FCS PLAYOFFS

[apaladin]

I think we are getting back into the conversation nationally.

Furman should start next season with a relatively high ranking and be in the conversation for pre-season SoCon favorite. That’s usually a key piece of the “gain respect and get playoff home games” puzzle.

Glad to hear a championship is a realistic possibility for most people. Looks like a new group of sound academic schools of medium size are emerging in the FCS playoff picture. Furman, Holy Cross, William & Mary, Fordham are already. I would not be surprised to see Villanova and St. Thomas join them next year and hope that Wofford will soon regain their footing as well. I am sure there are others on the cusp.

That would be negative on the Teariers.

[The Jackal]

Go back to the way it was. 16 teams. Seed 4. Drop autobids for Big South, Pioneer, and NEC. Finish before Christmas.

[FUBeAR]

Go back to the way it was. 16 teams. Seed 4. Drop autobids for Big South, Pioneer, and NEC. Finish before Christmas.

* Does that increase likelihood that Ivy, MEAC, and SWAC will want to participate?
* Does that make the Playoffs profitable for the schools that do participate and for the NCAA?
* Does that increase fan interest?
* Does that increase the likelihood of attracting a supportive media (TV) partner for the Playoffs and, perhaps, for a corollary regular season package?

Maybe it does, but FUBeAR doesn’t think so. FUBeAR thinks the NCAA / FCS need to burn any box that they have ever thought in and think of the FCS Playoffs as ALL-INCLUSIVE Destinations & Events instead of Football Games…

It’s a whole different mindset that needs to dream up this solution. Need to start with a blank canvas; not an old one.

[Davemeister]

FUBeAR is, today, able to buy lovely craft beers right inside Paladin Stadium.

When I was a student at Furman, I never thought I would live to see that day. Cheers!

[The Jackal]

Go back to the way it was. 16 teams. Seed 4. Drop autobids for Big South, Pioneer, and NEC. Finish before Christmas.

* Does that increase likelihood that Ivy, MEAC, and SWAC will want to participate?
* Does that make the Playoffs profitable for the schools that do participate and for the NCAA?
* Does that increase fan interest?
* Does that increase the likelihood of attracting a supportive media (TV) partner for the Playoffs and, perhaps, for a corollary regular season package?

Maybe it does, but FUBeAR doesn’t think so. FUBeAR thinks the NCAA / FCS need to burn any box that they have ever thought in and think of the FCS Playoffs as ALL-INCLUSIVE Destinations & Events instead of Football Games…

It’s a whole different mindset that needs to dream up this solution. Need to start with a blank canvas; not an old one.

I thought some about the HBCUs.

During their participation in the playoffs, it was not infrequent that the HBCU teams would make the field and then quickly get dispatched in the first round. I honestly cannot recall the last time a MEAC or SWAC team made a playoff run (or really even got out of the first round). Even teams with 9 or 10 wins like FAMU, NC A&T, SCSU, or Hampton would usually end up with double digit losses in the first round.

They may just prefer their big money-making celebration bowl to the FCS playoffs, where they weren't having a lot of traction.

Jackson State was the top-rated HBCU this year. They barely squeaked by out of conference opponents Tennessee State and Campbell, neither of whom were near the FCS playoffs.

If you are the decision makers at the SWAC or MEAC, an undefeated Jackson State team playing in the Celebration Bowl makes a lot more sense than watching them suffer a quick exit in the playoffs.

[FUBeAR]

Go back to the way it was. 16 teams. Seed 4. Drop autobids for Big South, Pioneer, and NEC. Finish before Christmas.

* Does that increase likelihood that Ivy, MEAC, and SWAC will want to participate?
* Does that make the Playoffs profitable for the schools that do participate and for the NCAA?
* Does that increase fan interest?
* Does that increase the likelihood of attracting a supportive media (TV) partner for the Playoffs and, perhaps, for a corollary regular season package?

Maybe it does, but FUBeAR doesn’t think so. FUBeAR thinks the NCAA / FCS need to burn any box that they have ever thought in and think of the FCS Playoffs as ALL-INCLUSIVE Destinations & Events instead of Football Games…

It’s a whole different mindset that needs to dream up this solution. Need to start with a blank canvas; not an old one.

I thought some about the HBCUs.

During their participation in the playoffs, it was not infrequent that the HBCU teams would make the field and then quickly get dispatched in the first round. I honestly cannot recall the last time a MEAC or SWAC team made a playoff run (or really even got out of the first round). Even teams with 9 or 10 wins like FAMU, NC A&T, SCSU, or Hampton would usually end up with double digit losses in the first round.

They may just prefer their big money-making celebration bowl to the FCS playoffs, where they weren't having a lot of traction.

Jackson State was the top-rated HBCU this year. They barely squeaked by out of conference opponents Tennessee State and Campbell, neither of whom were near the FCS playoffs.

If you are the decision makers at the SWAC or MEAC, an undefeated Jackson State team playing in the Celebration Bowl makes a lot more sense than watching them suffer a quick exit in the playoffs.

Thinking of FCS Playoffs vs. Celebration Bowl as either/or is inside the box thinking

Thinking HBCU’s aren’t capable of bringing value to the FCS Playoffs is inside the box and old thinking.

Same with thinking of the Ivy League that way or accepting that they will never participate. They participate in NCAA Championships in over 30 other sports. Their participation, like that of the HBCU’s, could greatly enhance National fan interest and increase media partnership opportunities.

Thinking “we just need to get the best Teams, only the ones who have a realistic chance of winning the Championship, facing each other on the field” is not the best thing for FCS Football.

