FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wabashcpa]

Urbanski (playing only 1 year and starting as a Frosh out of Munster #52?)

There's a blast from the past.

If he started as a freshmen, why did he only play one year?  Injuries?  Focus on academics (perish the thought)?

[bashbrother]

This is one to put into your "Running up the score" file.   

This team actually won by 13 and people are complaining.  13 touchdowns that is 

http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/football/news/story?id=3641717

[Li'l Giant]

"You take your football down here real serious, don't you?"

[usee]

It is probably a little premature to really start making calls about the playoffs, but it does make for fun dicussion. Not only has the NCAA broken its stodgy track record of locking a team into one region for ever and ever, but it's also worth noting that some of the top teams out there right now are on the borders of regions and could be pretty versatile to shuflfe around.

Just looking at the D3F Top 5 (which doesn't have bearing on the NCAA, of course, but this is for illustrative purposes only ), there's:

Mount Union (could play in North or East)
Whitewater (could play in West or North)
Mary Hardin-Baylor (pretty much tied to the South)
Wheaton (could play in North or West)
Muhlenberg (could play in South or East)

If Muhlenberg wins out, that would prove to be a cheaper (and still valid) arrangement for the NCAA to dub them an East team, while still allowing the other regions to be centered around MUC, UWW and UMHB.

The alternative option would be for Wheaton (or NCC) to be the North's No. 1 while putting UWW West and MUC East.

But no matter the shuffle, it seems the North could shape up to be about the toughest region this year -- especially if the No. 2 OAC and CCIW teams don't get shipped off elsewhere.

The North is shaping up to be a brutal bracket regardless. keep in mind the loser of the wheaton/Naperville matchup is a likely pool C at 9-1 (if they make it through a tough cciw slate). Imagine MUC, Bash, Wheaton, Naperville, Capital, and CWR in the North Bracket to go along with Trine.

[wally_wabash]

Imagine MUC, Bash, Wheaton, Naperville, Capital, and CWR in the North Bracket to go along with Trine.

Yikes.  That bracket could have as many as five undefeated teams!!   

[smedindy]

Congratulations, Trine, you made the playoffs! Now, here's Mt. Union!

[smedindy]

I know it's way too early for anything but light playoff speculation, but with the NCAC muddled in mediocrity (except for 'Bash) the Bell game and the playoffs could be a "oh, these are real football teams here" kind of scenario.

Especially if no one moves out of the North and we're left to club each other senseless.

[ADL70]

If Trine wins out it probably gets the CCIW champ.  The NATHC champ probably meets the North #1.  Either way it'll be a rude awkening. 

[usee]

Congratulations, Trine, you made the playoffs! Now, here's Mt. Union!

Exactly. Ouch! One of the things that motivates the Wheaton and Wabash fans is the chance to go undefeated and get a #2 seed with a couple home games before having to travel to MUC for the regional final. Last year's Bash team is a great example of the possibilities. Playing at Whitewater is a motivating thing for any program and that experience is certainly fueling the LG's mid season play right now.

[wally_wabash]

I know it's way too early for anything but light playoff speculation, but with the NCAC muddled in mediocrity (except for 'Bash) the Bell game and the playoffs could be a "oh, these are real football teams here" kind of scenario.

A lot of these guys were in the postseason last year.  And a handful more of them were also in the postseason in 2005.  They know what the playoffs are about and they know what quality of teams they'll see.  I'm not going to worry about playoff shell shock.  I'd love to have a tougher schedule, but that's completely out of Wabash's hands.

[WABCOL86]

I believe Mr. Urbanski either quit football or transferred.  I cannot remember which as I was a senior to his freshman and had some other concerns the following year.
He was a pretty good player, I do remember that!  We were thin at center that year and I think he got the job via an injury.  Ah, the good old days....

[wally_wabash]

New AFCA poll is out.  Wabash shimmies up to #4. 

Ready for a head-against-the-wall moment?  Straight from the receiving votes section:

Rensslaer (N.Y.), 62; Redlands (Calif.), 46; Linfield (Ore.), 44; Ithaca (N.Y.), 36; Montclair St. (N.J.), 31; Trine (Ind.), 22; Trinity (Conn.), 20; John Carroll (Ohio), 14; Augsburg (Minn.), 11; Buena Vista (Iowa), 9; Rowan (N.J.), 8; St. John Fisher (N.Y.), 6; Christopher Newport (Va.), 6; Thomas More (Ky.), 5; Oberlin (Ohio), 5; DePauw (Ind.), 4; Illinois Wesleyan, 3; Lycoming (Pa.), 2; Wooster (Ohio), 2; Ripon (Wis.), 1; Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.), 1; LaGrange (Ga.), 1; Wartburg (Iowa), 1.

Seriously?!?!  The AFCA should be ashamed.   

[short]

I'm sure someone meant to vote for that "O" school from Ohio (Otterbein) and wrote down Oberlin instead.

[jam40jeff]

New AFCA poll is out.  Wabash shimmies up to #4. 

Ready for a head-against-the-wall moment?  Straight from the receiving votes section:

Rensslaer (N.Y.), 62; Redlands (Calif.), 46; Linfield (Ore.), 44; Ithaca (N.Y.), 36; Montclair St. (N.J.), 31; Trine (Ind.), 22; Trinity (Conn.), 20; John Carroll (Ohio), 14; Augsburg (Minn.), 11; Buena Vista (Iowa), 9; Rowan (N.J.), 8; St. John Fisher (N.Y.), 6; Christopher Newport (Va.), 6; Thomas More (Ky.), 5; Oberlin (Ohio), 5; DePauw (Ind.), 4; Illinois Wesleyan, 3; Lycoming (Pa.), 2; Wooster (Ohio), 2; Ripon (Wis.), 1; Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.), 1; LaGrange (Ga.), 1; Wartburg (Iowa), 1.

Seriously?!?!  The AFCA should be ashamed.   

Clearly, Oberlin is better than Wooster. 

[Li'l Giant]

Otterbein is in the poll at #21 so that makes sense regarding the clerical error. I would hope that's it. But even then, is that okay? That you're voting on the best 25 teams in D3 and you don't know the difference between Otterbein and Oberlin