FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[WAF78]

Congrats to BB16 and the rest of the Wabash Athletics Hall of Fame inductees...including my uncle, Jim Cumming, '61.
http://www.wabash.edu/news/displaystory.cfm?news_ID=6379

[aueagle]

Jake Knott...a no-brainer.......very...very tough. Congrats

[wally world]

I didn't know this, but could Ball State's emergence on the national football scene be due in large part to a former Wabash coach? Stan Parrish in the offensive coordinator and QBs coach for the Cardinals.

For a guy who had a stellar 42-3-1 record in his stint in C-ville, has coached in the Super Bowl with the Buccaneers, and has been successful on the staff at such legendary programs as Michigan where he worked with Tom Brady, how come he has bounced around so much, and how would he land at a school with Ball State's pedigree? You'd think he would be roaming the sidelines at least as an assistant or coordinator at a Big 10, Big 12, or SEC type program, not in the MAC. I know he had a stint at Kansas State way back when, but it just seems odd.

[ADL70]

BnG-Remember that being #8 in the regional rankings doesn't necessarily get you in the play-offs. Wooster will be competing for the six Pool C slots with conference runner-ups from every other AQ conference and Pool B teams not selected.  There are way too many potential one-loss teams for Wooster to have a realistic play-off shot.  They wouldn't likely be considered even a top two loss team.  Sorry to burst your bubble.

I'm rooting for the Scots to win out though, because it will help CWRU!

[WAF78]

Nice article about Ball State that highlights Stan Parrish, former Wabash coach.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=jn-ballstateqb110608&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[short]

BnG-Remember that being #8 in the regional rankings doesn't necessarily get you in the play-offs. Wooster will be competing for the six Pool C slots with conference runner-ups from every other AQ conference and Pool B teams not selected.  There are way too many potential one-loss teams for Wooster to have a realistic play-off shot.  They wouldn't likely be considered even a top two loss team.  Sorry to burst your bubble.

I'm rooting for the Scots to win out though, because it will help CWRU!

Wooster SOS is the highest of any 2 loss team.  If Wabash and CWRU win out look for Wooster to have a really chance at the playoffs.

[Black n Gold]

Who has clinched a conference championship already of the 23 that accept auto-bids?

[wally_wabash]

Who has clinched a conference championship already of the 23 that accept auto-bids?

As cwru70 mentioned, Wooster is competing for just one of six at-large invitations (there are three other at-large bids, but Wooster is not eligible for those).  That number is down from previous years as a couple of leagues that recently added seventh teams are now elgibile for automatic bids. 

Step 1 for being in the at-large playoff conversation is getting into the regional rankings.  Wooster has done that.  Now, Wooster needs a whole bunch of the 1-loss teams out there to drop another game and level the playing field.  As of this moment, Wooster is on the outside looking in, but if we get carnage in the last two weeks, you never know what might happen. 

Five teams have clinched spots in the tournament so far:
Cortland State (NJAC)
Millsaps (SCAC)
Monmouth (MWC)
Thomas More (PAC)
Wabash (NCAC)

[ADL70]

Four of the Pool C selections are pretty well set, barring upsets:

Montclair ST/Rowan winner
Otterbein/MUC loser
HSU
UWW

[Mr. Ypsi]

Four of the Pool C selections are pretty well set, barring upsets:

Montclair ST/Rowan winner
Otterbein/MUC loser
HSU
UWW

I'm not sure UWEC beating UWSP would even be an upset; it that happens UWW is the AQ, not a C.

[wally_wabash]

Agree on Hardin-Simmons.  Like Mr. Ypsi, I think UWW still has a strong chance to win the WIAC's auto bid.  And I'm also taking a wait and see approach with Otterbein.  John Carroll is is not a game that we can just assume Otterbein will win. 1-loss Otterbein is a lock.  2-loss Otterbein not so much. 

[ScotsFan]

Agree on Hardin-Simmons.  Like Mr. Ypsi, I think UWW still has a strong chance to win the WIAC's auto bid.  And I'm also taking a wait and see approach with Otterbein.  John Carroll is is not a game that we can just assume Otterbein will win. 1-loss Otterbein is a lock.  2-loss Otterbein not so much. 

It just depends on which JCU team shows up.  Will it be the one that took likely PAC Champion Thomas Moore (who ended W&J's dominance over the PAC last weekend) to the woodshed in the opening weekend to the tune of 41-14?  Or will it be the JCU that lost to ONU?

The question I have is does an 8-2 Wooster get in over a 9-1 W&J?  Personally, I don't think the PAC is deserving enough of a conference to warrant getting 2 teams into the playoffs, but that's JMO...

[wally_wabash]

It really isn't about whether or not a conference is deserving of having multiple bids.  The HCAC, who hasn't won a playoff game in forever, put two teams in the tournament last season.  Conference affiliation is not part of the selection criteria. 

As I look at the regional rankings I see 12 potential Pool C candidates.  Note that I'm counting the Rowan/Montclair State winner as one candidate, and I'm not counting Adrian or Augustana as the only realistic way they can make the field is by winning their conference games this week.  I would guess that Wooster is probably choice #10 or 11 on that list of 12 potential pool C teams right now.

[ScotsFan]

I would guess that Wooster is probably choice #10 or 11 on that list of 12 potential pool C teams right now.

In other words, not only does Wooster have to take care of their own business, they also need a TON of help these next 2 weeks... 

One other question to throw out there.  If Ott ends up dropping their last 2 games, would that be enough for a 2-loss Wooster team to jump them?  I saw where Wooster has the best SOS among 2-loss teams, but wouldn't Ott's SOS be better than Wooster's?

My gut tells me that Ott won't lose to JCU so this would all be moot...

[wally_wabash]

I would guess that Wooster is probably choice #10 or 11 on that list of 12 potential pool C teams right now.

In other words, not only does Wooster have to take care of their own business, they also need a TON of help these next 2 weeks... 

Such is the plight of two loss teams in 2008.  And those 12 teams that are in the rankings as possible pool C teams do not include Hampden-Sydney who, if they beat Huntingdon and win-out, probably would be a more attractive selection than 2-loss Wooster. 

So yeah, Wooster obviously has to win in their last two weeks and they need a lot of help. As we consider NCAC teams as potential playoff teams, I think Wittenberg could slide into the rankings this week if Trine and NCC win their games (Trine and NCC may not fall all the way out of the rankings if they lose) which would set up a Woo/Witt game in week 11 that would put the winner in a position to possibly get on the table during the selection discussions.  Both teams need some upsets around the country to get into the field, but I would guess that Wittenberg, with just one regional loss to an undefeated conference champion (strictly in the hypothetical...I have no idea who should/could/would/will win the Witt/Woo game) has a slightly better chance to put themselves in the tournament field than 2-loss Wooster.  I also think that either scenario is a super long shot and that multiple bids from the NCAC are not very realistic this year.