Ivy League teams could receive at-large bids if selected by the Division I Football Championship Committee. The factors that determine at-large bids, according to (quarterback Jackson) Proctor, have still not been determined.
Green Alert Take: As in the FBS, the factors determining the at-large bids are amorphous. Teams that think they should be in the field are left out every year, and teams that are barely clinging to the hope of getting in sometimes have their prayers answered. Those bracket "watch parties," can be a lot of fun or heartbreakers.
Also from the story:
The news acknowledges the growing competitiveness of the league in recent years, which has posted a collective 119-49 (.708) record in non-conference play since 2017, according to the announcement.
Green Alert Take: Don't take this the wrong way, but the Ivy League is not well known for playing challenging out-of-conference schedules. A few more CAA games, and maybe an occasional travel game against someone other than a Pioneer Football League opponent might help.
And . . .
“I think this will make the league finally get the respect it deserves considering how competitive and elite it truly is,” Owen Zalc ’27, Dartmouth’s starting kicker this past season and a member of the 2024-25 SAAC, said. “I expect voting committees will have more respect when it comes to ranking Ivy League schools now more than ever.”
Green Alert Take II: Zalc nails it. Over the years I've heard from people around college football who considered it a waste of their ballot to reward teams not in the running for the playoffs with a vote. That excuse is now gone.
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Dartmouth has changed its policy on releasing early decision admissions data (LINK) but individuals heading this way are free to let the world know. This was posted by Immanuel Johnson, a 5-foot-10, 198-pound running back out of Hammond High School and Columbia, S.C.
Blessed.@DartmouthFTBL @dartmouth @HammondSchool @AlbertJohnsonJ3 @Tajohnson1Tj #AGTG pic.twitter.com/eMABUpkiJt
— Immanuel Johnson (@_Immanuel24) December 22, 2024
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EXTRA POINT
It was a brisk 5 degrees here in beautiful West Newbury, Vt., when I sent Griff the Wonder Dog out this morning. Fortunately, He's good about going out on his own and coming straight back when he's done with his business, so I never had to leave the warmth of the house. That will change this afternoon when I hit the trail after a day on the couch watching college football. I do hope it warms up because as I write this the temp has dropped to 0.7. Brrrrr.