FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

I wonder how this will affect D3 players in Virginia:

https://footballscoop.com/news/virginia-passes-state-law-allowing-its-schools-to-directly-pay-athletes-nil

[D3fanboy]

Wow, with no more John Carroll and the increase in at large spots, good news for the Berg and all the OAC teams the last couple of years that been swapping that 3-4th place in the conference.   

I remember in 2013 Heidelberg was looking at potentially a second ever playoff appearance, played an interesting 34-44 game against mount, then got blocked by JCU ending 8-2, and also 8-2 the next year, then sunk back to mediocracy 😂

having the Heidelberg's of the D3 world make the playoffs is so worth the expansion.....

in all honesty, as a Berg fan, is a first round game in WI, NY or MN better than playing a bowl game at the HOF in Canton?

[D3fanboy]

I wonder how this will affect D3 players in Virginia:

https://footballscoop.com/news/virginia-passes-state-law-allowing-its-schools-to-directly-pay-athletes-nil

COVID and the extra years wrecked D3 sports, unbridled NIL would be the death blow

[rscl70]

moving the Stagg Bowl, between the same handful of teams, to January is silly.  How are they going to handle the players wanting to go home for the Holidays in the couple of weeks off between the Semis and Stagg?  Is the NCAA going to foot that bill? or do kids from multiple states away have to either stay on campus or fly back and forth on super short notice?  Who's going to feed the 100+ players while the two campuses are likely closed?  Can't wait for the biggest D3 football showcase to get bumped to ESPN Ocho and have dozens and dozens of eyeballs watching during the final weekend of the NFL regular season

I'm sure that the schools that will be in the championship will figure all that stuff out. 

The current DIII season is 11 weeks long. Most schools play a 10 game schedule with a bi-week. If the regular season is reduced to 10 weeks, eliminating the bi-week, an extra week of playoffs could be accommodated without having to move the Stagg Bowl from its traditional pre-Christmas date.

[SPECIAL TEAMS STARTER]

I like your thinking rscl70! Hope the decision makers take notice.

[BergAlum2]

10 week season would be nice, always hated the OAC's schedule had that 2nd week bye, although lately we've had some schools swap and play that week

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

10 week season would be nice, always hated the OAC's schedule had that 2nd week bye, although lately we've had some schools swap and play that week

What 2nd Bye week?  Currently it's an 11 week season with Nine Conference Games, One Non-Conference Game and a Bye week.

[Pat Coleman]

He said second week bye, not second bye week. Traditionally OAC teams have their bye week in Week 2.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

He said second week bye, not second bye week. Traditionally OAC teams have their bye week in Week 2.

My bad. I read that too quickly.

[D3fanboy]

with JCU running scared to the NCAC, those bye weeks might be spread around a little bit in '25 with the OAC-HCAC crossovers. a 9 team conference "crossing over" with an 7 team conference doesn't really line up perfectly

[D3fanboy]

Hiram joining the PAC in '25 likely opens the conference up for OOC matchups once again.  An 11 team conference can be closed off for a 10 game season, but 12 makes that a little less likely.  An out of conference with Grove City, W&J, CWRU or CMU, especially if you can get out of the Ferrum deal, makes so much sense for Mount.  Moving forward with a PAC and HCAC opponent plus the 8 OAC games sets up a respectable schedule with cost effective travel for the majority of the OAC

[Pat Coleman]

Agreed.

[RaidersRGr8t]

Mount Union has scrimmaged W&J for many years. I'm not saying they wouldn't schedule a regular season game but it seems unlikely.

[crufootball]

Mount Union has scrimmaged W&J for many years. I'm not saying they wouldn't schedule a regular season game but it seems unlikely.

Why not?

[wally_wabash]

I wonder how this will affect D3 players in Virginia:

https://footballscoop.com/news/virginia-passes-state-law-allowing-its-schools-to-directly-pay-athletes-nil

COVID and the extra years wrecked D3 sports, unbridled NIL would be the death blow

Pretty incredible take here given that 2022 was like a generationally great year for D-III football and 2023 really wasn't all that far behind.