********* Attention I-AA Preview Email Subscribers I have had serious technical problems over the last two weeks which have resulted in a loss of the mailing list for the newsletter. Please tell anyone that you know of as a subscriber to please email me (pdunn@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu) and I will reconstruct the list. In the meanwhile, please read the newsletter here or on rec.sport.football.college for the remainder of the season. Sorry for the inconvenience --Patrick ********* I - A A P R E V I E W (Volume VI, Number 15) Week of November 29, 1997 PLAYOFFS, FIRST ROUND C O N T E N T S I. PLAYOFF BRACKET II. THE SPORTS NETWORK I-AA TOP 25 III. THIS WEEK'S PICKS IV. RESULTS OF LAST WEEK'S GAMES V. CONFERENCE STANDINGS AND SCHEDULES VI. THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE VII. NEWS AND NOTES VIII. I-AA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TICKETS IX. SUBMITTING NEWS TO I-AA PREVIEW X. DISCLAIMERS ************************************************************** I. PLAYOFF BRACKET (Numbers Designate Seeding; Higher Seeded Team Hosts Game) First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship Nov. 29 Dec. 6 Dec. 13 Dec. 20 Bicentennial 11 MONTANA Stadium --------------- Chattanooga, TN ---------- (ESPN) --------------- | 6 MCNEESE ST | |------------------------ 14 NW LOUISIANA | | --------------- | | ---------- | --------------- | 3 E WASHINGTON | |-------------- | | 10 FLORIDA A&M | | --------------- | | ---------- | | --------------- | | | 7 GEORGIA STHRN | | | |------------------------ | 15 JACKSON ST | | --------------- | | ---------- 1997 DIVISION | --------------- I-AA NATIONAL | 2 W ILLINOIS CHAMPION: | | | ---------------| 12 E KENTUCKY | --------------- | ---------- | --------------- | | 5 W KENTUCKY | | |------------------------ | 13 HOFSTRA | | | --------------- | | | ---------- | | --------------- | | 4 DELAWARE | | |-------------- | 9 HAMPTON | --------------- | ---------- | --------------- | | 8 YOUNGSTN ST | | |----------------------- 16 COLGATE | --------------- | ---------- --------------- 1 VILLANOVA ************************************************************** II. FINAL SPORTS NETWORK I-AA TOP 25 RANK/SCHOOL LAST LAST NEXT (1ST PLACE VOTES) RECORD POINTS RANK WEEK'S GAME GAME 1. VILLANOVA (88) 11-0 2,383 1 W N'EASTERN 49-35 COLGATE 2. W ILLINOIS (2) 10-1 2,252 2 W YGSTWN ST 24-21 JACKSON ST 3. DELAWARE 10-1 2,166 3 Idle HOFSTRA 4. E WASHINGTON (4) 10-1 2,036 6 Idle NW LOUISIANA 5. W KENTUCKY 9-1 2,030 5 Idle E KENTUCKY 6. MCNEESE ST 10-1 1,916 7 W NICHOLLS ST 31-13 MONTANA 7. HAMPTON (1) 10-1 1,717 9 W MORGAN ST 10-0 @ YNGSTWN ST 8. GEORGIA STHRN (1) 9-2 1,700 8 Idle FLORIDA A&M 9. YOUNGSTOWN ST 9-2 1,685 4 L W ILLINOIS 21-24 HAMPTON 10. FLORIDA A&M 9-2 1,475 10 W BTHN-COOKMN 52-35 @ GRGIA STRN 11. MONTANA 8-3 1,466 11 W MONTANA ST 27-25 @ MCNEESE ST 12. SOUTHERN 9-1 1,328 12 Idle GRAMBLING * 13. JACKSON ST 9-2 1,185 14 W ALCORN ST 54-15 @ W ILLINOIS 14. HOFSTRA 9-2 1,130 17 W MAINE 44-32 @ DELAWARE 15. E KENTUCKY 8-3 1,093 19 W E ILLINOIS 49-7 @ W KENTUCKY 16. CAL POLY-SLO 10-1 939 18 W CS-SCRMNTO 45-0 ****** 17. NW LOUISIANA 8-3 898 21 W S F AUSTIN 38-24 @ E WASHGTN 18. S F AUSTIN 8-3 706 13 L NW LSIANA 24-38 ****** 19. S CAROLINA ST 9-2 699 22 W N CAR A&T 33-18 Idle ** 20. LIBERTY 9-2 568 25 W APPALCHN