FCS Playoff Expansion, Core Member Changes

[bincitysioux]

NCAA considers moving up to 24 teams

.........playoff expansion in the Football Championship Subdivision has advanced further along the NCAA's chain of command than it has in 20 years, and for the first time all of the commissioners from member conferences support the idea.

Raising the number of postseason participants from 16 to as many as 24 - potentially good news for South Dakota's two largest schools - is one of several significant action items on the agenda at the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet meetings scheduled for today and Thursday in Indianapolis.

"A lot of the people on the committee would be for it if they could get it where everybody's happy," said Ed Grom, a cabinet member and commissioner of the Great West Football Conference, "and I don't think everybody will be happy with every decision that's made. But I think there's some momentum now."

Among the other items at the cabinet meeting that Grom said is by far the most consequential in his tenure:

- It will consider a piece of legislation that would halve the time a reclassifying school waits to become a "core" member of a conference - a key component to maintaining automatic-qualifier status - from eight years to four in men's basketball. That would make the Jacks a core member of the Summit League in 2012-13 (good news for the turnover-prone conference), while the Coyotes could count as early as 2016-17, perhaps making them more immediately attractive to potential suitors.

- The Division I women's basketball committee has recommended reducing the number of allowable scholarships from 15 to 13 and applying the difference toward other women's sports.

[star2city]

NCAA considers moving up to 24 teams

The future of the Summit may very well lie with this legislation: the Summit could very well have a difficult time maintaining its men's autobid unless the core status timing is reduced.

- The Division I women's basketball committee has recommended reducing the number of allowable scholarships from 15 to 13 and applying the difference toward other women's sports.

This change could really open up women's basketball. The rule change would effectively prevent the SEC/Big Ten/B12/ACC/BE/Pac10 from "stashing" 144 high caliber women's players.

[NDSUguy]

Personally, I do not believe that this legislation (regarding halving the time to become a core member) would have much of an effect on the Summit League. With the addition of NDSU and SDSU, I think that the current core members will be much more likely to stay in the Summit rather than bolting to another conference.

The big reason that the Summit has historically been a transient league had more to do with lack of committment from the team members as well as the notion of the league being a bottom feeder among the college basketball ranks. With NDSU/SDSU showing strong commitment and stronger leadership at the top of the Summit, I fully expect that the Summit will become one of the more well known mid-major conferences in the country.

I think that the most important part of this legislation has to do with the expansion of the FCS playoffs to 24 teams... This might allow for the Great West or other conferences to have an autobid and/or hope of making the playoffs with an at-large bid.

[star2city]

Personally, I do not believe that this legislation (regarding halving the time to become a core member) would have much of an effect on the Summit League. With the addition of NDSU and SDSU, I think that the current core members will be much more likely to stay in the Summit rather than bolting to another conference.

Hmm, Centenary, a core member, has submitted papers (which can be withdrawn) for DIII membership. Southern Utah's AD says on radio that a "more desirable" conference is a top priority. Grom says the legislation "it is by far the most consequential in his tenure", but I guess NDSU fans knows how much its membership has upraded the Summit profile

The big reason that the Summit has historically been a transient league had more to do with lack of committment from the team members as well as the notion of the league being a bottom feeder among the college basketball ranks. With NDSU/SDSU showing strong commitment and stronger leadership at the top of the Summit, I fully expect that the Summit will become one of the more well known mid-major conferences in the country.

It will either be a bottom-feeding transient league, or it will morph into a DI version of the NCC.

I think that the most important part of this legislation has to do with the expansion of the FCS playoffs to 24 teams... This might allow for the Great West or other conferences to have an autobid and/or hope of making the playoffs with an at-large bid.

A Great West autobid is not on the table for at least six years.

[bincitysioux]

Sounds like they are going to go from 16 teams to 18 teams and have two "play-in" games.

FCS playoff expansion nears approval

The first playoff expansion at the Football Championship Subdivision level in more than 20 years is another step closer to reality.

At a meeting last week in Indianapolis, the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet passed a committee recommendation and approved $250,000 in funding to grow the postseason field from 16 teams to 18 beginning in 2008, according to cabinet member and Great West commissioner Ed Grom.

Final approval rests with the Board of Directors, which will likely review the proposal at its April meeting.

The initial committee recommendation to the cabinet called for pushing the playoff field to 24 teams, but Grom acknowledged prior to last week's meeting that the associated cost - about $1 million - might necessitate spreading out the growth over maybe six years. That still could happen, but it'll have to pass through the same process each time.

"In 2010, the Big South (Conference) becomes eligible for an AQ," he said, "and at least one cabinet member said they'll present this again in 2010."

Also at the meeting:

-the cabinet tabled a suggestion from the women's basketball committee to cut scholarships from 15 to 13

-took no action on a proposal that would cut the time that transitioning schools like SDSU and USD have to wait to count as a core member of a conference in men's basketball

[bincitysioux]

Now it sounds as if the FCS may go to a 20 team playoff field beginning in 2010.

Proposal would add four spots to FCS playoffs in 2010

In one of three proposed major format changes, the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet has recommended that the FCS postseason field be expanded from the current 16 teams to 20 in 2010. Rather than start the season early or let it run late, bye weeks would be eliminated.

If the field does jump to 20, the bids will be split evenly between at-large selections and automatic qualifiers. In that event, the Big South and the Northeast Conference would gain automatic-qualifier status, meaning their respective champions would be guaranteed a place in the bracket.

I hope that their final goal is still to get to a 24 team bracket at some point. It looks like the Big South and the NEC have autobids reserved for them. Hopefully around 2013 or so (once UND is playoff eligible), the Great West will have found another member or two and will be granted an autobid if the field does expand again around that time.

[Hammersmith]

I believe the original plan was 18 in 2008, 20 in 2010, 22 in 2012, and 24 in 2014. The problem was they waited too long and too many games had been scheduled for the 2008 season to eliminate the bye week by then. This way, they get back on track and everyone has time to work out their schedules. Like was said, the 9th and 10th autobids will go to the NEC and the Big West, but I wouldn't count on a Great West autobid until the 12th autobid is created. In fact, even with a 6th team, 2014 will be the first year the GWFC will be eligible for one. I'd guess the 11th autobid will go to the Pioneer unless the Ivy's pull the stick out their asses.

[MplsBison]

UND will be in the Gateway by then anyway.

[Hammersmith]

UND will be in the Gateway by then anyway.

You just keep telling yourself that.