Bracketology Week 8

[BisonTru]

Here's my take:

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=29336&stc=1

Idaho St@Eastern Washington/1. North Dakota St
Central Arkansas@Jacksonville St/8. Wofford

Elon@Chattanooga/4. Kennesaw St
Nicholls St@Delaware/5. Towson

San Diego@Weber St/3. UC Davis
North Dakota@Northern Iowa/6. South Dakota St

Sacred Heart@Stony Brook/7. Colgate
SE Missouri St@Illinois St/2. James Madison

The First Four Out: McNeese St, Montana St, Monmouth, and the MEAC runner up

- - - Updated - - -

Nobowls Bracket:

http://www.nobowls.com/
http://www.nobowls.com/images/week08.png

[dbackjon]

OVC getting THREE Teams in?

Hmmmm

[Go...gate]

Princeton would look awfully good in that field.

[SU DOG]

OVC getting THREE Teams in?

Hmmmm

That will NOT happen.

[caribbeanhen]

if you are sending a Southland team to Newark, send Sam Houston and KC

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Princeton would look awfully good in that field.

Not if meant Colgate was knocked off the seed line...xnodx

I keep saying it, the programs truly capable of ending the NDSU reign reside in the Ivy League. They have all the resources needed to win titles. They just need their administrations to grow some balls.

[FCSbuff319]

Incarnate Word is an interesting inclusion. They are 4-3 and this is their remaining schedule:
@ Nicholls
Vs. Sam Houston
@ Central Arkansas
@ Iowa State

[bwbear]

Incarnate Word is an interesting inclusion. They are 4-3 and this is their remaining schedule:
@ Nicholls
Vs. Sam Houston
@ Central Arkansas
@ Iowa State

They have a single win of significance, versus McNeese (who, by their own fans' admission, was overrated at the time).

They have a bad loss to 3-4 Lamar (who was 1-4 prior to that win).

I am leaning towards SLC getting 2 bids max: The AQ and one other. Right now, my guess is UCA (final record 9-2 prediction) and SHSU (8-3 final prediction).

I pray we (UCA) don't end up traveling to Fargo in round 2.

[BisonTru]

Incarnate Word is an interesting inclusion. They are 4-3 and this is their remaining schedule:
@ Nicholls
Vs. Sam Houston
@ Central Arkansas
@ Iowa State

Yep, they would need to go 3-1 and that's arguably against the top 3 teams in the southland plus an FBS. FWIW, Nobowls always does his bracket as if the season ended today. Whereas the bracket I do I use Massey to try and predict out the remaining games.

[da_Bison]

Not if meant Colgate was knocked off the seed line...xnodx

I keep saying it, the programs truly capable of ending the NDSU reign reside in the Ivy League. They have all the resources needed to win titles. They just need their administrations to grow some balls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq-v1TTUyhM&feature=share

[katss07]

Oh hell naw this bracket. Sorry, I don’t think this nobowls one makes sense. 3 OVC? That’s enough to know this bracket isn’t good.

Looks like if Sam is going to climb back into playoff discussion, they’ll have to beat UIW (something thats not going to happen). Oh and this McNeese/UCA game might be an elimination game. SLC and OVC are crazy. Nice to see things getting mixed up!

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq-v1TTUyhM&feature=share

How so? xeyebrowx

[da_Bison]

How so? xeyebrowx


Exactly

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Exactly

I have no clue where you're going with this. Transparency clearly is not your strength.

The IL schools have the facilities, recruiting (they get legit FBS guys) and $$$$$$ to contend and win titles at the FCS level. They have 2-3 teams this year that easily could advance in the playoffs. Ivy League teams aren't playing on the road in this current playoff format. NCAA/ESPN would love to have them in some of the televised games. The IL has field excellent teams over the years that have gotten lost in the shuffle. It's a damn shame.

[WestCoastAggie]

A&T is in at 9-2.

[da_Bison]

I have no clue where you're going with this. Transparency clearly is not your strength.

The IL schools have the facilities, recruiting (they get legit FBS guys) and $$$$$$ to contend and win titles at the FCS level. They have 2-3 teams this year that easily could advance in the playoffs. Ivy League teams aren't playing on the road in this current playoff format. NCAA/ESPN would love to have them in some of the televised games. The IL has field excellent teams over the years that have gotten lost in the shuffle. It's a damn shame.
Yea, ok...Playing the Browns, Monmouths and Columbia’s of the world are gonna prepare them for what they’d be up against. The speed and physicality is unfamiliar territory.

[cx500d]

Incarnate Word is an interesting inclusion. They are 4-3 and this is their remaining schedule:
@ Nicholls
Vs. Sam Houston
@ Central Arkansas
@ Iowa State

Doesn't that Iowa State game take place during the playoffs?

[Gangtackle11]

Here is another bracket prediction:

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/fcs-football/bracketology

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Yea, ok...Playing the Browns, Monmouths and Columbia’s of the world are gonna prepare them for what they’d be up against. The speed and physicality is unfamiliar territory.

