Qualify for spots
Big Sky:
Montana, Montana State, Idaho, Sacramento State, UC-Davis

Weber State needs to win their last game of the season.

Big South/OVC:
Tenn.-Martin, E. Illinois, Gardner Webb, Tenn. State

Bryant needs to win another game.

CAA:
Delaware, Albany, Villanova, Richmond, URI, William and Mary

Elon, New Hampshire, Hampton needs to win the last game. I think the first 4 will be in.

MEAC:
NC Central to the bowl. Howard needs to win their last game to get in the playoffs.

MVFC:
South Dakota State, South Dakota, Northern Iowa, North Dakota, North Dakota State, Youngstown State, Illinois State, Southern Illinois. 5 or 6 may get spots.

NEC:
Duqusne or Merrimack winner.

Patriot:
Lafayette goes in. Holy Cross and Fordham could get at large spot.

Colgate and Georgetown needs to win their last game.

Pioneer:
Drake, Davidson, Butler in a three way tie for first place.

SoCon.
Furman, Chattanooga, Mercer, Western Carolina

Samford needs to win their last game.

Southland:
Nicholls State, UIW, Houston Christian

Lamar could win their last game.

SWAC:
Florida A&M/SWAC West Winner TBD would go to the bowl.

Alabama State, Alcorn State, Jackson State

Prairie View A&M, Grambling, Southern U need to win their last game.

UAC:
Austin Peay State, UCA Both faces off this Saturday with the winner getting the bid to the playoffs.
Both schools could get in there.

Southern Utah, ACU, EKU need to win their last game. Tarleton State at 8-3 is still not eligible to go to the playoffs.

My safe bets so far.

Montana
Montana State
Idaho
Sacramento State
Tenn. Martin
Eastern Illinois
Delaware
Albany
Villanova
Richmond
South Dakota State
South Dakota
North Dakota State
North Dakota
Northern Iowa
Youngstown State
Duquesne/Merrimack winner
Lafayette
Drake/Davidson/Butler tie breaker
Furman
Chattanooga
Mercer
Western Carolina
UIW
Nicholls State
Alabama State
Austin Peay State/UCA winner or both if UCA wins. It would be a tie.

There are only 24 spots which means 4 can't go.

Youngstown State, the loser of the Austin Peay State/UCA game/ Alabama State, Nicholls State

There are a lot of MVFC teams playing for that all-important seventh win this weekend (including UND).

NDSU is shooting for win 8 against a desperate 6-win UNI; but if UNI wins at home it's two seven-win teams.
YSU and SIU have what should be winnable games to hit seven.
The IllSU at UND game is winner goes seven wins, loser stays at six and is done; effectively a playoff game.

There is a real chance the MVFC has seven 7-win-plus teams (SDSU, USD, NDSU, UNI, UND, SIU, YSU). Total schemozzle.

(11-13-2023 04:16 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Qualify for spots
Big Sky:
Montana, Montana State, Idaho, Sacramento State, UC-Davis

Weber State needs to win their last game of the season.

Davis is 6-4; they need a seventh win and with Sac as the opponent knowing they could wield the dagger ... Sac is playing for that and win 8 and an outside shot at a top eight seed (and a bye).

Even with a win, a then 6-5 Weber isn't getting in. The only 6 Ws and Ls to EWU and NAU will hold them back.

Idaho
Montana
Montana State
North Dakota
North Dakota State
South Dakota
South Dakota State
Wyoming (especially if CSU and AFA end up in the AAC)

Would be competitive with the current G5 conferences more often than not

(11-13-2023 05:37 PM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  Idaho
Montana
Montana State
North Dakota
North Dakota State
South Dakota
South Dakota State
Wyoming (especially if CSU and AFA end up in the AAC)

Would be competitive with the current G5 conferences more often than not

Would be a ton of fun. Interestingly, D1360 (youtube realignment guy) did a video on the history of the NCC (old D2 conf of the Dakota schools), and this group of schools nearly joined together on 3-4 seperate occasions.

https://youtu.be/S2NcNBRAHUw?si=vIUmZovl0ZWYcd_5

(11-13-2023 08:34 PM)nodak651 Wrote:  

(11-13-2023 05:37 PM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  Idaho
Montana
Montana State
North Dakota
North Dakota State
South Dakota
South Dakota State
Wyoming (especially if CSU and AFA end up in the AAC)

Would be competitive with the current G5 conferences more often than not

Would be a ton of fun. Interestingly, D1360 (youtube realignment guy) did a video on the history of the NCC (old D2 conf of the Dakota schools), and this group of schools nearly joined together on 3-4 seperate occasions.

https://youtu.be/S2NcNBRAHUw?si=vIUmZovl0ZWYcd_5

Makes a lot of sense.

Call it the Flagship

Only 3 FCS schools remain unbeaten against FCS, South Dakota St., Furman and Florida A&M. Furman's only loss is to South Carolina and Florida A&M to South Florida.

As a Marshall fan, I STILL hate Furman....

Tarleton State still got denied for post season.

What happened to NDSU?

Lafayette is one of the most impressive turnarounds recently. Former Franklin & Marshall head coach and 'Pard alum has Lafayette a win over arch rival Lehigh from the programs first 9 win season in over 40 years to go along with the PL auto-bid. Making this all the more impress is the fact Lafayette has not had a winning season since 2009!

As a HUGE lifelong supporter of Lehigh football, to see their downfall in the wake of Coen's illness/passing has been unfathomable. Sure, they've had a bad season or two here and there but their ceiling has been basically above anyone in the Patriot League. Unfortunately, the last 5 years have seen historic depths and sadly, I'm not sure Cahill is truly the guy to get things turned around. Lehigh should have done whatever it took to get Kutztown head coach Jim Clements to say yes last year!

(11-16-2023 12:15 AM)Pastasevensamurai Wrote:  What happened to NDSU?

Zero for the Dakotas in 2023: Lost at UND and at SDSU; lost to USD at home.

Let the chaos commence.
https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/football/fcs/2023

Holy Cross was robbed! They lost by a combined six points to two FBS schools!

(11-20-2023 08:29 PM)esayem Wrote:  Holy Cross was robbed! They lost by a combined six points to two FBS schools!

You know what's better than losing to 2 FBS? Beating a P5, which Sac St did. Holy Cross's problem is they have 0 quality wins. Their conference is too weak to back it up.

I'm not so sure that HBCU schools like NC Central should be eligible for at-larges since their conferences send their champions to the Celebration Bowl. It feels similar to a school barely missing the NCAA Tournament and being sent to the NIT. Like they're fine with being there, but it isn't really where they want to be. Personally I would have rather seen a school like UC Davis make it instead.

Florida A&M should be in the playoffs.

(11-20-2023 11:30 PM)clunk Wrote:  

(11-20-2023 08:29 PM)esayem Wrote:  Holy Cross was robbed! They lost by a combined six points to two FBS schools!

You know what's better than losing to 2 FBS? Beating a P5, which Sac St did. Holy Cross's problem is they have 0 quality wins. Their conference is too weak to back it up.

Robbed!

(11-21-2023 08:01 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  Florida A&M should be in the playoffs.

Can't be as they are playing the SWAC Championship game on Dec 2.

(11-21-2023 09:49 AM)EKUSteve Wrote:  

(11-21-2023 08:01 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  Florida A&M should be in the playoffs.

Can't be as they are playing the SWAC Championship game on Dec 2.

yeah I know, but still.

IIRC, a couple years ago FAMU did get in, because they had a good record but were not in the CCG. A very rare at-large situation for the SWAC, I think.