FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hazzben]

I don't think there's any question that UST is really good.

The question we'll get answered this weekend is whether they have any company at the top. Either they're head and shoulders above or we find out if Bethel can still got toe to toe with them.

If UST wins and St. Olaf wins out I think the Oles would have a good shot at a Pool C bid.

If Bethel wins and the Oles win out it gets interesting (assuming UST and BU win out). St. Olaf would get the auto-bid and Bethel probably gets the nod ahead of UST for an at large since at 9-1 they'd hold the head to head victory.

If Bethel wins, UST wins out and the Oles stumble, UST would be a lock for a pool C.

If UST, UWW and Linfield win out, I'm guessing they'd send UWW north again. To have 3 undefeated, top 5 teams in the same region would be crazy.

[sjusection105]

Of course Bethel is a whole other animal when it comes to running the football. So, I'm very interested to see what if anything changes from last year's games.

Bethel has a kicker this year. You gotta factor that into the equation. Last year they didn't attempt PATs, this year they can kick field-goals.

[corn horn]

I don't think there's any question that UST is really good.

The question we'll get answered this weekend is whether they have any company at the top. Either they're head and shoulders above or we find out if Bethel can still got toe to toe with them.

If UST wins and St. Olaf wins out I think the Oles would have a good shot at a Pool C bid.

If Bethel wins and the Oles win out it gets interesting (assuming UST and BU win out). St. Olaf would get the auto-bid and Bethel probably gets the nod ahead of UST for an at large since at 9-1 they'd hold the head to head victory.

If Bethel wins, UST wins out and the Oles stumble, UST would be a lock for a pool C.

If UST, UWW and Linfield win out, I'm guessing they'd send UWW north again. To have 3 undefeated, top 5 teams in the same region would be crazy.

Hazzbeen -  Bethel is a force to be respected and it certainly would make things interesting should they be able to pull out a victory this weekend. I'll be in their corner. However, they still have arguably the toughest schedule ahead, with Augsburg and Concordia on the road in coming weeks. It is reasonable to think there could be a few 2-loss teams behind an undefeated or once defeated St. Thomas team when the regular season ends. STO doesn't have it easy either. I would love to see 2 MIAC teams in the playoffs, but I really think the conference parity is more exciting and makes each Saturday exciting.

[hazzben]

I don't think there's any question that UST is really good.

The question we'll get answered this weekend is whether they have any company at the top. Either they're head and shoulders above or we find out if Bethel can still got toe to toe with them.

If UST wins and St. Olaf wins out I think the Oles would have a good shot at a Pool C bid.

If Bethel wins and the Oles win out it gets interesting (assuming UST and BU win out). St. Olaf would get the auto-bid and Bethel probably gets the nod ahead of UST for an at large since at 9-1 they'd hold the head to head victory.

If Bethel wins, UST wins out and the Oles stumble, UST would be a lock for a pool C.

If UST, UWW and Linfield win out, I'm guessing they'd send UWW north again. To have 3 undefeated, top 5 teams in the same region would be crazy.

Hazzbeen -  Bethel is a force to be respected and it certainly would make things interesting should they be able to pull out a victory this weekend. I'll be in their corner. However, they still have arguably the toughest schedule ahead, with Augsburg and Concordia on the road in coming weeks. It is reasonable to think there could be a few 2-loss teams behind an undefeated or once defeated St. Thomas team when the regular season ends. STO doesn't have it easy either. I would love to see 2 MIAC teams in the playoffs, but I really think the conference parity is more exciting and makes each Saturday exciting.

I was just looking at the SOS numbers and thinking the exact same thing. Bethel's got some serious competition ahead of them yet. Concordia's obviously got the chance to reek some serious havoc, like they just did on Saturday, to how this all plays out. They could spoil either or both Bethel and St. Olaf's post season aspirations...

[cobbernation]

I don't think there's any question that UST is really good.

The question we'll get answered this weekend is whether they have any company at the top. Either they're head and shoulders above or we find out if Bethel can still got toe to toe with them.

If UST wins and St. Olaf wins out I think the Oles would have a good shot at a Pool C bid.

If Bethel wins and the Oles win out it gets interesting (assuming UST and BU win out). St. Olaf would get the auto-bid and Bethel probably gets the nod ahead of UST for an at large since at 9-1 they'd hold the head to head victory.

If Bethel wins, UST wins out and the Oles stumble, UST would be a lock for a pool C.

If UST, UWW and Linfield win out, I'm guessing they'd send UWW north again. To have 3 undefeated, top 5 teams in the same region would be crazy.

Hazzbeen -  Bethel is a force to be respected and it certainly would make things interesting should they be able to pull out a victory this weekend. I'll be in their corner. However, they still have arguably the toughest schedule ahead, with Augsburg and Concordia on the road in coming weeks. It is reasonable to think there could be a few 2-loss teams behind an undefeated or once defeated St. Thomas team when the regular season ends. STO doesn't have it easy either. I would love to see 2 MIAC teams in the playoffs, but I really think the conference parity is more exciting and makes each Saturday exciting.

I was just looking at the SOS numbers and thinking the exact same thing. Bethel's got some serious competition ahead of them yet. Concordia's obviously got the chance to reek some serious havoc, like they just did on Saturday, to how this all plays out. They could spoil either or both Bethel and St. Olaf's post season aspirations...

If Concordia wins out I wonder if they would get a shot at a bid into the playoffs.  It would be crazy to think that a loss vs. SJU would actually hurt your playoff chances.  But wins vs. Bethel and STO would be huge for the cobbers.  It will be an interesting 3 weeks of conference play left. 

