FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[emma17]

With Illinois Wesleyan losing, we could see North Central enter the North Regional Rankings this week, which would help Platteville's case for a Pool C bid....

With that said however, with Wesley losing today, the field for the six Pool C bids got even more crowded!!!

IWU will not fall completely out of the rankings.  I think NCC will be ranked (in the secret final rankings if not this week), but it has nothing to do with IWU losing (unless they lose again NEXT week, of course).

Are you sure about that?   

North Central cracks the rankings at #10, while IWU falls out of the rankings completely....

IWU has to be below NCC because of the HTH. When JCU/Depauw lose this week  IWU will sneak in below NCC.

And this is the folly of the Pool C selection process.  NCC beat IWU two weeks ago. So a two loss IWU is reason to move them below the team that beat them, but one loss wasn't enough?

I wonder if sometimes we see patience on the part of the Committee, knowing something will sort itself out one way or another. Along with Head to Head, they obviously have to consider overall results. Last week NCC was at 5-3, IWU was at 7-1. Probably not a gap narrow enough. But it sorted itself out. On the other hand, the D3football Top 25 poll made the switch as soon as NCC beat them.  Either it's the difference between a poll and a regional ranking or it's just different views by different people.  Not sure which.

Before others jump in to explain the process, I do understand that the bolded is accurate (and I know you do too).  NCC's winning percentage was significantly lower than IWU's two weeks ago, and it's likely that's how the regional committee made their decision.  Nevertheless, at the end of the day, is it not folly? The committee compared winning percentages of teams that didn't' play the same schedule.  When the teams actually squared off, one proved better than the other- yet the winner didn't even get ranked, let alone ranked ahead of the team it beat.  The committee is playing the game on paper with spreadsheets, the teams are playing the games on the field.
 

I would like to go on record as being in favor of winning games remaining an important part of the criterion.   
Just messin' with ya. I understand your point. But ya' lose me after two losses. Just a question for clarification. If you were the bracket czar, totally responsible for all Pool C selections, would you make NCC one of your six?

Thanks for asking the question. 
No, NCC would not be one of the Pool C teams if I were Czar, but they absolutely would have been ranked/seeded/placed ahead of IWU immediately after they beat them 33-15 AT IWU.  The folly is that we ignore the head to head and focus on comparing the winning %, as though both teams played the exact schedule, which is the folly of SOS.

I like UWW, St. John's, Wesley and UMHB if all win Saturday.  The last two spots are tough.  I see it as a decision between TLU, UWP, Wartburg and Whitworth.  Normally I would not take UWP or Whitworth due to blow out losses in the biggest game of the year for each team.  The problem is, there aren't other obvious teams to take those two spots.  But since a Czar must make decisions, I'd select UWP as despite the blowout loss, they have a very good loss to UWW and wins over NCC and Dubuque.  Between Wartburg, TLU and Whitworth, Whitworth is out- there is no current or recent evidence they can compete with the best teams.  I'm going with TLU.  I think they are more likely to provide a competitive game against any of the best teams than Wartburg is this year.         

[wally_wabash]

No, NCC would not be one of the Pool C teams if I were Czar, but they absolutely would have been ranked/seeded/placed ahead of IWU immediately after they beat them 33-15 AT IWU.  The folly is that we ignore the head to head and focus on comparing the winning %, as though both teams played the exact schedule, which is the folly of SOS.

Would you rank Salisbury ahead of Wesley?  Salisbury beat Wesley at Wesley. 

I love the h2h result as much as anything, but it's not the only piece of the puzzle.  It's a big piece, but not the only piece. 

[emma17]

No, NCC would not be one of the Pool C teams if I were Czar, but they absolutely would have been ranked/seeded/placed ahead of IWU immediately after they beat them 33-15 AT IWU.  The folly is that we ignore the head to head and focus on comparing the winning %, as though both teams played the exact schedule, which is the folly of SOS.

Would you rank Salisbury ahead of Wesley?  Salisbury beat Wesley at Wesley. 

I love the h2h result as much as anything, but it's not the only piece of the puzzle.  It's a big piece, but not the only piece.

