End of Season - Conference by Conference Breakdown

[Mvemjsunpx]

(The non-conference records include playoffs)

Big Sky


NConf Record: 11-20

vs. FCS: 5-10


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Montana ---------- 5
          Eastern Washington - 3
          Sacramento St. ----- 2
          Northern Arizona --- 2

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Northern Colorado - 4
          Portland St. ------- 2
          Idaho St. --------- 2
          Sacramento St. ---- 1
          Weber St. -------- 1
          Northern Arizona -- 1
          Montana St. ------ 1

• Best Team: Montana (8-0, 11-1) - Though they were upset in the first round, the consistently strong Griz still had just their second undefeated regular season since I-AA was created in 1978.
  
  Worst Team: Northern Colorado (1-7, 1-11) - Unlike last year, the Bears actually won a conference game. However, they still have a long way to go just to return to where they were when they moved up from DII.

Southland


NConf Record: 13-20

vs. FCS: 4-9


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • McNeese St. ---------- 4
          Central Arkansas ------ 3
          Nicholls St. ---------- 2
          Stephen F. Austin ----- 1
          Southeastern Louisiana - 1
          Northwestern St. ------ 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Stephen F. Austin ----- 5
          Texas St. ------------ 4
          Northwestern St. ------ 2
          Southeastern Louisiana - 1

• Best Team: McNeese St. (7-0, 11-1) - The Cowboys also dominated in the regular season, but they couldn't overcome injuries come playoff time & got crushed by Eastern Washington.
  
  Worst Team: Stephen F. Austin (0-7, 0-11) - The Southland is usually pretty competitive, so seeing a winless team—particularly the Lumberjacks—is a shock.

Gateway


NConf Record: 26-14

vs. FCS: 19-8


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Northern Iowa --- 6
          Western Illinois -- 2
          Southern Illinois - 2
          Illinois St. ------ 1
          Youngstown St. -- 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Indiana St. --- 8
          Illinois St. --- 2
          Missouri St. -- 1

• Best Team: Northern Iowa (6-0, 12-1) - The only unbeaten to win a playoff game, and that barely happened. But, seriously, they looked like far & away the best team in FCS in the regular season.
  
  Worst Team: Indiana St. (0-6, 0-11) - You didn't think it was possible, but Sycamore football reached a new low in 2007. They were beaten by an average score of 49-11 on the season.

Ohio Valley


NConf Record: 13-21

vs. FCS: 5-8


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Eastern Kentucky ----- 4
          Eastern Illinois ------- 2
          Jacksonville St. ------- 2
          Tennessee St. -------- 2
          Southeast Missouri St. - 1
          Austin Peay --------- 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Murray St. - 5
          Southeast Missouri St. - 2
          Jacksonville St. - 2
          Samford - 1
          Tennessee Tech - 1
          Tennessee-Martin - 1

• Best Team: Eastern Kentucky (8-0, 9-3) - The Colonels make the post-season for the first time in 10 years to keep pace with Montana for the most all-time playoff appearances.
  
  Worst Team: Murray St. (1-7, 2-9) - The Racers brought the offense this year, but the defense was non-existent as they ranked 2nd. worst in run defense & 4th. worst in points allowed.

I'll post the non-playoff conferences tomorrow & the eastern playoff conferences sometime after the championship game.

[skinny_uncle]

I'm sure you mean best performance during the regular season as SIU went farther in the playoffs than UNI.

[Mvemjsunpx]

I'm sure you mean best performance during the regular season as SIU went farther in the playoffs than UNI.

Southern Illinois ultimately had the slightly better season, since they went farther, but I still think Northern Iowa was the better team.

Northern Iowa had 6 of my "best performances", compared to only 2 for the Salukis. The Panthers looked more dominant most of the time. Also, UNI beat SIU & they both lost to the same team in the playoffs.

[Mvemjsunpx]

(Another note: the best & worst performance tally does not include playoffs, the Gridiron Classic, or the SWAC title game)

Great West


NConf Record: 19-16

vs. FCS: 16-12


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • North Dakota St. - 5
          Cal Poly -------- 3
          South Dakota St. - 2
          UC Davis ------- 1
          Southern Utah --- 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Southern Utah - 7
          UC Davis ----- 4
          Cal Poly ------ 1

• Best Team: North Dakota St. (3-1, 10-1) - Though they didn't actually win the Great West, they still dominated most of the year & were the only FCS team to beat 2 FBS'ers. Everything will finally count for the Bison next season.
  
