Bracket Projections have begun

[SMEnetwork]

The SME Network has once again started our bracket projections. Each year at the end of week 6 we start to project the field as if the season were to end today. We will be posting our brackets every Tuesday night for fans to view.

Have something to say about it. E-mail the show at onair@smebroadcasting.com to have your voice be heard or leave us a message right here (be sure to include your name and where you are from).

Be sure to check out the brackets at www.smebroadcasting.com

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

I like the way the two hosts feel about our team. They have picked the Jacks to win the Missouri Valley Conference title. They are off to a nice start in the conference and I think the bye week is hitting at just the right time to get everyone healthy again.

Sure hope they are right!

How much fun is playoff football going to be?

GB, GB, GJ!

SUPERBUNNY

[SDSUJack3031]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

I still think that loss to McNeese was huge though. I think we'll need to win the next four and win 1 out of 2 against So. Illinois and NDSU just to make the playoffs. That game in Fargo could easily come down to us going to the playoffs and not making it if we lose to So. Illinois, which is definitely possible. But first, let's win this Cal Poly game to increase our resume and continue this great season.

[SMEnetwork]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

Just to make sure everyone knows...We dont project conference winners. We take the current first place team. SDSU has the most wins as of right now. At the moment they are the projected winner.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

Just to make sure everyone knows...We dont project conference winners. We take the current first place team. SDSU has the most wins as of right now. At the moment they are the projected winner.

Good to know. Neither of the hosts showed SDSU as one of the last three teams to get in so I am assuming that means they think highly of our team. Jeez, there I go assuming again.

GB, GB, GJ!

SUPERBUNNY

[91jack]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

I know this is early but I like Ray's bracket much better than Ralph's. Ralph has us playing 3 games against teams we've played in the regular season.
Round 1- McNeese State!
Round 2- NDSU!
Round 3- Northern Iowa!
I guess if we lost to all 3, we could get payback for 3 of our 4 loses. I'd just like to see the 4 teams from the conference in 4 different brackets.
Get payback or have the 4 teams from the conference all be in the semi-finals? It probably wouldn't happen but it's an interesting decision.
I guess if we just get there, I'd be happy.

[SDSUJack3031]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

If we made it, when would the first week of playoffs be?

[SMEnetwork]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

Thanksgiving Weekend. There will be one Friday game on National TV and the rest will be on Saturday.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

I know this is early but I like Ray's bracket much better than Ralph's. Ralph has us playing 3 games against teams we've played in the regular season.
Round 1- McNeese State!
Round 2- NDSU!
Round 3- Northern Iowa!
I guess if we lost to all 3, we could get payback for 3 of our 4 loses. I'd just like to see the 4 teams from the conference in 4 different brackets.
Get payback or have the 4 teams from the conference all be in the semi-finals? It probably wouldn't happen but it's an interesting decision.
I guess if we just get there, I'd be happy.

Please note that this is based on STANDINGS AS OF 10/6!!!! We are the MVFC auto BECAUSE WE HAVE 2 WINS IN CONFERENCE, and nobody else does. This is not a plick the Jacks selection.

Now that I have thrown a cold, wet towel on everybody's hopes, this COULD HAPPEN. But Jacks REALLY WOULD NEED TO WIN OUT to make that happen.

When the selections are made, there are several criteria for selecting where playing. 1) Conference mates should not play until final 4. 2) Regionalize the first round to minimize travel. 3)Attempt to avoid teams playing in the first round if played in regular season. 4)Besides the four seeds, the rest of the games are up to schools' bids ($$/butts in the stands). With the series starting Nov. 29, and running next four weeks, IF THE JACKS QUALIFY, we would basically have to guarantee 13K attendence, or better to host. And that's IF we don't get stuck against a seed, or MT/DEL/ASU/GSU. So if looking good AFTER CAL POLY, Coughlin needs to be stuffed for IL St and Mo St. games, especially if wintery conditions show up. Because if we can fill during bad weather, against so-so opponents, we should succeed in filling CAS for play-offs.

At least we know that we won't be sent to:

NDSU
UNI
SIU
WIU
YSU

Unlikely to open against

Cal Poly
McNeese

VERY LIKELY to play Southland (other than McNeese) or Big Sky opponent. But given our record to play anybody/anywhere, I could see us opening against CAA or SoCon opponents. Unlikely to be awarded opportunity to open vs OVC/MEAC/Patriot as there are MANY more eastern schools to choose from.

