Perfect Playoff Bracket

[KleShreen]

Northwest Misery most likely would going away In 1 and 4. Not 2. The GSC is still a force.

IUP would have a high chance to beat the rest on your list or at least it would be close. I don’t see any of them as good as you make them out to be.

At least the upper echelon of Region 1 is starting to schedule one another OOC. IUP and Ashland are locked in for 4 years. Slimy Pebble is going to hook up with New Haven for two years. I heard Ferris Bueller is looking to play Mercyhurst. Really? There are better teams available.

Well the top PSAC teams refuse to schedule OOC against other top teams.

IUP and Shepherd haven't faced a team from outside of SR1 in OOC since at least 2011. The only teams from the PSAC facing anyone from outside SR1 for OOC are teams like Lock Haven, Edinboro, Cheyney, and Seton Hill. Lately, Slippery Rock has, so kudos to them, but IUP and Shepherd seem to refuse to leave SR1 for any opponents. That's why SR1 gets disrespected like they do. Because the "best" teams in SR1 never take on any decent opponents outside of SR1. I don't think it's a coincidence that teams like Grand Valley, Mines, Pueblo, Ferris, Lenoir-Rhyne, Bowie State, Saginaw Valley are all facing each other in non-conference games, and also making playoff appearances and having success in the playoffs, while SR1 just plays against each other and then gets their asses handed to them in the playoffs.

[IUPNation]

Well the top PSAC teams refuse to schedule OOC against other top teams.

IUP and Shepherd haven't faced a team from outside of SR1 in OOC since at least 2011. The only teams from the PSAC facing anyone from outside SR1 for OOC are teams like Lock Haven, Edinboro, Cheyney, and Seton Hill. Lately, Slippery Rock has, so kudos to them, but IUP and Shepherd seem to refuse to leave SR1 for any opponents. That's why SR1 gets disrespected like they do. Because the "best" teams in SR1 never take on any decent opponents outside of SR1. I don't think it's a coincidence that teams like Grand Valley, Mines, Pueblo, Ferris, Lenoir-Rhyne, Bowie State, Saginaw Valley are all facing each other in non-conference games, and also making playoff appearances and having success in the playoffs, while SR1 just plays against each other and then gets their asses handed to them in the playoffs.

Why do we need to do that? This level is based on regions and regional rankings. Smart schools...which excludes Grand Gulley U....pair up in the region so when it comes to the regional rankings, they have a better chance of getting into the regional playoffs. If the Pee Sack has a winning record OOC vs the NE10, MEC and GMAC...we tend to get 3, sometimes 4 teams into the playoffs while another conference gets one, based on that. With the better teams in the region facing off, it makes it more interesting. It makes no sense for IUP or Shepherd to be Playing a school in Meatchicken, one that is desperate for 5 OOC games a year, due it's arrogance, because it knows that it's an 25000 student FCS school in a decent media market all to itself but it won't go away, that it has chased countless schools out of the conference, causing it's conference to scramble for a schedule now every year. The former GLIAC teams in the GMAC are wonderful to have in our region because they are not far away. Ashland is turning into a nice rivalry for IUP. Thanks to Grand Gulley wanting to be the Baby Huey of D2..Region 1 got better competitively in region by giving us those better programs in Ohio that pushed the weaker CIAA back to Region 2 for the GSC to dominate.

Eleanor Whines, Bowie State and Saggy Boobs didn't make the playoffs this year and two of them have never played in a semi final game.

BTW...I exposed your nonsense on the IUP Football thread about your accusation that IUP keeps turning down Grand Gulley U because we are "too scared to play". Those in the know for IUP have no idea what you are talking about so it confirms you made it up or pulled it out of your ass. You suck at trolling.

IUP sets up it' schedule OOC based on whatever crossovers the Home Office In Lock Haven sets up for us on the schedule (which they are absolutely terrible at doing). In the past, they have often saddled us with two bad East teams in the first two weeks...what we on our forum would call SOS Anchors...which means we need an OOC game against a better opponent to offset the SOS hit. Other conferences that are not split into divisions and just play a full conference schedule against everyone and the team with the best record wins the conference. Their SOS will generally be around .500 for the top team so they don't get too hurt when the committees pulls out the spread sheets and say who was best by the numbers on the screen. We all know they don't really tell the full story but IUP has been burned in the past by this means. The Pee Sack cannot do that. We play 7 division and three pre determined crossovers. There is no rhyme of reason on how the Home Office In Lock Haven determines who plays who in crossovers. They set it up in advance and you get two of them the first two weeks of conference play and the last one is the last week so the top teams in each division meet and 4 teams flip their schedule. They seem to saddle everyone with two bad teams or the top two teams in each division. So our SOS becomes trickier vs the other 3 conferences. If IUP has two anchors to start the season, they have to hope the team they got OOC stays okay and they get the split between the annual two week back to back gauntlet of Slimy and Mon Valley U to stay in regional contention based on the numbers. IUP was burned twice since the regional format began...and weaker NE10 teams were the beneficiary.

