FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[littlegiant407]

All of these match up's are so-so to say the least. Better games will come and go, but how often will Game Day be able to broadcast from the site of a game that will break a 53 game to 53 game tie? That is College football history. None of those other games are. 8)
[/quote]

so-so? i would argue that a game btw two ranked teams with a trip to the BCS championship on the line might generate more NATIONAL interest than a Bell Game. I guess I was hoping for a more concrete reason for why the game wouldn't be in Columbus. In that case I'll third the notion that the game will be at the 'shoe

ESPN: Please prove me wrong!!!

[Mr. Ypsi]

All of these match up's are so-so to say the least. Better games will come and go, but how often will Game Day be able to broadcast from the site of a game that will break a 53 game to 53 game tie? That is College football history. None of those other games are. 8)

so-so? i would argue that a game btw two ranked teams with a trip to the BCS championship on the line might generate more NATIONAL interest than a Bell Game. I guess I was hoping for a more concrete reason for why the game wouldn't be in Columbus. In that case I'll third the notion that the game will be at the 'shoe

ESPN: Please prove me wrong!!!
[/quote]

You really think "a trip to the BCS championship" is "on the line"?!  OSU has TWO losses (including to pathetic Purdue).  Iowa has been scraping by, including a 2 point win over Michigan (who was subsequently blown out by PSU and truly pathetic Illinois).  One of them may make the BCS, but I hope they are both miles away from a title game!  That would be a really UGLY game.

[1990 Champs]

You really think "a trip to the BCS championship" is "on the line"?!  OSU has TWO losses (including to pathetic Purdue).  Iowa has been scraping by, including a 2 point win over Michigan (who was subsequently blown out by PSU and truly pathetic Illinois).  One of them may make the BCS, but I hope they are both miles away from a title game!  That would be a really UGLY game.
[/quote]

Well, this Iowa team reminds me of Ohio State in 2002 (2003 Fiesta Bowl Win over Miami, Fla.)  The Hawkeyes continue to find ways to win.  Of course I may be biased here, but I will leave it up to the more astute posters to figure out why!

That said, I will be in Columbus wathcing the Hawks and Bucks battle it out.  Most likely with the GameDay crew there.

[Bash-Dad #84]

I stand by my statement, Game Day has been to Columbus a thousand times before. Nothing new or exciting, but if they go to the Bell Game they have a chance to be a part of College football history!

[littlegiant407]

The computers have no eyes. Iowa has won AT Penn State, AT Wisconsin, and AT Ohio State(theoretically). All three of which are ranked teams. I'm only saying it has title implications for Iowa but yes IF Iowa beats OSU then I think they should go to the BCS title game. Not because they one of the top two best teams in the country, but because they have won ALL their games in a BCS conference and deserve a shot. These things typically have a way of working themselves out though.

Thankfully in D-III we don't have to deal with all that nonsense.

Has there ever been an undefeated team excluded from the D-III playoffs?

[Ryan Tipps]

Has there ever been an undefeated team excluded from the D-III playoffs?

Yes, littlegiant. The Little Giants were. 

However, I was only 5 years old at the time, so the exact reasons are a little fuzzy.

[cave2bens]

Has there ever been an undefeated team excluded from the D-III playoffs?

Yes, littlegiant. The Little Giants were.  

However, I was only 5 years old at the time, so the exact reasons are a little fuzzy.

Actually twice, if going 8-0-1 (a tie in "an uninteresting" Bell Game in 1980) is considered undefeated and then again in 1982.  If fading memory and advancing age don't trip me up, I believe Dayton won in 1980 and West Georgia in 1982.  
Recommended reading -  pages 68-69 of 2009 Wabash Media Guide... 

I only wish I'd have been five back then, Ryan  

[bashbrother]

Hasn't ESPN done a small college Gameday each of the last couple of years.  If memory serves me right, they were at Amherst last year?

It doesn't get much bigger than the Bell Game in small college football.

[cave2bens]

Indeed - Amherst/Williams with the perfectly erected tent in the back of the endzone.

Commentator - "Coach.  How about your athletes and NCAA minimums on the SAT?
Coach - "Oh, are you talking about the 700?"
Commentator - "Yes - is that an issue at this level?"
Coach - "Not really - we ask which section, verbal or math?"   

