FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[MiacMan]

Bluntly, the bottom half of the MIAC is pretty gross this year.  That may be what tilts things in favor of UWW right now.

Gross in MIAC or WIAC terms, but those MIAC bottom dwellers would probably fare pretty well in the likes of the UMAC, MWC, or even the ARC.  Not that that matters.

Well stated Duff! Spot on! Playoffs are coming boys! It'll all be worked out on the field soon!

[wally_wabash]

Bluntly, the bottom half of the MIAC is pretty gross this year.  That may be what tilts things in favor of UWW right now.

Gross in MIAC or WIAC terms, but those MIAC bottom dwellers would probably fare pretty well in the likes of the UMAC, MWC, or even the ARC.  Not that that matters.

There's not really any selection/seeding value in doing pretty well in the UMAC or MWC, so I'm not sure this helps the case.

[DuffMan]

I wasn't making a case for that.  Just saying that these aren't 9-man high school teams that the top teams in the MIAC are playing.

Back to my original point--#1 or #2, who gives a $hit (right now, anyways)?

[02 Warhawk]

I like the debate we got going on here. Let me defend myself:

The WIAC seems way down right now correct? The issue from watching the league is that everyone is much improved. UWRF has a chance to beat bethel, Stout who is a bottom half team loses 28-0 to St. John's with a back up Qb. UWEC has beat Loras who is 4-3 and st Norbert's who is 7-1. UWL gave the north ranked #2 Illinois Wesleyan their only lose. From top to bottom this league is way deeper than it has ever been before. Stout beat gustie who is in fourth.

Go to the MIAC: you can be mad at me but it is the truth. From top to bottom, the league is much down. St. John's has been tested twice. Bethel and st Thomas. Whitewater is tested every week even though the scores don't look like it. UWW run game with Peete is the same if not better than st Thomas. This issue with the MIAC this year is the Concordia is down, and the bottom of the league can't even hang in games and none of them beat anyone in nonconferece.

Do I think it would be a heck of a game? It sure would. But the Warhawks have been battled tested every week. That is me taking my WIAC hat off and just looking at facts. Warhawks would win 24-14.

I don't think the committee cares about the 600 yards in a WIN. I think they care about who you have played and who you have beat. Just my 2 cents

I would say the bottom half of the WIAC is up this year. Last place UWEC is 2-1 in nonconference games...both wins against solid programs (Loras is 4-4 and St. Norbert is 7-1). Their only non-conference loss was at UST. The top team in the WIAC is undefeated which is what we usually see. How strong UWW actually is will be determined in the playoffs. Their defense is Stagg Bowl worthy (not a question)....statistically the best in the country. They've only given up 36 points, 5.1 ppg and surrendered only five touchdowns this year. All three stats are the fewest in DIII, all while playing in the best conference in the country. And their nonconference games weren't against scrubs either (Concordia and Dubuque)*. The offense has shown flashes of brilliance, but there's concerns there (consistency from the QB is the biggest).

However, the part of the WIAC that is down, in my opinion, is the 2nd tier teams. UWO and UWP were disappointing this year. Yes, UWO lost a lot from last year, but that's no excuse to lose to UWSP. Same goes for UWP getting blown out against UWEC at home. UWEC!!!! Only one team from the WIAC will be in the playoffs, and deservingly so.



*Yes they played a club team, but that game wasn't factored into their defensive stats. If it was their PPG would drop to 4.5.

[WW]

Lets talk about this crazy weekend of WIAC Football.

UWO vs UWEC- UWEC came back to life last week against UWRF. They did have 515 yards of offense which is a ton for them. Their defense struggled to stop UWRF WR. UWRF did have a def touch last year. I think this will be tighter than most would think. I will be interested to see how UWO handles being done this early in the season. Will they pack it in since they won't be in the playoffs, or will they be fired up to go out and crush UWEC. I see this as a tight game. UWO 24 UWEC 14

UWW vs UWSP- Great win for UWSP. Something to take into the offseason and build on. Just no way they build on it this week. Whitewater OL will maul up front. This will be done by half. UWW 48 UWSP 7.

UWRF vs UWL- This will be the best match up of the weekend I think. UWRF can throw the ball and UWL is 7th in the league in pass D. UWL can thrown the ball and UWRF is last in the league in past D. The Herink kid is legit good as I have said past 2 weeks. UWL coming in off a good win against UWP, however, UWP was missing their starting QB and Mark Johnson was out. UWL won last year 56-7 at UWRF. This will be a much different game. UWL 35 UWRF 28

UWP vs UWSTOUT- I do not even know where to start with this match up. Has UWP packed it in for the year? Will Schuetz play this week? Will Graham play? Stout is at home in a game where you can not figure out either team. I think Stout gets this one at home 31-28

Put me down for a UWO crush. I still haven't figured out the erratic Titan skill guys but they got the beef, and UWEC just doesn't, at least not enough to match up. Playing pass-happy Platteville in a wind tunnel is one thing, matching up against the Titan muscle is another. UWO by 35.

I'm pretty much on board with the rest. Saturday looks a like a nice enough day to throw it around. I might have to watch that RF-LC game—gimme the over.