In 2017...IUP had East Stroudsburg which hadn't been good and Cheyney which was historically bad the first two weeks. So they scheduled Ashland, who was in the GLIAC (so I guess we weren't scared and it wasn't Region 1 but playing a school in a bordering state counts as In Region even if they were in 3 at the time) and balanced out that SOS. Then in 2018 they gave us Millersville and Lock Haven the first two week...so we completed a Pee Sack East bottom feeder tour in two consecutive season and why they still played Ashland and then New Haven in 2019 when they got stuck with the same two to start the crossover. Forward to 2021...IUP had Kutztown and Shepherd, the top two east programs of late, as crossovers. There is no way they were playing anybody but a willing cupcake or just not play anyone. They would have the SOS to make it on 10 game. However they couldn't defend three ****ing punts vs Mon Valley U and a dreadful Edinboro team (the one that stood you up) and lost 3 games and were deservedly not in the playoffs. This year that had East Stroudsburg again along with Shippensburg...the best they would get SOS out of these two was .500 so they were looking for someone who would be about .500 or so to come to Indiana and get pummeled. Nobody would accept the offer so they stayed at 10 games and got the final SOS push by getting Bloomsburg off the schedule the final week and getting Shepherd in the State Game. It's about playing the system for IUP. It's about finding anyone with an open week for Grand Gulley U.

You can go sit down. I am taking my victory lap now.

:-)

[IUPNation]

Describe what you would consider to be the perfect playoff bracket and selection process.

Money is not an issue. Angering those left out is not an issue. Current NCAA playoff guidelines are of no concern.

In fact, any reference to current guidelines in creating you own will result in expulsion!

So now that we should be done with the sad, pathetic, whiny hatred of Region 1 who didn't put the GLIAC and MIAA in the same region...I can finally be serious and answer Brandon's original post.

This is what I think D2 could do in place of regions, that would still give every conference, weak or strong, at least one seat at the table and then humor the entitled who think their conference should get every playoff spot. This would also need the NCAA to borrow the Grand Valley Private Jets and fly some teams to their playoff destination.

1. Keep it a 28 team field.

2. Every conference champions receives an automatic bid. The regular season still needs to mean something. This gives us our first 15 teams and your first 15 seeds

3. Rank those teams from 1 to 15 based on a set criteria with non conference opponents being a factor. Playing 11 games is better, playing 10 weakens your ranking.

4. The top 4 teams get the bye and they anchor their bracket and have home games through their bracket. Only the top seed will know they have a home game through the semi finals. The top remaining seeds will always get the home game. Undefeated teams would most likely take get the top rankings.

5. The remainder of the conference champions are all guaranteed at least one home playoff game as they all will host in the first round. The top At Large big will also get a home game...so probably this year that would have been Ferris Bueller State.

6. Then go for the at large bids are picked by looking at the runners up in each conference. No team can have more than two losses, we don't care who you played and you wound up with 3.

7. HOWEVER, conferences playing a championship game get a priority look for their runner up as a second. This protects the Pee Sack and since I'm making this up we get that advantage. :-P

8. After those conference title game runner up meet the no more than 2 loss criteria and get their bid. then rest of the field is picked by looking at each conference's runner up. If the remainder of the field cannot be picked from those teams because some runners up this year had more than 2 losses, then you can look at the power conferences and see which of their third teams still meets the 2 loss max and can get in. This appeases the entitled fans on here. Then the 13 at large bids are then ranked from 16-28.

9. Then you fill in the brackets

Region 1 is your Top Seed (Grand Valley This Year)
Team 5 plays 28, 9/24, 13/20

Region 2 is the Second Rank Seed (Pittsburg(h) State)
6/27
10/23
14/19

Region 3 is the Third Rank Seed (Angelo State)
7/26
11/22
15/18

Region 4 is this Fourth Rank Seed (Ouachita Baptist)
8/25
12/21
16/17

You are welcome.

