South Region playoffs

[Bill McCabe]

3 C selections from the east is incredible.  I don't get that.

[Bill McCabe]

Ron, I'm just glad UMHB got in the playoffs.  2003 was the worst!  Sorry you have to drive so far for the game.  It's in my backyard, so I'm going to enjoy it again this year! Based on the 3 C selections in the east, HSU has got a real beef.

[Bob.Gregg]

Ron, I'm just glad UMHB got in the playoffs.  2003 was the worst!  Sorry you have to drive so far for the game.  It's in my backyard, so I'm going to enjoy it again this year! Based on the 3 C selections in the east, HSU has got a real beef.

Bill, I like most things you post, but what's HSU's beef?

HSU has a .778 regional winning percentage.  Nobody in any serious consideration had lower. (Cortland, by the way, had the same).

HSU has a 9.556 QOWI, the LOWEST among the D3 Dozen!
HSU's only game against a team IN the tournament, they lost to UMHB 38-7.

Wilkes has a higher regional winning percentage AND a higher QOWI.
Wilkes only game against a team IN the tournament, they lost to Del. Vall. 17-14.

Capital has a higher regional winning percentage AND a higher QOWI.
Capital's only game against a team IN the tournament, they lost to Mt. Union, 42-24.

Cortland has the same regional winning percentage, a higher QOWI AND a win against a regionally ranked opponent (Ithaca). Cortland also lost to Rowan, another tournament team, 24-16.

WHAT'S HSU's beef?

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

[...]
Congrats, BC.  You got the home game UMHB deserved.   

So what's the big deal?

When BC gets screwed out of a first round home game almost every year, perhaps you will understand.  Of course, you'd have to be in the top half of the bracket most every year to begin with. 

Why should MHB fans constantly have to make a road trip, even a "short" one?   There are a lot of people who aren't able to waste six hours on the road to take in a game. 

Like I said, if things play out the way it looks like it should (on paper), MHB will get two home games.  Enjoy just being in the playoffs.  If BC had to travel to Thiel or if we were shipped to the East Region, those who could (financially, time-wise) would pack up and go ... fair or not.  Those who couldn't make it can listen to it on a local station or via the net.

I just don't see this as harp-worthy.  Talk to Linfield who has to face the #6-ranked team in the country first round.  Talk to Monmouth who went undefeated and has to travel 477 miles.  Talk to Alfred who should have made the playoffs (criteria-wise) but is sitting at home.

Beat Howard Payne and this wouldn't be a problem.  Had BC not gotten a home game, it wouldn't have been the NCAA's fault.  We didn't get it done versus McDaniel.

[frank uible]

How in the hell did Thiel get in the South Region? It's an hour and a half from Cleveland! I know... I know the answer, but this is ridiculous.

[Ron Boerger]

• 2002:  Undefeated UMHB is the fifth-ranked team in the country.  The NCAA ships them to #4 Trinity in the first round.  UMHB loses 48-38.
• 2003: UMHB, at 9-1, is not invited to the playoffs.
• 2004: In a similar situation to this season, UMHB loses a game (to HSU) and is shipped to San Antonio.  Ranked #8 in the country, they are shipped to #7 Trinity and this time pull away to win, 32-13.   
• 2005: #4 UMHB gets to go to #8 Trinity for the third time in four years.  This could be the toughest matchup in the whole bracket, and it's going to happen in the first round. 

Despite being ranked in the top ten at the end of three of the last four regular seasons, the 2004 national runner-up has never been granted a home playoff game by the NCAA.  And each time they have made the playoffs, their seed was high enough under normal circumstances to merit a home game. 

I understand why Oxy and Linfield fans are unhappy; I think they should be, and it's the same friggin' reason why I'm unhappy.  But it hasn't happened to them three out of the last four years.  Like I said earlier, it's really easy to pooh-pooh this when you're not the ones impacted.  The NCAA would pair these teams up even if they were #1 and #2  in the country (by whatever measure) just so they could save a plane trip.   

