FB: Middle Atlantic Conference

[Warren Thompson]

With Alvernia adding football, how will the scheduling work? Similar to the PAC or are there plans to add an additional team to make 12 and split into two divisions and have a championship game?

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2016/10/alvernia-adding-football

Gordon Mann & Pat Coleman......what are your thoughts? Does the MAC just move forward with a 10 game schedule and zero non-league games? Do you see a team like Misericordia, Stevenson or anybody else exploring any non-MAC options in the future? Arcadia is pretty deep in their own football study right now and that would make one helluva mess out of the MAC on the football side!!

If Stevenson left the friendly confines of the MAC, where would they go?

[gordonmann]

Pat or Dave probably have more thoughts on what the MAC will do, but my guess is they'll go with 11 teams and no non-conference games. When I first started covering Del Val football, there were 11 teams.

[Pat Coleman]

With Alvernia adding football, how will the scheduling work? Similar to the PAC or are there plans to add an additional team to make 12 and split into two divisions and have a championship game?

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2016/10/alvernia-adding-football

Gordon Mann & Pat Coleman......what are your thoughts? Does the MAC just move forward with a 10 game schedule and zero non-league games? Do you see a team like Misericordia, Stevenson or anybody else exploring any non-MAC options in the future? Arcadia is pretty deep in their own football study right now and that would make one helluva mess out of the MAC on the football side!!

There was a huge push against doing this the last time -- first off because a "closed" (or "inbred" if you prefer) conference is bad for playoff positioning and secondly because schools have non-conference rivalries they'd like to maintain. Last item in this column references the previous thought process, although it also references the Commonwealth and Freedom structure that was done away with later for football.

I'm sure they'll do again what I described in 1999 -- nine games and a tiebreaker if the top teams are tied and haven't played each other.

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-region/mid-atlantic/1999/e-and-h-looks-to-end-dry-spell

[Pat Coleman]

A 12th MAC football program would actually be better, jmcozenlaw, because they could split into two six-team divisions and have a title game as an 11th regular season game.

[jmcozenlaw]

With Alvernia adding football, how will the scheduling work? Similar to the PAC or are there plans to add an additional team to make 12 and split into two divisions and have a championship game?

http://www.d3football.com/notables/2016/10/alvernia-adding-football

Gordon Mann & Pat Coleman......what are your thoughts? Does the MAC just move forward with a 10 game schedule and zero non-league games? Do you see a team like Misericordia, Stevenson or anybody else exploring any non-MAC options in the future? Arcadia is pretty deep in their own football study right now and that would make one helluva mess out of the MAC on the football side!!

If Stevenson left the friendly confines of the MAC, where would they go?

I have no idea other than a path similar to another Maryland school.........Salisbury?

[jmcozenlaw]

A 12th MAC football program would actually be better, jmcozenlaw, because they could split into two six-team divisions and have a title game as an 11th regular season game.

I agree 100% Pat. I'm not sure where Arcadia stands in the process, but if they were to add football, 11 teams would be kind of odd. DeSales has explored the issue several times in the past and my friends up there say that momentum is building again as it is at Messiah (given the positive financial strength at the school and the way the community gives to support projects and programs on campus). The dreaded 13 would be a real mess and somebody might be looking to make a move. Misericordia to a New York Conference? Stevenson to the NJAC to join Salisbury? Some surprise out of nowhere (i.e. Centennial expansion by two schools.........often rumored as well........along with or separate from a clearer line of demarcation with the Landmark, as a few of the Landmark basketball schools consider football as well).

It should be interesting in any case as Alvernia should eventually hurt Albright over time. Arcadia would hurt Widener/DelVal and DeSales would hurt primarily DelVal and possibly the NEPA schools. These schools give excellent "packages" to a couple of basketball players each year. You can't do the same across a football program. That's why I'm not so sure about Arcadia and DeSales. Facilities are one thing. Raise money and build them. Financial aid "packages" are another. 

