I-AA Football Playoff Predictions

[BisonMav]

Massachusetts (10-2) at Colgate (12-0), UMass
Southern Illinois (10-1) at Delaware (11-1), Delaware
North Carolina A&T (10-2) at Wofford (10-1), Wofford
Florida Atlantic (9-2) at Bethune-Cookman (9-2), FAU
Western Illinois (8-3) at Montana (9-3), Montana
Jacksonville State (8-3) at Western Kentucky (8-3), WKU
Montana State (7-5) at Northern Iowa (9-2), UNI
Northern Arizona (8-3) at McNeese State (10-1), MSU

What's everyone else think?

[WYOBISONMAN]

Massachusetts (10-2) at Colgate (12-0), Colgate
Southern Illinois (10-1) at Delaware (11-1), S. Illinois
North Carolina A&T (10-2) at Wofford (10-1), Wofford
Florida Atlantic (9-2) at Bethune-Cookman (9-2), FAU
Western Illinois (8-3) at Montana (9-3), Montana
Jacksonville State (8-3) at Western Kentucky (8-3), WKU
Montana State (7-5) at Northern Iowa (9-2), Montana State
Northern Arizona (8-3) at McNeese State (10-1), MSU

I had to pick a couple upsets! I am trying to get the game coordinates for the Montana and Montana State games. When I do I will post them.

[tony]

Massachusetts (10-2) at Colgate (12-0), Mass
Southern Illinois (10-1) at Delaware (11-1), Delaware
North Carolina A&T (10-2) at Wofford (10-1), Wofford
Florida Atlantic (9-2) at Bethune-Cookman (9-2), FAU
Western Illinois (8-3) at Montana (9-3), Western Ill.
Jacksonville State (8-3) at Western Kentucky (8-3), WKU
Montana State (7-5) at Northern Iowa (9-2), UNI
Northern Arizona (8-3) at McNeese State (10-1), MSU

I pick them how I see them, not how I want them (hope I'm wrong on some of these).

[NDSU_grad]

Wasn't Southern Illinois the number one team in I-AA. Why do they have to travel?

[Bison_Kent]

From what I have heard, there is a minimum bid that a host needs to send. If that bid can't be met then the team will be on the road. I have heard that S. Illinois could not meet the minimum bid.

[Bisonfan1234]

Is NDSU capable of meeting a minimum bid? I would think so.

In any case, i think S IL has a very good shot of winning the whole thing this year.

[IowaBison]

NDSU has the money for the bid. Why do you think we had so many home playoff games in the 60's-80's.

Home field was not determined by ranking, it was by bid.

[tony]

That's what people always said (that NDSU bought home playoff games) but it turns out that NDSU always got sent on the road to play higher-ranked teams (and sometimes lower-ranked teams). There was only one exception, Edinboro. They were ranked one spot higher than NDSU and had to come to Fargo to play. I don't think the bid had any bearing on that decision.

In fact, NDSU has had more road games than they should have based on their performance.

[Jav_Fan]

The higher ranked team is given the first opportunity at hosting playoff games. They must guarantee a certain $$$ amount. If they cannot, then the lower ranked team gets the opportunity. I don't know what happens if neither team meets guarantee.

This works for regional basketball also. A couple of years back, we hosted a regional tournament by meeting the NCAA minimum when the higher ranked could not.

[NDSU_grad]

That makes sense. I think Delaware was like 4 or 5 in attendance in I-AA this year. Does anybody have any idea what SIU's attendance figures were like?