[KleShreen]

Why do we need to do that? This level is based on regions and regional rankings. Smart schools...which excludes Grand Gulley U....pair up in the region so when it comes to the regional rankings, they have a better chance of getting into the regional playoffs. If the Pee Sack has a winning record OOC vs the NE10, MEC and GMAC...we tend to get 3, sometimes 4 teams into the playoffs while another conference gets one, based on that. With the better teams in the region facing off, it makes it more interesting. It makes no sense for IUP or Shepherd to be Playing a school in Meatchicken, one that is desperate for 5 OOC games a year, due it's arrogance, because it knows that it's an 25000 student FCS school in a decent media market all to itself but it won't go away, that it has chased countless schools out of the conference, causing it's conference to scramble for a schedule now every year. The former GLIAC teams in the GMAC are wonderful to have in our region because they are not far away. Ashland is turning into a nice rivalry for IUP. Thanks to Grand Gulley wanting to be the Baby Huey of D2..Region 1 got better competitively in region by giving us those better programs in Ohio that pushed the weaker CIAA back to Region 2 for the GSC to dominate.

Eleanor Whines, Bowie State and Saggy Boobs didn't make the playoffs this year and two of them have never played in a semi final game.

BTW...I exposed your nonsense on the IUP Football thread about your accusation that IUP keeps turning down Grand Gulley U because we are "too scared to play". Those in the know for IUP have no idea what you are talking about so it confirms you made it up or pulled it out of your ass. You suck at trolling.

IUP sets up it' schedule OOC based on whatever crossovers the Home Office In Lock Haven sets up for us on the schedule (which they are absolutely terrible at doing). In the past, they have often saddled us with two bad East teams in the first two weeks...what we on our forum would call SOS Anchors...which means we need an OOC game against a better opponent to offset the SOS hit. Other conferences that are not split into divisions and just play a full conference schedule against everyone and the team with the best record wins the conference. Their SOS will generally be around .500 for the top team so they don't get too hurt when the committees pulls out the spread sheets and say who was best by the numbers on the screen. We all know they don't really tell the full story but IUP has been burned in the past by this means. The Pee Sack cannot do that. We play 7 division and three pre determined crossovers. There is no rhyme of reason on how the Home Office In Lock Haven determines who plays who in crossovers. They set it up in advance and you get two of them the first two weeks of conference play and the last one is the last week so the top teams in each division meet and 4 teams flip their schedule. They seem to saddle everyone with two bad teams or the top two teams in each division. So our SOS becomes trickier vs the other 3 conferences. If IUP has two anchors to start the season, they have to hope the team they got OOC stays okay and they get the split between the annual two week back to back gauntlet of Slimy and Mon Valley U to stay in regional contention based on the numbers. IUP was burned twice since the regional format began...and weaker NE10 teams were the beneficiary.

In 2017...IUP had East Stroudsburg which hadn't been good and Cheyney which was historically bad the first two weeks. So they scheduled Ashland, who was in the GLIAC (so I guess we weren't scared and it wasn't Region 1 but playing a school in a bordering state counts as In Region even if they were in 3 at the time) and balanced out that SOS. Then in 2018 they gave us Millersville and Lock Haven the first two week...so we completed a Pee Sack East bottom feeder tour in two consecutive season and why they still played Ashland and then New Haven in 2019 when they got stuck with the same two to start the crossover. Forward to 2021...IUP had Kutztown and Shepherd, the top two east programs of late, as crossovers. There is no way they were playing anybody but a willing cupcake or just not play anyone. They would have the SOS to make it on 10 game. However they couldn't defend three ****ing punts vs Mon Valley U and a dreadful Edinboro team (the one that stood you up) and lost 3 games and were deservedly not in the playoffs. This year that had East Stroudsburg again along with Shippensburg...the best they would get SOS out of these two was .500 so they were looking for someone who would be about .500 or so to come to Indiana and get pummeled. Nobody would accept the offer so they stayed at 10 games and got the final SOS push by getting Bloomsburg off the schedule the final week and getting Shepherd in the State Game. It's about playing the system for IUP. It's about finding anyone with an open week for Grand Gulley U.

You can go sit down. I am taking my victory lap now.

:-)

Stop complaining about the PSUC and SR1 being disrespected nationally if all you're going to do is say that their only goal is to be good in their own crappy region. If you're admitting that's the goal, then just accept that people are going to keep crapping on your conference/region when it comes to the national playoffs.

[IUPNation]

Stop complaining about the PSUC and SR1 being disrespected nationally if all you're going to do is say that their only goal is to be good in their own crappy region. If you're admitting that's the goal, then just accept that people are going to keep crapping on your conference/region when it comes to the national playoffs.

I'm only complaining about you being a dick.

If Grand Gulley moved up...they'd be another nobody like 90% of the D2 schools that moved up. Your school is too scared to move up.

