South Region playoffs

[Ron Boerger]

I am a brand new member of D3boards and wanted to say hello to everyone on the board and that I have been watching these boards for a while and am very familiar with D3 football especially the South Region.

I saw some of the posts back and forth between muledaddy and a couple of other posters most notably Ron and just wanted to throw my two cents in because franky...that's what these boards are for. While I do believe Wesley to be the favorite for the upcoming game I don't see the legitimate argument when it comes to quality opponents. Muhlenberg beat a quality Johns Hopkins team and lost an overtime game to a quality Moravian team. Most other teams in the South Region really don't have much more than that. I am very curious to see how Johns Hopkins fairs against Catholic and Moravian against Salisbury considering the Centennial is considered to be a "weak conference" by most ... which is warranted ( I guess) based on past playoff performances. I am predicting two Centennial Conference ECAC wins by very narrow margins with the home field advantage tipping the scales.

Wesley is bigger faster stronger than the Mules. But they are on the road, have a week to prepare for a multiple offense that has more big play threats than last year (can't load the box as much as you could last year) and a defense that is still going to blitz you from all over and a more experienced secondary. Mules will lose if they have turnovers and penalties (big problem last couple of weeks). Last weeks wake up call hopefully (you know who I am rooting for) has these guys ready to bring it against a perennial powerhouse. Ace in the hole is the "Duke" Donnelly Mules by a field goal. Muhlenberg is ranked exactly where they should be I see nothing wrong with this ranking except that Wesley is the best 7 seed by far in the NCAA's and they got screwed by a hurricane and this game would probably be in DE otherwise.

Either way we will see go Mules!!!

Welcome - even if our definition of quality opponents differs.   

[exmajor]

Folks,

Forgive me ignorance/oversight here, but I was reading Keith's ATN a moment ago and he stated that if Millsaps wins this weekend, they get the winner of the Texas "sub-bracket" the following week.  I guess I was reading the bracket as is, thinking the winner of W&J/CNU would play the winner of Millsaps/La Grange.  But according to Keith's comments, travel costs must come into play in the later rounds as well.  Can some one shed some light on my tired eyes please?

[old ends]

I am a brand new member of D3boards and wanted to say hello to everyone on the board and that I have been watching these boards for a while and am very familiar with D3 football especially the South Region.

I saw some of the posts back and forth between muledaddy and a couple of other posters most notably Ron and just wanted to throw my two cents in because franky...that's what these boards are for. While I do believe Wesley to be the favorite for the upcoming game I don't see the legitimate argument when it comes to quality opponents. Muhlenberg beat a quality Johns Hopkins team and lost an overtime game to a quality Moravian team. Most other teams in the South Region really don't have much more than that. I am very curious to see how Johns Hopkins fairs against Catholic and Moravian against Salisbury considering the Centennial is considered to be a "weak conference" by most ... which is warranted ( I guess) based on past playoff performances. I am predicting two Centennial Conference ECAC wins by very narrow margins with the home field advantage tipping the scales.

Wesley is bigger faster stronger than the Mules. But they are on the road, have a week to prepare for a multiple offense that has more big play threats than last year (can't load the box as much as you could last year) and a defense that is still going to blitz you from all over and a more experienced secondary. Mules will lose if they have turnovers and penalties (big problem last couple of weeks). Last weeks wake up call hopefully (you know who I am rooting for) has these guys ready to bring it against a perennial powerhouse. Ace in the hole is the "Duke" Donnelly Mules by a field goal. Muhlenberg is ranked exactly where they should be I see nothing wrong with this ranking except that Wesley is the best 7 seed by far in the NCAA's and they got screwed by a hurricane and this game would probably be in DE otherwise.

Either way we will see go Mules!!!

Welcome - even if our definition of quality opponents differs.   

Muledaddy is that you 

[Ralph Turner]

Folks,

Forgive me ignorance/oversight here, but I was reading Keith's ATN a moment ago and he stated that if Millsaps wins this weekend, they get the winner of the Texas "sub-bracket" the following week.  I guess I was reading the bracket as is, thinking the winner of W&J/CNU would play the winner of Millsaps/La Grange.  But according to Keith's comments, travel costs must come into play in the later rounds as well.  Can some one shed some light on my tired eyes please?

Yes, if Millsaps beats LaGrange, then Millsaps hoses the winner of #2 UMHB and #3 HSU.  If the ASC team wins the Millsaps game, then either UMHB or HSU hosts the Regional Final.

