Welcome back, college football fans, for the newest GCR episode as we count down to the 2025 kickoff. We’ve already talked about the Ivy League and the FCS Independents. You can find those, and all past posts, on Facebook (Gettys Computer Ranking – College Football) or online at bit.ly/2019GCR. Either destination is also ideal for providing feedback to JoJo and G to help make the blog better.
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This week it’s the Pioneer League that stretches from California to Florida to Minnesota – all for a conference that, while having a guaranteed FCS playoff spot, does not use enough scholarships spots to count as a potential FBS opponent. So, if Akron, randomly, chose to play my alma mater, Presbyterian in a money game, it would not count for a bowl game. Meaning if, assuming an Akron win, they end up 6-6, they would not qualify for a bowl even with the six wins, because PC doesn’t use their allotment of scholarships. BTW, it’s why the Ivy League never plays an FBS team as most of the member schools don’t have football scholarships at all.
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In the table below, (F) indicates a non-conference FCS opponent, and (D) indicates a non-division I foe. There are no neutral games. I am impressed with some of the challenge games: Montana St, South Dakota, South Dakota St, and North Dakota St, among others. Without further ado, we are happy to present the 2025 Pioneer League with the 23rd out of 25 strongest Strength of Schedule.
| Team | Home | 2024 Record (Rank) | 2025 PS SOS (Rank) | Home Games | Away Games |
| Drake Bulldogs (1) | Des Moines, IA | 8-3 (155) | 4.37 (180) | Upper Iowa (D), Valparaiso, Davidson, St Thomas, Morehead St | South Dakota St (F), South Dakota (F), San Diego, Marist, Butler, Dayton |
| St Thomas Tommies (2) | St Paul, MN | 6-6 (226) | 3.84 (208) | Lindenwood (F), Butler, Valparaiso, Marist, Presbyterian | Idaho (F), San Diego, Davidson, Stetson, Drake, North Dakota St (F) |
| Dayton Flyers (3) | Dayton, OH | 6-5 (189) | 3.70 (215) | Thomas More (D), Stetson, Butler, Presbyterian, Drake | E Illinois (F), Robert Morris (F), Morehead St, Valparaiso, San Diego, Davidson |
| Marist Red Foxes (4) | Poughkeepsie, NY | 1-10 (237) | 3.59 (222) | Bucknell (F), San Diego, Drake, Stetson, Davidson, | Wagner (F), Butler, Penn (F), Morehead St, St Thomas, Presbyterian |
| San Diego Toreros (5) | San Diego, CA | 8-3 (153) | 3.40 (236) | Cal Poly (F), S Utah (F), St Thomas, Drake, Dayton, Butler | Montana St (F), Princeton (F), Marist, Davidson, Valparaiso, Stetson |
| Presbyterian Blue Hose (6) | Clinton, SC | 6-6 (205) | 3.30 (238) | Erskine (D), Bluefield (D), Morehead St, Stetson, Valparaiso, Marist | Mercer (F), Furman (F), Butler, Dayton, Davidson, St Thomas |
| Stetson Hatters (7) | DeLand, FL | 2-9 (256) | 3.06 (252) | Webber Intl (D), Warner (D), Harvard (F), Davidson, Morehead St, St Thomas, San Diego | Chattanooga (F), Dayton, Presbyterian, Marist, Valparaiso |
| Valparaiso Beacons (8) | Valparaiso, OH | 4-7 (253) | 2.93 (255) | Lynchburg (D), Adrian College (D), Dayton, Morehead St, San Diego, Stetson | W Illinois (F), North Dakota (F), Drake, St Thomas, Presbyterian, Butler |
| Davidson Wildcats (9) | Charlotte, NC | 6-5 (188) | 2.79 (260) | Georgetown (F), St Andrews (D), St Thomas, San Diego, Presbyterian, Dayton | Elon (F), Tennessee Tech (F), Stetson, Drake, Morehead St, Marist |
| Butler Bulldogs (10) | Indianapolis, IN | 9-3 (146) | 2.71 (263) | Truman St (D), Marist, Presbyterian, Drake, Valparaiso | N Iowa (F), Hanover (D), Weber St (F), St Thomas, Dayton, Morehead St, San Diego |
| Morehead St Eagles (11) | Morehead, KY | 7-5 (183) | 2.70 (264) | Allen (D), Kentucky Chr (D), Dayton, Marist, Davidson, Butler, | Illinois St (F), Austin Peay (F), Presbyterian, Stetson, Valparaiso, Drake |
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One piece of news: the NCAA has decided that the FBS championship seeding with be adjusted. Last season, the highest ranked conference champions received first round byes, regardless of what their overall rank was. It led to some crazy/silly 2nd round games. And it meant that Notre Dame could be 12-0, ranked #1 in the nation, and not receive a bye. The new rule makes much more sense. The committee’s final top 4 gets the top 4 seeds. That means that more than one team from a conference could get the bye. It also means the Irish are in the hunt as well.
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That’s it for today. Thank you for reading. JoJo and I are asking, this year, for spreading the word. The GCR is ad-free, no-fee, and open to feedback. We’d love to grow our readership and need your help. Thank you for your assistance, G and JoJo
