Here's a good article from Stewie Mandel:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college...id-majors/

If NIU or any G5 school ever hopes to reach the playoff they need to start playing and beating 3 or 4 big boys in addition to running the table. UCF already has that schedule in place for 2014. We'll see how our schedule evolves over time.

I think it's a waste of time trying to make a schedule around making the championship playoff. Non-conference teams that schedule 3-4 high quality opponents will lose multiple times in a season. It's hard enough for a mid-major to go undefeated in a normal season let alone doing it and beating a power conference team that ends the season in/near the Top 10 as the criteria suggests, which will also probably have to be on the road.

There is no point in scheduling for the playoff until its expanded to 8 teams.

Marshall will be the team to watch next season. They might be playing the weakest schedule in all of FBS with three MAC East teams and a soft FCS team OOC. They have a good chance of running the table and if that happens, it should be a good gauge of much the committee will value strength of schedule for playoff / access bowl. My assumption is that even if they run the table, they could get bypassed for the access bowl spot by a one or maybe even two loss team out of another G5 with better OOC wins and no bad losses. It seems the days of playing a patsy schedule to run the table are gone and style points are more important now similar to the NCAA tourney.

Marshall won't come close to a playoff spot. Schedule is a joke - http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa-14/conf-...hedule.php

Like many others have said above, it's absolutely pointless for NIU to schedule for a playoff spot. It's never going to happen. Access Bowl is the ultimate goal for any G5 team. I wouldn't even be surprised if an undefeated Marshall gets passed up for the Access Bowl with that schedule if there's a one-loss G5 team out there with big wins.

(03-11-2014 09:47 AM)PrideinthePack Wrote:  I think it's a waste of time trying to make a schedule around making the championship playoff. Non-conference teams that schedule 3-4 high quality opponents will lose multiple times in a season. It's hard enough for a mid-major to go undefeated in a normal season let alone doing it and beating a power conference team that ends the season in/near the Top 10 as the criteria suggests, which will also probably have to be on the road.

And you have to have that schedule align with the year your team is at its peak.

And for a G5 team to really have the kind of name it would take to be considered you basically have to be regularly winning 10 games, which isn't exactly compatible with playing a very challenging non conference schedule consistently. Too many seasons in that 7/8 win range and you fall back into the pack.

I want NIU to play good teams regardless of the championship playoff.

(03-11-2014 10:58 AM)HuskieRak Wrote:  it's absolutely pointless for NIU to schedule for a playoff spot. It's never going to happen. Access Bowl is the ultimate goal for any G5 team.

+1,000,000,000. Playoff Will. Never. Happen.

(03-11-2014 12:08 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 10:58 AM)HuskieRak Wrote:  it's absolutely pointless for NIU to schedule for a playoff spot. It's never going to happen. Access Bowl is the ultimate goal for any G5 team.

+1,000,000,000. Playoff Will. Never. Happen.

Just like the Orange Bowl, and almost Fiesta Bowl.

(03-11-2014 12:40 PM)NorthernBear Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 12:08 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 10:58 AM)HuskieRak Wrote:  it's absolutely pointless for NIU to schedule for a playoff spot. It's never going to happen. Access Bowl is the ultimate goal for any G5 team.

+1,000,000,000. Playoff Will. Never. Happen.

Just like the Orange Bowl, and almost Fiesta Bowl.

Who on here ever said that maybe other than Alum?

(03-11-2014 12:43 PM)7 Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 12:40 PM)NorthernBear Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 12:08 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 10:58 AM)HuskieRak Wrote:  it's absolutely pointless for NIU to schedule for a playoff spot. It's never going to happen. Access Bowl is the ultimate goal for any G5 team.

+1,000,000,000. Playoff Will. Never. Happen.

Just like the Orange Bowl, and almost Fiesta Bowl.

Who on here ever said that maybe other than Alum?

IIRC Brad or someone like that said something to that extent when speculation first started over the Orange Bowl two years ago. Then again, I could be wrong.

What's the point of playing if they aren't going for the playoff? This isn't AYSO soccer, go for it and schedule the power conferences.

I said there was no chance NIU would make it with a loss.

I was obviously wrong lol

(03-11-2014 12:50 PM)7 Wrote:  I said there was no chance NIU would make it with a loss.

I was obviously wrong lol

No one thought they'd make it with a loss. MD was probably the only one and we all probably laughed at him.

(03-11-2014 12:40 PM)NorthernBear Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 12:08 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 10:58 AM)HuskieRak Wrote:  it's absolutely pointless for NIU to schedule for a playoff spot. It's never going to happen. Access Bowl is the ultimate goal for any G5 team.

+1,000,000,000. Playoff Will. Never. Happen.

Just like the Orange Bowl, and almost Fiesta Bowl.

The playoff is completely different than the BCS. A G-5 team will not make it into a 4-team playoff. Access Bowl is the only reality in the new system, and one that NIU will be in contention for quite a bit

(03-11-2014 01:04 PM)BarsemaBone2 Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 12:50 PM)7 Wrote:  I said there was no chance NIU would make it with a loss.

I was obviously wrong lol

No one thought they'd make it with a loss. MD was probably the only one and we all probably laughed at him.

It pains me to say it, but it's true.

Even a blind squirrel......

It would take a miracle to make a four team playoff. Not only do you need to run the table, two or three of your opponents have to finish in the top 10 too. There's no way to schedule for that because schedules are done years in advance and who knows how good your opponents will be when you finally play them. You could have the best team in the country and not have the strength of schedule to get there. The playoff will go to 8 teams sooner rather than later (my opinion) and then a G5 team will make it once in awhile.

(03-11-2014 12:46 PM)BarsemaBone2 Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 12:43 PM)7 Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 12:40 PM)NorthernBear Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 12:08 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  

(03-11-2014 10:58 AM)HuskieRak Wrote:  it's absolutely pointless for NIU to schedule for a playoff spot. It's never going to happen. Access Bowl is the ultimate goal for any G5 team.

+1,000,000,000. Playoff Will. Never. Happen.

Just like the Orange Bowl, and almost Fiesta Bowl.

Who on here ever said that maybe other than Alum?

IIRC Brad or someone like that said something to that extent when speculation first started over the Orange Bowl two years ago. Then again, I could be wrong.

Duh. What'd you expect from him?

(03-11-2014 10:17 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Marshall will be the team to watch next season. They might be playing the weakest schedule in all of FBS with three MAC East teams and a soft FCS team OOC. They have a good chance of running the table and if that happens, it should be a good gauge of much the committee will value strength of schedule for playoff. My assumption is that even if they run the table, they could get bypassed for the playoff spot by a one or maybe even two loss team out of another G5 with better OOC wins and no bad losses. It seems the days of playing a patsy schedule to run the table are gone and style points are more important now similar to the NCAA tourney.

They won't even come close.

Even with a eight team playoff I still see the little guy being left out over a two loss team in the SEC year in and out because (entering espn talking head mode) THEY GO TO WAR EVERY WEEK, THE SEC IS A BLOODBATH!!