[Ron Boerger]

Folks,

Forgive me ignorance/oversight here, but I was reading Keith's ATN a moment ago and he stated that if Millsaps wins this weekend, they get the winner of the Texas "sub-bracket" the following week.  I guess I was reading the bracket as is, thinking the winner of W&J/CNU would play the winner of Millsaps/La Grange.  But according to Keith's comments, travel costs must come into play in the later rounds as well.  Can some one shed some light on my tired eyes please?

Yes, if Millsaps beats LaGrange, then Millsaps hoses the winner of #2 UMHB and #3 HSU.  If the ASC team wins the Millsaps game, then either UMHB or HSU hosts the Regional Final.

Wow, Ralph, Millsaps is going to "hose" the ASC winner?  You really can see into the future!   

[exmajor]

Folks,

Forgive me ignorance/oversight here, but I was reading Keith's ATN a moment ago and he stated that if Millsaps wins this weekend, they get the winner of the Texas "sub-bracket" the following week.  I guess I was reading the bracket as is, thinking the winner of W&J/CNU would play the winner of Millsaps/La Grange.  But according to Keith's comments, travel costs must come into play in the later rounds as well.  Can some one shed some light on my tired eyes please?

Yes, if Millsaps beats LaGrange, then Millsaps hoses the winner of #2 UMHB and #3 HSU.  If the ASC team wins the Millsaps game, then either UMHB or HSU hosts the Regional Final.

Thanks Ralph, sorry I did not take notice of that . . . can't say that does not make my stomach churn some, yikes!

[muledaddy]

Old,
   Please limp in front of the mule stands or,at the very least, near the hotdog stand at halftime, thus giving me a chance to find you and shake yuor hand...the new guy was good......Go Mules

[Bob.Gregg]

[Yes, if Millsaps beats LaGrange, then Millsaps hoses the winner of #2 UMHB and #3 HSU.  If the ASC team wins the Millsaps game, then either UMHB or HSU hosts the Regional Final.

Wait a minute, guys.  That's not the way the D-3 bracket works, at least it never has.

This isn't the NHL where things get re-shuffled every round.  The AA doesn't take the 16 winners from Saturday and re-figure the matchups based on airplane flights.

The bracket is set.  The Millsaps/LaGrange winner faces the W&J/CNU winner.  Period.  If Millsaps wins, they host.  If LaGrange wins, they travel.

Then, in the region finals, the highest remaining seed hosts the final.

[Ralph Turner]

Folks,

Forgive me ignorance/oversight here, but I was reading Keith's ATN a moment ago and he stated that if Millsaps wins this weekend, they get the winner of the Texas "sub-bracket" the following week.  I guess I was reading the bracket as is, thinking the winner of W&J/CNU would play the winner of Millsaps/La Grange.  But according to Keith's comments, travel costs must come into play in the later rounds as well.  Can some one shed some light on my tired eyes please?

Yes, if Millsaps beats LaGrange, then Millsaps hoses   "h-o-s-t-s"   the winner of #2 UMHB and #3 HSU.  If the ASC team wins the Millsaps game, then either UMHB or HSU hosts the Regional Final.

Big-time mess-up!

My BAD!!!!         

[Carl Menist]

[Yes, if Millsaps beats LaGrange, then Millsaps hoses the winner of #2 UMHB and #3 HSU.  If the ASC team wins the Millsaps game, then either UMHB or HSU hosts the Regional Final.

Wait a minute, guys.  That's not the way the D-3 bracket works, at least it never has.

This isn't the NHL where things get re-shuffled every round.  The AA doesn't take the 16 winners from Saturday and re-figure the matchups based on airplane flights.

The bracket is set.  The Millsaps/LaGrange winner faces the W&J/CNU winner.  Period.  If Millsaps wins, they host.  If LaGrange wins, they travel.

Then, in the region finals, the highest remaining seed hosts the final.

This makes more sense to me, but Ralph really seems to be a master of the rules. I briefly reviewed the handbook and did not see an indication that the second round games would be re-bracketed within region based on geographic proximity. However, the comments regarding all of this in the handbook were vague enough to deem a re-bracketing process plausable.

If this is the way it is it really is crazy. Why didn't they go ahead and put the southern teams on the same side of the bracket if geographic proximity and a re-bracketing was anticipated. Seems like Wesley and Muhlenberg would be fairly close to W&J and CNU?

Gotta play the games anyway but it seems like a published bracket should follow the bracket layout once established.

Little help here please??

