Glad we expanded the playoffs

[Saint3333]

xsmhx

[BlueHenSinfonian]

xsmhx

NDSU probably wouldn't have gotten in without the expansion, and they won. If nothing else, it gave a week of rest to the powerhouse teams so no one can complain about playing tired next week.

[TheBisonator]

Why was this thread started?? We just throttled RMU 43-17.

Why don't you pick on the UNI fans?? They're the ones who lost...

[Tod]

Why was this thread started?? We just throttled RMU 43-17.

Why don't you pick on the UNI fans?? They're the ones who lost...

Paranoid much?

[Saint3333]

Why was this thread started?? We just throttled RMU 43-17.

Why don't you pick on the UNI fans?? They're the ones who lost...

The throttling of the mighty NEC team is the point.

[Appfan_in_CAAland]

Maybe they should have let Jacksonville or Dayton in too.

[TheBisonator]

The throttling of the mighty NEC team is the point.

OK, I understand now.

But they were a worthy adversary for 3 quarters...

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Two of the four games were close. That's still one more than we thought we would have.

[Saint3333]

That is the difference between 63 scholarships and 40. It just isn't fair, it's like the top FCS team getting a spot in a BCS bowl, they may be able to compete for 1/2 or 3/4 a game but depth will ultimately be a problem.

[MplsBison]

xsmhx

I hope for your sake ASU wins next week!! I'm sure they will.

[clawman]

The throttling of the mighty NEC team is the point.

Ya, throttle the Bobcats, then you have something to brag about... seem you NoDak guys do that a lot.

[caribbeanhen]

should have take Rhode Island to womp up on W Illini and JMU to beat NDST and Richmond to edge Lehigh

[onbison09]

http://blogs.westword.com/showandtell/010haters.jpg :D

Not sure if we'll do anything the rest of the playoffs but we could give Montana State a game.

[MplsBison]

That is the difference between 63 scholarships and 40. It just isn't fair, it's like the top FCS team getting a spot in a BCS bowl, they may be able to compete for 1/2 or 3/4 a game but depth will ultimately be a problem.

RMU has over 100 players on their roster! What are talking about depth?! What's good depth for you, 200 players? Come on...

http://www.rmucolonials.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13900&KEY=&SPID=6527&SPSID=59577

[onbison09]

Ya, throttle the Bobcats, then you have something to brag about... seem you NoDak guys do that a lot.

Honestly I'm not sure where this is coming from recently (I'll admit I haven't been on AGS lately). But the overwhelming majority of NDSU fans will tell you that we probably don't have much chance to contend.

[TheBisonator]

Honestly I'm not sure where this is coming from recently (I'll admit I haven't been on AGS lately). But the overwhelming majority of NDSU fans will tell you that we probably don't have much chance to contend.

They're scared that a new FCS power may possibly be forming and it threatens their dominance, so they lash out.

[da_Bison]

Ya, throttle the Bobcats, then you have something to brag about... seem you NoDak guys do that a lot.

thats funny stuff.....is a throttling somethin like 30-7???
doubt that'll happen. not sayin were gonna win but u might not wanna talk about anyone getting throttled,
lil bird

[Tod]

RMU has over 100 players on their roster! What are talking about depth?! What's good depth for you, 200 players? Come on...

http://www.rmucolonials.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13900&KEY=&SPID=6527&SPSID=59577

There's a big difference between having 100 players and having quality players. The schollies allow a team to get the better players, the ones that will go elsewhere if somebody else offers them a schollie. Any team can throw 100 people together. There's LOTS of people.

[smallcollegefbfan]

I hope for your sake ASU wins next week!! I'm sure they will.

You know this week will be the test to tell me if this expansion was good or not. The four teams playing someone who won today will be the games to judge. If all four of those are blowouts then we know this week just allowed some unworthy teams a chance to say they played in the playoffs and created lopsided games in what was once called the first round. if that is the case then this expansion proves to be a bad move. If the games are good then it will prove that the teams who won beat good teams and having a week off really doesn't give much of an advantage. I'm not saying all of the teams with byes have to just win I mean if they all win by a landslide.

