Top 25 talk

[fpc85]

Here's something I did not know:  despite having been in the top ten 62 times (52.5% of all polls, topped only by Wooster-88 and UW-Stevens Point-64), this is just the second week that Amherst has reached the #1 spot (the first being week 8 of the 2003-04 season.)  Congratulations to the Lord Jeffs! 

Surprised but happy to see the Jeffs in the top spot. I thought Wooster might get more votes.

[Pat Coleman]

16 point win at then 14th ranked North Central and a 29 point win versus Loras who was just featured on the site.

Keith -- that was then, emphasis added. Where is NCC now? That's all that matters.

And congrats on beating a team we featured. Meaningless. I mean, we featured Millsaps and FDU-Florham too. That doesn't mean that a win against them makes them Top 25 material.

Come on now. Gotta have a stronger take than that, man.

[Ralph Turner]

Here's something I did not know:  despite having been in the top ten 62 times (52.5% of all polls, topped only by Wooster-88 and UW-Stevens Point-64), this is just the second week that Amherst has reached the #1 spot (the first being week 8 of the 2003-04 season.)  Congratulations to the Lord Jeffs! 

Surprised but happy to see the Jeffs in the top spot. I thought Wooster might get more votes.

Pride goeth before the destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall.  

Proverbs 16:18 as quoted by some guy named RIC.

[keith45]

16 point win at then 14th ranked North Central and a 29 point win versus Loras who was just featured on the site.

Keith -- that was then, emphasis added. Where is NCC now? That's all that matters.

And congrats on beating a team we featured. Meaningless. I mean, we featured Millsaps and FDU-Florham too. That doesn't mean that a win against them makes them Top 25 material.

Come on now. Gotta have a stronger take than that, man.

Understood...my point was simply this...why does it seem like AU is getting less respect than most 1 loss teams. I guess the only way we'll know is when the NCAA's roll around.
So Pat, if AU wins out, are they a top 10 team, or not? Let's assume no upsets happen...just for giggles

[Pat Coleman]

What game left on their schedule would make them Top 10-worthy?

[keith45]

What game left on their schedule would make them Top 10-worthy?

probably none...which is why I was wondering IF they win out, are they a top 10 team...is 26-1 or whatever they would be, make them a top 10 team?

[Pat Coleman]

As you say, they don't prove anything with their remaining games. So I don't know why they would automatically rise to the Top 10.

[Greek Tragedy]

Keith45,

The conference is weak.  The NIIC wasn't that good when they were around and the LMC was even worse.  Combined, they still aren't very good.  Of the 11 teams in the conference, 1/2 have .500 or better records.  Marian is 9-8 and their nonconference wins are Cornell (7-11), Northland (4-12) and Finlandia (3-14).  They had a close loss to Whitewater.  Dominican is 3-3 out of conference, Benedictine 2-5, Edgewood 2-4 and Aurora is 7-0.  As far as I know, "hanging with" the teams in the SLIAC is hardly anything to get excited about either.  I think a lot has to do with their conference and Aurora's weak nonconference schedule, IMO.

[Greek Tragedy]

Surprised but happy to see the Jeffs in the top spot. I thought Wooster might get more votes.

What did Wooster do that Amherst didn't that would make them jump the Jeffs?

Edited

[fpc85]

Surprised but happy to see the Jeffs in the top spot. I thought Wooster might get more votes.

What did Wooster do that Amherst didn't that would make them just the Jeffs?

Nothing, but I am an Amherst fan and after reading the posts when the Jeffs were previously a choice for #1; I had my doubts. The schedule appears to be the issue. I think it is a backhanded way of saying the Jeffs are not #1 worthy. Would the Jeffs be perceived differently if they had 1- 2 losses and played in the WIAC? How would they fare in the WIAC? I
Some doubt the Jeffs are top 5 material.....maybe even top 10. For those who have seen the Jeffs play and some of the other top 10 teams what are your thoughts? How do the Jeffs stack up to the best in the country.

[Ralph Turner]

Surprised but happy to see the Jeffs in the top spot. I thought Wooster might get more votes.

What did Wooster do that Amherst didn't that would make them just the Jeffs?

Nothing, but I am an Amherst fan and after reading the posts when the Jeffs were previously a choice for #1; I had my doubts. The schedule appears to be the issue. I think it is a backhanded way of saying the Jeffs are not #1 worthy. Would the Jeffs be perceived differently if they had 1- 2 losses and played in the WIAC? How would they fare in the WIAC? I
Some doubt the Jeffs are top 5 material.....maybe even top 10. For those who have seen the Jeffs play and some of the other top 10 teams what are your thoughts? How do the Jeffs stack up to the best in the country.

fpc85, the case for Amherst is simple.  They have played their schedule and have won every game.  If and/or when they lose, (proverbial "we") can drop them to whatever ranking "we" choose.

I say that the Lord Jeffs should enjoy the ride.   

[golden_dome]

I am somewhat surprised that Mary Hardin-Baylor has not cracked the Top 25 yet. In my opinion their body of work so far this year is more impressive than some of the teams in the back of the Top 25.

UMHB is 14-3, riding a 10-game winning streak and have a win over #8 Virginia Wesleyan. They are the 2nd best team in the ASC with a win over the top team from the ODAC. They also have a 14-point win over Midwest Confence leader Ripon and are 4-0 out of conference (Trinity, Southwestern).

What is the biggest problem everyone has with them as a Top 25 team? I would probably vote them somewhere from 20-22.

[Greek Tragedy]

They are the 2nd best team in the ASC with a win over the top team from the ODAC. They also have a 14-point win over Midwest Confence leader Ripon...

Thanks to the graduation of All-American Chris Braier from Lawrence, and the decline of Carroll College as well (both were ranked last year and were pre-season Top 25 teams), the MWC is back to being an average conference at best, IMO.  In the midwest area, the WIAC is more than a good barometer for the MWC and this year, at least, that conference really doesn't have any signature wins vs. the WIAC.  Ripon got beat by Point (well, who hasn't?) and La Crosse, and also blew a huge lead and lost in overtime to a good IIAC Buena Vista team (12-5).  So, I guess I wouldn't hang your Top 25 hopes on beating Ripon!

[golden_dome]

So, I guess I wouldn't hang your Top 25 hopes on beating Ripon!

I wouldn't either and I don't think they have to, but it is still a good win against a team from another area of the country. They would hang their hat on the win over defending National Champion Virginia Wesleyan, a team Guilford failed to beat twice. I am not saying it is an injustice but I do think they are deserving thus far.

[Greek Tragedy]

They would hang their hat on the win over defending National Champion Virginia Wesleyan, a team Guilford failed to beat twice. I am not saying it is an injustice but I do think they are deserving thus far.

That's a good point.  They did beat VWU.  MHB did start the year just 4-3 and they have gone on a very nice win streak.  But, they dug themselves a deep hole with that start...

There are six teams with four or more losses (more than MHB's 3 losses).  I don't know much about the ASC, but most might argue that the OAC (Ohio Northern at 15-4), CCIW (Carthage at 13-5), WIAC (La Crosse at 13-6) and the UAA (NYU at 14-4) are tougher to get through than the ASC.  Occidental (12-4, member of the SCIAC) has two losses against non-D3 opponents, and Puget Sound (14-4, member of the NWC) just dropped 8 spots after consecutive conference losses.  Not sure if it's the conference strength that is holding them down.  I'm not one to determine that.  But, on the conference note, against the other "big dogs" in the conference, they got blown out at Mississippi College and also lost to Texas-Dallas (along with the loss to LeTourneau).