FOOTBALL: Will Lamar get into FCS’ Big Dance?
Published 10:07 pm Saturday, November 17, 2018
Lamar fans can start talking about (the possibility of being in) the playoffs, if they haven’t already.
Two months ago, any hopes of getting into the NCAA Division I playoffs seemed to be dashed.
The same Cardinals who lost four straight — including back-to-back nail-biters in Beaumont — have won six in a row after defeating a ranked opponent for the third time this season, knocking off McNeese State 21-17 in Lake Charles. The victory means Lamar (7-4, 6-3 Southland) has finished third in one of the Football Championship Subdivision’s most talented conferences, finishing just a full game behind Nicholls State (8-3, 7-2) and half-game behind Incarnate Word (6-4, 6-2).
There’s only one problem for the Cards — despite such a strong finish, a playoff berth is not guaranteed. Nicholls won the automatic qualifying berth from the Southland while Incarnate Word was declared a co-champion because it has the same number of losses despite playing only eight games under the Southland’s current scheduling rotation.
At 11:30 a.m. Sunday, the NCAA Division I playoff committee will release its field of 24 teams on ESPNU. The field will include 10 automatic qualifiers (top finishers of 10 conferences, some of whom shared their league titles) and 14 at-large selections.
Following are cases for Lamar making the playoffs and cases for being denied:
THE PROS
Lamar is the hottest team in the Southland with its winning streak — which started with a miracle blocked-kick return by Caleb Abrom to defeat Incarnate Word on Oct. 13. Incarnate Word has won a share of the Southland.
The Cards’ wins over ranked teams (at the time of victory) include 41-23 over 2017 national semifinalist Sam Houston State, which was No. 14 in the STATS FCS Top 25; 38-24 over 2017 unbeaten Southland champion Central Arkansas, which was No. 19; and Saturday’s win over McNeese, a perennial power in the Southland. Coach Mike Schultz’s Cards have more than exceeded the prediction of finishing 10th out of 11 teams in the Southland.
The Southland has a history of sending multiple teams to the Division I playoffs. Nicholls shocked league pundits by receiving the Southland’s third tournament bid despite having lost its regular-season finale to Southeastern Louisiana to finish tied for third with McNeese at 7-2 in standings. But a season-opening win over McNeese apparently carried more weight with the NCAA committee.
THE CONS
A little more luck at home would have helped Lamar win the conference outright, but the Cardinals dropped a 49-48 decision to Northwestern State (after trailing 28-0) and the next week lost 30-24 to Southeastern Louisiana. Both of those teams tied for eighth place in the Southland.
No team has had three losses in Southland play and been selected for the NCAA playoffs since Sam Houston State went 4-3 in 2013. The Bearkats beat Southern Utah 51-20 but lost in the round of 16 to Southeastern Louisiana 30-29.
Lamar didn’t earn a win over a Division I team in nonconference play, which would have been extra credit in the committee’s eyes, but a 77-0 loss to Texas Tech may not be very penalizing to the Cards’ hopes, either, given the Red Raiders play in the Big 12.
POSTSEASON HISTORY
Lamar has never competed in the NCAA playoffs but has played in two bowl games during the pre-playoff era despite winning shares of four Southland championships (1964-66, 1971). The Cards lost to Middle Tennessee State 21-14 in the 1961 Tangerine Bowl and Northern Iowa 19-17 in the 1964 Pecan Bowl.
The NCAA began a tournament for FCS teams in 1978, when the subdivision was known as I-AA. Football Bowl Subdivision teams were considered I-A at the time.
WHO QUALIFIED?
The automatic qualifiers for the 2018 playoffs, according to STATS FCS Football, include:
- Weber State (Big Sky; shared title with Eastern Washington and California-Davis); Kennesaw State (Big South); Maine (Colonial Athletic Association); North Dakota State (Missouri Valley Football Conference); Duquesne (Northeast Conference; shared with Sacred Heart); Jacksonville State (Ohio Valley Conference); Colgate (Patriot League); University of San Diego (Pioneer Football League); Wofford (Southern Conference; shared title with East Tennessee State and Furman); and Nicholls.
The Ivy League (won by Princeton), Mid-Eastern Athletic and Southwestern Athletic conferences do not send teams to the Division I playoffs. MEAC champion North Carolina A&T awaits either Alcorn State, Grambling State or Southern in the Celebration Bowl in December.
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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews