FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[RoyalsFan]

I don't see any 2 loss team from the MIAC getting in this year......

x2, but I've been wrong once before...

I want to see CC get into the playoffs, it will be hard to get in with comparisons of the unbeaten or 1 loss teams in weaker conferences.  Especially the auto bids where teams have 2 or 3 losses and win the conf.

Does Franklin just get credit for barely losing to MUC early in the year?  Is MUC the same type of program they were in the early 2000's?  What's the strength of the conf?  What was UST ranked when SJU beat them (#2??), with the same approach SJU should have been a top 10 team in the rankings the following week but barely cracked the top 25.

Barring some upsets and craziness on Saturday, Concordia is in trouble. UST needs help too, but not as much as the Cobbers.

You need to consider the process though. Franklin is probably getting a Pool A bid. They'll likely win their conference on Saturday. If they lose, they are in worse shape than Concordia. But Franklin is the team you should be worrying about. You should be hoping UST somehow stumbles against Olaf (not happening). That Wabash loses the Monon Bell game to DePauw. That Thomas Moore loses. And that lots of one loss Pool C candidates lose while teams in position for Pool A bids, that haven't already clinched, win and don't fall into Pool C.

If that seems like you're wishing for a lot, it's because you are. The Cobbers are on life support...

Interestingly, UST and Concordia should both be cheering for a Bethe win Saturday. SJU at 2 losses with wins over UST and Bethel would be in front of both the Tommies and Cobbers in the Regional Rankings. And they still might not get in. Which means neither other team could even get on the board.

Bottom line, barring chaos on Saturday, I don't like the odds of a second MIAC team in the playoffs.

I admit that I don't know that much about Franklin, but I'm not sure that a win over Hanover this week is anything but 'likely'.  I base my opinion on recent games against a like opponent, that being Bluffton. Franklin lost last week to them while Hanover beat them 41-0 3 weeks ago. Like I said, I really don't know anything about any of those teams, just looking at results against a common opponent.

[RoyalsFan]

   Woo-hoo - got my 50th post in, now I can edit my mistakes!

[hazzben]

I admit that I don't know that much about Franklin, but I'm not sure that a win over Hanover this week is anything but 'likely'.  I base my opinion on recent games against a like opponent, that being Bluffton. Franklin lost last week to them while Hanover beat them 41-0 3 weeks ago. Like I said, I really don't know anything about any of those teams, just looking at results against a common opponent.

After last week, we all need to recognize Franklin could certainly lose on Saturday. But they've got a lot more common opponents than just Bluffton. I'm guessing Franklin just laid an egg. They also took Mount Union to the brink and led for part of the game. Their other loss is to FCS Butler, who destroyed a Wittenberg team that is highly ranked in D3. Their average margin of victory in Conference play (so all common opponents) is 45-50 pts, at first glance without crunching the numbers.

On the flip side, Hanover lost to Rose-Hulman by 24 (Franklin beat them 64-14) and Mount St. Joseph by 3 (Franklin beat them 55-27). Franklin's got some injuries, but it'd still be a HUGE upset for them to lose two weeks in a row, they'd won 30 straight in conference the vast majority in utter blowouts.

I'm betting Franklin wins, especially with a playoff bid on the line.

[OzJohnnie]

  Woo-hoo - got my 50th post in, now I can edit my mistakes!

You can start by correcting your misrepresentation of what I said about St Johns and a victory over BU over in the in-game updates board. I never said a "lock". I wasn't even close to saying it.  We already have one Ron Doney on this board. I don't think BU needs to contribute another.

It won't be pretty next weekend.  But if we win there's a good chance we'll be in the playoffs.  You never know what a little adrenaline and Johnnie Magic might do.

[retagent]

19 player suspended and 303 penalty minutes assessed in hockey fight...oh BTW it was between the Bemidji St and Ohio St women's teams. 
You could say the officials were a little hard on the beaver???  I heard the head linesman name was Ward Cleaver.   

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/9961069/19-suspended-ohio-state-buckeyes-bemidji-state-beavers-women-hockey-brawl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdZi8hjC6dU

I think there was a misprint of the coach's name. I'm sure it must be Hanrahan, not Handrahan.

Puttin' on the foils.

[ron doney]

@ Duff- you are lucky you missed the Live Chat with Frank today. I have to applaud Frank for not absolutely dropping the F-bomb on some of these idiots. After the 3rd- "tar & feather Ramler & run him out of town" comment Frank politely said, "we've covered this territory before....about two questions ago..."

One guy threatened not to renew his season tickets after 26 years, if Ramler returned as OC
Damn, some people are idiots.

Probably about time to go back and look at my prediction on Ramler and his offense. I think I was pretty close.

[RoyalsFan]

You can start by correcting your misrepresentation of what I said about St Johns and a victory over BU over in the in-game updates board. I never said a "lock". I wasn't even close to saying it.  We already have one Ron Doney on this board. I don't think BU needs to contribute another.

Oz, you are correct - you did not say 'lock' - but this is what you did say:  " A Johnnie victory will result in a #1 seed.  Phone it in."  (or did you forget that you said that?)

Doesn't a #1 seed equate to a 'lock' for the playoffs?  Anyway, I thought you were saying that in jest, so I was just responding in kind (hence the smiley face). Sorry if you took it the wrong way.

