FB: Presidents' Athletic Conference

Pat Coleman · September 20, 2024, 01:27:37 PM

And conversely, their early-season opponents are ranked where?

E.115 · September 24, 2024, 07:16:19 AM

^ Oh yes, agreed Pat ... the first three weeks have been a bit lopsided. Even more on an eye-opener now with 4 in the top 6:

https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/d3/current/team/22

The first time any of the four teams play each other is ... this Saturday!

Quote from: ADL70 on September 15, 2024, 04:08:30 PMSep 28 CMU @ W&J
Oct 12 CMU @ GCC
Oct 19 GCC @ W&J
Nov 2 W&J @ CWRU
Nov 9 CWRU @ GCC
Nov 16 CMU @ CWRU

WashJeff68 · September 27, 2024, 07:45:45 PM

So, I am happy to provide some action to the moribund PAC board.

CMU/W&J is a pickem. CMU plays GCC on 10/12 W&J plays GCC 10/19. CWRU then faces W&J, GCC and CMU three weeks in a row. That will be a tough road to hoe for CWRU.

CMU is leaving the PAC. CWRU would probably like to leave but where would they go? NCAC? OAC? Don't know if either of them would be interested in a football only member, although the NCAC has Allegheny and W&J as members in Women's Lacross or field hockey. Also, what makes a "better" football conference, given that under the new PAC arrangement there will be opportunities to schedule out of conference games to strengthen their Overall schedule? Maybe they could continue to schedule CMU. I wouldn't be surprised to see W&J and CMU continue playing each other given their long history and geographical proximity. They play each other in M/W basketball, soccer, and other sports.

CWRU could stay in the PAC, schedule completive non-conference games, and still have a good schedule.

As a side note, with CMU leaving, and CWRU wanting to leave, that would leave me as the only active person on this board. That is a sad testimate to the PAC, but such is life.

E.115 · September 28, 2024, 01:18:42 PM

^ Relatedly -- I am most excited about the CMU @ W&J.

This is probably the D3 Game of the Week.

I suppose enjoy these games before they are gone...

WashJeff68 · September 28, 2024, 06:48:45 PM

W&J CMU lived up to expectations. Sure you CWRU guys followed it. W&J owned the first half, CMU owned the second half. The game ended in a tie and CMU won in overtime. This has been a long contested rivalry and I hope they may play each other in the future.

ExTartanPlayer · September 28, 2024, 09:37:44 PM

Quote from: WashJeff68 on September 28, 2024, 06:48:45 PMW&J CMU lived up to expectations. Sure you CWRU guys followed it. W&J owned the first half, CMU owned the second half. The game ended in a tie and CMU won in overtime. This has been a long contested rivalry and I hope they may play each other in the future.

Quite a game indeed. I'll have more thoughts later, if I get the time, but briefly - W&J really kicked CMU's butt for a half. I'm a never say die type so I never believed a comeback would be impossible, but the way Pugh was controlling the game I will admit some very real feelings of doubt at the half...CMU hitting an 80 yard touchdown on the second play of the second half was so, so huge to make it feel like a comeback was indeed possible.

mikefln · October 03, 2024, 09:37:30 PM

I only got to watch the 4th qtr and had to leave before OT. From what I saw in the 4th, it was more W&J giving CMU the game than CMU taking g the game. Again I didn't see OT.

ExTartanPlayer · October 05, 2024, 06:35:18 AM

Sneaky interesting game with W&J and Westminster today. I think we have all been assuming the PAC is a four-horse race this year, but it's only been a year or two since Westminster was in the derby with everyone else. Off to a 3-0 start and catching W&J a week after the crushing loss to CMU...if they want a say in this year's race, today is the day to declare that.

On the other side, W&J is in "every week is a playoff game" mode now - they can still have a say in this thing with games against all the other top contenders remaining, and with the expanded playoff even a 9-1 runner up should have a chance.

mikefln · October 06, 2024, 09:09:59 AM

Westminster put up a good fight, but they are certainly a concerned to the top 4.

DagarmanSpartan · October 19, 2024, 08:29:22 PM

OK, CWRU's six game pre-season is now over.

The real season starts next week.

jam40jeff · October 20, 2024, 08:19:57 AM

I know we previously discussed the haves and have nots situation of the PAC, but CWRU's schedule makes this abundantly clear this year.