I will say that if nothing we learned three things. We can confirm what most of the previous auto bid leagues thought that the NEC and Big South don't belong quite yet. They need time to add more scholarships and recruit better players. They lost to two teams from the MVFC who probably would not have gotten in without the expansion this year. The second thing we learned is that the MEAC is not very strong. Even if BCC wins the rest of the league proved to be around the same category of the Big South and while it has had success in the past the league is not good this particular season. Third is that Georgia Southern is probably somewhat for real and could upset William & Mary this week. I think that is the most intriguing game of the ones between a team who got a bye and one who played this week.

[MplsBison]

There's a big difference between having 100 players and having quality players. The schollies allow a team to get the better players, the ones that will go elsewhere if somebody else offers them a schollie. Any team can throw 100 people together. There's LOTS of people.

Then say a lack of talent - that's what you meant. Obviously having a 100 players on the team is not a lack of depth.

[Saint3333]

RMU has over 100 players on their roster! What are talking about depth?! What's good depth for you, 200 players? Come on...

http://www.rmucolonials.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13900&KEY=&SPID=6527&SPSID=59577

Wow this argument is over. I don't argue with ignorance, you'll beat me with experience. Get a clue.

[TheBisonator]

Wow this argument is over. I don't argue with ignorance, you'll beat me with experience. Get a clue.

Yeah I know, he's kind of *whistle whistle*....

[MplsBison]

You know this week will be the test to tell me if this expansion was good or not. The four teams playing someone who won today will be the games to judge. If all four of those are blowouts then we know this week just allowed some unworthy teams a chance to say they played in the playoffs and created lopsided games in what was once called the first round. if that is the case then this expansion proves to be a bad move. If the games are good then it will prove that the teams who won beat good teams and having a week off really doesn't give much of an advantage. I'm not saying all of the teams with byes have to just win I mean if they all win by a landslide.

I will say that if nothing we learned three things. We can confirm what most of the previous auto bid leagues thought that the NEC and Big South don't belong quite yet. They need time to add more scholarships and recruit better players. They lost to two teams from the MVFC who probably would not have gotten in without the expansion this year. The second thing we learned is that the MEAC is not very strong. Even if BCC wins the rest of the league proved to be around the same category of the Big South and while it has had success in the past the league is not good this particular season. Third is that Georgia Southern is probably somewhat for real and could upset William & Mary this week. I think that is the most intriguing game of the ones between a team who got a bye and one who played this week.

Nice post. I agree.

I think we also learned that Lehigh is a dangerous team!

[Chemhen]

The expansion is worth it for the bye so we don't have football games competing with Thanksgiving anymore. Anything else is just a bonus.

[MplsBison]

Wow this argument is over. I don't argue with ignorance, you'll beat me with experience. Get a clue.

Ha ha! Thanks for confirming that I'm correct and you're too frustrated and confounded at your own glibness to think of a good response!

[lionsrking2]

Expansion is a good thing...the more teams that are playing for something late in the season, the better IMO.

[fcsfootball71]

I'm sure some college basketball teams have more players than Duke. Does that mean they have more depth??? Not quite...

[Tod]

Then say a lack of talent - that's what you meant. Obviously having a 100 players on the team is not a lack of depth.

First, I'm not the one that said "lack of talent". I jumped in on the conversation. Second, if you think "depth" is just any warm, breathing body, you're nuts.

[MplsBison]

I'm sure some college basketball teams have more players than Duke. Does that mean they have more depth??? Not quite...

The definition of depth is literally just the number of players.

Where is this colloquial definition that depth means talent coming from?!

[ThompsonThe]

I believe what they are referring to is that Division 2 teams do have a huge amount of recruits. Some sign sixty or eighty players in one year. Don't know what they offer them, maybe room and board and food. Is Robert Morris a move up recently?

And yes, Georgia Southern is for real. They may beat William and Mary. Don't know how far they can go in the playoffs due to the fact that they need to recruit for the Triple Option for a couple of years and run it for awhile to get really good at it. A lot of that will depend on how injured or not Shaw is. When they get some built up experienced players year after year running the TO, they will execute it even better. Then they will put some subtle changes in their formations to make it even harder to defend. Right now it is kind of hit or miss. They have been hitting more than missing recently. GATA GaSo!

[fcsfootball71]

Every sports fan, coach, player, commentator, and message board poster..well, except one ;)..uses the term depth to describe the amount of talent available, not roster size.

[MplsBison]

Every sports fan, coach, player, commentator, and message board poster..well, except one ;)..uses the term depth to describe the amount of talent available, not roster size.

Then they're all wrong! Depth literally refers to how deep something is - a number. The only number you can infer from a roster is the size in number of players. You can't quantize the talent from just looking at the roster, obviously.

Thus, another term is needed and should be used - talent level works just fine for me.

[MplsBison]

Every sports fan, coach, player, commentator, and message board poster..well, except one ;)..uses the term depth to describe the amount of talent available, not roster size.

Then they're all wrong! Depth literally refers to how deep something is - a number. The only number you can infer from a roster is the size in number of players. You can't quantize the talent from just looking at the roster, obviously.

Thus, another term is needed and should be used - talent level works just fine for me.

[WestCoastAggie]

Then they're all wrong! Depth literally refers to how deep something is - a number. The only number you can infer from a roster is the size in number of players. You can't quantize the talent from just looking at the roster, obviously.

Thus, another term is needed and should be used - talent level works just fine for me.

Is everyone really wrong if they all use the word in one way and you use it in another?

[DJKyR0]

I've tried to tell you guys a dozen times - Mpls____ literally will argue himself blue in the face about anything. The only way to win is to not play the game.

[ThompsonThe]

Every sports fan, coach, player, commentator, and message board poster..well, except one ;)..uses the term depth to describe the amount of talent available, not roster size.

I believe the number of football players available for a game in the playoffs is limited by the NCAA.

[Go...gate]

You know this week will be the test to tell me if this expansion was good or not. The four teams playing someone who won today will be the games to judge. If all four of those are blowouts then we know this week just allowed some unworthy teams a chance to say they played in the playoffs and created lopsided games in what was once called the first round. if that is the case then this expansion proves to be a bad move. If the games are good then it will prove that the teams who won beat good teams and having a week off really doesn't give much of an advantage. I'm not saying all of the teams with byes have to just win I mean if they all win by a landslide.

I will say that if nothing we learned three things. We can confirm what most of the previous auto bid leagues thought that the NEC and Big South don't belong quite yet. They need time to add more scholarships and recruit better players. They lost to two teams from the MVFC who probably would not have gotten in without the expansion this year. The second thing we learned is that the MEAC is not very strong. Even if BCC wins the rest of the league proved to be around the same category of the Big South and while it has had success in the past the league is not good this particular season. Third is that Georgia Southern is probably somewhat for real and could upset William & Mary this week. I think that is the most intriguing game of the ones between a team who got a bye and one who played this week.

Might want to add that the Patriot League still belongs.

[Drblankstare]

I've tried to tell you guys a dozen times - Mpls____ literally will argue himself blue in the face about anything. The only way to win is to not play the game.

AGREED

[GATA]

You can't quantize the talent from just looking at the roster, obviously.

Thus, another term is needed and should be used - talent level works just fine for me.

...

[GATA]

Is everyone really wrong if they all use the word in one way and you use it in another?

clearly he's never heard of a "term of art"...

[FargoBison]

The NEC and Big South getting a bid is a good thing for the FCS. Both conferences worked hard to establish themselves and now they can use the playoffs to further build on what they have done.

[Go...gate]

The NEC and Big South getting a bid is a good thing for the FCS. Both conferences worked hard to establish themselves and now they can use the playoffs to further build on what they have done.

Well said.

[CAAisBOSS]

itll be nice to see uri in the playoffs from now on...

[lehidude]

Might want to add that the Patriot League still belongs.

Amen to that!

[blukeys]

The NEC and Big South getting a bid is a good thing for the FCS. Both conferences worked hard to establish themselves and now they can use the playoffs to further build on what they have done.

Sorry the playoffs are for determining a champion not to have teams establish themselves. Expansion has watered down the FCS product. Of course there are those who want to water it down further.

