FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[MSU Pride]

And the fact that MSU beat Rowan 27-7 doesn't hold any water bc Acorsi changed his QB??

[RedDragonFan]

Here's a thought on how to earn some quick respect for the NJAC.  Take down MUC in an early round of the playoffs. Any NJAC team doing this would yield instant credibility no? 

[dlippiel]

I think a better argument is how at the time #19 Alfred lost to RPI, but then beat SJF and came back to 20th.  But a highly ranked MSU lost to a very good Cortland team by 1 and dropped that much.  It's surprising to say the least.  

It is but I don't think it's unprecedented. Voter confidence in Montclair has clearly been pretty soft, and now, potentially, you "have" to rank two NJAC teams above them. You either have to vote for three NJAC teams or pick and choose which side of the triangle you leave out. No-win situation for a voter to have three 1-loss teams who all split against each other and try to choose where to put them.

I 100% understand and agree on the 3-headed NJAC monster, but Montclair's previous ranking usually would have held more weight.  We've seen teams have pretty bad losses but keep decent poll #'s because of their previous ranking.  It just didn't happen this time, and i'd hardly call this a devastating loss by any means.  Just a different ranking outcome than a lot of people are used to I guess.

-Bless You All

Solid  

[JT]

Its better to lose early and win late.  Happens in all divisions of college football.  I think it is also better to lose early and win late for playoff consideration.  This is just my opinion and not fact.

I do think that the NJAC is a much better league all around then in the 90's.  Less certain gimmies.  Except for West Conn which is clearly down, all the other teams are decent... no one is really horrible.  The years of rolling over teams like Willy P may be gone.  The defenses are better.  And sometimes they have the offenses to match.

It used to be that Rowan could mail it in against Willy P, Kean, Jersey City.  Get pull away wins against Cortland or Montclair.  Or lose to them, then blow them out in the playoffs.

Hell... Accorsi or Keeler used to visit with the tailgaters pre-2005 before games like Willy P, then roll 'em by 70.

[HScoach]

Here's a thought on how to earn some quick respect for the NJAC.  Take down MUC in an early round of the playoffs. Any NJAC team doing this would yield instant credibility no? 

Bingo.  Read post on the East Region Playoff thread. 

http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=4930.2670

[clandfan]

In fairness, I can't find much difference between any of the teams from #15 to #25.  It's understandable how 1 win or loss can catapult a team 10+ spots.

C'mon Dan...this late in the season?  Why bother with a poll at all if it is that tenuous in week 9.  They dropped 13 spots?  It is a slap in the face to NJAC and Cortland in particular...Cortland beat them....they must really suck.  The poll is what sucks.

Clandfan: Welcome to D3football.com. Feel free to put your own national poll of 25 voters together if you don't like this one. You'll find this job isn't easy. Move outside the East Region boards and you will see many people seeing what Dan said.

I don't think too many people were going to put three NJAC teams in the Top 25. That's the bottom line. Look at the point totals: Rowan 62, Cortland State 62, Montclair State 51. Splitting the NJAC vote, yes? I don't think the NJAC has enough national cred the last few years to demand three Top 25 teams, and with a three-way split there isn't enough support.

Pat: why is it that NJAC has lost National credibility in the last few years?  Is it because TCNJ lost to Mount Union in the Second round in 2007, or because Cortland lost to Mount Union in the Third round in 2008 or is it because Montclair lost to Mount Union in the Second round last year? 

It's not who you lost to. Who'd you beat?

Well...4 Playoff teams to start with.  We have wins against each other.  If I am not mistaken, Montclair had wins against Wesley and Albright a few years ago (and got thumped by Cortland).  there are wins against Lycoming, Wilkes, Ursinus are a few that come to mind.  

With a 10 team league, I am curious who you think we should play?  We (Cortland) have lost 3 in a row to Ithaca...does that mean we are bad or are they good?  

If the "gold standard" is an undefeated team...that will be a rarity in the east.  There are more teams, there is more parity.  NCAA encourages regional competition but wants a National tournament.  Frank Rossi argues some excellent points to this end that I won't do justice to reiterate.   The deck is stacked against the east

Not all playoff teams are created equal. The nation doesn't stand up and take notice when someone beats Maine Maritime or Westfield State, which are the last two non-NJAC teams that Montclair has played, or even Plymouth State or Curry.  There is no reason the East reps can't go undefeated -- that's ridiculous.

