C-USA Tie Breaker information

[Harry]

Two-team or multiple team tie for divisional champion:
1. Highest regular season winning percentage based on overall Conference USA play.
2. If tied, head to head between tied teams.
3. If still tied, highest winning percentage within division.
4. If still tied, compare records against divisional opponents in descending order of finish.
5. If still tied, compare records with common cross-divisional opponents.
6. If still tied, compare records against cross-divisional opponents in descending order of finish.
7. If still tied, team with highest BCS ranking.
8. If still tied, the representative will be the team that has not participated in the championship game most recently.
9. If at any point the tie is broken in a multiple team tie, the remaining teams will begin the process again at #2.

[NTSUEagle]

Two-team or multiple team tie for divisional champion:

1. Highest regular season winning percentage based on overall Conference USA play.

2. If tied, head to head between tied teams.

3. If still tied, highest winning percentage within division.

4. If still tied, compare records against divisional opponents in descending order of finish.

5. If still tied, compare records with common cross-divisional opponents.

6. If still tied, compare records against cross-divisional opponents in descending order of finish.

7. If still tied, team with highest BCS ranking.

8. If still tied, the representative will be the team that has not participated in the championship game most recently.

9. If at any point the tie is broken in a multiple team tie, the remaining teams will begin the process again at #2.

This is too much to digest at this current time...as I am still heavily drinking, after somehow getting Home safely. GO MEAN GREEN!!!

[An Aquarian]

It's just awesome to think about though!

[JesseMartin]

Are we sure this is official? I've seen a bunch of stuff that shows it as the "recommendation" for tie breakers, and other times it's been said that it's just the highest BCS ranking if it's anything other than two teams that have played each other already. With the 50 links to discussions all over the place saying it's this or that, I'm just curious if you got it confirmed that this is indeed the formula.

[Cerebus]

If this is correct, and we assume rice, Tulane and us finish with one loss AND that one Tulane loss is to rice then:

Rice is eliminated by the cross divisional step.

Logic is then reatarted by step 9 and we are eliminated by head to head.

Simply put, we need Tulane to lose twice.

[Cerebus]

I've also heard the tiebreaker is simple BCS standings. If so, we need Ball St to win out, that will be the best win among the group and would help out standing tremendously.

[EagleD]

Logic is then reatarted .

On the internet?

[UNT90]

If this is correct, and we assume rice, Tulane and us finish with one loss AND that one Tulane loss is to rice then:

Rice is eliminated by the cross divisional step.

Logic is then reatarted by step 9 and we are eliminated by head to head.

Simply put, we need Tulane to lose twice.

Who has Rice lost to in the East Division?

The way I read it, it comes down to the BCS ratings in both the 3 way tie scenario, and then again after the 3rd team has been eliminated.

Am I missing something?

[LongJim]

Who has Rice lost to in the East Division?

Mike, I may be wrong, but I think it doesn't only involve losing. Beating a cross-divisional team with a higher place in the standing also applies--again if I'm not mistaken. Highest team in the standings that Rice has beaten is Flantic. UNT has beaten MUTS. We need MUTS to keep winning, and for Tulane to lose twice, since they have beaten ECU already.

[UNT90]

Interesting wording. It says compare records in descending order of finish, so that means if we beat a higher placed team in the East, Rice is out?

That is one weird tie breaker if that is truly the case.

Hopefully Tulane's run on amazing good fortune ends this weekend and then they lose another.

Rice may have a hard time with Tulane, who is very good against the run.

[foutsrouts]

If this is correct, and we assume rice, Tulane and us finish with one loss AND that one Tulane loss is to rice then:

Rice is eliminated by the cross divisional step.

Logic is then reatarted by step 9 and we are eliminated by head to head.

Simply put, we need Tulane to lose twice.

Unless something really strange happens, that looks correct to me, since Rice played the weakest cross-divisional teams and Tulane beat E. Carolina. We REALLY need FAU to step up tomorrow. With their weak remaining schedule (S. Miss, NMSU, FIU) to finish the season, FAU would actually have a chance of bowl eligibility as motivation if they can beat Tulane. Go FAU!

[LongJim]

Interesting wording. It says compare records in descending order of finish, so that means if we beat a higher placed team in the East, Rice is out?

UNT now has the tiebreaker with Rice. They are in the rearview mirror as long as UNT wins out.

[NorthTexan95]

It seems everyone agrees that if Rich, Tulane, and UNT all finish at 7-1 in conference with their only loss being to each other, then the fourth tie breaker will come into play:

4. If still tied, compare records against divisional opponents in descending order of finish.

* Rice defeated FAU and has yet to play UAB

* Tulane beat ECU (ugh) and plays FAU this week

* We beat MTSU and USM

The tie breaker will come down to who beat the best team in the Eastern Division. Right now that is Tulane's victory over ECU.

