FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

Nah. We're liberal arts colleges, and it should be via a debate:

RESOLVED: Our school should represent the conference as the NCAC Pool "A" representative in the glorious sport of football.

The other seven schools shall vote on the question when it is called.

[Pat Coleman]

I was told yesterday they were examining the scenarios. Personally, I like my idea of the coaches wrestling for the trophy and the AQ. There's no way that doesn't make SportsCenter's top 10 plays.

That's what we got too.

[bashbrother]

Examining the scenarios?  How do they not know?  How is it ok that they don't know?

I smell some NCAC tomfoolery... being vague gives them options.....   

[wally_wabash]

Just had something pointed out to me that would seem to give Kenyon the AQ if Witt, OWU and Kenyon all win Saturday (and who knows, they could all lose). The first part of the second tiebreaker doesn't break the tie. But check out the second part of the second tiebreaker (this is straight out of the manual). If you start from the bottom of the standings and go up, the first opponent Wittenberg and OWU lost to is Wabash. Since there is common opponent provision here, Kenyon wins the tiebreaker.

2. Result(s) versus individual opponents examined in descending order, individually, until tie is broken. The tied teams must have a common opponent in order for the result to be considered; if not a common opponent, move to the next team in the standings. The first team to have beaten a higher-ranked team that is a common opponent wins the tiebreaker. If the tie is not broken in the descending order review, start from the bottom of the standings and examine opponents in ascending order. The first team to have lost to a lower-ranked team loses the tiebreaker (no common opponent provision in ascending review).

The more I've thought about this, the more is bugs me.  Either having common opponents matters when breaking these ties, ALL of these ties, or it doesn't matter at all.  I don't think you can pick and choose when having common opponents is important.  If Kenyon gets into the tournament, that's fine, but let's at least have it make some sense as to why.  That OWU and Witt lost to Wabash while Kenyon never had the opportunity isn't a good reason to give Kenyon a spot in the tournament.  I'm having trouble with that logic if that is indeed the way that's going to go. 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

^ I agree, either common opponent is important or it is not. If it is important on number 1 in the tie breaker it should be used throughout. Suddenly we get to step 2b and it is important.
+1 Wally

(barring a loss by Witt or Kenyon This week, I do not see any possible way for OWU to get the AQ. Hoping for a C Bid though)

[sigma one]

Well, what did we expect?  Nothing would surprise me.  Or is it Anything wouldn't surprise me?  This is the office that runs things.  Wouldn't you think they would have started sorting this out a week or two ago?  Jeez.  If they know and are not saying, what . . .?  If they don't know, what . . .?  I'd say that I am at a loss for words, but I just typed some.

[K-Mack]

I was told yesterday they were examining the scenarios. Personally, I like my idea of the coaches wrestling for the trophy and the AQ. There's no way that doesn't make SportsCenter's top 10 plays.

That's what we got too.

Yes.

We also got a list of the tiebreakers in order. I am going to look them over, as I was under the impression they favor Kenyon. At least to judge the if-they-all-win scenario.

[smedindy]

Let's do a little preview for the final week. There are a couple of big games, eh? 

Allegheny (3-3, 4-5) @ Hiram (0-6, 0-9) - Remember, not too long ago, when Allegheny was a title contender? Remember, not so long ago, when the Gators had control of their destiny in the league? Those days are long gone. Now, Allegheny only has control if they can finish .500 for the season and have a winning league mark. Of course, they play at Hiram which is playing down to expectations this year. I'd like to say Allegheny in a walk but they've scored just 20 points in the last three games. The Terriers probably won't win, but it won't be a huge blowout.

DePauw (1-5, 2-7) @ Wabash (4-2, 7-2) - How a week turns a game from looking like a sure blowout (on paper) and a playoff coronation to a game that Wabash needs to win to keep their sliver of playoff hopes alive. Anything can happen in a Monon Bell game, of course, and this game will be discussed here and on the special board elsewhere. But the New Tigers just don't simply have enough on offense to keep up with Wabash, and they certainly aren't skilled enough on defense to stop Wabash unless Wabash stops itself. The latter, as we saw Saturday, can happen. Still, Wabash will win and then turn their eyes to the scoreboard to see if there's more carnage with the 1-loss teams.

