The CSN Way: Eighteen and I Like It!

[CSN-info]

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/images/articles/87791_CSNWay.jpg

The CSN Way: Eighteen and I Like It!
Charles Burton and Ralph Wallace, CSN Columnists

If you’re a fan of Football Championship Subdivision, chances are you’re dreaming of your team's shot at postseason playoffs. Either you’re dreaming of qualifying as your conference champion (if you are in a conference that has an automatic qualifier, or AQ, into the playoff bracket) or as an at-large team selected by the playoff committee. This year, there are many schools that dream of being in the "Sweet 16." After this year, though, is the world ready for the "Sweet 18?"

READ MORE... http://www.collegesportingnews.com/article.asp?articleid=87791

[ngineer]

Hey Chuck, if you're in the Stabler parking lot, drop by the Class of 1974 tailgate..We'll be over by the eastern driveway..;)

[aceinthehole]

This is what I have been preaching from the begining. :D


"It’s not about having a team that’s good enough," Femovich said. "It’s about access to the playoffs. In other NCAA team sports, every conference that is eligible for an autobid into that sport’s postseason tournament gets an autobid."

[R.A.]

Delaware State over No. 13 Hampton
It’s criminal that this isn’t a battle between nationally-ranked teams, for this isn’t the same Delaware State team that once lost a game 105-0. This is a quality football team, led by quarterback Vashan Winton and superstar wideout Shaheer McBride, and a quality defense that held leaguemate Florida A&M to just 7 points. Hampton, on the other hand, has done just enough to survive their two MEAC challenges so far against Howard (31-24) and Morgan State (24-17). The key for the Pirates will be the play of quarterback T.J. Mitchell, who has looked shaky at times, and wideout Jeremy Gilchrist. But I sense that rushing attack is going to give Hampton problems – as did Morgan State’s – and hands the Pirates their first home loss since 2003, in a fierce, close battle.
Hoppin’ Hornets 31, Pummeled Pirates 28

I said that Del State should still be ranked. They lost to a FBS Team.

They go 2-1 losing to a FBS team, and they get dropped out of the top 25??

That's BS. And I'm glad a respected writer feels the same way also.

So what happens if Hampton goes down to Del State??

They get knocked out of the top 25???

[TexasTerror]

Would love more than anything to see the Big South, GWFC, Ivy and SWAC get auto-bids. Let's make it one big, happy family!

[skinny_uncle]

Would love more than anything to see the Big South, GWFC, Ivy and SWAC get auto-bids. Let's make it one big, happy family!

The Ivy is too stuck up to be interested. The Big South will likely be the next to qualify. They haven't had the six team minimum but are on the verge of adding teams. The GWFC needs another team and I have no clue where they would find one.

[HaveFunKc]

Would love more than anything to see the Big South, GWFC, Ivy and SWAC get auto-bids. Let's make it one big, happy family!

Ivy?? Now that's funny! xlolx The Ivy players would love nothing more than to get a crack at FCS playoffs, but those school presidents... Their not called the Ancient 8 for nothing.

[FCSFAN]

The Ivy is too stuck up to be interested.
The Ivy League, which has been for the longest time in opposition to any sort of postseason opportunity for its "Ancient Eight" teams, has been rumored to be interested in participating. The icy rejection of the Ivy League presidents of postseason play for their teams could very possibly be a thing of ancient history.http://www.collegesportingnews.com/article.asp?articleid=87791

Interesting predictions though

No. 1 Montana over Weber State
Boston College (FBS) over No. 2 UMass
No. 3 Northern Iowa over No. 16 Illinois State
No. 4 North Dakota State over No. 17 Western Illinois
No. 5 Appalachian State over No. 24 Elon
No. 6 McNeese State over South Dakota (D-II)
No. 7 Southern Illinois over Indiana State
No. 20 Furman over No. 8 Wofford
No. 9 James Madison over Villanova
Missouri State over No. 10 Youngstown State
No. 25 Richmond over No. 11 New Hampshire
No. 12 Delaware over Monmouth
Delaware State over No. 13 Hampton
No. 14 Hofstra over Stony Brook
Oklahoma State (FBS) over No. 15 Sam Houston State
No. 18 Montana State over Idaho State
No. 19 Eastern Illinois over Southeast Missouri State
No. 21 Eastern Washington over Portland State
No. 22 Yale over Holy Cross
The Citadel over Chattanooga
Cal Poly over Northern Colorado
Southern over Alabama State
Lehigh over Harvard
San Diego over Butler
Princeton over Columbia
Colgate over Fordham
Grambling State over Prairie View

[Seven Would Be Nice]

damn, I got tricked. I thought this was going to be a new bikini thread. :(

[Tod]

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/images/articles/87791_CSNWay.jpg

The CSN Way: Eighteen and I Like It!
Charles Burton and Ralph Wallace, CSN Columnists

If you’re a fan of Football Championship Subdivision, chances are you’re dreaming of your team's shot at postseason playoffs. Either you’re dreaming of qualifying as your conference champion (if you are in a conference that has an automatic qualifier, or AQ, into the playoff bracket) or as an at-large team selected by the playoff committee. This year, there are many schools that dream of being in the "Sweet 16." After this year, though, is the world ready for the "Sweet 18?"