Everyone has inferior teams on their schedule. Assuming the IL is 3-4 teams deep with quality FCS teams and they schedule 1 or 2 more in the OOC their playoff participants would be well prepared. Yale hammered Top 25 Maine this year and added a SoCon scalp in Mercer. Not everyone has scheduled like Yale (looking at you Harvard and Princeton) but that doesn't mean they're not really good teams/programs. It's all about the leagues potential if they would just commit to the playoffs.

[BisonTru]

Here is another bracket prediction:

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/fcs-football/bracketology

I think UND/UNI would be routed thru SDSU since UNI is a bus trip to brookings but not to Fargo.

I’d also pair up SEMO and ISU as they’d be a bus trip.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bison56]

Doesn't that Iowa State game take place during the playoffs?

In the contract if UIW makes the playoffs, or ISU wins the Big 12 the game is canceled. Something like that.

[dmksioux]

I think UND/UNI would be routed thru SDSU since UNI is a bus trip to brookings but not to Fargo.

I’d also pair up SEMO and ISU as they’d be a bus trip.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


But UND is a bus trip to Fargo...and to Brookings. xnodx

[kalm]

Yep, they would need to go 3-1 and that's arguably against the top 3 teams in the southland plus an FBS. FWIW, Nobowls always does his bracket as if the season ended today. Whereas the bracket I do I use Massey to try and predict out the remaining games.

Massey has EWU beating Davis so I'm assuming you use Massey for the predictions but tweek it some? Otherwise EWU would be predicted to finish 9-2 but unseeded behind an 8-3 Davis who they would have beat.

[MSUBobcat]

Massey has EWU beating Davis so I'm assuming you use Massey for the predictions but tweek it some? Otherwise EWU would be predicted to finish 9-2 but unseeded behind an 8-3 Davis who they would have beat.

Any word on Gubrud? I don't think EWU should be favored to beat Davis on the road without him. xtwocentsx

[kalm]

Any word on Gubrud? I don't think EWU should be favored to beat Davis on the road without him. xtwocentsx

No word yet. EWU plays those things close to the vest. It sounds like turf toe and he's been in a walking boot ever since but the training staff also didn't rule him out till late in the week each of the past two games. We were beat up heavily at OT, Safety, and at least dinged up at LB. The fact Sam McPherson only got 3 carries against Weber would suggest some issues for him as well. The bye week couldn't have come at a better time.

The Davis game is in Cheney.

[MSUBobcat]

No word yet. EWU plays those things close to the vest. It sounds like turf toe and he's been in a walking boot ever since but the training staff also didn't rule him out till late in the week each of the past two games. We were beat up heavily at OT, Safety, and at least dinged up at LB. The fact Sam McPherson only got 3 carries against Weber would suggest some issues for him as well. The bye week couldn't have come at a better time.

The Davis game is in Cheney.

My bad. I googled "EWU football schedule" and the pic that shows up listed them on the bottom, which usually means home team. Must have been a Canadian websitextroublex

[MSUBobcat]

No word yet. EWU plays those things close to the vest. It sounds like turf toe and he's been in a walking boot ever since but the training staff also didn't rule him out till late in the week each of the past two games. We were beat up heavily at OT, Safety, and at least dinged up at LB. The fact Sam McPherson only got 3 carries against Weber would suggest some issues for him as well. The bye week couldn't have come at a better time.

The Davis game is in Cheney.

Also.... in the words of the immortal Herb Brooks.... a sprained toe is a hell of a long way from the heart. Candyass...

[BisonTru]

But UND is a bus trip to Fargo...and to Brookings. xnodx

Well aware of that. The committee could insure a bus trip if it goes thru Brookings. Going thru Fargo would be a 50/50 shot at a bus trip or a plane trip. The committee will always maximize bus trips within the rules.

[Derby City Duke]

Also.... in the words of the immortal Herb Brooks.... a sprained toe is a hell of a long way from the heart. Candyass...

Rashad Robinson's turf toe required surgery prior to the season -- won't play this year; red-shirting and will have his senior year in '19. Helluva reason to lose an A/A CB...

[BisonTru]

Massey has EWU beating Davis so I'm assuming you use Massey for the predictions but tweek it some? Otherwise EWU would be predicted to finish 9-2 but unseeded behind an 8-3 Davis who they would have beat.

I use the estimated wins/loses remaining. So UC Davis has 2.85 wins remaining and 1.15 losses. EWU has 3.22 wins remaining and .78 loses. So rounding would put both finishing 3-1, but EWU has the better chance of going 4-0 down the stretch. If both teams win out I would suspect that game will decide the highest and maybe only Big Sky seed although there's potential for both to be seeded.

[Professor]

A&T is in at 9-2.

I don't get why people can't process that lol

[Outsider1]

Incarnate Word is an interesting inclusion. They are 4-3 and this is their remaining schedule:
@ Nicholls
Vs. Sam Houston
@ Central Arkansas
@ Iowa State

It is a very interesting inclusion but not out of reach for them. Even a couple of weeks ago I was giving better known teams the benefit of the doubt against them, but not now. The SLC is upside down this season and UIW is rolling with good talent. The question is still, "How long does it last?". We may also very well spoil a spot or two even though we don't make it in. I think all of us in the SLC are watching each of the remaining games with apprehension as to what will happen week to week. Right now, I am predicting 3 in and UIW over Nicholls, but I wouldn't argue anyone who only says we get 2 in and no one knows who those two end up being. We could still get 3: UCA, McNeese/Nicholls, and SHSU, but I somehow think the usual suspects are suspect this year....