Very fair question. Yes, I'd rank Salisbury ahead. I fully admit these decisions won't always be obvious, which is why I feel subjective decisions should be explained. Salisbury is a unique team with the offense they run. They match up well w Salisbury and it's not like they won on a fluke. The game continued to expose Wesley's defense as a weakness. I understand the ripple effect of ranking Salisbury ahead of Wesley, but the results of the game played dictate doing so.

[retagent]

Remember, emma, as Czar, you don't have to justify your decisions to ANYONE!

[wally_wabash]

No, NCC would not be one of the Pool C teams if I were Czar, but they absolutely would have been ranked/seeded/placed ahead of IWU immediately after they beat them 33-15 AT IWU.  The folly is that we ignore the head to head and focus on comparing the winning %, as though both teams played the exact schedule, which is the folly of SOS.

Would you rank Salisbury ahead of Wesley?  Salisbury beat Wesley at Wesley. 

I love the h2h result as much as anything, but it's not the only piece of the puzzle.  It's a big piece, but not the only piece.

Very fair question. Yes, I'd rank Salisbury ahead. I fully admit these decisions won't always be obvious, which is why I feel subjective decisions should be explained. Salisbury is a unique team with the offense they run. They match up well w Salisbury and it's not like they won on a fluke. The game continued to expose Wesley's defense as a weakness. I understand the ripple effect of ranking Salisbury ahead of Wesley, but the results of the game played dictate doing so.

So what do we do with Christopher Newport who obliterated Salisbury at Salisbury?  And I realize that this is the result where the blinders come on, but you see how this goes.  H2H's are hugely important, but there's 9 other games in play that also count. 

[jknezek]

No, NCC would not be one of the Pool C teams if I were Czar, but they absolutely would have been ranked/seeded/placed ahead of IWU immediately after they beat them 33-15 AT IWU.  The folly is that we ignore the head to head and focus on comparing the winning %, as though both teams played the exact schedule, which is the folly of SOS.

Would you rank Salisbury ahead of Wesley?  Salisbury beat Wesley at Wesley. 

I love the h2h result as much as anything, but it's not the only piece of the puzzle.  It's a big piece, but not the only piece.

Very fair question. Yes, I'd rank Salisbury ahead. I fully admit these decisions won't always be obvious, which is why I feel subjective decisions should be explained. Salisbury is a unique team with the offense they run. They match up well w Salisbury and it's not like they won on a fluke. The game continued to expose Wesley's defense as a weakness. I understand the ripple effect of ranking Salisbury ahead of Wesley, but the results of the game played dictate doing so.

So what do we do with Christopher Newport who obliterated Salisbury at Salisbury?  And I realize that this is the result where the blinders come on, but you see how this goes.  H2H's are hugely important, but there's 9 other games in play that also count.

Forget CNU. They have other problems. What do you do with Albright?

[wally_wabash]

No, NCC would not be one of the Pool C teams if I were Czar, but they absolutely would have been ranked/seeded/placed ahead of IWU immediately after they beat them 33-15 AT IWU.  The folly is that we ignore the head to head and focus on comparing the winning %, as though both teams played the exact schedule, which is the folly of SOS.

Would you rank Salisbury ahead of Wesley?  Salisbury beat Wesley at Wesley. 

I love the h2h result as much as anything, but it's not the only piece of the puzzle.  It's a big piece, but not the only piece.

Very fair question. Yes, I'd rank Salisbury ahead. I fully admit these decisions won't always be obvious, which is why I feel subjective decisions should be explained. Salisbury is a unique team with the offense they run. They match up well w Salisbury and it's not like they won on a fluke. The game continued to expose Wesley's defense as a weakness. I understand the ripple effect of ranking Salisbury ahead of Wesley, but the results of the game played dictate doing so.

So what do we do with Christopher Newport who obliterated Salisbury at Salisbury?  And I realize that this is the result where the blinders come on, but you see how this goes.  H2H's are hugely important, but there's 9 other games in play that also count.

Forget CNU. They have other problems. What do you do with Albright?

I would rank Albright ahead of Wesley, but it ultimately doesn't matter.  Albright is in via Pool A, Wesley is still the first Pool C player from the East and the first team in the field from Pool C whether they are ranked 1 or 2 there.  It's a non-issue really. 

[emma17]

No, NCC would not be one of the Pool C teams if I were Czar, but they absolutely would have been ranked/seeded/placed ahead of IWU immediately after they beat them 33-15 AT IWU.  The folly is that we ignore the head to head and focus on comparing the winning %, as though both teams played the exact schedule, which is the folly of SOS.

