A Week For Reflection & Preparation

FANatic wrote:PREPARATION


You don't need a #1 seed to win the national championship. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe either of our national title teams had #1 seeds, (2002 & 2005).

UP wasn't seeded at all in 2002. Ranked around #8 in all the polls, Portland didn't even get one of the 16 seeds.

In 2005 we did get a #1 seed. We had to go on the road anyway the first two games because of the the travel rules. The next year the rules were changed, because the NCAA realized a #1 seed was no advantage under the old system. They also instituted the "no same conference" rule for the first two rounds to appease the BCS schools.

We've seen first hand the last couple of years what a disadvantage for Portland not getting a 1 seed is. We get the high altitude games. I think the team is determined not to let that happen again.

Actually UP was seeded #8 in the 2002 playoffs, but were still sent on the road for the first two matches. The seeding did allow us to host Richmond in the third round. At the time we were the lowest seed ever to win the national title.

Yeah I guess you are right, but the travel rule negated that. Being a #8 seed would guarantee games at home through the first two rounds. Then if games went like seedings, the games would have been on the road. We hosted Richmond because they beat someone seeded higher.

UP was on the road for those two rounds, so gained non of the perquisites of a seed.