[MSUBobcat]

Rashad Robinson's turf toe required surgery prior to the season -- won't play this year; red-shirting and will have his senior year in '19. Helluva reason to lose an A/A CB...

A single tear rolled down my cheek.... (doesn't sound like a sprain either, if season ending surgery was needed, just sayin')

[Derby City Duke]

A single tear rolled down my cheek.... (doesn't sound like a sprain either, if season ending surgery was needed, just sayin')

Wouldn't be able to tell you the true extent. Mike Houston is close to Belichick-ian when it comes to injuries...xnottalkingx

[Daytripper]

Doesn't that Iowa State game take place during the playoffs?

Yes. If UIW makes the playoffs, the Iowa State game is cancelled.

[ncspiderfan]

If the five listed CAA teams make it, Delaware will be the only one JMU has not played. I would guess Delaware will have to go through them in the second round, and thus play a none CAA in the first round.

Just a guess.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

If the five listed CAA teams make it, Delaware will be the only one JMU has not played. I would guess Delaware will have to go through them in the second round, and thus play a none CAA in the first round.

Just a guess.

While the committee used that logic last year with SBU I'm not sure the same thing would apply for Delaware. I think the NCAA would like the Hens to end up with 2 home games if possible.

[BisonTru]

If the five listed CAA teams make it, Delaware will be the only one JMU has not played. I would guess Delaware will have to go through them in the second round, and thus play a none CAA in the first round.

Just a guess.

The rules state that no conference rematches can occur in the first round. The second round (whereas JMU would have a bye in the first) is wide open to conference rematches. So really any CAA team could be routed thru another seeded CAA team, and that happens often to many conferences due to regionalization.

Now if JMU fell out of the seeds and Delaware is also a first round team, both could be matched up in the first round.

[BisonTru]

While the committee used that logic last year with SBU I'm not sure the same thing would apply for Delaware. I think the NCAA would like the Hens to end up with 2 home games if possible.

The only realistic way Delaware gets two home games is if they get seeded and you really would need to be seeded 4 or higher to guarantee two home games. They could host in the first round, go on the road to a seeded team and win, and if their opponent in the next round was also unseeded they could host. That would be quite a long shot though.

[ncspiderfan]

The rules state that no conference rematches can occur in the first round. The second round (whereas JMU would have a bye in the first) is wide open to conference rematches. So really any CAA team could be routed thru another seeded CAA team, and that happens often to many conferences due to regionalization.

Now if JMU fell out of the seeds and Delaware is also a first round team, both could be matched up in the first round.
Actually regionalization was one of the reasons I thought of it. Of course Delaware would have to win the first round, but that turns JMU into a bus ride.
We shall see, like I said, it is just a guess. The CAA is about to start banging on each other pretty good, so a good chance they all might not even make it.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

The only realistic way Delaware gets two home games is if they get seeded and you really would need to be seeded 4 or higher to guarantee two home games. They could host in the first round, go on the road to a seeded team and win, and if their opponent in the next round was also unseeded they could host. That would be quite a long shot though.

I think UD could easily end up seeded. The NCAA has historically liked to keep Montana and UD at home more often than not. I know Montana was shipped to NDSU one year. The geography in the west played into that imo. In the east you can get a little more creative. The NCAA has often set up potential intriguing match-ups in the second round.

NDSU, UD, JMU, Montana and Montana State are the playoff cash cows of FCS.

I could see UD hosting a 1st round game then heading to Colgate with a chance to win and maybe return to the Tub if they catch a break.

[BisonTru]

Actually regionalization was one of the reasons I thought of it. Of course Delaware would have to win the first round, but that turns JMU into a bus ride.
We shall see, like I said, it is just a guess. The CAA is about to start banging on each other pretty good, so a good chance they all might not even make it.

OH they certainly could be funneled due to regionalization, but my point is Delaware could also go thru using my example Towson.

[BisonTru]

I think UD could easily end up seeded. The NCAA has historically liked to keep Montana and UD at home more often than not. I know Montana was shipped to NDSU one year. The geography in the west played into that imo. In the east you can get a little more creative. The NCAA has often set up potential intriguing match-ups in the second round.

NDSU, UD, JMU, Montana and Montana State are the playoff cash cows of FCS.

I could see UD hosting a 1st round game then heading to Colgate with a chance to win and maybe return to the Tub if they catch a break.

The NCAA cares about the money, that's why we have the rules we have regarding regionalization and the host team in the first round is determined by bids vs. merit. However, the committee (which is made up of ADs) doesn't really have incentive to build the field any more fiscally minded than the rules they are currently tied to.

[MTfan4life]

FWIW, Nobowls always does his bracket as if the season ended today.

