Question about the playoffs

[jcmanson]

Do we really know if the top 12 teams will get a bye? I mean, we know the top 5 teams will be seeded and get a bye, but what about teams 6-12? How are they determined?

[89Hen]

Do we really know if the top 12 teams will get a bye? I mean, we know the top 5 teams will be seeded and get a bye, but what about teams 6-12? How are they determined?

That's actually a good question. I wouldn't put it past the selection committee to put a team that has a chance of good attendance in the first round that might otherwise get a bye. I'm sure they're hoping they can find some 8-3 teams with large attendance.

[clenz]

I think it is all an unknown right now.

I'm sure bids will play a part of it, as will travel.

However, the isn't a real precedent for how to handle these things yet.

My best guess would be the way that brings the "most money" to the NCAA will be the set up

[Pitz]

Has the NCAA released the 2010 Division I Football Championship Handbook yet this year?

[BDKJMU]

For the 8 non bye teams you gotta figure:
-Patriot AQ
-MEAC AQ (which right now looks like it could be 6-0 Bethune Cookman as they just knocked of SC State)
-NEC AQ
-Big South AQ
-#2 Southland

These 6 AQs will all likely get byes: CAA, So-Con, MVFC, Big Sky, Southland (SFA), OVC (Jax St)

Of the 9 remaining at large teams among the CAA, So-Con, MVC, Big Sky, and cal Poly if they finish 8-3, 6 will get byes, and 3 won't. Any of those that finish with only 7 Div I wins (be it 8-3 or 7-4) I imagine would almost definitely not get byes.

I imagine if it came down to two 8 Div I win teams from the same conference, esp 2 CAA teams, for the final bye spot, they would logically use head to head.

[danefan]

Has the NCAA released the 2010 Division I Football Championship Handbook yet this year?

Not yet.

[JayJ79]

For the 8 non bye teams you gotta figure:
-Patriot AQ
-MEAC AQ (which right now looks like it could be 6-0 Bethune Cookman as they just knocked of SC State)
-NEC AQ
-Big South AQ
-#2 Southland

These 6 AQs will all likely get byes: CAA, So-Con, MVFC, Big Sky, Southland (SFA), OVC (Jax St)

Of the 9 remaining at large teams among the CAA, So-Con, MVC, Big Sky, and cal Poly if they finish 8-3, 6 will get byes, and 3 won't. Any of those that finish with only 7 Div I wins (be it 8-3 or 7-4) I imagine would almost definitely not get byes.

I imagine if it came down to two 8 Div I win teams from the same conference, esp 2 CAA teams, for the final bye spot, they would logically use head to head.

Your mistake is assuming that the NCAA uses logic.....

[danefan]

For the 8 non bye teams you gotta figure:
-Patriot AQ
-MEAC AQ (which right now looks like it could be 6-0 Bethune Cookman as they just knocked of SC State)
-NEC AQ
-Big South AQ
-#2 Southland

These 6 AQs will all likely get byes: CAA, So-Con, MVFC, Big Sky, Southland (SFA), OVC (Jax St)

Of the 9 remaining at large teams among the CAA, So-Con, MVC, Big Sky, and cal Poly if they finish 8-3, 6 will get byes, and 3 won't. Any of those that finish with only 7 Div I wins (be it 8-3 or 7-4) I imagine would almost definitely not get byes.

I imagine if it came down to two 8 Div I win teams from the same conference, esp 2 CAA teams, for the final bye spot, they would logically use head to head.

I think the last 4 teams in the opening round will depend on regionalization, even if not officially.

If it comes down to a team for the Patriot AQ to play and the last two choices are Cal Poly or Villanova, I'd have to imagine the NCAA is making Villanova play that game and having the PL bus to Philly. Just a hunch though.

[JSU02]

For the 8 non bye teams you gotta figure:
-Patriot AQ
-MEAC AQ (which right now looks like it could be 6-0 Bethune Cookman as they just knocked of SC State)
-NEC AQ
-Big South AQ
-#2 Southland

These 6 AQs will all likely get byes: CAA, So-Con, MVFC, Big Sky, Southland (SFA), OVC (Jax St)

Of the 9 remaining at large teams among the CAA, So-Con, MVC, Big Sky, and cal Poly if they finish 8-3, 6 will get byes, and 3 won't. Any of those that finish with only 7 Div I wins (be it 8-3 or 7-4) I imagine would almost definitely not get byes.