  Worst Team: Southern Utah (0-4, 0-11) - Thunderbirds's suicidal schedule led to a winless season & the firing of coach Wes Meier.

Ivy League


NConf Record: 11-13

vs. FCS: 11-13


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Harvard ----- 3
          Yale -------- 3
          Cornell ------ 1
          Dartmouth --- 1
          Brown ------- 1
          Princeton ---- 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Columbia ---- 4
          Cornell ------ 3
          Penn -------- 2
          Dartmouth --- 1

• Best Team: Harvard (7-0, 8-2) - Crimson run the table in the Ivy & end hated rival Yale's bid for an undefeated season.
  
  Worst Team: Columbia (0-7, 1-9) - Last year's 5-5 season proves to be an aberration. The trenches were not friendly to the Lions, as they ranked in the bottom-10 in both run offense & run defense.

Big South


NConf Record: 15-20

vs. FCS: 9-16


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Liberty --------- 7
          Gardner-Webb -- 2
          Coastal Carolina - 2
          VMI ----------- 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • VMI -------------- 6
          Charleston Southern - 4
          Liberty ------------ 1
          Gardner-Webb ----- 1

• Best Team: Liberty (4-0, 8-3) - Flames crush their Big South brethren, winning by an average score of 48-17
  
  Worst Team: VMI (0-4, 2-9) - The Keydets could run well behind their option attack, but they couldn't defend: they ranked in the bottom 3 in both points allowed & passing efficiency defense.

SWAC


NConf Record: 7-11

vs. FCS: 6-3


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Alabama A&M ------ 4
          Arkansas Pine-Bluff - 2
          Grambling -------- 2
          Southern --------- 2
          Jackson St. -------- 2
          Prairie View A&M --- 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Texas Southern ----- 9
          Mississippi Valley St. - 3
          Alabama St. -------- 1

• Best Team: Grambling (8-1, 8-3) - The SWAC title game hasn't been played yet, but the Tigers did go 8-3 with 2 FBS losses. Pretty impressive for a SWAC team.
  
  Worst Team: Texas Southern (0-9, 0-11) - Tigers suffer their second winless season in 4 years. They're the new Prairie View!

[Mvemjsunpx]

Independents


Non-Ind Record: 17-21

vs. FCS: 8-16


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Stony Brook -- 7
          Presbyterian -- 4
          NC Central --- 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Savannah St. -- 9
          NC Central --- 2
          Presbyterian -- 1

• Best Team: Stony Brook (6-5) - Leaving the NEC doesn't seem like such a crazy idea after all (at least it wouldn't have if the NEC wasn't now poised to get an auto-bid). The Seawolves are more than ready for the Big South.
  
  Worst Team: Savannah St. (1-9) - The black sheep of the FCS family hasn't beaten a DI since the 2004 season opener.

Pioneer League


NConf Record: 23-9

vs. FCS: 7-6


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • San Diego --- 6
          Dayton ----- 2
          Morehead St. - 2
          Drake ------ 1
          Davidson ---- 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Valparaiso --- 4
          Butler ------- 3
          Jacksonville -- 3
          Davidson ---- 1
          Morehead St. - 1

• Best Team: Dayton (7-0, 11-1) - Though they played a weak schedule & San Diego had more impressive performances, the Flyers' convincing victories over the Toreros & over Albany in the Gridiron Classic proved they were the best mid-major.
  
  Worst Team: Butler (0-7, 4-7) - The Bulldogs' record looks more impressive than it is, as they beat 4 weak lower-division opponents.

NEC


NConf Record: 14-19

vs. FCS: 10-18


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Albany -------------- 5
          Central Connecticut St. - 3
          Wagner -------------- 2
          St. Francis (PA) -------- 1
          Monmouth ----------- 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Sacred Heart --------- 4
          St. Francis (PA) ------- 2
          Robert Morris -------- 2
          Wagner ------------- 2
          Central Connecticut St. - 1
          Monmouth ---------- 1

• Best Team: Albany (6-0, 8-4) - The tough non-conference schedule (2 playoff teams, 1 near-playoff team) still wasn't sufficient to make the playoffs, but the Danes were good enough to sweep the NEC. If they can do it again next year, they'll be in the post-season.
  
