FCS Teams Eligible for Associated Press Poll

[MrTitleist]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3008022

After pulling off one of the greatest upsets in college football history, Appalachian State is still shaking things up.

The Associated Press said Thursday that lower-division schools -- that means you, Mountaineers -- are now eligible for its 71-year-old poll.

"It's great they opened the door," Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said. "Certainly we're not going to be the No. 1 team in the country. We know that. We're not even going to be in the top 10. But if you have a win over a nice football team, I like that it's not out of the realm of possibility for a school like us to be one of the top 20 or 25 teams in the country."

Several AP voters expressed interest in putting Appalachian State on their ballots after a shocking 34-32 upset at then-No. 5 Michigan last weekend. But the poll guidelines, which mirrored the coaches' rankings conducted by USA Today, limited eligibility to teams competing in the former NCAA Division I-A, now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The Mountaineers compete in the Football Championship Subdivision, known before this season as Division I-AA.

The AP decided to make the change because schools that show they can compete with big-time teams on the field should have a chance to be recognized with them in the top 25, Sports Editor Terry Taylor said.

"Why not? The poll was always intended to measure teams that compete against each other, regardless of division, based solely on on-field performance," she said. "It was that way long before Division I was divided into I-A and I-AA in 1978."

One poll voter, Adam Van Brimmer, said he wanted to put Appalachian State at No. 25 after their win over the Wolverines, largely as a symbolic gesture. He might still do it next week, assuming the Mountaineers beat Division II Lenoir-Rhyne.

"If I have any openings in my poll, they would certainly be strongly considered," said Van Brimmer, who works for the Georgia-based Morris News Service.

In a previous job, he covered longtime Division I-AA powerhouse Georgia Southern, which, like Appalachian State, is a member of the Southern Conference.

"Having spent so much time watching those Georgia Southern teams, I'm sure the top teams in the Southern Conference are as good as any mid majors," Van Brimmer said. "They're probably as good as anybody in the MAC (Mid-American Conference). They're probably better than most in the Sun Belt."

Joe Giglio of The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., said he would have voted for the Mountaineers this week, though he never considered where to put them after being told they weren't eligible.

He's not sure if Appalachian State will get another chance to crack his top 25 since the school doesn't face another big-time opponent, which affects strength of schedule. After Lenoir-Rhyne, the Mountaineers take on Northern Arizona before getting into their conference schedule.

"They could go unbeaten the rest of the way, which is certainly a possibility," Giglio said. "But that would be a problem, particularly in the methodology I use. They would never have a chance to improve their ranking."

USA Today plans no change in its poll, which will continue to be limited to schools in the division formerly known as I-A.

As Giglio pointed out, the Football Championship Subdivision has its own poll (Appalachian State was a unanimous choice at No. 1) and a playoff system to determine its champion (the Mountaineers have won the last two titles).

"We're probably better off just separating church and state, so to speak," he said. "How long is the shelf life for beating Michigan? At some point, it wouldn't be enough" to keep them in the top 25.

Another AP voter, John Heuser of The Ann Arbor (Mich.) News, agreed that Appalachian State might be able to crack the poll next week, but would have a hard time staying there the rest of the season.

"It would be pretty difficult to evaluate some of the I-AA teams they play, because they don't have the same exposure as I-A teams," said Heuser, who covered Saturday's shocking upset. "We know how good Appalachian State is because they beat Michigan. But I would not really be able to assess how good their opponents are the rest of the season."

Taylor said those sort of issues should be up to the voters, not the news cooperative that organizes the poll and tallies up the ballots.

"This was an issue we never had to face before," she said. "But we thought about it and decided there should be no rule against ranking a I-AA team, as long as that team competed against a I-A opponent.

"Oddities of one sort or the other frequently crop up where the poll is concerned, and it's not unusual for us to make adjustments. This one was just the fair and right thing to do."

Heuser said the Mountaineers were certainly deserving of being in the top 25 for at least one week.

"They are an impressive team," he said. "I thought they were Michigan's equal on the field. I didn't think it was a fluke at all."

[lifesapuntreturn]

As it should be, and should have been.

[MrTitleist]

I definitely think teams like Montana and Appy St. can hang with the mid-majors, and maybe even some top 25s.. which is what gives the Sagarin some credibility.. but not too much. The guy's still wack.

[WYOBISONMAN]

That is fantastic news! Thanks to Appy for shaking thing up!

[skinny_uncle]

There is precedent. I remember SIU getting votes in the final poll in 1983 after winning the IAA title.

The AP decided to make the change because schools that show they can compete with big-time teams on the field should have a chance to be recognized with them in the top 25, Sports Editor Terry Taylor said.

Hmmm...
There used to be a player in the SIU secondary named Terry Taylor (1983). He led our NC team with 15 INTs. Any chance this writer is him?

[GOKATS]

I think it's a great move, but I don't know how many years (if ever) that an FCS team will make the AP Poll. It would take something similar to an App. St. win over a top 5-10 team, plus probably another win over a top 25 FBS team and a solid win streak in a top rated FCS conference. JMHO

[blackfordpu]

So, theoretically, a FCS team could play in the FBS title game.