[jmcozenlaw]

Excited for the season to finally kick off tonight! With the start of the season, it means the start of predictions and some fun trying to guess the upsets! My prediction for this upcoming season is as followed:

1. Albright
2. Delaware Valley
3. Stevenson
4. Widener
5. Lycoming
6. Lebanon Valley
7. Kings
8. Wilkes
9. FDU-Florham
10. Misericordia

I believe the last few weeks will become a tight three team race again between Albright, Stevenson, and Del Val. The key conference games this season I believe will be: W2 Stevenson@Albright, W4 Albright@Del Val, and W8 Del Val@Stevenson. I see Stevenson as the dark horse team in the three team race. Most people are split between Del Val and Albright winning the conference, and I understand why; however, if there was any team that could capture the conference it would be Stevenson. If Albright loses W2 and W4, it's likely you can count them out contending for a conference championship. I would circle W8: Del Val@Stevenson as a possible "unofficial" conference championship if this occurs. The only issue I see with Stevenson that leaves them as an unknown contender is the QB and LB positions. If they can find good players at those position, I see them running the table on the season.

Here are my week 1 picks:

Del Val@Wesley: Wesley wins a close game by 10
Albright@Salisbury: Albright a close game by 3
NC Wesleyan@Stevenson: Stevenson wins by 10
Rowan@Widener: Widener wins by 9
Muhlenburg@Wilkes: Muhlenburg wins by 23
Leb Val@F&M: Leb Val wins a close game by 3
Susquehanna@Lycoming: Lycoming wins by 13
Kings@Moravian: Moravian wins by 14
Utica@Misericordia: Utica wins by 24

I'm going to throw a curveball or two in here on my 2016 season predictions:

1. Stevenson (the key DelVal game is at home and getting better at the higher level transfer gig..........but not Rowan in the 90's )
2. Albright (6 first place votes by MAC coaches and everybody back of significance from last year's MAC Champion)
3. DelVal (Stevenson on the road + the annual loss vs. a team that you shouldn't lose to.........at Wilkes in 2015)
4. Widener (excellent defense and solid running game)
5. Lycoming (may surprise with what they have at RB/QB and all they have back from last year)
6. King's (might be better than most think)
7. Wilkes (same as King's)
8. Leb Valley (too many decent teams in the MAC)
9. FDU (best receiver in the conference is the highlight)
10. Misericordia (they replaced a running QB........with a running QB........the long slog continues)

On another note, to those who don't think a 1st round draft pick, a 4th and the 2017 cap space now freed up to resign Bennie Logan was a criminal haul for an oft-injured QB who was gone after this season.........I want to sit next to you at the poker table and take all of your money!

I'm not one to toot my own "predicting horn" (although bman has done so for me over the years...........I do quite well with the NFL as well ) but in my September 4 post above, I've got Stevenson, Albright and DelVal, followed by Widener........and it is playing out just like I thought. Stevenson now has an even clearer path with the DelVal game at home and Albright out of the way.

Sometimes you just have to say, "damn, I'm good"........or, "damn, I'm lucky"

Stevenson runs the table as does Albright. DelVal loses at Stevenson and at Widener. Stevenson is the only MAC school in the playoffs and gets a #4 seed in the East. Book it!!

Week Five Predictions:

Bman - 34          Lycosimba - 16 (I'm hoping this game brings my two friends back to the board. Lycosimba needs the game to stay alive. Bman needs it to stay undefeated with Albright and Stevenson both coming to Chester)
Wilkes - 27         FDU - 20 (Not a whole lot to say........although the FDU Women's Hoops Team looks damn good again)
Stevenson - 40   Miserables - 10 (My MAC preseason favorite....see above....will whack Les Miserables up in Dallas. Speaking of which........the Cowboys stink!!!)
Albright - 33       King's - 13 (The preseason choice of 6 of the 9 head coaches.....not including Albright's as you can't vote for yourself.....will put it to King's up in Reading)
DelVal - 23         LebVal - 17 (Weather could affect the Battle of the Valley's. The Aggies might have blown the season last week as Stevenson and Widener both control their own destiny)


The Eagles have a bye this week so Ginger Jesus (Carson Wentz) will not be torching anybody's team. He (and the defense) made the Steelers look like Misericordia!!

The All Points Bulletin stays in effect for bman and simba, especially since we never heard from either of them before or after their epic showdown in Williamsport last week. I hope that they are ok. They are my textbook examples of "waning interest syndrome" in small school football. Nonetheless, we must carry on............