[bashbrother]

Question for the Bash Faithful:

How much does Hudson play this week?  Seemed very sharp and productive last weekend.

1st quarter?

till half?

doesn't play?

[wally_wabash]

I think the hardest part of the 3 NCAC teams in the tournament idea is Allegheny beating Wittenberg.  That's the most difficult logic leap of faith that has to be made. 

I pondered this concept myself. I wasn't sure how the Allegheny I saw play earlier this season would be able to score against Wittenberg.

Agree entirely. The 3 NCAC teams in the tournament is a fun hypothetical but it isn't happening. Allegheny simply isn't at the same level as Witt or Wabash this season. Unless Witt makes mistakes on offense that turn directly into points for the Gators, I don't see a reasonable way for AC to win.

[formerd3db]

Has there ever been an undefeated team excluded from the D-III playoffs?

Yes, littlegiant. The Little Giants were.  

However, I was only 5 years old at the time, so the exact reasons are a little fuzzy.

Has there ever been an undefeated team excluded from the D-III playoffs?

Yes, littlegiant. The Little Giants were.  

However, I was only 5 years old at the time, so the exact reasons are a little fuzzy.

Actually twice, if going 8-0-1 (a tie in "an uninteresting" Bell Game in 1980) is considered undefeated and then again in 1982.  If fading memory and advancing age don't trip me up, I believe Dayton won in 1980 and West Georgia in 1982.  
Recommended reading -  pages 68-69 of 2009 Wabash Media Guide...  

I only wish I'd have been five back then, Ryan  

Ryan and Cave2:

You remember correctly, Cave2.  This topic has been discussed a couple of times on this board 2-3 years ago or so, but is always fun to revisit, especially around playoff time each year.  Back then, the NCAA Div. III playoffs had only eight spots, 1 for each region (N, S, E, W) and four at-large bids.  However, their rule at the time was no more than two teams from the same region.  Thus, Wabash lost out on bids because Dayton and Baldwin-Wallace were ahead of them in the rankings in 1980 (those two teams finished #3 and #4 in the final poll with Wabash being #9).  That was in the era when Dayton was still "killing people" after having dropped from DI to DIII in 1977, which eventually led to, of course, the so-called "Dayton Rule" for DIII football as has also been discussed on the boards most interestingly in recent years.

However, the most disappointing one (certainly for our Wabash friends here ), was indeed, in 1982 when Wabash was 10-0 as you've mentioned and didn't get a bid because Baldwin-Wallace and Augustana were ahead of them in the North region rankings at the end of the season (as I recall, those two teams were #1 and #2 with Wabash being #3 in the North region; thereafter, in the final overall national rankings, Baldwin-Wallace was #1, West Georgia #2, Augustana #3 and Wabash #5, with West Georgia winning the national championship in the Stagg Bowl that year - in the next year or so, West George went DII).

That happened also to Hope (1984 when they were 9-0-0, Hope's best season ever in its 100 year history of football) and Adrian as well in the early 1980's, being ranked in the top ten in the national DIII poll (Hope was #8 as I recall) when there were still only 8 spots in the playoffs and the same "region limit" rule in effect.  Thankfully, this has changed as we all know, and even though there are a few disputes on occasion (like the Franklin one a year ago), these are minimal and the process pretty much as fair as it can be for the most part (even though the committee may have some reasoning and choices different from what some of us would choose - see Keith's summary in this week's ATN on the front page here of the criteria used for this which is most informative).  

Although they have done it before, perhaps some of our Wabash regulars here might care to share their thoughts on those two years.  IMO, it is still a travesty that Wabash's 10-0 team (and, of course, Hope's 9-0 team) didn't make it those years - a real shame.  I would also just like to add a memory here since we're on the topic of the playoffs and championships.  Speaking of Wabash and Hope, way back in my own playing days, my senior year in 1977 (yes, I'm old! ), we were the only team to beat Wabash (until they lost in the Stagg Bowl National Championship game to Widner (and Billy "White Shoes" Johnson if I recall correctly? - Wabash had some "big guns" that year, too).  We beat them in a very close 20-18, a most memorable and very great game at our place in a blinding rainstorm for a much of the game.  The game was actually delayed at the start by 45 minutes right after our pre-game warm-ups and the National Anthem, due to big lightening storm.

