Pick Your League AQ/At-Larges - 9/25

[TexasTerror]

Just a stab...


AQs
Big Sky: Montana State
Big South: Coastal Carolina
Colonial: Delaware
MEAC: South Carolina State
Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa
Northeast: Monmouth
Ohio Valley: Jacksonville State
Patriot: Lehigh
Southern: Georgia Southern
Southland: Sam Houston State

At-Large
Colonial: James Madison, New Hampshire, Richmond
Missouri Valley: Southern Illinois, Indiana State, North Dakota State
Ohio Valley: Tennessee Tech
Patriot: Holy Cross
Southern: Elon, Appalachian State

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

From what I have seen in the SoCon, I like Georgia Southern (AQ), Appalachian State, Chattanooga and Wofford.

[McNeese75]

Such a hoot, TT.

For the Kats to get the AQ they are going to have to win in Lake Charles. I like our odds, and then you do not even have McNeese as an at large?

Pass whatever you are smoking around, I just hope SHSU is undefeated when they come to the Hole (I will be surprised if they are however)

[TheRevSFA]

I have to agree. Sam hasn't played against a good defense yet, and the pokes have it

[GSUhooligan]

Just a stab...

Southern: Elon


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEtRoZ5FWNc&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLAD455D9916DB99B3

[bojeta]

Though I've always felt at least one Great West team has deserved to be in the playoffs, this year it is undeniable: Southern Utah, South Dakota and even North Dakota are showing they have a shot. By the end of conference play, I'm guessing Cal Poly will show they belong in the playoffs, however, it will require a 6-7 game run. 7 if the unwritten policy is enforced although I've heard hints that this year might be an exception.

[bjtheflamesfan]

AQs
Big Sky: Montana State
Big South: Liberty
Colonial: Delaware
MEAC: South Carolina State
Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa
Northeast: Monmouth
Ohio Valley: Jacksonville State
Patriot: Lehigh
Southern: Georgia Southern
Southland: McNeese State

At-Large
Big Sky: Montana
Colonial: James Madison, New Hampshire, Richmond
Missouri Valley: Southern Illinois, Indiana State, North Dakota State
Southern: Wofford, Appalachian State, Chattanooga

Big Sky- I think that its going to come down to the Brawl of the Wild for the AQ but unless the Eagles circle the wagons and make a big run here late in the year, its gonna be the Griz and the Bobcats carrying the flag this year
Big South- Despite their 1-3 record, the only way somebody else takes the AQ at this point (except maybe Stony Brook) is if they beat Liberty in Lynchburg. Nobody has done it since 2006 and the last 4 seasons it hasnt been close:

2007
Presbyterian 48-14 (did not officially count in the standings)
Coastal Carolina 37-24
VMI 73-34

2008
Stony Brook 33-0
Charleston Southern 42-0
Gardner-Webb 30-10

2009
Coastal Carolina 58-13
Presbyterian 55-19
VMI 54-14

2010
Charleston Southern 44-20
Gardner-Webb 40-14
Stony Brook 54-28

Colonial- Delaware outside of the Navy game has shown that they are the best team in the CAA right now and get Richmond at home while not even playing JMU or New Hampshire.

MEAC- The Bulldogs beat defending champ Bethune Cookman on the road and they get Florida A&M in Orangeburg...that game probably will be for the one bid in the conference this year

Missouri Valley- Northern Iowa is once again showing to be the class of the Midwest this year and despite the resurgence of Indiana State and Southern Illinois and the rise of North Dakota State, the first two go to the UNI-Dome while the Bison face the Panthers in Fargo, but they have never beaten UNI since going DI.

Northeast- Monmouth? Where the heck did they come from? The Hawks have turned things around lightning fast and put themselves in the drivers seat with a win over Central Connecticut State (and kept aceinthehole off the board that I can tell)

Ohio Valley-Jacksonville State is the class of the field in this one and this should be another one bid league.

Patriot- Lehigh overcame some less than stellar special teams play and their defense made the plays that mattered to win over Liberty this weekend, and the matchup with Holy Cross in Bethlehem will probably be the defacto championship game for the PL.

Southern- Appalachian State gutted out a win over a game Chattanooga squad but the Mountaineers can only play with "house money" for so long, and with Wofford next week and Georgia Southern just coming up on the horizon, there is a chance the boys from Boone may not be holding the SoCon trophy come November

SOuthland- Sam Houston State is the only undefeated team in the conference and no doubt riding high off their win over New Mexico. They cannot look past Nicholls State to their huge matchup with McNeese State in Lake Charles which will probably put one of those two teams in the drivers seat for the AQ.

[DJKyR0]

Though I've always felt at least one Great West team has deserved to be in the playoffs, this year it is undeniable: Southern Utah, South Dakota and even North Dakota are showing they have a shot. By the end of conference play, I'm guessing Cal Poly will show they belong in the playoffs, however, it will require a 6-7 game run. 7 if the unwritten policy is enforced although I've heard hints that this year might be an exception.

UND cannot get to seven D-1 games even if they win out. Even if they win out best they can get to is six, and that's not likely.