ST 25-19 ****** 21. E ILLINOIS 8-3 405 16 L E KENTUCKY 7-49 ****** 22. APPALACHIAN ST 7-4 382 15 L LIBERTY 19-25 ****** 23. DAYTON 9-1 278 23 Idle ****** 24. NORTHEASTERN 8-3 153 20 L VILLANOVA 35-49 ****** 25. COLGATE 7-4 143 NR W BUCKNELL 48-14 @ VILLANOVA * Regular Season Game ** Will Play Southern University in Heritage Bowl, December 27 O T H E R S R E C E I V I N G V O T E S East Tennessee State; Northern Iowa; Furman; Bucknell; Murray State; Harvard; Dartmouth; New Hampshire; William & Mary; Northern Arizona; Chattanooga; CS-Northridge; Montana State; North Carolina A&T; Georgetown; Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Howard; Connecticut; Weber State. ************************************************************** III. THIS WEEK'S PICKS FIRST ROUND PLAYOFF GAMES: 11 MONTANA at 6 MCNEESE ST Montana will come into this game not a national favorite, where it has been accustomed to being the last two years. The Griz have one big advantage--they have played in eight playoff games in the last two years and have won seven of them. The team knows how to win, and came from the middle of the pack to win the national title in 1995. McNeese is also a team with a strong playoff tradition, but they have not been in the postseason since 1990. However, Montana looks to be having a rebuilding year -- that 14-1 team from last season lost a lot of talent, especially on defense, and its shown in the course of the season. McNeese has stumbled only once, against Stephen F. Austin on the road and close. If the Montana team starts putting up big numbers through the air, the Cowboys have to keep up. PICK: MCNEESE ST 35 MONTANA 27 14 NW LOUISIANA at 3 EASTERN WASHINGTON: Northwestern State got in with a big win last week, by upsetting Stephen F. Austin last Thursday. That has to be a big momentum booster for the Demons. Eastern Washington, however, has slowly amassed an outstanding season, taking the Big Sky by storm and beating both of the preseason favorites, Montana and Northern Arizona. Eastern Washington's resume is impressive, and I think the Eagles can win this game, but it's going to be closer than most would believe. PICK: EASTERN WASHINGTON 24 NW LOUISIANA 20 10 FLORIDA A&M at 7 GEORGIA SOUTHERN A rarity this season: Georgia Southern is the only Southern Conference team to make the playoffs. The Eagles of GSU are tough at home, and my respect for the Southern Conference, even in what some would consider an off year, makes me think they will win big. PICK: GEORGIA SOUTHERN 42 FLORIDA A&M 14 15 JACKSON ST at 2 WESTERN ILLINOIS Western Illinois is a solid team with a balanced offense. Jackson State has a great QB in Grailyn Pratt. The SWAC, though, has the playoff curse staring them in the face--the league has never won a game in the playoffs--and I don't think that this Jackson State team can break the jinx. PICK: WESTERN ILLINOIS 31 JACKSON ST 13 12 EASTERN KENTUCKY at 5 WESTERN KENTUCKY Eastern Kentucky has a ton of momentum on its side and won impressively over Eastern Illinois to take the OVC title (and knock the EIU Panthers from the postseason). These two teams met once earlier this season, with WKU coming out on top. I like the Hilltopper's offense and think that they could be the most dangerous team in the playoff field. PICK: WESTERN KENTUCKY 35 EASTERN KENTUCKY 21 13 HOFSTRA at 4 DELAWARE This could be the most interesting game of the first round. Hofstra is a great I-AA team competing among the Independents, and because they are not in a league I think a lot of people overlook the Dutchmen. That's a mistake, as this team remains maybe the fastest- rising I-AA program in the country. If the Dutchmen can score points out of the run and shoot and get the Blue Hen's wing-t in catch up mode, look for the upset. However, Delaware looks good and has for most of the season. PICK: DELAWARE 17 HOFSTRA 14 9 HAMPTON at 8 YOUNGSTOWN ST Hampton might be the strongest team to come out of the MEAC into the playoffs in years. Youngstown State is still Youngstown, a team that plays very good smash-mouth style and wins with it very often. Hampton will hang tough, but the Penguins are tough to beat in what could be a frozen tundra at Stambaugh Stadium. PICK: YOUNGSTOWN 28 HAMPTON 17 16 COLGATE at 1 VILLANOVA Nonscholarship Colgate is no match for the only undefeated team in the playoff field. PICK: VILLANOVA 56 COLGATE 3 ALSO: GRAMBLING vs SOUTHERN in the Bayou Classic: Say goodbye to a legend this weekend and realize that we'll not see his like again in college football. Coach Eddie Robinson completes his 54th and last season at Grambling and his 588th game. Emotion has always been big in this game between the two old rivals, and while logic says that Southern is by far the stronger team, the intangibles make this game a closer call. Southern takes the game, but Coach Eddie will go out about as far from being a loser as anyone can ever claim to be. PICK: SOUTHERN 24 GRAMBLING 22 ************************************************************** IV. RESULTS OF LAST WEEK'S GAMES EAST BROWN 42 COLUMBIA 11 HOWARD 40 DELAWARE ST 21 COLGATE 48 BUCKNELL 14 LEHIGH 43 LAFAYETTE 31 DARTMOUTH 12 PRINCETON 9 NEW HAMPSHRE 21 CONNECTICUT 18 FORDHAM 28 HOLY CROSS 12 PENNSYLVANIA 33 CORNELL 20 HOFSTRA 44 MAINE 32 ROBERT MORRIS 35 GEORGETOWN 13 HARVARD 17 YALE 7 VILLANOVA 49 NORTHEASTERN 35 MIDWEST E KENTUCKY 49 E ILLINOIS 7 W ILLINOIS 24 YOUNGSTOWN ST 21 TENNESSEE ST 32 SE MISSOURI 27 SOUTH E TENN ST 17 VMI 7 NW LOUISIANA 38 S F AUSTIN 24 FLORIDA A&M 52 BETHUNE CKMN 35 SAMFORD 19 W CAROLINA 0 FURMAN 43 CHATTANOOGA 21 S CAROLINA ST 33 N CAR A&T 18 HAMPTON 10 MORGAN ST 0 S FLORIDA 48 DAVIDSON 3 JACKSON ST 54 ALCORN ST 15 SAM HOUSTON 35 SW TEXAS 30 JAMES MADISON 31 BOSTON U 14 TENN TECH 30 MIDDLE TENN 20 LIBERTY 25 APPALACHIAN ST 19 TROY ST 49 JCKSONVLE ST 0 MCNEESE ST 31 NICHOLLS ST 13 WOFFORD 51 CHARLESTON STRN 21 WEST CAL POLY SLO 45 CS SACRAMENTO 0 MONTANA 27 MONTANA ST 25 CS NORTHRIDGE 21 N ARIZONA 13 WEBER ST 26 IDAHO ST 7 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LAST WEEK'S GAMES: Complete box scores, stories and individual statistics from last weeks games are available at: http://www.sportserver.com/sportserver/football/col.html ************************************************************** V. CONFERENCE STANDINGS AND SCHEDULES (ALL GAMES SATURDAY UNLESS NOTED; ALL TIMES EASTERN AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE) ______________________________________________________________ ATLANTIC TEN MID ATLANTIC DIVISION CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L X -- VILLANOVA Wildcats 8 0 11 0 DELAWARE Blue Hens 7 1 10 1 NORTHEASTERN Huskies 5 3 8 3 