Why UAlbany is an FCS playoff sleeper at the midseason mark

The biggest playoff sleeper in the FCS halfway through the season is a team picked 11th in its conference's preseason poll, with zero preseason all-conference players and one winning season in the last six years. That team is the UAlbany Great Danes.

Before diving into why UAlbany is a sleeper, let's define what's meant by a "playoff sleeper." A playoff sleeper does not mean that a team is a sleeper for the national championship, but rather it refers to a team that's flying under the radar for a spot in the 24-team field. In the case of UAlbany, the term playoff sleeper fits perfectly.

UAlbany has gotten off to a 4-2 start, and the Great Danes are one of 13 FCS teams that remain undefeated against FCS competition. Yet, UAlbany remains unranked in Week 7's FCS Coaches Poll, receiving only 25 votes, the seventh-most of the receiving votes category. That means coaches think there are 31 teams better than the Great Danes, 28 of which would be ahead of them in playoff consideration (sorry to the MEAC, Ivy League and SWAC). The coaches even gave Fordham — a team UAlbany beat by three touchdowns (34-13) — 12 more votes than UAlbany.

People are sleeping on the Great Danes.

However, hesitancy around elevating UAlbany into the playoff conversation makes sense, considering the program has made the playoffs only twice (2011 and 2019) since moving to the FCS level in 1999. But a closer look at UAlbany shows all the makings of a playoff team. 

🔮: FCS playoff predictions after one month

Offensively, it starts with the quarterback Reese Poffenbarger. He was the runner-up for the Jerry Rice Award in 2022 (freshman of the year) and entered 2023 as one of the few Great Danes with preseason recognition. While Poffenbarger's numbers may be down from his breakout freshman campaign, he's managed the game effectively to have UAlbany leading the FCS in time of possession entering Week 7. Poffenbarger has spread the ball to 12 different receivers and handed off to four running backs, all with 40-plus carries. The offense has proven diverse enough to give the Great Danes a shot against any opponent.

Yet, UAlbany's defense has been the true standout in the season's first half. It starts in the front seven. Dylan Kelly is one of the nation's top linebackers, earning national Player of the Week honors after making 23 tackles in his last outing. In the trenches, Anton Juncaj and AJ Simon have become one of the top edge tandems in the FCS. Simon sits third in sacks and fourth in tackles for loss, while Juncaj leads the nation in both categories to become one of the midseason frontrunners for the Buck Buchanan Award (defensive Player of the Year). If the front seven wasn't enough, then a look at Aamir Hall, one of the nation's best cornerbacks so far, and his three interceptions should entice you.

Monster status ☠️ 🟪 🟨

— UAlbany Football (@UAlbanyFootball)

ELITE: The best FCS players at every position halfway through the season

UAlbany has a playoff-level roster. It also has a playoff-level schedule. The Great Danes have two losses, but both are against FBS opponents. The Great Danes have a ranked win over then-No. 23 Villanova and a key nonconference win over Fordham. Now, UAlbany just has to navigate the rest of the CAA slate.

UAlbany's next two games are against defending CAA champion New Hampshire and No. 22 Rhode Island. A win over New Hampshire likely knocks the Wildcats out of playoff contention and a win over Rhode Island would give the Great Danes a head-to-head advantage in any at-large conversations and wins over both teams would almost guarantee UAlbany a spot in the postseason. That is if the Great Danes take care of business against the other three teams with losing records remaining on their schedule.

UAlbany could have a playoff at-large berth in its hypothetical grasp without even thinking about the game against No. 12 William & Mary — a potential top-10 opponent by the time the schools meet on Nov. 4. If the Great Danes pull off that upset, they may lose the sleeper tag.

UP NEXT: 5 potential first-time FCS champions

So, UAlbany has the schedule and the roster to make a sleeper run to the FCS playoffs. What else is missing?

Time. Only time will tell if UAlbany will end its postseason drought and go from playoff sleeper to playoff participant, but things are trending upwards in New York's state capital.