That would have been nice, but the ranking committee didn't agree and the seeding committee can't change 5 & 6 just because we 'think' an upset is going to happen.
Actually, they can. Here's the USports Regulations:
SEEDING CRITERIA 1. The three (3) Sport Conference champions will be seeded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd based on their respective team national ranking in the final Top Ten of the season. The last Top 10 ranking will be done after the Sport Conference playoffs are completed. 2. The OUA finalist (either the OUA East or OUA West divisional champion) will be seeded #4. 3. The remaining 4 qualifying teams will be seeded using the final Top Ten of the season as a guiding tool. 4. Results of regional playoffs must be respected. 5. Once the seeding has been completed, teams 5 through 8 can be flipped no more than two spots (up or down) to try to avoid first round match-ups of teams from the same sport conference. (This means teams seeded 1 through 4 cannot be flipped). 6. The Host may flip the brackets to ensure a local team plays at a preferred time to assist with ticket sales. However, the structure of the brackets must be maintained (i.e. 1 vs. 8 and 4 vs. 5 must always stay together and 2 vs. 7 and 3 vs. 6 must stay together) so that common rest times are protected and the integrity of the draw is maintained. 7. Without affecting the integrity of the draw, games in the upper half of the draw can be switched to accommodate travel and time zone adjustment (i.e. Canada West teams traveling East). If the teams playing are not impacted by the time zone change then there can be no switching of game times.
I'll highlight what matters:
"The remaining 4 qualifying teams will be seeded using the final Top Ten of the season as a guiding tool."
The committee is not bound by the final ranking. They have the option of seeding 5-8 as they see fit, without moving one team up or down more than 2 spots.
That's why I was surprised to see Sask at 6 and St FX at 5.
It's also noteworthy who is on the committee:
1. Chairperson: A non-voting U SPORTS Office staff member. 2. Members: One voting representative from each Sport Conference (3). Each Sport Conference representative to be appointed by the convener of that Sport Conference and must be a coach not participating in the championship. 3. President of the Coaches Executive: The President of the Coaches Executive will take part in the conference call to ensure the seeding criteria are followed. Should the President be the coach of a team that has qualified for the championship, the President will contact the U SPORTS Office to notify them of his designate.
So, sorry Bob, but the committee is not stacking the deck to favour UNB. One member from each Conference, plus a coach.
The host committee does get too choose the game times, but that's it.