WILLIAM & MARY Tribe 4 4 7 4 RICHMOND Spiders 4 4 6 5 JAMES MADISON Dukes 3 5 5 6 NEW ENGLAND DIVISION CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L NEW HAMPSHIRE Wildcats 5 3 5 6 CONNECTICUT Huskies 4 4 7 4 MAINE Black Bears 4 4 5 6 RHODE ISLAND Rams 2 6 2 9 MASSACHUSETTS Minutemen 1 7 2 9 BOSTON UNIVERSITY Terriers 1 7 1 10 X -- CLINCHED AUTOMATIC PLAYOFF BERTH LAST WEEK'S RESULTS NEW HAMPSHIRE 21 CONNECTICUT 18 JAMES MADISON 31 BOSTON U 14 VILLANOVA 49 NORTHEASTERN 35 END REGULAR SEASON ______________________________________________________________ BIG SKY CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L X -- E WASHINGTON Eagles 7 1 10 1 MONTANA Grizzlies 6 2 8 3 MONTANA ST Bobcats 5 3 6 5 NORTHERN ARIZONA Lumberjacks 4 4 6 5 WEBER ST Wildcats 4 4 6 5 NORTHRIDGE ST Matadors 4 4 6 6 PORTLAND ST Vikings 3 5 4 7 IDAHO ST Bengals 2 6 3 8 SACRAMENTO ST Hornets 1 7 1 10 X -- CLINCHED AUTOMATIC PLAYOFF BERTH LAST WEEK'S RESULTS WEBER ST 26 IDAHO 7 MONTANA 27 MONTANA ST 25 CS NORTHRIDGE 21 N ARIZONA 13 END REGULAR SEASON _____________________________________________________________ GATEWAY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L X --W ILLINOIS Leathernecks 6 0 10 1 YOUNGSTOWN ST Penguins 5 1 9 2 NORTHERN IOWA Panthers 5 1 7 4 SW MISSOURI ST Bears 3 3 5 6 INDIANA ST Sycamores 2 4 3 8 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS Salukis 1 5 3 8 ILLINOIS ST Redbirds 0 6 2 9 X -- CLINCHED AUTOMATIC PLAYOFF BERTH LAST WEEK'S RESULTS WESTERN ILL 24 YOUNGSTOWN ST 21 END REGULAR SEASON ______________________________________________________________ IVY LEAGUE CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L X -- HARVARD Crimson 7 0 9 1 DARTMOUTH Big Green 6 1 8 2 PENNSYLVANIA Quakers 5 2 6 4 BROWN Bears 3 4 6 4 CORNELL Big Red 3 4 5 5 PRINCETON Tigers 2 5 5 5 COLUMBIA Lions 2 5 4 6 YALE Bulldogs 0 7 1 9 X -- CLINCHED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP LAST WEEK'S RESULTS DARTMOUTH 12 PRINCETON 9 BROWN 42 COLUMBIA 11 PENNSYLVANIA 33 CORNELL 20 HARVARD 17 YALE 7 SEASON COMPLETE ______________________________________________________________ METRO ATLANTIC ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L X - GEORGETOWN (DC) Hoyas 7 0 9 2 DUQUESNE Dukes 6 1 7 3 FAIRFIELD Stags 4 3 7 3 SIENA Saints 4 3 6 3 MARIST Red Foxes 4 3 6 4 CANISIUS Golden Griffins 2 5 3 7 ST PETER'S Peacocks 1 6 1 9 ST JOHN'S (NY) Red Storm 0 0 7 3 IONA Gaels 0 7 0 10 X - CLINCHED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP LAST WEEK'S RESULTS ______________________________________________________________ MID EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L X -- HAMPTON Pirates 7 0 10 1 FLORIDA A&M Rattlers 5 2 9 2 SOUTH CAROLINA ST Bulldogs 5 2 9 2 HOWARD Bison 4 3 7 4 NORTH CAROLINA A&T Aggies 3 4 7 4 MORGAN ST Bears 2 5 3 7 BETHUNE-COOKMAN Wildcats 1 6 4 7 DELAWARE ST Hornets 1 6 3 8 X -- CLINCHED AUTOMATIC PLAYOFF BERTH LAST WEEK'S RESULTS SO CAROLINA ST 33 N CAROLINA A&T 18 HAMPTON 10 MORGAN ST 0 FLORIDA A&M 52 BETHUNE-COOKMAN 35 HOWARD 40 DELAWARE ST 21 END REGULAR SEASON ______________________________________________________________ NORTHEAST CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L X - ROBERT MORRIS Colonials 4 0 8 3 MONMOUTH (NJ) Hawks 3 1 5 4 WAGNER Seahawks 2 2 6 4 C CONNECTICUT ST Blue Devils 1 3 5 5 ST FRANCIS (PA) Red