Week Six Predictions:

King's - 37    Miserables - 14 (I really have no comment on the game, so I'll wait for the King's and Miserables posters...........and wait..........and wait..........and wait )
Lycosimba - 30  FDU - 20 (Although last week's home loss to bman ruined any chance of a MAC title, they are playing this game for simba and his safe and healthy return )
Widenerbman - 40   LebVal - 10 (After what DelVal did to LebVal in the "Battle of the Val's", Widener will roll. Widener & Stevenson control their own destiny and Widener has each of the Big Three at home & none back-to-back)

Carson Wentz comes back to earth a bit, but the surprise of the NFL.......the Eagles (3rd worst Superbowl odds on the pre-game one Vegas line) get to 4-0.

[wone3]

Week 6 picks and the entrant into the MAC...

Firstly, I think Stevenson likes the MAC right now and because of their young age in football, just don't quite see them jumping ship like Susquehanna and juanita did a bit ago. I would tend to think a Misercordia or someone like that would jump first especially if they could get into a league that they could be more competitive...heck maybe even FDU jump to NJ since they are right there??

Kings 28 Misercordia 7 - nothing to say or watch more
Lyco 21 FDU 17 - this could be a fun game to watch because FDU could pull this off and it wouldn't be as much of an upset as in past

Widener 28  Leb Valley 17- as much as I'd like to see Leb Valley keep it close and even pull the upset, won't happen in my mind. I would love to be wrong so it potentially makes 15th and 22nd games for Stevenson to be decider for conference basically.

Lots of football to be played and it should be fun as we get to end of month etc.

[tweisman5]

My week 6 picks:

Misericordia@Kings: Kings by 17 points

Lyco@FDU: Lyco by 10 points

Widener@Leb Val: Widener by 17 points

My Week 6 Conference Rankings:
1. Stevenson
2. Albright
3. Del Val
4. Widener
5. Kings
6. Lycoming
7. Leb Val
8. Wilkes
9. FDU
10. Misericordia

I'm intrigued by how Arcadia adding a football team changes the MAC. I believe the best option is to find a 12th team and create two division to play for a conference championship game. Not sure if that next team would come internally or externally, but I think this is the best course of action.

[jmcozenlaw]

With the disappearance of bman and simba (I have calls into CSI, Criminal Minds and Castle........and I hope Castle returns the call as I am madly in love with the female co-star ) the board now is pretty much down to me, wone and tweisman. You two had better not leave me hanging as I can't be the only person left.......they may shut me down!!

[wone3]

Dang it...should have trusted my first instinct on FDU and pulling it off.... said they could do it; and this is now a rebuild-gain experience year again for Lyco. They will need to play for pride once Del Val and Stevenson hit town late in the year.

Not shocked with the Widener score..think once the pick 6 happened, the air went out of the balloon and that was it. The fun starts next week with Stevenson. That will be a BATTLE for sure.

Stevenson can't let Kings play pesky and get in their heads later on down the season as well...interesting scoring going on there with Misercordia. (42-35 Kings with about 6:25 left and misercordia couldn't convert 4th an 1 deep in Kings territory)

[jmcozenlaw]

Dang it...should have trusted my first instinct on FDU and pulling it off.... said they could do it; and this is now a rebuild-gain experience year again for Lyco. They will need to play for pride once Del Val and Stevenson hit town late in the year.

Not shocked with the Widener score..think once the pick 6 happened, the air went out of the balloon and that was it. The fun starts next week with Stevenson. That will be a BATTLE for sure.

Stevenson can't let Kings play pesky and get in their heads later on down the season as well...interesting scoring going on there with Misercordia. (42-35 Kings with about 6:25 left and misercordia couldn't convert 4th an 1 deep in Kings territory)

What stuns me is how Lycoming can take a big, brusing, physical, experienced team like Widener into 4 overtimes last week.......................and blow a 4th quarter lead to FDU today. If Castle finds Lycosimba, or if he escapes the Witness Protection Program, maybe he can explain. I'm still waiting for bman's and lycosimba's breakdown of last week's Widener @ Lycoming game as I'm sure at least one of them was there.

[wone3]

Dang it...should have trusted my first instinct on FDU and pulling it off.... said they could do it; and this is now a rebuild-gain experience year again for Lyco. They will need to play for pride once Del Val and Stevenson hit town late in the year.

