Playoffs ‘Til I Die: Playoff Projections, 11/1/2016
This year, we are picking a consensus bracket based on staff picks, Sagarin Ratings, and the FCS Coaches’ Poll to determine who we think will be in the playoff field, who is seeded, who is in, who is out.
In the FCS playoffs, there are 10 conferences that get autobids, the Big Sky, Big South, CAA, Northeast, Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley, Patriot League, Pioneer Football League, Southern, and Southland Conferences.
Two conferences, the SWAC and MEAC, choose to send their champions to a different non-sanctioned postseason separate from the NCAA’s official playoffs. A third, the Ivy League, chooses to not send its members.
Per Sagarin, the Coaches’ Poll, and our expert picks, the possible playoff participants are below:
Sagarin | Coaches | Chuck | Kent |
---|---|---|---|
North Dakota State * | Sam Houston State * | Eastern Washington * | Eastern Washington * |
Eastern Washington * | Jacksonville State * | Sam Houston State * | Sam Houston State * |
Jacksonville State * | Eastern Washington * | Jacksonville State * | Jacksonville State * |
South Dakota State | North Dakota State * | The Citadel * | North Dakota State * |
Youngstown State | James Madison * | Richmond * | James Madison * |
James Madison * | Richmond | North Dakota State | Richmond |
Chattanooga * | The Citadel * | James Madison | The Citadel * |
Central Arkansas * | Chattanooga | Chattanooga | Chattanooga |
Sam Houston State | Charleston Southern * | Charleston Southern * | South Dakota State |
Montana | North Dakota | Samford | Charleston Southern * |
Richmond | Villanova | Villanova | Central Arkansas |
The Citadel | Youngstown State | Central Arkansas | Villanova |
Samford | Western Illinois | Cal Poly | Samford |
Charleston Southern * | South Dakota State | Western Illinois | Cal Poly |
Western Illinois | Cal Poly | South Dakota State | Montana |
Villanova | Central Arkansas | Lehigh * | Western Illinois |
Lehigh | Samford | North Dakota | Lehigh * |
Northern Arizona | Montana | Youngstown State | North Dakota |
Cal Poly | Lehigh | Maine | Youngstown State |
Wofford | New Hampshire | Liberty | Liberty |
North Dakota | Eastern Illinois | Wofford | New Hampshire |
Liberty | Stony Brook | Montana | Wofford |
San Diego * | San Diego * | St. Francis (PA) * | St. Francis (PA) |
St. Francis (PA) * | Sacred Heart * | San Diego * | San Diego * |
The CSJ Consensus Bracket:
Conference Champions:
- Big Sky: Eastern Washington
- Big South: Charleston Southern
- CAA: James Madison
- Northeast: St Francis (PA)
- Missouri Valley: North Dakota State
- Ohio Valley: Jacksonville State
- Patriot League: Lehigh
- Pioneer: San Diego
- Southern: The Citadel
- Southland: Sam Houston State
Seeds:
- Eastern Washington
- Jacksonville State
- Sam Houston State
- North Dakota State
- James Madison
- Richmond
- The Citadel
- Chattanooga
Rest of the field: Cal Poly, Central Arkansas, Charleston Southern, Lehigh, Liberty, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, St. Francis (PA), Samford, San Diego, South Dakota State, Villanova, Western Illinois, Wofford, Youngstown State.