FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[D O.C.]

So Wally, care to guess at the top 4 in the North region on November 1st?

[wally_wabash]

So Wally, care to guess at the top 4 in the North region on November 1st?

In the first regional rankings...if I had to guess at the top 4 I would say:
Mount Union
John Carroll
Illinois Wesleyan
Trine

I think Trine's undefeated record will sneak them into the top 4.  Eureka is probably going to be much higher than we've had in the NRFP as well, but probably not in the top half. 

So that's five teams.  Franklin will probably be ranked somewhere.  That leaves four other spots for Witt/Wabash/Denison/Wheaton/WashU/North Central/Millikin/Baldwin-Wallace/Kalamazoo.  There are going to be some teams expecting to be ranked that won't be this week.  There's just not enough room at the inn. 

EDIT:  I have to check myself here.  I don't think it's a sure thing that Eureka will be ranked.  If they get all the way to 10-0, that plus some coming attrition will get them ranked, but their SOS is almost impossibly low and may be disqualifying until some other teams pick up an extra loss.  Franklin is the too-low SOS zone also, but I think they'll get ranked. 

[thunderdog]

To put Franklin in the regional rankings would be giving them one giant PASS for a 21 point loss to a 5-3 Albion team (5th play in the MIAA)

[Li'l Giant]

As someone who has been a fairly vocal critic of the Wabash coaching staff I have to say they deserve kudos for yesterday's big win. That, and not last year's Bell game, is Don Morel's signature win as head coach. As Wally recapped as capably as always, there were some really good play calls made in that game and they deserve credit for that.

The Wabash team I saw yesterday is what we've all been used to. The type of team that can go into Witt and play a tough game against a very good team, make plays when they need them, show guts and heart, and when it comes down to it, win. It was beautiful, really.

Let's hope there's no hangover against a resurgent Allegheny, who just knocked off Depauw yesterday.

WAF.

[smedindy]

Denison is getting no love by the D-3 Top 25 pollsters, though from this eye they're probably the best team in the league.

They do have two losses but that loss to Southwestern in week 1 on the road seems like ages ago.

[Li'l Giant]

Southwestern didn't help them out by going 3-4 since then, though that's a real tough league they're in.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

To put Franklin in the regional rankings would be giving them one giant PASS for a 21 point loss to a 5-3 Albion team (5th play in the MIAA)

Franklin will be just fine.  As the leaves turn, the GRIZ win the HCAC and get into the playoff.  Bad games happen.  Ask Ohio State.  That was early September BTW.   

[wally_wabash]

To put Franklin in the regional rankings would be giving them one giant PASS for a 21 point loss to a 5-3 Albion team (5th play in the MIAA)

Franklin will be just fine.  As the leaves turn, the GRIZ win the HCAC and get into the playoff.  Bad games happen.  Ask Ohio State.  That was early September BTW.   

Games played in September still count.  Franklin is definitely a team I'm looking for in today's rankings.  I have the Grizzlies on the fringe of the top 10 in the region.  I think once we get some more fallout in the CCIW, Franklin will be safely in the top 10, but I don't know how high they can really climb with that ugly loss to Albion and no wins of real consequence. Franklin's profile right now reads like one that gets sent off to Alliance or Whitewater.  A best case scenario might actually be that Franklin gets paired with Berry for a first round game.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

To put Franklin in the regional rankings would be giving them one giant PASS for a 21 point loss to a 5-3 Albion team (5th play in the MIAA)

Franklin will be just fine.  As the leaves turn, the GRIZ win the HCAC and get into the playoff.  Bad games happen.  Ask Ohio State.  That was early September BTW.   

Games played in September still count.  Franklin is definitely a team I'm looking for in today's rankings.  I have the Grizzlies on the fringe of the top 10 in the region.  I think once we get some more fallout in the CCIW, Franklin will be safely in the top 10, but I don't know how high they can really climb with that ugly loss to Albion and no wins of real consequence. Franklin's profile right now reads like one that gets sent off to Alliance or Whitewater.  A best case scenario might actually be that Franklin gets paired with Berry for a first round game.

True they all count.  The loss to Denison counts for Wabash (not sure what the tiebreaker is).  Franklin was breaking in a new QB and several new starters back at Albion.  My point is that what happened then may not be indicative of where they are today.  We will find out soon enough (unless FC somehow loses to Bluffton or Hanover at home the next two weeks). 

[wally_wabash]

To put Franklin in the regional rankings would be giving them one giant PASS for a 21 point loss to a 5-3 Albion team (5th play in the MIAA)

Franklin will be just fine.  As the leaves turn, the GRIZ win the HCAC and get into the playoff.  Bad games happen.  Ask Ohio State.  That was early September BTW.   

Games played in September still count.  Franklin is definitely a team I'm looking for in today's rankings.  I have the Grizzlies on the fringe of the top 10 in the region.  I think once we get some more fallout in the CCIW, Franklin will be safely in the top 10, but I don't know how high they can really climb with that ugly loss to Albion and no wins of real consequence. Franklin's profile right now reads like one that gets sent off to Alliance or Whitewater.  A best case scenario might actually be that Franklin gets paired with Berry for a first round game.

