Creating the Playoff Field - 10/16

[TexasTerror]

Just a 'stab'... don't criticize unless you give us your own take!

I slotted JMU as the AQ to get all the CAA fans worked up. Too much football left to play and there's no telling who emerges from the league.

AUTOMATIC
Big Sky: Montana State
Big South: Liberty
Colonial: James Madison
MEAC: Norfolk State
Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa
Northeast: Albany
Ohio Valley: Jacksonville State
Patriot: Lehigh
Southern: Georgia Southern
Southland: Sam Houston

AT-LARGE
Big Sky: Montana
Colonial: Maine, Towson, New Hampshire, Old Dominion
Missouri Valley: North Dakota State, Indiana State
Southern: Wofford, Appalachian State
** LAST TEAM IN ** - Coastal Carolina (by virtue of head-to-head over North Carolina A&T, plus the fact CCU at 9-2 is much more attractive than some of the 7-4 and 8-3 teams I can envision from other 'lesser' leagues).

FIRST ROUND
Norfolk State at Liberty
Coastal Carolina at Appalachian State
Indiana State at Old Dominion
Albany at New Hampshire

SECOND ROUND
Norfolk State/Liberty at #1 Georgia Southern
Wofford at Jacksonville State

Coastal Carolina/Appalachian State at #4 Sam Houston State
Maine at #5 North Dakota State

Indiana State/Old Dominion at #3 Montana State
Lehigh at James Madison

Albany/Lehigh at at #2 Northern Iowa
Towson at Montana

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

differences form TT's picks are in bold

SEEDS:
1. Wofford
2. North Dakota State
3. Montana State
4. Sam Houston State
5. Georgia Southern

(how about that CAA folks, no seeds? :D)

AUTOMATICS
Big Sky: Montana State - fairly safe bet
Big South: Liberty - fairly safe bet, I don't think Coastal or Stony Brook can match up with them
Colonial: James Madison - agree with TT, and I don't think this pick is all that controversial
MEAC: Norfolk State - has the lead in the MEAC,and NC A&T at home (who they'll wax IMO)
Missouri Valley: North Dakota State - still giving NDSU the advantage because of having UNI at home.
Northeast: Albany - agreed
Ohio Valley: Jacksonville State - agreed
Patriot: Lehigh - yup. probably the best team outside the top 5 conferences
Southern: Wofford - I think GSU comes into the Wofford game undefeated, but loses
Southland: Sam Houston - has a commanding lead in the SLC...don't see how it can be anyone else

AT-LARGE
Big Sky: Montana, Eastern Washington - I called it after EWU was 0-4, and I'm saying it again....EWU will win out and get in. Montana's chances of getting left out are diminished yet again
Colonial: Maine, Towson, New Hampshire, Old Dominion - agreed...none of these teams are likely to fall short of 7 DI wins.
Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa, Indiana State -agreed
Southern: Georgia Southern, Appalachian State - Samford and Chatty could get in, but don't think they will.

[TexasTerror]

We're not too far off - we have all the same teams in sans EWU in place of Coastal Carolina... that's not bad.

CAA teams will beat up on each other and cost each other a seed. No way that Maine, Towson keep piling up the wins without a bump in the road. Would personally love to see either of them win their league title!

[JmuSkinsfan]

CAA: JMU/Maine/UNH/Towson

JMU: 9-2 (7-1)
Maine: 8-3 (6-2)
Towson: 8-3 (6-2)
UNH: 7-4 (5-3)

That's how I see it panning out.

[danefan]

An Albany at Lehigh playoff game should be fun, but I think a one-loss Lehigh probably gets a bye.

[TexasTerror]

An Albany at Lehigh playoff game should be fun, but I think a one-loss Lehigh probably gets a bye.

You are probably right - was trying to over-compensate to help the NCAA with travel arrangements, but this was very difficult!

[ccd494]

Why a conference game in the Second Round when you can easily swap Maine and Wofford?

[JMUNJ08]

For the CAA:

- AQ is going to be a complete toss up. Probably Maine is my thought right now....
- The 5 choices are what I see right now. UD/W&M shot themselves in the foot and just 1 more loss will take them out...
- If the top 5 stay as they are with either a GSU/Wofford loss, I believe only Maine can crack that seed list but won't.

But I have to ask, Why are all the CAA teams usually been grouped to one bracket? Seems like they could be spread out more. Does no one want to play our 'mediocre' 7-4/8-3 teams????

[danefan]

You are probably right - was trying to over-compensate to help the NCAA with travel arrangements, but this was very difficult!

I tried to do it last year. The 20-team bracket is very difficult to populate with travel restrictions.

[achrist70]

Has there ever been two different conferences get two seeded teams, because I could see it this year.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

I think Norfolk State should be paired with ODU in the first round.

[inpsite1919]

South Carolina State University is left out of discussions, but the three losses they have are to two fbs schools and a close lost to a very good Norfolk State Team. Still a lot of games left to play.

[Tribe93]

UD/W&M shot themselves in the foot

If you're referring to scheduling a DII team, it was forced. A FCS team backed out at the last minute so W&M needed to find a team willing to play at W&M the 4th week and without expecting a home-home. W&M couldn't agree to play away the following years because our schedule is already set.

[molly]

Has there ever been two different conferences get two seeded teams, because I could see it this year.

Last year the Big Sky and CAA each had 2 teams seeded.

[DJKyR0]

Last year the Big Sky and CAA each had 2 teams seeded.

Nailed it. W&M 2, Delaware 3 - Montana St. 4, EWU 5.