|
Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Apr 18, 2021 7:23:52 GMT -5
The NCAA covers travel for The Dance, but it is not clear that the NCAA covers travel for the first three rounds of FCS. The language is specific to the championship game.
Herosports' bracketology has HC traveling to SDSU, the #2 overall seed. The writer lapses into contorted reasoning on why JMU is the #1 seed, while having the #74 strength of schedule, and has three CAA schools in the field of 16. Sacred Heart would travel to Weber State.
|
|
|
Post by nycrusader2010 on Apr 18, 2021 7:25:02 GMT -5
Davidson has certainly moved forward as a program as the team for many years was among the lowest ranked handful of teams in D-1 Davidson was hands down the worst DI team a number of years last decade. They even had players on the roster with no high school football playing experience -- IN DIVISION I!!! Their coach was a finalist for the William & Mary job when Laycock retired a year and a half ago.
|
|
|
Post by gks on Apr 18, 2021 7:28:55 GMT -5
The NCAA covers travel for The Dance, but it is not clear that the NCAA covers travel for the first three rounds of FCS. The language is specific to the championship game. Herosports' bracketology has HC traveling to SDSU, the #2 overall seed. The writer lapses into contorted reasoning on why JMU is the #1 seed, while having the #74 strength of schedule, and has three CAA schools in the field of 16. Sacred Heart would travel to Weber State. The NCAA covers cost. If HC plays at South Dakota the NCAA will drop a chartered jet into Worcester Airport for them since commercial options are limited. Bean counters can relax.
|
|
|
Post by hc2020 on Apr 18, 2021 7:46:31 GMT -5
I have to think that there will at least be 2 brackets (East and West) and perhaps as many as 4 (North, South, East and West). I would be surprised if first round games are not regionally and geographically assigned, making a first round game against SDSU somewhere in their geographical region unlikely in my opinion.
That being said, most of what I am reading has JMU as the likely #1 seed in our region, with Delaware the likely #2 seed. Both are also host sites, which could make them logical first round locations. I would imagine that Sacred Heart and Davidson would be the lowest seeds if they went with both a North and East bracket.
|
|
|
Post by nycrusader2010 on Apr 18, 2021 7:58:36 GMT -5
I have to think that there will at least be 2 brackets (East and West) and perhaps as many as 4 (North, South, East and West). I would be surprised if first round games are not regionally and geographically assigned, making a first round game against SDSU somewhere in their geographical region unlikely in my opinion. That being said, most of what I am reading has JMU as the likely #1 seed in our region, with Delaware the likely #2 seed. Both are also host sites, which could make them logical first round locations. I would imagine that Sacred Heart and Davidson would be the lowest seeds if they went with both a North and East bracket. Typically in the days of the "old" 16-team FCS tournament there were 4 seeds. And pretty much the entire bracket is made as made regional as possible to minimize flights. Typically the only teams that fly in the first round are those that fall in a geographic area that happens to have an odd number of playoff teams, which is why it's possible either HC or SHU could head west. The committee tries to have the brackets also set up so that teams in the top conferences (i.e. Missouri Valley and CAA) will cannabalize each other by the end of the quarterfinals. That way you don't end up with a semifinal round with 3 teams from the Dakotas. In-conference rematches are always avoided in the First Round (usually Round of 24 but this year Round of 16). For those wondering if the bracket will look different this year "because of COVID", the answer is no. This is because even pre-pandemic, the NCAA regionalized all tournaments outside of M/W Basketball with the objective of reducing travel costs.
|
|
|
Post by hcpride on Apr 18, 2021 7:59:38 GMT -5
I see one plausible scenario online that has us playing Delaware which would be a tough matchup. While Sluka is obviously a big running mismatch in the PL I’m not sure how he’ll do v the upper CAA. Bracket: Sacred Heart at No. 1 Weber State North Dakota at Eastern Washington Davidson at No. 2 South Dakota State Austin Peay at Missouri State Monmouth at No. 3 Sam Houston Jacksonville State at North Dakota State Holy Cross at No. 4 Delaware VMI at James Madison www.college-sports-journal.com/fearless-prediction-the-fcs-playoff-bracket/
|
|
|
Post by HC92 on Apr 18, 2021 8:12:37 GMT -5
I see one plausible scenario online that has us playing Delaware which would be a tough matchup. While Sluka is obviously a big running mismatch in the PL I’m not sure how he’ll do v the upper CAA. Bracket: Sacred Heart at No. 1 Weber State North Dakota at Eastern Washington Davidson at No. 2 South Dakota State Austin Peay at Missouri State Monmouth at No. 3 Sam Houston Jacksonville State at North Dakota State Holy Cross at No. 4 Delaware VMI at James Madison www.college-sports-journal.com/fearless-prediction-the-fcs-playoff-bracket/This scenario has Davidson, Monmouth and Sacred Heart all making long plane trips. Seems unlikely. The real question is whether Villanova is going to host a game without Villanova being in the tourney. If they are, this becomes simpler for the Eastern seaboard teams. If not, there’s going to be some traveling. The matchups I proposed yesterday are the only way I could come up with to not have anyone from the East going more than 400 miles which has historically been the limit for how far teams can go on a bus for an FCS playoff game. The two problems with that scenario are using both Orono and Villanova as neutral host sites and HC and SHU playing each other as two of the bottom four teams.
