FB: American Southwest Conference

[Ron Boerger]

ETBU was 2-7 on 4th downs.  Combine that with a couple of fumbles and that's a lot of empty drives.

[BSCpanthers]

UW-Plattville upsets UW-W which has to be nothing but good for HSU's chances at a Pool C bid.

I'm still arguing my side that BSC is more deserving.  Howard Payne is my second favorite team this week.   

[Ron Boerger]

UW-Plattville upsets UW-W which has to be nothing but good for HSU's chances at a Pool C bid.

I'm still arguing my side that BSC is more deserving.  Howard Payne is my second favorite team this week.   

The NCAA will judge by their criteria.  If UW-P ends up regionally ranked HSU will have a win against RRO that B-SC lacks.   Your best hope is for Centre to pull off the upset in Danville this week.  The first real regional rankings tomorrow next week, sigh should provide clarity. 

[BSCpanthers]

UW-Plattville upsets UW-W which has to be nothing but good for HSU's chances at a Pool C bid.

I'm still arguing my side that BSC is more deserving.  Howard Payne is my second favorite team this week.   

The NCAA will judge by their criteria.  If UW-P ends up regionally ranked HSU will have a win against RRO that B-SC lacks.   Your best hope is for Centre to pull off the upset in Danville this week.  The first real regional rankings tomorrow next week, sigh should provide clarity.

I've been politicking to get Platteville back out of the top 25 as well.  No way a 3 loss team, with two losses by 40 points should be in the top 25.  I'm working all angles to keep the dream alive.

[crufootball]

UW-Plattville upsets UW-W which has to be nothing but good for HSU's chances at a Pool C bid.

I'm still arguing my side that BSC is more deserving.  Howard Payne is my second favorite team this week.   

Do you really think that or just hoping?

[BSCpanthers]

UW-Plattville upsets UW-W which has to be nothing but good for HSU's chances at a Pool C bid.

I'm still arguing my side that BSC is more deserving.  Howard Payne is my second favorite team this week.   

Do you really think that or just hoping?

You beat them by 30 at their house.  You have to look at the results of the game.  That loss looks way worse than the two losses BSC currently has. 

Mostly just trying to put that seed of doubt that HSU deserves it after getting beat that bad.  And enjoying taking DIII football with folks that also keep up with it. 

[Cowboy2]

UW-Plattville upsets UW-W which has to be nothing but good for HSU's chances at a Pool C bid.

I'm still arguing my side that BSC is more deserving.  Howard Payne is my second favorite team this week.   

Do you really think that or just hoping?

For BSC to get in by Pool C discussion they need HSU to lose to HPU, now that UWP upset UWW. However, HPU would probably have to beat UMHB as well. Then BSC would be going up against HSU and UMHB for selection since HPU would take the ASC. With all the love of the WIAC, they would probably shelf all R3 8-2 teams due to SOS.

HSU had to stay home last year which is unfortunate. However, for BSC, it was good that bethel got in at 8-2 because it opens the door for 8-2 teams this year. The problem will be that there will be a lot of good teams at 8-2 up for discussion should BSC finish at 8-2. Two really close losses to potential conference winners will help. They will need TU and HC to rank high in R3 end of season rankings over R-MC or UMHB. The bad thing is there may just not be enough spots.

Anything can happen but id root for Trinity and Huntingdon to handedly win out instead of upsets. It might be better for BSC if UWW wins out and UWP loses out. UWW beat UMHB and and Berry in close OOC games. UMHB beat HSU. BSC beat Berry....

[crufootball]

UW-Plattville upsets UW-W which has to be nothing but good for HSU's chances at a Pool C bid.

I'm still arguing my side that BSC is more deserving.  Howard Payne is my second favorite team this week.   

Do you really think that or just hoping?

You beat them by 30 at their house.  You have to look at the results of the game.  That loss looks way worse than the two losses BSC currently has. 

Mostly just trying to put that seed of doubt that HSU deserves it after getting beat that bad.  And enjoying taking DIII football with folks that also keep up with it.

