Week 5 FCS Football Bracketology Breakdown

 
Last Four In: Villanova, Rhode Island, Missouri State, Montana State
 
First Eight Out: Northern Iowa, Tennessee State, Towson, Western Illinois, South Dakota, East Tennessee State, Chattanooga, Central Arkansas
 
Well, it’s finally happened. For the first time in my bracketology history, there are six teams representing one conference. Crazy, one-quarter of the current playoff field is being filled by one-half of the Colonial Athletic Association. Now, after addressing the bracketology methods last week, these are for this point in time. I wouldn’t expect this to continue as there are a lot of games to be played between the six teams the CAA currently has in the bracket. Not only that, there will be other teams from other conferences playing their way up and in as well - at least in theory.
 
One of the conferences losing a bid was the Southern, where Chattanooga dropped off after its loss this week to East Tennessee State. After a promising season’s opening, the SoCon has gone from a strong mutli-bid league to Wofford. Chattanooga and ETSU are knocking on the door, but the likes of Samford and Furman look like they’re gone for good, at least right now. The other losing conference was the Southland, where Central Arkansas was bounced after its loss to Sam Houston State. Both were hanging on last week, so the loser was sure to be banished.
 
Besides the CAA picking up another bid, which went to a surprising 3-1 Rhode Island. The other went to the MVFC, where Missouri State jumped into the field after a huge upset over previously undefeated Illinois State. The same Illinois State who beat FBS Colorado State last week. FCS football never gives you a minute to relax. Everybody hold your hands up that would have thought both Rhode Island and Missouri State would be in playoff conversations at the end of September. I don’t see any hands...
 
 
Big Sky (5): *Eastern Washington, Montana, Weber State, UC Davis, Montana State
 
Big South (1): *Kennesaw State
 
Colonial (6): *James Madison, Elon, Stony Brook, Maine, Villanova, Rhode Island
 
Missouri Valley (4): *North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Illinois State, Missouri State
 
Northeast (1): *Sacred Heart
 
Ohio Valley (1): *Jacksonville State
 
Patriot (1): *Colgate
 
Pioneer (1): *San Diego
 
Southern (1): *Wofford
 
Southland (3): *McNeese, Nicholls, Sam Houston State
 
* denotes conference’s projected automatic qualifier