FCS Afternoon: Countdown to the 2008 Playoffs

Series:
FCS Playoff Watch 2008 #1
FCS Playoff Watch 2008 #2
FCS Playoff Watch 2008 #3
FCS Playoff Watch 2008 #4
FCS Afternoon: Countdown to the 2008 Playoffs
FCS Playoffs 2008: Bracket Projection
FCS Bracket Announced: Comment and Predictions
FCS Playoffs 2008: Results and Quarterfinals Predictions
FCS Playoffs 2008: Results and Semifinals Predictions
FCS Playoffs 2008: Results, Final Prediction, and FBS comment

Consequential scores and updates as the afternoon progresses:

1:28PM
Three important games have reached halftime:

Richmond 20
William and Mary 0
It looks like the Spiders are heading back to the playoffs. The Tribe now needs a miracle.

New Hampshire 14
Maine 10
An animal mascot battle royale in Orono.

Furman 10
Wofford 21
It looks like the Terriers will complete their recovery from their thrashing at Appalachian State three weeks ago.

Update (1) 2:22 PM
At the half:

Holy Cross 24
Colgate 14
The Crusaders are attempting to steal a bid on the road.

Elon 3
Liberty 13
If this result holds it would be huge. It has the potential to make the race for the final at-large spots as clear as mud, especially given that Maine is up 3 against New Hampshire after 3 quarters.

James Madison 37
Towson 13
The Dukes are 30 minutes away from the #1 seed.

Eastern Kentucky 24
Tennessee Martin 6
This one is not going to form, but, then, that is why we play!

Update (2) 2:52 PM

Furman 10
Wofford 35
final
What does a dancing Terrier look like?

UNH 28
Maine 24
final
UNH escapes, and the playoff picture becomes a great deal clearer.

Update (3) 2:57
William & Mary just tied it up at 20 with 18 sections left in the fourth quarter (!!!). Just when you thought things were clear.

Update (4) 3:01
William & Mary and Richmond are going into overtime

Update (5) 3:08
Richmond blocks William & Mary's FG attempt in overtime.

Update (6) 3:13

William & Mary 20
Richmond 23
final/OT
A 37 yard field goal wins it in the first overtime for the Spiders, who move on to the playoffs. It looks like the Tribe is staying at home. Meanwhile, Liberty has extended their lead to 16-3 verson Elon, and Colgate has recovered to take a 28-27 lead.

Update (7) 3:31 PM
At the half:

Montana State 3
Montana 14

Eastern Washington 20
Weber State 7
This result could 0pen up another seed, probably for Villanova, perhaps for Northern Iowa.

Southern Illinois 3
Illinois State 3
Gooooooooo Saloooooooookis!!!!!!!!!

Update (8) 3:51 PM

Colgate 28
Holy Cross 27
final
The Raiders will be representing the Patriot League. Meanwhile, Liberty has extended their lead against Elon to 19-3, and Villanova takes a 14-0 lead at Delaware into halftime.

Update (9) 3:58 PM
Cal Poly has taken a 7-0 lead at Wisconsin (!!!).

Update (10) 4:05 PM
Elon is running out of time at Liberty, Tennessee-Martin has clawed back to a two-point deficit in the OVC deciding game versus Eastern Kentucky, and Texas State is down 21-7 at Sam Houston State, which means that we could be waiting quite some time before the Southlands auto-bid is decided.

Update (11) 4:07 PM

Elon 3
Liberty 26
final
Will we see the Flames in the playoffs? I think so!

Update (12) 4:17 PM

James Madison 58
Towson 27
final
The Dukes are our #1 seed.

Eastern Kentucky 33
Tennessee-Martin 31
final
The Skyhawks fall short, and the Colonels will represent the OVC.

Update (13) 4:27 PM
Cal Poly has taken a 13-0 lead at Wisconsin after a punt return for a TD, but missed the PAT.

Update (14) 4:31 PM
That woke Wisconsin up. Cal Poly now up 13-7.

At the half:
Texas State 13
Sam Houston State 21

Northern Iowa 17
Southern Utah 17

Appalachian State 7
Western Carolina 10

One auto-bid contender and two seed contenders are playing flat, not to mention my Salukis, who are still in a 3-3 tie in the fourth quarter.

Update (15) 4:56 PM

Montana State 7
Montana 35
final
The Grizzlies now become Wisconsin fans:

Cal Poly 20
Wisconsin 14
half

Update (16) 5:12 PM

Eastern Washington 33
Weber State 26
final
Eastern Washington does not have a shot at an at-large, but they probably just cost Weber State a seed. Meanwhile, Southern Illinois goes into overtime at Illinois State at 10-10. GRRRR.

Update (17) 5:27 PM

Southern Illinois 17
Illinois State 10
final/1OT
Not the way to head into the championships, but, then, an MVFC championship and an auto-bid is not bad for a rookie coach. And now I do not have to figure out whether an 8-3 Southern Illinois would have been worthy of an at-large bid. *PHEW* Elsewhere, Villanova is about to wrap things up at Delaware, Appalachian State and Northern Iowa are exercising second half domination, Cal Poly is holding on to a 20-14 lead at Wisconsin, and Texas State has recovered to take a 35-28 lead at Sam Houston State.

Update (18) 5:37 PM

Seeding thoughts:

With a Cal Poly win:

1. James Madison
2. Cal Poly
3. Appalachian State
4. Montana

With a Wisconsin win:

1. James Madison
2. Appalachian State
3. Montana
4. Villanova

Villanova 21
Delaware 7
final

Update (19) 5:52 PM

Northern Iowa 34
Southern Utah 24
final
Northern Iowa probably has the second best case after Villanova for a seed should Wisconsin prevail, but Cal Poly is still up, 23-21.

Update (20) 6:00 PM

Cal Poly 29
Wisconsin 21
8:12 4th
Another missed PAT for Cal Poly

Update (21) 6:08 PM

Texas State and Sam Houston State are tied at 42 heading into overtime.

Appalachian State 35
Western Carolina 10
final
Appalachian State is looking at the #2 or #3 seed.

Update (22) 6:23 PM

Cal Poly 29
Wisconsin 29
1:42 left
Cal Poly displayed both prevent-winning office and defense, and followed that up by letting Wisconsin in on a 2 point conversion.

Update (23) 6:26 PM

Texas State 48
Sam Houston State 45
final/2OT
Texas State clinches the Southlands auto-bid, so the only remaining game of significance is Cal Poly/Wisconsin

Update (24) 6:35 PM
Cal Poly misses a 46-yard field goal to win it at the end, and it looks like it is headed for overtime. *HOLD THAT* Cal Poly interception - they have another shot at it. Time expires. OT it is.

Update (25) 6:42 PM
Cal Poly 36
Wisconsin 37
final/OT
Another missed extra point by Cal Poly, the third of the game, was the deciding factor.

Time to pull out the atlas and figure out playoff pairings. A bracket projection will follow some time this evening.