True that loss is not exactly a gold star but at least currently they have a potential gold star victory over UWP. Also in this case we have a common opponent, not a huge difference but BSC beat McMurry by 17 whereas HSU beat them by 32.

[wally_wabash]

UW-Plattville upsets UW-W which has to be nothing but good for HSU's chances at a Pool C bid.

I'm still arguing my side that BSC is more deserving.  Howard Payne is my second favorite team this week.   

Do you really think that or just hoping?

You beat them by 30 at their house.  You have to look at the results of the game.  That loss looks way worse than the two losses BSC currently has. 

Mostly just trying to put that seed of doubt that HSU deserves it after getting beat that bad.  And enjoying taking DIII football with folks that also keep up with it.

The Region 3 RAC has been plenty savvy about how they rank teams and positioning their at-large teams in the best place to be selected.

This year, where we're likely to see teams with multiple losses on the board early, is Region 3's best chance at a getting one of those at-large bids for the region to put 9-1 HSU, yes with that 30 point loss to UMHB but also that 40 point win at UWP, on the board first?  Or is it to put 8-2 BSC on the board, who's very best results are close losses and absent any quality wins? 

It's a no brainer if UWP ends up as a ranked team.  It's a much more interesting conversation if UWP doesn't end up ranked*, but I'd be shocked if the RAC doesn't steer into the superior win percentage and put HSU on the board first. 

*as I thought about this for another 20 seconds, I'm not sure it matters if UWP is ranked or not.  The amount of common opponent leverage that result has over teams that may be competing for those spots (Bethel, UWW, any other UW school) is probably too good to keep on the bench.  Hardin-Simmons almost has to lose another game to not be the first at-large eligible team from Region 3. 

[Cowboy2]

UW-Plattville upsets UW-W which has to be nothing but good for HSU's chances at a Pool C bid.

I'm still arguing my side that BSC is more deserving.  Howard Payne is my second favorite team this week.   

Do you really think that or just hoping?

You beat them by 30 at their house.  You have to look at the results of the game.  That loss looks way worse than the two losses BSC currently has. 

Mostly just trying to put that seed of doubt that HSU deserves it after getting beat that bad.  And enjoying taking DIII football with folks that also keep up with it.

The Region 3 RAC has been plenty savvy about how they rank teams and positioning their at-large teams in the best place to be selected.

This year, where we're likely to see teams with multiple losses on the board early, is Region 3's best chance at a getting one of those at-large bids for the region to put 9-1 HSU, yes with that 30 point loss to UMHB but also that 40 point win at UWP, on the board first?  Or is it to put 8-2 BSC on the board, who's very best results are close losses and absent any quality wins? 

It's a no brainer if UWP ends up as a ranked team.  It's a much more interesting conversation if UWP doesn't end up ranked*, but I'd be shocked if the RAC doesn't steer into the superior win percentage and put HSU on the board first. 

*as I thought about this for another 20 seconds, I'm not sure it matters if UWP is ranked or not.  The amount of common opponent leverage that result has over teams that may be competing for those spots (Bethel, UWW, any other UW school) is probably too good to keep on the bench.  Hardin-Simmons almost has to lose another game to not be the first at-large eligible team from Region 3.

It's pretty compelling isn't it? The fact that R3 has a couple of solid cases must trouble regions outside of R3 conferences. I think everyone knew coming into the season that to have a shot at still making the playoffs, should they slip up any week during season play, after HSU didn't get in last season with how the things went down 2nd half vs UMHb, and the way Trinity and UMHB played, and then UMHB steam rolling the rest of the teams in the playoffs, probably made teams think to go outside of the box. "Let's schedule teams and offer our case or make us better." A lot of teams scheduled some good teams OOC and had respectable results....but I'm not so sure the rest of the league views it that way.

UMHB beats mules by a lot
Trinity squeezes out vs the Thunder. But it's a W
BSU loses to R3 instate foe by 3 to Huntingdon (who is much better than their ranking)
UMHB slips up at the warhawks the last 2 min after controlling the game
HSU demolishes the pioneers who has upset a lot teams in R6
Berry played a close game vs the warhawks (same score in a closer game than the UWW UWO contest IMO)
UMHB takes advantage In the 2Q and runs away from HSU who beat UWP who beat UWW
Wheaton hangs with NCC
Trinity pulls a rabbit out of their hat to win by 3 bs BSC
BSC runs away from Berry in the second half
R-MC destroys bridgewater
Berry keeps it a 1 score game with Trinity

I'm sure I missed some other scores too.