[BlueHenSinfonian]

Sorry the playoffs are for determining a champion not to have teams establish themselves. Expansion has watered down the FCS product. Of course there are those who want to water it down further.

Expanding the playoffs hasn't reduced the abilities of any of the top teams. Letting some of the teams still establishing themselves in allows them to play against some teams they might not have otherwise scheduled, and yesterday's games should serve as a wake up call for SC State, Robert Morris, and to a lesser degree Coastal Carolina, who although they lost, at least played it pretty close against WIU. If these teams want to build up they need to see what the end result product should be, and the playoffs are a great opportunity to expose them to that.

[Gil Dobie]

Brings more money to the NCAA :)

[stevdock]

Brings more money to the NCAA :)

Exactly. What's wrong with making sure you have 8 mostly full stadiums in the upcoming weekend instead of 8 stadiums that are 50-75 percent full?? Now could you make the argument that you could just move the playoffs back a week without adding the four teams?? That's possible, but in the meantime we'll take our win and see what happens next weekend.

[clawman]

thats funny stuff.....is a throttling somethin like 30-7???
doubt that'll happen. not sayin were gonna win but u might not wanna talk about anyone getting throttled,
lil bird

Don't get me wrong I wish you the very best next weekend, that way the Eagles get another home game (SEMO willing) and the Bison can play their last game of the year on red turf!!

[Gil Dobie]

Sorry the playoffs are for determining a champion not to have teams establish themselves. Expansion has watered down the FCS product. Of course there are those who want to water it down further.

Might be a day in the not so distant future that the NEC and Big South are playing for a championship. Giving them an autobid now sets up the opportunity when it presents itself. Might be better to judge the results 10 years from now.

[spdram]

I believe the addage, rising waters floats all boats. So if more teams make the playoffs, and their peers see it can be done many will try to improve their product which is good for all FCS. Having said that, I also believe there is a point at which you are letting in teams that are not playoff caliber which dilutes the product. I don't believe 20 dilutes the product. It's less than 20%.

[OL FU]

I'll throw my hat in the ring. If a conference participates in FCS either by choice or NCAA mandate I am happy to see them get their chance in the playoffs. They may not make it out of round one for a long while, but every once in a while there is a Butler.

[Bisonforlife]

Any sports fan knows the sporting definition of depth.
The definition of depth is literally just the number of players.

Where is this colloquial definition that depth means talent coming from?!

[blukeys]

Brings more money to the NCAA :)

The NCAA states that the FCS is a money loser. (Granted that is courtesy of O'Day)

How did this weekend's games make money for the NCAA when 3 teams had to use air travel (NCAA expense) and the attendance was weak???

[blukeys]

Expanding the playoffs hasn't reduced the abilities of any of the top teams. Letting some of the teams still establishing themselves in allows them to play against some teams they might not have otherwise scheduled, and yesterday's games should serve as a wake up call for SC State, Robert Morris, and to a lesser degree Coastal Carolina, who although they lost, at least played it pretty close against WIU. If these teams want to build up they need to see what the end result product should be, and the playoffs are a great opportunity to expose them to that.

First the Coastal/WIU game is the equivalent of the MBB Play in game of having the PL champ playing the MEAC champ for the honor of losing by 50 to Duke. Both of these programs have already been to the playoffs.

Second SC State should certainly know by now what is necessary to win in the playoffs. They have been there for the last three years. I really don't have a clue what you mean about SC State needs to be allowed in for this wake up call. How many times should they be awakened??

If Robert Morris needs to figure out what it takes to win in the playoffs. Let them schedule some teams in the regular season that are playoff tested. There are plenty in the east. RMU could have learned this lesson by scheduling Umass in the regular season without traveling across the country.

[blukeys]

Might be a day in the not so distant future that the NEC and Big South are playing for a championship. Giving them an autobid now sets up the opportunity when it presents itself. Might be better to judge the results 10 years from now.

I would be willing to consider that provided that the 20 team situation remains the same for 10 years. However, the push for expansion will continue unabated. In fact now that we have watered down the field we will have more arguments that some team should be in the playoffs because they either beat or came close to a watered down playoff team. Look for RMU and the NEC to be the the new bench mark for including one team or another.