BC is the (innocent) beneficiary of the NCAA's stupidity.  I'm not mad at BC, you didn't do anything to deserve it, but that's the whole point.  You're getting a home game that belongs to someone else.    If it was W&J or Ferrum or anyone seeded 5-8 I would say the exact same thing to them. 

[miz]

• 2002:  Undefeated UMHB is the fifth-ranked team in the country.  The NCAA ships them to #4 Trinity in the first round.  UMHB loses 48-38.
• 2003: UMHB, at 9-1, is not invited to the playoffs.
• 2004: In a similar situation to this season, UMHB loses a game (to HSU) and is shipped to San Antonio.  Ranked #8 in the country, they are shipped to #7 Trinity and this time pull away to win, 32-13.   
• 2005: #4 UMHB gets to go to #8 Trinity for the third time in four years.  This could be the toughest matchup in the whole bracket, and it's going to happen in the first round. 

Despite being ranked in the top ten at the end of three of the last four regular seasons, the 2004 national runner-up has never been granted a home playoff game by the NCAA. 

I understand why Oxy and Linfield fans are unhappy; I think they should be, and it's the same friggin' reason why I'm unhappy.  But it hasn't happened to them three out of the last four years.  Like I said earlier, it's really easy to pooh-pooh this when you're not the ones impacted.  The NCAA would pair these teams up even if they were #1 and #2  in the country (by whatever measure) just so they could save a plane trip.   

BC is the (innocent) beneficiary of the NCAA's stupidity.  I'm not mad at BC, you didn't do anything to deserve it, but that's the whole point.  You're getting a home game that belongs to someone else.    If it was W&J I would say the exact same thing to them. 

Based on this season's results (which is what the pairing are based on) explain to me why MHB "deserves it" so much compared to BC and W&J?  They lost by 4 TD's to a non-playoff team.  W&J lost a much closer game to an undefeated playoff squad.  BC 2005 performance is comparable to MHB, not better or worse. 

Again, like kid said, if you beat the teams you should have beaten than it would be a non-issue.  You lose (like BC and W&J did also) and it becomes much more subjective. 

And the fact that MHB got to the Stagg Bowl last year is great (it really is great, that is not meant to be a sarcastic statement), but it doesn't mean anything in terms of this season. 

[imad3fanatic]

• 2002:  Undefeated UMHB is the fifth-ranked team in the country.  The NCAA ships them to #4 Trinity in the first round.  UMHB loses 48-38.
• 2003: UMHB, at 9-1, is not invited to the playoffs.
• 2004: In a similar situation to this season, UMHB loses a game (to HSU) and is shipped to San Antonio.  Ranked #8 in the country, they are shipped to #7 Trinity and this time pull away to win, 32-13.   
• 2005: #4 UMHB gets to go to #8 Trinity for the third time in four years.  This could be the toughest matchup in the whole bracket, and it's going to happen in the first round. 

Despite being ranked in the top ten at the end of three of the last four regular seasons, the 2004 national runner-up has never been granted a home playoff game by the NCAA. 

I understand why Oxy and Linfield fans are unhappy; I think they should be, and it's the same friggin' reason why I'm unhappy.  But it hasn't happened to them three out of the last four years.  Like I said earlier, it's really easy to pooh-pooh this when you're not the ones impacted.  The NCAA would pair these teams up even if they were #1 and #2  in the country (by whatever measure) just so they could save a plane trip.   

BC is the (innocent) beneficiary of the NCAA's stupidity.  I'm not mad at BC, you didn't do anything to deserve it, but that's the whole point.  You're getting a home game that belongs to someone else.    If it was W&J I would say the exact same thing to them. 

Based on this season's results (which is what the pairing are based on) explain to me why MHB "deserves it" so much compared to BC and W&J?  They lost by 4 TD's to a non-playoff team.  W&J lost a much closer game to an undefeated playoff squad.  BC 2005 performance is comparable to MHB, not better or worse. 

