By Steven J. Gaither
Heading into the final week of the FCS season, a lot is still up for grabs in the MEAC. North Carolina A&T currently sits alone atop the MEAC with a 6-1 conference record heading into its matchup against rival North Carolina Central. If A&T wins, it gets the bid. It’s just that simple.
If they don’t win, things get really interesting. Many fans and prognosticators, including us, wondered just how the MEAC’s automatic FCS bid will be decided if A&T loses while the other four teams with two losses win.
Today the MEAC released a statement explaining how that would work.
Check it out below:
In the event of a tie, the head-to-head criteria would be used first. The automatic bid will be awarded to the team with the best record against the other tied teams, regardless if all have played each other. If a tie still remains, a points system based on the tied teams’ non-conference record would determine the team that will be awarded the Conference’s automatic bid.
If North Carolina A&T State and North Carolina Central tie for first, then North Carolina Central earns the automatic bid based on its head-to-head win over North Carolina A&T State.
Three (3) three-way ties are possible.
The three-way tie including Morgan State, North Carolina A&T State, and North Carolina Central all finishing at number one would giveNorth Carolina A&T State the Conference’s automatic bid. North Carolina A&T State would earn the bid based on its eight (8) point advantage in non-conference play. Because all teams remained tied after the first criteria, head-to-head, then the automatic bid was awarded based on non-conference wins.
If North Carolina A&T State, North Carolina Central and South Carolina State finish at number one, a three-way tie would occur andNorth Carolina Central would earn the Conference’s automatic bid. In this scenario N.C. Central would hold head-to-head wins over both North Carolina A&T State and South Carolina State.
If Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina A&T State, and North Carolina Central finish at number one, three-way tie, then Bethune-Cookman will receive the conference’s automatic bid based on its record versus all-tied teams.
Three (3) four-way ties are possible.
If North Carolina A&T State, North Carolina Central, Morgan State and South Carolina State all finish in first place, then Morgan Statewill receive the conference’s automatic bid based on its record versus all-tied teams.
If Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina A&T State, North Carolina Central and South Carolina State finish first, then North Carolina Central will receive the Conference’s automatic bid. Again, this determination would be based on N.C. Central’s record versus all-tied teams.
If Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina A&T State, North Carolina Central, and Morgan State finish at number one, then Bethune-Cookman will receive the Conference’s automatic bid. The determination of the bid is based on the B-CU’s record versus all-tied teams.
A five-way tie is possible.
The possibility of a five-way tie exists if Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina A&T State, North Carolina Central, Morgan State and South Carolina State all finish at 6-2 in conference play. Each team will share the conference title and Morgan State will receive the conference’s automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA Division I FCS Championship based on its record versus all-tied teams.
MEAC Tiebreaker:
1. If NCAT wins: (AQ: NCAT)
2. If NCCU wins, NCAT loses, BCU loses, SCSU loses and MSU loses: (AQ: NCCU)
3. If NCCU wins, NCAT loses, BCU loses, MSU wins, SCSU loses (AQ: NCAT)
4. If NCCU wins, NCAT loses, BCU loses, MSU loses, and SCSU wins (AQ: NCCU)
5. If NCCU wins, NCAT loses, BCU wins, SCSU loses and MSU loses (AQ: BCU)
6. If NCCU wins, NCAT loses, BCU loses, MSU wins, and SCSU wins (AQ: MSU)
7. If NCCU wins, NCAT loses, BCU wins, MSU loses and SCSU wins (AQ: NCCU)
8. If NCCU wins, NCAT loses, BCU wins, MSU wins and SCSU loses (AQ: BCU)
9. If NCCU wins, NCAT loses, BCU wins, MSU wins, and SCSU wins: (AQ: MSU)
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