|
|
|
Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Apr 18, 2021 8:13:11 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by nycrusader2010 on Apr 18, 2021 8:13:44 GMT -5
I see one plausible scenario online that has us playing Delaware which would be a tough matchup. While Sluka is obviously a big running mismatch in the PL I’m not sure how he’ll do v the upper CAA. Bracket: Sacred Heart at No. 1 Weber State North Dakota at Eastern Washington Davidson at No. 2 South Dakota State Austin Peay at Missouri State Monmouth at No. 3 Sam Houston Jacksonville State at North Dakota State Holy Cross at No. 4 Delaware VMI at James Madison www.college-sports-journal.com/fearless-prediction-the-fcs-playoff-bracket/Sluka can be dangerous with his feet against just about anyone at this level IMO but the problem is our offense is too one dimensional against the cream of the FCS crop. We may not to be able to ground and pound against these guys. Beating Delaware or South Dakota State on 10 total pass attempts isn't going to happen. Our defense is going to have to create offense in order for us to get a playoff win. IMO we're stronger in the secondary than we were last year against Monmouth. That's where we were exposed last year. And our front seven can hang with anyone.
|
|
|
Post by nycrusader2010 on Apr 18, 2021 8:15:06 GMT -5
Monmouth v. HC or Monmouth v. SHU are two possibilities if a game were to be played on the campus of Villanova. I think you can effectively throw Orono out the window...
|
|
|
Post by ndgradbuthcfan on Apr 18, 2021 8:17:10 GMT -5
If keeping travel to a minimum was the objective, hard to fathom why Orono was put on the list. It's further north than Halifax, NS.
|
|
|
Post by lou on Apr 18, 2021 8:29:34 GMT -5
I can see a rematch with Monmouth...probably at Villanova...selection show is on ESPNU tomorrow at 11:30 ...and ESPN+
|
|
|
Post by breezy on Apr 18, 2021 8:39:24 GMT -5
I think we are scheduled to play Monmouth in September.
|
|
|
Post by hc2020 on Apr 18, 2021 9:06:59 GMT -5
I think we are scheduled to play Monmouth in September. You may be correct. I recall seeing a schedule that had us @ Monmouth on Sept. 25. Playing them in the playoffs would give us some good intel heading into the fall.
|
|
|
Post by longsuffering on Apr 18, 2021 10:43:47 GMT -5
When the show came on they were talking about the four game minimum. That better be only for at large selections.
|
|
|
Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Apr 18, 2021 10:44:11 GMT -5
Real surprises in the top four seeds. Jacksonville State, no NDSU. JMU the third seed
|
|
|
Post by longsuffering on Apr 18, 2021 10:45:31 GMT -5
Hello Mt. Rushmore...make way for a fifth face...Coach Chesney!
|
|
|
Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Apr 18, 2021 10:46:02 GMT -5
HC versus SDSU
|
|
|
Post by Sons of Vaval on Apr 18, 2021 10:46:08 GMT -5
So much for getting a game on the east coast. Yikes.
|
|
|
Post by gocrossgo on Apr 18, 2021 10:47:22 GMT -5
Well then....
|
|
|
Post by longsuffering on Apr 18, 2021 10:47:30 GMT -5
Start driving now.
|
|
|
Post by hc87 on Apr 18, 2021 10:48:25 GMT -5
In memory of Mr E, this will be the first time HC has played in South Dakota.....wow!
|
|
|
Post by longsuffering on Apr 18, 2021 10:49:51 GMT -5
PL screwed us. The three game schedule put us below SHU in the seedings...even though there are no official seedings below the top four.
|
|
|
Post by Sons of Vaval on Apr 18, 2021 10:52:09 GMT -5
I have to think that only playing three games came back to hurt us and the committee automatically slid us in as the 16 seed as a result.
|
|
|
Post by thecrossisback on Apr 18, 2021 10:52:41 GMT -5
If you want to be the best you have to beat the Best!!! Go Cross Go Attachments:
|
|