Really??? So according to him, Incarnate Word, Murray State, and Central Arkansas would be in if the season ended today and teams with legitimate wins like Idaho State, Maine, Rhode Island, Nicholls State, Missouri State, etc would be left out? Even NC A&T and Montana have a better resume at this point than Murray State! Plus, South Dakota State as a 3 seed right now with wins over Montana State and Indiana State? If he's picking on the present, he needs to sober up. xdrunkyx

[MTfan4life]

I just keep waiting for SDSU to lose just one more game, setting up the possibility of North Dakota @/vs. South Dakota State with the winner traveling to Fargo, with Northern Iowa waiting in the wings as the 8 seed. I couldn't even imagine the chaos and uproar on here from that result. All while Colgate gets the winner of Sacred Heart vs. Maine. xlolx

[Go...gate]

I think UD could easily end up seeded. The NCAA has historically liked to keep Montana and UD at home more often than not. I know Montana was shipped to NDSU one year. The geography in the west played into that imo. In the east you can get a little more creative. The NCAA has often set up potential intriguing match-ups in the second round.

NDSU, UD, JMU, Montana and Montana State are the playoff cash cows of FCS.

I could see UD hosting a 1st round game then heading to Colgate with a chance to win and maybe return to the Tub if they catch a break.

Shades of 1979 when UD, en route to a 13-1 season and a Division II championship, played a 5-3-1 Colgate team on a blustery, cold and snowy day in Hamilton (last game of the season - week before Thanksgiving) with occasional breaks of sunshine. Scott Brunner had a great day as UD prevailed 24 - 16. UD has not ventured to Colgate since.

[WestCoastAggie]

Really??? So according to him, Incarnate Word, Murray State, and Central Arkansas would be in if the season ended today and teams with legitimate wins like Idaho State, Maine, Rhode Island, Nicholls State, Missouri State, etc would be left out? Even NC A&T and Montana have a better resume at this point than Murray State! Plus, South Dakota State as a 3 seed right now with wins over Montana State and Indiana State? If he's picking on the present, he needs to sober up. xdrunkyx

The loser between Murray and Jax State will be on the outside looking in.

SEMO could slide in if they win out but that’s a pretty big if.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Not if meant Colgate was knocked off the seed line...xnodx

I keep saying it, the programs truly capable of ending the NDSU reign reside in the Ivy League. They have all the resources needed to win titles. They just need their administrations to grow some balls.


LOL

NDSU would beat race any Ivy school this year.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Yea, ok...Playing the Browns, Monmouths and Columbia’s of the world are gonna prepare them for what they’d be up against. The speed and physicality is unfamiliar territory.


This here.

Ivies see the same teams year after year after year.....yawn.

Not one Ivy would be competitive with the Bison.

[WestCoastAggie]

If Colgate finishes undefeated, they could garner a 7 or 8-seed.

[PAllen]

If Colgate finishes undefeated, they could garner a 7 or 8-seed.

If they don't get at least a top 4 seed in that scenario, then this whole thing is a sham.

[WestCoastAggie]

If they don't get at least a top 4 seed in that scenario, then this whole thing is a sham.

Hmm...

[Dukie95]

I don't get why people can't process that lol

Bad losses to FAMU and especially Morgan State, but if they don't lose again, A&T would be my choice above any second OVC or third SLC.

[Gangtackle11]

If they don't get at least a top 4 seed in that scenario, then this whole thing is a sham.

Not so fast.....beating Army will be impressive, but I’ll enlist the help of Massey to rank Colgate’s opponents.

Holy Cross 239
UNH 199
Lafayette 293
W&M 186
Bucknell 314
Cornell 181
Georgetown 270
Fordham 331
Lehigh 341
Army 40

Not sure that’s worthy of a top seed even if undefeated. xpeacex

[MR. CHICKEN]

.....COLGATE SKED....#78........AH'M ROOTIN'..........BUT NOT #4 SEED........BRAWK!

[Professor Chaos]

If they don't get at least a top 4 seed in that scenario, then this whole thing is a sham.


.....COLGATE SKED....#78........AH'M ROOTIN'..........BUT NOT #4 SEED........BRAWK!
Yeah, I'm not seeing any possibility of a top 4 seed for Colgate unless there's some serious implosion amongst the top 5 down the stretch. That hypothetical win against Army wouldn't carry that much weight and that UNH win doesn't look like it'll mean much. They needed another team or two in the Patriot League to have a pulse this year to push their ceiling that high.

[ST_Lawson]

LOL

NDSU would beat race any Ivy school this year.

I think his point was that if the Ivy League schools wanted to, they could. Right now, they don't care enough to compete at the top of the FCS, and yes, any time in the recent past or near future, NDSU would destroy pretty much any Ivy League school.

But...what if Harvard, Yale, or Princeton decided that they really wanted to be back at the top in football again, like they were back in the early days of football?
All three of those have endowments of over $20B (Harvard has $37.1B). What would happen in a matter of a decade or so if all the Ivy League schools decided they were going to offer full scholarships (I know they already do a bunch of financial aid stuff) and full cost of attendance to all members of the football team. Then they took 1/2 of 1% of their endowments and invested it in new athletics facilities (~$100M for a 20B endowment), and designated 1/10th of 1% of their endowments towards their football budgets annually ($~20M/year). I'm not saying that it'd be every team every year, but you don't think they couldn't field teams that could beat NDSU on a regular basis with that level of institutional support?

