Proposed New Bracket Structure for 2019

[Inkblot]

Now that the championship manual is out (https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/cha...ampsManual.pdf), we finally have more specific information!

The Division II Football Championship provides for a maximum field of 28 teams. Twelve (12) first-round games will be conducted on the campus of one of the competing institutions. The top seed in each selection region (super regional) will receive a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

The winners of the first-round games in each super regional will advance to play either the team that received a bye or the winners of the other first-round game in their super region in the second round, on the campus of one of the competing institutions. The winners will meet in the quarterfinals on the campus of one of the competing institutions. Quarterfinal winners advance to play in the semifinals on the campus of one of the competing institutions.

Effective with the 2016 championship, the football committee has seeded the four teams that advance to the semifinals of the championship so that the No. 1 seed will play the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed will play the No. 3 seed. All seedings will be determined using the current selection criteria.

BRACKETING PRINCIPLES

[CALUPA69]

If the traveling 5,6,7 team wins over the SR local 2,3,4, team, do they continue their playoff run in that SR ? Does this mean, in an unlikely scenario, that SR X could be represented by a team from SR Y ? This is what I had asked about earlier in this thread. Is this ultimately a method to exclude certain leagues/conferences/ SR/ from the playoffs ?

[GrifFan]

If the traveling 5,6,7 team wins over the SR local 2,3,4, team, do they continue their playoff run in that SR ? Does this mean, in an unlikely scenario, that SR X could be represented by a team from SR Y ? This is what I had asked about earlier in this thread. Is this ultimately a method to exclude certain leagues/conferences/ SR/ from the playoffs ?

I believe that could be the effect. Once a team is moved to a different SR, they stay there.

[GorillaBred]

If the traveling 5,6,7 team wins over the SR local 2,3,4, team, do they continue their playoff run in that SR ? Does this mean, in an unlikely scenario, that SR X could be represented by a team from SR Y ? This is what I had asked about earlier in this thread. Is this ultimately a method to exclude certain leagues/conferences/ SR/ from the playoffs ?

From the playoffs or from the semi-finals? If team #7 from SR B happens to beat teams 2, 3 and 1 from from SR A, then SR A can't really complain because rather than in the past when they got, at most, one shot to beat SR B (the semifinals/finals), this time they got 3 shots to beat SR B and failed each time. I would oppose any change that reduces the PO spots for a NCAA-designated group, like a SR, but support any change that minimizes long travel.

[LegalRam]

Seems like the Northern CIAA schools (Bowie and Lincoln) could really cause the NCAA to have do some interesting placement to avoid flights. Lincoln has no chance at the playoffs for the foreseeable future, but Bowie made it to the second round last year. Both of their games were against GSC schools, which eclipsed 600 miles. Based on location I don't think Bowie would need to fly to any SR1 school. Also, based off of location some of the WV schools could make it to a decent amount of SR2 schools in under 600 miles as well. I guess that also means once UNCP becomes a member of the MEC they will still probably end up playing SR2 teams in the event they finish 5-7 in SR1. If Central State ever returns to their glory days that would be another one that could cause some interesting playoff placement.

I do wonder how much wheeling and dealing will be done to cut out the likelihood of flights.

[CALUPA69]

From the playoffs or from the semi-finals? If team #7 from SR B happens to beat teams 2, 3 and 1 from from SR A, then SR A can't really complain because rather than in the past when they got, at most, one shot to beat SR B (the semifinals/finals), this time they got 3 shots to beat SR B and failed each time. I would oppose any change that reduces the PO spots for a NCAA-designated group, like a SR, but support any change that minimizes long travel.

So simply do away with the pretense of the SR system and allow some omniscient neutral party decide the 28 "best" teams to take part in the playoffs. After drawing up those brackets you will discover what a real problem with travel $$$ looks like.

[CALUPA69]

Xxxxxc

[Brandon]

If the traveling 5,6,7 team wins over the SR local 2,3,4, team, do they continue their playoff run in that SR ? Does this mean, in an unlikely scenario, that SR X could be represented by a team from SR Y ? This is what I had asked about earlier in this thread. Is this ultimately a method to exclude certain leagues/conferences/ SR/ from the playoffs ?

To "exclude" an entire region or a conference implies that teams are getting in that shouldn't.

The purposeful exclusion of regions or conferences will never happen. If anything, I think there will eventually be a guarantee that every conference has a representative in the playoffs.

[Brandon]

So simply do away with the pretense of the SR system and allow some omniscient neutral party decide the 28 "best" teams to take part in the playoffs. After drawing up those brackets you will discover what a real problem with travel $$$ looks like.

I thought it would be interesting to see what that would look like. I used last week's AFCA Poll to pick 28 teams.

[Twincitiesmav]

To "exclude" an entire region or a conference implies that teams are getting in that shouldn't.

The purposeful exclusion of regions or conferences will never happen. If anything, I think there will eventually be a guarantee that every conference has a representative in the playoffs.

Even for the GNAC that only has four teams?

[Brandon]

Even for the GNAC that only has four teams?

It's not considered a conference for football.