After week 7, through 6 games, CWRU's average margin of victory is over 45 points, and their closest game was a 41-7 victory over Waynesburg in week 1. The starters have yet to play at all in the 4th quarter of a game, and have barely even seen any action in the 3rd quarter.

Yet, we still don't have any idea how CWRU will fare in their final 4 games of the season. They realistically could finish 6-4, 10-0, or anywhere in between.

ExTartanPlayer · October 20, 2024, 09:16:59 AM

^yes to both of the above.

While the haves and have nots thing is a bit frustrating, you have to admit that we're set up for an incredible finish to the conference race with CWRU lined up to play the other top four and everyone else having precisely one loss (plus the games between Westminster and CMU & Grove City to come). I'm not sure I'd say it's a good thing for the league to be so divided into haves and have nots, but boy it's going to be a fun last four weeks of the regular season!

WashJeff68 · October 20, 2024, 03:43:35 PM

As suggested above Westminster is reestablishing itself as a contender. Allegheny could do the same. They have the resources and the history. Waynesburg was historically strong and has shown improvement but has a way to go. If they were willing to make the investment Geneva and St Vincent could get better. Not sure what thiel could do and Bethany is focused on keeping the lights on.

I don't know what role the Commissioner and the ADd's and alumni could play, but it can be done. When I was at W&J in the mid 60's we were pathetic. when President Burnett was hired he had a mandate from the Trustees to rejuvenate the program. John Luckhardt was hired and the rest is history.

mikefln · October 20, 2024, 07:36:45 PM

Quote from: WashJeff68 on October 20, 2024, 03:43:35 PMAs suggested above Westminster is reestablishing itself as a contender. Allegheny could do the same. They have the resources and the history. Waynesburg was historically strong and has shown improvement but has a way to go. If they were willing to make the investment Geneva and St Vincent could get better. Not sure what thiel could do and Bethany is focused on keeping the lights on.

I don't know what role the Commissioner and the ADd's and alumni could play, but it can be done. When I was at W&J in the mid 60's we were pathetic. when President Burnett was hired he had a mandate from the Trustees to rejuvenate the program. John Luckhardt was hired and the rest is history.

Grove City is proving your point more than W&J.

W&J has been the 1 consistently strong PAC program for the past 40 years. They have produced many All Americans, won the lions hare of conference championships, won a fair amount of playoff games, and been to 2 National Championship Games. They are still a strong program and with yesterday's win, still in the hunt.

Grove City had a nice run with RJ Bowers but other then that they have been average. They have had good years, bad years, and mostly mid years. For them to turn it on as of late shows it can happen anywhere with a good head coach, staff, and school support.

Westminster is trending upwards nicely. This is a proud school that probably is the most tradition rich program in the PAC. They dominated the NAIA in the late 70s to mid 90s. They currently have a good coach and staff.
The school/Alumni seems to support the program. They can and are turning it on. How far they take it is tbd.

Allegheny is another proud school. The only school in the PAC to win a D3 national championship. They have resources and if they can find the right HC coach and staff, the blue print is there for them.

Waynesburg is not historically strong imo. I view them like I view GCC without the recent succes. They make occasional runs, they have troubled down years, most the time a whole lot of average play.

Geneva is the most perplexing team in the PAC. They probably have the best game day environment week in week out in the PAC. What makes it more perplexing is they achieve that with losing football teams. I rate their tradition as strong. They should be better than they are.

SVC is just fielding a team. I am an alumni from when the school did not have a team. I mentioned before I chose it because they didn't have a team. I injured my knee my freshman year at Robert Morris and didn't want to be tempted to play again. It worked too well as I should of went and played again. None the less, the team is too new to the bulk of alumni as there was 40 year hiatus. The majority of alumni has no connection to the football program. Can they find lightning in a bottle? Of course. But odds are stacked up against them to be a top team. Their one strong point is, the school is financially strong and not at risk of closure currently.

Theil and Bethany, what do you want me to say. I hope they can figure it put.

CWRU & CMU both have good traditions and are behemoth research schools.

Hiram I know nothing about to comment.

ExTartanPlayer · October 21, 2024, 07:25:25 AM

I made a similar comment about Geneva a few weeks ago! It's been a few years since I went but I recall going to a CMU at Geneva game shortly after CMU joined the PAC (edit: looked it up, this was 2015) and was amazed at the crowd and game day atmosphere for a middling D3 team. I've always thought they run that option pretty well. Kind of surprised it's never converted to at least a 7 or 8 win season.