to get back to Chatty

[MacThor]

I think Richmond got a tough draw, and I think I may have been right when I said that losing the William & Mary game may have helped. I like W&M's draw a lot better than I like Richmond's in terms of advancing a long way. Yes, we get home field, but we have to face a good Elon team in round one and then likely App St and AE for the third year in a row. Not saying I don't think we can win all these games, but we are going to have to earn it if we want to get back to Chatty

Everybody has to earn a trip to Chattanooga.

But yes, we got the toughest quarter by far.

[theasushow]

I think Richmond got a tough draw, and I think I may have been right when I said that losing the William & Mary game may have helped. I like W&M's draw a lot better than I like Richmond's in terms of advancing a long way. Yes, we get home field, but we have to face a good Elon team in round one and then likely App St and AE for the third year in a row. Not saying I don't think we can win all these games, but we are going to have to earn it if we want to get back to Chatty

Yea Richmond has definitely faced their share of SOCON teams in the playoffs lately. If they end up playing app this year that will be the 5th time in 3 years they played a socon team in the playoffs.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Agreed. I'm especially glad that neither the CAA teams nor the Big Sky teams are all stuffed together on one side of the bracket.
I'm obviously excited for the W&M- Weber St. matchup, and can't wait to see at least one more game in Zable this season. And a second round game against SIU would be a great contest as well. Absolutely can not look ahead in these FCS playoffs, though, or your season will end just like that.

SC State can't be thrilled with their draw, I thought that they would have a home game coming their way.

I think McNeese and New Hampshire is a really interesting matchup. Come to think of it there are great matchups all over the bracket.

VILLANOVA
WM & MARY
NEW HAMPSHIRE.......ALL ON ONE SIDE O' BRACKET....xconfusedx...AWK!

[soccerguy315]

of course, as the 4th seed, it makes sense for Richmond to get the toughest quarter of the bracket.

not everyone can have an easy quarter like Montana

[Native]

Think this is a really solid bracket. My only quibble would be the SDSU/Montana matchup. Don't think the #1 seed deserves a team that good when it's not a regional matchup. I'd like to see Montana hosting SFA and SDSU hosting EWU.

My thoughts exactly.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I think the committee blew a big chance to have a two big games, one in a large media market (UNH at Holy Cross, in the Boston/Central Mass. media market) and another that would have brought in tons of fans (a SCSU home game - maybe against Elon, or Weber State?)

Instead, they have a juiceless game in EWU/SFA and two teams (App and SCSU) that would have been near-sellouts, but they're playing each other. Why not send EWU to App, and SFA to SCSU? Talk about good-looking games for TV.

[JMUNJ08]

Montana got a seed??? why????:p

[MacThor]

of course, as the 4th seed, it makes sense for Richmond to get the toughest quarter of the bracket.

not everyone can have an easy quarter like Montana

Top to bottom the four quarters should be as balanced as possible. Yes, the 4 seed should get the "5 seed" in the second round, but not also have the 7 in the first round and the 11 rounding out their quarter.

(This is by ranking the field 1-16 according to polls/available computers).

[Touchdown Yosef]

I think the committee blew a big chance to have a two big games, one in a large media market (UNH at Holy Cross, in the Boston/Central Mass. media market) and another that would have brought in tons of fans (a SCSU home game - maybe against Elon, or Weber State?)

Instead, they have a juiceless game in EWU/SFA and two teams (App and SCSU) that would have been near-sellouts, but they're playing each other. Why not send EWU to App, and SFA to SCSU? Talk about good-looking games for TV.

Good point but it doesn't ring true for this weekend. The first round is so poorly attended b/c of Thanksgiving everyone is well below their season averages. For us we will be lucky to have 15k there as opposed to Saturday when there was 30k.

[AlphaSigMD]

I think Richmond got a tough draw, and I think I may have been right when I said that losing the William & Mary game may have helped. I like W&M's draw a lot better than I like Richmond's in terms of advancing a long way. Yes, we get home field, but we have to face a good Elon team in round one and then likely App St and AE for the third year in a row. Not saying I don't think we can win all these games, but we are going to have to earn it if we want to get back to Chatty

I see things like this and it warms my heart. After an entire year+ of everyone in the CAA saying that the SoCon is nothing to the mighty CAA, to have Richmond fans lamenting a potential match up with two SoCon teams seems almost poetic.