Would you rank Salisbury ahead of Wesley?  Salisbury beat Wesley at Wesley. 

I love the h2h result as much as anything, but it's not the only piece of the puzzle.  It's a big piece, but not the only piece.

Very fair question. Yes, I'd rank Salisbury ahead. I fully admit these decisions won't always be obvious, which is why I feel subjective decisions should be explained. Salisbury is a unique team with the offense they run. They match up well w Salisbury and it's not like they won on a fluke. The game continued to expose Wesley's defense as a weakness. I understand the ripple effect of ranking Salisbury ahead of Wesley, but the results of the game played dictate doing so.

So what do we do with Christopher Newport who obliterated Salisbury at Salisbury?  And I realize that this is the result where the blinders come on, but you see how this goes.  H2H's are hugely important, but there's 9 other games in play that also count.

This is the ripple effect, but again, transparency and rationale as to why is all we can ask when lines get blurred- which is always the case.  CNP lost to several teams Salisbury beat, allowing us to at least compare performance against similar schedules.  Their loss (12 points is not an obliteration IMO) to CNP is one of those results that challenge a ranking, but there is enough common opponent data to at least help build an explanation.  The good thing for Salisbury is we are only talking about regional rankings and not Pool C qualification.     

[palum]

D3 Football came out with its projected bracket here is the link:

http://www.d3football.com/images/2015/logos/first-projection-v2-992x838.jpg

Oshkosh, WW & P-ville all make it and there are some interesting match ups.  They have P-ville going to St. Johns, Oshkosh and P-ville and Mt. Union are in the same side of the bracket.  WW could face Dubuque in a 2nd round game.  Of course for any of this to come true Osh, P-ville & WW have to win this weekend. Let the debate begin. 

[02 Warhawk]

D3 Football came out with its projected bracket here is the link:

http://www.d3football.com/images/2015/logos/first-projection-v2-992x838.jpg

Oshkosh, WW & P-ville all make it and there are some interesting match ups.  They have P-ville going to St. Johns, Oshkosh and P-ville and Mt. Union are in the same side of the bracket.  WW could face Dubuque in a 2nd round game.  Of course for any of this to come true Osh, P-ville & WW have to win this weekend. Let the debate begin. 

As a UWW fan, I wouldn't mind seeing the bracket broken down that way. I'm not saying it'll be easy, because after round one things will get tough very quick for the Hawks in that North regional bracket*

* I'm kidding Wally!!!!!

[Pat Coleman]

Here's the story and discussion that goes along with that graphic: http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2015/first-playoff-projection

[AppletonRocks]

If UW-Oshkosh gets a home game in December, I've heard they will play at Lambeau Field.    Is that possible under NCAA rules? 

[BoBo]

If UW-Oshkosh gets a home game in December, I've heard they will play at Lambeau Field.    Is that possible under NCAA rules?

You've created a fascinating, yet horrifying mental picture - UW-Oshkosh football, struggling to get a crowd of 450 or so people, in their own 10,000 seat stadium - requesting to play in the 80,000 seat football shrine known as Lambeau Field...in December, of all months...Hell, when I went on a stadium tour in August 2013, we weren't even allowed to touch the grass. We could take a picture of it, sniff if, absorb it's aura, marvel at it's greeness, walk next to it, but couldn't touch it. And I'm a fricken shareholder, man. 

However, many years ago (mid 90's), La Crosse moved their scheduled game with Mount Union to Camp Randall (of course CR had artificial turf and no game on Sunday) when a snowstorm blew through La Crosse the night or two before the game and buried the unprotected, natural turf field in La Crosse at that time. But, seriously, aliens will come out of their resting places and rule the earth before Oshkosh plays a game at Lambeau. We may need to take your man card away from you, Mr. Geologist, for suggesting otherwise. Oshkosh fans getting slightly cocky these days...already dreaming about playing in the rarefied playoff air during the month of December.

[02 Warhawk]

And I'm a fricken shareholder, man. 

Don't get me started on this. 

[02 Warhawk]

If UW-Oshkosh gets a home game in December, I've heard they will play at Lambeau Field.    Is that possible under NCAA rules?

ummm.....no.