Check out this projection, linked below.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised. Where the hell does all of the Mo Valley/Big Sky love come from. The smelly Bisons get the top seed and host a bracketful of nobodies. Their toughest competition prior to Frisco is UNI, who they have already beaten by over 30 points this season. Nova can't hang in the Fargodump. Our side of the bracket includes SDSU, Weber, Montana, and Montana St.

With the exception of JMU and Furman, 6 of the 8 seeds are all from Mo Valley and Big Sky. Only 3 CAA teams in the field.

https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/fcs...acketology

(11-15-2019 04:55 PM)Purple Wrote:  Check out this projection, linked below.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised. Where the hell does all of the Mo Valley/Big Sky love come from. The smelly Bisons get the top seed and host a bracketful of nobodies. Their toughest competition prior to Frisco is UNI, who they have already beaten by over 30 points this season. Nova can't hang in the Fargodump. Our side of the bracket includes SDSU, Weber, Montana, and Montana St.

With the exception of JMU and Furman, 6 of the 8 seeds are all from Mo Valley and Big Sky. Only 3 CAA teams in the field.

https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/fcs...acketology

I'd actually take that bracket. I think that one is pretty fair. As for the Griz, I think the reason they may be projected that high is they might be predicting a Griz win versus Weber. If true, I think a 6 seed is pretty fair. If not, then I totally disagree with them at 6.
I don't really have too many objections to the other seeds. While we have a tougher draw, I think Weber has the roughest draw.
I have a feeling we are going to get a much tougher draw. Wouldn't surprise me to see Villanova on our side of the bracket again. While they may not be the same team they were when we beat them, I'd rather not have to play them again... or any CAA team for that matter.
I hope the CAA teams are spread out and all make noise. It would prove the conference was far better than the records suggest.

(11-15-2019 04:55 PM)Purple Wrote:  With the exception of JMU and Furman, 6 of the 8 seeds are all from Mo Valley and Big Sky. Only 3 CAA teams in the field.

I don't even need to click on the link to know this bracket is a pile of garbage with no thought.

The CAA will only get 3 in the field if we have only 3 seven win teams. If Towson and Albany both win this week, we'll have 4 seven win teams with a week remaining. Both are also favored in their games this week.

Meanwhile, there has only been 3 seeds given to one conference once. That was last season with the Big Sky getting 3 seeds. There has never been two conferences getting 3 seeds each. That's just unbelievably lazy for them to assemble the bracket that way.

It's not how YOU feel, with your bias. A good bracket displays what will likely happen, not what you want to happen.

This bracket, likewise, has 6 of 8 seeds from Mo Valley and Big Sky, but at least the smelly Bisons have to go through Montana and SDSU to get to Frisco. It will be interesting to see how close these projections are, come Selection Sunday.

Again, only 3 CAA teams projected in the field, but New Hampshire replaces Albany in this one, which makes more sense, IMO.

https://www.dratings.com/predictor/ncaa-...ojections/

(11-15-2019 05:04 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(11-15-2019 04:55 PM)Purple Wrote:  With the exception of JMU and Furman, 6 of the 8 seeds are all from Mo Valley and Big Sky. Only 3 CAA teams in the field.

I don't even need to click on the link to know this bracket is a pile of garbage with no thought.

The CAA will only get 3 in the field if we have only 3 seven win teams. If Towson and Albany both win this week, we'll have 4 seven win teams with a week remaining. Both are also favored in their games this week.

Meanwhile, there has only been 3 seeds given to one conference once. That was last season with the Big Sky getting 3 seeds. There has never been two conferences getting 3 seeds each. That's just unbelievably lazy for them to assemble the bracket that way.

It's not how YOU feel, with your bias. A good bracket displays what will likely happen, not what you want to happen.

Wow! I apologize. I must have been sleepwalking when I pi$$ed all over your corn flakes. I didn't mean it, I swear.

This is just for fun, but beyond that, a look at how others in the country view the CAA and the playoff field. Obviously, our conference has lost a bit of its former prestige, even among alleged pundits. AND.... the reason there aren't more 7-win CAA teams is for the obvious reason that this is the CAA, a conference with several very good teams who spend 12 weeks beating the crap out of each other. No other conference is better, top to bottom, than the CAA. My opinion.

