FCS Poll 10/5 -- <h1>IVY LEAGUE SPORTS BOARD</h1>

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Subject: FCS Poll 10/5

Author:
ET

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Date Posted: 12:41:42 10/06/25 Mon

In this week's STATS FCS Poll(https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fcs/stats-perform-fcs-top-25), Harvard comes in at #22 after continuing its string of dominant wins against Holy Cross. Our only other Ivy representative: Brown receiving 9 votes after knocking off #8 Rhode Island to take home the Governor's Cup. This was Brown's first ranked win since 2009(Holy Cross) and first win against a top 10 team since 1981, leading Stats Perform to name the Bears as their FCS National Team of the Week. Definitely a surprise for Brown fans after last week's drubbing by Harvard, although voters seem to be acknowledging that Harvard is, in fact, just that good this year. Coaches seem to agree as the FCS Coaches Poll has Crimson at #25 and Brown receiving 6 votes. Neither poll removed URI for its loss to Brown, instead dropping the Rams to #17 and #18, respectively.

We're only 3 games into the season and 1 in conference play, but it seems that Brown could be fielding a solid team this year. Although QB James Murphy might not be able to put together a passing season as good as Brown had from 2019-2023 under EJ Perry and Jake Willcox, the defense is finally coming together under Perry with strong performances against URI and Georgetown. Reigning Ivy ROTY Matt Childs should help take the pressure off Murphy by keeping the ground game churning. Interested to see what James Perry can pull off this year. In any case, strong OOC wins like URI will help make the case for a multi-bid Ivy in this year's playoffs. Wouldn't that be something!

And clearly, Harvard is a scary, scary team this year. Good luck to the rest of the league against them. You will need it.

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[> Subject: Re: FCS Poll 10/5

Author:
John Harvard (Disappointing Poll)
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Date Posted: 13:31:39 10/06/25 Mon

I've been expecting that the polls would penalize our league for its late start. This, to me, is clearly evident in the new poll. Harvard reigned in the horses so as to only beat Brown 41-7. There was no scoring in the final 25 minutes as Harvard ran the ball conservatively and eventually pulled Jaden Craig. Harvard outgained Brown 479 yards to 157.

Otherwise, Brown has been strong, blowing out a weak Georgetown squad 46-0 and then upsetting former #8 URI 28 to 21. It is likely significant that URI turned the ball over 4 times while Brown did not at all. URI gained 452 yards vs Brown's 341.

So, how is Harvard #22, Brown #31, and URI #18. Clearly, the voting coaches aren't buying Harvard's SOS. But, at the same time they must be ignoring Brown's comparative performances against Harvard and URI.

Also, how does Lafayette get votes while Princeton, which beat Lafayette 38-28 in Easton, get none.

The Crimson will just have to continue winning while teams ranked above them lose. If Harvard stumbles, it will have to start the climb all over again.

Also, expect a bias against Ivy teams intended to prevent a 2 bid Ivy.

[> [> Subject: Princeton didn't get votes for the same reasons that Dartmouth didn't get votes
Author: Go Green [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 13:42:44 10/06/25 Mon Each has a (perceived) bad loss. But both P and D have an opportunity to look good this coming Saturday.

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Princeton didn't get votes for the same reasons that Dartmouth didn't get votes
Author: Bengal [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 14:02:04 10/06/25 Mon FWIW, Mercer is ranked 19 in the coaches poll. Y had no votes. Brown did have some votes. This will be a very tough game for P. We have to keep improving. We have one sack in 3 games.

[> [> Subject: Re: FCS Poll 10/5
Author: Penn Nation [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 17:43:01 10/06/25 Mon Playing Stetson is going to hurt any rankings, as they are clearly a Division 2 or a Division 3 team at best.

[> [> [> Subject: Re: FCS Poll 10/5

Author:
John Harvard (Historical Bias)
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Date Posted: 12:43:55 10/07/25 Tue

There has been a historical FCS Poll bias which apparently lingers. Previously, the FCS, coaches and fans certanly didn't want an Ivy squad ranked in the top 16, as that would imply that a non-top 16 squad made the postseason. It was obvious as the season wore on that the Ivy leading team would linger just outside the cutoff. It was easy because of our late start to the season to start outside the rankings and begrudginly move us up close, but often not within, the slot needed to qualify. Apparently, that has become systemic. After Cornell and Merrimack, it will be possible that Harvard is 5-0, averaging over 50PPG and allowing around 10PPG, sitting its starters for almost half of those snaps, and still outside the top 16.