By the way this was not the first time a Big South team has been in the playoffs.

[ATX_EWUGrad]

You know this week will be the test to tell me if this expansion was good or not. The four teams playing someone who won today will be the games to judge. If all four of those are blowouts then we know this week just allowed some unworthy teams a chance to say they played in the playoffs and created lopsided games in what was once called the first round. if that is the case then this expansion proves to be a bad move. If the games are good then it will prove that the teams who won beat good teams and having a week off really doesn't give much of an advantage. I'm not saying all of the teams with byes have to just win I mean if they all win by a landslide.

I will say that if nothing we learned three things. We can confirm what most of the previous auto bid leagues thought that the NEC and Big South don't belong quite yet. They need time to add more scholarships and recruit better players. They lost to two teams from the MVFC who probably would not have gotten in without the expansion this year. The second thing we learned is that the MEAC is not very strong. Even if BCC wins the rest of the league proved to be around the same category of the Big South and while it has had success in the past the league is not good this particular season. Third is that Georgia Southern is probably somewhat for real and could upset William & Mary this week. I think that is the most intriguing game of the ones between a team who got a bye and one who played this week.

Now that the Play-in games are done the real playoffs are ready to begin. Does anyone really look at the play-in game as part of the NCAA Men's BB Tournament? It does serve a few good purposes though. By having an additional 4 slots, a good team that deserves to be there isn't going to be held out by an AQ who doesn't. That's the most import aspect in my book. It also provides an opportunity for a marginal team that does make it to prove they deserve to be there. Yesterday, those 4 winners proved they deserved to be there. It also gives the top 12 teams a week off before playing to let them start off on even footing. No more excuses. Now it's time to fight it out and let the best team win!!!

[Gil Dobie]

The NCAA states that the FCS is a money loser. (Granted that is courtesy of O'Day)

How did this weekend's games make money for the NCAA when 3 teams had to use air travel (NCAA expense) and the attendance was weak???

The NCAA got $131,000 from the NDSU game.

Fargo Forum (http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/299819/)

[Appattk]

The NCAA got $131,000 from the NDSU game.

Fargo Forum (http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/299819/)

How much did they have to pay RM to travel??

[Gil Dobie]

How much did they have to pay RM to travel??

I doubt it was $131,000.

The NCAA also blew a chance to make money by shorting NDSU on programs. They soldout prior to kickoff, and many people were looking for them.

[blukeys]

How much did they have to pay RM to travel??

If air travel is so cheap why is the NCAA pushing for bus travel games in the Play in round one???

How much does it cost to house and feed the team, its coaches, trainers, managers and the rest of the approved traveling team???

[blukeys]

By having an additional 4 slots, a good team that deserves to be there isn't going to be held out by an AQ who doesn't.

Rather than expand the playoffs why not eliminate the AQ's who by your definition, don't deserve to be there???

[Gil Dobie]

If air travel is so cheap why is the NCAA pushing for bus travel games in the Play in round one???

How much does it cost to house and feed the team, its coaches, trainers, managers and the rest of the approved traveling team???

If it's $100 per day for 2 nights for say 100 people, that's still only $20,000. There is is hotel right there, and I'm sure they would have a deal with NDSU. I'm just guessing, maybe somebody has a better estimate.

[ATX_EWUGrad]

Rather than expand the playoffs why not eliminate the AQ's who by your definition, don't deserve to be there???

I don't mind having AQ's. I just know there was talk that a certain team in this year's playoffs who wouldn't have been here if not for the AQ. If you want to have AQ's fine, not have AQ's, fine by me as well. This just serves as a bit of a safety net to ensure the best 16 teams are there. To me, I'm not for expansion and the playoffs don't start for me until Saturday. As you saw in my previous post I referred to this past Saturday's games as play-in games.

[swaghook]

As you saw in my previous post I referred to this past Saturday's games as play-in games.

I agree they were the wildcard play in games.

[UAalum72]

Does the NCAA call them wildcard or playin? If not, then it's the first round of the playoffs. Deal with it.