  Worst Team: Sacred Heart (0-6, 3-9) - A mixed result for the Pioneers as they improve 1 game overall compared to 2006, but fall 1 game in conference play.

MAAC


NConf Record: 11-20

vs. FCS: 7-15


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Duquesne --- 6
          Iona -------- 5
          Marist ------ 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • La Salle ----- 8
          Iona -------- 2
          Marist ------ 2

• Best Team: Iona (2-1, 7-4) - Their win over Duquesne gets them the nod. Unfortunately, just like last year, they choked away the conference title in the season finale against Marist.
  
  Worst Team: La Salle (0-3, 0-10) - Futile youth movement & dissolution of MAAC football forces the Explorers to give up their decade-long football experiment.

[DetroitFlyer]

Dayton's schedule was not that weak. We defeated Patriot League champion and playoff participant Fordham, at Fordham no less. We defeated Drake, at Drake, a team that defeated full scholarship ISU! We defeated USD, a team that absolutely destroyed full scholarship Northern Colorado, and barely lost to UC Davis in the final seconds of the game. Yeah, we played Central State and Urbana and destroyed both. Central State was the second highest attended game at Dayton is many years! Of course we absolutely rolled over Albany in the Gridiron Classic. Dayton was a playoff caliber team in 2007. The SOS crap is exactly that, CRAP!!!!! Two teams from the very weak OVC go to the playoffs while Dayton stays home.... The SOS CRAP is the only excuse left for the Old Guard to keep a PFL team out of the playoffs. Plain and simple, the SOS CRAP is used to enforce the "OVC rule". I understand the fear. If Northern Iowa had been knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by Dayton this year, you can bet that the school admins, the fans, alumni, and everyone associated with an "Old Guard" school, would be quaking in their collective boots. How can Dayton possibly run such a high efficiency, non-scholarship program and roll over our multi-million dollar, full scholarship program? FEAR by the "Old Guard" is exactly what keeps the PFL champion out of the playoffs!

[SuperHornet]

Dayton wasn't the only school screwed. Liberty should have been in the playoffs as well. I would have dearly loved to see those two schools battle it out in Chatty.

[MrTitleist]

Hard to argue for a playoff birth when you've got a couple teams in the PFL that play 2-3 D2's, or won't schedule up (like San Diego last year). No one knew how good SD was until UC-Davis beat them pretty handily. Then their schedule included two D2s and an Ivy. Hard to argue for their playoff birth. And again, hard to consider Dayton for the playoffs when you play a couple D2s. Schedule up and see how good you really are, until then, the playoffs are kind of a pipe-dream.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Dayton's schedule was not that weak. We defeated Patriot League champion and playoff participant Fordham, at Fordham no less. We defeated Drake, at Drake, a team that defeated full scholarship ISU! We defeated USD, a team that absolutely destroyed full scholarship Northern Colorado, and barely lost to UC Davis in the final seconds of the game. Yeah, we played Central State and Urbana and destroyed both. Central State was the second highest attended game at Dayton is many years! Of course we absolutely rolled over Albany in the Gridiron Classic. Dayton was a playoff caliber team in 2007. The SOS crap is exactly that, CRAP!!!!! Two teams from the very weak OVC go to the playoffs while Dayton stays home.... The SOS CRAP is the only excuse left for the Old Guard to keep a PFL team out of the playoffs. Plain and simple, the SOS CRAP is used to enforce the "OVC rule". I understand the fear. If Northern Iowa had been knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by Dayton this year, you can bet that the school admins, the fans, alumni, and everyone associated with an "Old Guard" school, would be quaking in their collective boots. How can Dayton possibly run such a high efficiency, non-scholarship program and roll over our multi-million dollar, full scholarship program? FEAR by the "Old Guard" is exactly what keeps the PFL champion out of the playoffs!

