Road to SoCon Championship & FCS Championship

[WocoSix]

Man this Samford game has created a log jam for the SoCon Champion and automatic playoff bid.I believe below is the current situations and teams in the Hunt.

Wofford (4-1)
Remaining Conference Schedule : @ETSU (1-3), UTC (1-4), and @VMI (0-5)
Prediction : If we win out the worst we would experience would be Co-Champions. Road games are hard to come by in the SoCon. ETSU is going to be coming off bye week and have the tools on Offense to cause us problems. We control our own destiny, so lets take one game at a time. Take care of business and all things can still fall in place.

Western Carolina (4-1)
Remaining Conference Schedule : Furman (4-1), @Citadel (2-3), and Mercer (3-3)
Prediction : Furman or Western falls out of the running after next week. Wofford holds a game advantage over WCU but a Citadel or Mercer upset would help our cause.

Furman (4-1)
Remaining Conference Schedule : @WCU (4-1), Citadel (2-3), and @Samford (3-1)
Prediction : Never thought I would say this but we have to pull for FU and Citadel. Glad we played FU at the beginning of the season. They are playing a good and well coached brand of football. Conference Champions could come down to last game of the season.

Samford (3-1)
Remaining Conference Schedule : UTC (1-4), @Mercer (3-3), ETSU (1-3), and Furman (4-1)
Prediction : Furman and Mercer games could prove pivotal. A loss to either one of the remaining 4 opponents and Wofford running the table gives us the automatic bid.

[Terryer]

Thanks for posting, WoCoSix. Easy to follow paths for each of the teams still in the running. One game at time for us and things should take care of themselves.

[WocoSix]

On the national picture the following ranked teams loss
No. 4 South Dakota
No. 5 Wofford
No. 8 Eastern Washington
No. 9 Youngstown State
No. 10 Richmond

A top 5 finish is still possible

[walliver]

If we win out in FCS we go to the playoffs with or without the auto-bid. If we lose one, we are definitely on the bubble.

The key thing is to win, and let everything else fall where it may.

[youngterrier]

Furman/Samford/Western have all put together good enough seasons, that the only way we are anything outside of the bubble is if we lose out or only win one of the next 3.

If we win out, we're in, no questions asked.

If we lose one, we're very likely in the playoffs, given how big the field is; the only question would be that one of those losses would be, by definition, really bad, ask ETSU, Chattanooga and VMI have a combined 3 wins in division one, with no wins against a team greater than .500.

The two times we went 8-3 or better and didn't make the playoffs, the reason we didn't make it was because of the size of the field (same with 2006 when we went 7-4). That's not the problem here. It's going to be hard to keep out an 8 D1-win team with a close loss to Samford, even with a bad upset.

If either of the three aforementioned teams above implode at the end of the year and we lose win one game, we're still well positioned for the playoffs because we'll still likely be tied for no less than second.

Win em all, ask questions later

[19TERRIER19]

We have to like our spot. Win out and everything we wanted is Ours. While I hate losing, and to do it with self inflicted wounds really stings, but all in all that loss couldn’t have happened at a better time. IMO. NOW, the team can refocus on the stretch run and realize that we are our toughest opponent. When we play Wofford football, we win, and that’s it.

Finish strong and lock this conference crown up.

[youngterrier]

undefeated seasons in conference play are rare.

I want to say that there's only been like 6 or 7 since Wofford joined the Socon, 3 or 4 were App State/GSU, one was us, another was Chatt and last year's Citadel team.

I just want to be alone at the top to be honest.

[WocoSix]

Last Updated - October 23, 2017
RANK SCHOOL POINTS RECORD PREVIOUS
1 James Madison (26) 650 7-0 1
2 North Dakota State 624 7-0 2
3 Jacksonville State 597 6-1 3
4 Central Arkansas 548 6-1 6
5 Sam Houston State 541 6-1 7
6 North Carolina A&T 463 8-0 11
7 South Dakota 444 6-1 4
T-8 Samford 435 5-2 14
T-8 South Dakota State 435 5-2 13
10 Wofford 421 6-1 5
11 Elon 362 6-1 15
12 Eastern Washington 278 5-3 8
13 Grambling State 269 6-1 17
14 Western Illinois 266 5-2 12
15 Villanova 257 4-3 16
16 New Hampshire 240 5-2 18
17 Richmond 226 4-3 10
18 McNeese 219 6-1 19
19 Youngstown State 167 3-4 9
20 Western Carolina 165 6-2 21
21 Illinois State 158 5-2 24
22 Weber State 121 5-2 23
23 Nicholls 118 5-2 20
24 Northern Arizona 112 5-2 NR
25 Northern Iowa 64 4-3 NR

[19TERRIER19]

10th in the Coaches poll
8th in the STATS Poll.

[youngterrier]

The coaches poll is pretty bad this week (lots of chaos)

the FCS stats poll and AGS poll are probably both better. In each one, we're ranked either 8th or 9th.

If we finish in the top 8, there's a good chance we get a seed and a home game. Our objectives for the rest of the season is simple: win out, play respectable/win against USC and finish in the top 8. If we do that, all else will fall into place.

[WocoSix]

Yes I think we are 8 and Samford 9 in Stat poll. Would love to have bye and home field in the playoffs.

[WocoSix]

I like the following site for playoff projections. I seriously think FU will beat WCU though. And MVC getting 5 teams in is ridiculous

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/fcs ... acketology

[boulder3m]

The bracket looks pretty sound. I don't like us being outside the top 4 seeds, but our chances of that went out the window Saturday. I really hope our team-and coaches-turned the corner Saturday and will show it the last three conference games. If we play the first half this Saturday the way we did the first 28 1/2 minutes of the first half last Saturday, we should have ETSU on the ropes.

[SmallTownTerrier]

Remember Sammy got in at 7-4 last year after a loss at ETSU

[gofurman]

You guys know I visit here on occasion. What stinks for my Paladins is the old they weren't in the poll when the season started junk. YSU (cheaters) are still in the poll at 3-4. Because they started in the poll. Furman continues to slowly creep up in most polls .. Others receiving votes

5-3. Take out NC State it's really 5-2 beating Colgate Mercer etc w two losses to Wofford by a point and Elon by a last second FG. That's it. All other games were wins.

Though it's all house money for a team that's super young, new coaches, new 3-4 D. We went 3-8 last year w a senior team and experienced plays etc. our guys are still learning these new plays etc. already at 5 wins w a few gamesto go

Anyway, my main point here is would you agree a 7-4 Furman team should get in playoffs? I think so. That would mean we had to beat one of WCU or Sammy (both top 25)... Even if we lose tomorrow I still think we have an at-large shot at 7-4. Agree? Thoughts? Plus that would mean we won 7 of last 8 games after starting 0-3