Friday, November 15, 2013
by Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Pioneer Football League Committee of Athletics Directors has voted unanimously to adjust the tiebreaker criteria used to determine the league’s automatic qualifier for the 2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship.

Specifically, the Athletics Directors committee voted to revise the final criteria used in the tiebreaking process. Previously, the league intended to use only the NCAA Football Championship Committee’s Simple Rating System to determine the automatic qualifier once all other tiebreakers were exhausted. Under the new guidelines, the league will use the Simple Rating System – provided it is made public in advance of selection weekend – in combination with the seven computer ratings utilized by College Sporting News’ Gridiron Power Index to determine the automatic qualifier if necessary.

In addition to the Simple Rating System, the PFL will use the following computer ratings as part of the new process: Massey Ratings, Ashburn Hybrid Rankings, Jeff Sagarin Ratings, the Lax Index, Keeper’s College Football Ratings, Jeff Self’s College Football Rankings and the Born Power Index.

Each of the PFL teams involved in the tie will be ranked based on their position in each of the ranking/rating systems. The team with the best average rank will receive the league’s automatic qualification to the Division I Football Championship.

“We believe the revised criteria offers a more comprehensive and trustworthy tiebreaking mechanism,” said Pioneer Football League commissioner Patty Viverito. “The committee felt, in the absence to date of a public release of the Simple Rating System, the need for certainty regarding the criteria used in the final tiebreaking step.”

The complete, updated PFL tiebreaker is available online at http://www.pioneer-football.org/tiebreaker. In addition, an updated scenario guide will be provided at the league’s website to guide fans through the regular season’s final two weeks.

- PFL -