[altor]

And the long story made short:

No undefeated team has been left out in the AQ era.

[Caveman # 95]

Has there ever been an undefeated team excluded from the D-III playoffs?

Yes, littlegiant. The Little Giants were.  

However, I was only 5 years old at the time, so the exact reasons are a little fuzzy.

Has there ever been an undefeated team excluded from the D-III playoffs?

Yes, littlegiant. The Little Giants were.  

However, I was only 5 years old at the time, so the exact reasons are a little fuzzy.

Actually twice, if going 8-0-1 (a tie in "an uninteresting" Bell Game in 1980) is considered undefeated and then again in 1982.  If fading memory and advancing age don't trip me up, I believe Dayton won in 1980 and West Georgia in 1982.  
Recommended reading -  pages 68-69 of 2009 Wabash Media Guide...  

I only wish I'd have been five back then, Ryan  

Ryan and Cave2:

You remember correctly, Cave2.  This topic has been discussed a couple of times on this board 2-3 years ago or so, but is always fun to revisit, especially around playoff time each year.  Back then, the NCAA Div. III playoffs had only eight spots, 1 for each region (N, S, E, W) and four at-large bids.  However, their rule at the time was no more than two teams from the same region.  Thus, Wabash lost out on bids because Dayton and Baldwin-Wallace were ahead of them in the rankings in 1980 (those two teams finished #3 and #4 in the final poll with Wabash being #9).  That was in the era when Dayton was still "killing people" after having dropped from DI to DIII in 1977, which eventually led to, of course, the so-called "Dayton Rule" for DIII football as has also been discussed on the boards most interestingly in recent years.

However, the most disappointing one (certainly for our Wabash friends here ), was indeed, in 1982 when Wabash was 10-0 as you've mentioned and didn't get a bid because Baldwin-Wallace and Augustana were ahead of them in the North region rankings at the end of the season (as I recall, those two teams were #1 and #2 with Wabash being #3 in the North region; thereafter, in the final overall national rankings, Baldwin-Wallace was #1, West Georgia #2, Augustana #3 and Wabash #5, with West Georgia winning the national championship in the Stagg Bowl that year - in the next year or so, West George went DII).

That happened also to Hope (1984 when they were 9-0-0, Hope's best season ever in its 100 year history of football) and Adrian as well in the early 1980's, being ranked in the top ten in the national DIII poll (Hope was #8 as I recall) when there were still only 8 spots in the playoffs and the same "region limit" rule in effect.  Thankfully, this has changed as we all know, and even though there are a few disputes on occasion (like the Franklin one a year ago), these are minimal and the process pretty much as fair as it can be for the most part (even though the committee may have some reasoning and choices different from what some of us would choose - see Keith's summary in this week's ATN on the front page here of the criteria used for this which is most informative).  

Although they have done it before, perhaps some of our Wabash regulars here might care to share their thoughts on those two years.  IMO, it is still a travesty that Wabash's 10-0 team (and, of course, Hope's 9-0 team) didn't make it those years - a real shame.  I would also just like to add a memory here since we're on the topic of the playoffs and championships.  Speaking of Wabash and Hope, way back in my own playing days, my senior year in 1977 (yes, I'm old! ), we were the only team to beat Wabash (until they lost in the Stagg Bowl National Championship game to Widner (and Billy "White Shoes" Johnson if I recall correctly? - Wabash had some "big guns" that year, too).  We beat them in a very close 20-18, a most memorable and very great game at our place in a blinding rainstorm for a much of the game.  The game was actually delayed at the start by 45 minutes right after our pre-game warm-ups and the National Anthem, due to big lightening storm.

former3db-  Very nice job of summing up the this topic...

[Fripp52]

Caveman 95, I have to correct you.  Metzelaars last football year was 81.  I played in the 81, 82, 83, and 84 games.  82 was Broekers (sp?) last year.  He may have been the best QB I played against.  That was a good game until the second half.