True they all count.  The loss to Denison counts for Wabash (not sure what the tiebreaker is).  Franklin was breaking in a new QB and several new starters back at Albion.  My point is that what happened then may not be indicative of where they are today.  We will find out soon enough (unless FC somehow loses to Bluffton or Hanover at home the next two weeks).

You're saying teams evolve over the course of three months?  Spicy take, my friend.  Will take under advisement.

Franklin is good.  Getting boatraced by Albion and having nothing else of consequence on your profile unfortunately means you're going wind up at the tail end or just off the tail end of the rankings.  Just the way that goes.   

[GRIZ_BACKER]

To put Franklin in the regional rankings would be giving them one giant PASS for a 21 point loss to a 5-3 Albion team (5th play in the MIAA)

Franklin will be just fine.  As the leaves turn, the GRIZ win the HCAC and get into the playoff.  Bad games happen.  Ask Ohio State.  That was early September BTW.   

Games played in September still count.  Franklin is definitely a team I'm looking for in today's rankings.  I have the Grizzlies on the fringe of the top 10 in the region.  I think once we get some more fallout in the CCIW, Franklin will be safely in the top 10, but I don't know how high they can really climb with that ugly loss to Albion and no wins of real consequence. Franklin's profile right now reads like one that gets sent off to Alliance or Whitewater.  A best case scenario might actually be that Franklin gets paired with Berry for a first round game.

True they all count.  The loss to Denison counts for Wabash (not sure what the tiebreaker is).  Franklin was breaking in a new QB and several new starters back at Albion.  My point is that what happened then may not be indicative of where they are today.  We will find out soon enough (unless FC somehow loses to Bluffton or Hanover at home the next two weeks).

You're saying teams evolve over the course of three months?  Spicy take, my friend.  Will take under advisement.

Franklin is good.  Getting boatraced by Albion and having nothing else of consequence on your profile unfortunately means you're going wind up at the tail end or just off the tail end of the rankings.  Just the way that goes.

Albion kept FC from 10-0 and likely home game first round (regardless of SOS).  We still might get one.  Hard to say where teams end up as we all the know the seeding and scheduling isn't necessarily accurate other than the top 4-6 teams.  Franklin has been on both ends of that.  Geography/distance as well as schools who didnt apply to host also go into the equation.  Assuming Bash, Witt, and Denison win out what is the tiebreaker in the NCAC?  At least Bash back in the conversation as they were all but written off before the win in Ohio over Witt.

[wally_wabash]

Albion kept FC from 10-0 and likely home game first round (regardless of SOS).  We still might get one.  Hard to say where teams end up as we all the know the seeding and scheduling isn't necessarily accurate other than the top 4-6 teams.  Franklin has been on both ends of that.  Geography/distance as well as schools who didnt apply to host also go into the equation. 

I'm going to need to be very surprised by today's rankings before I see Franklin coming anywhere close to a home game.  This Franklin team isn't a one-loss team with games against Whitewater and Butler.  You've got Benedictine and Albion, and you lost to one of them.  The difference is massive. 

Assuming Bash, Witt, and Denison win out what is the tiebreaker in the NCAC?  At least Bash back in the conversation as they were all but written off before the win in Ohio over Witt.

But the early buzz is that a three-way tie breaks in favor of Denison (though that doesn't jive with my interpretation of the tiebreaks as of the last time I saw them published).  So we'll see. 

[GRIZ_BACKER]

Albion kept FC from 10-0 and likely home game first round (regardless of SOS).  We still might get one.  Hard to say where teams end up as we all the know the seeding and scheduling isn't necessarily accurate other than the top 4-6 teams.  Franklin has been on both ends of that.  Geography/distance as well as schools who didnt apply to host also go into the equation. 

I'm going to need to be very surprised by today's rankings before I see Franklin coming anywhere close to a home game.  This Franklin team isn't a one-loss team with games against Whitewater and Butler.  You've got Benedictine and Albion, and you lost to one of them.  The difference is massive. 

FC will prob be a 6 at best more likely a 7-8.  Keep in mind that the ranking includes teams that may not make the playoffs so a 7 today could be a 4/5 on 11/11.  And ranking isn't a given on home or away games. 

[Pat Coleman]

Regional rankings are out: 
http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2018/first-regional-ranking

[thunderdog]

Assuming Bash, Witt, and Denison win out what is the tiebreaker in the NCAC?  At least Bash back in the conversation as they were all but written off before the win in Ohio over Witt.

But the early buzz is that a three-way tie breaks in favor of Denison (though that doesn't jive with my interpretation of the tiebreaks as of the last time I saw them published).  So we'll see.

Me thinks the NCAC might want to revisit the wording of their tie-breakers. I'll give them 2 choices actually. 1- make it clear and concise or 2 - call it what it is... a "dark pool"