When you actually have to play us on the field, suddenly we're the most difficult quad by far... xwhistlexxwhistlexxwhistlexxwhistlex

[whoanellie]

This will come off sounding like sour grapes, which is not at all my intent; however, it seems a bit odd to me that Weber State, which I assume was the last team in, goes across the country to play an unseeded team, while UR (a seeded team) hosts a better team in Elon. If you are sending Weber across the country anyway, why not have them play UR and Elon play at W&M? It would seem more reasonable to give the seeded team the "worse" opponent, no?

I think the committee gets too bogged down trying to set regional matchups for the top four seeds, but then ignores the fact that by doing so it creates some other odd matchups. If you can have an all-regional-matchup bracket across the board, great. But if you can't, and situations like this Weber one arise, then scrap your initial regional plan for seeds and adjust accordingly. Just my two cents. I'm wondering if travel connection was an issue for Weber? thinking Charter flight would be a non-factor. look forward to our our meeting....

[89Hen]

South Dakota St @ 1 Montana
Eastern Washington @ Stephen F. Austin
South Carolina St @ Appalachian St
Elon @ 4 Richmond

Eastern Illinois @ 3 Southern Illinois
Weber St @ William and Mary
New Hampshire @ McNee St
Holy Cross @ 2 Villanova
A prediction.... Montana and EWU win in the first round and Weber loses. 11 months from now all the Big Sky posters complain that they're always set up to play each other in the quarters forgetting Weber. xpeacex

[MacThor]

I see things like this and it warms my heart. After an entire year+ of everyone in the CAA saying that the SoCon is nothing to the mighty CAA, to have Richmond fans lamenting a potential match up with two SoCon teams seems almost poetic.

When you actually have to play us on the field, suddenly we're the most difficult quad by far... xwhistlexxwhistlexxwhistlexxwhistlex

Everyone in the CAA was saying the SoCon was "nothing?" xliarx

This Richmond fan isn't lamenting the matchup. Just pointing out that it's the toughest quad, based on rankings. All four teams in this quad are in the Top 10 in all three polls. None of the other teams in Montana's quad are in the Top 10 in any poll.

I fully expected Richmond-ASU second round if UR got the 4 seed. Elon is the highest rated road "dog" in the field, and they're sent to a seed? SCSU is no slouch either.

[uofmman1122]

A prediction.... Montana and EWU win in the first round and Weber loses. 11 months from now all the Big Sky posters complain that they're always set up to play each other in the quarters forgetting Weber. xpeacexNah, that's okay. Weebs will win, too. xlolx

[AlphaSigMD]

Everyone in the CAA was saying the SoCon was "nothing?" xliarx

This Richmond fan isn't lamenting the matchup. Just pointing out that it's the toughest quad, based on rankings. All four teams in this quad are in the Top 10 in all three polls. None of the other teams in Montana's quad are in the Top 10 in any poll.

I fully expected Richmond-ASU second round if UR got the 4 seed. Elon is the highest rated road "dog" in the field, and they're sent to a seed? SCSU is no slouch either.

Even a CAA'er like yourself has to admit that there has been MUCH more trash talked this year about the "big fluffy SoCon" than in the past. Most of that talk has come directly from the CAA...Blah blah blah The Great West is rated tougher than you are, Blah blah blah, ASU is overrated, blah blah blah, Elon wouldn't have a winning record in the CAA south. Obviously, a lot of it has something to do with Richmond winning at Kidd Brewer last year...but lets not act like the CAA has shown more than inklings respect for the SoCon prior to this.

Also, SCSt has a heck of a chance to win on saturday, so I wasn't discounting them at all in my analysis.

[MacThor]

Even a CAA'er like yourself has to admit that there has been MUCH more trash talked this year about the "big fluffy SoCon" than in the past. Most of that talk has come directly from the CAA...Blah blah blah The Great West is rated tougher than you are, Blah blah blah, ASU is overrated, blah blah blah, Elon wouldn't have a winning record in the CAA south. Obviously, a lot of it has something to do with Richmond winning at Kidd Brewer last year...but lets not act like the CAA has shown more than inklings respect for the SoCon prior to this.

Also, SCSt has a heck of a chance to win on saturday, so I wasn't discounting them at all in my analysis.

Which quad do you think is tougher -- Richmond/Elon/ASU/SCSU or SIU/EIU/WM/WeberSt?

[AlphaSigMD]

Which quad do you think is tougher -- Richmond/Elon/ASU/SCSU or SIU/EIU/WM/WeberSt?

I never said I didn't agree. I simply implied it was nice to finally hear it from someone in the CAA.