FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Veek]

Congrats to BU today.  They definitely wanted it more than the J's today.  I can't believe how many times they converted on 3rd and 4th downs.  Those plays combined with the J's shooting themselves in the foot on four or five more plays were the differences in the game.

I hope Porta is going to be all right for the playoffs.

Maybe this is the wakeup call that we needed.  If so, I'm glad it happened today and not next week.

[bleednavyblue_GoBU]

long time reader...never a poster.

Great college football game today at St. John's.  Congrats to both teams on the conference championship.  For a small college football fan that is as good as it gets.  The game was won up front at the line of scrimmage with the Bethel D-line stuffing the run (44 yrds rushing) & Bethel's O-line controlling the clock and opening up running lanes.  Bethel will go as far as their O-line takes them, and after seeing those men work all day and getting that type of push it could be a long way.  Bethel needs to make up for all those 1 and done years in the playoffs.  I was very impressed with the SJU Quarterback...great player

Key Plays:
Fumble Fumble sequence at end of first half...
Wetzell finding Lee under intense pressure from the blitz
Loftrip falling over the 15 yard line while going in for a touchdown (missed field goal 3 plays later)
All the HUGE 3rd and 4th down conversions BU converts to keep SJU's offense of the field and cold on the sideline. 

DIII loves to save money on travel in the first few rounds of the playoffs...I see the region like this...

#8 St.Norbert at #1 Whitewater
#7 Occidental at #2 Whitworth
#6 SJU at #3 Central
#5 LaX at #4 Bethel.

Go MIAC...would love a SJU vs. Bethel rematch at Armstrong stadium!

21+ for a monkey stomp huh??...well we will just call this one a johnnie stomp then:)

[sjusection105]

MR & RA-

Your squad was the better team today, no doubt about that.

I was surprised that: 1.) Bethel didn't panic & stayed with their game plan after being down 13-0
2.) SJU wasn't ready "for business" after a week off to prepare for a conference title game.
3.) SJU couldn't stop Wenzell time & time again on the same play 3rd & medium yardage
4.) Bethel scored 28 unanswered points
Congratulations to Bethel!

[farley101]

Gotta hand it to BU today, they wanted it more and took it.  Its been a long time since I've seen the defense unable to make adjustments to what was happening, but thats what was happening.  I agree that you could tell the play before it even happened and they were still able to do it.  I realize that o-line for bethel had some hogs on it but there's gotta be a way to get around em.  I didn't leave early but I thought about it.  It was frustrating to watch but the better team on the day won so kudos for that.  Maybe this will give the Jays a kick in the butt and make them realize they can't sleepwalk through games and still win, plays must be made otherwise games like this happen.  That Lofboom trip was a killer, he didn't even trip on a line, just his feet and open turf.  It pretty well described the game, they came so close but tripped up and lost.  Uggh  Congrats BU. 

[BVHawk]

Congrats Bethel!  Seems to be an improved team from the one we saw in week 1.

Good luck in the post season.

[Retired Old Rat]

Congratulations to Bethel on a well deserved win today.  I thought the Johnnies were looking pretty good at 13 - 0.  I walked over to the Bethel sideline after that and was standing near the Bethel bench when the fumble/fumble sequence happened.  You could really see how pumped up the Bethel team was coming off the field when they make it 13 - 7.  Still, I was feeling pretty good.

I have not seen an SJU team outplayed like this in a long time.  MUC playoff game in 2001 comes to mind.

Bethel was clearly the better team today in all aspects.  I hope Porta is healthy for the playoffs.

How in the H E double toothpicks did this team lose to Carlton?

LAB, great analysis.  I was cringing the entire time I was reading it.

Great Stiftungsfest today.  Great to see everyone.  Especially the out of towners like 56321 and the tmertons.  Thanks for the Chicago sausage and the left coast beer.

[BVHawk]

Also, congrats to St. John's for (more than likely) making the post season as well!

[Veek]

It was great seeing Zip today and thanks for the wonderful Chicago polish sausages.  They were great!

Keep the faith, Zip.  SJU learned a lesson today that can help them in the playoffs.