Here are the current Eastern Division standings:

EAST CONF OVERALL East Carolina 3-1 5-2 Marshall 2-1 4-3 Middle Tennessee 2-2 4-4 UAB 1-2 2-5 Florida International 1-2 1-6 Florida Atlantic 1-4 2-6 x - Southern Miss 0-3 0-7

MTSU is currently a half game behind ECU but they lost to ECU as well. MTSU remaining schedule is all winnable (UAB, FIU, USM, UTEP).

ECU's remaining conference schedule: at FIU, Tulsa, UAB, @ Marshall

So we really need MTSU to win out and ECU to lose two of their final games. If Tulane would just lose two more games (possible with their lackluster offense) then it would negate the need for these tiebreakers as we would have the division title via our tiebreaker over Rice. While I would always prefer the conference title ... if it doesn't work out being at the HoD bowl would be a nice consolation prize.

This tie breaker of using the best win against the other division makes some sense but it's also completely unfair because we're at the mercy of the conference schedulers. But then again, we're at the mercy of ECU coughing up the home game against Tulane.

I believe I have all of this correct but could have missed something.

Edited November 1, 2013 by NorthTexan95

[LongJim]

UNT needs to keep winning. MUTS needs to keep winning. ECU and Tulane need to lose and lose often.

[foutsrouts]

Realistically (with assumptions), if Rice and NT win out, with Tulane only losing to Rice resulting in a 3 way tie, ECU needs to lose to both Tulsa and Marshall for us to get in. Of course Middle has to win out too.

[NorthTexan95]

Realistically (with assumptions), if Rice and NT win out, with Tulane only losing to Rice resulting in a 3 way tie, ECU needs to lose to both Tulsa and Marshall for us to get in. Of course Middle has to win out too.

If Tulane loses twice it doesn't matter what MTSU does (assuming we win out). We would be tied with Rice at 7-1 and we take the division title. So we need EITHER Tulane to lose twice ... OR MTSU to win out AND ECU to lose twice.

Let's go, FAU!

[VideoEagle]

First, we need to take care of business and win out. That's not a given even though we will likely be favored in all three games. In 100 years, we've only had four 9 or more win seasons.

[filmerj]

#Hit7

[UNT90]

I'm obviously having brain trouble this AM.

Can't believe one of the steps isn't in conference point differential.

Edited November 1, 2013 by UNT90

[EagleGreen]

1. We need to win out
2. FAU needs a win this weekend
3. Tulane needs a loss
4. Done deal

[musmagic]

ECU alum here....just curious about the tiebreaker rules and came across your forum...chose to weigh in.

Now that FAU beat Tulane (who knew?), UNT needs Rice to beat Tulane in their season finale and UNT will win the West.

As long as ECU wins the rest of their games (possible, but we'll see), UNT will visit Greenville, NC and witness one of the best NCAA football atmospheres out there.

But, if UNT and ECU are tied at the end of the season overrall....we'll have to speculate once again!

Good luck, welcome to CUSA and congrats on the success so far.

[MeanGreenTexan]

ECU alum here....just curious about the tiebreaker rules and came across your forum...chose to weigh in.

Now that FAU beat Tulane (who knew?), UNT needs Rice to beat Tulane in their season finale and UNT will win the West.

As long as ECU wins the rest of their games (possible, but we'll see), UNT will visit Greenville, NC and witness one of the best NCAA football atmospheres out there.

But, if UNT and ECU are tied at the end of the season overrall....we'll have to speculate once again!

Good luck, welcome to CUSA and congrats on the success so far.

If this scenario unfolds, I predict that the only way ECU wins would be if the game is played in Greenville. You're not winning in Denton.

[musmagic]

Curious...how is the atmosphere at UNT?

Attendance?

I'm assuming, with all the comments and support on your forum, it's pretty high.

ECU seats 50,000+ and A LOT of those tailgate...starting early to cook pigs and such.

As an ECU fan, I would like to see a different opponent (UNT) in the Championship game....again, assuming ECU and UNT does their part!

[flyonthewall]

I would be shocked if Toolame beats San Antonio of Univerisity of Texas. But.... I was shocked that toolame beat ECU. Ball must have really bounced in their favor just like against us.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Curious...how is the atmosphere at UNT?

Attendance?

I'm assuming, with all the comments and support on your forum, it's pretty high.

ECU seats 50,000+ and A LOT of those tailgate...starting early to cook pigs and such.

As an ECU fan, I would like to see a different opponent (UNT) in the Championship game....again, assuming ECU and UNT does their part!

Still growing.

We've endured a pretty hard time over the past 8 years. If we didn't hit rock bottom, we were close. Spent many weeks on the 'bottom 10' list. We lost a lot of support during that time, and are just now starting to get alot of it back.

Apogee Stadium is certainly a home field advantage though.

I'd love to play you guys for the C-USA championship as you've certainly been one of the top programs in the conference for the past several years.