FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[BoredatWork56]

Looking back to the D3 Fan Poll, I see Albion recieved one vote.  I guess an Albion alum has a vote!  At least now we have a top 25 matchup this weekend! 

As the season winds down for all but one of our MIAA teams this week, I would like to wish all the seniors (and family) the best of luck in their final games.  It is a very bittersweet time, but one that will be looked upon fondly.  Enjoy every last minute of it, because once it is gone all you will have is the memories,  so go make some good ones!

[Raider 68]

Looking back to the D3 Fan Poll, I see Albion recieved one vote.  I guess an Albion alum has a vote!  At least now we have a top 25 matchup this weekend! 

As the season winds down for all but one of our MIAA teams this week, I would like to wish all the seniors (and family) the best of luck in their final games.  It is a very bittersweet time, but one that will be looked upon fondly.  Enjoy every last minute of it, because once it is gone all you will have is the memories,  so go make some good ones!

Well said BoredatWork56, +k

[altor]

I saw it on SportsNation, and Colin Cowherd said something along the lines of "it was cheap, and un-sportsmanlike"

Indeed.  I haven't been over to officials.com recently, but there was the one video made its rounds where the kid was yelling at his coach that it was the wrong ball.  The center handed the ball to the QB so he could "take it over to the coach."  Then, he turned upfield for the cheap score.  All the football officials in that forum said they would have thrown a 15-yard unsportsmanlike flag.  I imagine this gets the same thing.

[Frank Rossi]

We've got Regional Rankings... Final time for the season that we'll see them:

http://d3blogs.com/d3football/2010/11/10/ncaas-third-regional-rankings/

[sflzman]

I saw it on SportsNation, and Colin Cowherd said something along the lines of "it was cheap, and un-sportsmanlike"

Indeed.  I haven't been over to officials.com recently, but there was the one video made its rounds where the kid was yelling at his coach that it was the wrong ball.  The center handed the ball to the QB so he could "take it over to the coach."  Then, he turned upfield for the cheap score.  All the football officials in that forum said they would have thrown a 15-yard unsportsmanlike flag.  I imagine this gets the same thing.

Yes I saw that one as well, I once was fooled into giving up a TD in 6th grade football for a "practice snap"

[sflzman]

Looking back to the D3 Fan Poll, I see Albion recieved one vote.  I guess an Albion alum has a vote!  At least now we have a top 25 matchup this weekend! 

It was my vote that put Albion there, my #25 spot was between Albion and Washington&Lee. My MIAA bias helped lead to that decision 

Hopefully Albion doesn't make a fool of my vote on Saturday

[BoredatWork56]

Anybody else surprised to see Trine drop to 6th in the regional rankings?  They got jumped by Wittenburg who went from 9th to 5th after a win against Wabash (7-2). 

I am a little surprised. They havn't lost focus or let any team put up much of a fight over the last few weeks.  They have outscored their opponents 230-46 over their last 5 games since their only close game this season against Adrian.  Thats an average of 46-9.2 for those of you scoring at home.

That just goes to show how much they take into account the strength of schedule when compiling these regional rankings.  Most of us on here know Trine is a very good team, regardless of who they have played, and have a good chance to make a playoff run.  Even though they just may have to do it starting on the road.

[Uncle Rico]

Anybody else surprised to see Trine drop to 6th in the regional rankings? 

Not surprised at all.  As you noted, the powers to be look at stats and numbers combined with strength of schedule.  Unfortunately, those lofty numbers for Trine also do not reveal that for most of those games many of the starters were mercifully pulled after 2-3 quarters.  I suspect very few of those doing the rankings have seen Trine play in person (just like I have not seen these other teams    ). 

I knew at the start of the season there was not a lot of first hand knowledge when Trine started the season ranked worse than they finished last year, despite returning so many starters, and having so many seniors, from a team that last year squashed the #10 team Case Western, at Case, in the playoffs.   

Most people only look at that SOS and rank them that way.  One or two higher quality wins would have made a difference.  It is what it is, nothing that can be done about it now, except that if I were a player I would be highly motivated to prove people wrong.

Before any of that can happen, however, they have to beat an Albion team that has been prepping for two weeks and is hungry for a playoff game themselves.  Who is more hungry?

