FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[waxx]

MIAA Preseason polls came out today.


                                 1st place votes
1.   Hope           9 points     3
2.   Olivet          14 points   2
3.   Adrian         16 points   1
4.   Trine           17 points   1
5.   Alma           24 points   
6.   Albion         33 points   
7.   Kalamazoo   34 points   

http://www.miaa.org/sports/fball/2017-18/releases/2017PreseasonPoll

[wabco]

Just returned from Wabash vs. Albion.  Albion QB is the real deal.  Plus 2 receivers and one with good size.  That listing above showing Albion in the lower half of league should be very wrong if they can develop some D against the run.  (That said, maybe they have D against typical run game.  Wabash O line is not your typical D 3 O line.) While the game was not in doubt, the Albion QB kept it relatively close ... hats off to the kids and coaches of Albion.  Their QB/receiver game will make their running game work.  Lots of teams will rush 3/4 and drop the rest against them.  D backs need to be good or QB will have a field day.  As I said, D needs work ... but not sure as Wabash O line seemed like one of the best around for the rushing game, at least against the Albion D.

[DBQ1965]

Even though it was played under an uncharacteristically warm mid-September sun, the Hope-Lakeland game was great fun.  Hope didn't show much in the first half, but still led at the half.  Second half was up-and-down but thanks to some last minute toughness (and good fortune) the Flying Dutch prevailed.   It was especially heart-warming to see Chris Leigh score on his first touch in a long, long tIme ... a 58 yard TD run.  No doubt here that Hope will be in  the title chase.  D3 is great football.

[wally_wabash]

Albion hangs 79 this week and crickets?   Kyle Thomas is going to be disruptive in the MIAA this season.  Really fine player. 

[waxx]

Stewart broke Adrian's all-time rushing rushing record today in a comeback victory over Albion. He has another year of eligibility too.

[formerd3db]

Wow, finally some good attendance at MIAA games.  7005 at Olivet for their Homecoming (beating their attendance at Homecoming last year of 6100) for a good Hope win; 3700+ at Adrian for an exciting game win vs. Albion; and 4100+ at Alma for their win against Kazoo.  Homecomings always help that (usually) .

[HOPEful]

Wow, finally some good attendance at MIAA games.  7005 at Olivet for their Homecoming (beating their attendance at Homecoming last year of 6100) for a good Hope win; 3700+ at Adrian for an exciting game win vs. Albion; and 4100+ at Alma for their win against Kazoo.  Homecomings always help that (usually) .

Creates a couple great match up for Hope's in back to back weeks. Alma at home Saturday and Adrian for Homecoming the following Saturday!

[sac]

A perfect Fall afternoon probably helped a lot.


There were nearly 10 times more people in Olivet Saturday than those that live in Olivet.

[HOPEful]

There were nearly 10 times more people in Olivet Saturday than those that live in Olivet.

+k for fun factoids!

[waxx]

Adrian Oline, Alma DE, and Trine CB getting some love with the Team of the Week, congrats!

[Raider 68]

formerd3db,

Looks like your alma mater has a good shot at the MIAA conference title! Hope you are well! +K

[HOPEful]

formerd3db,
Looks like your alma mater has a good shot at the MIAA conference title! Hope you are well! +K

Here's hoping that 1. You're right! and 2. They avoid a first round matchup against Mt. Union, Osh Kosh, or North Central

[Raider 68]

Where is formerd3db?

[DBQ1965]

Hope got exposed today.  There still is a lot of work to be done.

[TUAngola]

Hope got exposed today.  There still is a lot of work to be done.

I've been to 5 of the 7 Trine games thus far this season and we've gotten off to fast starts in almost all.  Our game plan is simple, run, run, and run some more then throw in some big plays with the passing game and special teams.  Plus our defense has been solid throughout the season.  The unknown would be how we would fare against easily the best team we've played so far, as let's face it, the Trine schedule has been pretty weak this year. 

Taking the opening drive down the field and scoring was HUGE for the guys confidence.  I wasn't sure that we'd be able to run the ball against Hope like in the other games.  Hope shut down Adrian's Stewart so that was worrisome.  But the guys up front opened some lanes and got our guys in open space.  There are a bunch of really good RB's in the league, besides Stewart, Nutter, Campbell, Reinhart, and Washington come to mind, but I wouldn't trade our 2, Lamar Carswell and Mark Wilson (lightning and thunder) for any of them.  You give Carswell a gap and he is in the secondary in a heartbeat.  Wilson would prefer to run you over.  Trine getting off to the 27-0 start maybe was demoralizing to Hope, but I give them credit for responding with back to back drives for TD's in the 2nd quarter.  Your QB Opple is a monster physically.  But we bounced back with a 40 yd FG, and then the BIG key I thought was Hope not running out the clock at half and gave the ball back to Trine after a 3 and out.  I told my friend sitting next to me that look for Evan Wyse to hit Jeffery Barnett on a big TD pass right here, and wouldn't you know it, that is exactly what happened!  If Barnett were on a passing oriented team he would be an All American type player, he is that good.  I've seen him make some incredible catches this year.   

Hope got the ball to start the 2nd half, but another turnover by the Flying Dutchmen and subsequent score by the Thunder was the "we got this" moment.  This was the most fired up I've seen Trine play this year, they wanted to exact some revenge from the beatdown Hope put on them last year, plus show that that they can not only beat you with quickness but with their physicality.  Shutting down Campbell and the run game was huge, and I wasn't sure we'd be able to do that going in.

Good group of Hope fans made the trek to Angola on another gorgeous Saturday.  Good luck to your team the rest of the season.