FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

I'm really glad that the NCAA doesn't do regional rankings until week 8.  I couldn't stand the hand wringing on Wednesdays every week of the season. 

Waiting on these rankings every Wednesday is worse than waiting on the results of a really important blood test. 

[Raider 68]

I'm really glad that the NCAA doesn't do regional rankings until week 8.  I couldn't stand the hand wringing on Wednesdays every week of the season. 

Waiting on these rankings every Wednesday is worse than waiting on the results of a really important blood test. 

Does Allegheny have a good shot to beat Wittenberg?

The rankings are due today, but not sure what time they were released
last week!

[wally_wabash]

Does Allegheny have a good shot to beat Wittenberg?

No, not really.  It'll take a pretty careless effort on Witt's part to not wrap up the conference AQ this weekend.  And the more that I think about this, if a three way tie breaks in the favor of Allegheny, Witt goes into Pool C and even though Witt's SOS numbers are just awful, they have a h2h against Wabash and would absolutely have to be considered for selection in front of the LGs.  As much as I hate to say it, I think the best thing for Wabash this weekend is for Witt to win by 27.  I need to shower now. 

The rankings are due today, but not sure what time they were released
last week!

They usually drop sometime mid-afternoon.  They were out by this time last week...hopefully they'll show up soon. 

[MUCheats]

Yeah, if you have a 14 team league with two divisions, how is the champion determined without a championship game?

The NCAC needs to do what's best for the NCAC.  

The UAA, as much as I like the concept of the league, needs to get its house in order.  Get Hopkins back in the fold, get Rochester to play football in the league, and woo a school like MIT to join the league in all sports (football included).  There's the seven they need to get an AQ.  Far be it for me to tell schools in Boston and Baltimore what's best for them, but on paper, their true peers are playing ball in the UAA.  Just sayin'...

[Pat Coleman]

New regional rankings out:
http://www.d3football.com/dailydose/2009/11/04/ncaa-regional-rankings-take-2/

[wally_wabash]

Alright, I've perused the rankings and this is how I think the pool C selection would go down if happened today:

Del Valley 3E (Del Val is the only at-large team that has actually beaten a regionally ranked team)
UMHB 6S
Wabash 6N
Wheaton 7N
Springfield 5E
St. Thomas 6W
------------
Coe 7W

Seems reasonable...some of these rankings are going to shift over the next two weeks.  Delaware Valley plays Albright this weekend for an AQ.  Whatever the result, Springfield probably moves to the top of the East line next week which changes everything. 

[wabashcpa]

As much as I hate to say it, I think the best thing for Wabash this weekend is for Witt to win by 27. 

Works for me - not too unlikely a scenario, either.  I don't see the Gators putting up too many points on that D.

[smedindy]

I don't think Rochester will move for football. Hopkins' lacrosse programs may be a deal breaker for them. MIT is a possibility but there are plenty of schools to play in New England to not have to fly to Atlanta or St. Louis or Cleveland.

My whole thing was if the NCAC and the UAA were serious about this joint football scheduling then get really serious about it.

[MUCheats]

I don't think Rochester will move for football. Hopkins' lacrosse programs may be a deal breaker for them. MIT is a possibility but there are plenty of schools to play in New England to not have to fly to Atlanta or St. Louis or Cleveland.

My whole thing was if the NCAC and the UAA were serious about this joint football scheduling then get really serious about it.

Hopkins was in the UAA up until a few years ago.  Their lacrosse programs are independent at the Division I level, so I don't believe that's the issue for them, either.  Rochester opting out of the UAA for football makes sense because of their dual conference membership, they simply choose to play ball in the conference that has the AQ.  MIT probably shouldn't leave the NEWMAC, I just through them out there as a possibility.

