Playoffs Expanded....

[NDSUstudent]

There will be 20 bids in 2010, both the NEC and Big South will also attain auto-bid status at that time. From an NDSU standpoint I like this move, the Gateway is going to be a war every year and some good teams may have borderline 8-3 and 7-4 records. I also think this takes some pressure off of coaches whose schools make them play FBS teams for big money. A few years ago FCS teams didn't play nearly as many FBS teams.

http://www.northeastconference.org/News/fball/2008/4/25/FB-Gain%20AQ-08.asp?path=fball

[Bisontug]

There will be 20 bids in 2010, both the NEC and Big South will also attain auto-bid status at that time. From an NDSU standpoint I like this move, the Gateway is going to be a war every year and some good teams may have borderline 8-3 and 7-4 records. I also think this takes some pressure off of coaches whose schools make them play FBS teams for big money. A few years ago FCS teams didn't play nearly as many FBS teams.

http://www.northeastconference.org/News/fball/2008/4/25/FB-Gain%20AQ-08.asp?path=fball

Looks like with that format, 4 teams would get a first round bye... wonder what system they will implament to figure that out those top seeds... as we've all seen, the rankings don't always make sense... while this gives the Bison a better opportunity to get into the playoffs, it seems a little diluted too.... what percentage of total FCS teams would then make the playoffs ??

[99Bison]

Looks like with that format, 4 teams would get a first round bye... wonder what system they will implament to figure that out those top seeds... as we've all seen, the rankings don't always make sense... while this gives the Bison a better opportunity to get into the playoffs, it seems a little diluted too.... what percentage of total FCS teams would then make the playoffs ??

Prior to this, FCS playoff's where about the hardest to get in.

At 20, that would about what 18%?

[TheBisonator]

Prior to this, FCS playoff's where about the hardest to get in.

At 20, that would about what 18%?

In 2010, there will be 120 full FCS members, not counting transitioning teams, assuming no other schools drop out.

116 full schools in 2007, then La Salle dropped football to make it 115, no more MAAC. NDSU and SDSU come aboard in 2008, so that's 117. Central Arkansas, Presbyterian and Winston-Salem State are eligible in 2010, so that's 120. 16.66666 percent of teams get in.

[TheBisonator]

Autobid conferences:

Gateway
Big Sky
Big South
Southland
Colonial
Ohio Valley
Mideast Athletic
Big South
Patriot (63 equivalencies, but not really technically "scholarships")
Northeast (40 maximum scholarships)

Then there's the Great West, which has no scholly limits, but is too small.

Pioneer (Non-scholly, not good teams, playoffs allowed)
Southwest Athletic (Playoffs not allowed, 63 max allowed)
Ivy League (Playoffs not allowed, no scholarships allowed)

So if the NEC can get its scholly levels up further (they're at 36 now, I believe??), there will be more uniformity in the FCS. Then it'll be up to the GWFC to get another team and an autobid, the Ivy to pull their heads out of their ass, and the MEAC to allow playoffs. Then maybe allow the Pioneer to play in DIII. :D

[99Bison]

In 2010, there will be 120 full FCS members, not counting transitioning teams, assuming no other schools drop out.

116 full schools in 2007, then La Salle dropped football to make it 115, no more MAAC. NDSU and SDSU come aboard in 2008, so that's 117. Central Arkansas, Presbyterian and Winston-Salem State are eligible in 2010, so that's 120. 16.66666 percent of teams get in.

phew, I was off by 1.33% on the guess

[CaBisonFan]

In 2010, there will be 120 full FCS members, not counting transitioning teams, assuming no other schools drop out.

116 full schools in 2007, then La Salle dropped football to make it 115, no more MAAC. NDSU and SDSU come aboard in 2008, so that's 117. Central Arkansas, Presbyterian and Winston-Salem State are eligible in 2010, so that's 120. 16.66666 percent of teams get in.

Unlike the FBS, where 'not' getting into a toilet bowl is a disaster of sorts, and you almost have to work at 'not' getting into one.

[Hammersmith]

Looks like with that format, 4 teams would get a first round bye... wonder what system they will implament to figure that out those top seeds... as we've all seen, the rankings don't always make sense... while this gives the Bison a better opportunity to get into the playoffs, it seems a little diluted too.... what percentage of total FCS teams would then make the playoffs ??

The top four teams have always been seeded, so that's no issue. However, I've been assuming that eight teams will be playing for four play-in slots. The top 12 teams won't have to play in the play-in round. That will most likely mean the whole field will need to be seeded from now on.

On a side note, where is the break point between a play-in round and a first round? How many teams need to compete in the first set of games before it's considered the first round? I'm going to say that if the number of teams playing in the first set of games is greater or equal to the number of teams not playing, then it's the first round. If the number of teams is less than those not playing, then they're play-in games. Since a 20-team playoff will probably have 8 teams competing the first weekend and 12 waiting at home, I'm going to keep calling the first set of games play-ins. (It's early, I'm bored, and I'm pondering stupid things.)

[BisonNeil]

The top four teams have always been seeded, so that's no issue. However, I've been assuming that eight teams will be playing for four play-in slots. The top 12 teams won't have to play in the play-in round. That will most likely mean the whole field will need to be seeded from now on.

On a side note, where is the break point between a play-in round and a first round? How many teams need to compete in the first set of games before it's considered the first round? I'm going to say that if the number of teams playing in the first set of games is greater or equal to the number of teams not playing, then it's the first round. If the number of teams is less than those not playing, then they're play-in games. Since a 20-team playoff will probably have 8 teams competing the first weekend and 12 waiting at home, I'm going to keep calling the first set of games play-ins. (It's early, I'm bored, and I'm pondering stupid things.)

You might be bored but you make a good point.

In all likelihood the playoffs would have to expand to 32 teams before it is called a first round because everyone plays that first weekend.

When they go to 24 teams (2012?), the top 8 teams will still be seeded and 16 will play in. I doubt that will be called the first round, but who knows. We are talking about the NCAA you know and things they do don't have to make sense.

[PSUVikings]

Awesome! About time!

[RunDMc34]

I would expect that this would move the playoffs back an extra week? Does anyone remember when the National Championship game usually is since I plan on making multiple trips. Only bad thing for me is if it moves back too far we start to run into boys basketball season and coaching which would be bad for me.:banghead: