FB: American Rivers Conference

[Captain_Joe08]

Thinking the last batch of regional rankings had Central in there, which gave Coe a win in against Regional Ranked foes but I agree, Coe's inclusion is a headscratcher among many headscratchers in Pool C.

However as the semi-regular NACC person here, it feels weird hosting a home playoff game (Only other time was when Concordia-Chicago hosted and lost to Bethel) in round one for the league. Hoping we have a good game this weekend. Also I think this is the first time the NACC opens the football playoffs against a ARC/IIAC foe.

[WLCALUM83]

How the numbers stack up for each squad:

Aurora stats:
https://athletics.aurora.edu/sports/football/stats

Coe stats:
https://kohawkathletics.com/sports/football/stats

In Aurora's last game vs Concordia-WI the Spartans were held scoreless in the first quarter and didn't really create distance until into the 2nd half. If the Kohawk D can duplicate that defensive play, the better Coe's chances.

(Didn't know Coe's victory margin was as wide as it was in most of their games.) Concordia-WI and St. Norbert gave the Spartans their closest in-NACC battles.

[doolittledog]

Dubuque ends there season with a 42-10 victory at Luther. 

Now I am looking forward to watching the ARC teams in the playoffs.

[doolittledog]

Luther gymnasium improvements announced
https://luthernorse.com/news/2023/11/10/general-luther-college-receives-2-million-gift-from-birkestrand-family-for-regents-center-renovations.aspx[/img]

That would be worth a road trip up to Decorah.  Those renderings look nice. 

[hazzben]

Certainly getting two teams out of the conference is great for the league, but I have no idea how Coe was selected for an at-large bid...

My guess is that Coe had the 'best loss' of any of the at-large schools.

Wheaton's loss to NCC gets the 'best loss' at-large ribbon for sure.

[SpartyBlue]

Certainly getting two teams out of the conference is great for the league, but I have no idea how Coe was selected for an at-large bid...

My guess is that Coe had the 'best loss' of any of the at-large schools.

Wheaton's loss to NCC gets the 'best loss' at-large ribbon for sure.

Coe nearly got bumped off by .500 Dubuque two weeks ago, should have lost that game...that said, I honestly think Coe/Aurora is a pick em' game.

[Knights88]

Congratulations to Wartburg and Coe and best of luck to both of you in the playoffs. While I wish Central could still be playing too, I am really glad that Coe made the playoffs. If they have Wartburg rated anywhere close to right at #3 Coe deserves to be there. I read the belief that SJU should have been there, but I think the ARC teams have played MIAC teams very well a number of times in the playoffs. I would love to have seen Central and SJU go at it next Saturday in a non-playoff teams match up.

Schipper, agree 100%.  Would love to see a ARC vs MIAC non-playoff matchup after the regular season.  A traveling trophy with bragging rights between conferences!

Great to see the ARC with a second team in the playoffs.  Wartburg and Central have represented the conference well the past few seasons.  It's great to see the conference getting some respect!  Having seen Coe a couple times in the last 12 months and Aurora last year; it would not surprise me at all if Coe won.  Beebe has a dynamic offense and it took the Knights a quarter to figure out; but I predict Coe will be the more physical team and will prevail!

[BLynn]

Certainly getting two teams out of the conference is great for the league, but I have no idea how Coe was selected for an at-large bid...

My guess is that Coe had the 'best loss' of any of the at-large schools.

Wheaton's loss to NCC gets the 'best loss' at-large ribbon for sure.

Not so fast my friend, Wheaton played NC at home and was down 35-7 at half. Coe went on the road and went toe-to-toe with WU, losing 28-21 I believe.  Yes, playing #1 would make you think it was a better loss, but Wheaton was literally never 'in it' as Coe was.

[hazzben]

Disagree. NCC is on another level the last two years.