IMHO, IF we qualify, we will be one of the lower seeds, even if we win out, and DO WIN THE AUTO BID. Also, as a newbie, I would almost bet $$'s to donuts, that we'll find ourselves on the road. My $.02

[propar80]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

Please note that this is based on STANDINGS AS OF 10/6!!!! We are the MVFC auto BECAUSE WE HAVE 2 WINS IN CONFERENCE, and nobody else does. This is not a plick the Jacks selection.

Now that I have thrown a cold, wet towel on everybody's hopes, this COULD HAPPEN. But Jacks REALLY WOULD NEED TO WIN OUT to make that happen.

When the selections are made, there are several criteria for selecting where playing. 1) Conference mates should not play until final 4. 2) Regionalize the first round to minimize travel. 3)Attempt to avoid teams playing in the first round if played in regular season. 4)Besides the four seeds, the rest of the games are up to schools' bids ($$/butts in the stands). With the series starting Nov. 29, and running next four weeks, IF THE JACKS QUALIFY, we would basically have to guarantee 13K attendence, or better to host. And that's IF we don't get stuck against a seed, or MT/DEL/ASU/GSU. So if looking good AFTER CAL POLY, Coughlin needs to be stuffed for IL St and Mo St. games, especially if wintery conditions show up. Because if we can fill during bad weather, against so-so opponents, we should succeed in filling CAS for play-offs.

At least we know that we won't be sent to:

NDSU
UNI
SIU
WIU
YSU

Unlikely to open against

Cal Poly
McNeese

VERY LIKELY to play Southland (other than McNeese) or Big Sky opponent. But given our record to play anybody/anywhere, I could see us opening against CAA or SoCon opponents. Unlikely to be awarded opportunity to open vs OVC/MEAC/Patriot as there are MANY more eastern schools to choose from.

IMHO, IF we qualify, we will be one of the lower seeds, even if we win out, and DO WIN THE AUTO BID. Also, as a newbie, I would almost bet $$'s to donuts, that we'll find ourselves on the road. My $.02

Yeah, the more I hang out over at AGS, the more I tend to agree that SDSU need to win out to have a chance. I thing that bothers me the most is the fact that with "winning out" we probably win the MVFC. To me, that doesn't say to much about the respect for the MVFC.

Talk about a "kick to the C$%K"...Win out...win the MVFC and then get sent away for the first playoff game.

On the other hand there is a lot of season left and if we end up going 8-4 with the type of loss we had to take against McNeese and don't make the playoffs, I'm still a happy Jackrabbit fan!
I still just can't imagine going 8-4, losing to McNeese like they did and playing the toughest schedule in FCS and not making the post-season.

I know one thing...I'm all for the 20 to 24 team playoff!!

Go Jacks!!

[jackmd]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

No MVFC team with 8 D-I wins has ever been LEFT OUT of the playoffs. So, I think we can lose one on the last 2 games and still get in. Granted, a loss in the last game to NDSU for our 4th loss of the season would be a tough one. So, I still say we can lose 1 and still get in. Of course, it doesn't really matter. You play the games no matter what and we have Cal-Poly in Brookings on the 18th. That is the only game that matters.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

1-0 each week, except this week.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

Also realize that we had a twelve game schedule which in turn gives us more opportunities to win that eighth game. Vandrovec's research that no Valley/Gateway team has ever been left out with eight victories is great, but most of those teams were winning eight games with an eleven game schedule. I wonder if the extended season will have some effect on the voters. It's not too often you get the chance to play that extra game and get that extra win.

Regardless, if we win 8 games against our schedule we should be in (extended regular season or not).

[jackmd]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

Also realize that we had a twelve game schedule which in turn gives us more opportunities to win that eighth game. Vandrovec's research that no Valley/Gateway team has ever been left out with eight victories is great, but most of those teams were winning eight games with an eleven game schedule. I wonder if the extended season will have some effect on the voters. It's not too often you get the chance to play that extra game and get that extra win.

Regardless, if we win 8 games against our schedule we should be in (extended regular season or not).

I'd wager that the vast majority of those 11 game schedule didn't include an FBS team from a BCS conference.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Bracket Projections have begun

I'd wager that the vast majority of those 11 game schedule didn't include an FBS team from a BCS conference.

Exactly, that's why I stated with our schedule we should be in if win 8. Put it this way, depending on how things play out we could very likely lose four games and not have a loss to a team, excluding FBS Iowa St, ranked lower than 10th in any of the FCS polls (maybe even lower than 5th).

I was just trying to point out that with the 12 game season, it waters down the 8 win plateau a little bit for automatic consideration.