Pretty sure the Stegasaureses beat the Triceratops in the Championship game just before that giant meteor hit. If they would have had a better media deal, perhaps they could have avoided that whole E-word thing.

[gman84]

Go back to the way it was. 16 teams. Seed 4. Drop autobids for Big South, Pioneer, and NEC. Finish before Christmas.

* Does that increase likelihood that Ivy, MEAC, and SWAC will want to participate?
* Does that make the Playoffs profitable for the schools that do participate and for the NCAA?
* Does that increase fan interest?
* Does that increase the likelihood of attracting a supportive media (TV) partner for the Playoffs and, perhaps, for a corollary regular season package?

Maybe it does, but FUBeAR doesn’t think so. FUBeAR thinks the NCAA / FCS need to burn any box that they have ever thought in and think of the FCS Playoffs as ALL-INCLUSIVE Destinations & Events instead of Football Games…

It’s a whole different mindset that needs to dream up this solution. Need to start with a blank canvas; not an old one.

I thought some about the HBCUs.

During their participation in the playoffs, it was not infrequent that the HBCU teams would make the field and then quickly get dispatched in the first round. I honestly cannot recall the last time a MEAC or SWAC team made a playoff run (or really even got out of the first round). Even teams with 9 or 10 wins like FAMU, NC A&T, SCSU, or Hampton would usually end up with double digit losses in the first round.

They may just prefer their big money-making celebration bowl to the FCS playoffs, where they weren't having a lot of traction.

Jackson State was the top-rated HBCU this year. They barely squeaked by out of conference opponents Tennessee State and Campbell, neither of whom were near the FCS playoffs.

If you are the decision makers at the SWAC or MEAC, an undefeated Jackson State team playing in the Celebration Bowl makes a lot more sense than watching them suffer a quick exit in the playoffs.

Only because Jackal raised the question. FAMU won the first FCS( formerly IAA ) Natty back in 1978. This is important because FUBeAR was terrorizing the gridirons during this era.

[FUBeAR]

Go back to the way it was. 16 teams. Seed 4. Drop autobids for Big South, Pioneer, and NEC. Finish before Christmas.

* Does that increase likelihood that Ivy, MEAC, and SWAC will want to participate?
* Does that make the Playoffs profitable for the schools that do participate and for the NCAA?
* Does that increase fan interest?
* Does that increase the likelihood of attracting a supportive media (TV) partner for the Playoffs and, perhaps, for a corollary regular season package?

Maybe it does, but FUBeAR doesn’t think so. FUBeAR thinks the NCAA / FCS need to burn any box that they have ever thought in and think of the FCS Playoffs as ALL-INCLUSIVE Destinations & Events instead of Football Games…

It’s a whole different mindset that needs to dream up this solution. Need to start with a blank canvas; not an old one.

I thought some about the HBCUs.

During their participation in the playoffs, it was not infrequent that the HBCU teams would make the field and then quickly get dispatched in the first round. I honestly cannot recall the last time a MEAC or SWAC team made a playoff run (or really even got out of the first round). Even teams with 9 or 10 wins like FAMU, NC A&T, SCSU, or Hampton would usually end up with double digit losses in the first round.

They may just prefer their big money-making celebration bowl to the FCS playoffs, where they weren't having a lot of traction.

Jackson State was the top-rated HBCU this year. They barely squeaked by out of conference opponents Tennessee State and Campbell, neither of whom were near the FCS playoffs.

If you are the decision makers at the SWAC or MEAC, an undefeated Jackson State team playing in the Celebration Bowl makes a lot more sense than watching them suffer a quick exit in the playoffs.

Only because Jackal raised the question. FAMU won the first FCS( formerly IAA ) Natty back in 1978. This is important because FUBeAR was terrorizing the gridirons during this era.

LOL - FUBeAR was terrorizing the Dining Hall and the FU Training Room in the ‘old gym’ in 1978 - Spent pretty much all of Aug ‘78 - Apr ‘79 in a walking cast.

So, no Rattlers were threatened by FUBeAR in those days. Besides, FU wasn’t I-AA until 1982.

Would love to see FU play more MEAC & SWAC Teams in Home/Home series and/or in the Playoffs.

Who knows …maybe with enough out of the box thinking, perhaps the ‘Celebration Bowl Series’ pod of the FCS Playoffs could become more diverse & inclusive providing our Paladins with equitable access to the opportunity to play in the MB Arena in ATL in a prime slot on ‘The Flagship’ defeating Grambling and then moving on to the FCS Final Four Week in Orlando.

[The Jackal]

I think the playoff was only 4 teams in 1978.

[The Jackal]

FCS fans aren't the only ones annoyed.

[Roundball]

So which team should have be there instead of TCU? Didn’t TCU beat Michigan? Maybe the committee should have seeded the teams to guarantee the NC game was Georgia vs. Ohio State?

[cavedweller2]

Alabama. Of course.

[FUBeAR]

FCS fans aren't the only ones annoyed.

LOL - This is FUBeAR on FCS Selection Sunday for (at least) the past 2 years. Glad no one recorded / published FUBeAR’s tirades on those occasions. Mental health authorities may have been notified if they were.

[FUBeAR]

Alabama. Of course.

Absolutely - the CFP needed more Superheroes this year…and way fewer hypnotoads.

[apaladin]

I think the playoff was only 4 teams in 1978.

…….and there were only 43 1-AA teams in 1978 that moved up from D2 to form the new 1-AA division. The former D2 conferences that moved up were the MEAC, SWAC, Big Sky, OVC and Yankee.