Again, like kid said, if you beat the teams you should have beaten than it would be a non-issue.  You lose (like BC and W&J did also) and it becomes much more subjective. 

And the fact that MHB got to the Stagg Bowl last year is great (it really is great, that is not meant to be a sarcastic statement), but it doesn't mean anything in terms of this season. 
[/quote

UMHB lost by 4 points to Howard Payne and they led in the game until the last minute.
Howard Payne finished 7/3 and tied HSU for 2bd in the ASC.

[Ron Boerger]

Based on this season's results (which is what the pairing are based on) explain to me why MHB "deserves it" so much compared to BC and W&J?  They lost by 4 TD's to a non-playoff team.  W&J lost a much closer game to an undefeated playoff squad.  BC 2005 performance is comparable to MHB, not better or worse. 

1.  Because the NCAA's own seeding/ranking process said so.  You know that 3 is better than either 5 or 6?
2.  They lost on a last-second TD pass to a 7-3 team, not by "four touchdowns."   Good try. 

Again, like kid said, if you beat the teams you should have beaten than it would be a non-issue.  You lose (like BC and W&J did also) and it becomes much more subjective. 

See 2002 above.  When they did, they got shipped to SA.  And even had UMHB won out this year, #2 seed Trinity would have been shipped to #1 seed UMHB.  That is just as bad (actually, worse). 

And the fact that MHB got to the Stagg Bowl last year is great (it really is great, that is not meant to be a sarcastic statement), but it doesn't mean anything in terms of this season. 

The fact that a three-time top ten team has never had a home playoff game is much more significant, I agree. 

While I am using UMHB as the most egregious example of the NCAA screwing teams, don't be mistaken.   What I am really complaining about is the fact that highly ranked teams in Texas will not ever get a fair shake in the playoff process until the NCAA changes the way it looks at playoffs.  That may be never, but that doesn't make it right. 

[Kelly Boggs]

miz,

FYI: UMHB lost by 4 points to HPU, not 4 TD's.

[Bill McCabe]

Bob.Gregg, I don't think the east teams are nearly as strong as HSU and 3 of them got pool C invites.  HSU is in if they beat TLU, so most of the problem is their own doing.   I would like to have seen them get in.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

[...]
While I am using UMHB as the most egregious example of the NCAA screwing teams, don't be mistaken.   What I am really complaining about is the fact that highly ranked teams in Texas will not ever get a fair shake in the playoff process until the NCAA changes the way it looks at playoffs.  That may be never, but that doesn't make it right. 

Try looking at it this way ... had the south region been 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, and 4-5 w/ the matchups, then MHB (being the third seed) would have a home game (against W&J).  If they won, and Thiel beat Ferrum, then MHB would have to travel to Thiel (away from home).  If they won that and Trinity won their two games, then MHB would once again have to play a game away from home.

But with it 1-3, 4-7, 2-8, and 5-6, MHB is away from home in the first round.  If they win, then they get to host either Ferrum or Wesley.  If they win that, they would more than likely face W&J or Bridgewater (another home game).

So in the scenario they actually have, they more than likely will get two home games before flying out west.  In the 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5 scenario, you'd likely get one home game.

This might actually benefit them.

[Bill McCabe]

I don't know Ron, UMHB did pretty good last year on the road.   They are a superstitious bunch and wore all white uniforms for every game in the playoffs.  Can the home team choose to wear white?   Go CRU!

[miz]

miz,

FYI: UMHB lost by 4 points to HPU, not 4 TD's.

Yes, I see that now.  I don't know what I was looking at. 

[Pat Coleman]

My hypothetical yesterday included nothing about Trinity winning, Bob.

Yes but you did mention a "sleeper" team in Wesley who would play on Wesley's fieldturf if they both won in the first round. Correct? I assume that with the seedings now posted that that game would be played in Texas.

Yes, now that we have actual seedings, that's out the window.

However, UMHB does have field turf also.