R3 could have a strong argument for another pool C team outside of whoever is the project 1 Pool C team.
R6 could have 2. STJ, UWLX, UWW, UWP, UWR? Etc.
R5 should get the Wash U - Wheaton winner in
Loser at Yankee stadium has a good argument too that people aren't talking about if both are undefeated.

I don't think their is bias against R3. I think most fans watch games in region. But when looking at some of the other regions and then seeing common opponent scores it's hard to dismiss the notion R3 pool C slips in only one. I wouldn't be surprised if Trinity or Linfield wouldn't have done well if they're not going through Belton early last year.

I've seen some BSC posters pumping it up, but it's hard to disagree with some of the arguments.

[Ralph Turner]

Great post Cowboy2!

[Hawks88]

It's pretty compelling isn't it? The fact that R3 has a couple of solid cases must trouble regions outside of R3 conferences. I think everyone knew coming into the season that to have a shot at still making the playoffs, should they slip up any week during season play, after HSU didn't get in last season with how the things went down 2nd half vs UMHb, and the way Trinity and UMHB played, and then UMHB steam rolling the rest of the teams in the playoffs, probably made teams think to go outside of the box. "Let's schedule teams and offer our case or make us better." A lot of teams scheduled some good teams OOC and had respectable results....but I'm not so sure the rest of the league views it that way.

UMHB beats mules by a lot
Trinity squeezes out vs the Thunder. But it's a W
BSU loses to R3 instate foe by 3 to Huntingdon (who is much better than their ranking)
UMHB slips up at the warhawks the last 2 min after controlling the game
HSU demolishes the pioneers who has upset a lot teams in R6
Berry played a close game vs the warhawks (same score in a closer game than the UWW UWO contest IMO)
UMHB takes advantage In the 2Q and runs away from HSU who beat UWP who beat UWW
Wheaton hangs with NCC
Trinity pulls a rabbit out of their hat to win by 3 bs BSC
BSC runs away from Berry in the second half
R-MC destroys bridgewater
Berry keeps it a 1 score game with Trinity

I'm sure I missed some other scores too.

R3 could have a strong argument for another pool C team outside of whoever is the project 1 Pool C team.
R6 could have 2. STJ, UWLX, UWW, UWP, UWR? Etc.
R5 should get the Wash U - Wheaton winner in
Loser at Yankee stadium has a good argument too that people aren't talking about if both are undefeated.

I don't think their is bias against R3. I think most fans watch games in region. But when looking at some of the other regions and then seeing common opponent scores it's hard to dismiss the notion R3 pool C slips in only one. I wouldn't be surprised if Trinity or Linfield wouldn't have done well if they're not going through Belton early last year.

I've seen some BSC posters pumping it up, but it's hard to disagree with some of the arguments.

The Ithaca-Cortland game isn't a conference game. If both go in undefeated then both are Pool A.

[Cowboy2]

Hawks you're correct. I also forgot to mention the close game y'all had with Linfield...their only one of the year thus far.

LL and E8 have a bunch a good teams this year as well. I always forget the Jug isn't a conference game Cortland could be undefeated. Ithaca still has their annual test bs RPI and Union

[SW1]

I'm thinking HSU is getting in as a pool C and heading down to SA and will pull the upset over Trinity. Just a feeling. Since they say RMC had a tougher schedule than the Cru then we can head on over and play someone we don't play very often. MHB vs HSU in the second round.

[Ron Boerger]

I'm not sure how Logan Hansen came up with this but in a Twitter post earlier today he calculates HSU's chance of winning a Pool C bid at 41% if they win out.   I imagine he'll rerun this each week.

UMHB and HPU still control their respective destinies (at least for another week) - earning the ASC Pool A should they win out.