FB: American Southwest Conference

[umhb2001]

Couldn't agree more. Hooper's got talent he's just got to learn to deal with elite defenses like the Cru if we are going to get where we want to go! Hooper's outstanding in the pocket, but you've gotta make plays outside the pocket and limit mistakes to have a chance against the nation's number 1 defense. Right now, Turner certainly seems to be more mobile and have more playmaking ability out of the pocket. But you can only play the cards your dealt I guess so we will see where we end up as the season goes on.

Very glad to see that D3 respected HSU for giving #1 a good fight through 4 quarters, if we both stay top 5 teams that would surely have to make the NCAA think twice before they put us against each other in the first round again...

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Unfortunately, they don't consider the D3 poll in their rankings. The NCAA committee does what they want even though they know very little about D3.

[Pat Coleman]

The NCAA committee does what they want even though they know very little about D3.

That's a ridiculous assessment. The committee is all made up of D-III coaches, ADs and conference commissioners and they know D-III very well. They're hamstrung by rules set by Division III schools for how to conduct championships and choose teams, however.

[wildcat11]

I don't think any quarterback would have fared very well on Saturday. So far this season, no QB has had much success against UMHB.

100% spot on. Best defensive line I've seen live in my 23 years around small college football.

[UMHB03]

Very glad to see that D3 respected HSU for giving #1 a good fight through 4 quarters, if we both stay top 5 teams that would surely have to make the NCAA think twice before they put us against each other in the first round again...

I agree. The committee did the right thing last year by giving both teams a well deserved home game in the first round. Surely they'll follow suit this year, and not pit the # 1 defending national champs against the # 5 team in the nation in the first round.

[Ralph Turner]

Very glad to see that D3 respected HSU for giving #1 a good fight through 4 quarters, if we both stay top 5 teams that would surely have to make the NCAA think twice before they put us against each other in the first round again...

I agree. The committee did the right thing last year by giving both teams a well deserved home game in the first round. Surely they'll follow suit this year, and not pit the # 1 defending national champs against the # 5 team in the nation in the first round.

It is all about geography and expenses. We can hope that they separate the two teams, but regional ranking criteria are well known. (First regional ranking is Nov 1st.)

If HSU had been able to play a regionally ranked non-conference opponent instead of an NAIA team who was not competitive, then they would make a better case for the post-season.  At HSU's desired level, the non-conference opponent should be considered for its post-season implications. 

The UMHB-Linfield game was to build criteria to host 3 or 4 games into the playoffs.

UMHB now is making the case to play 4 home post-season games.  Had Linfield won and beaten a very highly regionally ranked UMHB, they might have hosted 3 or 4 post-season games.

From my post about the Top 10 South Region teams...(The rankings are Week #11 Top 25 D3football.com rankings.)

1) 2)  2004 UMHB -- (13-2) Did it Ginger Rogers style.  (Refers to the old joke, who was the better dancer...Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers?  Rogers did everything that Astaire did, backwards and in high heels.)  Was a Pool C bid, back when there were only 3.  Beat #7 Trinity by 29, #3 HSU by 14, #5 W&J by 36 and #1 Mount Union by 3 on the road.  Lost to Elliott's #2 Linfield in the Stagg, 21-28.

[umhb2001]

The NCAA committee does what they want even though they know very little about D3.

That's a ridiculous assessment. The committee is all made up of D-III coaches, ADs and conference commissioners and they know D-III very well. They're hamstrung by rules set by Division III schools for how to conduct championships and choose teams, however.

I misspoke. I specifically was saying that they don't base their top 25 on the D3.com poll. I believe y'all have spoken to that in the past, correct?

[wally_wabash]

The NCAA committee does what they want even though they know very little about D3.

That's a ridiculous assessment. The committee is all made up of D-III coaches, ADs and conference commissioners and they know D-III very well. They're hamstrung by rules set by Division III schools for how to conduct championships and choose teams, however.

I misspoke. I specifically was saying that they don't base their top 25 on the D3.com poll. I believe y'all have spoken to that in the past, correct?

Depending on who you mean by "they"...but the NCAA doesn't have a top 25. 

[umhb2001]

The NCAA committee does what they want even though they know very little about D3.

That's a ridiculous assessment. The committee is all made up of D-III coaches, ADs and conference commissioners and they know D-III very well. They're hamstrung by rules set by Division III schools for how to conduct championships and choose teams, however.

