The CSN Way: Thank You, Northern Iowa! (Bracket and Playoff picks!)

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/content.php?322-Predicting-the-Playoffs-Thank-You-Northern-Iowa!


I'm just going to go out and say it: thank you, Northern Iowa. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for winning last weekend and making my job of projecting the remainder of the FCS playoff field much, much easier. I really didn't want to study all those Missouri Valley tiebreaker scenarios involving teams with three losses. (Maybe Stephen Hawking could figure it out, but I'm just glad that the questions don't need to be entertained.)

That doesn't mean that this weekend is devoid of any drama, however. Far from it. The expansion of the FCS playoff field to twenty teams has made this weekend a mad dash for everything: seeding, at-large places, first-round byes, everything. While a few more teams have punched their tickets to the playoffs - and some are mortal locks for an at-large bid whether they lose or not - the positioning of many of these teams are way, way up in the air. It's going to make for a very bumpy final weekend in terms of playoff seeding.

If this comes true, playoff football will be returning to Poulson Stadium. xhurrayx

[UNH Fanboi]

There were a couple of mistakes (this would be UNH's 7th trip in a row to the playoffs, not 6th) and questionable reasoning (Liberty having any shot if they lose), but otherwise a good article by CSN standards.

[Milktruck74]

The flaw here is the writer calls "Mortal Locks" on potentially 4 SoCon teams. His case is ASU- AQ, Wofford - Atlarge regardless on 11/20 game, UTC - beat Wofford and in, GSU - Beat Furman and in. So he is saying if GSU and UTC win, thats 4 SoCons in....I doubt it. SoCon gets 3 if (and ONLY IF) Chattanooga wins at Woffie. the only way we get 4 Socons in, is if the CAA decides to disband Football this week!!!

[MacThor]

The flaw here is the writer calls "Mortal Locks" on potentially 4 SoCon teams. His case is ASU- AQ, Wofford - Atlarge regardless on 11/20 game, UTC - beat Wofford and in, GSU - Beat Furman and in. So he is saying if GSU and UTC win, thats 4 SoCons in....I doubt it. SoCon gets 3 if (and ONLY IF) Chattanooga wins at Woffie. the only way we get 4 Socons in, is if the CAA decides to disband Football this week!!!

Yes, I think he has more "definitely in with a win" teams than is possible if they all win.

I also think Liberty is a stretch. The Big South is 0-5 against the CAA and that includes their 3 potential co-champions.

[bluehenbillk]

Me likey that bracket projection. UD coasts to Frisco in that ske-nareyo. Robert Morris, followed by UNI (we've never lost the Gateway/MVC title), and then maybe EWU going cross-country. No other CAA teams on that side of the bracket - damn that looks good!!

[Chi Panther]

Me likey that bracket projection. UD coasts to Frisco in that ske-nareyo. Robert Morris, followed by UNI (we've never lost the Gateway/MVC title), and then maybe EWU going cross-country. No other CAA teams on that side of the bracket - damn that looks good!!

Should would be fun to return the ol' Upset of the #1 seed.....ala 2007..... :)

[Big Al]

Should would be fun to return the ol' Upset of the #1 seed.....ala 2007..... :)

Funny, that's exactly what I was thinking! Think we could ask ol' KC if we could have all his game tape & use of his video facilities after the game? He's such a charmer of a guy that I can't see any reason he'd say no...

[Gordon Shumway]

Just curious why you have UNH with the #8 GPI & #2 SOS having to play in the first round? Are you assuming it is purely because of money, and they want NDSU to have at least one home game?

[WrenFGun]

Just curious why you have UNH with the #8 GPI & #2 SOS having to play in the first round? Are you assuming it is purely because of money, and they want NDSU to have at least one home game?

Yeah, no way Montana/NDSU aren't playing in that scenario. UNH gets the bye there.

[FargoBison]

I think his bracket reflects what he thinks will happen on Saturday(he has his picks posted at the bottom of the article). He has NDSU picked to go 8-3 and they would have a win over a Big 12 team. I think NDSU would very likely get a bye in that scenario.

People also need to realize that Montana is not really close to NDSU. Sure it is closer than an east coast school, but it is a flight and it doesn't make sense to fly a school that can bring in a big gate if you don't have to. If Fargo to Missoula was a bus ride I might understand the thinking.

[R.A.]

ANother mistake... SC State played Georgia Tech this season, not South Carolina.

[TypicalTribe]

Yes, I think he has more "definitely in with a win" teams than is possible if they all win.

I also think Liberty is a stretch. The Big South is 0-5 against the CAA and that includes their 3 potential co-champions.

I count 23 locks or mortal locks. Possible scenarios include six CAA teams hosting 5 games and 4 Big Sky teams. Need less to say, probably not going to happen..

[FargoBison]

CSN getting some airtime on Fargo radio, they were just going over Chuck's bracket.