Flash 0 4 2 9 X - CLINCHED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP ____________________________________________________________ OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L EASTERN KENTUCKY Colonels 7 0 8 3 EASTERN ILLINOIS Panthers 5 2 8 3 MURRAY ST Racers 5 2 7 4 TENNESSEE TECH Golden Eagles 4 3 6 5 TENNESSEE ST Tigers 4 3 4 7 MIDDLE TENNESSEE Blue Raiders 2 4 4 6 SE MISSOURI ST Indians 1 6 4 7 TENNESSEE-MARTIN Skyhawks 0 7 1 10 LAST WEEK'S RESULTS EASTERN KY 49 EASTERN ILL 7 TENNESSEE TECH 30 MIDDLE TENNESSEE 20 TENNESSEE ST 32 SE MISSOURI ST 27 END REGULAR SEASON ______________________________________________________________ PATRIOT LEAGUE CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L COLGATE Red Raiders 6 0 7 4 BUCKNELL Bison 5 1 10 1 FORDHAM Rams 4 2 5 6 LEHIGH Mountainhawks 2 4 4 7 LAFAYETTE Leopards 2 4 3 8 HOLY CROSS Crusaders 1 5 3 8 TOWSON ST Tigers 1 5 3 7 LAST WEEK'S RESULTS COLGATE 48 BUCKNELL 14 FORDHAM 28 HOLY CROSS 12 LEHIGH 43 LAFAYETTE 31 END REGULAR SEASON ______________________________________________________________ PIONEER LEAGUE CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L (X) DAYTON Flyers 5 0 9 1 SAN DIEGO Toreros 4 1 8 3 DRAKE Bulldogs 2 3 8 3 BUTLER Bulldogs 2 3 6 4 VALPARAISO Crusaders 2 3 3 7 EVANSVILLE Purple Aces 0 5 2 8 (X) -- CLINCHED LEAGUE TITLE ______________________________________________________________ SOUTHERN CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L X - GEORGIA SOUTHERN Eagles 7 1 9 2 APPALACHIAN ST Mountaineers 6 2 7 4 EAST TENNESSEE ST Buccaneers 5 3 7 4 FURMAN Paladins 5 3 7 4 CHATTANOOGA Mocs 4 4 7 4 THE CITADEL Bulldogs 4 4 6 5 WESTERN CAROLINA Catamounts 3 5 3 8 WOFFORD Terriers 2 6 3 7 VIRGINIA MILITARY Keydets 0 8 0 11 X - CLINCHED AUTOMATIC PLAYOFF BERTH LAST WEEK'S RESULTS EAST TENN ST 17 VMI 7 FURMAN 43 TENNESSEE CHAT 21 END REGULAR SEASON ______________________________________________________________ SOUTHLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L X -- MCNEESE ST Cowboys 6 1 10 1 NORTHWESTERN ST (LA) Demons 6 1 8 3 S F AUSTIN ST Lumberjacks 5 2 8 3 NICHOLLS ST Colonels 3 4 5 6 SAM HOUSTON ST Bearkats 3 4 5 6 SOUTHWEST TEXAS ST Bobcats 2 5 5 6 TROY ST Trojans 2 5 5 6 JACKSONVILLE ST Gamecocks 1 6 1 10 X -- CLINCHED AUTOMATIC PLAYOFF BERTH LAST WEEK'S RESULTS MCNEESE ST 31 NICHOLLS ST 13 SAM HOUSTON ST 35 SW TEXAS ST 30 NORTHWESTERN ST 38 S F AUSTIN 24 TROY ST 49 JACKSONVILLE ST 0 END REGULAR SEASON ______________________________________________________________ SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OVERALL W L W L SOUTHERN-BATON ROUGE Jaguars 6 0 9 1 JACKSON ST Tigers 6 1 9 2 TEXAS SOUTHERN Tigers 4 3 5 6 ALCORN ST Braves 4 4 4 7 MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ST Delta Devils 3 4 4 6 GRAMBLING ST Tigers 2 4 3 7 ALABAMA ST Hornets 1 5 3 7 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M Panthers 0 7 0 9 LAST WEEK'S RESULTS ALCORN ST AT JACKSON ST, 1:00 PM THIS WEEK'S CONFERENCE SCHEDULE GRAMBLING vs SOUTHERN at New Orleans ______________________________________________________________ INDEPENDENTS W L CAL POLY-SLO Mustangs 10 1 WESTERN KENTUCKY Hilltoppers 9 1 HOFSTRA Flying Dutchmen 9 2 LIBERTY Flames 9 2 MOREHEAD STATE Eagles 7 3 SAMFORD Bulldogs 7 4 SOUTHERN UTAH Thunderbirds 5 6 SOUTH FLORIDA Bulls 5 6 ST MARY'S (CA) Gaels 