I misspoke. I specifically was saying that they don't base their top 25 on the D3.com poll. I believe y'all have spoken to that in the past, correct?

Depending on who you mean by "they"...but the NCAA doesn't have a top 25.

Ok. Let me start over.

The NCAA doesn't recognize the d3football.com top 25 when they make their selections for the playoffs, correct? Yes, I know they don't have a top 25.

[umhb2001]

A way too early look at playoff possibilities makes me believe that either Hendrix or Trinity needs to win the SAA. That would put one team close to UMHB or HSU.

SCAC winner can go to Linfield.

The other team would have to be flown in to face either UMHB or HSU. Any thoughts on who that could be should Trinity or Hendrix win the SAA?

[Ron Boerger]

There is no "SCAC winner".   The SCAC schools that play FB are either affiliated with the ASC or SAA.

Since Berry has already beat HX and Centre it is going to take something very unlikely, like a three-way tie of teams with one loss, for anyone other than Berry to be the conference champion.   From results so far the Vikings are far and away the strength of the conference (would that I could say otherwise).

[MonroviaCat]

There is no "SCAC winner".   The SCAC schools that play FB are either affiliated with the ASC or SAA.

Since Berry has already beat HX and Centre it is going to take something very unlikely, like a three-way tie of teams with one loss, for anyone other than Berry to be the conference champion.   From results so far the Vikings are far and away the strength of the conference (would that I could say otherwise).

Can't trinity still run the table and win it?

[Ron Boerger]

There is no "SCAC winner".   The SCAC schools that play FB are either affiliated with the ASC or SAA.

Since Berry has already beat HX and Centre it is going to take something very unlikely, like a three-way tie of teams with one loss, for anyone other than Berry to be the conference champion.   From results so far the Vikings are far and away the strength of the conference (would that I could say otherwise).

Can't trinity still run the table and win it?

Still possible, but they have yet to play the upper echelon of the SAA:  6-0 Berry (away), 5-1 Hendrix, 4-1 Centre (this weekend).   

[Toby Taff]

There is no "SCAC winner".   The SCAC schools that play FB are either affiliated with the ASC or SAA.

Since Berry has already beat HX and Centre it is going to take something very unlikely, like a three-way tie of teams with one loss, for anyone other than Berry to be the conference champion.   From results so far the Vikings are far and away the strength of the conference (would that I could say otherwise).

im pretty sure he means SCIAC not SCAC

[Hooyah Cowboys]

I know it's probably a long shot but do yall think there is any possibility that a 8-2 ETBU team would be considered for a pool C bid with their only losses coming to top 5 teams?
I don't see them putting 3 ASC teams in the playoffs but if Southwestern or Sul Ross ended up regionally ranked at the end of the year and they catch the right breaks around the rest of the nation, they might have a shot. 

[wally_wabash]

I know it's probably a long shot but do yall think there is any possibility that a 8-2 ETBU team would be considered for a pool C bid with their only losses coming to top 5 teams?
I don't see them putting 3 ASC teams in the playoffs but if Southwestern or Sul Ross ended up regionally ranked at the end of the year and they catch the right breaks around the rest of the nation, they might have a shot.

Looking around the South, you've got ETBU sitting behind UMHB and HSU already.  So at best, ETBU would be the third ranked at-large team in the region.  Beyond the ASC, you may have a single loss runner up out of the CC, maybe an undefeated non-AQ team from the PAC (probably at worst a 1-loss runner up there), maybe a single loss runner up from the SAA as well.  I think ETBU would have to show REALLY well against UMHB in the final week to get ranked ahead of all of those teams that might have just one loss.  I know they've lost to a top 5 team, but even against a top 5 team, there's an 80-burger there that is kind of hard to just shrug off. 

The best case scenario I think for ETBU is this collection of events:
- UMHB and HSU both go in with Pool B bids
- Nobody else that is not automatically qualified for the playoffs in the South region ends with just one loss, leaving ETBU the next (and first for Pool C) at-large team in the region
- Some other chaos around the nation (St. John's loses again...IWU loses again...Frostburg loses again...etc). Probably need 2-3 of those kinds of things to happen. 

Then, I think there's an outside shot for ETBU.  An awful lot has to break right for them, AND they have to be impressive against UMHB.  They can't get beat 67-20 or 59-22 in that last game.