Here is a playoff bracket based on current standings off the AGS Top 25 Poll. Our Method: We use the AGS poll to pick both at larges and the seeds given the poll has been the most predictable at picking at larges and just this last week the AGS poll was in line exactly with the selection committee’s top 8. We use feedback from many wedge contributors to determine our best guess for automatic qualifiers. Once we have the field set we use the guidelines in the FCS Championship handbook to put the bracket together in the same format as the committee will use.
Link http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/fi…l_20170914.pdf
The Bracket
| 2017 FCS PLAYOFFS | |||||||||
| First Round | Second Round | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Championship Game | |||||
| James Madison | 1 | ||||||||
| Delaware | Frisco, TX | ||||||||
| Duquesne | |||||||||
| Wofford | 8 | ||||||||
| Furman | |||||||||
| Southern Utah | |||||||||
| South Dakota St | 5 | ||||||||
| South Dakota | |||||||||
| Weber St | |||||||||
| North Dakota St | 4 | ||||||||
| Stony Brook | |||||||||
| Colgate | |||||||||
| Central Arkansas | 3 | AnyGivenSaturday.com | |||||||
| Northern Iowa | |||||||||
| Illinois St | |||||||||
| Sam Houston State | 6 | ||||||||
| Northern Arizona | |||||||||
| San Diego | |||||||||
| Elon | 7 | ||||||||
| Western Carolina | |||||||||
| Western Illinois | |||||||||
| Jackonville St | 2 | ||||||||
| Samford | |||||||||
| Kennesaw State | |||||||||
The last four in (in order): Western Carolina, Northern Iowa, Delaware, Illinois St
The first four out (in order): Monmouth, Eastern Washington, McNeese St, Montana
Next four out (again, in order): New Hampshire, Nicholls St, Richmond, North Carolina Central
The seeds this week get a little bumped around with North Dakota St and South Dakota losing sending NDSU down to 4 and USD out of the seeded round. South Dakota St moves into the seeds at 5 flipping a popular bracket showing in Vermillion now in Brookings. Southern Utah is the first team out of the seeds and the highest ranked Big Sky team. It’s quite possible if they win out and someone ahead loses they may sneak into the seeded 8.
At larges, Monmouth was our first team out. Illinois State was the last team in. Given we are predicting Kennesaw St wins the Big South that would be quite the debate between the MVFC getting a 6th team in the bracket and a Big South squad that has won a lot of football games just not their conference. Also, North Carolina A&T would be well within the bracket, but as the MEAC projected winner and a celebration bowl participate they would not be in the bracket. If they lose finishing out the season they would probably be in the bracket erasing that ISU/Monmouth debate.
Also of note, both Southland squads McNeese St and Nicholls St look to finish the season with decent records. Both are out at the moment, but I’d expect quite the debate given both conference mates are seeded in the current bracket.
Conference Breakdown and First teams out
| Auto Bids | At larges | |
| Big Sky | Southern Utah | Weber St |
| Northern Ariz | ||
| Big South | Kennesaw St | |
| CAA | James Madison | Elon |
| Stony Brook | ||
| Delaware | ||
| MVFC | North Dakota St | South Dakota St |
| South Dakota | ||
| Western Illinois | ||
| Northern Iowa | ||
| Illinois St | ||
| NEC | Duquesne | |
| OVC | Jacksonville St | |
| Patriot | Colgate | |
| Pioneer | San Diego | |
| Southern | Wofford | Furman |
| Samford | ||
| Western Carolina | ||
| Southland | Central Arkansas | Sam Houston St |
| First four out | Next four out | |
| Monmouth | New Hampshire | |
| Eastern Washington | Nicholls St | |
| McNeese St | Richmond | |
| Montana | North Carolina Central |
This will obviously change next week with new results.