[OzJohnnie]

No worries, RF. I was overly sensitive. It's the impending boredom of the end of the season that is getting to me. Football is finished in a week and AFL footy doesn't start for three more months. I'm left with cricket, basketball and hockey. I don't mind hockey but I don't know anyone anymore. I miss Dino Cicerelli.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

who uses this play first in the MIAC?   Caruso, Johnson or Rambler/Fasching?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1843722-california-jv-quarterback-fools-defense-on-trick-play?search_query=trick football play

[ExTartanPlayer]

I admit that I don't know that much about Franklin, but I'm not sure that a win over Hanover this week is anything but 'likely'.  I base my opinion on recent games against a like opponent, that being Bluffton. Franklin lost last week to them while Hanover beat them 41-0 3 weeks ago. Like I said, I really don't know anything about any of those teams, just looking at results against a common opponent.

After last week, we all need to recognize Franklin could certainly lose on Saturday. But they've got a lot more common opponents than just Bluffton. I'm guessing Franklin just laid an egg. They also took Mount Union to the brink and led for part of the game. Their other loss is to FCS Butler, who destroyed a Wittenberg team that is highly ranked in D3. Their average margin of victory in Conference play (so all common opponents) is 45-50 pts, at first glance without crunching the numbers.

On the flip side, Hanover lost to Rose-Hulman by 24 (Franklin beat them 64-14) and Mount St. Joseph by 3 (Franklin beat them 55-27). Franklin's got some injuries, but it'd still be a HUGE upset for them to lose two weeks in a row, they'd won 30 straight in conference the vast majority in utter blowouts.

I'm betting Franklin wins, especially with a playoff bid on the line.

Franklin losing to Bluffton is the "light" version of Whitewater losing to Buffalo State last year. That's a result no one saw coming and, based on the body of work to date, a result far out of character for both teams. Hazzben is correct that this looks much more like Franklin laying an egg than it does a statement that they're actually going to lose to Hanover, although as noted it could happen.

In any case, what happens there is irrelevant to the Pool C picture. Franklin is in with a pool A if they win and if they lose they aren't even close to the pool C conversation.

As hazzben stated above, the best hope for an 8-2 MIAC runner up to get on the board is for every possible 9-1 Pool C team to lose and every "lock" Pool A team to win and stay in Pool A. You're already guaranteed a 9-1 WIAC runner up and a 9-1 OAC runner up, both of whom seem like absolute locks. Elmhurst beating Illinois Wesleyan would help. DePauw upsetting Wabash would help. Pacific Lutheran losing would help. Thomas More losing would help. You'll want to root for Framingham State to get a Pool B bid so they don't end up on the Pool C board.  Most of these things aren't terribly likely but you'll need almost all of them to happen.  The new RR's will be informative.

[art76]

Franklin losing to Bluffton is the "light" version of Whitewater losing to Buffalo State last year. That's a result no one saw coming and, based on the body of work to date, a result far out of character for both teams. Hazzben is correct that this looks much more like Franklin laying an egg than it does a statement that they're actually going to lose to Hanover, although as noted it could happen.

In any case, what happens there is irrelevant to the Pool C picture. Franklin is in with a pool A if they win and if they lose they aren't even close to the pool C conversation.

As hazzben stated above, the best hope for an 8-2 MIAC runner up to get on the board is for every possible 9-1 Pool C team to lose and every "lock" Pool A team to win and stay in Pool A. You're already guaranteed a 9-1 WIAC runner up and a 9-1 OAC runner up, both of whom seem like absolute locks. Elmhurst beating Illinois Wesleyan would help. DePauw upsetting Wabash would help. Pacific Lutheran losing would help. Thomas More losing would help. You'll want to root for Framingham State to get a Pool B bid so they don't end up on the Pool C board.  Most of these things aren't terribly likely but you'll need almost all of them to happen.  The new RR's will be informative.

PLU is idle this week.

[DuffMan]

@ Duff- you are lucky you missed the Live Chat with Frank today. I have to applaud Frank for not absolutely dropping the F-bomb on some of these idiots. After the 3rd- "tar & feather Ramler & run him out of town" comment Frank politely said, "we've covered this territory before....about two questions ago..."

Yesterday was a little slow, so I thought about taking a peek, but I am glad that I didn't.

[skunks_sidekick]

No worries, RF. I was overly sensitive. It's the impending boredom of the end of the season that is getting to me. Football is finished in a week and AFL footy doesn't start for three more months. I'm left with cricket, basketball and hockey. I don't mind hockey but I don't know anyone anymore. I miss Dino Cicerelli.

Dude....quit your darn whining!  You have SUMMER coming down there, whereas I am currently looking at about 2 inches of snow here in NE Ohio.  I hate winter more every year.

[DuffMan]

I hate winter more every year.

I feel your pain!  In regards for my disdain for winter, people continually ask me, "Haven't you lived here your whole life?"

Uh, yeah, but that doesn't mean that I have to like winter!!!

[retagent]

No worries, RF. I was overly sensitive. It's the impending boredom of the end of the season that is getting to me. Football is finished in a week and AFL footy doesn't start for three more months. I'm left with cricket, basketball and hockey. I don't mind hockey but I don't know anyone anymore. I miss Dino Cicerelli.

Isn't hockey becoming a trend sport down there. I saw a Kiwi on one college roster (maybe Notre Dame), and there were a couple teams who played in VA when I was out in the DC area made up of primarily Aussies.