READ MORE... http://www.collegesportingnews.com/article.asp?articleid=87791

xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx

Very nice! Interesting stuff on the playoffs. Man, I'd love to see the Ivies and SWAC in there!

xnodx xnodx xnodx

[bluehenbillk]

Glanced in HORROR at your mock postseason schedule: A NC on the day after Xmas?? That's got disaster written all over it & IMO would never happen.

[Proud Griz Man]

This is what I have been preaching from the begining. :D

Bad Idea, motivated by money and mediocre 6-5 teams IMO.

Moving from 16 to 18 will extend the season one more week. And next year FCS teams can play 12 games.

If these two changes were in effect in 2007 the season would last Seventeen Weeks from 9/01 through 12/21/07 (I believe the chipper is currently 12/14/07, and I added one week).

It is an unreasonable burden on the FCS student/athletes and the FCS athletic departments. I predict now that the attendance at those two extra games will produce a large net loss for the FCS playoffs (there are relatively few FCS stadiums with > 18,000 consistent attendance that generate positive cash flow). xoopsx

Question - who expects a big crowd in Chattanooga the day after Christmas???

[HensRock]

So what happens if Hampton goes down to Del State??

They get knocked out of the top 25???

I think you would see Del State get in. What happens to Hampton is dependent on how much DSU wins by and what happens elsewhere around the league. Personally, I'm intrigued by Morgan State. Need to see how they do now to get a better guage on Hampton.

[bluehenbillk]

This is really going to cause an issue for the Chamionship Game. Let's face it, the TV ratings are low as is, but what's going to happen TV-wise moving after Xmas, it's going to be on during bowl week? Is it going to have to be played on a 4:00pm or 4:30pm EST time so they can show the Alamo Bowl or whatever bowl it is at 8pm that night, or does ESPN shuttle it out to an ESPNU broadcast?? All are important questions....

[GannonFan]

This is really going to cause an issue for the Chamionship Game. Let's face it, the TV ratings are low as is, but what's going to happen TV-wise moving after Xmas, it's going to be on during bowl week? Is it going to have to be played on a 4:00pm or 4:30pm EST time so they can show the Alamo Bowl or whatever bowl it is at 8pm that night, or does ESPN shuttle it out to an ESPNU broadcast?? All are important questions....

Agreed, there was always trepidation about moving the game too close to Christmas - certainly TV would be affected if we start to encroach on bowl week. But the other question is what does this do with regards to attendance at the title game? There's been a lot of work these past few years to really start to make the title game an event, both with the week leading up to it as well as the gameday atmosphere itself. The Payton/Buchanan Award dinner the night before for instance. And now attendance is very good at Chatty with packed crowds more the norm. As much as we all love our teams and FCS football, you have to think there would be a considerable dropoff in attendance if you're playing too close to Christmas.

Hey, I'm not knocking expansion of the playoffs, it has to happen sometime, but we need to do it right in terms of schedule - you can't, can't play it too close to Christmas or you could start taking several steps backwards. I'm all in favor of no 12 game schedules or taking out bye weeks during the regular season (although that's a tough one to do as teams do need a break sometime), but you can't stretch this thing out to the days right before or right after Christmas - that will kill the title game in terms of becoming an event.

[HensRock]

Personally, I would love to see them move the Championship game to January

[GannonFan]

Personally, I would love to see them move the Championship game to January

Ugh, a two to three week layoff between the semifinals and the championship???? It's bad enough that the FBS does it (and worse) with some of their bowl games, but now we do it as well? Talk about a momentum killer. Not only that, but it gets really lost in the midst of the big bowl games that happen Jan 1 and afterward - tell me anyone remembers a thing about the International Bowl and the GMAC Bowls from last year, the two lesser bowls that took place in between Jan 1 and the BCS title game last year? Not only do the big-time bowls dwarf it, but then you start competing with the NFL playoffs and that's just suicide - no sport would do that.

[kardplayer]

Ugh, a two to three week layoff between the semifinals and the championship???? It's bad enough that the FBS does it (and worse) with some of their bowl games, but now we do it as well? Talk about a momentum killer. Not only that, but it gets really lost in the midst of the big bowl games that happen Jan 1 and afterward - tell me anyone remembers a thing about the International Bowl and the GMAC Bowls from last year, the two lesser bowls that took place in between Jan 1 and the BCS title game last year? Not only do the big-time bowls dwarf it, but then you start competing with the NFL playoffs and that's just suicide - no sport would do that.

The reality is the FCS Championship game doesn't "compete" with any of these things. I'm guessing that the overlap in people watching the lesser Bowl games and the FCS Championship game is very very small.

[lizrdgizrd]

Am I reading this wrong? It seems to say that it's really easy to get into the FCS playoffs but if the SWAC and Ivy leagues join in then it'll be harder?