[AO]

That's cute that Eau Claire is better than Hamline, but if you want to have some more confidence in someone's ranking I think you've got to look to the toughest games that team has played, not the easiest.  St. John's has played and beat two teams ranked higher than any team Whitewater has played. 
Opponent rankings:
1) St. Thomas
2) Bethel
3) Oshkosh
4) LaCrosse
5) Thomas More

[emma17]

Yeah, all that RRO stuff and conference rankings are fun stats to talk about, but giving up 600 yards and 8 yards per carry are the most meaningful statistics of all.
I've no idea if the committee considered the St. John's defensive stats for the ranking and like all of you, I'd guess they didn't (or at least won't admit it). But really, some of you actually have an idea of what makes for championship football- do you actually think St. John's defensive stats v St. Thomas aren't the single most telling data when predicting how they will do going forward against very good competition?

This is a real question. If you were on the committee-would you consider the St. John's D stats vs St T to help inform your ranking?

As for UWW not being able to score 40 on St. T, I completely agree, because current and recent history tells us they wouldn't need to.

[jamtod]

Yeah, all that RRO stuff and conference rankings are fun stats to talk about, but giving up 600 yards and 8 yards per carry are the most meaningful statistics of all.
I've no idea if the committee considered the St. John's defensive stats for the ranking and like all of you, I'd guess they didn't (or at least won't admit it). But really, some of you actually have an idea of what makes for championship football- do you actually think St. John's defensive stats v St. Thomas aren't the single most telling data when predicting how they will do going forward against very good competition?

This is a real question. If you were on the committee-would you consider the St. John's D stats vs St T to help inform your ranking?

As for UWW not being able to score 40 on St. T, I completely agree, because current and recent history tells us they wouldn't need to.

No. Not compelling at all. You can't look at that in a vacuum. SJU won by 20 points against a top 10 ranked team. That game was all sorts of weird. Placing a lot of emphasis on a few defensive numbers in what turns out to be a shootout (blowout) is as silly as evaluating an offense that only puts up 200 yards in a game of short fields that is well in hand early.

[WW]

Yeah, all that RRO stuff and conference rankings are fun stats to talk about, but giving up 600 yards and 8 yards per carry are the most meaningful statistics of all.
I've no idea if the committee considered the St. John's defensive stats for the ranking and like all of you, I'd guess they didn't (or at least won't admit it). But really, some of you actually have an idea of what makes for championship football- do you actually think St. John's defensive stats v St. Thomas aren't the single most telling data when predicting how they will do going forward against very good competition?

This is a real question. If you were on the committee-would you consider the St. John's D stats vs St T to help inform your ranking?

As for UWW not being able to score 40 on St. T, I completely agree, because current and recent history tells us they wouldn't need to.

What if they considered their 5 interceptions instead?

[wally_wabash]

UWW is not ranked ahead of St. John's because of one or two team stats from one single game.  Stop it. 

[02 Warhawk]

That's cute that Eau Claire is better than Hamline, but if you want to have some more confidence in someone's ranking I think you've got to look to the toughest games that team has played, not the easiest.  St. John's has played and beat two teams ranked higher than any team Whitewater has played. 
Opponent rankings:
1) St. Thomas
2) Bethel
3) Oshkosh
4) LaCrosse
5) Thomas More

Rankings have nothing to do with any of this.

[AO]

That's cute that Eau Claire is better than Hamline, but if you want to have some more confidence in someone's ranking I think you've got to look to the toughest games that team has played, not the easiest.  St. John's has played and beat two teams ranked higher than any team Whitewater has played. 
Opponent rankings:
1) St. Thomas
2) Bethel
3) Oshkosh
4) LaCrosse
5) Thomas More

Rankings have nothing to do with any of this.

To be clear, those were my personal rankings.

[02 Warhawk]

That's cute that Eau Claire is better than Hamline, but if you want to have some more confidence in someone's ranking I think you've got to look to the toughest games that team has played, not the easiest.  St. John's has played and beat two teams ranked higher than any team Whitewater has played. 
Opponent rankings:
1) St. Thomas
2) Bethel
3) Oshkosh
4) LaCrosse
5) Thomas More

Rankings have nothing to do with any of this.

To be clear, those were my personal rankings.

So "St. John's has played and beat two teams ranked higher than any team Whitewater has played" according to your personal rankings?

How convenient for your argument 

[jamtod]

That's cute that Eau Claire is better than Hamline, but if you want to have some more confidence in someone's ranking I think you've got to look to the toughest games that team has played, not the easiest.  St. John's has played and beat two teams ranked higher than any team Whitewater has played. 
Opponent rankings:
1) St. Thomas
2) Bethel
3) Oshkosh
4) LaCrosse
5) Thomas More

Rankings have nothing to do with any of this.

Certainly not the top 25, but the Regional Rankings might, which have #1 and #2 swapped but otherwise are the same as above. Although I'm not clear that the committee criterion really evaluates relative strength of RRO wins/losses (I assume they do) or how that is balanced with SOS and other factors (including the most important one: defensive yardage and YPC allowed in your top rivalry games).

[02 Warhawk]

That's cute that Eau Claire is better than Hamline, but if you want to have some more confidence in someone's ranking I think you've got to look to the toughest games that team has played, not the easiest.  St. John's has played and beat two teams ranked higher than any team Whitewater has played. 
Opponent rankings:
1) St. Thomas
2) Bethel
3) Oshkosh
4) LaCrosse
5) Thomas More

Rankings have nothing to do with any of this.

Certainly not the top 25, but the Regional Rankings might, which have #1 and #2 swapped but otherwise are the same as above. Although I'm not clear that the committee criterion really evaluates relative strength of RRO wins/losses (I assume they do) or how that is balanced with SOS and other factors (including the most important one: defensive yardage and YPC allowed in your top rivalry games).

Yes, looking at it that way, you're right. I'm not sure either.

SOS has to play a major part in their decision. That's the only thing that can't be disputed that makes sense.