FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

I also think NCC is an overwhelming favorite Saturday (2 TD's or so) and have a hard time even pondering the 3-way tie scenario to be honest. 

[iwu70]

Having seen both the Wheaton and NCC games @ IWU, I share the view that NCC should be a 2 TD favorite on Saturday.  Yes, a big game, with everything on the line for the Wheeties, but NCC is very very good.  After seeing them at IWU on Homecoming weekend, I believe they will win vs. WC.  Certainly the other "big game" of the CCIW season.  IWU has to be very careful, play much better than last week at MU, to beat Carthage on the road.  IMHO.

I'm hoping this is the week for NPU. . . the streak ends this weekend. 

IWU 70 

[Mugsy]

http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/2011/11/02/first-ncaa-regional-rankings/

First NCAA regional rankings in.

SoDup 4th, IWU 6th, Wheaton 7th.

[USee]

I think the line in the Game this weekend is Wheaton +15.

On Pool C, if they simply compare IWU with Wheaton, I agree IWU is ranked ahead based on the HTH. If the comparison is where to rank Wheaton, IWU, and Naperville in the region, then it's a completely different result. The criteria for regional rankings doesn't say anywhere how to consider who is the AQ or who is a pool C. You have to rank the best teams in the region based on the criteria. And if Wheaton wins Saturday, they should be ranked 1st, IWU 2nd and Naperville 3rd based on the criteria. Especially since now Albion shows up in the regional rankings and Wheaton (with a win Saturday) ends up with 2 wins vs RRO.

[USee]

The usual place pool C candidates get compared is at the national commmittee level and that's where HTH makes huge difference. Wheaton simply has to be ranked ahead of IWU in the North Region and that brings NCC into the comparison and you can't separate the 3 HTH results so other criteria get considered. It only matters who is ranked where by the regional committee because the top team in the North gets compared to the top team in the other 3 regions. Only 4 teams at a time are compared for pool C consideration. If Wheaton is ranked ahead of IWU by the region, the national committee has to consider the top team (unless something has changed recently). That's the system as I understand it.

And the only reason this discussion is happening now is in case of the unlikely event it isn't as interesting or relevant after Saturday.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Yeah, I am really torn on the SoDup/Wheatie game.  IF IWU takes care of business, a Wheatie win gives us a share of the title; but a SoDup win gives us an almost guaranteed playoff opportunity.

Decisions, decisions!

[NCF]

Yeah, I am really torn on the SoDup/Wheatie game.  IF IWU takes care of business, a Wheatie win gives us a share of the title; but a SoDup win gives us an almost guaranteed playoff opportunity.

Decisions, decisions!

Go with the sure thing and root for the Thornebirds. You only have to root for them once and then you can go back to hating them.

[Titan Q]

I think the line in the Game this weekend is Wheaton +15.

On Pool C, if they simply compare IWU with Wheaton, I agree IWU is ranked ahead based on the HTH. If the comparison is where to rank Wheaton, IWU, and Naperville in the region, then it's a completely different result. The criteria for regional rankings doesn't say anywhere how to consider who is the AQ or who is a pool C. You have to rank the best teams in the region based on the criteria. And if Wheaton wins Saturday, they should be ranked 1st, IWU 2nd and Naperville 3rd based on the criteria. Especially since now Albion shows up in the regional rankings and Wheaton (with a win Saturday) ends up with 2 wins vs RRO.

OK Usee, you've sold me that with a Wheaton win Saturday, IWU could end up ranked behind Wheaton in the region.  Your point about Albion is a good one.  There is no question that being ranked behind Wheaton in the North region would put IWU in a very dicey situation come selection day -- as you accurately point out, you have to get to the national Pool C table to even be discussed.

So, I have decided to pick NCAA tournament hopes over share-of-the-CCIW-tltle hopes.  I'm putting all rooting power behind the North Central Cardinals Saturday.  Picture me putting the Cardinal head on right now, ala Lee Corso.

[Mr. Ypsi]

newcardfan, Titan Q,

I, too, am a convert.  All aboard the Cardinal Express.

NEXT year (or maybe even in the playoffs) I can go back to despising SoDup!

(Sorry, Mugsy, et. al.   Against all aliens, it is CCIW uber alles, but within the conference it is whatever is best for the Titans!)

[Titan Q]

http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/2011/11/02/first-ncaa-regional-rankings/

First NCAA regional rankings in.

SoDup 4th, IWU 6th, Wheaton 7th.

It seems very significant, and bad for IWU/Wheaton, that Case Western Reserve is ranked ahead of both.  Here is some explanation on the Case situation from the D3football.com regional rankings prediction from a few days ago...

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-nation/2011/heres-our-regional-rankings

CWRU is an interesting case. As Pool B (non-automatic qualifiers) has shrunk to one definite bid this year, the Spartans' schedule and the loss to Rochester put them behind Wesley in the pool's pecking order. But even so, that's a non-region loss, and the criteria favors in-region competition. The committee then could be evaluating an "undefeated" Case Western Reserve against Huntingdon and Wesley, whose independent schedules force them to play non-region games, and whose losses to date are in-region. However, with so few games in football, the secondary criteria often come into play very early in the process.

After Pool B's one bid is determined, the other teams can be evaluated alongside the Pool Cs.

[USee]

For those of you IWU fans who simply can't stoop so low as to ride the Thornebird express Saturday, you can cheer for a 15 pt Wheaton victory which gives IWU a share of the title AND a pool C bid as Wheaton wins the AQ, naperville watches and IWU is the top pool C team from the CCIW. Now that's a win/win situation.

CWRU is a serious fly the ointment. If that happens, this system is seriously broken.

[RFMichigan]

For those of you IWU fans who simply can't stoop so low as to ride the Thornebird express Saturday, you can cheer for a 15 pt Wheaton victory which gives IWU a share of the title AND a pool C bid as Wheaton wins the AQ,

Forgive me if this has been brought up or I misunderstand the whole "win by 15" situation, but what if Wheaton is up by 7 or 8, time is running out, and is on defense. Do they start calling timeouts? Does NCC kneel down or run dives into the line to burn clock even though they are behind? 

I actually saw this situation in a basketball game where the league rule was, in case of a split in head-to-head meetings between two teams tied for first place, the top seed in the tournament would be decided by point differential in the two matchups. Well, Team A won the first meeting by 10, so with a minute left to go in the second game and being up by 6, team B starts fouling, while team A (who was trailing, remember) begins to run a stall! It was actually pretty surreal.

[USee]

RFM,
You read it right. Could happen. 3 Way tie goes to point differential. Interesting.

[Mr. Ypsi]

This IS the inevitable hazard of point-differential tie-breaks (though I cannot even imagine that NCC or Wheaton would be playing that way with the Little Brass Bell at stake!), aside from the risk of unsporting 'running-up-the-score' considerations.  In a similar vein, there are ALREADY people wondering if Indianapolis and Miami are dumping games to win the 'Andrew Luck sweepstakes'.

I imagine there are unforeseen hazrds of ANY tie-break formula.

[RFMichigan]

This IS the inevitable hazard of point-differential tie-breaks (though I cannot even imagine that NCC or Wheaton would be playing that way with the Little Brass Bell at stake!), aside from the risk of unsporting 'running-up-the-score' considerations. 

I imagine there are unforeseen hazrds of ANY tie-break formula.

I can't imagine that either. (But it would pretty funny to see Wheaton kick an onside kick late in the game being ahead by a touchdown!  )