I imagine if it came down to two 8 Div I win teams from the same conference, esp 2 CAA teams, for the final bye spot, they would logically use head to head.

So no playoff bid for a 9-2 SEMO team?????

[89Hen]

So no playoff bid for a 9-2 SEMO team?????

An 8-2 SEMO team. They would have the OVC's terrible playoff record to thank if they get left out (EIU in particular). Murray State 1996 was the last OVC playoff win.

[89Hen]

I think the last 4 teams in the opening round will depend on regionalization, even if not officially.

If it comes down to a team for the Patriot AQ to play and the last two choices are Cal Poly or Villanova, I'd have to imagine the NCAA is making Villanova play that game and having the PL bus to Philly. Just a hunch though.

[jcmanson]

A 9-2 Liberty would be ranked in or near the top 10 in all major polls. Top 10 in attendance. We would put a bid in good enough to get a home game. I’m wondering what are the odds that we get a bye?

I’m assuming we play the opening round, but hoping our top 10 ranking could play into us beating out an at-large team and get a bye.

[BDKJMU]

For the 8 non bye teams you gotta figure:
-Patriot AQ
-MEAC AQ (which right now looks like it could be 6-0 Bethune Cookman as they just knocked of SC State)
-NEC AQ
-Big South AQ
-#2 Southland

These 6 AQs will all likely get byes: CAA, So-Con, MVFC, Big Sky, Southland (SFA), OVC (Jax St)

Of the 9 remaining at large teams among the CAA, So-Con, MVC, Big Sky, and cal Poly if they finish 8-3, 6 will get byes, and 3 won't. Any of those that finish with only 7 Div I wins (be it 8-3 or 7-4) I imagine would almost definitely not get byes.

I imagine if it came down to two 8 Div I win teams from the same conference, esp 2 CAA teams, for the final bye spot, they would logically use head to head.

So no playoff bid for a 9-2 SEMO team?????

IF they finish 8-2 vs Div I (they have a Div II game) yeah, I think they'd get an at large. But not at 7-3 out of the OVC, given the OVC isn't that strong and SEMO has a weak OOC: A Div II, they were handled by a bad MAC Ball State team & their close win over an SIU team now with a losing record doesn't look that impressive. Assuming a loss @ JSU, and beating their Div II, they would still have to beat EKU and Tenn Martin at home, both not givens. So maybe 50/50 the OVC gets 2 teams in.

I still think JMU could finish 7-4/4-4, and with the win over VT would be the 1st 7-4 in line for maybe that last At Large Spot, so thats why I will be rooting against teams like SEMO and Cal Poly, teams that could get that last At Large and keep a 7-4 JMU out.

[89Hen]

A 9-2 Liberty would be ranked in or near the top 10 in all major polls. Top 10 in attendance. We would put a bid in good enough to get a home game. I’m wondering what are the odds that we get a bye?

I'd put it at 50-1 you'll be playing Thanksgiving weekend right now.

[JSU02]

i forgot SEMO was playing directional baptist.

[Pitz]

Well look what's right on time: http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/champ_ha ... otball.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Quick highlights about the selection process:

-Teams will be seeded #1-5 as expected.
-The remaining 7 "bye" teams will be selected based on merit, and then paired up geographically.
-Finally, the remaining 8 first-round game teams will be paired up geographically.
-Conference mates will not be paired up in games where both teams are playing their first game, but could still meet in the round of 16.
-And look what word got some bold to it this year:

The won-lost record of a team will be scrutinized to determine a team’s strength of
schedule; however, less than seven Division I wins may place a team in jeopardy of
not being selected;

[jcmanson]

I'm glad I have the ears of the powers that be at the NCAA.

[danefan]

Well look what's right on time: http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/champ_ha ... otball.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Quick highlights about the selection process:

-Teams will be seeded #1-5 as expected.
-The remaining 7 "bye" teams will be selected based on merit, and then paired up geographically.
-Finally, the remaining 8 first-round game teams will be paired up geographically.
-Conference mates will not be paired up in games where both teams are playing their first game, but could still meet in the round of 16.
-And look what word got some bold to it this year:

The won-lost record of a team will be scrutinized to determine a team’s strength of
schedule; however, less than seven Division I wins may place a team in jeopardy of
not being selected;

That was literally released today. Good find.

