FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[BoBo]

Well...it's been a awhile since I've commented but I've spent some time pondering this OAC season.

In years past when Mount was blowing out conference opponents by 50 points per contest Pat Coleman would say...that proved that the OAC was not as strong and balanced as the WIAC.

With scores this season being much closer week to week...I would contend (using Coleman's rationale) that the OAC is much more balanced then in year's past and therefore the strongest conference in the country top to bottom over anyone else.

Thoughts?

Four teams in the Top 25 this week for the OAC while the WIAC only has one helps your argument.  Especially when ONU is currently 4-2, but given enough respect to be rated 20th in the country.

kirasdad ~ I may be wrong  , but when the D3football.com team gathers in their war room to discusss the conference rankings, they usually wait until the end of the season when the data is complete...would you agree? Using the week 7 poll to make those vital decisions would be completely premature and careless, IMO, and probably no one around the country would buy into it! It would sort of be like giving the Nobel Peace Prize to...oh, you know what I mean!!

EDIT:  one more thing...I hope you get a life 

[OU#25]

Bobo...not to defend kirasdad..but I made the initial comment regarding this subject.

Actually Pat and his folks tend to make the comment about "strongest conference" prior to the start of the season...and historically (last 10 yrs.) the folks at D3 say the WIAC will be the strongest year in and year out.

For discussion sake...I suggested that the OAC is the strongest conference top to bottom in the nation...and I believe there's honest data to date that supports my theory...from the national rankings to the closer contests between the member schools of the OAC.

[BoBo]

OU#25, understand that...I was just responding to k'dad's points.

My point of waiting to the end of the season to decide the issue is the same as your prior to the season comment ~ just a different part of the off-season.

You'll find similar data you use when speaking of the OAC if you examine the action in the WIAC as close as you do the OAC.  The theory you suggest, IMO, works equally well for supporting the WIAC.  However, I don't see how a national ranking for week 7 or any other poll other than the final ranking after the Stagg Bowl amounts to good supporting data in the discussion. For instance, a team that starts off the season 5-0 probably will be receiving top 25 votes...if they go on to lose their remaining 5 games to finish 5-5, they would be out of the rankings. So, how do you judge the strengths of that team ~ the top 25 ranking in week 5 or the final ranking when they didn't receive any votes? For the OAC, that would mean they won their only NC game, in the WIAC it would mean they won 3 NC games.  Which would be more important data to determining the power of the conference?  Tough decision to make.  BTW, I can't accept the idea that closer contests between member schools necessarily equals stronger teams. There are plenty conferences that have really competitive games, does that make them all strong? I think not. But for argument sake, if I agreed, you wouldn't find much difference to what goes on in the WIAC week in week out. It's been that way forever, or since UW-Superior dropped football.     

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Well...it's been a awhile since I've commented but I've spent some time pondering this OAC season.

In years past when Mount was blowing out conference opponents by 50 points per contest Pat Coleman would say...that proved that the OAC was not as strong and balanced as the WIAC.

With scores this season being much closer week to week...I would contend (using Coleman's rationale) that the OAC is much more balanced then in year's past and therefore the strongest conference in the country top to bottom over anyone else.

Thoughts?

Four teams in the Top 25 this week for the OAC while the WIAC only has one helps your argument.  Especially when ONU is currently 4-2, but given enough respect to be rated 20th in the country.

kirasdad ~ I may be wrong  , but when the D3football.com team gathers in their war room to discusss the conference rankings, they usually wait until the end of the season when the data is complete...would you agree? Using the week 7 poll to make those vital decisions would be completely premature and careless, IMO, and probably no one around the country would buy into it! It would sort of be like giving the Nobel Peace Prize to...oh, you know what I mean!!

EDIT:  one more thing...I hope you get a life 

He asked for opinions right now and I gave mine based on current data.  I also wasn't making any "vital decisions".  I was just stating a current FACT that appeared to back up OU#25's opinoin.  I don't know when they make that decision.  I was responding to the question posted today.

I don't know if the current OAC is stronger, or if MUC has taken a step back since the only game I have seen is the MUC vs. CAP game that was on the internet.  If I had to take a guess now I would say that the OAC is a bit stronger this year, MUC is not as dominant this year, and in the WIAC, UWW it probably more MUC like (dominant over the rest of the WIAC) and the rest of the WIAC is a bit down this year.   Please don't pick my post apart as I wasn't responding to you, I was replying to OU#25 post.

Also, this is just my current opinion and I reserve the right to change it at any time during the season.

