FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[sac]

Trine 55 Albion 51

Trine comes from 17 down with 6:12 to play to win at Albion. 4th quarter was a little crazy http://miaa.org/sports/fball/2015-16/boxscores/20151024_nz66.xml?view=plays#qtr4

Olivet now leads the league by itself, a win next week over Albion would seal the MIAA auto-bid with just one remaining games with Alma.  Olivet would own all the tie breakers if they beat Albion.

[formerd3db]

Trine 55 Albion 51

Trine comes from 17 down with 6:12 to play to win at Albion. 4th quarter was a little crazy http://miaa.org/sports/fball/2015-16/boxscores/20151024_nz66.xml?view=plays#qtr4

Olivet now leads the league by itself, a win next week over Albion would seal the MIAA auto-bid with just one remaining games with Alma.  Olivet would own all the tie breakers if they beat Albion.

Indeed, Olivet is in control of its own destiny now.  If they don't blow it, that would be a tremendous accomplishment, a huge turnaround, and I dare say, perhaps, one of the biggest accomplishments in the storied history of their program.  If they do beat Albion, it will still be tough.  It will be even tougher to go undefeated in the regular season, however, can you (any of us) imagine if they did?   On the other hand, if they lose to Albion, then theoretically, they could still get the AQ provided Alma pulling an upset against Albion, presuming Olivet wins out thereafter.  After seeing Alma play last night against us (and seeing Albion against us as well as taking into consideration how Albion has been playing of recent), I think that is not impossible.  Will be difficult, but not impossible.  All that said, the MIAA race could still come down to a wild finish, and as we all know, that would be in keeping with its tradition/history of how that has often happened.

Speaking of Alma, for us at Hope, last night's game was a disappointing loss, and even a more so since it ruined Homecoming. It also wasn't as fun because of another lousy wet, rainy night game, similar to 3 weeks ago at home against Albion. Despite the poor weather, there was a decent crowd of 2533 , although certainly not anything like we used to have in the "seemingly now long-ago" past at a Homecoming in the 4400-4500+ range.  Of course, Hope has not been playing well, along with the season record, those aspects contributing to that.   Although the running game has been solid (and the kicking game better), overall play has been too inconsistent; poor receiving, fair passing, poor tackling, poor blocking and poor pass coverage. I also, unfortunately, sense a depressed attitude in the players.  Understandable, however, as Coach Kreps challenged them last night after the game, they need to step it up and bring their "A" game everyday at practice and the remaining three games to prevent it (the season) from slipping away totally.  Here's hoping for us Hope alum and fans(no pun intended) they are up to the challenge and the latter does not happen.

[Uncle Rico]

Glad to see Trine pull off the win.  I am hoping with a strong finish, and a lot of upsets along the way, Trine can still sneak in.     But I realize a lot of bounces will have to go their way. 

[former comet]

Looking at stats alone my Comets should roll. I just don't see the Albion defense slowing down the potent Comet offense especially on the ground. Obviously Albion is going to put up their points but I think that the defense for the comets is going to to slow them down, 52-35 Comets.

[sac]

Adrian 14 Hope  3   --All that's left is the shoes really

[sac]

Albion 49 Olivet 21
Trine 27 Kzoo 25

3-way tie at the top and I have no idea how that gets broken for the MIAA auto-bid if it stays this way.

Remaining games:
Trine has Hope and  @Adrian
Albion host Alma next week
Olivet @ Alma the final week

Should someone lose   Albion over Olivet, Trine over Albion, Olivet over Trine are the tie-breakers in a two-way tie.

[formerd3db]

Adrian 14 Hope  3   --All that's left is the shoes really

Unfortunately, yes.  Very disappointing including the crowd of 874 yesterday.  I know it rained, but they had 4075 at Olivet in the rain yesterday, although obviously that was for "more marbles".

[formerd3db]

Albion 49 Olivet 21
Trine 27 Kzoo 25

3-way tie at the top and I have no idea how that gets broken for the MIAA auto-bid if it stays this way.

Remaining games:
Trine has Hope and  @Adrian
Albion host Alma next week
Olivet @ Alma the final week

Should someone lose   Albion over Olivet, Trine over Albion, Olivet over Trine are the tie-breakers in a two-way tie.

Indeed, several scenarios.  All three have a good chance at winning out, although you never know about Trine @ Adrian.  If Trine beats Hope and then loses to Adrian (thereby giving them two league losses) and the other two win out, then it is easy-Albion goes by virtue of beating Olivet-correct.  If it is a three way tie, does it not then come down to down to the overall points in all the head-to-head meetings against the three of them?

Olivet had their own destiny in hand yesterday and could have gone a long way in clearing up the postential "mess" However, we all know the MIAA race more often then not, doesn't work out that way.   Who is your (and everyone's) guess at probable title winner at this point?       

[formerd3db]

Guess I shouldn't complain.  Undefeated, nationally ranked DII Ferris State playing @ Lake Erie College only drew 352 people.  Darn rain!

[Pat Coleman]

We discussed the tiebreaker yesterday in Snap Judgments and we also talk about it in today's podcast.

[formerd3db]

We discussed the tiebreaker yesterday in Snap Judgments and we also talk about it in today's podcast.

Thanks Pat.  Haven't had a chance to catch up on that, but will try to do so.

[formerd3db]

Trine will now have a chance to make it a 3-way tie for the league title next week if they beat Adrian.  That will make it interesting with the tie-breaker system deciding it.  My preliminary guess is that Albion will still end up going to the NCAA regardless of any outcome.  The question then might be would Olivet have a chance at one of the at large bids of the pool if they won their last game to finish the regular season at 9-1? 

[sac]

Trine will now have a chance to make it a 3-way tie for the league title next week if they beat Adrian.  That will make it interesting with the tie-breaker system deciding it.  My preliminary guess is that Albion will still end up going to the NCAA regardless of any outcome.  The question then might be would Olivet have a chance at one of the at large bids of the pool if they won their last game to finish the regular season at 9-1?

Olivet's non-conference opponents are 3-6 Concordia, 0-9 Earlham, 5-4 Carthage and 3-6 Aurora.  The best opponent they played record wise is Albion and they lost.  Not very likely to get an at-large.

...and fwiw, Albion's non-conference opponents are 4-5 Stevens Point, 3-6 Augustana, 7-2 Lakeland with 3-6 Aurora next week.  I don't know where this falls in the hierarchy of football rankings but that doesn't seem like a great resume unless a lot of weight is being placed on beating Lakeland.  Albion's best win is Olivet then.

with 3 losses, Trine has no chance at an at-large

[sac]

This will be the first season since 1995 (Dean Kreps first year) that Hope fails to secure at least 3 MIAA victories.  A loss to Kalamazoo next Saturday would mean their first winless MIAA season since 1961.

A loss next week would also mean the first consecutive losses to Kalamazoo since 1963 and 1964, the end of a 4 year run of Kzoo victories.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Gah!!  EMU strikes again!!

My younger son's graduation will be delayed from April to either June or August, because two classes biology majors are required to take are ONLY offered at the same time.  WHY is my former employer so friggin' incompetent and user-UNfriendly?