[MplsBison]

How much did they have to pay RM to travel??

Exactly.

Then when you factor in that Western Illinois had to travel to SC by air and Lehigh had to travel to Iowa by air...NCAA lost money this weekend.

I can promise you each of those three travel bills were in the $80-90k range. Air fare kills. The rest is peanuts in comparison.


There was just a post on Bisonville that said some were trying to arrange a charter flight from Fargo to Bozeman, the cost is $550 a person with a minimum of 150 people need -> that's $82.5k right there!

That might be a bit on the high side...but fuel tax, each city's airport has a different fee for taking off and landing depending on the size of the plane and how busy the airport is, and the size of the plane (and thus the minimum crew that have to be aboard) all factor in.


For a team like NDSU, that takes probably at least 4 charter flights a year, maybe they get a deal on prices. But I doubt teams like RMU and Lehigh have flown the whole season. Maybe $100k isn't out of the question, each's total travel bill to the midwest this past weekend!

[NovaWildcat]

Expanding the playoffs has no negative impact on the "top" teams. They get an extra week of rest, and don't have to play on Thanksgiving weekend when attendance is rough. So really, you could even say it helps them.

There's only 4 extra teams - 2 of which would be "bubble-teams" in a 16-team playoff and could normally be swaped in for one of the last few teams in without much debate. We're really only adding 2 teams that people seem to think are "unworthy" - although to be honest its way too early to tell how the NEC and Big South will compete. With their bid you would expect the conferences to get stronger. And if they don't, it still has no impact on the top teams because they'll never make it to the point of playing them anyway.

Don't think this is a big deal.

[Mntneer]

Seems to me we need to wait another week to see how NDSU and GSU do before we can pass judgement on the expansion. You can certainly argue that the Big South and NEC autobids represented poorly, but remember that the 2 teams that won would likely have been excluded from a 16 team field.

[onbison09]

xcoffeex:)

[gasoutherneagle]

xthumbsupx Good show...

[downbythebeach]

I can see NDSU winning next week too
they look pretty tough

[Pantherpower]

The throttling of the mighty NEC team is the point.

How about NDSU's throttling of a Big Sky team? Pride comes before the fall...

[Tod]

How about NDSU's throttling of a Big Sky team? Pride comes before the fall...

Look who's talking...

[Twentysix]

xsmhx

So glad. 42-17 mover MSU!!!! Glad the ncaa let us buy a bid xlolxxrotatehx

[soccerguy315]

props to NDSU

... more ammo for the "big sky is a 1 team league" crowd. The one team was just down, the others weren't any better than usual.

[401ks]

The throttling of the mighty NEC team is the point.

Hmmm....

NDSU beats the NEC's RMU in the confines of their home dome, 43-17.

NDSU goes on the road and "throttles" the BSC's MSU, 42-17.

Add to that, the PL's Lehigh downing UNI in their home dome in the opening round, 14-7.

Yeah, I'm REALLY GLAD we expanded the playoffs! xthumbsupx

And attitudes like Saint3333's need to be flushed down the crapper, where they belong! xnonono2x

[danefan]

I'm so glad these things stay in writing.

Haha....The only team that got in this year that wasn't worthy was SCST.....and they didn't get in at the expense of anyone else (Jacksonville, Liberty didn't have playoff resumes)....they got in by default and because of the almight dollar (e.g. FCS teams scheduling 2 FBS games and scheduling themselves out of the playoffs all for the might $$$$).

[stevdock]

I'm so glad these things stay in writing.

Haha....The only team that got in this year that wasn't worthy was SCST.....and they didn't get in at the expense of anyone else (Jacksonville, Liberty didn't have playoff resumes)....they got in by default and because of the almight dollar (e.g. FCS teams scheduling 2 FBS games and scheduling themselves out of the playoffs all for the might $$$$).

The sad/scary thing is we are going to see more FCS teams in the future also schedule themselves out of the playoffs for money. Can't blame the school but good luck getting kids to come play for you then.

[BlueHenSinfonian]

The sad/scary thing is we are going to see more FCS teams in the future also schedule themselves out of the playoffs for money. Can't blame the school but good luck getting kids to come play for you then.

