Ohio Valley and Southland to propose permanent 12th game

[The Cats]

The Ohio Valley and Southland conferences will propose legislation for a permanent 12th football game in the NCAA Division I Football Championship subdivision. The proposal, that would permissively lift the current restriction of 11 regular season games in most seasons, is scheduled for submission into the 2016-17 NCAA Division I legislative cycle.

Currently, FCS programs are only permitted a 12th game in years when there are 13 weekends between Labor Day Weekend and the weekend prior to Thanksgiving, something that will naturally occur just four times over the next 15 seasons.

In a joint statement, OVC commissioner Beth DeBauche and Southland commissioner Tom Burnett said: “The 12th game proposal gives FCS programs additional opportunities for non-conference contests, including games against FBS competition, and a better chance to secure six home games in a yearly schedule. Additionally, this proposal allows more flexibility in non-conference scheduling for leagues that have recently expanded and have more conference games. This proposal would also provide more potential nonconference FCS games for the Division I NCAA Football Committee to better determine berths and seeding for the FCS playoffs.”

http://sportsnola.com/ohio-valley-south ... -football/

[dbackjon]

All in favor of this - needs to happen

[Mvemjsunpx]

This doesn't seem like a good idea with how crowded the calendar is already. It would either force FCS to eliminate bye weeks, move the playoffs back, or play the extra games a week earlier in August when virtually nobody has students around, and I'm guessing those options wouldn't be too popular.

[clenz]

This doesn't seem like a good idea with how crowded the calendar is already. It would either force FCS to eliminate bye weeks, move the playoffs back, or play the extra games a week earlier in August when virtually nobody has students around, and I'm guessing those options wouldn't be too popular.

It forces nothing

Your program wants to bitch out and play 11 games, fine.

It would allow games the week before Labor day - just as all 12 game seasons have now. It doesn't affect playoff schedule, doesn't take a bye week away, nothing. It adds a week earlier in the season.

Don't most schools start mid August?

[Mvemjsunpx]

This doesn't seem like a good idea with how crowded the calendar is already. It would either force FCS to eliminate bye weeks, move the playoffs back, or play the extra games a week earlier in August when virtually nobody has students around, and I'm guessing those options wouldn't be too popular.

Don't most schools start mid August?

Not at UM they don't (Monday before Labor Day). And then there's those silly quarter-system schools that don't start until late September, but I digress.

It would allow games the week before Labor day - just as all 12 game seasons have now. It doesn't affect playoff schedule, doesn't take a bye week away, nothing. It adds a week earlier in the season.

What are you talking about? All seasons, 12-game or otherwise, start the week(end) before Labor Day now. The reason certain years are 12-game years is because there's an extra week between Labor Day & Thanksgiving (years where Labor Day is on the 1st. or 2nd.). By making all seasons 12-game years, you'd have to start the schedule more than a week before Labor Day in years where that holiday is on the 3rd. or later.

[clenz]

No.

You'd simply play the games the extra week between Labor day and Thanksgiving.

It's not nearly what you're making out to be.

This years schedule would be
8/27
9/3
9/10
9/17
9/24
10/1
10/8
10/15
10/22
10/29
11/5
11/12
11/19

The current scheduled 12 game systems start the way they are scheduled.

It's not hard to figure out and it's not forcing anyone to fit anything into a shorter time.

[Wildcat Ryan]

All in favor of this - needs to happen

x infinity

[Wildcat Ryan]

This doesn't seem like a good idea with how crowded the calendar is already. It would either force FCS to eliminate bye weeks, move the playoffs back, or play the extra games a week earlier in August when virtually nobody has students around, and I'm guessing those options wouldn't be too popular.

That should be easy enough to do, there are already two weeks between the semi's and the Championship

[clenz]

This doesn't seem like a good idea with how crowded the calendar is already. It would either force FCS to eliminate bye weeks, move the playoffs back, or play the extra games a week earlier in August when virtually nobody has students around, and I'm guessing those options wouldn't be too popular.

That should be easy enough to do, just play the semi final games on Christmas Weekend, or the first weekend of January

Don't need too..
Week added to the beginning of the season

I guess we could add a week at the end and move playoffs back but I don't see that happening

[Wildcat Ryan]

That should be easy enough to do, just play the semi final games on Christmas Weekend, or the first weekend of January

Don't need too..
Week added to the beginning of the season

I guess we could add a week at the end and move playoffs back but I don't see that happening

I'm good with that

[Mvemjsunpx]

No.

You'd simply play the games the extra week between Labor day and Thanksgiving.

It's not nearly what you're making out to be.

This years schedule would be
8/27
9/3
9/10
9/17
9/24
10/1
10/8
10/15
10/22
10/29
11/5
11/12
11/19

The current scheduled 12 game systems start the way they are scheduled.

It's not hard to figure out and it's not forcing anyone to fit anything into a shorter time.

I don't personally care if they start things a week early, but I think you're overestimating how positive schools & the NCAA will feel about this idea.

[SuperHornet]

Isn't a 12th game automatic if you schedule a game at Hawai'i?

[Mvemjsunpx]

Isn't a 12th game automatic if you schedule a game at Hawai'i?

Yes—it can also be a 13th. game if it's a 12-game year. Either scenario means you wouldn't get a bye week, of course.

[The Cats]

The only down side I see to a 12 game schedule each year is it will encourage many schools to go to a non-DI team for that 6th home game. I still think 12 games should be the standard, if a school only wants 11 games, let 'em only schedule 11 games.

[Wildcat Ryan]

The only down side I see to a 12 game schedule each year is it will encourage many schools to go to a non-DI team for that 6th home game. I still think 12 games should be the standard, if a school only wants 11 games, let 'em only schedule 11 games.

As a Weber State fan, I would love to be able to watch Weber play 6 games at home, if that means 1 game vs a DII I'm good with that, since 1 drop down game counts towards the playoffs, not saying I would prefer a drop down over another FCS, but the 6th home game would be nice. Having said that, I would hate it if it meant Weber would play 7 on the road and 5 at home, which happened the last time we could play 12

[The Cats]

Currently, with the limited number of 12 game seasons that are allowed, many FCS teams go for an extra pay-day game with that extra game, and I understand that. However, if 12 games are the norm, I'd think most teams would regularly want that 6th home game for their fan (plus the increased $$$ on season tickets for 6 home games).