Pool B

[religion_major]

The toughest part of your scenario for CMU might be running the UAA.  I admit they have yet to be tested, but they took Thiel to OT last year when Thiel seemed to have a better team than this year, and CMU one not as good as this year's.

CMU had some playoff teams from 78-90. Even had a couple wins.

Is CMU South region?  I was wondering for later on in the year when we start thinking about brackets.

[Ralph Turner]

The toughest part of your scenario for CMU might be running the UAA.  I admit they have yet to be tested, but they took Thiel to OT last year when Thiel seemed to have a better team than this year, and CMU one not as good as this year's.

CMU had some playoff teams from 78-90. Even had a couple wins.

Is CMU South region?  I was wondering for later on in the year when we start thinking about brackets.

Yes, the Handbook lists CMU in the South Region. 

With respect to the brackets, the handbook makes a big deal about "geographic proximity".  So, CMU could be sent anywhere in a 500 mile radius.

[religion_major]

The toughest part of your scenario for CMU might be running the UAA.  I admit they have yet to be tested, but they took Thiel to OT last year when Thiel seemed to have a better team than this year, and CMU one not as good as this year's.

CMU had some playoff teams from 78-90. Even had a couple wins.

Is CMU South region?  I was wondering for later on in the year when we start thinking about brackets.

Yes, the Handbook lists CMU in the South Region. 

With respect to the brackets, the handbook makes a big deal about "geographic proximity".  So, CMU could be sent anywhere in a 500 mile radius.

Since CMU is in Pittsburg, I was figuring that they would get to open up either at Bridgewater or Mount Union if they got in.  Both would be within the 500 mile radius, but it would depend on which bracket the committee thought needed another team in it.

[Ralph Turner]

The toughest part of your scenario for CMU might be running the UAA.  I admit they have yet to be tested, but they took Thiel to OT last year when Thiel seemed to have a better team than this year, and CMU one not as good as this year's.

CMU had some playoff teams from 78-90. Even had a couple wins.

Is CMU South region?  I was wondering for later on in the year when we start thinking about brackets.

Yes, the Handbook lists CMU in the South Region. 

With respect to the brackets, the handbook makes a big deal about "geographic proximity".  So, CMU could be sent anywhere in a 500 mile radius.

Since CMU is in Pittsburg, I was figuring that they would get to open up either at Bridgewater or Mount Union if they got in.  Both would be within the 500 mile radius, but it would depend on which bracket the committee thought needed another team in it.

I guess we will have to wait until the bids are designated.  They could even be used in the "East Region".  The North Region has 6 Pool A bids (CCIW, HCAC, IBC, MIAA, NCAC and OAC), so maybe a couple of North Region Pool C bids will push a CMU to the East or to the South.

[religion_major]

The toughest part of your scenario for CMU might be running the UAA.  I admit they have yet to be tested, but they took Thiel to OT last year when Thiel seemed to have a better team than this year, and CMU one not as good as this year's.

CMU had some playoff teams from 78-90. Even had a couple wins.

Is CMU South region?  I was wondering for later on in the year when we start thinking about brackets.

Yes, the Handbook lists CMU in the South Region. 

With respect to the brackets, the handbook makes a big deal about "geographic proximity".  So, CMU could be sent anywhere in a 500 mile radius.

Since CMU is in Pittsburg, I was figuring that they would get to open up either at Bridgewater or Mount Union if they got in.  Both would be within the 500 mile radius, but it would depend on which bracket the committee thought needed another team in it.

I guess we will have to wait until the bids are designated.  They could even be used in the "East Region".  The North Region has 6 Pool A bids (CCIW, HCAC, IBC, MIAA, NCAC and OAC), so maybe a couple of North Region Pool C bids will push a CMU to the East or to the South.

The South Region has 5 pool A's (ODAC, USASC, CC, SCAC and ASC) as well as two (maybe three) pool B's in the winners of the PAC and ACFC.  I don't believe that any more than one pool C will come from the South this year.

[K-Mack]

I've got a funny feeling Linfield will beat Whitworth and both will make the playoffs. I also think Cal Lutheran will have a shot at getting in this year (scheduling Willamette instead of whoever) with one loss (assuming Oxy) or vice versa, if CLU runs it and Oxy is the 1-loss team.