4 6 DAVIDSON Wildcats 3 8 BUFFALO Bulls 2 9 LA SALLE Explorers 1 8 CHARLESTON SOUTHERN Buccaneers 1 9 AUSTIN PEAY Governors 0 10 END REGULAR SEASON ************************************************************** VI. THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE REMAINING 1997 I-AA REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27 --------------------- SACRED HEART @ ST JOHNS TUSKEGEE @ ALABAMA ST * * * * * * SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29 --------------------- GRAMBLING VS SOUTHERN @ NEW ORLEANS, LA ********************************************************* VII. NEWS AND NOTES DIVISION I-AA COLLEGE FOOTBALL PERFORMANCE RATINGS BY DAVID WILSON For a combined Division I-A/I-AA list, see: http://www.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/byrate97.html A team's rating is the average of its opponents' ratings plus 100 for a win or minus 100 for a loss excluding wins that would lower the rating and losses that would raise the rating. Post-season games count double. These ratings are in the public domain and may be freely published. For further information, visit the rec.sport.football.college homepage (http://www.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/rsfc/) and click on "My Own Rating System" under point 6. W L W L #=Division I-AA Non-scholarship 61 Troy St. 5 6 384 1 Villanova 11 0 790 62 S. Utah 5 6 376 2 Delaware 10 1 690 St. Mary's, Cal. 4 6 376 3 W. Illinois 10 1 621 64 Tn.-Chattanooga 7 4 375 4 Northeastern 8 3 590 65 Samford 7 4 370 5 William & Mary 7 4 571 Sacramento St. 1 10 370 6 #Harvard 9 1 564 67 Citadel 6 5 364 7 Youngstown St. 9 2 563 68 N. Carolina A&T 7 4 356 8 #Bucknell 10 1 560 69 SW Missouri St. 5 6 347 9 Hampton U. 10 1 556 70 E. Illinois 8 3 345 10 Richmond 6 5 553 71 #Elon 7 4 342 11 E. Washington 10 1 550 72 Murray St. 7 4 331 12 Cal Poly-SLO 10 1 545 73 Tennessee Tech 6 5 328 13 Hofstra 9 2 541 74 #Georgetown, D.C. 8 3 326 14 McNeese St. 10 1 532 75 W. Carolina 3 8 318 15 #Dartmouth 8 2 525 76 Ark.-Pine Bluff 8 3 313 16 Montana 8 3 520 77 Tennessee St. 4 7 311 17 #Colgate 7 4 519 78 #Yale 1 9 300 Connecticut 7 4 519 79 Jacksonville St. 1 10 296 19 Liberty 9 2 518 80 Indiana St. 3 8 294 20 N. Iowa 7 4 513 81 #Monmouth, N.J. 5 4 285 21 Southern U. 9 1 506 82 S. Illinois 3 8 279 22 W. Kentucky 9 1 505 Wofford 3 7 279 23 James Madison 5 6 503 84 #Duquesne 7 3 276 New Hampshire 5 6 503 85 Middle Tenn. 4 6 273 25 NW Louisiana 8 3 496 86 Norfolk St. 3 7 262 26 #Penn 6 4 490 87 #Morehead St. 7 3 260 27 Stephen F.Ausn 8 3 486 88 Illinois St. 2 9 256 28 Maine 5 6 482 89 Delaware St. 3 8 250 29 Florida A&M 9 2 480 90 Morgan St. 3 7 248 30 #Brown 6 4 477 91 #Fairfield 7 3 247 31 CS Northridge 6 6 468 #St. John's, NY 7 3 247 32 Montana St. 6 5 467 93 Bethune-Cookman 4 7 246 #Cornell 5 5 467 94 Buffalo 2 9 244 34 N. Arizona 6 5 466 95 #Siena 6 3 243 #Dayton 9 1 466 96 Alcorn St. 4 7 233 36 #Princeton 5 5 465 97 #San Diego 8 3 232 37 #Lehigh 4 7 464 98 SE Missouri 4 7 230 38 Weber St. 6 5 460 99 Texas Southern 5 6 221 39 S. Carolina St.9 2 455 100 South Florida 5 6 219 40 Georgia Souther9 2 453 101 #Marist 6 4 217 41 #Fordham 5 6 446 102 #Drake 8 3 204 42 Portland St. 4 7 441 103 #Butler 6 4 202 43 Appalachian St.7 4 428 104 Miss. Valley St. 4 6 187 44 Rhode Island 2 9 427 Alabama St. 3 7 187 45 SW Texas St. 5 6 426 106 VMI 0 11 179 46 Nicholls St. 5 6 425 107 #Wagner 6 4 173 47 Jackson St. 9 2 424 108 #Central Conn. St. 5 5 171 48 Idaho St. 3 8 421 109 Grambling St. 3 7 157 49 #Lafayette 3 8 412 110 #Valparaiso 3 7 133 50 Massachusetts 2 9 404 111 Charleston So. 1 9 132 Boston U. 1 10 404 112 Tenn.