[johnnie_esq]

1.  UW-Whitewater
2.  Central
3.  Bethel
4.  Whitworth
5.  Occidental
6.  UW-LaCrosse
7.  St. John's
8.  St. Norbert's

Right teams, but I think you need to switch LaCrosse and BU.  LaCrosse's one loss was to the #1 seed; there is no way you can penalize them for a loss there; BU's loss was to Carleton, who won't quite rank here.  While BU did beat SJU, I don't see that being enough to jump from 7 to 3 in the regional rankings.  I see the following:

1.  UW-Whitewater
2.  Central
3.  UW-LaCrosse
4.  Whitworth
5.  Occidental
6.  Bethel
7.  St. John's
8.  St. Norbert's

With the typical 8 at 1, 7 at 2, 6 at 3 and 5 at 4 matchups.  St. Nubs won't be happy about being an undefeated number 8 seed, but they weren't given much respect to begin with in the regional rankings.  This will minimize travel with all within the 500 mile restrictions, and create some good matchups.  The only one I think really screwed here is Oxy, who is an undefeated conference champ on the road (again!), but not much can be done about that I fear.

Some of the powers believe UW-LaCrosse may not make it in because they only played 7 regional games.  I'd be shocked if they took Cortland State over UW-LaX (one defeated a scholarship D1-AA team on the road, the other did not).  You make the call.

[DutchFan2004]

Johnnie esq

Not to rain on the SJU parade but from reading some other posts don't be to sure about SJU.  The QoWI is the lowest in the region and they have not wins over regionally ranked teams.  Some of the posters think that will leave them home and ship a team West.  UWL is the other bubble team and they don't have a win either against a regionally ranked team.  I sure didn't see this coming.  St Norbert has a much better QoWI than SJU and UWL they might pull out the 7 seed if SJU gets in.  Tuff to know what the commitee will do with that. 

[retagent]

LAB - I tried to post you a Nice Job on your analysis earlier, but I couldn't get it to take. You are "NOSTRA-LAB-US". Now since I have the ability to karmalize, which I did, as well as sfury for the play-by-play. Unsettling as it was.

[Retired Old Rat]

MR, one team played a great game today.  It was NOT SJU. 

[johnnie_esq]

Johnnie esq

Not to rain on the SJU parade but from reading some other posts don't be to sure about SJU.  The QoWI is the lowest in the region and they have not wins over regionally ranked teams.  Some of the posters think that will leave them home and ship a team West.  UWL is the other bubble team and they don't have a win either against a regionally ranked team.  I sure didn't see this coming.  St Norbert has a much better QoWI than SJU and UWL they might pull out the 7 seed if SJU gets in.  Tuff to know what the commitee will do with that. 

Hey, I said above that I would give our bid to Linfield if I could.  Not Cortland State, but Linfield. 

The question goes to the regional rankings-- SJU drops from # 2 to # 8 for losing to another RRO?  Assuming SJU makes the playoffs, I would be surprised if SNC gets a #7 bid over SJU in such a scenario.  But it would be a joke (in my mind) if the West only gets 7 bids.  UW-LaCrosse shouldn't even be on the bubble, and SJU loses to a rival and another playoff team.  Given the West's recent history (2 of the past 3 Stagg Titles and lost by 7 last year), it would be a crime to award an extra to the East at the expense of the West.

[DutchFan2004]

I don't think you are entirely wrong in those thoughts.  But seeing how it's in the hands of the selection commitee I wonder what if any politics play a role in the selection.  If there are I think the nod goes to SJU because of past playoffs and records.  If not and they strictly go by the numbers they may be a bubble team.  I didn't even contemplate this.  I thought SJU would be a lock but looking at the criteria it does make sense somewhat that they could be.  Concordia WI makes it easy to shift a team West. 

[royalachilles]

MR, It was a thing of beauty today.  Wetzell was a warrior, and when Porta went down, bangs was the man.  Evans with a great pic, and a usual inside backer had some time on the D line and handled it very well.  After the game, the comments I heard from the team was that the Johnnies handled this day with class on the field.  Almost zero trash talk other than the fans,  but that was just probably lead by the classless asshole president and his crazy cabinet.  Had dinner with the boys, and they await the announcements tommorow... You should have been there, the Star Tribune asked one of our defensive players that we know, when did you think you had the Johnnies beat, he answered Monday....   beautiful..    did you notice TDT is nowhere to be found, typical,  all show, no go.....