Which is why scheduling like that is ultimately a losing proposition. I'm all for strong FCS teams scheduling FBS games - it's a good barometer for the program, and scheduling a stronger opponent with the potential for an upset can do great things for exposure. For weaker or midlevel FCS teams scheduling multiple money games against top level FBS teams - it isn't about pride and the chance to prove yourself, it's about greed and desperation. Put together enough losing seasons and get embarassed again and again in the spotlight and the fans stop coming to the games, only increasing the money woes. Build a program up slowly but surely, increase SOS as you can based on your team's ability, and the attendance and money will start to come in. It takes time to build a legacy or dynasty, trying to rush things and take short cuts only makes you fall harder in the end.

[Saint3333]

Still missing the point.

How did the NEC and Big South do?

The objective of the playoffs is to crown a national champion, 16 teams were enough.

[stevdock]

Still missing the point.

How did the NEC and Big South do?

The objective of the playoffs is to crown a national champion, 16 teams were enough.

I don't know about that. But what I do know is the last team in, NDSU, is still playing, and one of the last teams in, GSU, is also.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

You have to start somewhere if you're the Big South and NEC. The PL took it on the chin their first year as well. However, the next year Lehigh beat #3 Richmond and then had 4 downs from eventual champ Umass's 8 yard line with a minute left before falling 27-21.

[danefan]

Still missing the point.

How did the NEC and Big South do?

The objective of the playoffs is to crown a national champion, 16 teams were enough.

OK I'll make it even easier for you:

16 teams were not enough when all the leagues that wanted an AQ didn't get one. Plain and simple. And 20 teams isn't enough if the PFL wants an AQ. You can argue about the # of at-larges all you want, but the NCAA follows the guideline that it should be 50/50 at large/AQ and so they expanded to 20 and they'll expand to 22 in 2011 or 2012 probably for the PFL.

And let me see - the NEC champ did the exact same thing on the road that the AQ from the Big Sky did at home:

RMU 17
NDSU 43

NDSU 42
MSU 17

So should the Big Sky not get an AQ either?

[MplsBison]

Still missing the point.

How did the NEC and Big South do?

The objective of the playoffs is to crown a national champion, 16 teams were enough.

Robert Morris and Coastal Carolina are irrelevent.

The point is that both Georgia Southern and NDSU proved that they more than belonged in the playoffs this year. If it were 16, that would not have happened.

[Saint3333]

I have never believed that the NEC or Big South should get an AQ, especially the NEC. We are sending a guy with a knife (40 scholarships) to a gun fight.

[401ks]

OK I'll make it even easier for you:

16 teams were not enough when all the leagues that wanted an AQ didn't get one. Plain and simple. And 20 teams isn't enough if the PFL wants an AQ. You can argue about the # of at-larges all you want, but the NCAA follows the guideline that it should be 50/50 at large/AQ and so they expanded to 20 and they'll expand to 22 in 2011 or 2012 probably for the PFL.

And let me see - the NEC champ did the exact same thing on the road that the AQ from the Big Sky did at home:

RMU 17
NDSU 43

NDSU 42
MSU 17

So should the Big Sky not get an AQ either?

xbangx

Give it up, danefan.

There are folks who won't be satisfied until we have a BCS system in the FCS.

Some people just don't get the fact that the playoffs are the NCAA Division I Football Championship Playoffs. Just like the NCAA basketball tournament, ALL of the conference/league champions should have a place at the table, if they so desire. The playoffs are not the "Who-gives-the-most-scholarships-playoffs" or the "FBS-wannabe-playoffs".

The reason that the NCAA basketball tournament is such a raging success is that everyone (and I mean everyone) starts out the season with the belief that their team can make it to the Final Four, even teams from weak conferences like the SoCon or Big Sky! ;)

The expanded NCAA basketball tourney gets more people interested and involved. Yeah, let's keep the FCS Playoffs small so that the millions of fans of Appalachian State and Montana across the country can claim some sort of exclusivity! xrolleyesx

Rhetorical question: How many "Cinderella" teams make runs in the NCAA basketball tourney that stir interest in the tourney from people without a horse in the race?

