Last Four In: UC Davis, Nicholls, Wofford, Mercer
First Seven Out: Weber State, Chattanooga, Stony Brook, Central Arkansas, Northern Arizona, South Dakota, Northern Iowa
These are the kinds of weeks that bracketologists despise and college football fans love. Upsets. Unforseen wins by the unlikeliest of underdogs. The Top 25 might as well have been a color by numbers, because nearly half of last week’s teams lost. And that looks worse when a few didn’t even play.
The biggest shake-up comes from the very top, at least conference-wise. The Missouri Valley suffered two losses at the bottom of the current qualifiers; South Dakota and Northern Iowa. Of course, neither are done for good; at least not yet. Mercer knocked off Samford, forcing their way into the field. Samford is still hanging in the national seeds area, but are on red alert. Having only a victory against a sub-Division I foe will not cut it after this week, even with losses to FBS Florida State and Mercer. Wins are a priority.
The Colonial leads the way for conferences, with five current bids as Delaware rejoins the party. The Big Sky comes next with four. The Missouri Valley, Southern and Southland are all represented by three teams. The Ohio Valley is the only other conference with more than one bid, having two.
Big Sky (4): *Eastern Washington, Montana, Montana, State, UC-Davis
Big South (1): *Kennesaw State
Colonial (5): *James Madison, Maine, Elon, Villanova, Delaware
Missouri Valley (3): *North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Illinois State
Northeast (1): *Sacred Heart
Ohio Valley (2): *Jacksonville State, Austin Peay
Patriot (1): *Colgate
Pioneer (1): *San Diego
Southern (3): *Samford, Wofford, Mercer
Southland (3): *McNeese, Sam Houston State, Nicholls
* denotes conference’s projected automatic qualifier
