Quote:There's really no chance for NIU to get the Access Bowl spot. SOS is huge. Had to win out.
A greater chance than NIU, this early in the season, 2 years ago, with a loss to Iowa to say they'd go to the Orange Bowl. :) It's possible. Kind of a long-shot, but possible. Stranger things have happened and aren't incredibly rare. They have to win out NOW to have any chance.
Quote:Its ECU's spot to lose.
Yeah, right now. If UNC tanks (which they may), and VaTech merely goes .500 -- those wins aren't so big for ECU. If Marshall goes undefeated blowing teams out, including their CUSAC game, I would say by years end Marshall could be in the drivers seat -- IF ECU wasn't winning all games all that convincingly.
But ECU could lose one more, against, say, Cinci who only lose close games to Miami-FL (like they barely beat Miami-OH) and Ohio State -- ECU would go if Marshall lost a game.
Say NIU goes 12-1 -- not by the skin of their teeth, but does so in convincing fashion (I wouldn't bank on it, but let's just say). They'll go IF:
- Marshall loses a game
- ECU loses to Cinci + UCF/Temple ... *OR* just 1 of those teams + UNC/VaTech are NOT good this year and ECU has too many struggles in the rest of their wins against so-so competition, while Arkansas storms the SEC to be a decent contender again -- and it'll at least be a coin-flip. NIU going on a 9 game winning streak, being 12-1 VS 10-2 ECU who should have lost a couple of those games they won and haven't looked dominating barely getting by? Not an easy call.
So I wouldn't say "no chance" at all. There's an OK chance they could -- but that rides on NIU the rest of the way being "Convincing King of the MAC" the rest of the year in how they play, and winning the MACC. So it's a combination of two chances combined.
I think NIU though just needs to focus on being better, regardless (even if they beat Arkansas). Their team itself can't think on where they may end up -- just the next team on the schedule and improving their game.