“[Money is] not even a factor,” she said. “This is not like Orange Bowl participation where you might get some payment from it.... Cost is not the issue here at all, and a non-storyline.”
A SUBDUED SUBDIVISON
Despite understanding the academic, traditional, and competitive reasons why the Ivy League does not partake in the tournament, McDonnell says that the “general notion” among fans of the FCS is that the Ivy League should be allowed to compete.
“It’s just disappointing because you know one of those slots should be going to the Ivy League,” McDonnell said. “Anyone who is an FCS fan, anyone who covers FCS football wishes that [the Ancient Eight] could participate, because no one wants to see a team not have a chance to win a national championship.”
Cobb, who also serves as the Director of Athletics at Appalachian State—a perennial top FCS program that achieved one of the greatest upsets in college football history when it beat No. 5 Michigan in 2007—says that teams around the country would love the chance to compete against Ivy League schools—an opportunity the tournament would provide.
“I think for Appalachian State and Harvard to play a football game, that would be an awesome experience for [us],” Cobb said. “To me that’s what I get excited about [with] the playoffs.”
Harvard players of past and present say they too would relish the chance to participate in the bracket.
“We’d all love to be able to compete on a national scale,” Scales said. “You’re frustrated [by the ban], but that’s one of the sacrifices you make in attending this great institution and playing in this great conference.”
“I guess there’s always that underlying sentiment [of wanting to play on],” added Chris Lorditch ’11, who started at wide receiver on the 2011 championship team. “But coming into Harvard, you know the deal that The Game against Yale is your Super Bowl, and you kind of get used to that.”
Though Murphy says there was a time when he was “a bit frustrated” by the ban, he has come to accept that it’s not going to change. But Brown’s coach says he wishes it would.
“[It’d be nice to see] how far we can go, and to have the opportunity to compete against the other best teams in the country,” said Estes, whose Bears won at least a share of the Ancient Eight in 1999, 2005, and 2008. “Any time we have the opportunity to compete, I’d think we’d like to do that.”
The disappointment held by these coaches and players is shared by many small-school football supporters around the country.
“I think FCS fans in general, and anyone associated with FCS football wishes that [the Ivy League] could compete for a national title,” McDonnell said. “If you have a football program, why should you not be able to compete to be the best?”
—Staff writer Scott A. Sherman can be reached at ssherman13@college.harvard.edu.
—Staff writer Jacob D. H. Feldman can be reached at jacobfeldman@college.harvard.edu. Follow him on Twitter @Jacobfeldman4.
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
CORRECTION: June 1, 2013
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Robin Harris, the executive director of the Ivy League, said she does not think participation in the FCS playoffs would attract the interest of Ivy League fans. In fact, Harris said she feels fan support for existing games and rivalries stands independent from whether teams compete against national competition in playoff games.