FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[GoldandBlueBU]

Someone please refresh my memory. What is the three-way tiebreaker in the MIAC? I am getting quite a ways ahead of things, but that is what fans do. With three solid teams right now I am curious what could play out.

Can't remember if there are other factors that hit before this, but I think that the team that has gone the longest without receiving the MIAC auto-bid to the playoffs receives it? 

Curious to see how the online streaming holds up this weekend.  Hoping to use it...perhaps the exceptionally high attendance will mean less users trying to watch online?

[jamtod]

...along with not having a Waldvogel in the lineup for the first time in 8 or so years.

Isn't there a Kaiser they could put on the field? 

I love it when Kaiser gets in the game and goes on a roll.

[wm4]

Well, it's here, Tommie Johnnie week!  Just thought I'd revisit some of the initial responses to this game having been announced.  Nobody knew what it would be like of course, but safe to say I think everyone will agree it'll be a huge success.  Word is over 32k tix have been sold, and that's before any walk up crowd. 


"I don't like it.  I think attendance will be disappointing.  If they want to do something like this I'd prefer TCF Bank over Target Field."

"Lame."

"Let's say this thing just takes off and they get ridiculous numbers, say 30,000. That would be an incredible number for this game. And it'd still leave the stadium massively short of capacity."

" Don't get me wrong.  It's cool that it gets that type of attention, and I'll go, but it's going to be relatively empty.  And how much are they going to soak us for tickets?  Part of the fun of the rivalry is packing people into a D3 stadium."

"It would be cool for Division III but obviously you guys nail it about the sightlines. Won't be the best way to see a game but it would be the only way the Tommie-Johnnie game sets an attendance record outside of Collegeville. And it would be nice to get more of the regular Twin Cities community in attendance."

[DuffMan]

Curious to see how the online streaming holds up this weekend.  Hoping to use it...perhaps the exceptionally high attendance will mean less users trying to watch online?

Same.  I'm hoping for the best.  Those classless Tommies usually put on a good broadcast.

[miac952]

Someone please refresh my memory. What is the three-way tiebreaker in the MIAC? I am getting quite a ways ahead of things, but that is what fans do. With three solid teams right now I am curious what could play out.

Can't remember if there are other factors that hit before this, but I think that the team that has gone the longest without receiving the MIAC auto-bid to the playoffs receives it? 

Curious to see how the online streaming holds up this weekend.  Hoping to use it...perhaps the exceptionally high attendance will mean less users trying to watch online?

I should have known. Very nice of the MIAC to have a well thought out page dedicated to tie-breakers:

1. Head‐to‐Head winner among all teams tied
2. Results against teams not tied as the league leaders in descending order after the tied teams
3. Point differential between tied team
4. Team not in the NCAA playoffs most recently (If a tie still remains, result of head‐to‐head competition between the remaining tied teams will receive the automatic bid.)
5. Highest Massey Rating
6. Coin Flip

Assuming a 3-way one loss conference scenario, it looks like point differential will be the decider.

I also hope the stream holds up. Youth sports beckons in our household.

[DuffMan]

"Lame."

That sounds like a comment from me, and I stand by it.

I am surprised at how many tickets have been sold.  I am interested to see how this all pans out. 

[jamtod]

As a one-time spectacle, I think this is fun and interesting. But let's not make it a habit.

Dare I say, I'd rather have this game taking a St Thomas home game where our on-campus pre-game experience and stadium is fine, but hardly more than that. Looking forward to this Saturday and then back to campus after this.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Someone please refresh my memory. What is the three-way tiebreaker in the MIAC? I am getting quite a ways ahead of things, but that is what fans do. With three solid teams right now I am curious what could play out.

Can't remember if there are other factors that hit before this, but I think that the team that has gone the longest without receiving the MIAC auto-bid to the playoffs receives it? 

Curious to see how the online streaming holds up this weekend.  Hoping to use it...perhaps the exceptionally high attendance will mean less users trying to watch online?

I should have known. Very nice of the MIAC to have a well thought out page dedicated to tie-breakers:

1. Head‐to‐Head winner among all teams tied
2. Results against teams not tied as the league leaders in descending order after the tied teams
3. Point differential between tied team
4. Team not in the NCAA playoffs most recently (If a tie still remains, result of head‐to‐head competition between the remaining tied teams will receive the automatic bid.)
5. Highest Massey Rating
6. Coin Flip

Assuming a 3-way one loss conference scenario, it looks like point differential will be the decider.

I also hope the stream holds up. Youth sports beckons in our household.

Thanks for posting.  That could lead to some efforts at running up the scores, I would think?