Wooster (1-5, 2-7) @ Ohio Wesleyan (5-1, 8-1) - A tale of two seasons. Wooster woke up from their season-long torpor long enough to almost spoil Kenyon' dream season, only to see the Lords win at the end. Their QB situation is unknown. Barnes may be hurt again, but the kid Alex Hohl looked good. Meanwhile, the Bishops are a win away from NCAC glory and a good chance at a "C" bid consideration (if not the "A" if something happens to Witt). OWU won't let down and won't let the Scots spoil a chance at a redemptive season.

Denison (3-3, 3-6) @ Kenyon (5-1, 6-3) - Denison can end a lot of the NCAC tie-breaker silliness by defeating the Lords. Kenyon has been living the dream this year with some close wins against teams without a lot of offensive talent. That's not the Big Red. Denison will put points on the board. The challenge will be if the Big Red defense can stop Kenyon's decent but not great offense. It could be a shootout in Gambier, but I think Denison will crash Kenyon's party.

Wittenberg (5-1, 8-1) @ Oberlin (3-3, 4-5) - Who'd have thunk, even last week, that the Yeomen have a legit chance in beating the Old Tigers? They do. Sure, it's an outside chance, but the way Oberlin played against Wabash on both sides of the ball it's a legit chance. The issue is Wittenberg's offense. Can they contain Eaton? If so, Florence will probably have more success than Belton did. Look for a Old Tigers win and a presumptive playoff spot. However, it's not a sure thing.

[smedindy]

RR's are out:

http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/2012/11/07/second-2012-ncaa-regional-rankings/

Witt 5th, OWU 6th, Wabash banished.

[bufordscot]

I'm happy you Wabash folks still have something to chear about.  Those of us with "scot" in our names are forced to patiently wait for basketball season.  Good luck this weekend.

[wally_wabash]

Quick take on Witt and OWU and their shot at the playoffs...I think they either both go or the both stay home.  Depends entirely on how much weight the committee puts on win percentage, because all of the teams that they will be compared with will have (much) stronger SOS's and more favorable results vs RROs.  The good news there is that the North region committee apparently loves them some win percentage and kept Witt and OWU in front of the 2-loss CCIW teams which I don't think was necessarily a given.  If that pattern, and these rankings, hold to Sunday, they should both get in.  If the national committee likes to see stronger schedules and quality wins, then I think it'll be a disappointing Sunday for Witt and OWU. 

In any case, it really does feel like an all in or all out situation here, unless the committee changes their groupthink midstream. 

[nike]

So is it a given that if all win out, then Kenyon goes in via AQ?

[wabndy]

Anybody know what the actual mechanical process is for "awarding" (sorry lords - I just don't think the word "earn" is appropriate this year) the AQ and notifying the NCAA?  Does the conference office just fax a notification form saying: <INSERT TEAM NAME> received the AQ for the <INSERT CONFERENCE NAME>.

I'm still aghast that there is this much hemming and hawing over poorly written AQ criteria when teams don't play a full round robin and there is a good probability of a tie.  Its as if the criteria was written as a one-size-fits-all for all conference team sports - since - of course - we can't treat football as anything special.

[DadofBashWarrior..]

Loss to Allegeny was like a really really bad flu lasting more than a week...

Then losing to Oberlin...was like being suffocated for a year...

Not turning this into a political board at all but...

Romney losing last night was like certain death for 4 more years...



Will be at a Telecast Sat...but like 08 who knows what could happen when we were ranked either 3rd or 4th in D3...

One thing is for sure...Obama will be gone in 4 years
WABASH ALWAYS FIGHTS

[wally_wabash]

So is it a given that if all win out, then Kenyon goes in via AQ?

Seems to be the consensus right now, but I wouldn't put an official stamp on anything until after all of the games are over on Saturday.