Forget the top of the FCS, with the name recognition most of them have, the money that they could invest if they decided they wanted to, and their enrollment levels, there's no reason they couldn't compete with the top of the FBS.

Consider, for example, Stanford:
Football Budget - $23.72M (from an article last year)
Endowment - $24.8B
Enrollment - ~16.4k

Miami:
Football Budget - $28.47M
Endowment - $949M
Enrollment - ~17k

Notre Dame:
Football Budget - $38.97M
Endowment - $13.1B
Enrollment - ~12.3k

Northwestern:
Football Budget - $24.6M
Endowment - $10.46B
Enrollment - ~21.2k

And compare to...let's just go with the Ivy League average:
Endowment - $15.77B
Enrollment - ~14.9k

So, the average Ivy League school has an endowment larger than Notre Dame, Northwestern, or Miami, and more students than Notre Dame (and only slightly behind Stanford and Miami).
Pretty much, if the Ivy League decided it wanted to really be competitive in football, it could do it at the FCS or the FBS level. That's essentially what I got from the statement "They just need their administrations to grow some balls."

[BisonTru]

Yeah, I'm not seeing any possibility of a top 4 seed for Colgate unless there's some serious implosion amongst the top 5 down the stretch. That hypothetical win against Army wouldn't carry that much weight and that UNH win doesn't look like it'll mean much. They needed another team or two in the Patriot League to have a pulse this year to push their ceiling that high.

I disagree. First off, I don't think Colgate is going to beat Army, BUT if they did I don't think you are going to find 4 resumes better than an undefeated season with an FBS win of a Massey ranked #39 and current 5-2 Army squad.

[BisonTru]

I just keep waiting for SDSU to lose just one more game, setting up the possibility of North Dakota @/vs. South Dakota State with the winner traveling to Fargo, with Northern Iowa waiting in the wings as the 8 seed. I couldn't even imagine the chaos and uproar on here from that result. All while Colgate gets the winner of Sacred Heart vs. Maine. xlolx

This is honestly quite likely. If SDSU falls out of the seeds it's almost guaranteed.


Really??? So according to him, Incarnate Word, Murray State, and Central Arkansas would be in if the season ended today and teams with legitimate wins like Idaho State, Maine, Rhode Island, Nicholls State, Missouri State, etc would be left out? Even NC A&T and Montana have a better resume at this point than Murray State! Plus, South Dakota State as a 3 seed right now with wins over Montana State and Indiana State? If he's picking on the present, he needs to sober up. xdrunkyx

Yeah, I like Nobowls, but this isn't a real realistic bracket imo. I don't know what he was thinking with 3 OVC getting in, no matter how he wants to slice it.

[Professor Chaos]

I disagree. First off, I don't think Colgate is going to beat Army, BUT if they did I don't think you are going to find 4 resumes better than an undefeated season with an FBS win of a Massey ranked #39 and current 5-2 Army squad.
Problem is Army isn't going to be rated that high if Colgate beats them. And what do they have after that?

I'd take NDSU, two out of JMU/Towson/Elon depending on who wins those head-to-heads (assuming their only remaining losses are to each other), and whoever is top of the heap in the Big Sky (most likely EWU or UC Davis) over a 10-0 Colgate.

It's possible Colgate could get in there but you'd need several of those teams to drop games they shouldn't these last 4 weeks.

[BisonTru]

I just keep waiting for SDSU to lose just one more game, setting up the possibility of North Dakota @/vs. South Dakota State with the winner traveling to Fargo, with Northern Iowa waiting in the wings as the 8 seed. I couldn't even imagine the chaos and uproar on here from that result. All while Colgate gets the winner of Sacred Heart vs. Maine. xlolx


Problem is Army isn't going to be rated that high if Colgate beats them. And what do they have after that?

I'd take NDSU, two out of JMU/Towson/Elon depending on who wins those head-to-heads (assuming their only remaining losses are to each other), and whoever is top of the heap in the Big Sky (most likely EWU or UC Davis) over a 10-0 Colgate.

It's possible Colgate could get in there but you'd need several of those teams to drop games they shouldn't these last 4 weeks.

What win would any of the teams you listed be more impressive than Colgate beating Army?

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

I think his point was that if the Ivy League schools wanted to, they could. Right now, they don't care enough to compete at the top of the FCS, and yes, any time in the recent past or near future, NDSU would destroy pretty much any Ivy League school.

But...what if Harvard, Yale, or Princeton decided that they really wanted to be back at the top in football again, like they were back in the early days of football?
All three of those have endowments of over $20B (Harvard has $37.1B). What would happen in a matter of a decade or so if all the Ivy League schools decided they were going to offer full scholarships (I know they already do a bunch of financial aid stuff) and full cost of attendance to all members of the football team. Then they took 1/2 of 1% of their endowments and invested it in new athletics facilities (~$100M for a 20B endowment), and designated 1/10th of 1% of their endowments towards their football budgets annually ($~20M/year). I'm not saying that it'd be every team every year, but you don't think they couldn't field teams that could beat NDSU on a regular basis with that level of institutional support?