Could it be that the NEC’s playoff AQ is setting the stage for the addition of the most historic programs in FCS? If the SWAC and Ivy League join the championship fray then once again the FCS would not be the easiest playoff field to get into in NCAA football.

Tell me I'm reading that incorrectly. xconfusedx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Am I reading this wrong? It seems to say that it's really easy to get into the FCS playoffs but if the SWAC and Ivy leagues join in then it'll be harder?



Tell me I'm reading that incorrectly. xconfusedx

If you take out the Ivy and SWAC from the teams (who choose not to play in the playoffs), the percentages dictate that it a 24 team playoff among all the eligilble teams would be the easiest to get into in the NCAA's: almost one on four teams would make the playoffs.

Add them back in, and it's not. xpeacex

[lizrdgizrd]

If you take out the Ivy and SWAC from the teams (who choose not to play in the playoffs), the percentages dictate that it a 24 team playoff among all the eligilble teams would be the easiest to get into in the NCAA's: almost one on four teams would make the playoffs.

Add them back in, and it's not. xpeacex
Ah, gotcha. I thought that sounded weird. xnutsx xthumbsupx

[GannonFan]

The reality is the FCS Championship game doesn't "compete" with any of these things. I'm guessing that the overlap in people watching the lesser Bowl games and the FCS Championship game is very very small.

I agree, nobody cares about minor bowls like those.

But you're missing the bigger items - the big BCS bowls (Jan 1 bowls and the BCS title game) and the NFL playoffs - I'm certain that I'm not alone among FCS fans who also happen to follow BCS football and certainly the NFL. The overlap there has to be quite considerable. And the danger with January is that you start to get back into interference with people's lives - at least where the title game is now some people just start their Christmas vacation early - you start putting it back into January and people who have just taken two weeks off at the end of year can't take off anymore, kids are back in school, etc. January doesn't work for a whole variety of reasons.

[Proud Griz Man]

Personally, I would love to see them move the Championship game to January

What? You want the chipper in January and that would require two schools (pick two) to keep 65 players, numerous coaches, doctors, trainers, equipment managers, etc. busy for 3-4 more weeks and incur $$ thousands extra football expenses. xnonono2x

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Hey Chuck, if you're in the Stabler parking lot, drop by the Class of 1974 tailgate..We'll be over by the eastern driveway..;)

ng, I will do my best to stop by! I can be a homer in the parking lot, so look for my "LFN" hat, and the incredibly handsome family, heading towards your tailgate!

Anything I should look out for?

[BDKJMU]

Bad Idea, motivated by money and mediocre 6-5 teams IMO.

Moving from 16 to 18 will extend the season one more week. And next year FCS teams can play 12 games.

If these two changes were in effect in 2007 the season would last Seventeen Weeks from 9/01 through 12/21/07 (I believe the chipper is currently 12/14/07, and I added one week).

It is an unreasonable burden on the FCS student/athletes and the FCS athletic departments. I predict now that the attendance at those two extra games will produce a large net loss for the FCS playoffs (there are relatively few FCS stadiums with > 18,000 consistent attendance that generate positive cash flow). xoopsx

Question - who expects a big crowd in Chattanooga the day after Christmas???

Not the way the calendar works Griz Man. 364 days in the year, not 365, and a Leap yr every 7.
Look at when the NC game was played:
02' Fri, Dec 19 (I think
03' Fri, Dec 18 (I think)
04' Fri, Dec 17
05' Fri, Dec 16
06' Fri, Dec 15
07' Fri, Dec 14
08' Fri, Dec 19 (scheduled for right now-is a leap year, thats why its the 19th and not 20th)

If go to a 5th round, start the season the same week, and still have the regular season bye week for everyone this is how I would guess the NC game would work out (provided they keep playing it on Fri night):
08' Fri Dec 26
09' Fri Dec 25
10' Fri Dec 24
11' Fri, Dec 23
12' Fri, Dec 22
13' Fri, Dec 21
14' Fri, Dec 26 (leap year again)

[Tod]

Not the way the calendar works Griz Man. 364 days in the year, not 365, and a Leap yr every 7.
Look at when the NC game was played:
02' Fri, Dec 19 (I think
03' Fri, Dec 18 (I think)
04' Fri, Dec 17
05' Fri, Dec 16
06' Fri, Dec 15
07' Fri, Dec 14
08' Fri, Dec 19 (scheduled for right now-is a leap year, thats why its the 19th and not 20th)

If go to a 5th round, start the season the same week, and still have the regular season bye week for everyone this is how I would guess the NC game would work out (provided they keep playing it on Fri night):
08' Fri Dec 26
09' Fri Dec 25
10' Fri Dec 24
11' Fri, Dec 23
12' Fri, Dec 22
13' Fri, Dec 21
14' Fri, Dec 26 (leap year again)

So we eliminate the bye week and it's a done deal.

'Course, once you add that extra round in, 24 or 32 teams can't be far behind.