Top 25 talk

[diehardfan]

80's predicted this weekend 

and, lol.... am I quoting it as the bible? naah, just saying that wolfe isn't the only one giving the UAA lavish respect...

[Mr. Ypsi]

Forecast is we may actually hit 40 this weekend!

#3 for UAA just strikes me as far too high - don't forget that that conference includes (swamp shoes) Rochester!

I notice you didn't include the rankings for the SCIAC.

Hmmm - good bball or good weather?  (Thinks hard!)  Wanna trade places?

[smedindy]

Yeah, it's still a bit early for all of the power ratings to be sensible.

At least they have the sense not to overinflate the NCAC, because they have the very, very good (Wooster, Witt)- and the very, very bad (Hiram, Oberlin). Kind of like my house.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Smed,

You've brought to mind a topic I've kind of wondered about - there is often discussion of the most competitive, BALANCED conferences, but I wonder if the NCAC has the strangle-hold on the most UNBALANCED conference.

Is there any other conference that has one or more national title contenders, but also one or more absolute cellar-dwellers? 

(Despite the current woes of NPU [who are not THAT bad], the CCIW doesn't merit comparison since NPU has more national titles than anyone else!)

[hugenerd]

I like the Wolfe rankings, it has the UAA as the strongest conference in DIII.  At least those guys are getting some respect from somebody.

I think that alone explains why Wolfe gets little respect!

Just another comment on the UAA.  I know most of the teams haven't played many tough games, but the conference has an overall winning percentage of 76% (53-17), including everyone being above 0.500 and two undefeated (CMU, NYU), not a bad start.  It will be interesting to see if they can keep it up. Also, that winning percentage is sure to go down once they enter league play (there has only been one league game so far, CMU over Rochester).

[Greek Tragedy]

Kind of surprised the WIAC is that high considering they were thought to be having a down year.  I guess it has evened out.  The big boys like Oshkosh (#2 preseason, now with 3 losses), Platteville (lost to Dubuque), Whitewater (los to Loras) and Point (at Lakeland)have all had their hiccups.  But up-and-comers like Stout and La Crosse have improved and closed the gap.  Only Eau Claire, River Falls and Superior look to be assured 7-9 in the WIAC.

[Coach C]

Mr. Ypsi Nailed it!

C

[Greek Tragedy]

Also, that winning percentage is sure to go down once they enter league play (there has only been one league game so far, CMU over Rochester).

To paraphrase the Guiness commercial:  "Brilliant!" 

[Coach C]

I am also surprised at the CAC being that high, but I don't know how the ranking is calcualted and the York success might be more substantial in the ratings than the futility at Goucher.

C

[John Gleich]

Any surprize at the UAA's high standing might be out of place at this point...  Their non-conference winning percentage is the highest in the country at 76%!  The CCIW is only at 65%, even with the three undefeated squads.  The WIAC is at 74%.

I noted this on your other thread, OS, but the WIAC IS still winning about 3/4 of their non-con games (a bit down from the 80% we're used to, but the season isn't over yet).

[Mr. Ypsi]

In defense of the CCIW (though I realize PS wasn't attacking them!), NPU has hit such rock-bottom (2-8, losing at home to a SLIAC school!) that Greg Sager is taking a 'mental health break' from Posting Up (but remember that they have more championship banners than any other team), and Carthage is off to an uncharacteristic start (3-6, but their coach was on the bench for several of NPU's titles - they'll be back!).  Other than them, the conference is winning 80% of their games.

If we add in Wheaton, a perennial national power, who is WAY below standards this year (they graduated 4 of 5 starters, and lost the other [a future conderence MOP, IMO] for 'religious reasons' [not further publicly elaborated] plus two others who probably would have been starters this year - NO team can 'reload' from THAT degree of loss!), the top 5 in the CCIW have won 88% of their non-conference games.

I realize that EVERY conference's record would improve if you 'kick-out' the bottom 2 or 3 (duh! ), but just wanted to explain the 'special circumstances' of the so-far less than stellar CCIW record!

[Titan Q]

I've seen two UAA teams play this season - Chicago and Wash U.  I'm interested to see how they do in the UAA this year so I have some frame of reference on the quality of the league.

I'd take the CCIW's top 4 vs any league's top 4 this year.  In the order I'd rank them right now...

1. Illinois Wesleyan (8-0)
2. Augustana (8-0)
3. Elmhurst (7-2)
4. North Central (8-0)

Augie has played a weak schedule as has North Central, but I think they're both very good teams.  (NCC's head coach is Todd Raridon - the longtime and very successful coach at Nebraska Wesleyan.)

[John Gleich]

I'm going to be VERY interested to see what happens to North Central come conference play.  Will they self-destruct like last season, or will they get it together and have a good conference showing?

Time will tell!

[Coach C]

PS -

I think that one of the reasons that NC has not gotten much Top 25 love this year stems from the self-immolation of last season.  This is a brutal conference and most voters want to see how things pan out a bit.

C

[hugenerd]

Also, that winning percentage is sure to go down once they enter league play (there has only been one league game so far, CMU over Rochester).

To paraphrase the Guiness commercial:  "Brilliant!" 

Guinness is spelled with two n's, but otherwise good joke