So we could see SCIAC runner-up at NWC champ and NWC runner-up at SCIAC champ, ticking the NCAA off to no end with the double flights.

Even in a three-team scenario, it may open up the West for a Iowa team or a Wisc. team to go out that way.

I just find that interesting and slightly Pool B related.

I like Carnegie Mellon's chances of getting in, definitely if they are unbeaten, probably with one loss. Wash U. made it in the 28-team days.

I don't like the looks of things for the W&J/Thiel loser.

[Ralph Turner]

These are my guesses now.  Much separation this weekend.  (Overall Record and In-Region record)

1)  Wesley --  (5-0/4-0)   Key wins over Waynesburg and Huntingdon.  Still has the remainder ACFC play and can finish with a South Region record of 5-0.

2)  Whitworth -- (5-0/4-0)  Another win today.  Has a nice win over Stout. Seems to be the front runner in the NWC.  Full NWC schedule to play.  Can finish West Region at 9-0.

3)  W&J --  (4-1/3-1)  Key loss to Salisbury, but key win over Thiel clears the way for W&J to run the Pres AC to give a South Region record of 8-1.  Waynesburg is still conference spoiler.

4)  Linfield -- (2-2/2-1)  Plays only 7 in-region games.  Key loss was (In-Region) to HSU.  Can run the NWC table and get a bid, and have a West Region record of 6-1.  Otherwise on the bubble at 5-2 with a loss to Whitworth.  Had Linfield won the HSU game, then they would have had a key in-region win!  Props to Linfield for scheduling HSU.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained!  "Leave no doubt!  Win them all!"

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Bubble teams;


5)  Carnegie Mellon (5-0/4-0)  A tip of the hat to CWRU70 who caught my oversight!  The last UAA team to get a Pool B was Washington MO back in 1999. 

6)  Chapman (2-1/2-1)  Can Chapman "run the SCIAC" and finish with a West Region record of 8-1?  Key loss?  Menlo in the first game.  Real dark horse here.  Playing C-M-S late Saturday tonight.

7)  Rockford (5-1/5-0)  What if Rockford defeated Principia, Blackburn and Colorado College to finish 7-0 in-Region?  Would they have the "paper criteria" to earn a Pool B?  For competeness sake, I will keep them on the radar.  Wow!  When was the last time that Colorado College was in a "meaningful" (Pool B) game?  (Colorado College goes to the SCAC next year.)

Off the bubble---

Huntingdon (3-3/3-2)  Losses to Wesley and Trinity do hurt, badly.  Solid football program working its way to annual credibility.  Now it needs to find enough South Region opponents (or an affiliation or full membership in a Conference.)

Thiel (3-3/2-2) -- Loss to W&J moves them off the bubble.

[Bob.Gregg]

With Champman's loss to C-M-S, it's now six teams playing for four spots:


Wesley, Whitworth, W&J, Linfield, Carnegie-Mellon and Rockford.

Imagine this scenario:

Wesley, W&J, CMU and Rockford win out.
Linfield beats Whitworth and they both win the rest....

Four seats, six teams, all with solid credentials......

Let's see if these six can pull this off...

[Ralph Turner]

With Champman's loss to C-M-S, it's now six teams playing for four spots:


Wesley, Whitworth, W&J, Linfield, Carnegie-Mellon and Rockford.

Imagine this scenario:

Wesley, W&J, CMU and Rockford win out.
Linfield beats Whitworth and they both win the rest....

Four seats, six teams, all with solid credentials......

Let's see if these six can pull this off...

Bob, thanks for finding the Chapman score.  I had not seen it by 4pm CDT on Sunday!

Congratulations to the Presidents for Saturday's win!

[Bill McCabe]

Ralph, does it help a schools case if they have more in region wins?  Say one is 5-0 and another is 7-0.

