G6 Playoff Talk

[Cluck U]

Hell My cousin lives in Mobile and had NO IDEA that there was a bowl game being played that Wednesday in September...

There was a bowl game played in September?

[Cluck U]

Reminder :

Indiana had two full winning seasons (plus the COVID year) in the 20 years before Cig got there…and most of those losing seasons were really bad. The previous decades were generally awful as well.

Two years later…boom! Natty.

In these days with the portal, all we need is a big, big, big donor, right?

[Henny]

Man we just got to the G5 level and, for me, it's a hell of a lot more fun and exciting than being in the freakin CAA. Can we just enjoy being here and enjoying the new conference and the added exposure?!?

BTW, Our bowl was a blast and we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience! Love being a G5 and I don't want to see another lower-level playoff.

[72 Hen]

Agree... We moved up to G5 classification. I want to see us continue to improve in the years to come and become one of the top G5 teams.

We are headed in the right direction. Starts with our improved recruiting. Just look at 3 star incoming freshman from year to year.
2023 - 4.... 2024 - 5.... 2025 - 13....2026 - 18

We are figuring out the money payoffs needed to retain out top returning players. We lost one starting player. That is really impressive since most of G5 is a feeding ground for higher level teams. Additionally, money is needed to bring in transfers. We are averaging nine 3 star transfers over the last 3 years.

I say, continue to improve in our present situation. As Keeler use to say, "The future is so bright you will have to wear shades".

[Baltimore Hen]

We for sure are drawing more talent, and the football was definitely better last season, but lets face it, our schedule last year was what used to be an FCS schedule. the good FCS teams left FCS and moved to G5/6. We just rejoined our peers at a new pool. At the end of the day the P4 does not want G6 in the playoff and any expansion is going to be focused on adding the 7-6 SEC and Big10 schools, not additional G6 schools. And as that happens the already dying Bowl season will go the way of the dodo bird. yes, we are where we should have been for years, but as the first FBS Delaware team pride wears off we will be just like all the other G6 programs and become a farm system for bigger programs. we need to be realistic of where we are at and embrace it rather than playing make believe that we are at the top level of college football.....

[Caribbean Hen]

My initial thought on this was I don’t really care that much either way as long as the Hens are playing on Saturday…. But I remembered that’s not even true anymore.

I was always a big fan of 1AA and the FCS playoffs, but the thought of a G6 playoff really doesn’t get me that fired up. I’m fine with the Bowl games

Either way, I’ll be watching the Hens games.

I don’t feel the football program is anymore prestigious just because the Hens are playing in FBS. I still think the most prestigious era of Delaware football was when it was D2 during the 70’s. Delaware football was known because we were a small college power.

And although Baltis bedside manner is about as stone cold as Salem, Massachusetts before they lit the fires, he’s not really lying

Final thought

Maybe they could package in a very small G6 playoff bracket say four teams, into a bowl game system

You still get to travel to Mobile, Alabama for a Bowl game but it’s also a semi final playoff game

[Info Hound]

It is not a given fact that bowls are dead or headed there. As has been noted, viewership is up and is likely to continue. (If for no other reason than the cancer of gambling).
Some players will choose to sit out the games and some universities may choose not to play in a bowl. That will give other athletes a chance to play, and advertisers a chance to sell their products and locales to showcase their attractions.
Let's enjoy where we are now, and look forward to the possibilities going forward.
The promise of this coming season has me excited. Why others feel the need to denigrate what we are doing, just makes them look foolish IMO.

[jd of de]

I absolutely loved last years bowl experience and many would classify it as a lesser bowl. The act of actually being there was anything but lesser. Leave the couch and join the fun.

[Gannonfan]

As bowl games continue their slow death spiral, TV ratings for those bowl games are up and they're adding a new bowl game in Puerto Rico this year.

https://awfulannouncing.com/college-foo ... -2025.html

https://getsomemaction.com/news/2026/5/ ... eason.aspx

It’s a direct repudiation of Kirk Herbstreit’s recent argument about bowl oversaturation. The ESPN analyst revealed on his podcast that he once questioned the network’s bowl strategy at an internal seminar, arguing there are too many games and that bowls should be reserved for teams with 8-4 records or better.

That pitch, according to Herbstreit, “didn’t go over real well.”

