LAST FOUR IN: Tennessee-Martin, Illinois State, Tennessee State, Weber State
FIRST FOUR OUT: Stony Brook, Monmouth, McNeese, Samford
This was the kind of week any bracketologist dreads. Numerous teams losing to those they should have beaten, upsets from out of the blue, destroying any notions you may have had about a certain team(s), and one upset that put an even stronger belief than previously known into another.
That last one mentioned was Western Illinois. The Leathernecks have been safely on the bracket for most of the season, but their annihilation of FBS Coastal Carolina makes one wonder if they’re a true national title contender. They became the ninth FCS team to beat an opponent from the higher class.
The Missouri Valley Conference continues to hold strong with the six bids they captured last week. The overall strength the MVFC and the Colonial have shown against the other FCS conferences is vast, except for the Ivy League. But since the Ivies abstain from the automatic bid they receive, that’s really a moot point in this argument.
Nicholls falls off the tree as quickly as they jumped on. The loss to Sam Houston State was to a great opponent, obviously, but the result of the blowout was too much for this area of the bracket to withstand. Samford also falls off for now, though they definitely have the tools to return. North Dakota is gone after falling to 1-3. They are replaced by another Big Sky team, Weber State, so their conference remains at two bids. Nicholls and Samford’s defections make way for a fifth Colonial (Albany) and a third Ohio Valley (Tennessee-Martin) team.
Big Sky (2): Eastern Washington*, Weber State
Big South (1): Charleston Southern*
Colonial (5): James Madison*, New Hampshire, Villanova, Richmond, Albany
Missouri Valley (6): North Dakota State*, South Dakota State, Youngstown State, Western Illinois, South Dakota, Illinois State
Northeast (1): Duquesne*
Ohio Valley (2): Jacksonville State*, Tennessee-Martin, Tennessee State
Patriot (1): Holy Cross*
Pioneer (1): San Diego*
Southern (2): Wofford*, The Citadel
Southland (2): Sam Houston State*, Central Arkansas
* League Champion and automatic bid
