FB: Northwest Conference

[Mr. Ypsi]

I just looked again at Mount Union Bracket.... and even though they have an away game.... that bracket is a joke.

Yep. Mount wins both ways. They have the softest conceivable route to the semi's and shut up the people who complain about them never going on the road.  Seems to me John Carroll and Mount should have switched places in this bracket (and playing home a couple of times), but that's just me.

That shows both ignorance of and contempt for the top teams in the East THIS season.  AT Hobart is not a gimme (Hobart's #1 strength is passing; UMU's greatest vulnerability this year seems to be pass defense) - a Raider first round loss would not shock me at all.  IF UMU does survive week one, they then play AT 10-0 Johns Hopkins.  IF they survive week two, they then play AT 10-0 Alfred.  UMU may not have quite the nightmare path to Salem that SJU/UWP faces, but it is hardly the "softest conceivable route".

[D O.C.]

Ok, Mr.

THIS season

Here we're surprised at contempt for LINFIELD as you know.

I guess we'll just keep trying to do what we think the selection committee wants in any particular year.

We will have a new Athletic Director next year.      I did not apply for the job.

[D O.C.]

If Bluenote tells me to quit my bellyaching on the boards, I suppose I can.

Bluenote....quit your bellyaching.

[speedybigboy]

If Bluenote tells me to quit my bellyaching on the boards, I suppose I can.

Bluenote....quit your bellyaching.

The SJU and Platville game is ... WOW... I think our game is the toughest in the country for opening round. Other than the one I just mentioned.

I'm rooting for a Platteville-Linfield final in Salem.  My brother played for both schools.

[DFWCrufan]

I have a question for people with bigger brains than myself, and perhaps someone could comment. In the beginning of the season of course MU was ranked 1, had they faced JC in  game 2 and lost, what would happen? and would they be able to claw their way back up the rankings to the playoff contention with the remaining schedule they have? And then. would they even be in a position to be posted to a pool bid as likely? Just a thought.

[MonroviaCat]

I have a question for people with bigger brains than myself, and perhaps someone could comment. In the beginning of the season of course MU was ranked 1, had they faced JC in  game 2 and lost, what would happen? and would they be able to claw their way back up the rankings to the playoff contention with the remaining schedule they have? And then. would they even be in a position to be posted to a pool bid as likely? Just a thought.

NOt sure you meant to post your question here (I mean--you are asking for people with bigger brains...just sayin   )

That being said--it seems like early season losses are usually less harmful to a teams rankings than a later season loss.  That is, of course, unless you lose by nearly 40 points to the future #1 team in the country---then you are screwed.  But I think MUC gets into the playoffs with 1 (close) loss based on their reputation and history (which is the only rationale for them getting in this year---they otherwise did not beat other teams based on criteria).

[wildcat11]

ADvantage 'Catdome: 'Cats Win!!! Linfield rolls past the Lutes 27-10 and fly off to the NCAA's.

[spiritof86]

I was as shocked as anyone that we have to go to Abilene. And by 'we'- I mean the Linfield team. I won't be going. I went to Abilene in 2006. I can't say anything nice, so I'll only say that it wasn't fun, from the game result to the Mad Max-ian nature of their 'stadium' and town.

Looks like we have to shutdown their good qb, 1 receiver, 1 running back. Cats will feast the week before Tofurkey day. Cats by 56.

[CAT BAT 22]

How many times in the past has a conference runner-up hosted a conference champion in the first round?  I'm asking ... does this happen often? Maybe it does, but  I was shocked to see that the 'Cats are on the road in round one.  Seems random.  I feel like if Mount would have been in the same situation where their one loss was out of conference , where they still won the OAC... they'd be hosting for sure.  I also feel like the committee found a way to include Mount in this years playoffs and justified by using their rich history as a factor, yet ignored that same logic when sending Linfield on the road. 

Maybe I'm being overly emotional, but lets ride it one step further... If you look at the common opponent theory and say HSU was in the lead or in the game until the end.  Don't forget as poorly as we played vs. UMHB, we were also in that game until our center broke his leg and our back up center came in and started snapping the ball all over Texas. 

Maybe it was just the eyeball test and the feeling that the 'Cats just aren't that good ... hopefully we get to prove them wrong.

Go 'Cats!

[badgerwarhawk]

How many times in the past has a conference runner-up hosted a conference champion in the first round?  I'm asking ... does this happen often? I was shocked to see that the 'Cats are on the road in round one.  Seems random.  I feel like if Mount would have been in the same situation where their one loss was out of conference , where they still won the OAC... they'd be hosting for sure.  I also feel like the committee found a way to include Mount in this years playoffs and justified by using their rich history as a factor, yet ignored that same logic when sending Linfield on the road. 

Maybe I'm being overly emotional, but lets ride it one step further... If you look at the common opponent theory and say HSU was in the lead or in the game until the end.  Don't forget as poorly as we played vs. UMHB, we were also in that game until our center broke his leg and our back up center came in and started snapping the ball all over Texas. 