:-)

[njmav1]

Describe what you would consider to be the perfect playoff bracket and selection process.

Money is not an issue. Angering those left out is not an issue. Current NCAA playoff guidelines are of no concern.

In fact, any reference to current guidelines in creating you own will result in expulsion!

1. I'd keep the four super regions (reduced to 5 teams) then add a national bracket.
2. The national bracket consists of the #1 team in each region (as determined by super region committee) and the top 4 teams in the country- using a committee made up of a representative from each super region committee and media e.g. D2football.com.
3. The eight teams in the national bracket play for a national championship.
4. The remaining 4 teams in each super region play for a super region championship.

Not perfect by any means. But every region and conference gets a shot at a natty. It doesn't solve the regional/conference imbalance (and doesn't try to).

Regionals are done in 2 weeks. National in 3 weeks. Season fits in fall semester.

[KleShreen]

I'm only complaining about you being a dick.

If Grand Gulley moved up...they'd be another nobody like 90% of the D2 schools that moved up. Your school is too scared to move up.

:-)

We don't have the money to move up. We don't have big pocket donors because the school is barely 50 years old, and we're the least funded public school in the state on a per-student basis. We also suck at men's basketball and baseball and volleyball. Plus we suck at football according to everyone else in D2. We're only good at olympic sports and those will all suck in D1.

[Ram040506]

So now that we should be done with the sad, pathetic, whiny hatred of Region 1 who didn't put the GLIAC and MIAA in the same region...I can finally be serious and answer Brandon's original post.

This is what I think D2 could do in place of regions, that would still give every conference, weak or strong, at least one seat at the table and then humor the entitled who think their conference should get every playoff spot. This would also need the NCAA to borrow the Grand Valley Private Jets and fly some teams to their playoff destination.

1. Keep it a 28 team field.

2. Every conference champions receives an automatic bid. The regular season still needs to mean something. This gives us our first 15 teams and your first 15 seeds

3. Rank those teams from 1 to 15 based on a set criteria with non conference opponents being a factor. Playing 11 games is better, playing 10 weakens your ranking.

4. The top 4 teams get the bye and they anchor their bracket and have home games through their bracket. Only the top seed will know they have a home game through the semi finals. The top remaining seeds will always get the home game. Undefeated teams would most likely take get the top rankings.

5. The remainder of the conference champions are all guaranteed at least one home playoff game as they all will host in the first round. The top At Large big will also get a home game...so probably this year that would have been Ferris Bueller State.

6. Then go for the at large bids are picked by looking at the runners up in each conference. No team can have more than two losses, we don't care who you played and you wound up with 3.

7. HOWEVER, conferences playing a championship game get a priority look for their runner up as a second. This protects the Pee Sack and since I'm making this up we get that advantage. :-P

8. After those conference title game runner up meet the no more than 2 loss criteria and get their bid. then rest of the field is picked by looking at each conference's runner up. If the remainder of the field cannot be picked from those teams because some runners up this year had more than 2 losses, then you can look at the power conferences and see which of their third teams still meets the 2 loss max and can get in. This appeases the entitled fans on here. Then the 13 at large bids are then ranked from 16-28.

9. Then you fill in the brackets

Region 1 is your Top Seed (Grand Valley This Year)
Team 5 plays 28, 9/24, 13/20

Region 2 is the Second Rank Seed (Pittsburg(h) State)
6/27
10/23
14/19

Region 3 is the Third Rank Seed (Angelo State)
7/26
11/22
15/18

Region 4 is this Fourth Rank Seed (Ouachita Baptist)
8/25
12/21
16/17

You are welcome.

I like most of it. Changes I'd make to yours are:

#2- All conferences aren't created equal. If you are the conference deemed champion, you get an automatic bid. Where you are seeded will be left to the national committee. Similar to March madness. Robert Morris doesn't need to be a 5 seed in any tournament.

#3- regarding the amount of games, it can be a data point but that one in particular should be down the list in terms of priority. Teams trying to fill a schedule are under enough pressure to get to 9 or 10. Abide by the minimum needed and check the resume at the end when comparing teams.

#5- Same with #2, not all conferences are created equal. From this year, Ferris State going to Fayetteville St or Assumption because they are conference champs is stupid. Doubly stupid when they have a better record then those conference champions.

#6- Kind of irrelevant. I ran through most of the conferences and frankly if you are at 3 or 4 losses you aren't a playoff team. There were only about 37 schools or so that finished the year with 3 losses. You can review that pretty quickly as a national committee.