The UAA, as a football league, seems to make little sense in its current setup.  It would almost make more sense for those four remaining schools to drop the UAA football conference and look to gain affiliate member status in more local conferences.  CWRU and CMU could petition to join the NCAC or PAC, Chicago could look towards the CCIW, and WashU maybe the SLIAC or perhaps even the CCIW, as well.  That's assuming those conferences have room to accept them and would be willing to do so.  Otherwise it may not work out so well.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I don't think Rochester will move for football. Hopkins' lacrosse programs may be a deal breaker for them. MIT is a possibility but there are plenty of schools to play in New England to not have to fly to Atlanta or St. Louis or Cleveland.

My whole thing was if the NCAC and the UAA were serious about this joint football scheduling then get really serious about it.

Hopkins was in the UAA up until a few years ago.  Their lacrosse programs are independent at the Division I level, so I don't believe that's the issue for them, either.  Rochester opting out of the UAA for football makes sense because of their dual conference membership, they simply choose to play ball in the conference that has the AQ.  MIT probably shouldn't leave the NEWMAC, I just through them out there as a possibility.

The UAA, as a football league, seems to make little sense in its current setup.  It would almost make more sense for those four remaining schools to drop the UAA football conference and look to gain affiliate member status in more local conferences.  CWRU and CMU could petition to join the NCAC or PAC, Chicago could look towards the CCIW, and WashU maybe the SLIAC or perhaps even the CCIW, as well.  That's assuming those conferences have room to accept them and would be willing to do so.  Otherwise it may not work out so well.

I doubt the CCIW would be interested.  Many of their teams already play both Chicago and WashU in many sports, but they have a very stable membership.  And, IMO, 8 is the perfect size for a conference - just the right blend of conference and non-conference games, while still having a full round-robin (double-round-robin in bball).

Any odd number is awkward for scheduling.  6 doesn't get an AQ.  10 means either no round-robin or only one non-con game.  8 is great!

[ADL70]

Hopkins never played football with the UAA and like CWRU only played each team once each season in Basketball when they were in the UAA and thus were not eligible to win the championship.

The better solution for UAA according to Ralph Turner was to add three NCAC teams as affiliates for football only.  For that to work now the NCAC  needs to replace Earlham.  I believe it would be possible to periodically rotate one team back to the NCAC to be replaced by a different team.  

I preferred the two conference solution a NCUAACE and NCUAACW, but as I understand it at least one and possibly both of the conferences would have to wait two years to get the AQ.  I doubt any of the top NCAC teams would want that.

[Mr. Ypsi]

UAA football guys,

With a range from Pittsburgh to St. Louis, you've got a pretty broad net.  Just scoop up some cannon-fodder from the dregs of conferences that can afford to lose their worst teams.  You get an AQ; they get a boost in their national rankings!

[Just as a starting suggestion, how about Wilmington, Hiram, Olivet, and/or Bluffton?] 

Win-Win!

[Ralph Turner]

UAA football guys,

With a range from Pittsburgh to St. Louis, you've got a pretty broad net.  Just scoop up some cannon-fodder from the dregs of conferences that can afford to lose their worst teams.  You get an AQ; they get a boost in their national rankings!

[Just as a starting suggestion, how about Wilmington, Hiram, Olivet, and/or Bluffton?] 

Win-Win!

Mr Ypsi has got a good idea there.  +1! 

The MIAA cannot spare Olivet, unless they add Finlandia in 2012.  (For the sake of an 8-team football conference, would the MIAA accept Finlandia as a football affiliate?)

Depending on what DePauw would do if those dominoes fell, the NCAC could loan 2.

The HCAC could loan 2 teams.

[Schwami]

Del Valley 3E (Del Val is the only at-large team that has actually beaten a regionally ranked team)

Hmmm . . . Wabash picked up a win over a regionally ranked team this week as Allegheny moved into the regional rankings.  At least for the time being.  I thought that might be enough to keep Wabash ahead of Illinois Wesleyan, but apparently not 

[Schwami]

Earlham is currently 4-4 . . . exactly where they want to be . . . so what is their rationale for bolting?  Oh I see . . . they finish with two ridiculously long road trips, to Ohio Wesleyan and Denison