-Martin 1 10 130 52 Sam Houston St.5 6 403 113 #Evansville 2 8 63 53 Furman 7 4 400 114 Austin Peay 0 10 30 #Holy Cross 3 8 400 115 #St. Francis, Pa. 2 9 14 #Columbia 3 7 400 116 #Canisius 3 7 -15 56 E. Tennessee St7 4 397 117 Prairie View 0 9 -150 57 E. Kentucky 8 3 388 118 LaSalle 1 8 -168 58 #Robert Morris 8 3 387 119 #St. Peter's 1 9 -268 59 Howard U. 7 4 386 120 #Iona 0 10 -368 60 #Towson St. 3 7 385 SECOND-GUESSING THE PLAYOFF SELECTION COMMITTEE: We have our sixteen team field, and one of these teams is going to be a national champion a month from now. I have said for the last few weeks that there will be some teams that were sitting on a bubble that burst last week, and these are the teams that have reason to be disappointed: CAL POLY-SLO: At 10-1, the Mustangs have the best record among the Independents. Two independents were taken, Western Kentucky, which has been highly regarded all season, and Hofstra, which beat Liberty last week. Liberty beat Cal Poly earlier this year, so transitivity could have played a role in the committee's decision. LIBERTY: I thought the 9-2 Flames might finally make the playoffs by beating Appalachian State on the road with a possible berth on the line for the Mountaineers. That loss to Hofstra a couple of weeks ago could have really hurt the Lynchburg bunch. STEPHEN F AUSTIN: The Jacks did not finish strong, and NW Louisiana was ahead of them in the standings. At 8-3, I thought they might sneak in from a strong Southland Football League this year, but it wasn't to be. No conference got more than two teams in this year, and that might have played against SFA. NORTHEASTERN: Northeastern finished 8-3, but the three losses were within the league. That didn't help the Huskies' cause. EASTERN ILLINOIS: The 8-3 Panthers didn't only lose the league title to Eastern Kentucky this weekend, they lost it by a 42-point margin, at home, which couldn't have reflected well on the committee. Other teams that could have been 8-3 with a win and might have gotten consideration include Connecticut (lost to New Hampshire), Appalachian State (lost to Liberty) and Chattanooga (lost to Furman). In general, I think that the teams that were selected, and the teams that were not selected, indicate that the parity of I-AA is increasing. Consider this: * Of last year's playoff participants, only Montana, Delaware, Jackson State and Florida A&M are back. * The Yankee, the Big Sky, the Southland and the Southern Conferences have placed three teams in the playoffs in the past. None of these leagues had more than two participants this year, and the Southern has only one. * Independents made a big comeback this season. No independent made the playoffs last season; two are in this year, and two more were in the running. * Many of the early-season favorites fell by the wayside in the end. William & Mary, East Tennesse State, Northern Iowa, Northern Arizona, S F Austin, Troy State, Eastern Illinois and Furman are some of the teams that were early favorites this season that are now looking to 1998. When