South Region playoffs

[SaintsFAN]

WOW... You went there.  They may have to!

[Frank Rossi]

Sunday on a special "Selection Sunday" edition of "In the HuddLLe" at http://inthehuddlle.com, we will be joined by Joy Solomen, this year's NCAA Division III Football Championship Committee Chairwoman.  She will discuss the bracketing process -- from selection of the Field of 32 to the placement and seeding of those teams.

In order to make the interview more interactive, we would ask those with questions to post those questions between 3:30pm EST and 5:00pm EST to the "East Region Playoffs" message board on Sunday (following the release of the brackets).  We will not just focus on the Liberty League team in the mix or even just the East Region -- we will discuss any surprises and concerns that become evident once the brackets are released.

In addition to Chairwoman Solomen, we will interview Liberty League Commissioner Timothy Danehy, speak with the coach of the Liberty League team that wins tomorrow's League Championship Game and discuss the team the Liberty League participant will face.  Please join us starting at 7:30pm EST at http://inthehuddlle.com (or for the archive starting at around 10:00pm EST).

[Frank Rossi]

We just finished our "In the HuddLLe" interview with Dr. Joy Solomen, Chairwoman of the NCAA Division III Football Championship Committee.  I have to admit, I learned some things during the call -- and I'm sure readers will want to hear what she said about strength of schedule issues, the East as a whole and the way to avoid Mount Union at the top of the East Bracket every year.

Tune in at http://inthehuddlle.com at 7:30pm EST for the interview and a lot more.

[Ralph Turner]

First try at a South Region Bracket

1) Wesley "B"
2) UMHB "A"
3) TMC "A"
4) HSC :"A" 
5) HSU Pool C bid but likely paired with UMHB in the first round
6) DPU "A"  (First round at TMC)
7) USAC "A"
8) East Region team moved to South Region.

My Pool B's are Wesley, CRWU and an undefeated Maritime.

CWRU can be moved into the East if needed to fill the bracket

[HSC85]

That is a great "logical" way to put the bracket together.  One question that I would have is what happens to the CC, winner a possible undefeated Ursinus?

[Ralph Turner]

That is a great "logical" way to put the bracket together.  One question that I would have is what happens to the CC, winner a possible undefeated Ursinus?

I  think that they may be moved East.

When I wrote that, I was thinking that SUNY-Maritime might make a good #8 for #1 Wesley.


Okay, this.


1) Wesley "B"
2) UMHB "A"
3) TMC "A"
4) HSC :"A"
5) CC Champ
5) HSU Pool C bid but likely paired with UMHB in the first round
6) DPU "A"  (First round at TMC)
8) USAC "A"

Does the CC get a first round game in the "East" Region?

[DPU3619]

I've been chewing the cud on the DePauw situation pretty heavy since Saturday.  Do they stay in the South this year?  Does the NCAA move them to the North and still pair them with TMC again like last season? TMC could easily go East, too.

DePauw & TMC are tough because they're so close to all those North region schools.  There's probably 10 playoff teams that are within driving distance of both schools.  Meanwhile, TMC is the only school in the bracket Ralph constructed that DePauw can drive to.  Everybody else is too far.  Now we're starting to assume that people are beating other people, which is assuming a lot.  However, it's a lot cheaper to move both TMC & DePauw to the North and drive them to Witt or North Central, for example, or even have Trine or IWU come to them. 

Just thinking out loud here....

[Ralph Turner]

I've been chewing the cud on the DePauw situation pretty heavy since Saturday.  Do they stay in the South this year?  Does the NCAA move them to the North and still pair them with TMC again like last season? TMC could easily go East, too.

DePauw & TMC are tough because they're so close to all those North region schools.  There's probably 10 playoff teams that are within driving distance of both schools.  Meanwhile, TMC is the only school in the bracket Ralph constructed that DePauw can drive to.  Everybody else is too far.  Now we're starting to assume that people are beating other people, which is assuming a lot.  However, it's a lot cheaper to move both TMC & DePauw to the North and drive them to Witt or North Central, for example, or even have Trine or IWU come to them.  

Just thinking out loud here....

When does the NCAA want to start paying for flights?  Second round games?  That is what we have seen in the ASC.  E.g., the HSU-UMHB winner requires a flight for a second round game.  Someone has to fly.  Why not the DPU-TMC winner in the second round either fly to or host the second round fly-in?

[Bob.Gregg]

First regional rankings from NCAA:

SOUTH REGION In-Region Record Overall Record
 
1. Hampden-Sydney 7-0 7-0
2. Mary Hardin-Baylor 6-0 7-0
3. Wesley 4-0 7-0
4. DePauw 7-0 7-0
5. Thomas More 7-0 7-0
6. Ursinus 7-0 7-0
7. Salisbury 4-1 6-1
8. Hardin-Simmons 7-1 7-1
9. Randolph-Macon 7-1 7-1
10. Washington and Jefferson 5-2 5-2

[wesleydad]

as i dont have all the info, still it seems odd that wesley is at 3, looks like due to the fact that they only have 4 in region wins compared to hampden's 7 and umhb's 6.  then how do you explain salisbury ahead of either hardin simmons or macon.  as some have said this will work itself out, still looks funny to me.

[crufootball]

Stuff like this never stops surprising me, I don't know why I expect things like regional rankings or playoff seeding to make sense but every year it surprises when stuff like this happens. Things shouldn't have to work themselves out, if team A is the best team they should be ranked #1 right now and right now Wesley has seemed to impress everyone with the exception of whoever made the South region ranking. And I know in a week or two things probably will work themselves out and Wesley will be #1 which will make no sense by these rankings because that will only mean they beat teams they should have as the #3 team.

PS Excuse me for the small rant but I figure if I get it out my system now I might avoid a larger one when it is announced that UMHB will be facing HSU in the first round....again.

[Toby Taff]

PS Excuse me for the small rant but I figure if I get it out my system now I might avoid a larger one when it is announced that UMHB will be facing HSU in the first round....again.

No.  the bitterness will still be there.

[Teamski]

When I first saw the rankings I almost threw up  , but on seeing UWW and MUC's rankings, I knew that things would sort themselves out....   Whew......

-Ski

[PA_wesleyfan]

 I just looked at the updated strength of schedules and Wesley jumped all the way up to # 5 after yesterdays game. They don't have a week to week set-up like the poll so it's hard to see what teams have chnaged by comparison this week... But it will certainly change over the next two weeks.

[Teamski]

I just looked at the updated strength of schedules and Wesley jumped all the way up to # 5 after yesterdays game. They don't have a week to week set-up like the poll so it's hard to see what teams have chnaged by comparison this week... But it will certainly change over the next two weeks.

....And if Kean wins next week, they will be 6-3 going into Dover.... 

-Ski