It's just for fun, to kill time while we await Selection Sunday.

Chill. Enjoy a cold beer. Enjoy several.

(11-15-2019 05:12 PM)Purple Wrote:  This bracket, likewise, has 6 of 8 seeds from Mo Valley and Big Sky, but at least the smelly Bisons have to go through Montana and SDSU to get to Frisco. It will be interesting to see how close these projections are, come Selection Sunday.

Again, only 3 CAA teams projected in the field, but New Hampshire replaces Albany in this one, which makes more sense, IMO.

https://www.dratings.com/predictor/ncaa-...ojections/

South Dakota State at 4 is ridiculous. Albany doesn't deserve to be left out in my opinion. I do think the CAA get 4 in right now and possibly 5.
JMU (lock)
Villanova (lock)
Towson (can get to 8 with wins over WM and Elon.. very doable)
Winner of UNH/Albany (Albany also has to face Stony Brook) Albany can get to 8 wins if they win out and I don't see any way an 8 win CAA team gets left out this year. UNH can only get to 7 and Albany could still get 7 if they lose to UNH so there's the possibility both could get in, but the head to head obviously would favor UNH so would have to put them in over UA.

Has the committee ever left a 7-win team out of the playoffs? How often have they included a 6-win team? Given 7 wins as the qualifying standard to make the field, here is how I see things before today's games.

As I see it (and please, by all means, you far superior analysts correct me if I am wrong), only four CAA teams are already eliminated from the playoffs before today's games, unable to achieve the qualifying standard of 7-wins - Rhody, Elon, the chickens and the trash collectors.

Already in are JMU and 'nova.

There are two 6-win teams. Towson (6-4) plays at 4-6 (already eliminated) Waste Management today and hosts 4-6 (already eliminated) Elon next week. Barring the unimaginable, Towson will reach 7 wins and receive an at-large spot. (If they finish with 8 wins, which is very likely, what are the odds they will be seeded?)

Albany also has 6 wins to date, but their road to 7 is a little tougher. Their best chance to make it to 7 wins is today. They host 5-4 UNH. Next week, they travel to 5-5 Stony Brook, which gave us our toughest conference game this year. If they lose both games, they are out. Today's UNH at Albany game will be interesting. 1 PM Eastern.

A pile of 5-win teams must win out to reach the magic #7....

Maine - hosts already eliminated Rhody today. Next week they travel to fellow 5-win UNH.

UNH - their road to 7 is much tougher. They travel to 6-4 Albany today and host 5-5 Maine next week.

Stony Brook - at already eliminated Delaware today and host surprising 6-4 Albany next week.

Richmond - their postseason hopes end today in the burg. They will be playing for pride next week when they host the garbage collectors.

So, as I see it, four CAA teams, and possibly a fifth, likely make the playoff field....

JMU
Nova
Towson (very likely)
Albany (likely)
Maine (most likely of the 5-win teams to win out, in my opinion)

JMU, 'nova, and Towson will be in the playoffs. It is likely they will be joined by Albany, and possibly one of three current 5-win teams (Maine, UNH, or Stony).

What do you think? Plausible?

Lots of plausible teams across the country this year. I think 7 wins is not a benchmark in a 12 game season. In the normal 11 game schedule, 7 wins puts you in the discussion for bubble teams most years.

What will be interesting is how the committee views teams that elected to only play 11 games. (Why anyone would elect to play less football is beyond me, but some have done that this year)

All else equal, Will a 7-4 team be viewed as better than a 7-5 team? Should they be if they chose not play 12 games like most FCS teams did?
I foresee lots of whining from paper lions that have 7-5 records and get left out. Those teams aren’t going to beat ND State or JMU anyway, but will want participation trophies.

Looks like a lot of questions will be answered today. Amazingly, 5-5 Maine is eliminating themselves right now, being punked at home by horrible Rhody. They are down two touchdowns with 9 minutes left. But, wait! Maine scores! 8:24 left and Maine has gained the momentum, scoring a TD, pulling within 7. Rhody leads da' Bears 27-20. This one ain't over!

UD is tied with Stony and they actually look like the better team, which is amazing since Keyhole is under center, and Albany is leading UNH in the third quarter.

So, Maine, Stony, and UNH could be eliminated today. I didn't expect that. I definitely expected Maine to beat Rhody and UNH to play Albany tough. Typical CAA where we just beat the heck out of each other. Great conference with great parity.

