FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[pios]

I don't think Cap has a worse O, it's actually better in terms of being able to both run and pass, the only poor offensive game was ott with four fumbles.  Other than that, the O is better than last year.  Time of possession has been big this year.

They had five or six turnovers (can't remember the exact number and don't want to look for it) against Marietta, however, the D shut Etta out of the endzone on these TO's.  Compared to the past two years, I would agree that Cap's O seems to be down, but not because of the playmaking ability or players.  They just don't seem to take care of the ball and play very sloppy at times. 

My vote for the playoffs would go to ONU for the simple fact they beat Mount.

[reality check]

Cap's O is not as good as it has been in the last two years.  The numbers don't lie.  Just because the offense has a decent running game versus a mediocre running game in the last couple of years doesn't make the offense better this season.  What has been Cap's biggest difference maker is the solid defense that they have put on the field this season.

Look at the Colts in the NFL.  They put a defense on the field this year which has made it easy to overlook that the numbers on offense are not the same as last year. 

CAP is a betterteam this year, solid on both sides of the ball.

[l39eagle]

On a different note, to all those seniors "strappin' and snappin'" for their last game, cherish your memories, value the friendships you have made and feel proud that you have had the opportunity to play the great game of football for four more years.

To all the Seniors, Thanks and best of luck in all your future endeavors.

[seventiesraider]

l39eagle
If Northern playing a "sub standard" game against Capital diminishes that victory, then shouldn't Mount playing a horrible game against Northern diminish that win.
                                       NOT
A W is a W.
Capital has a clear case for a playoff bid based on who they beat.
Northern's case is diminished by who beat them
(or because Mount had a bad day) just kidding
JCU has no clear case at all

[reality check]

CAP's defense is a lot better than I even thought it would be across the stats this season versus last.  You have to figure that this last game won't be one that changes much in terms of defensive production...

2005   vs.   2004

11.4 PPG   vs.   21.5 PPG
  64.2 YPG rushing against   vs.   169.6 YPG rushing against
  6 rushing TD's against  vs.  18 rushing TD's against
153 YPG passing against  vs.  166 YPG passing against 
217.6 Total Offense against  vs.  336.5 Total Offense against
17 INT's  vs.  12 INT's
39 sacks for 228 yards  vs.  16 sacks for 86 yards 

The Offense has done a good job this year for the Crusaders but it has been the defense that has made all the difference between last year and this season.

[ohiofootball]

4u,

CAP. B/C they beat ONU and JCU even though ONU beat both teams CAP lost to. Besides, we're on probation aren't we? I think their noncon game hurts them since Witt is in the outhouse.

hscoach- Thank You. Although I think ONU is up from '04, the rest of your assesment was right where I thought. It makes me sad to hear that when your conference is competitive, everyone wants to say you are down ala Big 10

rc- don't hate the Berg. Hiram was much worse than the Berg.

[Toph]

4u (and everyone else discussing the topic)-
If I absolutely HAD to pick one of the OAC teams, I would be faced with a very difficult decision, but I would approach it like this.
JCU clearly has the weakest case, because of the way they lost to Mount.
Capital appears to have the strongest case, having beaten ONU and JCU.
ONU beat Mount, I have a tough time keeping any team that beats the King out.  However, the big loss to JCU hurt, and the loss to Capital hurt as well.

As I've said, repeatedly, what I have a problem with is everyone shrugging off Capital's loss to Otterbein as an early season loss.  Nobody extends that courtesy to JCU in the Mount game or any other team in the conference for that matter.  In my mind a game in September means just as much as a game in November. 

I've  thought about this for the past few days now, and I have yet to come to a position that I am completely comfortable with, but if I was forced to choose, it would come down between Capital and ONU, and I would have to choose Capital simply because they beat ONU heads up.  If I absolutely had to pick ONE...is it going to happen?  I doubt it, but we'll see.

[cufan]

Toph...just wanted to make sure your head didnt blow up after.... in your best effort said good things  about Cap.    We still need to limit your use of that other team in Cols.   Cap is 5th in the region now and beat 2 others, hopefully that will be enough.  We will see!!

[Toph]

I said good things about Capital immediately after they beat JCU as well.  I think that post was swallowed up by the playoff debate.  Their defense was the best I've seen this year (next to the Mount/JCU game).  It was not Rocky and O'Reilly who won that game, it was Hausler, Sparhawk, Dick, and Cox, and the rest of that purple D (and yes, I put those two names back to back intentionally).

[HScoach]

I'll play the "what if the NCAA really takes worthwhile Pool C team" game and say that Capital is the team that goes.  Here's why:

1.   Cap has beaten the other 8-2 teams

2.   one loss to MUC (9-1) and an early season loss to Otterbein (7-3) is pretty much the same as ONU's 2 loses to 8-2 teams.   Either way, the loses have come against teams with a combined 16-4 record.  Cap gets the tie breaking benefit by losing earlier.

3.   Cap has finished season stronger than the other two 8-2 teams.

4.   JCU is eliminated from contention by losing 70-0 to MUC and the fact that their ONU win was right after The Kaz Thing broke (i.e. ONU not mentally ready). 

5.   ONU would never get voted in by the NCAA due to The Kaz Thing. (not right, but that's the way it is).  Their only shot was the AQ.  I still don't think they make it at 9-1 if they would have finished 2nd to a 10-0 MUC.  I just can't believe the NCAA was going to select ONU for an at-large bid.

6.   I think Capital is the 2nd best team in the OAC.  Very comfortable in saying Cap has the 2nd best defense in OAC behind MUC (and I'm not talking stats).   Yes I know ONU beat MUC and MUC beat Cap, but Cap played MUC very tightly on a beautiful sunny day when MUC was at full strength and playing well.  ONU beat MUC when MUC was not at full strength and playing even worse.

[muc-raider]

hscoach,
Well said.   I agree with you on just about all of that--especially the last point.  Not much of anything went right for MUC against ONU.

[theotherpurple]

eagle,

       Cap was also 40 seconds away from running the clock out on ott before fumbling, or they would be 9-1 and this conversation wouldn't be taking place.

[onyxrook]

eagle,

       Cap was also 40 seconds away from running the clock out on ott before fumbling, or they would be 9-1 and this conversation wouldn't be taking place.

The same can be said about the ONU game in the other direction.  It's a mute point.

[rp]

Penn State was one second away from being undefeated in the Big Ten.  I agree with o-rook, mute point.  Capital lost to an Otterbein team that took advantage of mistakes, Otterbein won and was the better team that day.

No matter who would go (JCU/ONU/Cap), I would love to see another OAC team in the playoffs, just to see what they could do.

Has any of the second place teams that have been selected in past years ever been beat in the first round?  Maybe BW that one year?  I can't remember.

Didn't Northern stomp all the teams they played back when they had Franzer and Vegades before they played Mount again?
And I think JCU won a couple as well Arth's senior year, not?

What does our showing look like.  Not the overall record, but how many of our second place teams have put on good showing in the playoffs?

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

JCU won out on the road in Arth's Senior year (2002) until they played at Mount Union. Won 3 games on the road and then came to Alliance.

Nov. 23 at Hobart #  W 27-7     
Nov. 30 at Muhlenberg #  W 21-10     
Dec. 7 at Brockport State #  W 16-10     
Dec. 14 at Mount Union #  L 57-19 

Arth had an injured shoulder that happened in the regular season vs. Mount.