"That process is pretty straightforward from the NCAA. They had the opportunity to take their automatic bid any of those years. It took them a long process to get there."
The story included these thoughts from Matt Larsen, North Dakota State athletic director and FCS Playoff chair:
"If you're an FCS football fan, this is something you're looking forward to."
And . . .
"From a non-conference schedule, they start later and play one less game, but they have opportunity to earn an at-large berth to the tournament as well, so I'm sure that's something that the Ivy League would have conversations about."
And . . .
"Over the last 10-15 years, there's been some really talented teams in the Ivy League and it was always 'What if they could play? Now they'll get that chance."
The FCS championship game will be broadcast from Frisco, Texas, Monday at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
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Now that Ivy League football is joining the real world, the real world could be changing. Bleacher Report has a story headlined, NCAA Considering Rule Change Giving Athletes in All Sports 5 Years of Eligibility. (LINK)
Green Alert Take: Given that every time you turn around the NCAA is relaxing rules on transfers, NIL, payments to players and the like, how much of a surprise would it be if the governing body of college athletics does tack on another year of eligibility? Not nearly as much of a surprise as it would be if the Ivy League goes along with that kind of change.
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EXTRA POINT
The good news? For the second hike in a row, I found one of the steel spikes that fell off the traction cleats I use for hiking. I've been shocked that I could find something so small that was lost on my three-mile climb up and over the mountain. It helps, of course, that the spikes are embedded in bright orange plastic casing that stands out against the snow.
The bad news? When I got back home and pulled the rubber traction cleats off my hiking shoes four more of the spikes had come off.