[Squealofthepig]

The Big Sky is a curious case this year. EWU could conceivably win out - but that seems somewhat unlikely. Montana has a pretty good schedule ahead of it (outside of playing in Bozeman the last weekend of the season, they have only one away game, at Idaho State). Weber is in a perfect role as spoiler - they're traveling to Cheney next weekend to possibly send the Eagles out of contention, early. Sac State has a good route to seven wins, too - they have two against Oregon State and Montana; a road loss at Weber and a road loss at Southern Utah - a pretty brutal schedule! But they get to entertain EWU, NAU, UC Davis and Idaho State at home, and play at Montana State, Northern Colorado and Portland State. Call me a homer, but it's good to see a strong group of teams in the Big Sky, and I can't remember anyone accusing it of being the Big Fluffy this year.

Montana State looks to be in good shape, but I expect two or three of Montana, Sac State and Weber to also get to seven.

[I Bleed Purple]

Every year, I see TT having the Big Sky with zero or one at large bids, and every year he's wrong. Maybe he ought to reevaluate his evaluation process.

[TheBisonator]

UND cannot get to seven D-1 games even if they win out. Even if they win out best they can get to is six, and that's not likely.

Um, they're not eligible for the playoffs, DOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYY.............

[woffordgrad94]

Hey Texas Terror: Scott Riddle and Terrell Hudgens have graduated form Elon. They suck now. No way do they come close to the playoffs.

[TexasTerror]

For the Kats to get the AQ they are going to have to win in Lake Charles. I like our odds, and then you do not even have McNeese as an at large?

Hence, why I have McNeese as No. 1 in the SHSU KatFans.com power rankings. At this point though, I can favor SHSU.

As far as McNeese - you guys still got quasi-FBS TXST (albeit at home) left and have already gotten two games (a loss and a sub-Div I win) that don't do you any favors. I just see the SLC being a one-bid league unless SHSU does not win the league title and continues to be relatively successful with an 8 or 9 win season.

Pass whatever you are smoking around, I just hope SHSU is undefeated when they come to the Hole (I will be surprised if they are however)[/QUOTE]

[TexasTerror]

Every year, I see TT having the Big Sky with zero or one at large bids, and every year he's wrong. Maybe he ought to reevaluate his evaluation process.

Yep... ;)

The issue I have is EWU is 0-4 and you got so many teams skirting that fine line of whether or not they are going to get to seven Div I wins. Too many teams with multiple FBS/sub-Div I games in the Big Sky - that it makes it hard to delineate at this point in the season.

It'll take a team from the Big Sky getting hot and making a run to reach the seven wins. I gave Weber and Portland State some hard looks, but the schedules... always comes back to the schedules. Williamette?

[darell1976]

Um, they're not eligible for the playoffs, DOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYY.............

Not til next season!!

[DJKyR0]

Um, they're not eligible for the playoffs, DOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYY.............

I'm aware of that, but even when ineligible it was fun to see the Bison doing what they needed to do to get to a hypothetical at-large spot and get a feel for where our team fit into the scheme of things.

[aceinthehole]

Northeast- Monmouth? Where the heck did they come from? The Hawks have turned things around lightning fast and put themselves in the drivers seat with a win over Central Connecticut State (and kept aceinthehole off the board that I can tell)

No, I'm still here. A tough loss for us, but the season isn't over.

Agree with you NEC projection ... for now. Monmouth is in the driver's seat and Wagner and SFPA are toast, but the race is still open. Unlike the Big South (which is a 2-team race between Liberty and SBU), there is a lot of parity in the NEC.

Albany, Bryant, Duquesne, or even RMU could still go undefeated in NEC and win the AQ. Monmouth could lose 2 games, and CCSU could win out and get the AQ.

And what is also very likely is a 3-way tie with a 7-1 record (For example, Monmouth beat CCSU; Albany beats Monmouth; and CCSU beats Albany)

[GSUhooligan]

Unlike the Big South (which is a 2-team race between Liberty and SBU), there is a lot of parity in the NEC.



I think Coastal has something to say about that. They're 3-1, Liberty and Stony Brook are 1-3. We'll get a better idea once conference play starts up.

[bjtheflamesfan]

As I said, the only way someone other than maybe Stony Brook gets the AQ is if they get a win in Lynchburg and that hasnt happened in the last 4 seasons for Big South teams...and LU dominated the last two times the Beach Chickens have made the trek to "the Bill"

[achrist70]

While I would love to see the Valley get 4 bids, I just don't see it getting more than 3.

[dbackjon]

SUU?

[Bearkat-Backer]

I just hope SHSU is undefeated when they come to the Hole (I will be surprised if they are however)

I too hope we are undefeated when we come to the Hole. Who do you think our loss will be too if we aren't?

The only game I can see us losing between now and then is SFA and that has more to do with the rivalry than anything else. The Jacks look to be lost without Moses. I guess we will know if the Jacks are still contenders after they play @ UCA this weekend.

[Walkon79]

Big Sky AQ - Montana State
Big Sky AL's - Weber State and Montana, will play each other in the first round.

[McNeese75]

I too hope we are undefeated when we come to the Hole. Who do you think our loss will be too if we aren't?

The only game I can see us losing between now and then is SFA and that has more to do with the rivalry than anything else. The Jacks look to be lost without Moses. I guess we will know if the Jacks are still contenders after they play @ UCA this weekend.

Any Given Saturday in the SLC