FB: American Southwest Conference

[GillCJ1]

Yeah, I'm not gonna involved in the whole ASC/SCAC thing.  For starters, I don't know enough about the history of these 2 conferences to make any factual statements.  Not to mention I doubt any of us here are the ones making decisions at D3 institutions.  I'm sure there are many factors that go into conference realignment.

From the standpoint of a regular fan, like myself, I think it's unfortunate that all the D3 schools in TX aren't together.  But, again, I get that there are probably other factors at play than just football (or sports in general).

[DFWCrufan]

I truely believe it has to do with overall programs rather than one sport, but here we are discussing the great sport of football. As pointed out there has been many shifting players in the conference, does this make sense in the long run, no, but there are various reasons that schools shift their alliegence that I doubt we posting here would be privy to. But for sure there will never be (unless the poles shift and dogs and cats begin living together) that the two will merge, and I think the members like it that way, it lends itself to some stability and logistics, that old devil we know is easier to plan for. (travel and scheduling etc etc..)

[crufootball]

I truely believe it has to do with overall programs rather than one sport, but here we are discussing the great sport of football. As pointed out there has been many shifting players in the conference, does this make sense in the long run, no, but there are various reasons that schools shift their alliegence that I doubt we posting here would be privy to. But for sure there will be (unless the poles shift and dogs and cats begin living together) that the two will merge, and I think the members like it that way, it lends itself to some stability and logistics, that old devil we know is easier to plan for. (travel and scheduling etc etc..)

One thing that I am fairly certain is confirmed that will slow any chance of combining is the fact that starting next year each SCAC football team will play each other twice. Therefore they will have 6 games without having to try and since all ASC members are going to still need 3 non-conference games the teams from the SCAC can  cherry pick teams they want to play from the ASC or anyone else that needs a game as well.

[DFWCrufan]

Heres an interesting question with the new schools adding to the conference, and the open non conference slots closing down to a very small few, do you think TLU will stay in the schedule? I mean, it's a great game and all but whatcha think?

[DFWCrufan]

A write up on the LA Crosse game from La Crosse...http://lacrossetribune.com/sports/crusaders-use-big-second-quarter-to-bury-eagles/article_2481d31e-4315-53bd-8b35-14724cdc7d8c.html

[crufootball]

Heres an interesting question with the new schools adding to the conference, and the open non conference slots closing down to a very small few, do you think TLU will stay in the schedule? I mean, it's a great game and all but whatcha think?

I would think so, TLU wants to play with the big boys and UMHB welcomes all challengers and its a bonus that they don't require a plane trip to get there.

[Ralph Turner]

A big difference between the ASC and the SCAC is that the SCAC will commonly schedule games on Sunday. That is a deal breaker for some ASC Schools.

[Ralph Turner]

If I were adding football as a sport, I think that my chances of winning in Football (i.e., having a competitive team that will contend for the conference championship) are much better against the SCAC schools than UMHB and HSU, plus whoever might be transiently "up", like LaCollege, HPU, McMurry and ETBU have been in the last 15 years.

Let's face it. The SCAC's finding three more D3's in this part of the country to add football is much more likely than the ASC adding more football schools.  The main ASC gripe is that they don't have the Pool A bid and they have a hard time finding good teams for a "D-3" schedule. The ASC will be back at 7 Pool A eligible schools in 2018 and Belhaven in 2019.

When the SCAC gets back to a 7 team conference, then they have the Pool A bid, 6 conference games and can find 4 local non-conference games from ASC teams.

[Andy Jamison - Walla Walla Wildcat]

Thanks everyone! In the NW at the small school level we were all NAIA II and split into North/South divisions of 6 teams each.  This got all blown up in the 90's and some went D2, others stayed NAIA, and the private schools went D3. It would make scheduling much easier if the NAIA schools came over but that isn't going to happen.