[Raider 68]

Anybody else surprised to see Trine drop to 6th in the regional rankings?  They got jumped by Wittenburg who went from 9th to 5th after a win against Wabash (7-2). 

I am a little surprised. They havn't lost focus or let any team put up much of a fight over the last few weeks.  They have outscored their opponents 230-46 over their last 5 games since their only close game this season against Adrian.  Thats an average of 46-9.2 for those of you scoring at home.

That just goes to show how much they take into account the strength of schedule when compiling these regional rankings.  Most of us on here know Trine is a very good team, regardless of who they have played, and have a good chance to make a playoff run.  Even though they just may have to do it starting on the road.

Those rankings will change again for the selection on Sunday, how much, who knows, but I think Trine should have a home game, since they have had a very good year. Not sure how strong Wittenberg really is this year?

[Diezel1]

I agree with Raider. I think Trine will get a first round home game (if they beat Albion), then have to go on the road.  And that is fine with me. In order to really make a splash in the world of D3 football, I think Trine needs to win atleast 2 games.  And in regards to the top 25, they have to beef up the schedule a little because as we have said numerous times, the MIAA isn't looked upon as a "tough conference".  I think Trine could win every regular season game, every year and not break the top 10.  If they set their schedule up like some other MIAA teams and played (and beat) some CCIW teams, then they would move up in the top 25

[adidas28]

Well said Diezel. I believe that Trine is becoming the Boise State of D3 football. The ceiling placed on their national ranking is a direct result of the respect given to the conference they play in. Beefing up the non-conference schedule is the only way they will be able to crack the top 10 pre-season polls. That being said I would not schedule non-conference games like Hope and Olivet have.  Why go through a gauntlet like Hope did? it has to wreck them physically and mentally before the start of the conference games. I think if your going to play four non-conference games you should try and schedule two teams you can be successful against, a team that will push you, and a team that would be considered an upset if you win.  Just my opinion.

I also wonder what happened to the Defiance and Franklin games, did they drop Trine or wasit the other way around?

Go thunder! 

[sflzman]

Well said Diezel. I believe that Trine is becoming the Boise State of D3 football. The ceiling placed on their national ranking is a direct result of the respect given to the conference they play in. Beefing up the non-conference schedule is the only way they will be able to crack the top 10 pre-season polls. That being said I would not schedule non-conference games like Hope and Olivet have.  Why go through a gauntlet like Hope did? it has to wreck them physically and mentally before the start of the conference games. I think if your going to play four non-conference games you should try and schedule two teams you can be successful against, a team that will push you, and a team that would be considered an upset if you win.  Just my opinion.

I also wonder what happened to the Defiance and Franklin games, did they drop Trine or wasit the other way around?

Go thunder! 

I don't know how yo can say that. Boise not only plays a solid non-con schedule - unlike Trine - they run the table in a weak conference - which Trine does - but they have not lost in the post-season, whereas Trine has only won one post-season game...

[altor]

I also wonder what happened to the Defiance and Franklin games, did they drop Trine or wasit the other way around?

Earlham happened to both Defiance and Franklin.

I was surprised to see it was Trine dropped from the DC schedule this fall, if only because it would keep travel costs down.  They decided to keep the game against Muskingum instead.  *shrug*

[sflzman]

Anthony Sabatella (the should have been MIAA Defensive player of the week) was named to the d3football.com Team of the Week yesterday...

http://www.alma.edu/athletics/football/archives/2010/11/10/TOW10

Complete Team: http://d3football.com/awards/tow/2010/week10

[Diezel1]

Good analogy adidas.  I think the MIAA in d3 does compare to the WAC in respects to one team being dominant and one or two other teams being competitive against better teams.  I also agree that playing a schedule like Hope or Olivet would be very challenging if things went wrong, but I think Trine would benefit more by playing 2 or 3 tougher teams. With the schedule the way it is now, Trine may be playing on the road in the playoffs (considering they win on saturday).  Play a couple tougher games and win, you move up.  If they would lose against those tougher teams and still win the conference, they would still be playing on the road.  Ultimately, the goal is to get to the playoffs and win some football games.  Having to play on the road in the playoffs makes that tougher and due to a weak conference schedule, that is what this team is looking at