I don't think Dayton deserved a playoff bid, though I think they were close (you can check my "Bracket Extravaganza" elsewhere in these forums; I believe I had them as the fourth team out). I believe their credentials were about even with Eastern Illinois, but there were others left out that should have been considered ahead of both of them (Villanova, Norfolk St., SC State). The schedule was just too weak compared to other playoff contenders. Remember that Illinois State finished 4-7 & Northern Colorado finished 1-10 & was crushed by a DII, so those transitory wins aren't worth a whole lot. Rolling over Albany isn't a consideration since it happened after the playoff selection. I agree that the Flyers were a playoff caliber team, but there were more playoff caliber teams than slots available. If this was last year, this year's Flyers might have been in as their credentials were slightly better than San Diego's were in 2006. In 2007, however, the competition was just too great.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Dayton wasn't the only school screwed. Liberty should have been in the playoffs as well. I would have dearly loved to see those two schools battle it out in Chatty.

Liberty didn't have 7 DI wins, so they definitely shouldn't have been in & they likely weren't even considered. They were also 0-2 against playoff conference teams & were blown out by also-ran Elon. The Flames were playing well at the end of the season, but I really doubt they would have won a playoff game.

[SuperHornet]

I thought the standard was six wins. Also consider that Liberty won their conference. If their conference isn't an auto conference, it should be.

[Mvemjsunpx]

I thought the standard was six wins. Also consider that Liberty won their conference. If their conference isn't an auto conference, it should be.

Nope, it's 7 wins.

You think the Big South should get an auto-bid with only 5 teams? Their conference schedule only comprised 4 of their 11 games. However, the Big South should be eligible for an auto-bid by 2011. I believe you need 6 playoff-eligible teams that have been together for at least 3 years (I think there's also a minimum scholarship requirement) & Stony Brook & Presbyterian are joining next year. With the NCAA's recent push for playoff expansion, this conference should eventually get an auto-bid

[soul man]

I cannot find the SoCon and CAA in this thread. Am I looking in the wrong place?

[Mvemjsunpx]

I cannot find the SoCon and CAA in this thread. Am I looking in the wrong place?

I haven't got there yet.

I was waiting till after the championship game.

[soul man]

Great, thanks for the work you put into it.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Here's my final Breakdown entry of the year:

Patriot League


NConf Record: 17-18

vs. FCS: 17-18


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Lafayette ---- 3
          Holy Cross --- 3
          Bucknell ----- 2
          Fordham ----- 2
          Lehigh ------ 1
          Colgate ------ 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Georgetown --- 6
          Bucknell ------ 4
          Lafayette ----- 1
          Fordham ----- 1

• Best Team: Fordham (5-1, 8-4) - The Rams won the Patriot League with a week to spare & gave heavily favored UMass a tough game in the first round.
  
  Worst Team: Georgetown (1-5, 1-10) - Though the Hoyas technically avoided last place due to their win over Bucknell, they failed to beat anyone else & were outscored by 22.6 ppg on the season.

CAA


NConf Record: 30-17

vs. FCS: 27-9


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Massachusetts -- 4
          New Hampshire - 3
          Hofstra -------- 1
          Northeastern --- 1
          Delaware ------ 1
          Richmond ------ 1
          James Madison -- 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Northeastern --- 4
          Rhode Island --- 3
          Towson ------- 2
          Maine -------- 1
          Villanova ------ 1
          William & Mary - 1

• Best Team: Massachusetts (7-1, 10-3) - Between UMass & Richmond, this was a coin-flip (no pun intended), but I give it to the Minutemen because they had four "best performances" to the Spiders' one.
  
  Worst Team: Towson (1-7, 3-8) - Though Northeastern had twice as many "worst performances", the Tigers lost 8 of their last 9 games & finished dead last in the CAA.

MEAC


NConf Record: 9-12

vs. FCS: 7-7


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Delaware St. ------ 3
          SC State --------- 3
          Morgan St. ------- 1
          Howard --------- 1
          Hampton -------- 1
          Norfolk St. ------- 1
          Winston-Salem St. - 1
          Bethune-Cookman - 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • North Carolina A&T - 9
          Howard ---------- 2
          Florida A&M ------- 1

• Best Team: Delaware St. (8-0, 10-2) - Though they forgot to show up in the playoffs (like many MEAC champions of years past), the Hornets swept the conference & won their first solo title since 1989.
  
  Worst Team: North Carolina A&T (0-8, 0-11) - Two straight winless seasons is a disaster, particularly for a team that won 10 games just 4 years ago.

