FB: Presidents' Athletic Conference

[mikefln]

The Good:

1)The return of out-of-conference games.  Hopefully, we can get some good ones. 

2)The few rivalries in the PAC, are safe as the schools are kept in the same division

3) The guarantee built into the schedule that there will be at least a month between a possible rematch, if they were to meet in the conference championship game.

4) There will be no rematch in week 11. That also means there should not be more than 1 team to finish winless.  If 2 teams are winless in week 10, one of them will get a shot to end the season on a high note as 6 place faces 6 place.

The Bad:

1) For football, the south division is noticeably tougher. I do not see that changing either, and I think the top 4 programs will stay that way for the foreseeable future.  With that said, I like what I see from Allegheny and Westminster, so they can maybe make it interesting.  I know nothing about Hiram to have an opinion.

2) Case is being forced to travel way more than the other schools by a lot. Grant it we are not talking about Standford playing in the ACC, but it is still a lot more road time.  Thankfully they are football only members.

The Ugly/Unknown:

1) With the move to a 40 team playoff, in theory, the PAC has a chance to get 2 teams into the playoffs. How will losing in the championship affect said team? 

For the fun of it, who would have a better chance to get in if the season played out that GCC gets in at 10-0.  They beat CMU in the championship game and CMU finished 8-2 with a lose to Case and a win against W&J.  W&J finished 9-1 with that loss to CMU but a win against Case and the 8-2 2nd place team in the North. I know we would not know the OOC game to know sos, but that conference championship game, in theory, could cause a lot of weird playoffs scenarios now that it is going to 40 teams. 

[wally_wabash]

WOW!!!

So the PAC is following the lead of D1-FBS conferences by having divisions and/or playing a conference title game!

Do any other D3 conferences currently do this for football?

I actually like this, insofar as it allows for a better non-conference/intersectional schedule.

Perhaps CWRU and CMU could schedule OOC games with MIT, etc.

Yes! Divisions and Week 11 championship games have been a thing in D3 for quite some time actually.  The NEFC used to do this before it disbanded.  The MWC used to have divisions and a title game, but that went away a few years ago. Currently the MIAC and the SCIAC have a divisional setup with week 11 championship games.  There are pros and cons to divisional setups, but I think given the size of the PAC it makes a lot of sense. 

[ADL70]

I read that the divisions are for all sports, not just football. The crossover games could address the apparent power imbalance

[ADL70]

https://athletics.case.edu/sports/football/schedule

Strange  Spartans face the four other top teams in weeks 8-11

2024 Roster https://athletics.case.edu/sports/football/roster

Most key seniors with an extra Covid year are returning.

QB Fromberg
RB James
OL Kelly and Merritt However Merritt is listed #23 so he might be used as a blocking back/TE [edit Merritt now listed at DL)
   instead of C

DE Tong and Dudowski
LB Cabrerra (injured all last year) Troch and Torres

36 Newcomers are listed 31-FYs 3-SOs none who I could find played anywhere last season one grad xfr CB from D2 Wm Jewell

Currently erroneously listed as FY is Jr xfr from D2 East Stroudsburg 6'6 290 OL Zach Miller who started one game at T in each of his years there

He was a HS teammate of Spartan WR Alec Angello with whom he operates a strength and conditioning service

I haven't found 2024 rosters on the websites of the other four top teams.

[mikefln]

I read that the divisions are for all sports, not just football. The crossover games could address the apparent power imbalance

I know that.  But in football there are 2 non football playing schools.  So the 2 football affiliate members are filling in the south even though Case clearly should be in the North.

[mikefln]

Most key seniors with an extra Covid year are returning.
.

No offense and this isn't directed to you or Case, but I can't wait till this covid year stuff is over.

[WashJeff68]

Not football related, but Money Magazine has come out with a college "rating" vs a US News "ranking." Like the WSJ, the focus is more on "outcomes" versus "inputs." There was an initial  triage that reduced the number of schools rated to 745.

Here is how the PAC, including CWRU and CMU came out:

5 stars
CMU

4 stars
CWRU
Geneva
St Vincent
W&J

3 1/2 stars
Allegheny
Waynesburg

3 stars
Westminster
Franciscan
Chatham

Not rated
Bethany
Thiel
Hiram


Note: Grove City does not participate in ratings/rankings surveys or supply any information to government entities other than those required by law

[WashJeff68]

here is a link to the article that includes a description of the methodology.

https://money.com/best-colleges/

[DagarmanSpartan]

Wait.

So Noah Coyne is back for 2024 after a 1,000 yard receiving season, and is up to 6'4" and 225 lbs?

Wow.

Fromberg to Coyne could be a VERY productive combo.......especially with a new 6'6" 290 lb D2 OT protecting the QB's blind side.

[DagarmanSpartan]

Just noticed that CWRU added a grad transfer DB from Division II William Jewell College, A.J. Kurke.

[ADL70]

He only appeared in 6 games in 2022 and only 1 in 2023 due to injury.

[DagarmanSpartan]

Interesting article.

Perhaps Coyne could be a "sleeper" NFL draft pick.

https://nfldraftdiamonds.com/2024/06/noah-coyne/

[WashJeff68]

W&J's president is retiring and sent a "fare well" email to alumni. In it he said the incoming freshman class would be the largest in 20 years. He attributed it to new programs but I'm site the $50,000,000 bequest to fund scholarships received earlier this year to benefit local high school graduates was a huge factor.

[ADL70]

https://www.d3football.com/top25/2024/preseason

4 PAC teams in the preseason poll

GCC #11
CMU #22
CWRU and W&J 1 vote each 40 teams received votes

[DagarmanSpartan]

Going to be a GREAT season!

When is PAC media day?