FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Trin9-0]

What Frank is trying to say is that the NESCAC is afraid of letting it's football teams compete in the NCAA playoffs because they would beat-up the rest of the teams in the country so badly and the NESCAC could be held liable for any injuries that may occur to these poor unsuspecting victims of NESCAC football superiority.

[Pat Coleman]

Even if the league presidents were to added a game to the schedule it would be a  NESCAC opponent who they don't play... not an out of conference team.

Are you sure that's an automatic?

[Jonny Utah]

Even if the league presidents were to added a game to the schedule it would be a  NESCAC opponent who they don't play... not an out of conference team.

Are you sure that's an automatic?

Yea.  I could see it being more of a possibility that the NESCAC just lets teams play one non-league game in the first week than add a whole round of games.  Then teams could play or not play if they wanted to in a game that doesnt really count anyway!

Norwich/Middlebury
Hamilton/Union/IC/Hobart
Trinity/CGA
Tufts/MIT

[dewcrew88]

Even if the league presidents were to added a game to the schedule it would be a  NESCAC opponent who they don't play... not an out of conference team.

Are you sure that's an automatic?

I wouldn't mind seeing Middlebury/Norwich face off... I think it would be a decent game.

[Trin9-0]

Based on the tradition of exclusion in regards to NESCAC football I would be shocked if in the unlikely event that a 9th game were added that the league would allow it to be against a non-league opponent.

I'm not saying it's better or worse, it's just my opinion on what would happen. And while there is clearly a stong sentiment to bring back the Midd-Norwich game in VT, I think most NESCAC fans would want to see a hypothetical 9th game be played against a league opponent so that all the teams in the NESCAC would play each other.


I suppose in the end it's a waste of time even discussing the possibility because an additional game is nowhere in site.

[frank uible]

It is a waste of time and other resources.

[Jonny Utah]

Based on the tradition of exclusion in regards to NESCAC football I would be shocked if in the unlikely event that a 9th game were added that the league would allow it to be against a non-league opponent.

I'm not saying it's better or worse, it's just my opinion on what would happen. And while there is clearly a stong sentiment to bring back the Midd-Norwich game in VT, I think most NESCAC fans would want to see a hypothetical 9th game be played against a league opponent so that all the teams in the NESCAC would play each other.


I suppose in the end it's a waste of time even discussing the possibility because an additional game is nowhere in site.

Probably.

Just thinking the last non-league games the nescac had was the Trin/CGA game...

[Col. Partridge]

Up until maybe 1992(?) when the NESCAC went to a closed schedule, Wesleyan played CGA every year, too.   I think Williams played Union, and Amherst played WPI.  I'm sure there were others, but they all came to a stop the same year.

EDIT:  I just checked the NESCAC webpage.  1991 was the last year of out-of-conference games.   That year, Trinity and Wesleyan played Coast Guard; Amherst and Bowdoin played WPI; Hamilton played Union and Middlebury played Norwich. 

[frank uible]

As recently as the 1950s some NESCAC-to-be colleges were playing (and at times defeating) certain Ivy League colleges, at least one of which was a nationally ranked "major" college at the year of play.

[BTEXPRESS]

Does anyone know for sure if the 9th game is really up for discussion by the Athletic Departments of the NESCAC teams or is this a pipe dream for all of us message board types??

[met_fan]

Army was pretty good in the 1950s too

[bant551]

I am going to see Army play Tulsa in a few weeks.

[frank uible]

In the 50s Army played at least one Ivy but not, to my memory, any NESCAC-to-be although U.S. military bases with their Korean War era teams manned partly with former and future pro players and former major college players did play certain NESCAC-to-bes.

[Trin9-0]

Does anyone know for sure if the 9th game is really up for discussion by the Athletic Departments of the NESCAC teams or is this a pipe dream for all of us message board types??

I think more than a few NESCAC athletic departments are in favor of a 9th game (most of the head football coaches for sure). However, because the presidents make the final decision I'm afraid this issue will remain a "pipe dream".

[met_fan]

It's too bad - I would submit that football causes fewer class disruptions than many other sports.  No weekday games, one game per week - extending the season wouldn't change that.  I'd like to compare the schedule of a Middlebury student who plays football with that of one who plays hockey through the end of March.

I think more than a few NESCAC athletic departments are in favor of a 9th game (most of the head football coaches for sure). However, because the presidents make the final decision I'm afraid this issue will remain a "pipe dream".