The 13% viewership increase makes it pretty clear why ESPN ignored him. Bowl games, regardless of the teams or stakes involved, continue to draw audiences that dwarf most other programming the network airs during the holiday season. The theory that an expanded playoff would hurt non-CFP bowls doesn’t hold up after these numbers.

If college football is on, people are going to watch.

[UD '01 grad]

Another side of ratings in 2026, from the same outlet as above, four months later.

https://awfulannouncing.com/orig/sports ... gless.html

[Bluewyn Gold]

...but lets face it, our schedule last year was what used to be an FCS schedule. the good FCS teams left FCS and moved to G5/6. We just rejoined our peers at a new pool.

Well, that comment is factually inaccurate. How far back are you willing to go to count what qualifies as "FCS", understanding that Delaware was a D-II team as recently as 1979? Pre-1972?

Here's a breakdown of the 2025 schedule:
1 FCS school (unless you're counting DSU as D-II)
3 teams that have been in FBS less than 8 seasons
1 team that's been FBS for 15+ seasons (i.e., well-established)
4 teams that been FBS for 20+ years (i.e., extremely well-established)
4 teams that have never been FCS

That breaks down to 8 teams that either never were FCS/I-AA or hadn't been classified in the lower subdivison for a human generation. .

It's also not accurate to generalize and state that the P4 does not want G6 in the playoffs, if you've been reading any of the recent 24-team playoff proposals.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... eam-model/

Looks like you've gone way overboard with what you perceive as somehow an informed, "realistic" observation.

Here's the point:
1) Delaware had to make the move to FBS when they did if they wanted to salvage (and potentially grow) interest in and the competitiveness of its football program. FCS football is a low-profile, dead-end.
2) Blue Hen football is inarguably so much better off in CUSA than it could have ever hoped to be in the Coastal Conference.

[Henny]

...but lets face it, our schedule last year was what used to be an FCS schedule. the good FCS teams left FCS and moved to G5/6. We just rejoined our peers at a new pool.

Well, that comment is factually inaccurate. How far back are you willing to go to count what qualifies as "FCS", understanding that Delaware was a D-II team as recently as 1979? Pre-1972?

Here's a breakdown of the 2025 schedule:
1 FCS school (unless you're counting DSU as D-II)
3 teams that have been in FBS less than 8 seasons
1 team that's been FBS for 15+ seasons (i.e., well-established)
4 teams that been FBS for 20+ years (i.e., extremely well-established)
4 teams that have never been FCS

That breaks down to 8 teams that either never were FCS/I-AA or hadn't been classified in the lower subdivison for a human generation. .

It's also not accurate to generalize and state that the P4 does not want G6 in the playoffs, if you've been reading any of the recent 24-team playoff proposals.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... eam-model/

Looks like you've gone way overboard with what you perceive as somehow an informed, "realistic" observation.

Here's the point:
1) Delaware had to make the move to FBS when they did if they wanted to salvage (and potentially grow) interest in and the competitiveness of its football program. FCS football is a low-profile, dead-end.
2) Blue Hen football is inarguably so much better off in CUSA than it could have ever hoped to be in the Coastal Conference.

So true BG. This move is a no brainer for everyone involved and now, we're right where UD belongs.

[UD '01 grad]

A different type of tourney talked about here.

Start at 38:33.

https://youtu.be/LfMkaJvcSB0?si=sSmqV8RBGGeQZOY3

[Bluewyn Gold]

I just don't see how an NIT-like tournament could work in the realm of FBS football. These just aren't serious concepts until/unless someone can show us how it will work competitively and financially for the schools, players, coaches, fans, and networks.

[topstraight]

Post by Info Hound »
Thu May 07, 2026 4:51 pm
It is not a given fact that bowls are dead or headed there. As has been noted, viewership is up and is likely to continue. (If for no other reason than the cancer of gambling).
Some players will choose to sit out the games and some universities may choose not to play in a bowl. That will give other athletes a chance to play, and advertisers a chance to sell their products and locales to showcase their attractions.
Let's enjoy where we are now, and look forward to the possibilities going forward.
The promise of this coming season has me excited. Why others feel the need to denigrate what we are doing, just makes them look foolish IMO.

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Post by jd of de »
Thu May 07, 2026 7:37 pm
I absolutely loved last years bowl experience and many would classify it as a lesser bowl. The act of actually being there was anything but lesser. Leave the couch and join the fun.

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Two Superb posts^^