[exmajor]

[Yes, if Millsaps beats LaGrange, then Millsaps hoses the winner of #2 UMHB and #3 HSU.  If the ASC team wins the Millsaps game, then either UMHB or HSU hosts the Regional Final.

Wait a minute, guys.  That's not the way the D-3 bracket works, at least it never has.

This isn't the NHL where things get re-shuffled every round.  The AA doesn't take the 16 winners from Saturday and re-figure the matchups based on airplane flights.

The bracket is set.  The Millsaps/LaGrange winner faces the W&J/CNU winner.  Period.  If Millsaps wins, they host.  If LaGrange wins, they travel.

Then, in the region finals, the highest remaining seed hosts the final.

This makes more sense to me, but Ralph really seems to be a master of the rules. I briefly reviewed the handbook and did not see an indication that the second round games would be re-bracketed within region based on geographic proximity. However, the comments regarding all of this in the handbook were vague enough to deem a re-bracketing process plausable.

If this is the way it is it really is crazy. Why didn't they go ahead and put the southern teams on the same side of the bracket if geographic proximity and a re-bracketing was anticipated. Seems like Wesley and Muhlenberg would be fairly close to W&J and CNU?

Gotta play the games anyway but it seems like a published bracket should follow the bracket layout once established.

Little help here please??

This is what I meant with my original question, but I did not want to go totally against what Keith said in ATN and what Ralph said on the board, out of respect of course.  I just wanted to find out what the correct answer is.

[Ron Boerger]

Something I don't understand - on the NCAA bracket itself, in the second round it says "seeding first, followed by national rank".  What does THAT mean??

[wesleydad]

ralph, i wish you were correct, i trip to pittsburgh or newport news would be a lot shorter and less expensive than one to texas should wesley win this weekend.  no need to complain about the seedings, they are what they are.  

i expect wesley to be ready to play this weekend.  my concerns will be on the defensive side, the lack of pass rush, which may not hurt if it keeps santagata in the pocket and forces him to throw from there.  if i remember correct, he is good at making things happen scrambling.  wesley has been strong against the run and eventhough the mules are big upfront i dont expect them to have much more success than anyone else has this year.  on offense, wesley is balanced, but the stats are down from last year, partly due to the easier schedule and calling off the dogs early.  much has been made about the change at QB this year at wesley and whether or not they are better for it.  they have certainly changed their philosophy on pass plays with the large majority of them being less than 10 yards.  can that win against a tough defense that crowds the line of scrimmage and without checking the stats, i believe limited beavers impact last year.  the mules blitz, can the new Qb handle the pressure which he has not seen this year?  the running game will get its yards with pennywell and jackson.  this has the makings of a good game which i believe the wolverines win because i just think that they are better.

on the other issue, muledaddy speaks his piece, he and i have gone back and forth from time to time.  he is a great supporter of the mules and deserves credit for it.  i have told him that he goes over the top sometimes and he knows that, but if being excited about your team and your son playing is a crime then please arrest me too, because i have also been known to overspeak from time to time.  i dont believe he meant any disrespect to any other poster.

[Ralph Turner]

Hmmm...

"After further review, the call is overruled."

I completely overlooked the bracket as posted on the NCAA pdf.  (I even went back to the Podcast where Pat Coleman and K-Mack discussed the brackets at 49 minutes to confirm the brackets.)

"My BAD!"

I thought that I had seen the southern half of the bracket working out and going against the northern half of the bracket.  With the restrictions on flights, I had the northern half of the South avoiding plane flights until the Regional finals.

The minimum number of flights that the South Region could have would be #6 CNU at #5 W&J and #7 Wesley at #4 Muhlenberg followed by Winner #6/#5 vs Winner #4/#7 at the higher seed.  All three combinations are within 500 miles.

#2 UMHB can bus to #1 Millsaps, as can #8 LaGrange to Millsaps.  If seeds held to form, then there would be only one plane flight in my mind.  This is where I became confused!

Well, that makes the bracket a little fairer.  If HSU beats UMHB, then the Cowboys could host a game at Thanksgiving.  An HSU victory over UMHB would mean two plane flights in the second round and a plane flight in the third round.

[Ralph Turner]

Something I don't understand - on the NCAA bracket itself, in the second round it says "seeding first, followed by national rank".  What does THAT mean??

Honestly, I don't know!

If the finance guys changed the Willamette bracket before it was released to cut the number of flights, it won't surprise me to see the #2 UMHB (winner over #3 HSU) to be bussed to #1 Millsaps, if the Majors beat LaGrange.