This season the FCS playoff picture has a slight shift, with the MEAC opting out of their auto-bid to play in a Classic against the SWAC.  This leaves 10 automatic bids, and 14 at-large bids to be had.  For the remainder of the season, we will break down the ever evolving playoff picture week to week.  Emphasis is placed on the traditional, but not official 7 division 1 win threshold.

After Liberty’s loss to Charleston Southern, the Flames were eliminated from consideration for the FCS playoffs.  Looking at this week’s results, had the Flames won they would likely have been the last team in or first team out.  Instead, either an additional CAA or Big Sky team is the likely beneficiary of Liberty’s elimination.  Villanova jumped into an at-large spot with their win over Richmond, Montana jumped back in with their dominating win, and Eastern Washington dropped to the bubble after their second straight defeat.  There are a couple of de facto playoff games this week, as Eastern Kentucky meets Eastern Illinois for a likely at-large bid, and Sam Houston State faces off against Central Arkansas in another winner goes home type of match up.

 

Conference Projections

Big Sky

Auto-Bid:

Southern Utah (7-3, 6-1)

At-Large:

Montana (6-4, 5-2)

Portland State (8-2, 5-2)

Northern Arizona (7-3, 5-2)

Bubble:

Eastern Washington (6-4, 5-2)

Still Alive:

North Dakota (6-4, 4-3)

Big South

Auto-Bid:

Charleston Southern (9-1, 6-0)

At-Large:

Coastal Carolina (4-1, 9-1)

 

Colonial

Auto-Bid:

William & Mary (8-2, 6-1)

At-Large:

James Madison (8-2, 5-2)

Villanova (6-4, 5-2)

Richmond (7-3, 5-2)

Bubble:

New Hampshire (6-4, 4-3)

Still Alive:

Towson (6-4, 4-3)

Missouri Valley

Auto-Bid:

North Dakota State (8-2, 6-1)

At-Large:

Illinois State (8-2, 6-1)

South Dakota State (8-2, 5-2)

Northern Iowa (6-4, 4-3)

 

Northeast

Auto-Bid:

Duquesne (7-3, 4-1)

Still Alive:

St. Francis (6-3, 4-1) *cannot get to 7 D-1 wins, but still alive for auto-bid

Ohio Valley

Auto-Bid:

Jacksonville State (9-1, 7-0)

At-Large:

Eastern Kentucky (6-4, 5-2)

Bubble:

Eastern Illinois (6-4, 6-1)

Patriot

Auto-Bid:

Colgate (6-4, 5-0)

At-Large:

Fordham (9-2, 5-1)

 

Pioneer

Auto-Bid:

Dayton (10-0, 7-0)

Still Alive:

Jacksonville (8-2, 5-2)

San Diego (8-2, 6-1)

Southern

Auto-Bid:

Chattanooga (8-2, 6-1)

At-Large:

Citadel (7-3, 6-1)

Still Alive:

Western Carolina (6-4, 4-3)

Southland

Auto-Bid:

McNeese State (9-0, 8-0)

At-Large:

Sam Houston State (7-3, 6-2)

Bubble:

Central Arkansas (7-3, 7-1)