[Grizball]

So, theoretically, a FCS team could play in the FBS title game.

And, theoretically, the AP Poll alone can dictate this happening?

[blackfordpu]

So, theoretically, a FCS team could play in the FBS title game.

And, theoretically, the AP Poll alone can dictate this happening?

Oh, I didn't think that statement all the way through. Thanks for pointing out my stupidity.

[SuperHornet]

So, theoretically, a FCS team could play in the FBS title game.

Theoretically, yes. Practically? [Bleep] no. The B(C)$ schools would have a cow bigger than when Rutgers and Boise were doing exciting things last year. The system is designed to keep the "little" guys down while giving the illusion of giving them a chance.

This is a step in the right direction, but it's hardly enough. One guy in the article questioned the ability of Appy to stay in the poll due to the Michigan win getting stale. If that were a legitimate argument, however, Rutgers and Boise wouldn't be ranked this year.

I'd rank Appy over 'SC and Texas right about now. Of course, I'd have to put the Griz at #2 because by the end of the year, UM will overtake Appy, particularly if the jinx hits this week as planned.

[beamout2000]

As of last year the AP poll is no longer used to figure BCS bowl teams so this will have no effect on an FCS getting a big bowl bid or anything like that. I would say too that if AP were still used for the BCS this wouldn't be happening, but I am glad it has.

[AppGuy04]

Yeah, the AP poll is no longer used in the BCS formula. However, it would be nice to see an FCS team ranked in their poll. Had it happened before now, I think App would atleast get some votes this week.

[AZGrizFan]

And, theoretically, the AP Poll alone can dictate this happening?

Oh, I didn't think that statement all the way through. Thanks for pointing out my stupidity.

Well, "stupidity" might be a harsh word, bfpu.

[AppGuy04]

Looks like some voters took note.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/polls?pol ... 2007-09-09

Others Receiving Votes:
South Florida 220, Missouri 144, Alabama 116, Washington 95, TCU 66, Arizona State 28, Auburn 23, Appalachian State 19, Cincinnati 12, Florida State 2, Iowa 1, Purdue 1, Kansas 1

[AppGuy04]

Apparently one voter voted us 13th in the country, haha

[lifesapuntreturn]

Apparently one voter voted us 13th in the country, haha

"One vote boosts Appalachian State"
USA Today by Andy Gardiner with wire reports Monday September 10, 2007

Appalachian State's standing in the Associated Press media poll came largely from one vote by a television reporter in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Dave Goren of WXII-TV voted the Mountaineers 13th after the AP changed its rules to allow I-AA teams in the previously 1-A poll. The move came last week after Appalachian State knocked off then No. 5 Michigan 34-32. ASU received 19 points from 65 voters, good for 33rd in the poll, with 12 of the points from Goren's vote.

"I might have put them a little high this week because they weren't eligible last week," Goren said. "I've seen them play several times, and I know how good they are."

The USA Today Coaches' poll does not rank I-AA teams with I-A teams.

Two other I-AA teams (now Football Championship Subdivision) upset I-A teams Saturday, bringing the season total to four.

Northern Iowa toppled Iowa State 24-13 in front of the largest crowd in ISU history (56,795). The Panthers were No. 7 in the I-AA Coaches' poll.

No. 10 Southern Illinois beat Northern Illinois 34-31, scoring twice in the final 61 seconds on touchdown passes from Nick Hill.

Also Saturday, Appalachian State improved to 2-0 by defeating Division II Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 48-7 without injured quarterback Armanti Edwards (shoulder). Trey Edwards stepped in to produce five touchdowns for the Mountaineers, who played before a school-record 28,802 fans. ASU should stay No. 1 in the I-AA polls this week.

[AZGrizFan]

Apparently one voter voted us 13th in the country, haha

Nice "homer" vote.

And "Trey Edwards"??? Is that Armanti's little brother?

[lizrdgizrd]

Apparently one voter voted us 13th in the country, haha

Nice "homer" vote.

And "Trey Edwards"??? Is that Armanti's little brother?

I missed that until you pointed it out!

[AppGuy04]

Apparently one voter voted us 13th in the country, haha

Nice "homer" vote.

And "Trey Edwards"??? Is that Armanti's little brother?

While voting us 13th might be somewhat outlandish, we did get 7 other votes from "non-homer" voters

[AZGrizFan]

Nice "homer" vote.

And "Trey Edwards"??? Is that Armanti's little brother?

While voting us 13th might be somewhat outlandish, we did get 7 other votes from "non-homer" voters

Yeah, I wasn't implying all the votes were homer....just the guy who put you 13th.

[AppGuy04]

Yeah, however, I could name quite a few teams in the AP top 25 that I think we could take down no problem

[AZGrizFan]

Yeah, however, I could name quite a few teams in the AP top 25 that I think we could take down no problem

Well, I don't know about "quite a few", or "take down no problem", but there's probably a winnable game or two in there...