It's the always awkward departure as Liberty will be above the FCS scholarship maximum and although the Flames are ineligible for the conference title and a playoff bid, its games will count in the Big South standings. The Buccaneers should be in a two-team title race with Kennesaw State because Liberty is transitioning toward the FBS level in 2018. The Big South enjoyed a solid 2016 season, but there was not a dominant team and playoff representative Charleston Southern lost in the first round. 3 playoff seed by losing in the round of 16. Jacksonville State was the only qualifier and it squandered the No. However, the OVC needs to do better in the postseason than last season. The Gamecocks' final two regular-season games will be against UT Martin and Tennessee State, the other expected playoff contenders. Colgate always does well when expectations are down, and they are after finishing only 5-5 and then losing many experienced players.Īlthough Jacksonville State doesn't appear as strong as recent seasons, it has gone undefeated in conference play for three straight seasons. Both teams will be among the highest scoring in the FCS, although, like the rest of the league, they have to improve defensively. This might be too low of a ranking because defending champion Lehigh and Fordham (behind FCS rushing champion Chase Edmonds) should both make the playoffs this season. The other teams incorporated young players into the mix last season, so there is a chance for some upsets this year. Princeton, which shared last year's title with Penn, will continue to have an explosive offense and make for another three-team race. The last 10 league titles have included either Harvard or Penn, if not both, so there's no reason not to expect them to be a part of this year's title hunt. Wagner was the only NEC team to take down Saint Francis. In recent years, Duquesne has been the most consistent program under coach Jerry Schmidt, but fellow co-champ Saint Francis won last year's head-to-head meeting before claiming its first NEC title and playoff bid. The way its teams consistently knock each other off underscores why national rankings continue to elude the membership. No NEC team has gone unbeaten in conference play since former member Albany went 7-0 in 2008. Southern and Prairie View A&M keep the West best again. The Tigers will push for those same honors again. Grambling State won last year's conference title and went on to win the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl. The West Division teams carried the SWAC last year, but a season with better health should make 2014 and '15 conference champ Alcorn State dangerous again. Southwestern Athletic Conference (10 teams) But the rivalry between North Carolina Central (which has won a share of three straight titles) and North Carolina A&T has never been better.ġ1. Having surged ahead of the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the rivalry between the two historically black leagues of the FCS, the MEAC slipped last season, punctuated by an 0-10 record against out-of-conference FCS teams and Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State not being their usually strong selves. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (11 teams)
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