FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[02 Warhawk]

Similar events have happen in other conferences. I believe St. Johns plays Augsburg in the Metrodome this season. But it's not really a "neutral" site since Augsburg is located in Minneapolis.

Personally, making the trip to Whitewater from Milwaukee is a long enough drive for me....let alone Madison.

Not a bad thought though....

Augsburg playing SJU at the Metrodome?  whoop-dee-doo!! No offense 02 Warhawk, but it's not even close to what I'm proposing. Neutral site since it's neither teams usual home field.  That game has ZERO added significance or appeal; the fact that Augsburg is closer to the dome still means SJU will have 5 times the fans in the yard.  Personally, I love football, but if I wasn't a fan of one of those two teams, I probably wouldn't drive 20 miles to see it.  Four games at Camp Randall in one day might even bring the guru to Madison for the day and it would probably bring me from Korea; I'm surprised you wouldn't care to drive the "extra" few miles from Milwaukee. It would be a great showcase day for the WIAC.

ehh...a 3 hour round trip with more than a few drinks in me...probably not a good idea. Maybe if i catch a sponsored charter bus out of Whitewater...then we're talking 

[02 Warhawk]

I think several teams would want to take on UWW with the new format as opposed to none because then there is a better chance to beat them not only once but the unforseen two times in one season. 

I like the idea of playing at Camp Randall, but not sure if it would be a draw. 

I remember the border battle with the D2's of Minnesota with the D3's of Wisconsin getting the better of the battles more often than not.

Lastly, I was on teams that played against MIAC teams and we simply dominated them for the most part.  I am sure things have changed a little, but I think many may still shy away from the battle.

I guess Oshkosh is not one of those programs....

Recessioning WIAC

Notice the money the WIAC saved in this article is drastically different from other sources...$250,000 compared to $450,000. unless it's a typo.

[D O.C.]

I would be sooooooooo in!!

And just think, the scouts for each team would not have to miss their team's game to travel!

Or! The WIAC could do everyone else in DIII a favor and adopt the NESCAC no playoff rule! That would save money too.

[footballfan413]

I know one thing. If there were to be an extravaganza such as this, it would have one hell of a tailgate!  

I get the parking space next to footballfan413.  8)

Deal!      

I would be sooooooooo in!!

And just think, the scouts for each team would not have to miss their team's game to travel!

Or! The WIAC could do everyone else in DIII a favor and adopt the NESCAC no playoff rule! That would save money too.

Lucky for us, the playoffs are on the NCAA's dime.  

[retagent]

DBG - Methinks your memory is clouded with cheese, beer and brats.

That is okay as you are entitled with your own opinion.  Now here is mine.  Funny thing is now I live in Minnesota and still cannot believe that St. Thomas is ranked over any of the other 7 schools that reside in the WIAC. 

Why do you find that so hard to believe. St. Thomas's losses have been  against top 10  ranked teams on the final plays of the game.Those teams have also continued to climb in the rankings each week because of their success. No one in the WIAC has that type of resume against teams they have lost to as I recall. 


Thanks for the response raiderguy. I was carefully studying that statement trying to find any logic in it, and was unable to do so. I was going to make a wise -a$$ remark, but you actually were able to use facts to rebut.

[badgerwarhawk]

I guess Oshkosh is not one of those programs....

Recessioning WIAC

Notice the money the WIAC saved in this article is drastically different from other sources...$250,000 compared to $450,000. unless it's a typo.

As much as I don't like the proposed format the two division one sounds even worse.  Rather than play one WIAC team twice it would have you playing three of them twice.  

We're bound and determined to do what ever it takes to make sure we limit our league's  chances  of getting multiple teams into the post season.   We don't beat each other up enough as it is.

[John Gleich]

I'm not as familiar with the football criteria as the basketball in terms of at-large NCAA bids... but it seems to me like this move could very seriously damage the league's chances of a second bid. 

OK, just checked the FAQ (Great resource, Pat!) and it is as I supposed.  There is a strength of schedule aspect dealing with OWP and OOWP.  If the WIAC teams are playing each other twice, then it automatically gives 1/2 the WIAC schools an extra loss, lowering OWP of the winning school... TWICE.  And if they beat that team a second time, then their OWP goes down again.  Now, that conference opponent could, in theory, have lost the non-con game that the new vs.-WIAC-but-actually-non-con-game didn't actually get to play against outside competition... but they also could have won it.

I see this as a relative spectrum... the highest possibility in terms of OWP would be to play a completely independent schedule against teams that only lose to you (around an average of .900).  If you play just conference opponents, then the best you could do would be roughly .500 (give or take, depending on the number of teams and your place in the standings).  The worst you could do would be to play an entirely independent schedule against completely winless teams (average of .000). 

Because the WIAC teams play in conference, their default OWP is going to be around .500.  Playing quality (in terms of W-L records) non-con teams, that OWP will rise.  But cutting down on the non-con teams will actually LOWER the OWP because you're playing opponents with lower winning percentages.

I may be overthinking this... because each of the conference teams is playing a game against another... but, even then, the conference will go 4-4 on that day.  It may be just a minor difference... but the conference doesn't have an opportunity to go 8-0.

I do see one positive, though... this will add an in-region D-III game to the schedule.  If conference teams are replacing their non-D-III game with this, then their own winning percentage (against regional, D-III opponents) will go up.

