FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[emma17]

Both WIAC, NCC and Wartburg all on the opposite side of Mount won't cause any complaining at all

For those of us that want to return to the old days, I like the brackets. UWW will have to play lights out, but they have the chance to return to Salem to face their old nemesis. All would be well.

[BergAlum2]

Would a 9-1 John Carroll, who plays a creampuff team week 1 instead of WWW, have had a chance to get into the tournament?  Or with the such limited at large bids, a 9-1 OAC team can't sneak in anymore, cause it would seem more advisable to schedule an easier win than trying to play a great team, if 9-1 is good enough.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Would a 9-1 John Carroll, who plays a creampuff team week 1 instead of WWW, have had a chance to get into the tournament?  Or with the such limited at large bids, a 9-1 OAC team can't sneak in anymore, cause it would seem more advisable to schedule an easier win than trying to play a great team, if 9-1 is good enough.

Probably not.  Berry went 9-1 and only lost to Trinity (TX) in Conference and didn't make the playoffs.

NCAA needs to change the number of conference members needed to qualify for the playoffs.  These 6 team conferences don't make sense for Football and a 32 team playoff.

Or expand the playoffs to an extra play in round.

[raiderpa]

I think some of these conference auto bids need to be re-examined.  How do you decide to take away the auto bids?  Perhaps, if a conference champion loses in the first round, two or three straight years, they should forfeit the bid for a couple years?  I don't know, but something has to be discussed.  There are several teams, IMO, that deserved bids above some of the conference champs, who had decidedly weaker SOS'S.  From the OAC, I think John Carroll would fare pretty well against half the auto bids, as would SJU.  I would trust the opinions of the D3 staff on this and would love to hear your thoughts, gentlemen.

[Dr. Acula]

Change it from 6 to 8 teams min in a pool A conf. 

[Desertraider]

I don't know about 6 to 8 teams...but I think any 6-4 or 5-5 conference champ should lose the AC. Same for a split or co-champ. Alfred State is going to get tagged for 60 by half time. It is what it is. Maybe to get an AC a conference has to have at least 100 pages of comments in the boards? That chat is as alive as Alfreds chances of advancing to round 2. The main question is how deep are the pockets that put everyone on the other side of the bracket?   

About BW. I posted this during the game but had gloves on doing yardwork so I put it in the NCAC and deleted it later. To the Mount WRMU radio guys - listen up arse hats. 1. If you have a cold, fine. Make sure to mute before you sniffle in a gallon of snot for all to hear. 2. Stop saying what an exciting game it is while in the middle of a yawn. The entire damn game all I hear is Senor Snot-snarfer sniffling and yawning his way through the play by play. At least pause speaking until the yawn is done. You just aren't that good to yawn while speaking and have no one be able to tell.

Roll Raiders ~ Roll

[Dr. Acula]

It's tough because it's D3 so is the goal getting the most competitive field possible or is it representing the largest percentage of D3 possible?  The current set up is clearly the latter.  Excluding 5-5/6-4 teams or moving the AQ threshold to 8 teams are both the former.

Looking at the bracket Mount got the best draw that I can recall.  I would not be happy if I was on the other half of the bracket as a top 5 team.

[Desertraider]

I would not be happy on the other side of the bracket regardless of ranking. Makes it impossible - not unlikely, impossible - for a cinderella on that side, and whoever wins that side is going to have to play and win at least 2, maybe 3 Stagg worthy finals just to get there. However, what do you do? Put Mount and NCC in the same side to theoretically meet in the semis? Geographically it works. If Mounts side had NCC, and Johns Hopkins - then it would look a lot better opposite UWW, UWL, Wartburg. The other solution - which will NEVER be entertained - is to remove the 500 rule. Since it would undercut $$ its not going to be discussed - but it is the easiest way. Take the "biggies" and spread them out to each quad.

[Desertraider]

I would not be happy on the other side of the bracket regardless of ranking. Makes it impossible - not unlikely, impossible - for a cinderella on that side, and whoever wins that side is going to have to play and win at least 2, maybe 3 Stagg worthy finals just to get there. However, what do you do? Put Mount and NCC in the same side to theoretically meet in the semis? Geographically it works. If Mounts side had NCC, and Johns Hopkins - then it would look a lot better opposite UWW, UWL, Wartburg. The other solution - which will NEVER be entertained - is to remove the 500 rule. Since it would undercut $$ its not going to be discussed - but it is the easiest way. Take the "biggies" and spread them out to each quad.

Or put them all on one side. It gives a shot to someone else (if you want that sort of thing) and levels the field a bit. One side with Mount, UWW, UWL, Wartburg, NCC, Johnnies, Trinity, HSU, Linfield (and that odd looking mascot) and whomever else makes a claim at being a power.

[D3fanboy]

this will be extremely anti-D3 beliefs. but if you want to "fix the tournament", you get rid of it.  There are less than a handful of teams that can actually win the national championship every year.  Have a four team playoff like the big boys and the rest of 24 or so conference winners play bowl games.  12 teams end the year happy, the NCAA saves a bunch of travel money, you get the same high quality title game.  Seems more likely than going up to 40 playoff teams and having the Stagg Bowl in January.

or

just increase the # of conference teams needed for an automatic bid, Pool B will be there for the smaller conferences and there will be more at-large bids

[RaidersRGr8t]

Ohio Northern's Dean Paul steps down
https://www.onusports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/releases/20231113lq4n10

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Coach Paul was a Senior when I arrived at Mount Union. He was a consummate professional and a great leader then. ONU loses a great human being and leader.

[bleedpurple]

Ohio Northern's Dean Paul steps down
https://www.onusports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/releases/20231113lq4n10

I got to meet Coach Paul when he was a finalist for the UW-W Head Coach position in 2015. He definitely came across as a good man and leader. I hope and pray he has an amazing next phase of life whatever he chooses to do.

[D3fanboy]

Ohio Northern's Dean Paul steps down
https://www.onusports.com/sports/fball/2023-24/releases/20231113lq4n10

I hope Mrs Paul is doing alright.  ONU could be a sleeping giant in Western Ohio with the right (young?) coach brought in to build off of what DP built

[Dr. Acula]

Woulda been quite a spot for Kappas if this was a year or so ago.