Forget the top of the FCS, with the name recognition most of them have, the money that they could invest if they decided they wanted to, and their enrollment levels, there's no reason they couldn't compete with the top of the FBS.

Consider, for example, Stanford:
Football Budget - $23.72M (from an article last year)
Endowment - $24.8B
Enrollment - ~16.4k

Miami:
Football Budget - $28.47M
Endowment - $949M
Enrollment - ~17k

Notre Dame:
Football Budget - $38.97M
Endowment - $13.1B
Enrollment - ~12.3k

Northwestern:
Football Budget - $24.6M
Endowment - $10.46B
Enrollment - ~21.2k

And compare to...let's just go with the Ivy League average:
Endowment - $15.77B
Enrollment - ~14.9k

So, the average Ivy League school has an endowment larger than Notre Dame, Northwestern, or Miami, and more students than Notre Dame (and only slightly behind Stanford and Miami).
Pretty much, if the Ivy League decided it wanted to really be competitive in football, it could do it at the FCS or the FBS level. That's essentially what I got from the statement "They just need their administrations to grow some balls."

Absolutely!! Great post!!

[Professor Chaos]

What win would any of the teams you listed be more impressive than Colgate beating Army?
Elon over JMU is the only one right now. If you want to seed on who has the best singular win you'd be right, I'm not arguing that. I don't think that singular win is enough to compensate for the awful SOS they'd have in comparison to those other teams (which isn't their fault - scheduling UNH and Army OOC isn't bad - it's the rest of the PL's and UNH's fault).

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Shades of 1979 when UD, en route to a 13-1 season and a Division II championship, played a 5-3-1 Colgate team on a blustery, cold and snowy day in Hamilton (last game of the season - week before Thanksgiving) with occasional breaks of sunshine. Scott Brunner had a great day as UD prevailed 24 - 16. UD has not ventured to Colgate since.

If Colgate were to host an attractive opponent I'll seriously consider coming up for the game. A game against UD in travelable weather would be awesome!

I'm still exploring my options for this Saturday. The weather is still up in the air. It's about 41 miles from Andy Kerr to the Carrier Dome. I saw SUNY Cortland (6-1) is also home Saturday. There's always the Destiny USA Mall xlolx

[BisonTru]

Elon over JMU is the only one right now. If you want to seed on who has the best singular win you'd be right, I'm not arguing that. I don't think that singular win is enough to compensate for the awful SOS they'd have in comparison to those other teams (which isn't their fault - scheduling UNH and Army OOC isn't bad - it's the rest of the PL's and UNH's fault).

For reference right now Massey has JMU at #75 and Army at #39.

I believe you certainly shouldn't punish a team for a strong SOS, but at the same time you shouldn't punish a weak SOS unfairly either. Colgate hasn't allowed a TD since week 1, and really that Holy Cross game is the only game where you could point to a less than appealing performance even though they won. So at the end of the day if they beat Army they'd have one really really good win and then a bunch of blowouts against a weak Patriot teams. JMO if NDSU, JMU, and Colgate won out they would be seeded 1-3 in that order.

To be fair though, this conversation is almost surely all for not, because Army most likely beats Colgate. It will still be interesting how much of a game they make it, as we don't have a lot of other good measuring sticks on their schedule.

[HensRock]

OH they certainly could be funneled due to regionalization, but my point is Delaware could also go thru using my example Towson.

If you are using Massey projections, as you say, Delaware should be seeded.

[BisonTru]

If you were really using Massey projections, as you say, you would have Delaware seeded.

Massey has you 2.79 wins remaining and 1.21 losses remaining putting you at 8-3. I use Massey to predict out the rest of the season. The seeds are what I feel the committee will do with the given outcomes, which I don't believe 8-3 would be enough, but it could be close. I seeded Towson at 8-3 tho. This weekends game could be important in determining the second seeded CAA team (if the CAA gets one). I'd say finish 4-0 and a seed is probably likely. 8-3 .... maybe depending on the rest of the field.

[Go...gate]

If Colgate were to host an attractive opponent I'll seriously consider coming up for the game. A game against UD in travelable weather would be awesome!

I'm still exploring my options for this Saturday. The weather is still up in the air. It's about 41 miles from Andy Kerr to the Carrier Dome. I saw SUNY Cortland (6-1) is also home Saturday. There's always the Destiny USA Mall xlolx

Be careful and keep an eye on the weather. You may need orange golf balls at Seven Oaks.

[TheValleyRaider]

I'm skeptical of the possibility of a Top 4 seed for Colgate. Lots of teams with good records in good conferences to make it that high.

A seed though, assuming the Raiders finish 9-1, strikes me as very possible. Would be much better at 10-1, but c'est la vie.

My other suspicion is that the Army game will have little impact on Colgate's seed (especially if the favorites hold). Whatever they are going into that game will be just about where they end up. If the committee is prepared to seed Colgate at 9-0, why would losing to a FBS drop them out?

