Around the Nation board

[DutchFan2004]

Oh boy. I gotta make sure if I do pick 'ems not to miss a week. I had a chance last year!

Knee-deep in Kickoff, but I'll give it some thought next week.

If you have a chance go to the pickem board we came up with some tie breaking.

[K-Mack]

Where's everyone talking about how awesome/not awesome kickoff is?

I'm expecting to take a beating for some of my predictions.

[wally_wabash]

Where's everyone talking about how awesome/not awesome kickoff is?

I'm expecting to take a beating for some of my predictions.

I'll check the "awesome" box.  You guys have once again outdone yourselves!

[HScoach]

K-Mack:  Great job as always. 

Only exception I have is the prediction that ONU will finish ahead of Capital. 

[K-Mack]

Only exception I have is the prediction that ONU will finish ahead of Capital. 

So you're cool with the part where I have Mount Union not going to the Stagg Bowl? :shock:

[wesleydad]

keith, i see nothing wrong with your predictions, especially the national champs .  i like the fact that you went out on a limb and picked someone different, in fact several different teams.  i have posted on the acfc site and the preview site about how awesome it is and how great a job you guys have done.  i wll give my props here also.  anyone who frequents this site needs to purchase the preview just for the shear amount of work you guys have put into it.

[doolittledog]

Where's everyone talking about how awesome/not awesome kickoff is?

I'm expecting to take a beating for some of my predictions.

Great job on kickoff. 

Just a few little things.  I notice you have Carleton finishing 3-7 overall and 1-7 in the MIAC.  You also have Cornell going 2-8 overall and 0-8 in the IIAC.  So both of those teams would be going 2-0 in their non-con schedules.  The problem with that is they play each other.  So both going 2-0 can't happen!!!  Also you have Dubuque last conference title in 1978 and it is actually 1980. 

But, the fact that you did all this data on 239 teams amazes me.  Fantastic job and I appreciate all the work you guys do to keep us updated on D3 football.  I will have fun looking back at the kickoff in November and see how close you came in your predictions.  You were pretty close for the IIAC last year!!!

[K-Mack]

Guess this can be the unofficial home of Kickoff response (love or hate) until everyone figures out they can comment inside the walls.

Either that or consider it my own personal collection.

From the NCAC board:

Thanks to Wabash fans, who continue to be tied for the lead in Kickoff sales!

Thank you for putting together this awesome preview each year.  I'm looking forward to blowing off half a day of work tomorrow sifting through all of the new material.   

It's bigger this year. Will take you longer to read it all!

Maybe next year we should do a quiz ... first person to get a factoid from every article wins a refund!

Also, glad to be contributing to the not-working of America's workforce from now until Sept. 6 and beyond.

(is a Patriot)

[K-Mack]

Just a few little things.  I notice you have Carleton finishing 3-7 overall and 1-7 in the MIAC.  You also have Cornell going 2-8 overall and 0-8 in the IIAC.  So both of those teams would be going 2-0 in their non-con schedules.  The problem with that is they play each other.  So both going 2-0 can't happen!!!  Also you have Dubuque last conference title in 1978 and it is actually 1980. 

Wow, Gordon even dedicated himself to checking for those specific occurrences, and came up with four pages of conflicting results. I'll look into it, and if i have to make a change, I'll use whoever we ranked higher in 1-239

Thanks though for validating a point Pat and I made during an internal discussion: Readers are smart, you guys notice even seemingly small discrepancies and anything we can do to eliminate those makes your reading experience smoother, and preserves our credibility.

[K-Mack]

This tells me football season is nearly upon us!

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[HScoach]

Only exception I have is the prediction that ONU will finish ahead of Capital. 

So you're cool with the part where I have Mount Union not going to the Stagg Bowl? :shock:

Personally, I think Mount is headed to Salem again this season, but I have no problem with the consensus around the nation saying they can't make it back due to all graduation losses. 

The key will be the O-line.  If they can put together a good line with 5 new guys, they'll be very, very good.  They don't need to be dominant up front, just good.

[Pat Coleman]

The key will be the O-line.  If they can put together a good line with 5 new guys, they'll be very, very good.  They don't need to be dominant up front, just good.

Agreed.

[K-Mack]

The key will be the O-line.  If they can put together a good line with 5 new guys, they'll be very, very good.  They don't need to be dominant up front, just good.

Agreed.

Certainly I could envision Mount Union pulling out 5 O-Line starters and another 10 starters overall from the 211 non-returning-starters in camp, I'm just a huge believer in returning experience. Certainly there are cases where a team like Mount Union has guys not getting any burn who are better than starters for other teams.

It's not like seeing them in Salem would be a shock. This time, I decided I'd rather change my opinion midway through the year on something tangible, even though going with "historical performance" usually pays in Division III. Did the same thing last year with UW-W.

I also think this will be a tough year in the OAC, but we shall see. While watching the Purple Raiders be SO dominant last year was an experience, having some games possibly be in doubt this year could be fun from an outsider's perspective too.

I always thought O-Line was one of the more underrated parts of MUC teams, especially the last few. When a QB doesn't get touched, it's a lot easier to sit back and make the right decisions.

I thought Kmic would get smash the rushing record based on you guys finding some OL, and also Larry's tendency to play to his roster's strengths. And MUC's tendency to play 13 games minimum.

We'll see I guess.

[HScoach]

The key will be the O-line.  If they can put together a good line with 5 new guys, they'll be very, very good.  They don't need to be dominant up front, just good.

Agreed.

I also think this will be a tough year in the OAC, but we shall see. While watching the Purple Raiders be SO dominant last year was an experience, having some games possibly be in doubt this year could be fun from an outsider's perspective too.

I always thought O-Line was one of the more underrated parts of MUC teams, especially the last few. When a QB doesn't get touched, it's a lot easier to sit back and make the right decisions.

You're right on both accounts. 

Mount was really the only senior dominated team in the entire conference last year and the scores showed it.  Now everyone is very experienced and Mount is young.  Should make for a much more interesting regular season.

When Mount started winning on a national scale in the 1990's, they did so on the strength of great skill people and inspite of their weaknesses on the line of scrimmage.  The 92 and 93 battles against La Crosse and Rowan were complete mis-matches in the trenches.  Now they're winning consisently because of the line play.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Another thing to keep in mind about MUC is that, with all the blowouts, their subs probably logged more PT than those of any other team.  Of course, much of it may have been against the OTHER team's subs, also, so maybe it doesn't amount to all that much more experience than JV play.