Not shocked with the Widener score..think once the pick 6 happened, the air went out of the balloon and that was it. The fun starts next week with Stevenson. That will be a BATTLE for sure.

Stevenson can't let Kings play pesky and get in their heads later on down the season as well...interesting scoring going on there with Misercordia. (42-35 Kings with about 6:25 left and misercordia couldn't convert 4th an 1 deep in Kings territory)

What stuns me is how Lycoming can take a big, brusing, physical, experienced team like Widener into 4 overtimes last week.......................and blow a 4th quarter lead to FDU today. If Castle finds Lycosimba, or if he escapes the Witness Protection Program, maybe he can explain. I'm still waiting for bman's and lycosimba's breakdown of last week's Widener @ Lycoming game as I'm sure at least one of them was there.

Widener isn't the solid powerhouse it once was either I think. I would have called a tight game against Stevenson at home last year during Stevenson's homecoming and Widener came out and basically laid an egg during that game. Considering Lyco is still kind of a rivalry game, you play up or down to the competition of that game. Widener was also the homecoming game for Lyco(I'm a grad of 92 and got the paperwork in the mail) and the team wants and usually plays up for that game. Same thing has happened here in my kiddo's HS alma mater. They are clearly the better team and last year on the home field...blew them out of the game (30+ victory); but this year kind of squeaked by on their field (14 point win with touchdown kind of late).
I also tend to think that Lyco( even tho they aren't good enough anymore to have this mentality) might have taken FDU a bit lightly based on record. They have had it happen to them in the past and come back and bite them for playoff consideration.

[jmcozenlaw]

Excited for the season to finally kick off tonight! With the start of the season, it means the start of predictions and some fun trying to guess the upsets! My prediction for this upcoming season is as followed:

1. Albright
2. Delaware Valley
3. Stevenson
4. Widener
5. Lycoming
6. Lebanon Valley
7. Kings
8. Wilkes
9. FDU-Florham
10. Misericordia

I believe the last few weeks will become a tight three team race again between Albright, Stevenson, and Del Val. The key conference games this season I believe will be: W2 Stevenson@Albright, W4 Albright@Del Val, and W8 Del Val@Stevenson. I see Stevenson as the dark horse team in the three team race. Most people are split between Del Val and Albright winning the conference, and I understand why; however, if there was any team that could capture the conference it would be Stevenson. If Albright loses W2 and W4, it's likely you can count them out contending for a conference championship. I would circle W8: Del Val@Stevenson as a possible "unofficial" conference championship if this occurs. The only issue I see with Stevenson that leaves them as an unknown contender is the QB and LB positions. If they can find good players at those position, I see them running the table on the season.

Here are my week 1 picks:

Del Val@Wesley: Wesley wins a close game by 10
Albright@Salisbury: Albright a close game by 3
NC Wesleyan@Stevenson: Stevenson wins by 10
Rowan@Widener: Widener wins by 9
Muhlenburg@Wilkes: Muhlenburg wins by 23
Leb Val@F&M: Leb Val wins a close game by 3
Susquehanna@Lycoming: Lycoming wins by 13
Kings@Moravian: Moravian wins by 14
Utica@Misericordia: Utica wins by 24

I'm going to throw a curveball or two in here on my 2016 season predictions:

1. Stevenson (the key DelVal game is at home and getting better at the higher level transfer gig..........but not Rowan in the 90's )
2. Albright (6 first place votes by MAC coaches and everybody back of significance from last year's MAC Champion)
3. DelVal (Stevenson on the road + the annual loss vs. a team that you shouldn't lose to.........at Wilkes in 2015)
4. Widener (excellent defense and solid running game)
5. Lycoming (may surprise with what they have at RB/QB and all they have back from last year)
6. King's (might be better than most think)
7. Wilkes (same as King's)
8. Leb Valley (too many decent teams in the MAC)
9. FDU (best receiver in the conference is the highlight)
10. Misericordia (they replaced a running QB........with a running QB........the long slog continues)

On another note, to those who don't think a 1st round draft pick, a 4th and the 2017 cap space now freed up to resign Bennie Logan was a criminal haul for an oft-injured QB who was gone after this season.........I want to sit next to you at the poker table and take all of your money!

