Running FCS thread

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/fcs/FCS_Bracket.pdf

Only flaw I see: Norfolk State isn't putting in a bid to host so they'll be on the road in the first round. Your fringe playoff teams (Youngstown State, Indiana State, New Hampshire, James Madison, probably some others) are hoping Wofford loses at Chattanooga because the Terriers would finish short of seven D-I wins.

 

Haley's projections are a joke and have been all season. He has no clue what he's talking about.

 

When you compare Haley's projections to the GPI, I think you're right.

I think Indiana State is in trouble. Youngstown State's win over NDSU was a game-changer. Down a division or not, NDSU is more of a quality win for YSU than Western Kentucky is for Indiana State. The Sycamores won head-to-head, but YSU is a far hotter team to end the season.

I think if Illinois State beats Northern Iowa on Saturday, among other things, the Sycamores will be out whether they beat Southern Illinois on Saturday or not.

 

It's simple little things with Haley, too. Norfolk State came out five weeks ago and said they weren't bidding for a home playoff game. Yet he has them at home.

And I don't see how a 9-2 ODU team is going to be forced to play on the first weekend.

 

He also often has a team from one conference that didn't get a bye matched against a team from the same conference that did. That's not how it works, does it?

 

He finally elevated ODU to the second round and has them matched with Illinois State. He was hooked on ODU-Norfolk State in the first round, which a lot of local fans (particularly NSU fans) would love to see. But ODU's not playing on the first weekend, and they're not getting a top-four seed nor is Norfolk State getting a first-round bye, so the chances of the two meeting are microscopic. But they'll start a series in 2013.

 

They really try to keep conference teams from playing in round two if at all possible. Last year's UNH-Delaware game was an exception because they didn't meet in the regular season.

 

They try to keep them separate if they can help it, but as long as it isn't the first playoff game for both teams it's possible for teams from the same conference to play each other in the second round.

 

That's what I thought. The MVFC plays round-robin so there's no way they could avoid a second round rematch.

 

ODU not playing Maine or New Hampshire this season gives the tournament committee some flexibility to send one of those teams to Norfolk if they had to.

 

Biggest games this weekend:

* Brawl of the Wild: Montana at Montana State. Always a blast. I'm calling for a Griz upset.

* Big South championship game: Liberty at Stony Brook. Winner is into the playoffs, loser goes home.

* MVFC battle for second: UNI at ISU red. Been calling for a Redbirds win all season in this one.

* Maine at New Hampshire: Winner hopes Towson somehow loses to Rhody.

* App State at Elon/Wofford at Chattanooga: App could be in trouble at 7-4 with a loss. Wofford is definitely in trouble at 7-4 with a loss since it played Virginia-Wise and needs this to get to seven DI wins.

 

If seven D-I wins is a casual barometer and not an absolute requirement, could Portland State get another look at 8-3? Only losses are to TCU and the Montana schools, and they'll be on a five-game winning streak if they beat Weber State. If they found a crappy FCS school to replace one of their non-Division I opponents, they'd probably lock up a spot this weekend.