#7- Agree that a conference champion should be given an * when deciding on the final couple at large spots. This year, Shepherd being 10-1 losing in the PSAC championship is not the same as Chowan losing to Fayetteville in the CIAA. Chowan had no business being a playoff consideration. Another data point, but not a rule.

[Predatory Primates]

As far as criteria.

I like the idea of each conf champ being in, but not determining seeding that way. This allows a good team who played a crap schedule and or a crap conference a shot, but not a free ride.

I think 11 games is important, and should have more weight than it does when comparing teams head to head. (Exceptions should be made for uncontrollable events like rain outs, covid type cancellations, sudden conf. Shrinkage, etc)

If you are in a silo, you automatically get all road games because silos suck.

[IUPNation]

We don't have the money to move up. We don't have big pocket donors because the school is barely 50 years old, and we're the least funded public school in the state on a per-student basis. We also suck at men's basketball and baseball and volleyball. Plus we suck at football according to everyone else in D2. We're only good at olympic sports and those will all suck in D1.

When it comes to poo talking on here...you are NAIA if it was a level,

:-)

[IUPNation]

I like most of it. Changes I'd make to yours are:

#2- All conferences aren't created equal. If you are the conference deemed champion, you get an automatic bid. Where you are seeded will be left to the national committee. Similar to March madness. Robert Morris doesn't need to be a 5 seed in any tournament.

That's basically what I proposed. Every conference champion would get an automatic bid and be the top 15 seeds based on the committee's ranking and the criteria set. That gives the entitled the top 4 spots most years as long as they are the conference champion.

#3- regarding the amount of games, it can be a data point but that one in particular should be down the list in terms of priority. Teams trying to fill a schedule are under enough pressure to get to 9 or 10. Abide by the minimum needed and check the resume at the end when comparing teams.

It has to be fair so every team with playoff aspirations need to figure it out.

#5- Same with #2, not all conferences are created equal. From this year, Ferris State going to Fayetteville St or Assumption because they are conference champs is stupid. Doubly stupid when they have a better record then those conference champions.

Ferris did not win the GLIAC. Grand Valley did. I don't care how good you are, you didn't win your conference, you don't get in the top 15. However they could be 16 and that gets them a home game in Round 1.

#6- Kind of irrelevant. I ran through most of the conferences and frankly if you are at 3 or 4 losses you aren't a playoff team. There were only about 37 schools or so that finished the year with 3 losses. You can review that pretty quickly as a national committee.

True. There are some second place teams in conferences with three losses so they get automatically out. There are 15 second place teams. The Pee Sacks runner up in the The State Game would automatically qualify as a very low seed. That rewards conferences who play an actual title game. So, the top conferences will take up the at large bids. There could be several weak conferences whose #2 just doesn't cut it so it could lead to the Great and All Universe MIAA getting it's third team. I don't think any third place team deserves a playoff spot but they whine that they should.

#7- Agree that a conference champion should be given an * when deciding on the final couple at large spots. This year, Shepherd being 10-1 losing in the PSAC championship is not the same as Chowan losing to Fayetteville in the CIAA. Chowan had no business being a playoff consideration. Another data point, but not a rule.[/QUOTE]

Correct.

This is all based on the NCAA funding this, paying for travel and lodging and meals.

However, they are never going to spend the money.

[IUPNation]

As far as criteria.

I like the idea of each conf champ being in, but not determining seeding that way. This allows a good team who played a crap schedule and or a crap conference a shot, but not a free ride.

I think 11 games is important, and should have more weight than it does when comparing teams head to head. (Exceptions should be made for uncontrollable events like rain outs, covid type cancellations, sudden conf. Shrinkage, etc)

If you are in a silo, you automatically get all road games because silos suck.

Your conference needs one more team and then split into divisions and schedule like the PSAC does except do your crossovers with a real formula and not pick them out of hat like The Home Office In Lock Haven seems to do when they decide future conference schedules. That would allow you at least a few OOC games.

[Predatory Primates]

Your conference needs one more team and then split into divisions and schedule like the PSAC does except do your crossovers with a real formula and not pick them out of hat like The Home Office In Lock Haven seems to do when they decide future conference schedules. That would allow you at least a few OOC games.

I agree. The Pitt pres. and several others have fought to end it since before it started. They tried to kill the silo last summer via vote, but the swing vote was hospitalized, so it didn't pass. I think it will pass this year.

The MIAA commish has also stated that his goal is to expand up to as many as 20 teams, so hopefully it will happen that way if the vote fails again.

[Predatory Primates]

Heck, even 2 ooc games a year would be great. That's the way it was forever and it was fine.

[Predatory Primates]

Also KleShreen their conference is already called the Pee Sack. Pee suck is just overkill.