[HensRock]

I seeded Towson at 8-3 tho.
Even tho UD will have a 0.6 - 0.4 head-to-head record against Towson? LOL!
(Again, if you believe in Massey - which I don't, btw)

[Gangtackle11]

Massey Ratings Projected FCS Playoff Qualifiers:
(#) Current Massey Rating

AQ:
Big South: (18) Kennesaw State 10-1
Big Sky: (10) Eastern Washington 9-2 (8-2 D1)
CAA: (2) James Madison 9-2
MVFC: (1) NDSU 11-0
NEC: (68) Sacred Heart 8-3
Ohio Valley: (28) Jacksonville State 8-3
Patriot: (14) Colgate 9-1
Pioneer: (62) San Diego 9-2 (8-2 D1)
Southern: (26) Wofford 8-3
Southland: (20) Central Arkansas 9-2

At-Large Pool:
(11) Delaware 9-2
(43) NC A&T 9-2
(7) Cal- Davis 9-2
(16) North Dakota 9-2
(12) Elon 8-2
(4) UNI 8-3
(19) Idaho State 8-3
(39) Sam Houston State 8-3
(37) McNeesee State 8-3
(29) Nicholls State 8-3
(33) SEMO 8-3
(8) Towson 7-4
(15) Stony Brook 7-4
(36) Chattanooga 7-4
(5) South Dakota State 7-3
(6) Illinois State 8-3 (7-3 D1)
(13) Weber State 7-4
(55) Austin Peay 7-4
(49)ETSU 7-4 (6-4 D1)
(59) Monmouth 8-3

* At-Large selected by current Massey ranking. This will change as teams win/lose down the stretch.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Be careful and keep an eye on the weather. You may need orange golf balls at Seven Oaks.

Safe to say I won't be golfing this Saturday. The forecast looks pretty crappy. I'm just hoping I don't run into any accumulating snow on my way back from Syracuse Saturday night. I've made trips up and down 81 from CNY in the winter that would test to just about anyone's nerves...

[MacThor]

It seems like every year we have this same discussion about weak SOS teams with great records being "unworthy" of a seed. And every year the committee gives them a seed. They prove that they put much more weight on record than we do.

Heck, they seeded Hampton #2 after an undefeated season against a much softer schedule than Colgate's this year.
We had the same debate about UND in 2016 "deserving" a seed at 9-2/8-0 Big Sky.
Both of those examples, of course, lost their first game at home. All that proves is that we can be "right" about their worthiness, and wrong about what the committee's going to do.

If Colgate keeps this up, they're getting a seed, whether we think they deserve it or not.
6 points against in 5 games? That's impressive; I don't care who you're playing.

[TheValleyRaider]

If Cornell keeps this up, they're getting a seed, whether we think they deserve it or not.
6 points against in 5 games? That's impressive; I don't care who you're playing.

Whoa there! xeekx

[dbackjon]

Whoa there! xeekx


What do you expect from a VCU fan?

[MacThor]

Whoa there! xeekx I was looking at their latest box score, sorry. I've got to stop posting from the brewery.


What do you expect from a VCU fan? Ha! If I was a VCU fan, it would have been a spelling error.

[R.A.]

8-3 Howard, last team in.

[Schism55]

8-3 Howard, last team in.
Look who's back.
Surely this prediction will go as well as the one in your last post xlolx

[WestCoastAggie]

Look who's back.
Surely this prediction will go as well as the one in your last post xlolx

Snicker...

[Professor]

8-3 Howard, last team in.

I would appreciate it. So we can dead all this playoff talk and make our way back to Atlanta

[World]

Yea, ok...Playing the Browns, Monmouths and Columbia’s of the world are gonna prepare them for what they’d be up against. The speed and physicality is unfamiliar territory.

You mean like destroying the Browns, Monmouths and Columbia's of the world by 40 to 50 points?

that kind of "speed and physicality"?

[Thumper 76]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq-v1TTUyhM&feature=share


LOL

NDSU would beat race any Ivy school this year.
I don’t think they Ivy’s are great right now. That said, I’m pretty sure if they decided to jump in the playoffs they would get at least halfway serious about it. And with the Ivy’s money, added to their capabilities to hand someone an Ivy education, anyone who thinks they wouldn’t be capable of becoming on par with the MVFC and the CAA is lying to themselves unfortunately. Those schools truly have the capabilities to be an FBS school at the FCS level if they decided to, and I’m pretty goddamn sure their egos wouldn’t let them have half assed teams getting crushed in the playoffs. It would make it really fun IMO to have another dominate conference added to the playoffs.

Basically if you don’t think the Ivy’s would be capable of making their programs national championship contenders I think you’re lying to yourself or just not paying attention. Realistically I think one of the biggest things that hold them back now is trying to recruit kids to play for a conference championship every year instead of playoffs and a natty. That added to the fact that they don’t have any impetus to make them REALLY make their programs good because they are in their own little football snow globe makes them what they are now. Add some outside competition that smacks them around a couple times and I think you would wake up some sleeping giants there. Just my $.02.

