Southland Conference Clarifies Football Champion Determination

FRISCO, Texas – With two weeks remaining in its football regular season, the Southland Conference has clarified how the league may possibly determine its champion and NCAA automatic qualifier to the 2018 NCAA Division I Football Championship. Because all Southland teams do not play the same number of league games, the number of conference-game losses will be used to determine placement in its final standings.



The clarification details Incarnate Word’s possible finish, and perhaps its opportunity to clinch at least a share of the Southland championship and its NCAA AQ, despite only playing eight conference games instead of nine like other teams do. UIW is currently tied for first place with McNeese and Nicholls, all 5-2 in the league standings.



In the Southland’s scheduling format, 10 of its 11 football teams play a nine-game schedule, while one team must play eight games. Since the schedule model was approved by the membership, Houston Baptist (2015 and 2016) and Incarnate Word (2017 and 2018) have served as the eight-game teams. HBU will return as the eight-game team in the 2019 and 2020 schedules.



UIW has one remaining league game Saturday at Central Arkansas, while most other Southland teams have two conference matchups left. Additionally, multiple three-loss teams are just behind the three league leaders. UIW’s final placement, with two or three losses, will be identical to other teams with the same number of losses, even though the other teams will have an additional win that reflects their nine-game schedule.



If Incarnate Word is the only remaining two-loss team at the end of the regular season, it shall be Conference champion and the recipient of the NCAA automatic berth. Further, UIW’s placement in the final standings shall be honored through any tie-breaking procedures necessary to determine the NCAA automatic qualifier.