[Pat Coleman]

The only team I think has a decent shot at getting an at-large bid with two losses is UW-Oshkosh, if it loses to UW-Whitewater after having already lost to Mount Union.

[USTBench]

The only team I think has a decent shot at getting an at-large bid with two losses is UW-Oshkosh, if it loses to UW-Whitewater after having already lost to Mount Union.

Tough news for Bethel 

[Johnnie Red]

For the Johnnie fans heading down to St. Peter this Saturday for the Gustie-Johnnie game, we will be having a gathering at Patrick's before the game. The location is 125 South 3rd Street. Try to be there by 11:00 a.m. if possible.

[hazzben]

The only team I think has a decent shot at getting an at-large bid with two losses is UW-Oshkosh, if it loses to UW-Whitewater after having already lost to Mount Union.

Tough news for Bethel 

I don't think it's really a surprise. If Bethel loses to UST, we'd still need St. Olaf to lose to even be in the discussion. And then we'd still be talking about another 2 loss team that beat Bethel.

Bethel's only real shot is to beat UST. But that also means they should realize their backs are against the wall on Saturday.

Beat UST and your playoff hopes live.

Lose to UST and (barring absolute craziness across the DIII landscape) you're staying home come playoff time. And not the good kind of staying home, i.e. hosting a playoff game. The crappy kind like shoulda, coulda, woulda for 10 months while you lick your wounds and relive a nightmare final 12 minutes against St. Olaf where you took your foot off the gas and let a team score 20 unanswered points 

[badger45]

Is St. Thomas really this good to only allow 7 points in the past 3 games or is the MIAC becoming less competitive?  I am hoping for a stellar game vs. Bethel this weekend to showcase the MIAC has strong teams and possibly deserves to have 2 represented in the playoffs.

When do the regional rankings come out?

From what I've seen and heard I don't know.  Looking at the teams they beat, st. johns, augsburg and hamline, I don't consider it a very tough three games.  I do know st. johns is usually pretty good but this year they seem to be struggling a ton.  If Olaf can stay at one loss i think they have a chance to make playoffs but hard time seeing bethel get in.

[OzJohnnie]

For the first time this year I'm looking forwad to watching a Vikings game. They will probably get bludgeoned by the Pack, but it will be exciting to see if Ponser (or whatever) can show the same composure that he did in the last quarter against the Bears. I never thought I would say this, but maybe our guy can do what the Lions' guy is doing for them.

[badgerwarhawk]

It's Christian Ponder.  Much like HWNSNABSBPF McNabb has played too long. 

He whose name shall never again be spoken by Packer fans

[AO]

Week 7 Pick Em' Results:
Carleton 7 - St. Olaf 28
Bethel 41 - Gustavus 27
Augsburg 26 - Concordia 38
Hamline 0 - St. Thomas 49
UW- Oshkosh 24 - UW-Platteville 3
Salisbury 69 - Alfred 0

Name	W1	W2	W3	W4	W5	W6	W7	W8	W9	W10	W11	Overall
finsleft	12	13	13	14	12	8	11					83
WashedUp	10	15	9	5	11	13	12					75
USTBench	12	11	9	6	16	9	11					74
hazzben	8	12	5	11	14	11	11					72
sju56321	10	11	4	11	14	11	6					67
cobbernation	11	9	5	10	12	9	10					66
AO	12	10	10	8	13	4	8					65
tmerton	6	14	5	-	14	13	12					64
stanbob	11	9	4	8	7	8	10					57
smedindy	6	11	9	8	5	8	8					55
Repete	11	13	-	9	7	6	8					54
miacmaniac	6	11	3	-	14	9	8					51
GoldandBlueBU	7	9	4	7	9	9	1					46
Phred	-	7	5	11	14	7	2					46
jayhawkdaddy	6	7	7	9	12	-	7					48
TheManWhoRidesAlone	6	9	-	-	11	10	12					48
raiderguy	9	6	6	-	11	-	-					32
Chubbs	-	-	-	-	11	5	13					29
Sprained68	5	6	10	7	-	-	-					28
BURoyal	-	9	4	-	-	-	-					13

[USTBench]

Is St. Thomas really this good to only allow 7 points in the past 3 games or is the MIAC becoming less competitive?  I am hoping for a stellar game vs. Bethel this weekend to showcase the MIAC has strong teams and possibly deserves to have 2 represented in the playoffs.

When do the regional rankings come out?

From what I've seen and heard I don't know.  Looking at the teams they beat, st. johns, augsburg and hamline, I don't consider it a very tough three games.  I do know st. johns is usually pretty good but this year they seem to be struggling a ton.  If Olaf can stay at one loss i think they have a chance to make playoffs but hard time seeing bethel get in.

Analysis fail. UST also beat your purported other playoff team, St. Olaf, by the narrow margin of 35 points (49-14). As well as a perennial playoff team in St. Norberts, a decent Concordia team, and a WIAC team (albeit a crappy WIAC team, but a WIAC team nonetheless).

[AO]

Week 8 Oct. 22 Pick Em's
Conference: 3pts
St. John's @ Gustavus (+14.5)
#3 St. Thomas @ #10 Bethel (+7.5)
Concordia @ Hamline (+35.5)
#24 St. Olaf @ Augsburg (+8.5)

Non-Conference: 2pts
Carleton @ Macalester (+15.5)

West Region: 1pt
#1 UW-Whitewater @ #20 UW-Oshkosh (+18.5)

National: 1pt
#6 North Central @ #15 Illinois Wesleyan (+14.5)