A Sea Of Red

http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/football/fcs

So, who do you like? Are you pulling for one of the Big South Schools--Stony Brook or Coastal?

I noticed that Richmond didn't make the playoffs either.

Tough field to break into this year. For the first time in the three years at 20 teams, no 7-4 teams got an at-large invite. I believe there were five two years ago and two last year. That really hurt the CAA. Interesting that 10-1 Lehigh didn't make it, but lack of schedule strength justified it.

I would consider myself to be a very casual observer. I wouldn't mind seeing our fellow Big South schools making some noise. But even though Stony Brook is representing our league in this tournament, we will see no residual benefits as it will just make the CAA look stronger in 2013.

admittedly knowing little @ Bethune-Cookman, I'd say CCU has a very good chance of picking up the win the way they've been playing lately.

my bias is (1) they beat us handily, and (2) MEAC teams are traditionally weak.

#2 may be a total load of crap tho...

Actually #2 is a much stronger argument than #1 unless Hurricane Sandy reappears off the coast of South Carolina.

I am pulling for both. If Stony Brook wins 2 or 3 games, it makes us look less like a fluke. I want Coastal to win because the Big South will need that next year when Stony leaves.

I'll pull for both squads, but less for Stony Brook as they're wisely leaving the conference and were less deserving than at least NAU and Richmond who pulled 8-3 records in significantly tougher conferences.

I would like to see Coastal and Stony Brook do well. Even though SB is leaving, they both represent the Big South.

Northern Arizona really did not have a chance. While their record was 8-3, one of those wins was over a lower division school (Fort Lewis) and they lost their last two games of the season at home. This year had more bubble teams than most.

I am pulling for ND State to lose at some point and ODU to make it to at least the national semi-final because I have tickets to as many games as they play at home. Watching football in really crappy weather is fun for me.

Sly Fox wrote:Actually #2 is a much stronger argument than #1 unless Hurricane Sandy reappears off the coast of South Carolina.

Both teams had to play in those conditions. The weather is no excuse for Liberty laying a giant egg that day.

Actually, you have to agree that the game likely wouldn't have been played the same way under dry conditions whether we showed up ready to ball or not. The MEAC's softness is certainly without debate.

That game we lost at home to JMU a few years ago in that horrible storm, didn't we blame that loss on the rain, too?

Probably would have been played different, yes. Not enough to make up a 24-point spread, though. And yes, the MEAC is weak. Coastal's defense should be enough to win that game.

Agreed. CCU did prove to be a better mudder than us. And no, that is not a valid excuse.