[Bob.Gregg]

Here's what's left:

1)  Wesley (5-0/4-0) 
Newport News (3-2)
Brockport State (2-3)
@ Salisbury (2-3)
Chowan (0-5)
Morrisville State (1-5)

2)  Whitworth (5-0/4-0)  
Lewis & Clark (0-4)
@ Menlo (3-2)
Willamette (1-4)
@ Linfield (2-2)
Puget Sound (3-2)

3)  Washington & Jefferson (4-1/3-1)
Westminster (1-4)
Grove City (1-4)
Waynesburg (2-3)
Thomas More (3-2)
@ Bethany (3-2)

4)  Linfield (2-2, 2-1) 
Southern Oregon (2-3 NAIA)
@ Pacific Lutheran (1-4)
Menlo (3-2)
Whitworth (5-0)
@ Lewis & Clark (0-4)

5)  Carnegie-Mellon (5-0/4-0)
@ Case Western Reserve (3-2)
Chicago (2-2)
@ Washington (MO) (3-3)
Bethany (3-2)
@ Thiel (3-3)

6)  Rockford (5-1/5-0)
@ Blackburn (2-4)
@ Martin Luther (1-4)
off
@ Colorado College (3-2)
off

[Ralph Turner]

Here's what's left:  (In-Region Games in Bold)

1)  Wesley (5-0/4-0) 
Newport News (3-2)
Brockport State (2-3)
@ Salisbury (2-3)
Chowan (0-5)
Morrisville State (1-5)

2)  Whitworth (5-0/4-0)  
Lewis & Clark (0-4)
@ Menlo (3-2)
Willamette (1-4)
@ Linfield (2-2)
Puget Sound (3-2)

3)  Washington & Jefferson (4-1/3-1)
Westminster (1-4)
Grove City (1-4)
Waynesburg (2-3)
Thomas More (3-2)
@ Bethany (3-2)

4)  Linfield (2-2, 2-1) 
Southern Oregon (2-3 NAIA)
@ Pacific Lutheran (1-4)
Menlo (3-2)
Whitworth (5-0)
@ Lewis & Clark (0-4)

5)  Carnegie-Mellon (5-0/4-0)
@ Case Western Reserve (3-2)
Chicago (2-2)
@ Washington (MO) (3-3)
Bethany (3-2)
@ Thiel (3-3)

6)  Rockford (5-1/5-0)
@ Blackburn (2-4)
@ Martin Luther (1-4)
off
@ Colorado College (3-2)
off

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph, does it help a schools case if they have more in region wins?  Say one is 5-0 and another is 7-0.

Bill, the Handbook only mentions win-loss percentage against Regional opponents.  1.000 is 1.000, of course, but every extra win for the "non-undefeated" teams helps with that percentage!

[K-Mack]

In the 1-6 above, I think they're ranked properly as well.

If Linfield beats Whitworth, that's bad news for Carnegie Mellon, who could still get in anyway if they're unbeaten. But they have some games left to win, not the least of which is the final week game against Thiel. I really don't know what Rockford's chances would be, but undefeated is their best bet. Also, if Pool C runners-up are not that impressive, extra Pool B teams could be in good shape.

Two-loss teams are definitely not out of it. I wonder if Linfield would make it with a close loss to Whitworth.

Doesn't look like W&J or Whitworth/Linfield winner should lose again.

[religion_major]

Here's what's left:

1)  Wesley (5-0/4-0) 
Newport News (3-2)
Brockport State (2-3)
@ Salisbury (2-3)
Chowan (0-5)
Morrisville State (1-5)

2)  Whitworth (5-0/4-0)  
Lewis & Clark (0-4)
@ Menlo (3-2)
Willamette (1-4)
@ Linfield (2-2)
Puget Sound (3-2)

3)  Washington & Jefferson (4-1/3-1)
Westminster (1-4)
Grove City (1-4)
Waynesburg (2-3)
Thomas More (3-2)
@ Bethany (3-2)

4)  Linfield (2-2, 2-1) 
Southern Oregon (2-3 NAIA)
@ Pacific Lutheran (1-4)
Menlo (3-2)
Whitworth (5-0)
@ Lewis & Clark (0-4)

5)  Carnegie-Mellon (5-0/4-0)
@ Case Western Reserve (3-2)
Chicago (2-2)
@ Washington (MO) (3-3)
Bethany (3-2)
@ Thiel (3-3)

6)  Rockford (5-1/5-0)
@ Blackburn (2-4)
@ Martin Luther (1-4)
off
@ Colorado College (3-2)
off

I really think that if CMU wins out Linfield must beat Whitworth to get the fourth pool B.  A team win two d3 losses let alone two in region losses will not get in over top of a 10-0 team no matter what the schedules or the reputation of the porgram is.