[02 Warhawk]

I'm not as familiar with the football criteria as the basketball in terms of at-large NCAA bids... but it seems to me like this move could very seriously damage the league's chances of a second bid.  

OK, just checked the FAQ (Great resource, Pat!) and it is as I supposed.  There is a strength of schedule aspect dealing with OWP and OOWP.  If the WIAC teams are playing each other twice, then it automatically gives 1/2 the WIAC schools an extra loss, lowering OWP of the winning school... TWICE.  And if they beat that team a second time, then their OWP goes down again.  Now, that conference opponent could, in theory, have lost the non-con game that the new vs.-WIAC-but-actually-non-con-game didn't actually get to play against outside competition... but they also could have won it.

I see this as a relative spectrum... the highest possibility in terms of OWP would be to play a completely independent schedule against teams that only lose to you (around an average of .900).  If you play just conference opponents, then the best you could do would be roughly .500 (give or take, depending on the number of teams and your place in the standings).  The worst you could do would be to play an entirely independent schedule against completely winless teams (average of .000).  

Because the WIAC teams play in conference, their default OWP is going to be around .500.  Playing quality (in terms of W-L records) non-con teams, that OWP will rise.  But cutting down on the non-con teams will actually LOWER the OWP because you're playing opponents with lower winning percentages.

I may be overthinking this... because each of the conference teams is playing a game against another... but, even then, the conference will go 4-4 on that day.  It may be just a minor difference... but the conference doesn't have an opportunity to go 8-0.

I do see one positive, though... this will add an in-region D-III game to the schedule.  If conference teams are replacing their non-D-III game with this, then their own winning percentage (against regional, D-III opponents) will go up.

I think it may widen the gap between the WIAC elite and the rest of the conference, which I think is bad for the WAC. during the non-conference portion of the schedule, weaker WIAC schools cash in with wins early in the year by playing weaker teams in weaker conferences before they dive into conference play. With the new format weaker WIAC teams will be stuggling to find a win each week. God forbid if a school has to play UWW, UWSP or UWL (you can include Stout as well) twice....

On the flip side, the stronger WIAC teams will benefit from this. Over the past few seasons (despite its success) whitewater's nonconference schedule has done nothing for it's stregth of schedule, like playing Puget Sound (who may win two games a year) along with NAIA teams (which don't count towards your strength of schedule). Now by playing teams in the WIAC as nonconference games, the stronger WIAC teams should see their strength of schedule increase. Playing anyone in the WIAC (win or lose) would be a lot better, stregth of schedule wise, than playing teams outside DIII. A win against a WIAC team, looks a lot better in the NCAA's eyes than wins against weak DIII teams like Alma, East Texas Baptist, Eureka, Simpson and so on....

I personally enjoy seeing WIAC teams travel outside the conference to see how they match up against other conferences..it's a good way to judge just how good your conference is. No we won't have that luxery. Hopefully the economy will improve over the next year...

[The Roop]

Love the idea of a four game extravaganza in Madison for the answer to the NC portion of the schedule in the WIAC. I would drive from Minneapolis to see that. It would set up for neutral sight for all teams and the conference could control the pairings based on the previous seasons records with a 1 vs 2, 3 vs 4, 5 vs 6 and 7 vs 8 brackets. This would keep the top schools from picking the cupcake school for that NC game.
Just a thought.

I like the idea too, but it would never make money and will therefore never happen.

Regardless of where they are played, the previous season should be used as the determining factor. However, it should be 1v5, 2v6, 3v7 and 4v8 for the nc games. It balances the schedule more than a random draw or set rotation as a 1v8 would happen sooner or later.

[Just Bill]

If I recall correctly, Mount Union and UW-La Crosse played an NCAA playoff game at Camp Randall Stadium.  I'm guessing it was in 1994 or 1995 and I think the reason was UW-L's field was too muddy and Camp Randall was the only artifical surface possible at the time.  I lived right across the street at the time and remember seeing a bunch of football fans entering the stadium, and I had no idea what the event was.  That was before my D-III elightenment.

[retagent]

That was so long ago, it was before Bob Loblaw's Web Log, also known as Bob Loblaw's Blog.

[02 Warhawk]

for those who can't make the UWW-UWRF game this weekend (like myself  ) FSN will be re-airing the game on Tuesday at 7:00 I believe.

[BoBo]

for those who can't make the UWW-UWRF game this weekend (like myself  ) FSN will be re-airing the game on Tuesday at 7:00 I believe.

You can also watch it live, streaming on your computer, free of charge from UWW and Penn Atlantic. Or listen to the radio broadcast or view live stats HERE.  Game time 12:00 CT.

[02 Warhawk]

for those who can't make the UWW-UWRF game this weekend (like myself  ) FSN will be re-airing the game on Tuesday at 7:00 I believe.

You can also watch it live, streaming on your computer, free of charge from UWW and Penn Atlantic. Or listen to the radio broadcast or view live stats HERE.  Game time 12:00 CT.

I'll be at the in-laws  this weekend...I'll see if i can sneak away to their computer for some of the game.  8)

[WSUFan]

If I recall correctly, Mount Union and UW-La Crosse played an NCAA playoff game at Camp Randall Stadium.  I'm guessing it was in 1994 or 1995 and I think the reason was UW-L's field was too muddy and Camp Randall was the only artifical surface possible at the time.  I lived right across the street at the time and remember seeing a bunch of football fans entering the stadium, and I had no idea what the event was.  That was before my D-III elightenment.

1996