FYI - the bridge AQ was changed and no longer applies to the Great West. It now only applies to teams from leagues that "Qualify for an AQ but aren't awarded one". So in practice only the Ivy, SWAC and PFL but in reality only the PFL.

And no PFL team has the ability to meet the Bridge this year with 2 wins over AQ teams. So the whole Bridge is moot.

[danefan]

Selection Criteria

All pairings will be made by the Division I football championship committee. The
following principles are applied when pairing teams:
1. Teams deemed by the committee to be the 12 best teams selected to the championship
shall receive a first-round bye. The remaining eight teams shall play first-round games
and will be paired according to geographic proximity.
2. The teams awarded the top five seeds are placed in the appropriate positions in the
bracket (Nos. 1 and 4 in the upper half, and Nos. 2 and 3 in the lower half, and No. 5
in the upper half of the bracket adjacent to the No. 4 seed bracket such that they would
be quarterfinal round opponents should they advance);
3. The committee shall determine the seven remaining teams that merit a first-round
bye;
4. The No. 5 seed and the seven unseeded teams receiving a first-round bye shall be
paired with teams that are in closest geographic proximity;
5. The remaining eight teams will play first-round games and will be paired according to
geographic proximity and placed in the bracket according to geographic proximity of
the top four seeds previously placed in the bracket;
6. The NCAA mileage threshold for mandatory team travel via ground is 400 miles;
7. Teams from the same conference will not be paired for first-round games or for secondround
games when both teams are playing their first games of the championship;
8. Once the first-round pairings have been determined, there will be no adjustments to
the bracket (e.g., a top-four seed may play a conference opponent that advanced out
of the first round.

So they'll put the teams into three buckets - Seeds, top 7 teams remaining, bottom 8.

[JayJ79]

Kind of makes getting a seed even more important.
Before, it just meant being more or less guaranteed a home game (as long as you met the minimum bid for the round) and not having to face one of the other 3 seeds until the semis.

Now it means a home game, a bye, and being guaranteed to play one of the 8 lowest merit teams (of the playoff group), and that team will be coming off a first-round game.

Perhaps the committee has tended to pair the seeds with "lowest merit" teams previously, but it wasn't required in the handbook.

[JayJ79]

Balls
The Wilson F1001, F1003, F1004 and F1005 footballs are the official balls for the
championship and will be used in all rounds of competition. Institutions will be allowed
to choose the model of Wilson football they wish to use while on offense throughout the
championship.

what are the differences between the different models?
and I wonder how often it occurs that the two teams prefer different models, thus necessitating having two different sets of game balls on hand, and switching between series.

[danefan]

Balls
The Wilson F1001, F1003, F1004 and F1005 footballs are the official balls for the
championship and will be used in all rounds of competition. Institutions will be allowed
to choose the model of Wilson football they wish to use while on offense throughout the
championship.

what are the differences between the different models?
and I wonder how often it occurs that the two teams prefer different models, thus necessitating having two different sets of game balls on hand, and switching between series.

Even if the two teams use the same model, they each provide their own balls to be used during the game. So the balls are switched out now every change of possession. Kicking team also gets to use it own ball on kickoffs, etc..

The 1001 and 1005 are essentially the same ball with a different leather pattern. They are the traditional leather balls though.



The 1003 and 1004 are GST balls that most teams now use. The difference between 1003 and 1004 is just the leather pattern.



Same size and weight for all four.

[SDHornet]

Selection Criteria

6. The NCAA mileage threshold for mandatory team travel via ground is 400 miles;

Was this always 400 miles? For some reason I had 300 miles as the threshold.

[danefan]

Selection Criteria

6. The NCAA mileage threshold for mandatory team travel via ground is 400 miles;

Was this always 400 miles? For some reason I had 300 miles as the threshold.

it was 300 through the 2008 playoffs. It changed to 400 last year.

[JayJ79]

Thanks, danefan. Good to know. Is that the case during every game during the regular season as well? Or just the playoffs?

And another change I just noticed in this year's handbook:

Instant Replay
Instant replay will be used at each game of the quarterfinal, seimifinals and the 2011
NCAA Division I Football Championship Game.

Last year, Replay was used in the semifinals and finals, so it is nice to see it being expanded to the quarterfinals as well.