FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

HSCoach,
Last week you had to ride with Ric to Wilmington, now this week you have to road trip it to Marietta?
Who thought up that torture?

Kirasdad

[Pat Coleman]

Why does the far west stink so badly in D III football?  (Other than Linfield of course.)

There are only 14 teams on the West coast. Not a lot to choose from.

[seventiesraider]

Came across a note on the net that Kaz's wife landed a job at Ohio State and they moved to Powell. Actually I wish them nothing but the best. When alls said and done, I kind of feel sorry for him.

[e_lee]

I don't feel bad for him at all.

[skunks_sidekick]

Thanks Pat!  That would certainly explain it.  

Wildcat 11 - I was basing it more on this year looking at the Top 25.  It makes sense if even one or two of the usual high performers are down, there isn't enough other teams to take their place out west.  

Don't CAP and JCU play each other?    I was really doing an either/or, because obviously one or the other will have at least one more loss.  

The same applies to CAP/ONU.  Second place could be an interesting race.  I just wonder if that team will make it in.

[Toph]

Last time Cap and JCU played in Bexley it was a fantastic game, hopefully it will be more of the same this year.

[reality check]

I was unaware that there was a "so-called big/not so big" subcategory in the OAC.  You learn something new everyday.

Does mentioning four teams (Linfield excluded) over six years that have made the playoffs really prove that the West has good football?  I am not the one saying the West stinks but to counter the point with a couple of teams that have simply made it into the playoffs, one that won it all six years ago and another that made it to their regional finals, doesn't really prove much of anything.

[wildcat11]

Check,

In the NWC short existence in Division III, the conference has produced two different National Champions over its 7-year membership.  I would say that's above sub-standard.

You also may not care about this stat but three teams in the NWC have played for National Championships over the past 8 years (Willamette, NAIA runner up in 1997).  PLU and Linfield have total of 8 National Championships (NAIA & DIII) and the conference has 13 appearances in title games since 1980. 

In terms of Oxy....granted they were able to only able to make it to the West Regional final, however,  they were the only team in the playoffs to have a lead on the eventual National Champion.  That is something the playoff teams from Wisconsin, New Jersey, and Texas were unable to do.

The West Coast isn't the end all for small college football but we can hold our own with anyone.

[reality check]

13 national title game appearances for your conference since 80.  Only two of those have come in NCAA Div. III if I am not mistaken.  So 11 of your 13 appearances since 1980 came in the NAIA.  There are currently 94 NAIA football schools. 

Since the Stagg Bowl's inception as a national championship for Div. III in 1973 the OAC has had a member in the title game 12 times.  NCAA Div. III currently has 230 plus members playing football. 

Again I know that the numbers fluctuate but to illustrate the point: Does 11 appearances in a division with 94 competing teams seem more impressive than 12 appearances in a division with 230+ competing teams seem like a more difficult accomplishment?

Two championships in seven years is a very impressive total but the OAC has 10 national championships since 1973.  I guess we can revisit this again in 2030.  That way you guys in the NWC have the same 32 years to get to your 10 titles and we can compare conference success in title games. 

[Ric]

I just would like to see Mount Union and Linfield win out so we finally get to meet a West Coast team in Salem.  Unless one of the top two teams get beat in the regular season, which seems unlikely, its should be home field throughout for each on the road to Salem.  I have a feeling St. John's will be a stiff test for the Wildcats, not sure who push Mount Union but I'm sure someone will.  Still hoping for an all Purple Stagg Bowl here.

[downtown48]

Love to see it too Ric!!

[seventiesraider]

Remarkable similarity between Mount's stadium and Linfield's. And now we got one of them thar' fancy scoreboards too.

[Mr. Ypsi]

rc,

Cut the guy some slack!  He's not arguing the NWC is the BEST; he's responding to someone saying WC fb stinks!

I'd think their record can match up well against NEARLY anyone not located in Alliance (or, if taking a longer time-frame, Rock Island)!  Clearly, their fb does not 'stink'.

[reality check]

I haven't heard a lot about the Hauslers this season.  I am sure they have been doing well but curious if they have looked better than last year, about the same or if in the opinion of the CAP posters, teams are even trying to challenge them.

I have always been high on ONU's talent in the defensive backfield and Hostetler and Midlam have been doing quite well from what I can gather from the radio broadcasts.  In fact, Hostetler is second on the team in tackles, has three INT's and 2 punt returns for TD's with an additional kickoff return for TD.  From the games I have listened to online, it sounds like everyone has kicked away from him and he has still managed to put up those numbers.  37 yards per kick return, 21 yards per punt return for Hos.

Two interesting stats for ONU so far:

ONU has outscored its opponents in the middle two quarters 158-25 and has yet to score in a 4th quarter this year.

ONU is averaging almost 16 yards per punt return while giving up just 1.6 yards per return.

[reality check]

For comparison sake MUC is outscoring its opponents 117-24 in the middle quarters.  But their consistency is almost scary so far.

The Raiders have put up 61 first quarter points, 65 second, 52 third, and 63 fourth quarter points so far.  MUC has yet to give up a point in the first quarter this season.