FB: Northwest Conference

[D O.C.]

 

[(509)Rat]

CMS had 37 yards rushing today...

[D O.C.]

(509)Rat.... I'd like to say I've got your back in the expected Johnnie onslaught on the boards this week, but...naw.

[OzJohnnie]

(509)Rat.... I'd like to say I've got your back in the expected Johnnie onslaught on the boards this week, but...naw.

     

[(509)Rat]

[Foss]

Congrats Whitworth.

D3 schools know what they're signing up for regarding the auto playoff bids. But the downside is the inevitable results w/ some of the conference champs being allowed to "compete."

Some of the scores today were simply absurd for playoff teams. 84-6??? 56-0 before halftime???

Who doesn't think SJU's 3rd or maybe even 4th stringers win that game? I don't know if matchups like this even qualify as competition.

[D O.C.]

I agree.

[sjujohnnie]

I have to imagine Whitworth will be stiffer competition for St John's than Martin Luther. Any predictions on the final score when they visit Collegeville? What are Whitworth's strengths/weaknesses?

[bluenote]

That was one of the goofiest 1st rounds I've ever seen...... where do these teams come from? Heck, UPS, GFU or Pacific could have beat half of them. Oh well.... next round should be more competitive.

sjujohnnie.... I haven't seen the Johnnies play this year but I know Collegeville is at least a 7-14 point benefit. I'm hoping Whitworth will make a good showing but I'm predicting a 35 -17 Johnnie win. I'd be pleasantly surprised if it's closer.

[desertcat1]

I have to imagine Whitworth will be stiffer competition for St John's than Martin Luther. Any predictions on the final score when they visit Collegeville? What are Whitworth's strengths/weaknesses?

Sju should send out a single monkey to stomp the rats. That should be enough . Save some for round 3. 

[MonroviaCat]

Congrats Whitworth.

D3 schools know what they're signing up for regarding the auto playoff bids. But the downside is the inevitable results w/ some of the conference champs being allowed to "compete."

Some of the scores today were simply absurd for playoff teams. 84-6??? 56-0 before halftime???

Who doesn't think SJU's 3rd or maybe even 4th stringers win that game? I don't know if matchups like this even qualify as competition.

As has been discussed already---"access" is the priority in D3 not getting the best 32 teams into the playoffs....  And consider this, if this was a playoff field made up of the best 32 teams, Randolph Macon probably isn't in the bracket---because they had a chance to "compete" they beat a team that many felt was potential quarterfinalist......

[(509)Rat]

I have to imagine Whitworth will be stiffer competition for St John's than Martin Luther. Any predictions on the final score when they visit Collegeville? What are Whitworth's strengths/weaknesses?

They will. Whitworth has an athletic front 7 that certainly is undersized compared to the Mounts and UMHBs of the world, but has done a very good job of limiting teams from running the football. It will be interesting to see how the defensive gameplan changes when they face a team that isn't interested in running the ball. I think the Pirate DBs are athletic enough to stay with the SJU WRs and not let them get behind the defense like ML did so often. Hopefully they make Erdmann take 5-10 yard chunks all the way down the field. If they can do that I think they can keep it close. The Whitworth offense runs the ball better than they get credit for. If you start dropping 8 into coverage everybplay Whitworth will end the game with 200 yards rushing. It's much more of a Briles spread than an Air Raid type system from what I can tell. The WRs are good, not great and Ericksen is a good QB with a good handle on the up tempo offense and a strong arm. Ericksen's issue seems to be with touch/velocity. He'll rocket a ball into a WR 5-10 yards in front of him and then underthrow someone on a deep ball. If he can avoid some of those inconsistencies then I expect Whitworth will score. SJU fans might understand what I mean, but this Whitworth offense can be strange to watch because it can look like they are really struggling for a quarter or two at a time, and then you look up at the end of the game and they have 50 points.

SJU is definitely more talented and should win comfortably at home. I think Whitworth being within 7-10 point when it's all said and done would be a good result. Weather permitting I expect something like SJU 42-28. However, as long as the Presbyterians don't start diddling little boys, Whitworth fans and alumni will be the real winners...

[Foss]

Congrats Whitworth.

D3 schools know what they're signing up for regarding the auto playoff bids. But the downside is the inevitable results w/ some of the conference champs being allowed to "compete."

Some of the scores today were simply absurd for playoff teams. 84-6??? 56-0 before halftime???

Who doesn't think SJU's 3rd or maybe even 4th stringers win that game? I don't know if matchups like this even qualify as competition.

As has been discussed already---"access" is the priority in D3 not getting the best 32 teams into the playoffs....  And consider this, if this was a playoff field made up of the best 32 teams, Randolph Macon probably isn't in the bracket---because they had a chance to "compete" they beat a team that many felt was potential quarterfinalist......

Aware of the "access." The Martin Luther, and a number of other results from yesterday, are more the norm for some of these teams compared to RM's. Some of the Johnnie fans sounded almost sorry for the ML players. If SJU leaves its starters in we might be talking 120-6ish after it was done w/ its "competition."

[(509)Rat]

I have to imagine Whitworth will be stiffer competition for St John's than Martin Luther. Any predictions on the final score when they visit Collegeville? What are Whitworth's strengths/weaknesses?

Sju should send out a single monkey to stomp the rats. That should be enough . Save some for round 3. 

Did Linfield win yesterday?

[bluenote]

Did Linfield win yesterday?

....pretty sure the Rats were giving a big "sigh" of relief that they didn't face Linfield in the 1st round.