I look at the field, I can see many good football teams but I can't see a clear favorite for the national title. Anybody could win it this season, and I think that particularly in the second and third rounds there are going to be a lot of nailbiters played. ************************************************************** VIII. I-AA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TICKETS The 1997 Division I-AA National Championship Game will be held at the University of Chattanooga's Finley Stadium on Saturday, December 20. Tickets may be ordered by contacting the University of Chattanooga at (715) 266-6627. All seats are $15.00. ************************************************************** IX. SUBMITTING NEWS TO I-AA PREVIEW This magazine depends upon submissions from readers in order to provide as wide a scope of coverage for as many teams and conferences as possible. All submissions will be included in the newsletter; however, I reserve the right to edit these for content and brevity. Please send submissions to me at pdunn@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu no later than noon Wednesday to ensure their inclusion. ************************************************************** X. DISCLAIMERS I-AA PREVIEW is a fan driven publication with the mission of supplying followers of I-AA football with accurate information. It appears weekly from late August until the conclusion of the playoffs, usually each Wednesday night. Because of the nature of this publication, errors in factual data will occasionally occur. If these are observed, please bring them to my attention at the address below so that a correction (if relevant) can be made. You may subscribe to I-AA Preview by sending along a message indicating your desire to receive the newsletter to the email address indicated below. The newsletter is free of charge, except for any service charges you might incur from your online service carrier. Please indicate your CORRECT email address. BOUNCES WILL BE REMOVED. If you have sent along a message telling me that you want to receive the preview and you are not receiving it, please let me know; we can try to work out the problem. The newsletter is also available on the World Wide Web at http://www.cae.wisc.edu/~dwilson/rsfc/pdunniaa.txt Webmasters, if you wish to include the preview on your homepage, please let me know--I will include your URL above. Patrick Dunn Editor, I-AA Preview pdunn@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu "How often must have come the memory of the old football battles in rain and snow, in sun and shadow, the flying tackle and the savage line thrust, the forward wall braced for the shock, the graceful spiral careening against a sky of blue and gray, the long run down the field, the goal line stand, the forward pass, the singing and cheering of great crowds, young and old America gathered together on a golden afternoon with bands playing and banners flying? It may have been in the midst of such a dream that the call to quarters came, and taps was sounded as the Great Knight came down the field." Grantland Rice, in tribute to Walter Camp, 1925 ********************************************************************** --=====================_880619289==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" --=====================_880619289==_--