SoCon


NConf Record: 24-14

vs. FCS: 18-4


"Best Performances" by team:

• • • • • Wofford -------- 4
          Appalachian St. -- 3
          Elon ----------- 2
          Furman -------- 1
          The Citadel ----- 1
          Georgia Southern - 1

"Worst Performances" by team:

• • • • • Chattanooga ---- 4
          Western Carolina - 3
          The Citadel ----- 2
          Furman -------- 1
          Wofford -------- 1
          Georgia Southern - 1

• Best Team: Appalachian St. (5-2, 13-2) - The Mountaineers lost the SoCon to Wofford, but they did win the National Championship. That's gotta count for something, doesn't it?
  
  Worst Team: Western Carolina (0-7, 1-10) - Sure, the SoCon is a tough conference, but going winless in it two years in a row is still pathetic.

[lizrdgizrd]

The Mountaineers lost the SoCon to Wofford

We actually tied for the SoCon Championship but Wofford got the autobid.

[Mvemjsunpx]

The Mountaineers lost the SoCon to Wofford

We actually tied for the SoCon Championship but Wofford got the autobid.

I don't like co-championships.

If head-to-head results are sufficient to break the tie, than the winner should be the lone conference champion.

[SuperHornet]

How in the cr@p were the Keiblers so bad this year? It's not fair!

[lizrdgizrd]

We actually tied for the SoCon Championship but Wofford got the autobid.

I don't like co-championships.

If head-to-head results are sufficient to break the tie, than the winner should be the lone conference champion.

Well, when you convince the SoCon to adopt that policy we won't have to worry about co-champs anymore. Until then, the record book says 2 champs.

[Mvemjsunpx]

I don't like co-championships.

If head-to-head results are sufficient to break the tie, than the winner should be the lone conference champion.

Well, when you convince the SoCon to adopt that policy we won't have to worry about co-champs anymore. Until then, the record book says 2 champs.

Yes, I know those are the rules & all conferences do it. It's still stupid. It smacks too much of the "everybody's a winner" kind of thinking. I guess it keeps the ring-makers in business, though.

For example: in the Big Sky, as far as I'm concerned, EWU was the lone champion in 2005, Montana was the lone champ in '04, & Montana State was the lone champion in '03. 2002 was a true co-championship because it came down to common games. The CAA this year was also a true co-championship because it came down to a coin flip.

Here's a hypothetical: if 7 teams tied for first in the SoCon at 4-3 (which was still theoretically possible with 2 weeks to go this season), would it be right for all 7 of them to claim a conference championship & get the rings? Obviously, they can, but wouldn't that be just a bit hollow?

[soul man]

The Mountaineers lost the SoCon to Wofford

We actually tied for the SoCon Championship but Wofford got the autobid.

you take the national title, Wofford can take the conference title

[GoApps70]

LIES, LIES , LIES.............You would have probably built the Titanic upside down so that an ice berg wouldn't hit it.
If 2 teams go head to head then the one that wins also LOSES to a much LESSER team.....so your FEELINGS are misguided......also unjustified.
I guess when you start changing history that makes you what???????..........maybe a dictator? Dictating history in your own way of thinking about it instead of Free Speech
and leaving it up to everyone else.

[Mvemjsunpx]

LIES, LIES , LIES.............You would have probably built the Titanic upside down so that an ice berg wouldn't hit it.
If 2 teams go head to head then the one that wins also LOSES to a much LESSER team.....so your FEELINGS are misguided......also unjustified.
I guess when you start changing history that makes you what???????..........maybe a dictator? Dictating history in your own way of thinking about it instead of Free Speech
and leaving it up to everyone else.

So what you're rambling is that, since I don't like co-championships, I am an enemy of free speech? You're the one who seems to be arguing that anything that challenges the status quo is wrong.

Also, teams lose games largely due to matchups, strengths & weaknesses, so "lesser" is often a subjective thing when discussing football. App State's run defense was weak, so they lost to the two best statistical running teams in the nation (Wofford & Georgia Southern). Wofford's pass rush was weak most of the year, so they lost to pass-heavy Elon. I don't believe anyone thinks any of those losses were "much" lesser, anyway.

Head-to-head results are always the number-1 tiebreaker in virtually every sport. In the NFL, division titles & wild card berths are often decided on that measure. Why should NCAA conferences be any different? The playoff committee only considers one champion per conference, so why should my agreement with that be so outrageous to you?

If App State had won the tiebreaker instead, I wonder if you'd be making the same argument.