The primary reason Davis isn’t a playoff team is the offense scored 14 points less per game in 2023 than it did in 2022, with about the same level of talent on offense. Coincidently we changed offensive coordinators and the QB coach. Our run game looked improved this year. We all remember games where Gilliam was held to low yardage, average per carry, and where third and 4 had to be a passing down against good teams. That wasn't the case this year but the passing game regressed tremendously. Until the last winning streak they moved the ball but couldn’t score many points. That is largely on the coaches as is the ineffectiveness in the second half on offense,

Our losses to EWU and NAU probably had more influence on the NCAA folks than Sac's win over a weak Power 5 FBS school.

The Big Sky stuck with four teams in playoffs while the MVFC has six, This despite the Big Sky being unusually deep this year.

I think the new rule for Davis should be, win 8 to get in.

8 wins makes the committee's job much easier, for sure.

While I'm disappointed, I can't say I'm surprised. As with most of you, I think we were shy one win of getting in. If the Ags could have pulled out one over either EWU or Weber State, that would have done it. I agree, too, that the bad loss to Northern Arizona hurt. It's no consolation being one of the first four out. I still wonder about Hawkins claim that this was his most talented team at UCD.

no way in my opinion does either Youngstown state or UNI (6-5) deserve to be selected. Buy politics is politics. 6 from one league is really pushing it. UNI seems to always get in somehow. Not saying the MVFC isn’t tough, but 6 teams is pushing it - especially when you look at big sky with 4.

I watched nichols/SELA game. Neither team impressed at all but Nichols gets the auto bid. NC Central will be out the first game. Neither Garner-Webb or Mercer are very good but all play in weak leagues. Kind of venting here but sorry for Lan Larison and especially seniors who are done with their careers now.

One last note. I don’t think the Montana AD cares a hoot about the big sky outside of Montana. It may also be that he preferred to have Sac State, rather than Davis in their bracket in case of an eventual game.

Agreed.

As far as BSC getting only 4 teams....EWU being "down" the last couple years, and Weber being "down" this year has hurt the Big Sky more than Idaho being "up" the past couple.

The reality is Davis has been a middle-of-the-conference team since the good 2018 year.
Throwing out the COVID year (3-2) Davis has gone 18-14 in conference play in 4 seasons.

Our special teams play also had our offense looking at some long fields early on.

Great job by the defense. If we had offense and special teams clicking, one could argue its a top 10 defense.

Until we start beating Montana, Montana State and EWU (especially when they suck) consistently, this 'aint it.

We beat Weber, but just barely. Do you mean NAU? Against EWU, that darn blocked easy FG put the nail in the coffin.

This is the best outcome for UCD with all the regular season games in the books. You make your case for the playoffs all season, not just in the last 2 weeks. Two weeks ago they were 5-4, 5-3 if you throw out the Oregon State game.. That's not the record of a playoff team.

But it's ok. If you are a UCD spectator of any sport you know it's about going and having a good time whatever the outcome. Nice if they make the playoffs , but that's the coaches' problem.

UNI got left out of the playoffs too.

If it's any consolation, there seems to be quite a bit of sentiment over off the AGS FCS football forum that the Aggies got screwed again this year:

https://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?345567-AGS-Poll-Results-2023-Wk12-SELECTION-SUNDAY!/page5

W Carolina did not deserve it either

FTR, we don't know if MH or other key players were hurt.

Surprised to see MVFC get 6 and BSC only 4.

Ugh! Just missed out again. Jr and I made it out to the game. Last 2 games we've seen in person were the best of the year. Last year at Idaho and Saturday against Sac. Oh well, we enjoyed the win over the Hornets in the downpour. No committee can take that away from us.

Gotta start putting Pioneer teams and Utah Tech / TA&MC on the schedule every year. Committee just does not care about our conference record it seems.

Starting to think the committee would have found a way to exclude Davis in 2021 had we not upset a Tulsa team that we didn't predict would have an army of players suspended

Davis Enterprise: Robbed! UC Davis misses FCS playoffs

Bob Dunning

"...Head-to-head results are considered the gold standard when selecting teams for post-season play or to break ties in awarding automatic bids, but for some reason, the selection committee turned a blind eye to Saturday's Aggie victory.

Apparently, order of finish in one of the strongest conferences in the country was also irrelevant to committee members."

https://www.davisenterprise.com/news/robbed-uc-davis-misses-fcs-playoffs/article_f46f8ae6-870d-11ee-a429-b74f1d9f003d.html

Sac Bee: "“He’s [Larison] the best player in the league, no question about it, and maybe the country,” Hawkins said. “He’s super talented. That dude has a huge heart and he’s extremely tough. He’s what you’d want in a son. He’s unbelievable. He’s the heartbeat of the team. He’s spectacular.” "

Budgett was also out.

Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/sports/college/article281846498.html#storylink=cpy

My bad. I was hoping Illinois State would beat UND to sort of push down UND (or MVFC) at bit in committee eyes, but probably would have made no difference.

Agree if the objective is to maximize playoff changes. Playing a PAC-12 (ok whatever they will be) team (unless a down Stanford team) virtually guarantees a loss. I think better to schedule the Nevadas, San Jose States for your one FBS game if desired.

Garbage. Sac State should be bubble. Stanford is trash this year. Aggies take the Hornets' spot.

I don't see the Ags getting more than 7 wins next year. But obviously too soon to speculate.

The emphasis on the playoffs is a distraction from the importance of beating rivals. Obviously the first increases the likelihood of the second, but that is a happy coincidence.
Next year the goals should be win a game against EWU and the Montanas, and beat the California rivals, and have a winning season Those goals are tough but if they achieve them it is more important the squeaking into the playoffs and losing the first road game like Idaho did last year. This year they achieved those goals except beating EWU or Montana, Next year is going to be a major rebuild.

No I meant EWU (loss by 3) and Weber (loss by 1), the kinds of games where one play winds up making the difference. (I don't mean one specific play necessarily but any one of a bunch of plays). Against NAU we simply played poorly. Even some of the best teams have a game or two like that, e.g. Washington who barely made it past weak Stanford and Arizona State teams, but are able to pull out a win.

River why is next year a rebuilding year? We are a soph/junior team now. So I know there are holes to fill but the main guys are here next year. I realize LL is a question mark but I really don’t think he will leave. I’m interested in hearing more details.

Because Lan Larrison could hypothetically transfer to Boise State to avoid BlueGoldAg elbowing Snack State fans and saying, "My boy Larrison-you can't stop him ! What did I tell you ???!!!"