We have reached the final week of the regular season in the Football Championship Subdivision with some conference championships and playoff auto bids on the line. This is an exciting time in the FCS as we approach the postseason.
Not everyone is excited for what is to come, however, as they may not see the postseason based on what happened in Week 11. It was a bad week for teams ranked in the middle of our FCS top 25 poll last week, with Delaware, Chattanooga, Mercer, Idaho and Princeton all taking losses. Princeton's loss will make it hard to win the outright Ivy League title, but Delaware, Mercer and Idaho may have been knocked out of the FCS playoffs entirely.
On the positive side, teams like South Dakota State, Holy Cross, Saint Francis and Samford have already punched their tickets to the playoffs as conference champions. Other conference races will be be decided this weekend.
There are two unique auto bid scenarios that'll play out this weekend. First, in the ASUN-WAC conference partnership, the teams to watch are Central Arkansas, Abilene Christian and Stephen F. Austin. If Central Arkansas wins, it secures the ASUN title. The winner of Abilene Christian vs. Stephen F. Austin will also win the WAC. Then, the two résumés will be compared and the team with the higher ranking will get the auto bid.
Now, here is the most absurd auto bid scenario in college football history. Because of the Ohio Valley Conference scheduling, Southeast Missouri State and UT Martin didn't play each other this season. It just so happens that both are 4-0 in conference play and have a great chance of finishing that way. Whichever team loses, the other gets the auto bid from the conference. If they both finish tied with the same conference record, however, the auto bid will be decided by a coin flip.
A coin flip, folks. That's where we are in 2022.
Let's take a look at my Week 12 power rankings.
Biggest Rise: Southeast Missouri State -- No. 13 (Last Week: 19)
Biggest Fall: Delaware -- No. 19 (LW: 13)
On the Cusp: North Carolina A&T (7-3), Yale (7-2), Merrimack (8-2), Florida A&M (8-2), Montana (7-3)
| Team | Rank | Record | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. South Dakota State | 10-1 | The Jackrabbits close out their regular season on a 10-game winning streak. They should be the favorite heading into the postseason, which would start in three weeks for them. It's a great time to get healthy. |
 | 2. Sacramento State | 10-0 | Already having their best season in program history, the Hornets can add the cherry on top if they take care of business this weekend against UC Davis to cap off a perfect regular season. |
 | 3. Montana State | 9-1 | "College GameDay" is heading to Bozeman this weekend as the Bobcats get ready for the Brawl of the Wild rivalry game against Montana. |
 | 4. William & Mary | 9-1 | I moved the Tribe up a few spots over North Dakota State and Holy Cross because they are playing great team football and look like a dark-horse title contender. Outstanding job by coach Mike London. |
 | 5. North Dakota State | 8-2 | The Bison are getting ready for their rivalry game against North Dakota as they play for the Nickel Trophy. NDSU is currently on a four-game winning streak in the series, with North Dakota having the advantage in the overall record by 13 games. |
 | 6. Holy Cross | 10-0 | Coach Bob Chesney takes his Crusaders into our nation's capital this weekend to face Georgetown with the hopes of finishing with a perfect 11-0 record. |
 | 7. Incarnate Word | 9-1 | Coming off of an open week, the Cardinals take on Northwestern State and will scoreboard watch to see if Southeastern Louisiana takes a loss, which will give them the Southland Conference title and auto bid to the playoffs. |
 | 8. Weber State | 8-2 | After going 2-2 in their last four games, the Wildcats are looking to finish on a high note against Northern Arizona. They also hope that their special teams blunders are behind them and remain in the regular season. |
 | 9. Samford | 9-1 | The Bulldogs have another huge matchup this week against Mercer after dominating Chattanooga last weekend. If they win, they win the SoCon title outright. They've already claimed a share of the title, their first since 2013. |
 | 10. Jackson State | 10-0 | No one has been more dominant within their conference than Jackson State has been in the SWAC. Having locked up the East Division title, the Tigers have their sights set on their Soul Bowl rivalry against Alcorn State. |
 | 11. Richmond | 8-2 | The Spiders sit atop the CAA standings, tied with William & Mary who, you guessed it, they take on this weekend. CAA title game uploading! |
 | 12. Furman | 8-2 | The Paladins are hoping for a Samford loss to claim a share of the SoCon title. Regardless of the outcome, this is a team you don't want to face in the postseason. |
 | 13. Southeast Missouri State | 8-2 | Because the Redhawks don't play U -Martin this season, both teams could finish undefeated in conference play. It will be interesting to see how the playoff committee views that potential scenario. |
 | 14. Elon | 8-3 | The Phoenix should be a shoe-in for an at-large bid with wins against William & Mary, Richmond and Delaware on their record. It'll be a crime if they are not playing postseason football. |
 | 15. Fordham | 8-2 | Fordham's only two losses are to Ohio from the FBS and Holy Cross. This team is exciting to watch, and it looks like its defense is turning the corner. It will have a puncher's chance in the playoffs. |
 | 16. New Hampshire | 7-3 | The Wildcats got a big win last week against Rhode Island in what felt like a playoff elimination game. They can't afford a letdown this week against Maine. |
 | 17. Southeastern Louisiana | 7-3 | Based off of their head-to-head victory over Incarnate Word, the Lions have a chance to win the Southland Conference title outright if they knock off Nicholls. |
 | 18. Delaware | 7-3 | Last week's loss to Richmond has put the Blue Hens firmly on the bubble. They will be playing for their playoff lives this weekend at Villanova. |
 | 19. Saint Francis | 8-2 | The Red Flash face Merrimack this weekend in what should be the NEC title game, but because the Warriors are in their Division I transition, they aren't eligible for the league title. It is still a vital game for the Red Flash to win and show up well. |
 | 20. Chattanooga | 7-3 | The Mocs are still OK resume-wise for a potential at-large bid. However, 8-3 looks much more convincing than 7-4 does, so they must close out well vs. Western Carolina. |
 | 21. Idaho | 6-4 | Last week's loss against UC Davis has put the Vandals in a bit of a pickle. Regardless of what it does against Idaho State, UC Davis has the same record as Idaho, and therefore may have knocked it out of the postseason. |
 | 22. Mercer | 7-3 | The Bears' playoff hopes hinge on whether they pull off the upset this weekend against Samford. |
 | 23. Princeton | 8-1 | Princeton's defense had its worst day of the season against Yale QB Nolan Grooms, who's 152-yard rushing effort played a huge role in the upset win. |
 | 24. North Dakota | 7-3 | If the Fighting Hawks take home the Nickel Trophy, it would also punch their ticket to the FCS playoffs. Based on how they've finished the last month, however, that ticket may be already punched. |
 | 25. St. Thomas | 9-1 | Not eligible for postseason play because of their Division I transition, the Tommies have been the best team in the Pioneer League all season long. They will extend their winning streak to 10 games if they knock off Butler. |