Scheduling Holy Cross and even Merrimack shouldn't be questioned. HC is a perennial FCS tournament participant. Stetson is a weak choice, but, given that it's the leagues opening week vs teams playing their 4th game, opening week is certainly the time to schedule down.

[> [> [> [> Subject: Re: FCS Poll 10/5
Author: Ed S. [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 14:22:22 10/07/25 Tue Not scheduling down that far :)

[> [> Subject: Re: FCS Poll 10/5

Author:
ET
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Date Posted: 11:31:17 10/07/25 Tue

That's one way to frame it. I would put it this way: It is likely significant that Brown forced 4 turnovers while limiting mistakes on offense. Speaking to a Herald reporter after the game, DB Elias Archie said the team "talked about all week how (the Rams) weren’t very good with the ball. That’s something we practiced a lot during the week — trying to get the ball out — and it ended up paying off and helping us out." Perhaps we can give the Bears a little agency in making those fumbles and interceptions happen.

But I agree, Harvard should be ranked above URI given these results. There is definitely a bias against our league, and rankings are often slow to punish teams ranked so high going into the season. See: Notre Dame sticking around in the top 25 at 0-2 a few weeks ago.

[> Subject: The Huge Difference Between the Football and Basketball Playoffs

Author:
An Observer
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Date Posted: 16:27:52 10/06/25 Mon

The disrespect that is afforded to the Ivy League in football is along the lines with that afforded to us in basketball -- but there is a huge difference.

Ginormous.

We will have the opportunity in short order to show what our best teams can do in football, whereas we don't have that same opportunity in basketball, for the most part. What's the difference?

Byes.

In the FCS playoffs, the top 8 seeds get first-round byes. So even if we are seeded dead last -- and we won't be -- the worst opponent -- that is, the best team -- we could draw is the #9 seed. Our best teams can beat a #9 seed without needing a miracle.

Nobody will soon forget Yale's 2024 upset of Auburn or Princeton's 2023 Sweet Sixteen run. But to make that happen, Yale or Princeton needed to beat a #2 or #3 seed. That's a tall ask in any year, even when we've got players like Danny Wolf, Tosan E or Xaivian Lee on our rosters.

But in football, our champion will have a reasonable shot at beating the #9-16 seeds almost every season. We're not going to be playing North Dakota State in the first round.

The Ivy League will soon demonstrate that we are a credible FCS football conference. And the next time that we have a Ryan Fitzpatrick or John Lovett around which to build one of our all-time rosters, our best can go to the semi's, maybe further.

[> Subject: Re: FCS Poll 10/5
Author: RedWin [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 19:01:54 10/06/25 Mon Ridiculous as Harvard should be ranked much higher than #22. If they sweep the Ivies, the Crimson will be headed to the FCS playoffs. On the other hand why is Harvard playing schools like Stetson? Go Ivy League!

[> Subject: Re: FCS Poll 10/5
Author: Brown Fan [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 19:04:31 10/06/25 Mon Much as I hate to write it, Harvard deserves to be much higher than #22. The Crimson likely would be URI 9 out of 10. The difference is most evident in the line and quarterback play.

[> Subject: Taking the human element out of it...
Author: voy vey [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 13:14:24 10/07/25 Tue Here are the rankings based on the consensus of two dozen computer rating systems: https://masseyratings.com/ranks?s=cf&sub=fcs Some of the teams mentioned in this thread: 7 - Harvard 8 - Lehigh 16 - Mercer 30 - URI 32 - Penn 35 - Brown 37 - Dartmouth 38 - Yale 48 - Lafayette 52 - Princeton

[> [> Subject: Re: Taking the human element out of it...
Author: John Harvard (Eye=Brain=Computer) [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 15:49:11 10/07/25 Tue Thanks. That's more like it. And the Computers must factor in strength of schedule. At the risk of sounding political, I'd wonder if the vote is rigged. Actually, in that instance, I'd accuse first, and analyze later (if at all).

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Taking the human element out of it...
Author: Tiger69 [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 15:43:42 10/08/25 Wed Not looking good for the Tigers since all but one of our remaining opponents are rated above us.🐅🤔