I just keep waiting for SDSU to lose just one more game, setting up the possibility of North Dakota @/vs. South Dakota State with the winner traveling to Fargo, with Northern Iowa waiting in the wings as the 8 seed. I couldn't even imagine the chaos and uproar on here from that result. All while Colgate gets the winner of Sacred Heart vs. Maine. xlolx

That’s guaranteed. Also, I’m pretty sure it would be NDSU fans pissed as hell about it. If there’s one team they don’t want in the Fargodome I’m pretty sure it’s SDSU. We’re too used to it now, so they don’t get the shock factor that OOC teams end up with ALA UD. Us SDSU fans would just go “meh, saw that coming”.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[World]

I don’t think they Ivy’s are great right now. That said, I’m pretty sure if they decided to jump in the playoffs they would get at least halfway serious about it. And with the Ivy’s money, added to their capabilities to hand someone an Ivy education, anyone who thinks they wouldn’t be capable of becoming on par with the MVFC and the CAA is lying to themselves unfortunately. Those schools truly have the capabilities to be an FBS school at the FCS level if they decided to, and I’m pretty goddamn sure their egos wouldn’t let them have half assed teams getting crushed in the playoffs. It would make it really fun IMO to have another dominate conference added to the playoffs.

Basically if you don’t think the Ivy’s would be capable of making their programs national championship contenders I think you’re lying to yourself or just not paying attention. Realistically I think one of the biggest things that hold them back now is trying to recruit kids to play for a conference championship every year instead of playoffs and a natty. That added to the fact that they don’t have any impetus to make them REALLY make their programs good because they are in their own little football snow globe makes them what they are now. Add some outside competition that smacks them around a couple times and I think you would wake up some sleeping giants there. Just my $.02.


That’s guaranteed. Also, I’m pretty sure it would be NDSU fans pissed as hell about it. If there’s one team they don’t want in the Fargodome I’m pretty sure it’s SDSU. We’re too used to it now, so they don’t get the shock factor that OOC teams end up with ALA UD. Us SDSU fans would just go “meh, saw that coming”.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Some good points here.

Currently the Ivies lead most FCS schools in the overall Division I success in ALL sports


Directors Cup Rankings for the 2017-8 School Year (including FBS schools)

FCS schools in top 100 overall rankings

40. Princeton
65. Harvard
66. Villanova
69. Columbia
70. Northern Arizona
71. New Hampshire
73. Furman
79. Yale
81. James Madison
82. Cornell
88. North Dakota State
90. Stony Brook
91. Southern Utah
92. Dartmouth
93. Georgetown
96. South Dakota State
97. Campbell
99. North Carolina A&T

https://nacda.com/documents/2018/6/30/_nacda_directorscup_2017_18_misc_non_event__June29 overallDI.pdf

[Catbooster]

You mean like destroying the Browns, Monmouths and Columbia's of the world by 40 to 50 points?

that kind of "speed and physicality"?
You sure like to bring up these margins of victory. I'm not so sure it's a good argument to hang your hat on. I'm sure Brown could beat my old high school team by 50 (even though we played 8 man football), but it wouldn't mean they're a great team.

[Gangtackle11]

1979 was a good year, not Sure how this relic survived almost 40 years but I turned it up when I was throwing away some junk a while ago.
Wait it says Delaware beat Nova 21-20. Must be a relic. xpeacex

[World]

You sure like to bring up these margins of victory. I'm not so sure it's a good argument to hang your hat on. I'm sure Brown could beat my old high school team by 50 (even though we played 8 man football), but it wouldn't mean they're a great team.

actually, my guess is that a couple of the undefeated Ivy teams could beat your current college team by 50 points...

[caribbeanhen]

Shades of 1979 when UD, en route to a 13-1 season and a Division II championship, played a 5-3-1 Colgate team on a blustery, cold and snowy day in Hamilton (last game of the season - week before Thanksgiving) with occasional breaks of sunshine. Scott Brunner had a great day as UD prevailed 24 - 16. UD has not ventured to Colgate since.

oh now you did it, 1979 was a pretty good year all I'd say, found an old relic while throwing away some old junk a while back, I had this pinned up

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=29362&stc=1

[JacksFan40]

actually, my guess is that a couple of the undefeated Ivy teams could beat your current college team by 50 points...
Convince the Ivy Presidents to leave their little safe bubble and come to the playoffs, we’ll see where they truly stack up. Just remember this isn’t the 1880’s anymore and the Ivies aren’t the unstoppable juggernauts.

[JacksFan40]

oh now you did it, 1979 was a pretty good year all I'd say, found an old relic while throwing away some old junk a while back, I had this pinned up

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=29362&stc=1
That also happened to be the only year SDSU made the D2 playoffs, let’s just ignore what happened against Youngstown in the actual playoff game.

- - - Updated - - -


oh now you did it, 1979 was a pretty good year all I'd say, found an old relic while throwing away some old junk a while back, I had this pinned up

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=29362&stc=1
That also happened to be the only year SDSU made the D2 playoffs, let’s just ignore what happened against Youngstown in the actual playoff game.

[Catbooster]

actually, my guess is that a couple of the undefeated Ivy teams could beat your current college team by 50 points...
I doubt it. We aren't a very good team right now, but our 3 losses are all to top 10 teams and none of them scored 50 on us, and I don't think any of the Ivy's are top 10 teams. But that's just my opinion (although I agree with those who think the Ivy league could compete if they decided they want to and put resources toward it).

Regardless, nice deflection. I still think your scoring margins are unconvincing and maybe you do too since you didn't address the point.