[DriftlessDuhawk]

After looking over the criteria myself, listening to the interviews with the national chair, and reading all of the discussions on D3fb/X/here I think the hardest thing to figure out is how a loss to a non-regionally ranked team is weighted. The criteria clearly states how a team's body of work should be looked at in terms of SOS/RRO/overall W/L% but it doesn't mention results vs teams not in the regional rankings. I have to imagine that when it came down to Coe vs St Johns the deciding factor was that one of St Johns' losses came to a team not in the regional rankings whereas Coe's lone loss came to a regionally ranked opponent. Would love to know what the official stance is on a loss to a non-ranked opponent and how many wins over ranked opponents would be needed to overcome such a loss.

That being said I have no doubt that the region 5 RAC knew exactly what they were doing when ranking Central 7th... I would think they understood that having Central ranked would give Coe a much better resume and would give them the upper hand in the selection process. If I was a St Johns fan I would certainly be upset but at the same time, everyone is playing by the same rules and the region 5 RAC didn't break any rules (though they may have bent them just a touch)...

[d-train]

That being said I have no doubt that the region 5 RAC knew exactly what they were doing when ranking Central 7th... I would think they understood that having Central ranked would give Coe a much better resume and would give them the upper hand in the selection process. If I was a St Johns fan I would certainly be upset but at the same time, everyone is playing by the same rules and the region 5 RAC didn't break any rules (though they may have bent them just a touch)...

Was there a more deserving team(s) for 6th/7th? Honest question, I'm not familiar enough with the region to know.

It would be hard to call shenanigans or say that the RAC bent rules if more deserving teams simply don't exist in the region.

[MediaGuy]

That being said I have no doubt that the region 5 RAC knew exactly what they were doing when ranking Central 7th... I would think they understood that having Central ranked would give Coe a much better resume and would give them the upper hand in the selection process. If I was a St Johns fan I would certainly be upset but at the same time, everyone is playing by the same rules and the region 5 RAC didn't break any rules (though they may have bent them just a touch)...

Was there a more deserving team(s) for 6th/7th? Honest question, I'm not familiar enough with the region to know.

It would be hard to call shenanigans or say that the RAC bent rules if more deserving teams simply don't exist in the region.

I don't think there are any other teams in region 5 you would consider for a regional ranking, Concordia (WI) had 3 losses, as did WashU, the only other contender could have been Illinois College, and their only notable wins were Monmouth and Milikin so I don't see any other viable teams to rank.  Had Monmouth beaten IC then they would have been the only real possibility with a high SOS.  That being said, here is the membership of the Region 5 RAC...

Jason Imperati, chair Lawrence University Midwest Conference
Jeff McMartin Central College (IA) American Rivers Conference
Jesse Scott Wheaton College College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
Ben Cooprider Grinnell College Midwest Conference
Jim Hamad Aurora University Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

Central's head coach is there and so is Wheaton's so there don't seem to be many people who are looking to help North Central. 

I understand North Central feeling that they got snubbed, they're the undefeated returning National Champ.  But when if you take the bare numbers on North Central's and Wartburg's resume without a team name on the top of the card, Wartburg had a better regular season on paper. In know it's a bit hollow coming from a Wartburg fan, but I think the RAC got it right.  If there is anyone to be upset at, it's the national committee for not switching North Central and UW-L.  Yes UW-L had a monster SOS, and plays in the WIAC, but North Central is undefeated and on a 25-0 winning streak, so if they obviously value W/L (thats how Coe is in over SJU) then they should have switched North Central and UW-L games in the bracket and nobody would be complaining until it's time to see where teams travel in the Semi's.

[doolittledog]

UD head coach Zweifel retires.

https://udspartans.com/news/2023/11/14/zweifel-to-step-away-as-spartans-head-football-coach.aspx

[USee]

That being said I have no doubt that the region 5 RAC knew exactly what they were doing when ranking Central 7th... I would think they understood that having Central ranked would give Coe a much better resume and would give them the upper hand in the selection process. If I was a St Johns fan I would certainly be upset but at the same time, everyone is playing by the same rules and the region 5 RAC didn't break any rules (though they may have bent them just a touch)...

Was there a more deserving team(s) for 6th/7th? Honest question, I'm not familiar enough with the region to know.