Now when are you going to change your video in your signature?  I changed mine based on your suggestions.

[seventiesraider]

Just because I have less of a life than Kirsdad I checked what our BCS ranking w/b according to Massey, one of the six BCS eggheads:  

Drumroll please....

1. Delaware Valley
2. St Johns
3 Wesley
4. Mt Union
5. Albright ??
6. Wheaton
7. WWWWWW
8. Hampden-Sidney
9. Lebanon Valley
10. Trinity CT

Hey, you can't argue with numbers

BTW, I vote for JCU to go back to the PAC

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Just because I have less of a life than Kirsdad I checked what our BCS ranking w/b according to Massey, one of the six BCS eggheads:  

Drumroll please....

1. Delaware Valley
2. St Johns
3 Wesley
4. Mt Union
5. Albright ??
6. Wheaton
7. WWWWWW
8. Hampden-Sidney
9. Lebanon Valley
10. Trinity CT

Hey, you can't argue with numbers

BTW, I vote for JCU to go back to the PAC

I just checked them and MUC is 3rd and Wesley is 4th. 

[OU#25]

Thanks Bobo...

Where I'm going with this discussion is that...in spite of Mount's general D3 dominance over the past 15 years+ with 10 National Championships...The D3 folks (Pat, Keith etc.) have left me and I would say most readers with the impression that the OAC is really a one team conference..with maybe one other team that could possibly challenge year in and year out.  The WIAC has been heralded as the best conference top to bottom due to the competition between the conference...and general success outside for at least a decade.  Regardless whether a WIAC team actually wins the National Championship...they are still considered the best conference.  Some might question that logic...but if you apply that same logic...then one could rationally say that Mount's games have been much closer this season versus the historical top and bottom of the OAC as compared to years past...and when you look at the OAC's current national rankings (4 teams/Top 25) that serves as additional evidence that one could make a strong case that the OAC is not only better...but closer in talent from the haves/have nots...making them a better overall conference...  If you follow that same logical pattern then I'm just taking the next logical step by saying that I think they have a decent argument to be rated as the best conference in D3 this year whether Mount wins a National Championship or not at the end of this season.

[Mr. Ypsi]

OU#25,

I don't think any informed observer has ever thought the OAC was a one-team conference (after all, you nearly always also get a Pool C team).  Most would probably even say that the top half of the OAC is usually better than the top half of the WIAC.

But in comparing conferences, you gotta compare entire conferences.  The WIAC rarely has a team as weak as Heidi, Musky, Wilma, or 'etta usually are.  That is the difference (at least in my opinion).

[OU#25]

Since our bottom teams don't normally play the WIAC's bottoms...that's a tough call...I will say however that prior to last weekend...the last time Heidelberg was within 30 points of Mount was 1998.  I believe that everyone is packed a little closer together in the OAC and therefore more competitive.  I would put the OAC up against any other conference this year.

[OU#25]

I stand by my post that it is generally assumed that Mount and maybe one other team could compete for a national championship from year to year. 

Either way..this discussion is about competitive balance coming to the OAC...more than in  recent years.

[seventiesraider]

Just because I have less of a life than Kirsdad I checked what our BCS ranking w/b according to Massey, one of the six BCS eggheads:  

Drumroll please....

1. Delaware Valley
2. St Johns
3 Wesley
4. Mt Union
5. Albright ??
6. Wheaton
7. WWWWWW
8. Hampden-Sidney
9. Lebanon Valley
10. Trinity CT

Hey, you can't argue with numbers

BTW, I vote for JCU to go back to the PAC

I just checked them and MUC is 3rd and Wesley is 4th. 

Ah ha made you look, made you look.

[seventiesraider]

I'm now believing the top half of the OAC is stronger than the top half of the WIAC and that some of the bottom teams like the 'Berg are not as bad as you might think. And 'Etta wasn't that bad till they got all those dang Wisconsin coaches.

[Pat Coleman]

Thanks Bobo...

Where I'm going with this discussion is that...in spite of Mount's general D3 dominance over the past 15 years+ with 10 National Championships...The D3 folks (Pat, Keith etc.) have left me and I would say most readers with the impression that the OAC is really a one team conference..with maybe one other team that could possibly challenge year in and year out. 

We've never said the OAC was a one-team conference. One-team conferences don't get into the No. 2 spot in our rankings.

[OU#25]

"I did say Mount Union...and maybe one other team"

[Pat Coleman]

Except that's still not an accurate representation of how we feel or what we've said.