Stick a fork in Stony and UNH. They are done!

Weber blown out by Montana, was 35-3 until the 4th quarter.

Should end any nonsense talk about the 2 seed. Hope Montana gets a 4 or 5 seed and gives the bizon a fight.

(11-16-2019 06:48 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  Weber blown out by Montana, was 35-3 until the 4th quarter.

Should end any nonsense talk about the 2 seed. Hope Montana gets a 4 or 5 seed and gives the bizon a fight.

Montana would most likely move into the 3 spot but 3-8 are a crapshoot now

Montana is scary! I would love for them to return to Bridgeforth and get the a$$-kicking they so richly deserve. I will NEVER forget 2008! Dirtiest bunch of scumbags I have ever seen.

(11-16-2019 06:59 PM)Purple Wrote:  Montana is scary! I would love for them to return to Bridgeforth and get the a$$-kicking they so richly deserve. I will NEVER forget 2008! Dirtiest bunch of scumbags I have ever seen.

5 or 6 Weber State players were injured today. I watched some of the game. Montana looks pretty big and physical.

Wow! Montana State is losing to UC Davis 17-14, early fourth quarter.

(11-16-2019 08:01 PM)formerjmusprinter84 Wrote:  

(11-16-2019 06:59 PM)Purple Wrote:  Montana is scary! I would love for them to return to Bridgeforth and get the a$$-kicking they so richly deserve. I will NEVER forget 2008! Dirtiest bunch of scumbags I have ever seen.

5 or 6 Weber State players were injured today. I watched some of the game. Montana looks pretty big and physical.

Not eager to see Montana before Frisco for this reason. With Hauck back in charge, its possible they play a little dirty again too. This is the one other team I think could take down the bizon. Most others probably don't have a chance at fargo.

(11-15-2019 04:55 PM)Purple Wrote:  Check out this projection, linked below.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised. Where the hell does all of the Mo Valley/Big Sky love come from. The smelly Bisons get the top seed and host a bracketful of nobodies. Their toughest competition prior to Frisco is UNI, who they have already beaten by over 30 points this season. Nova can't hang in the Fargodump. Our side of the bracket includes SDSU, Weber, Montana, and Montana St.

With the exception of JMU and Furman, 6 of the 8 seeds are all from Mo Valley and Big Sky. Only 3 CAA teams in the field.

https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/fcs...acketology

Look in the mirror. We'll see ya "smelly" Dukes in Frisco.

For all the bluster this season nationally about how down the CAA is...

JMU's SoS ranking by the computers is now higher than both NDSU and SDSU of the MVFC. Seems to me the computer just love Big Sky teams for some reason and everyone else is even as they've ever been.

(11-17-2019 10:58 AM)jmu007 Wrote:  For all the bluster this season nationally about how down the CAA is...

JMU's SoS ranking by the computers is now higher than both NDSU and SDSU of the MVFC. Seems to me the computer just love Big Sky teams for some reason and everyone else is even as they've ever been.

“by the computers” ... assume you likely mean Sagarin?

Versus now has NDSU vs JMU as a virtual tie ( 0.08 point spread advantage for the bizon).

It also shows our average opponents rank and w/l is better than those NDSU played. In other word, it agrees with the “computers” that our SoS was better. Likely the SRS score will be slightly higher for the bizon due to our FBS loss. Will be interesting to look at that when the bracket comes out.

Montana has a stronger SoS than either JMU or NDSU.
Both teams are currently 3 point favorites over Montana. Whoever draws Montana will have at least one tough game before frisco.

(11-17-2019 10:58 AM)jmu007 Wrote:  For all the bluster this season nationally about how down the CAA is...

JMU's SoS ranking by the computers is now higher than both NDSU and SDSU of the MVFC. Seems to me the computer just love Big Sky teams for some reason and everyone else is even as they've ever been.

When I have watched games from other FCS conferences, I am struck by two things.

1. How good the CAA is in comparison.

2. The parity in the CAA. There aren't many, if any, gimmes like there are in many conferences. To go undefeated in the CAA is an awesome achievement.

I don't recall which team it was earlier in the season (it may have been Towson), but they had a losing record and were ranked in the Top 10 or 15.