[umhb2001]

I take considerable exception to umhb2001's statement, "No matter how you look at it, football rules.  Winning is all that matters. Period."  No, absolutely not! I am fairly certain that winning is not the end all for a large majority of D3 schools.  The role of D3 athletics is to provide a true student-athlete experience where athletics is not the main emphasis of a student's experience at the school. Striving to win and to the best you can be is absolutely a part of the student-athlete experience.  Whether you ultimately win or not is, in my opinion, irrelevant.

Ok, so this is a message board. Please don't read into how things are stated. I'm simply saying that winning does matter. I think if you asked most athletes, they would say they want to win. Winning matters. Yes, the experience matters, the camaraderie matters, the joy of play matters, sure, but the reason there are conference titles and championships is because winning matters. I also stated that philosophy of school was said to be a driving force. This is for sure, but I also think that there may have been some desire to be out of HSU and UMHB's shadow so that chances of winning and improving the on field experience is important.

I apologize for speaking disrespectfully. 

[DFWCrufan]

Not the right board but.. the best to UW-Whitewater going up against the No.1 NAIA program...I know I will be watching

[umhb2001]

I truely believe it has to do with overall programs rather than one sport, but here we are discussing the great sport of football. As pointed out there has been many shifting players in the conference, does this make sense in the long run, no, but there are various reasons that schools shift their alliegence that I doubt we posting here would be privy to. But for sure there will be (unless the poles shift and dogs and cats begin living together) that the two will merge, and I think the members like it that way, it lends itself to some stability and logistics, that old devil we know is easier to plan for. (travel and scheduling etc etc..)

One thing that I am fairly certain is confirmed that will slow any chance of combining is the fact that starting next year each SCAC football team will play each other twice. Therefore they will have 6 games without having to try and since all ASC members are going to still need 3 non-conference games the teams from the SCAC can  cherry pick teams they want to play from the ASC or anyone else that needs a game as well.

Doesn't only one of those count towards league play, though? How is that viewed by D3 as a whole?

[Ron Boerger]

For what it's worth, both games will count in conference standings.   Not sure what "D3 as a whole" thinks about it, but it still leaves each school with four non-conference games (instead of seven) to fill. 

[TLU02SA]

I truely believe it has to do with overall programs rather than one sport, but here we are discussing the great sport of football. As pointed out there has been many shifting players in the conference, does this make sense in the long run, no, but there are various reasons that schools shift their alliegence that I doubt we posting here would be privy to. But for sure there will be (unless the poles shift and dogs and cats begin living together) that the two will merge, and I think the members like it that way, it lends itself to some stability and logistics, that old devil we know is easier to plan for. (travel and scheduling etc etc..)

One thing that I am fairly certain is confirmed that will slow any chance of combining is the fact that starting next year each SCAC football team will play each other twice. Therefore they will have 6 games without having to try and since all ASC members are going to still need 3 non-conference games the teams from the SCAC can  cherry pick teams they want to play from the ASC or anyone else that needs a game as well.

Doesn't only one of those count towards league play, though? How is that viewed by D3 as a whole?

It will be a strange schedule.  Very out of place in football at the college and high school level.  Not sure I am a fan of it but it is what it is.  I like more variety in the scheduling. 

Starting next year, both games will count towards the teams' conference record and conference championship.  I believe Southwestern, AC, and Trinity already play each other twice and have been doing so since Southwestern's program started.  But only one of those games counted towards conference standings.  TLU has not but will start next year.  AC, Trinity, Southwestern and TLU will certainly build good rivalries by playing each other twice each year.  I doubt that polls and playoff committees will look favorably upon the double round robin scheduling but I am ok with that.

[jekelish]

So far, the only team AC has played twice per year is Southwestern. They play Trinity twice this year, and played them twice a couple years ago as well. They've only played TLU once per year. It's definitely unusual for this level, obviously dictated by the lack of conference games they can get, and the fact that if they didn't schedule like this, they'd never be able to get 10 games since everyone in the ASC and SAA are into conference play by 4th week of the season or so, so there aren't many available opponents.