Westfield State didn't seem to matter much when Montclair was ranked 13.  Montclair didn't "choose" to play Maine Maritime nor did Cortland "choose" to play Plymouth State or Curry.  They just took care of their business.

I think it is ridiculous to indict an entire region because of parity at the top of its conferences.   No, we don't have an MUC or a UWW...how many conferences do?  A week ago, everyone is gushing at the possibility of Montclair running the table, getting a #1 seed in the East.  In seven seconds they go from potential number one seed to out of the poll...and you don't have a problem with that?   

[Pat Coleman]

Westfield State didn't seem to matter much when Montclair was ranked 13. 

It absolutely did. It kept Montclair from being ranked higher. Instead they were ranked very closely to Trine, a similarly unbeaten team without a strong out-of-conference opponent. And I've mentioned Westfield on more than one occasion -- not sure if I did it here on the board but definitely in the podcast.

[clandfan]

Westfield State didn't seem to matter much when Montclair was ranked 13. 

It absolutely did. It kept Montclair from being ranked higher. Instead they were ranked very closely to Trine, a similarly unbeaten team without a strong out-of-conference opponent. And I've mentioned Westfield on more than one occasion -- not sure if I did it here on the board but definitely in the podcast.

So, I'm curious then...if not for Westfield St. holding them down, who exactly did Montclair beat that would have warranted them higher than 13?  an unranked Rowan in week 2?  How can you say this and at the same time say pollsters were wary of an overrated Montclair?

[Pat Coleman]

Eventually teams just float to the top. More so in the AFCA poll, but still in ours too.

[clandfan]

Eventually teams just float to the top. More so in the AFCA poll, but still in ours too.

LOL:  and apparently sink like a rock.

[RedDragonFan]

Here's a thought on how to earn some quick respect for the NJAC.  Take down MUC in an early round of the playoffs. Any NJAC team doing this would yield instant credibility no? 

Bingo.  Read post on the East Region Playoff thread. 

http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=4930.2670

Excellent post HScoach.  If you're assessments are correct then the stars are maybe aligned for a playoff loss for MUC.  I agree it has to happen in an early round before the purple steamroller gains momentum as they progress through the brackets.  The power "expecting to win" has on a team and as important, on it's opponents, is amazing!

[rams1102]

Speaking of the AFCA, their new Poll today has Cortland #22, Montclair #24 and Fisher #25. Rowan comes in at #28. This is what I sort of expected from the D3 Poll. IMHO at this point I disagree with the D3 Poll and agree with the AFCA. Life is all about debate. I'm sure this will keep going.

[JT]

Here's a thought on how to earn some quick respect for the NJAC.  Take down MUC in an early round of the playoffs. Any NJAC team doing this would yield instant credibility no? 

Bingo.  Read post on the East Region Playoff thread. 

http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=4930.2670

Excellent post HScoach.  If you're assessments are correct then the stars are maybe aligned for a playoff loss for MUC.  I agree it has to happen in an early round before the purple steamroller gains momentum as they progress through the brackets.  The power "expecting to win" has on a team and as important, on it's opponents, is amazing!

He's a very solid OAC analyst and Mount fan.  Generally, it means that Mount just wins playoff games by 14 instead of 35-40.  Occasionally, teams like Trinity, TX pull it out

[clandfan]

Eventually teams just float to the top. More so in the AFCA poll, but still in ours too.

I understand that this is not rocket science and that, eventually, someone from the east has to be beat a MUC or UWW or high caliber OOC team.   I just think that the indictment of the east being weak for failure to produce a high caliber undefeated team is harsh given the number of teams, shared talent pool, and parity at the top of conferences.  I think that is given far too little consideration in the argument.  

Ok..done.  Won't beat a dead horse.  

Props Montclair.  Undeserved.

[clandfan]

Speaking of the AFCA, their new Poll today has Cortland #22, Montclair #24 and Fisher #25. Rowan comes in at #28. This is what I sort of expected from the D3 Poll. IMHO at this point I disagree with the D3 Poll and agree with the AFCA. Life is all about debate. I'm sure this will keep going.

I think this is reasonable.  I think the whole Fisher thing is interesting.  It's like comparing apples and oranges.  Offensive team vs. the Defense of Cortland / Montclair.  I like their team.  I don't know who is better.  QB is really good. 

I do not, for the life of me, understand Alfred loss to UR though.