Maybe it was just the eyeball test and the feeling that the 'Cats just aren't that good ... hopefully we get to prove them wrong.

Go 'Cats!

We hosted the MWC champ, St Norbert, last year when we were conference runner-ups. 

[MonroviaCat]

How many times in the past has a conference runner-up hosted a conference champion in the first round?  I'm asking ... does this happen often? I was shocked to see that the 'Cats are on the road in round one.  Seems random.  I feel like if Mount would have been in the same situation where their one loss was out of conference , where they still won the OAC... they'd be hosting for sure.  I also feel like the committee found a way to include Mount in this years playoffs and justified by using their rich history as a factor, yet ignored that same logic when sending Linfield on the road. 

Maybe I'm being overly emotional, but lets ride it one step further... If you look at the common opponent theory and say HSU was in the lead or in the game until the end.  Don't forget as poorly as we played vs. UMHB, we were also in that game until our center broke his leg and our back up center came in and started snapping the ball all over Texas. 

Maybe it was just the eyeball test and the feeling that the 'Cats just aren't that good ... hopefully we get to prove them wrong.

Go 'Cats!

Wheaton is hosting Huntington, Wash U is at Oshkosh,  So yes it does happen---  My beef is this.  A few years back (2011), we were undefeated but with a weak strength of schedule and got shipped to Wesley (who had a loss) in the 2nd round....so this year, we schedule a tough (maybe the toughest) out of conference opponent and get punished (in our opinion) for it.  Granted, the final score of that game killed us despite that it was a pretty close game until the 4th Q.....  Oh well--gotta win the games you're given. 

[CAT BAT 22]

How many times in the past has a conference runner-up hosted a conference champion in the first round?  I'm asking ... does this happen often? I was shocked to see that the 'Cats are on the road in round one.  Seems random.  I feel like if Mount would have been in the same situation where their one loss was out of conference , where they still won the OAC... they'd be hosting for sure.  I also feel like the committee found a way to include Mount in this years playoffs and justified by using their rich history as a factor, yet ignored that same logic when sending Linfield on the road. 

Maybe I'm being overly emotional, but lets ride it one step further... If you look at the common opponent theory and say HSU was in the lead or in the game until the end.  Don't forget as poorly as we played vs. UMHB, we were also in that game until our center broke his leg and our back up center came in and started snapping the ball all over Texas. 

Maybe it was just the eyeball test and the feeling that the 'Cats just aren't that good ... hopefully we get to prove them wrong.

Go 'Cats!

We hosted the MWC champ, St Norbert, last year when we were conference runner-ups.

Which makes perfect sense.  UWW having won multiple national championships and being a perennial playoff participant.  I guess I should have clarified ... a conference runner up with limited playoff history.  I'm not saying Linfield is on the same level for this comparison as Whitewater, but the NWC has a slightly different pedigree in the playoffs than the MWC. 

[wildcat11]

I think that is the lesson that many teams might look at for future games....why schedule against other elite teams if the end result might be losing the chance to host a playoff game if you run the rest of the table and your conference?  It's unfortunate but it might make other top teams think twice in the future.

[badgerwarhawk]

How many times in the past has a conference runner-up hosted a conference champion in the first round?  I'm asking ... does this happen often? I was shocked to see that the 'Cats are on the road in round one.  Seems random.  I feel like if Mount would have been in the same situation where their one loss was out of conference , where they still won the OAC... they'd be hosting for sure.  I also feel like the committee found a way to include Mount in this years playoffs and justified by using their rich history as a factor, yet ignored that same logic when sending Linfield on the road. 

Maybe I'm being overly emotional, but lets ride it one step further... If you look at the common opponent theory and say HSU was in the lead or in the game until the end.  Don't forget as poorly as we played vs. UMHB, we were also in that game until our center broke his leg and our back up center came in and started snapping the ball all over Texas. 

Maybe it was just the eyeball test and the feeling that the 'Cats just aren't that good ... hopefully we get to prove them wrong.

Go 'Cats!

We hosted the MWC champ, St Norbert, last year when we were conference runner-ups.

Which makes perfect sense.  UWW having won multiple national championships and being a perennial playoff participant.  I guess I should have clarified ... a conference runner up with limited playoff history.  I'm not saying Linfield is on the same level for this comparison as Whitewater, but the NWC has a slightly different pedigree in the playoffs than the MWC. 

Agreed, didn't mean to imply otherwise.  FWIW I was surprised to see Linfield on the road.   

[bluenote]

I think that is the lesson that many teams might look at for future games....why schedule against other elite teams if the end result might be losing the chance to host a playoff game if you run the rest of the table and your conference?  It's unfortunate but it might make other top teams think twice in the future.

Oddly enough .... wonder if we would have beat UMHB? we may have been the #1 over all seed this year? Possibly with the way things turned out.... but we didn't so we don't have a 1st round home game. Pretty dramatic irony.