FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[sju56321]

Getting ready for some exciting football-SJU? No-Bears v Vikings-that is some kinda football.

[faunch]

Now that MAC has a competitive program again will they be rejoining the MIAC in football again?  They've beaten MIAC teams the last few years (Carleton and Hamline) and been competitive against Augsburg too.  They probably would have had a shot against Olaf this year.

With their success what happens if other cellar dwellers like Carleton and Hamline decide to abandon the conference for greener football pastures? 

[sjusection105]

Now that MAC has a competitive program again will they be rejoining the MIAC in football again?  They've beaten MIAC teams the last few years (Carleton and Hamline) and been competitive against Augsburg too.  They probably would have had a shot against Olaf this year.

With their success what happens if other cellar dwellers like Carleton and Hamline decide to abandon the conference for greener football pastures?[b/]

When the rest of the schools in the conference allowed MAC to remain in other sports & play football first on an independent schedule,now in a different conference all together,they opened Pandora's box. My opinion (nobody has asked yet) is to approach someone like St. Scholastica,if they are interested in joining the MIAC in all sports eliminate MAC in all sports. Not all schools have hockey,but those who do play in the MIAC. MAC picking & choosing which sports to belong in the MIAC is unacceptable.

[scottyeagle93]

Now that MAC has a competitive program again will they be rejoining the MIAC in football again?  They've beaten MIAC teams the last few years (Carleton and Hamline) and been competitive against Augsburg too.  They probably would have had a shot against Olaf this year.

With their success what happens if other cellar dwellers like Carleton and Hamline decide to abandon the conference for greener football pastures?

Again?   

But seriously, as I mentioned in the Midwest Conference board, I think rejoining the MIAC is the ultimate goal for Macalester.  It's obviously much better for travel and it maintains historic and rival ties.  For some games this year, Mac was playing a team for the first time, so there was no sense of familiarity that there was playing MIAC schools. 
Having said that, joining the Midwest has done wonders for recruiting, as evidenced by a pretty substantial freshman class this year, and having decent numbers is an absolute necessity for being competitive in the MIAC.  Throughout their existence in the MIAC, Mac had numbers in the 30s and 40s; they have since doubled that.  While bodies alone won't make them competitive, it certainly helps.  Making the playoffs for the first time in school history will only augment that and will continue Macalester's push towards rejoining the MIAC.  I applaud the administration for finally investing in their football program as well as the coaches and players for getting to this high-water mark for the program.  I look forward to seeing continued program growth and finally rejoin the MIAC. 

[onearmedscot]

I'm gonna give props to Macalester on winning the MWC and also say I really like our chances in the playoffs and here is my logic.

Macalester beat Carleton
Carleton beat Hamline
Hamline beat Augsburg
Augsburg beat Bethel
Bethel Beat Concordia
Concordia Beat St. John's

and if  you have read this board at all over the last 10 years you know St. John's can beat anyone and everyone so that means through this chain that Macalester can beat anybody!

Let's do this!

oAs

[sju56321]

Once MAC has won 4 or 5 conference titles and goes past the first round of the NCAA playoffs more than once, then we can talk about rejoining the MIAC. In the meantime, why would they, they have a conference championship in the MWC and are competitive there. It would be quite a story if an MWC team won the NCAA championship in football and if it was MAC. Although they-the MWC-SNC-is a very dominant hockey school.

[SagatagSam]

Now that MAC has a competitive program again will they be rejoining the MIAC in football again?  They've beaten MIAC teams the last few years (Carleton and Hamline) and been competitive against Augsburg too.  They probably would have had a shot against Olaf this year.

With their success what happens if other cellar dwellers like Carleton and Hamline decide to abandon the conference for greener football pastures?[b/]

When the rest of the schools in the conference allowed MAC to remain in other sports & play football first on an independent schedule,now in a different conference all together,they opened Pandora's box. My opinion (nobody has asked yet) is to approach someone like St. Scholastica,if they are interested in joining the MIAC in all sports eliminate MAC in all sports. Not all schools have hockey,but those who do play in the MIAC. MAC picking & choosing which sports to belong in the MIAC is unacceptable.

MAC will not rejoin the MIAC in football--ever. Period. End of story.
I hope we kick them completely out of the conference for all sports and bring in someone like St. Scholastica.
I know MAC is an original member of the conference, but I don't care. Having an original member of the conference do this a la carte crap is a slap in the face to the conference.

[OzJohnnie]

Which more likely comes first today, the d3football rankings or the playoff brackets?

I'm like a giddy kid before Christmas just waiting to open the presents. It's pretty exciting having the Johnnies back on top and in the playoffs.

EDIT: and MAC sucks more than UST, which from a Tommie perspective must have been the worst thing about MAC selfishly shopping for success.

[OldAuggie]

I am officially jumping on the SJU-MIAC Bandwagon. Any seats left?

[sju56321]

You should ask TDT-he is the ultimate bandwagon guy

[art76]

As far as the conference goes, only conference games count, so throw Bethel in there as well at 6-2. Add the fact that Bethel beat both Concordia and St. Thomas head to head so I would think Bethel would finish 2nd in the conference, not that it really matters.

Nobody else has chimed in on this yet and while I tend to agree with RoyalsFan that it doesn't really matter, but I was wondering if we should use the criteria posted earlier for breaking a three way tie for first place or not.

The main reason I'm doing this while it is still fresh in everyone's minds is that I'd like to propose a scheduling change moving forward that might make the end of the season mean more to the top teams at the end of the season. Before moving on that proposal, I'd like some input to get the collective thought of other posters on how to go about ranking these three teams that are knotted at second.

Using RoyalsFan's approach with BU being second, then does that make St. Thomas third, as they topped Concordia?

So we would have this as a final standing in the conference for 2014

1. St. John's
2. Bethel
3. St. Thomas
4. Concordia
5. Gustavus
6. Augsburg
7. Hamline
8. St. Olaf
9. Carleton

Is this ranking something we all can live with?

[OzJohnnie]

1. St. John's !!!1!!111eleventy!!11!
2. Bethel
3. St. Thomas
4. Concordia
5. Gustavus
6. Augsburg
7. Hamline
8. St. Olaf
9. Carleton

Is this ranking something we all can live with?

Now I can.

[art76]

Oz, you make me laugh!

[SagatagSam]

I am officially jumping on the SJU-MIAC Bandwagon. Any seats left?

There has yet to be a game where a soul seeking the nourishment of the Natural Bowl has been turned away.

[57Johnnie]

As far as the conference goes, only conference games count, so throw Bethel in there as well at 6-2. Add the fact that Bethel beat both Concordia and St. Thomas head to head so I would think Bethel would finish 2nd in the conference, not that it really matters.

Nobody else has chimed in on this yet and while I tend to agree with RoyalsFan that it doesn't really matter, but I was wondering if we should use the criteria posted earlier for breaking a three way tie for first place or not.

The main reason I'm doing this while it is still fresh in everyone's minds is that I'd like to propose a scheduling change moving forward that might make the end of the season mean more to the top teams at the end of the season. Before moving on that proposal, I'd like some input to get the collective thought of other posters on how to go about ranking these three teams that are knotted at second.

Using RoyalsFan's approach with BU being second, then does that make St. Thomas third, as they topped Concordia?

So we would have this as a final standing in the conference for 2014

1. St. John's
2. Bethel
3. St. Thomas
4. Concordia
5. Gustavus
6. Augsburg
7. Hamline
8. St. Olaf
9. Carleton

Is this ranking something we all can live with?

With respect to the scheduling, as PC previously stated: NCAA does the conference scheduling and don't really give a rat's a$$ what you or I think.