2026 SR4 way too early conference championship and playoff predictions

[GorillaTeacher]

Yep and they would have been in last year at 8-0 under the old rules. Catch is you better go undefeated.

I dont think the committee would have done that.

[GorillaTeacher]

But with that win over WF, maybe.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

I dont think the committee would have done that.

With a win over West Florida?

99.9% sure they would have made it undefeated.

At 6-2, they were ranked #6 in KPI rk, #8 in PI Rk, and #10 W+s Rk in the final ranklings.

What likely costed them the playoff spot was that home loss choke to Missouri A&T.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

To be fair, they scheduled 8, but one of the 8 went D1 this off-season.

If "a committee (since they theoretically no longer exist)" wanted to dive deeper into it, they had a chance (if they knew) to schedule Frostburg State Halloween night to get to 8 D2 games but filled it with Langston. Who knows if it was approached by either side. Delta State ended up taking that road game a couple of weeks ago.

[TheWonderBoy]

Is the minimum 8 D2 games rule not a thing anymore?

I know I saw inkblot said something about a waiver. I'd imagine that will have to be for West Florida moving up after NSU announced that game on their schedule?

[GorillaTeacher]

Is the minimum 8 D2 games rule not a thing anymore?

I know I saw inkblot said something about a waiver. I'd imagine that will have to be for West Florida moving up after NSU announced that game on their schedule?

still a rule. Which is why NSU would need a waiver.

[Bisons10]

Yeah but 15 of those come from Harding. Still a great feat but they have been carrying the conference for many years.

thank you for proving my point.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

thank you for proving my point.

Not really a "point". You are basing 90%+ of all the conference wins on one team and the other teams didnt make it further than the first couple of rounds very few if any.

Since 2010 (Same time GAC was formed), The GLIAC has tons more wins than that over that span with numerous teams making deep playoff runs (Ferris State, Grand Valley, Wayne State).

Same with RMAC since 2010 (Pueblo and Mines) and LSC (Tarleton and Commerce).

[BisonBones]

So I had some fun with this last year and was able to get a few of my predictions right. Let me see how close or really screw up the predictions for this year. I made a lot of predictions based on returning players (especially returning QB and/or QB's with lots of playing time). Bolded Teams are the winners each round.

1) Harding (GAC Champion) vs. Angelo State (LSC runner up)
2) Northwest Missouri State (MIAA Champion) vs. Colorado-State Pueblo (RMAC runner up)
3) Colorado Mines (RMAC Champion) vs. Central Oklahoma (MIAA runner up)
4) Western Oregon (LSC Champion) vs. Northeastern State (Independent at large).

Regional Semis:
1) Harding vs. Northeastern State
2) Northwest Missouri State vs. 3) Colorado Mines

Regional Final:
1) Harding vs. 2) Northwest Missouri State

The GAC has been interesting the past couple weeks, but right now looks like HU/HSU game will be for the conference with that game being the only loss for the loser. OBU will be looking to play the spoiler as they always seem to be preparing for a 2 game season.

Mines and Angelo State are out unless they turn it around and win their conference.I think there's a good change Northeastern takes a playoff spot from a conference other than the GAC, maybe bump the LSC if they beat UTPB in a few weeks? Central Washington wasn't wiped out by Ferris.

Since the whole point of this thread to is make ridiculously early predictions


1) Harding (GAC Champion) vs.(Northeastern State (Independent at large)
2) Northwest Missouri State (MIAA Champion) vs. HSU (GAC Runner-Up)
3) CSU-Pueblo(RMAC Champion) vs. Central Oklahoma (MIAA runner up)
4) Central Washington (LSC Champion) vs.Western Colorado (RMAC Runner up)

Don't see any reason why you couldn't switch the placement of the Oklahoma schools?



Regional Semis:
1) Harding vs. Western Colorado
2) Northwest Missouri State vs. 3) CSU-Pueblo

1. Harding vs 3) CSU-Pueblo


This week's game of the PNW D2 teams could be for a playoff spot.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

The GAC has been interesting the past couple weeks, but right now looks like HU/HSU game will be for the conference with that game being the only loss for the loser. OBU will be looking to play the spoiler as they always seem to be preparing for a 2 game season.

Mines and Angelo State are out unless they turn it around and win their conference.I think there's a good change Northeastern takes a playoff spot from a conference other than the GAC, maybe bump the LSC if they beat UTPB in a few weeks? Central Washington wasn't wiped out by Ferris.

Since the whole point of this thread to is make ridiculously early predictions


1) Harding (GAC Champion) vs.(Northeastern State (Independent at large)
2) Northwest Missouri State (MIAA Champion) vs. HSU (GAC Runner-Up)
3) CSU-Pueblo(RMAC Champion) vs. Central Oklahoma (MIAA runner up)
4) Central Washington (LSC Champion) vs.Western Colorado (RMAC Runner up)

Don't see any reason why you couldn't switch the placement of the Oklahoma schools?



Regional Semis:
1) Harding vs. Western Colorado
2) Northwest Missouri State vs. 3) CSU-Pueblo

1. Harding vs 3) CSU-Pueblo


This week's game of the PNW D2 teams could be for a playoff spot.

Yeah I was going to wait until after the 9/19 games to update this.

Problem Is I thought last year the GAC would only have a 1 loss Ouachita Baptist/Southern Arkansas team and the whole conference lost 4 games outside of Harding.

The interesting and unknown case will be where Northeastern State ends up and even eligible if they finish 7-0 on their D2 schedule.

There are increasing possibilities that there could be multiple undefeated conference champs.

If Western Oregon Beats Central Washington next week and Pueblo wins out, they will be the undisputed 1 and 2 seeds.

Just a guess for this week but next week will be more accurate.

Central Washington @ 1) Colorado Pueblo
Western Colorado @ 2) Western Oregon
Central Oklahoma @ 3) Harding
Northeastern State/Henderson State @ 4) Northwest Missouri State

[OldBison]

I agree. It’s looking more and more like CSU - Pueblo will be an undefeated conference champion which means even if HU is an undefeated GAC champion they won’t be the SR4 # 1 seed because of NPI. There’s still a lot of football to be played. Bisons don’t need to concern themselves with any of this. They focus on a week at a time. It’s going to be tough enough to get through the GAC this especially with some key starters out of the line up.