It would be hard to call shenanigans or say that the RAC bent rules if more deserving teams simply don't exist in the region.

I don't think there are any other teams in region 5 you would consider for a regional ranking, Concordia (WI) had 3 losses, as did WashU, the only other contender could have been Illinois College, and their only notable wins were Monmouth and Milikin so I don't see any other viable teams to rank.  Had Monmouth beaten IC then they would have been the only real possibility with a high SOS.  That being said, here is the membership of the Region 5 RAC...

Jason Imperati, chair Lawrence University Midwest Conference
Jeff McMartin Central College (IA) American Rivers Conference
Jesse Scott Wheaton College College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
Ben Cooprider Grinnell College Midwest Conference
Jim Hamad Aurora University Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

Central's head coach is there and so is Wheaton's so there don't seem to be many people who are looking to help North Central. 

I understand North Central feeling that they got snubbed, they're the undefeated returning National Champ.  But when if you take the bare numbers on North Central's and Wartburg's resume without a team name on the top of the card, Wartburg had a better regular season on paper. In know it's a bit hollow coming from a Wartburg fan, but I think the RAC got it right.  If there is anyone to be upset at, it's the national committee for not switching North Central and UW-L.  Yes UW-L had a monster SOS, and plays in the WIAC, but North Central is undefeated and on a 25-0 winning streak, so if they obviously value W/L (thats how Coe is in over SJU) then they should have switched North Central and UW-L games in the bracket and nobody would be complaining until it's time to see where teams travel in the Semi's.

It's not either Wartburg or North Central. Both could have been 1 seeds. And I can assure you Jesse Scott (and the RAC5 overall) fought for NCC to be a 1 seed.

[bleedpurple]

That being said I have no doubt that the region 5 RAC knew exactly what they were doing when ranking Central 7th... I would think they understood that having Central ranked would give Coe a much better resume and would give them the upper hand in the selection process. If I was a St Johns fan I would certainly be upset but at the same time, everyone is playing by the same rules and the region 5 RAC didn't break any rules (though they may have bent them just a touch)...

Was there a more deserving team(s) for 6th/7th? Honest question, I'm not familiar enough with the region to know.

It would be hard to call shenanigans or say that the RAC bent rules if more deserving teams simply don't exist in the region.

I don't think there are any other teams in region 5 you would consider for a regional ranking, Concordia (WI) had 3 losses, as did WashU, the only other contender could have been Illinois College, and their only notable wins were Monmouth and Milikin so I don't see any other viable teams to rank.  Had Monmouth beaten IC then they would have been the only real possibility with a high SOS.  That being said, here is the membership of the Region 5 RAC...

Jason Imperati, chair Lawrence University Midwest Conference
Jeff McMartin Central College (IA) American Rivers Conference
Jesse Scott Wheaton College College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
Ben Cooprider Grinnell College Midwest Conference
Jim Hamad Aurora University Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

Central's head coach is there and so is Wheaton's so there don't seem to be many people who are looking to help North Central. 

I understand North Central feeling that they got snubbed, they're the undefeated returning National Champ.  But when if you take the bare numbers on North Central's and Wartburg's resume without a team name on the top of the card, Wartburg had a better regular season on paper. In know it's a bit hollow coming from a Wartburg fan, but I think the RAC got it right.  If there is anyone to be upset at, it's the national committee for not switching North Central and UW-L.  Yes UW-L had a monster SOS, and plays in the WIAC, but North Central is undefeated and on a 25-0 winning streak, so if they obviously value W/L (thats how Coe is in over SJU) then they should have switched North Central and UW-L games in the bracket and nobody would be complaining until it's time to see where teams travel in the Semi's.

It's not either Wartburg or North Central. Both could have been 1 seeds. And I can assure you Jesse Scott (and the RAC5 overall) fought for NCC to be a 1 seed.

The discouraging thing about this is that this year the top three number one seeds were obvious:
1. NCC
2. Mount Union
3. Wartburg

Then there could be a discussion about viable possibilities for the fourth.  Even if they really screwed up the fourth #1, it would be no where near as egregious as making NCC a #2.