FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

No  way two teams from OAC make playoffs unless someone upsets Mount Union and Mount finishes 9-1.  From what I saw out of BW and JCU, they both lack the power to beat Mount Union.

If JCU plays Mount fairly tough in a loss and finishes 8-2 you're saying there's no way they get in?  I agree two losses are tough to overcome in pool C.  Two losses when it's Mount and UWO?  That doesn't seem as outlandish to me.  Wally would need to lend his pool C expertise to tell us the actual answer though!

So basically, I wrote ONU off pretty early last year with a loss and then an assumed loss to UMU and the way the region played out, ONU wound up first in line at the at-large buffet and received that invitation.  So it depends on what else happens around the region and if two losses gets you ranked high enough to be considered early in the process.  There is one big difference so far in 2016 though and that is North Central didn't piddle away their non-league season.  I know they have two NAIA results (wins), but those two secondary criteria results are better in the long term for North Central than the primary criteria losses to UWP and Wesley they took last year (even if we all think those results vs. UWP and Wesley are/were better than the NAIA results they have from this year).  So unless North Central or Wheaton lose to someone else in the CCIW (doesn't look like it), I don't think a multiple loss OAC team gets in the discussion early enough to get selected. I'm also not sure a multiple loss OAC team would end up ranked higher than a single loss NCAC team (be it Wabash, Witt, or DePauw), but those teams all have to play one another still so multiple losses are still in play for the North Coast runner up. 

But there's a ton of season left to play, so the reality is that anybody who doesn't have three losses yet is still in play, including ONU/JCU/BW. 

[SaintsFAN]

Wasn't expecting the Heidelberg - ONU game to be a blowout. WOW! What a great way for Coach Donaldson to get his first head coaching win. Congrats to him! I expect Heidelberg to receive some top 25 votes this week.

Nope

ONU's loss to Utica made that a lot to ask.  Plus, let's be honest, the OAC hasn't really been lighting the world on fire lately.  This looks like another year where we might not get a 2nd team in and if we do they might win a game.

ONU's loss dragged Utica down with them.  They were borderline top 25. 

[Sir Battlescars]

Wasn't expecting the Heidelberg - ONU game to be a blowout. WOW! What a great way for Coach Donaldson to get his first head coaching win. Congrats to him! I expect Heidelberg to receive some top 25 votes this week.

Nope

ONU's loss to Utica made that a lot to ask.  Plus, let's be honest, the OAC hasn't really been lighting the world on fire lately.  This looks like another year where we might not get a 2nd team in and if we do they might win a game.

ONU's loss dragged Utica down with them.  They were borderline top 25.

Good points and the fact that Cortland lost this weekend too, that certainly didn't help Heidelberg's cause. Heidelberg will probably have to win another game or two before the voters have serious conversations about them.

[mr_mom]

Week #3 results of the OAC Pick-Em have been posted. 

This was a week of Haves and Have-Nots.  bashbrother and D3FTBALLFAN led the way with twelve of the possible 16 points, and Sir Battlescars also made the double-digit club with ten.  Most of us fell into the Have-Nots.

Sir Battlescars continues to lead, stretching his advantage to 5 points after three weeks.

I'll try to get Week # 4 spreads out tonight, but more likely Tuesday.

[SaintsFAN]

Wasn't expecting the Heidelberg - ONU game to be a blowout. WOW! What a great way for Coach Donaldson to get his first head coaching win. Congrats to him! I expect Heidelberg to receive some top 25 votes this week.

Nope

ONU's loss to Utica made that a lot to ask.  Plus, let's be honest, the OAC hasn't really been lighting the world on fire lately.  This looks like another year where we might not get a 2nd team in and if we do they might win a game.

ONU's loss dragged Utica down with them.  They were borderline top 25.

Good points and the fact that Cortland lost this weekend too, that certainly didn't help Heidelberg's cause. Heidelberg will probably have to win another game or two before the voters have serious conversations about them.

They need to beat JCU or UMU (whoever appears on the schedule first) to have a shot at it.  Just my opinion.  But I do know a couple voters.

[Dr. Acula]

Votes, no votes...the thing that troubles me at this point is that it looks like the OAC is not going to test Mount much this year.  That always worries me to have seasons like that, especially with a young team.

[Desertraider]

Anyone headed to BW game with ticket info? Been years since I was there.

[BergAlum]

Wasn't expecting the Heidelberg - ONU game to be a blowout. WOW! What a great way for Coach Donaldson to get his first head coaching win. Congrats to him! I expect Heidelberg to receive some top 25 votes this week.

Heidelberg might of not gotten any votes this week, but when the Tricolor pull the upset at John Carroll this weekend and end the Blue Streaks' three year streak against the Berg, I see votes coming. 

[hsbsballcoach7]

Votes, no votes...the thing that troubles me at this point is that it looks like the OAC is not going to test Mount much this year.  That always worries me to have seasons like that, especially with a young team.

This is my exact worry as well....Mount needs tested for sure. Will it come this week? Not from what I've seen, but we are a rival to BW so you never know. I want to see our defense play a good offense and see how they fare.

I'm also headed up to Berea on Saturday with some friends. This is my first time there. I'm thinking I should be able to get tickets easily at the gate...right?

[Dr. Acula]

Lord yes you can get tickets at the gate.  Finnie seats 8,000.  They'll probably give you one if you promise to buy concessions!

And sadly, rival or not, I can't see BW testing the Mount defense.  In the past it always seemed like it was the Jacket D that stepped up to make the games more competitive.  That's probably the best we can hope for again.

[HScoach]

^  I agree.   The last time the BW offense was a threat Dan Lanham was playing QB.

[purple]

I would like to give some credit to the Marietta QB. He played well and is a talent. He's going to help them win more than a few games this year. I'm still a believer that Fulford is the QB that can take us all the way. He must understand , however, that he only has one more fumble left in his entire career at Mount Union if he wants to stay at QB and not end up playing safety. LK has a thing about fumbles. I'm sorry to say this but the OAC stinks. Mount will blast JCU and BWC. My fear is that we will be so untested we'll not be in shape for a four quarter game come the playoffs.

[Desertraider]

Let's face it - its been a while since Mount was really tested in the OAC (sure JCU twice a couple years back) but I am not sure that will result in a team that isn't in shape for 4 quarters come playoffs. Hell, Mount normally gets less competition in rounds 1 and 2 then they get from JCU or BW. The big thing that JCU did in 2014, or ONU a few times (even Berg I think once), was hit Mount in the mouth and make them deal with adversity. When you can walk through the motions and get 56 points and 600 yds offense - that doesnt prepare you as much as getting stopped, forced to punt a few times, scored on (or at least threatened with a score). that is why I appreciated Capital during their good years. It was a game that Mount had to go an win - not one that Mount had to just show up for.

As far as the Etta QB - he looked good. Knew where he wanted to go with the ball - decisive - he just lacked the talent around him. I liked the way he played though. I hope Etta does win a few.

[mr_mom]

Week 4 OAC Pick-Em spreads have been posted, albeit a bit late.

I was disappointed to find that every non-OAC game I selected was in Grizz's NatCon pool ... I usually try to avoid duplication, but a paucity of interesting games this week.

Please get your picks in by Noon on Saturday.

[bluestreak66]

Week 4 OAC Pick-Em spreads have been posted, albeit a bit late.

I was disappointed to find that every non-OAC game I selected was in Grizz's NatCon pool ... I usually try to avoid duplication, but a paucity of interesting games this week.

Please get your picks in by Noon on Saturday.

Good use of the word!