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Playoffs expand to 20 this year with the addition of autobids for the Big South and NEC, plus two compensating at-larges.

This will leave the Pioneer League as the only auto-bid eligible conference that WANTS an auto-bid without one. Should they be excluded still?

Giving the Pioneer League an auto-bid would also add another at-large spot, bringing the total to 22.


So should they? And why or why not?

I for one cannot say they shouldn't be allowed to have one.

Here are some reasons why I think they should get one:

1. Just the thought of realistic playoff access next year has energized a lot of Albany fans and gotten them more involved in FCS football in general. Theoretically that will happen at all schools that are granted control over playoff access and that means more fans of the FCS playoffs. That cannot be a bad thing.

2. There is no logistical reason to exclude the PFL. Adding 2 more teams does nothing logistically.

3. There have been some PFL teams in the past that would do no worse in the first round of the playoffs than the teams already receiving AQ's from various conferences (e.g. MEAC, OVC, Patriot, SLC, etc....). The San Diego and Dayton teams of the recent memory would hold there own against anyone in the first round. Not saying it would be a win, but it would be no worse then the above-mentioned league reps.

4. They are Division I teams that follow all of the rules currently proscribed by the NCAA for Division I participation. Some may argue that their committment is minimal, but until the NCAA sets a minimum that is above what the PFL does, that alone is not reason enough to exclude them.

5. There are markets in the PFL that are untapped by the FCS world (e.g. San Diego, Jacksonville, Dayton, etc.).

This thread won't be as entertaining without DetroitFlyer and the rest of them.

andy7171 wrote:This thread won't be as entertaining without DetroitFlyer and the rest of them.

Really all you need is Detroitflyer and a couple of old guard guys. DFlyer does post here and I'm sure we can scrounge up somebody who thinks 16 teams is perfect.

andy7171 wrote:This thread won't be as entertaining without DetroitFlyer and the rest of them.

I am hoping some will comment with a Patriot League perpective

I don't see why they shouldn't get one. I haven't seen DF here.


....DetroitFlyer was DF before DF was.

andy7171 wrote:I don't see why they shouldn't get one. I haven't seen DF here.


....DetroitFlyer was DF before DF was.

Yeah - I always think of DetroitFlyer when people say DF.

He pops his head in here now and then when someobody mentions something PFL related.

danefan wrote:

andy7171 wrote:I don't see why they shouldn't get one. I haven't seen DF here.


....DetroitFlyer was DF before DF was.

Yeah - I always think of DetroitFlyer when people say DF.

He pops his head in here now and then when someobody mentions something PFL related.

I really don't see the angle anymore to not including all the league(that want to participate) champions.

As has been said, there really is no reason to not give them one. They meet all the requirements to receive an auto-bid, regardless of how we feel about their commitment to Div I football.

If the PFL got an auto-bid, ODU should get an invite if they go 9-2 again

Silenoz wrote:If the PFL got an auto-bid, ODU should get an invite if they go 9-2 again

Apples and Oranges.

Autobid - not tied to national competitiveness
At-large - the best 10 (or 11 if the PFL got an AQ) teams that didn't win an AQ.

Apples and Oranges.

andy7171 wrote:This thread won't be as entertaining without DetroitFlyer and the rest of them.

Beat me to it. Actually, we have a dearth of San Diego posters as well.

danefan wrote:

Silenoz wrote:If the PFL got an auto-bid, ODU should get an invite if they go 9-2 again

Apples and Oranges.

Autobid - not tied to national competitiveness
At-large - the best 10 (or 11 if the PFL got an AQ) teams that didn't win an AQ.

Apples and Oranges.

Well it sortof is/was...

I say a resounding YES, as long as their champion is San Diego every year. We need a patsie on the West Coast to make up for the Patriot, NEC and Big South patsies that get fed to the CAA lions every year in the first round.

AZGrizFan wrote:I say a resounding YES, as long as their champion is San Diego every year. We need a patsie on the West Coast to make up for the Patriot, NEC and Big South patsies that get fed to the CAA lions every year in the first round.

No one would appreciate this more than Southland teams

Silenoz wrote:

danefan wrote:
Apples and Oranges.

Autobid - not tied to national competitiveness
At-large - the best 10 (or 11 if the PFL got an AQ) teams that didn't win an AQ.

Apples and Oranges.

Well it sortof is/was...

Regardless of whether it used to be, its not anymore.

Wouldn't the PFL have an auto-bid then? Since they are the only league left that isn't voluntary disqualified, and they happen to be the worst league...

Silenoz wrote:Wouldn't the PFL have an auto-bid then? Since they are the only league left that isn't voluntary disqualified, and they happen to be the worst league...

Up until this point the only reason they don't have one for next season is because they haven't requested one.

Now that they have requested one, is there any reason to deny them their request?

Personally i think the GWC should get the autobid despite only having 5 teams as we of late have done rather well in OOC play. Cal Poly and UC-Davis have been pretty consistently good and SUU, North Dakota and South Dakota are on the rise. But i agree we need to get another team in the conference, rumor is still flying arount that UVU (Utah Valley) is trying to find a way to get football.

danefan wrote:

Silenoz wrote:Wouldn't the PFL have an auto-bid then? Since they are the only league left that isn't voluntary disqualified, and they happen to be the worst league...

Up until this point the only reason they don't have one for next season is because they haven't requested one.

Now that they have requested one, is there any reason to deny them their request?

No, they should. But if you break that barrier, any future independant or start-up or whatever that plays a soft schedule and wins 9 games should have equal claim for a 1st round spot.


Or the NCAA should require some level of scholarships in order to play DI football. FCS has waaay too big of a spectrum in quality.

I wish they could be given a DIII autobid, that is the level that their program aspire to.

Honestly, I would be open to giving them a bid if their league is willing to play more FCS teams and less lower division schools.

FargoBison wrote:I wish they could be given a DIII autobid, that is the level that their program aspire to.

Honestly, I would be open to giving them a bid if their league is willing to play more FCS teams and less lower division schools.

That's what we all wish they would do, even their own fans.

With that being said, they were forced by the NCAA to play Division I football and they have followed every single rule required of them, including the number of Division I games they schedule.

FargoBison wrote:I wish they could be given a DIII autobid, that is the level that their program aspire to.

Honestly, I would be open to giving them a bid if their league is willing to play more FCS teams and less lower division schools.

Agreed - mandate for auto-bid eligibility, no more than 2 non-DI schools on the schedule.

danefan wrote:

FargoBison wrote:I wish they could be given a DIII autobid, that is the level that their program aspire to.

Honestly, I would be open to giving them a bid if their league is willing to play more FCS teams and less lower division schools.

That's what we all wish they would do, even their own fans.

With that being said, they were forced by the NCAA to play Division I football and they have followed every single rule required of them, including the number of Division I games they schedule.

Maybe a new rule should be made...I am not joking when I say that some of their league members are afraid of playing fully-funded FCS teams. If your conference is going to compete in the FCS playoffs that just isn't right.

I don't want to be labeled as a PFL hater, some of their members do try, but as whole their league has shown no commitment to making themselves better. The NEC and the Big South both improved themselves, they earned their bids, it is a shame to watch the PFL just ride their coattails.

dbackjon wrote:

andy7171 wrote:This thread won't be as entertaining without DetroitFlyer and the rest of them.

I am hoping some will comment with a Patriot League perpective

I really dont care either way but if the PFL wants a bit they should get one. They have a better chance of winning an FCS football game than many of the teams that get into the NCAA B-ball tourney,

It will also give the Patriot, OVC, and MEAC a chance to win a freakin playoff game.