I'm not one to toot my own "predicting horn" (although bman has done so for me over the years...........I do quite well with the NFL as well ) but in my September 4 post above, I've got Stevenson, Albright and DelVal, followed by Widener........and it is playing out just like I thought. Stevenson now has an even clearer path with the DelVal game at home and Albright out of the way.

Sometimes you just have to say, "damn, I'm good"........or, "damn, I'm lucky"

Stevenson runs the table as does Albright. DelVal loses at Stevenson and at Widener. Stevenson is the only MAC school in the playoffs and gets a #4 seed in the East. Book it!!

Week Five Predictions:

Bman - 34          Lycosimba - 16 (I'm hoping this game brings my two friends back to the board. Lycosimba needs the game to stay alive. Bman needs it to stay undefeated with Albright and Stevenson both coming to Chester)
Wilkes - 27         FDU - 20 (Not a whole lot to say........although the FDU Women's Hoops Team looks damn good again)
Stevenson - 40   Miserables - 10 (My MAC preseason favorite....see above....will whack Les Miserables up in Dallas. Speaking of which........the Cowboys stink!!!)
Albright - 33       King's - 13 (The preseason choice of 6 of the 9 head coaches.....not including Albright's as you can't vote for yourself.....will put it to King's up in Reading)
DelVal - 23         LebVal - 17 (Weather could affect the Battle of the Valley's. The Aggies might have blown the season last week as Stevenson and Widener both control their own destiny)


The Eagles have a bye this week so Ginger Jesus (Carson Wentz) will not be torching anybody's team. He (and the defense) made the Steelers look like Misericordia!!

The All Points Bulletin stays in effect for bman and simba, especially since we never heard from either of them before or after their epic showdown in Williamsport last week. I hope that they are ok. They are my textbook examples of "waning interest syndrome" in small school football. Nonetheless, we must carry on............

Week Six Predictions:

King's - 37    Miserables - 14 (I really have no comment on the game, so I'll wait for the King's and Miserables posters...........and wait..........and wait..........and wait )
Lycosimba - 30  FDU - 20 (Although last week's home loss to bman ruined any chance of a MAC title, they are playing this game for simba and his safe and healthy return )
Widenerbman - 40   LebVal - 10 (After what DelVal did to LebVal in the "Battle of the Val's", Widener will roll. Widener & Stevenson control their own destiny and Widener has each of the Big Three at home & none back-to-back)

Carson Wentz comes back to earth a bit, but the surprise of the NFL.......the Eagles (3rd worst Superbowl odds on the pre-game one Vegas line) get to 4-0.

With bman and Lycosimba joining the ranks of the other long time departed posters, I guess that it's now just me, wone and tweisman (not counting the occasional check-in from kate, Gordon and Pat). Kind of a bummer...........

Week Seven Predictions:
Albright - 37          FDU - 14 (The preseason pick of six of the nine non-Albright head coaches rolls at home)
Stevenson - 20      Widenerbman - 13 (Widener could take over control of the conference with a win, but I'm going with my preseason MAC Champ pick in a slugfest in beautiful Chester)
DelVal - 34            Wilkes - 20 (DelVal has revenge for last year's disaster at Wilkes. If Wilkes plays like they did at Widener, this will be close. If not, it could be a blowout)

Wentzmania continues out of control in the Greater Philadelphia Area as it is mind boggling what a kid, with 23 starts at D1-AA (or as we jokingly call it.......the Mount Union/UWW level ) North Dakota State is doing........especially with only one NFL caliber wide receiver. Can't wait until he gets some weapons over the next couple of seasons!!

[wone3]

Week 7 picks:

Albright 28 FDU 17 - FDU has improved and Albright needs the win to stay in the postseason play race. Albright still have enough to beat this team but we might not be saying that soon.

Stevenson 31 Widener 28 - This was the type of game I expected last year and instead Widener came out flat at Stevenson's homecoming and got beat even though they came back 2nd 1/2. This should be a tight back and forth game but I expect a late Widener TD to get to this score ( Stevenson will get up 10 at one point)

Del Valley 24 Wilkes 17 - Wilkes seems to play up to good teams this year and down to bad ones as well. I think this will stay to the pattern and Del Val will win to set-up next week's showdown. Del Val just can't take this team for granted and look ahead. They also want to stay in run for post season play.