I would argue that the FCS Playoffs are stronger and more interesting to a wider audience this year simply because of expansion. They will be even stronger and far more interesting to a much wider audience when they expand further in the near future.

Fans of teams such as Appalachian State should welcome the broader appeal and broader audience for the playoffs. Just as Butler found in the NCAA Tournament this past spring, additional exposure for your institution is absolutely priceless!

But go ahead...

Keep whining about keeping the FCS Playoffs an exclusive, widely-ignored little sandbox in the corner of the American college sports world. Then when someone mentions Appalachian State to your average American, the response will be, "You mean the hillbillies have a college?" xwhistlex

[Saint3333]

Stay classy.

[MplsBison]

I have never believed that the NEC or Big South should get an AQ, especially the NEC. We are sending a guy with a knife (40 scholarships) to a gun fight.

So? You're also sending two guys in with guns that normally would not get to go to the big gun fight.

[401ks]

Stay classy.

xeyebrowx

As usual, you totally missed the point.

[OL FU]

Seems to me the expansion has worked fine. Two conference champs participated who would not have otherwise and two at large teams, who were better than many other AQs, have done quite well.

Bravo.

[AshevilleApp2]

Seems to me the expansion has worked fine. Two conference champs participated who would not have otherwise and two at large teams, who were better than many other AQs, have done quite well.

Bravo.

Agreed. Georgia Southern wouldn't have made the field last year, and now they look like a contender for Frisco.

My only gripe this year is the time between the semi-finals and the championship game. Even that has a plus side though, because it will give fans more time to arrange travel.

On a side note, dayum OL FU when did you hit 19K posts? xlolx

[OL FU]

Agreed. Georgia Southern wouldn't have made the field last year, and now they look like a contender for Frisco.

My only gripe this year is the time between the semi-finals and the championship game. Even that has a plus side though, because it will give fans more time to arrange travel.

On a side note, dayum OL FU when did you hit 19K posts? xlolx

I don't like the time lapse before the champ game either.

19K is a programming errorxlolx

[mcveyrl]

Agreed. Georgia Southern wouldn't have made the field last year, and now they look like a contender for Frisco.

My only gripe this year is the time between the semi-finals and the championship game. Even that has a plus side though, because it will give fans more time to arrange travel.

On a side note, dayum OL FU when did you hit 19K posts? xlolx

I'm going to start a poll on this, but I think GSU gets in a 16 team field.

If you look at the bottom four at-larges, they were (alphabetically)

GSU
NDSU
SCSU
WIU

I think that a third SoCon team tops that list, making them the seventh AL and in a sixteen team field. I also wonder whether NDSU gets in over WIU (I think they would get in over SCSU because the committee would look for a second MVFC team). WIU has the head to head, but NDSU has an FBS win.

[Go...gate]

It's good to see GSU back in the middle of things.

[OL FU]

It's good to see GSU back in the middle of things.

You don't have to live with those guys 12 months out of the year

[UNH Fanboi]

I'm going to start a poll on this, but I think GSU gets in a 16 team field.

If you look at the bottom four at-larges, they were (alphabetically)

GSU
NDSU
SCSU
WIU

I think that a third SoCon team tops that list, making them the seventh AL and in a sixteen team field. I also wonder whether NDSU gets in over WIU (I think they would get in over SCSU because the committee would look for a second MVFC team). WIU has the head to head, but NDSU has an FBS win.

I recall someone on AGS saying that someone on the committee said NDSU was the last team in. Take those multiple levels of hearsay for what they are worth.

[JSUBison]

I recall someone on AGS saying that someone on the committee said NDSU was the last team in. Take those multiple levels of hearsay for what they are worth.

It's pretty much a fact. I think NDSU's AD stated as much also.

[Kramden]

I'll throw my hat in the ring. If a conference participates in FCS either by choice or NCAA mandate I am happy to see them get their chance in the playoffs. They may not make it out of round one for a long while, but every once in a while there is a Butler.


Remember Colgate in 2003? It makes the playoffs a bit more intrigiuing.