Last Four In: Illinois State, South Dakota, Austin Peay, Northern Iowa
First Eight Out: Montana State, Delaware, Tennessee State, Idaho, Weber State, Rhode Island, Chattanooga, North Alabama
Since this article was produced before Sunday last week, we need to applaud North Carolina A&T for their defeat of East Carolina, becoming the fifth such team from the FCS to pull the FBS upset.
This week, we’ll do the same for Maine, who pulled the trick against Western Kentucky. It seems like an outside shot for the FCS to reach last year’s total of nine with the chances quickly dwindling.
Business back to the bracket. Maine gets a huge jump having an FBS win and a win over the preseason’s #4 ranked team. They vault from just off the tree all the way to into the national seeds. The Colonial almost received three national seeds, but we bumped Villanova back, despite their going to 2-0, for Sam Houston State. SHSU projects as the current Southland champion, and the bracket would have been even more lopsided than last week had there been three national seeds tucked in that corner.
Austin Peay rejoins the bracket this week, replacing Montana State. Three teams from the Missouri Valley sneak in in the last four, but those spots are anything but safe. Northern Iowa hangs on for a second consecutive week as the last team in. And serious consideration was given to leave Montana State in instead, but the final nod went to Northern Iowa, as their loss was much closer than Montana State’s. Sacred Heart is replacing Bryant as the current Northeast projected automatic qualifier, as they are the only team who’s undefeated and both of those are against Division I competition (Patriot League teams, in fact). Unlike last week, the bracket is a little more broken from conference match-ups, though some will always be there.
Big Sky (4): *Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Montana, UC Davis
Big South (1): *Kennesaw State
Colonial (4): *James Madison, Maine, Villanova, Elon
Missouri Valley (5): *North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Illinois State, South Dakota, Northern Iowa
Northeast (1): *Sacred Heart
Ohio Valley (2): *Jacksonville State, Austin Peay
Patriot (1): *Colgate
Pioneer (1): *San Diego
Southern (2): *Samford, Wofford
Southland (3): *Sam Houston State, McNeese, Nicholls
* denotes conference’s projected automatic qualifier
