FB: American Southwest Conference

[trickytroy32]

Seems like a repeat of 1998 to HSU(a team that was better than the 2001 semi finalist and beat naia national champions that year 30-17 only loss to d2 team that didn't make the playoffs)

[HSUCowboy2015]

Only advantage Centre has is SoS and just barely. Committee needs to be drug tested because they are certainly high.

.026 isn't what the committee would generally consider as "just barely" -- Centre was competitive with the No. 2 team in the region and HSU was really not competitive with the No. 1. It isn't the way I would rank them, for sure, but it's definitely supported by the criteria.

Common opponent wouldn't outweigh that decision either? 9 point victory on the road compared to a 5 point victory at home? We could also look at the timing of the games, but I'm not really sure if that matters a whole lot. I just don't see HSU getting into the playoffs based off the Regional Rankings. I'm also baffled by St. Thomas being below Linfield. Those two get in before HSU, along with John Carroll and Centre? What the... I'm not too sure about these committees.

[Pat Coleman]

9 point victory on the road compared to a 5 point victory at home?

Is the committee supposed to see those differently? I can't imagine they do.

[HSUCowboy2015]

Curious how folks think Berry would match up with UMHB.  Any thoughts?

I don't know much about Berry, but what to expect with UMHB is a very talented group. The defense is salty, defensive line is strong and controls the line of scrimmage. A weakness would be their LB group, but I say weakness hesitantly because it is still a strong group. The DB's are also a strength, tall, lanky, and fast. It is very hard to let alone move the ball on them much less putting points on the board. Offensively, very different than years past as they are a dual threat. You can't just stack up the box and stop Miller. If you do that they have receivers that are quick and get open consistently. As we've all been reading, they have a QB "controversy", but any of their guys can perform at a high level. If you don't have much familiarity with them, I don't see you having a shot to beat them.   

[HSUCowboy2015]

9 point victory on the road compared to a 5 point victory at home?

Is the committee supposed to see those differently? I can't imagine they do.

I for sure see a difference in that. A season opener against a team that already had a game under their belt on the road, versus that same team that traveled over 16 hours in the middle of the season and won by no more than a Touchdown? To me that is significant. I understand that this is my opinion, but lets not act as if all wins and losses are the same. 

[GillCJ1]

Seems like a repeat of 1998 to HSU(a team that was better than the 2001 semi finalist and beat naia national champions that year 30-17 only loss to d2 team that didn't make the playoffs)

I went back and looked at the game results from that year (that was before I started paying attention to D3 sports - mostly because I was an undergrad at a large D1 and hadn't yet enrolled at UMHB for my masters degree).  Wowza, the Cowboys were beating up on most teams.  Including the Cru.

[jknezek]

I think the bigger deciding factor is Centre played an overtime loss to the No2, while HSU never really was a threat against No1. Now we can debate whether No1 is 2x or 10x better than No2, but that's not really in the criteria. Regardless, I am mildly surprised HSU isn't third.

[HSUCowboy2015]

Seems like a repeat of 1998 to HSU(a team that was better than the 2001 semi finalist and beat naia national champions that year 30-17 only loss to d2 team that didn't make the playoffs)

I went back and looked at the game results from that year (that was before I started paying attention to D3 sports - mostly because I was an undergrad at a large D1 and hadn't yet enrolled at UMHB for my masters degree).  Wowza, the Cowboys were beating up on most teams.  Including the Cru.

I believe that was UMHB's inaugural season with football, but still that HSU team was salty and could've won a Natty.

[HSUCowboy2015]

Pat,

In your opinion based off of these rankings, who do you have in the playoffs AND where would you have the island teams playing?

[crufootball]

Seems like a repeat of 1998 to HSU(a team that was better than the 2001 semi finalist and beat naia national champions that year 30-17 only loss to d2 team that didn't make the playoffs)

I went back and looked at the game results from that year (that was before I started paying attention to D3 sports - mostly because I was an undergrad at a large D1 and hadn't yet enrolled at UMHB for my masters degree).  Wowza, the Cowboys were beating up on most teams.  Including the Cru.

I believe that was UMHB's inaugural season with football, but still that HSU team was salty and could've won a Natty.

Also seems important to point out that in 1998 the field was only 16 strong and unless I am mistaken the auto-bid concept wasn't there at all. So Trinity  got the bid went undefeated in the regular season playing nothing but D3 opponents and only lost to Mount Union by 5 in the semi finals so hard to say they were a bad pick.

[HSUDAD]

Based on the regional rankings, it looks like our discussion won't matter. HSU isn't getting in without a loss from Centre...

There are five at-large positions, so it will be a certainty that a region will get more than one at-large in.

Sure but with Linfield ranked over St. Thomas, I'd assume the West is most likely to get 2 at large bids.

Would a St. Thomas win over Bethel the last week of the season help or hurt HSU?  That would conceivably put St Thomas and Bethel above Linfield (I guess/Honestly I am so confused).  Or is it that same situation just different teams. 

[Pat Coleman]

I don't think it matters a lot to HSU's playoff candidacy whether Bethel or St. Thomas wins that game.

[jamtod]

Based on the regional rankings, it looks like our discussion won't matter. HSU isn't getting in without a loss from Centre...

There are five at-large positions, so it will be a certainty that a region will get more than one at-large in.

Sure but with Linfield ranked over St. Thomas, I'd assume the West is most likely to get 2 at large bids.

Would a St. Thomas win over Bethel the last week of the season help or hurt HSU?  That would conceivably put St Thomas and Bethel above Linfield (I guess/Honestly I am so confused).  Or is it that same situation just different teams.

Same situation, different teams I think?

I'm not really sure what to think of Linfield's chances right now, as second fiddle in the west. If UST beats Bethel and somehow stays behind Linfield, then I have a hard time believing UST is out so maybe both would get in, but that seems farfetched.

[HSUDAD]

I don't think it matters a lot to HSU's playoff candidacy whether Bethel or St. Thomas wins that game.

Was just curious if it would affect two at large bids coming from the South or two coming from the West?
I am good with two from both and none from the East! 

[UMHB03]

Pat,

In your opinion based off of these rankings, who do you have in the playoffs AND where would you have the island teams playing?

I'm curious about this as well. Are these rankings good news or bad news for Linfield?