I'll be curious to see how the Cobbers stack up against UST and SJU, as I don't think that BU was all that much of a measuring stick for them on Saturday.  Bethel is down again on offense this year, so while the defense actually seems above average, they spend way too much time on the field thanks to all of the short offensive drives, and thus wear down as the game goes on.

[miac952]

Put me in the category of being intrigued by it as a 1 time thing, but I'll take the college campus atmosphere any day. The same goes for neutral site D1 games too.

Lets say it lands somewhere between 30,000 and 35,000. That is hovering between 80% - 90% of capacity. That should make for a festive atmosphere. I imagine much of the attendance will be passive followers that are there for the reunion aspect of it all, but nevertheless, it will end up looking full. If we can step back for just a minute and realize the attendance numbers we are talking about, it is pretty spectacular.

If it comes down to a FG from the dirt there might be a revolt though. 

I am also seeing a 50% chance of showers on gameday. I imagine that is the nightmare scenario for Dave St Peter. I know Target Field's drainage is 2nd to none, but a football game played on a wet turf will do a number on the playing surface.

[wm4]

I should have known. Very nice of the MIAC to have a well thought out page dedicated to tie-breakers:

1. Head‐to‐Head winner among all teams tied
2. Results against teams not tied as the league leaders in descending order after the tied teams
3. Point differential between tied team
4. Team not in the NCAA playoffs most recently (If a tie still remains, result of head‐to‐head competition between the remaining tied teams will receive the automatic bid.)
5. Highest Massey Rating
6. Coin Flip

Assuming a 3-way one loss conference scenario, it looks like point differential will be the decider.

I also hope the stream holds up. Youth sports beckons in our household.

We gotta start a movement to get Hansen subbed in for Massey

[sjujohnnie]

Looking into the St John's/St Olaf matchup, I saw that the Oles have an assistant that left St Thomas who had spent a year at Morningside (a NAIA powerhouse in Sioux City, IA near where I live) as an offensive assistant. Morningside consistently puts up in excess of 600/700 yards of offense & within the last couple seasons had a game in which they amassed more than 900 yards. It's always intrigued me how NCAA Division III programs would match up with NAIA programs who allow up to 24 athletic scholarships. In September of 2015, I attended the matchup between Whitewater & Morningside which happened to be a battle between the #1 in Division III & the #1 in the NAIA. Whitewater squeaked it out on a night when the conditions were very cool & wet. Last fall Morningside traveled to Whitewater & lost in a matchup where both were again highly ranked. I believe the first game of the season for #5 North Central was against Robert Morris-Chicago who was ranked in the top 10 of the NAIA. North Central was up 26-3 at one point before Robert Morris made it interested with North Central holding on for a 33-31 win over the NAIA opponent. Does anyone have any insight as to whether or not coaches will look outside of their conference/division of play for new ideas/plays to implement in their offense? If St John's is looking for some inspiration to throw some things at our stiffer competition (i.e. St Thomas the last few years under Caruso, the Cobbers, & playoff opponents) I think looking at Morningside film would be beneficial! Morningside was a doormat school in NCAA Division II before moving to the NAIA in 2002. Wish there was a football mind, much better than mine, that was familiar with both St John's & Morningside's programs that could compare & contrast their respective offenses!

[miac952]

Someone please refresh my memory. What is the three-way tiebreaker in the MIAC? I am getting quite a ways ahead of things, but that is what fans do. With three solid teams right now I am curious what could play out.

Can't remember if there are other factors that hit before this, but I think that the team that has gone the longest without receiving the MIAC auto-bid to the playoffs receives it? 

Curious to see how the online streaming holds up this weekend.  Hoping to use it...perhaps the exceptionally high attendance will mean less users trying to watch online?

I should have known. Very nice of the MIAC to have a well thought out page dedicated to tie-breakers:

1. Head‐to‐Head winner among all teams tied
2. Results against teams not tied as the league leaders in descending order after the tied teams
3. Point differential between tied team
4. Team not in the NCAA playoffs most recently (If a tie still remains, result of head‐to‐head competition between the remaining tied teams will receive the automatic bid.)
5. Highest Massey Rating
6. Coin Flip

Assuming a 3-way one loss conference scenario, it looks like point differential will be the decider.

I also hope the stream holds up. Youth sports beckons in our household.

Thanks for posting.  That could lead to some efforts at running up the scores, I would think?

I'll be curious to see how the Cobbers stack up against UST and SJU, as I don't think that BU was all that much of a measuring stick for them on Saturday.  Bethel is down again on offense this year, so while the defense actually seems above average, they spend way too much time on the field thanks to all of the short offensive drives, and thus wear down as the game goes on.

Based on how I am reading #3 on the list point differential would only factor "between" the 3 teams involved. Although I could be interpreting that incorrectly.

[faunch]

Put me in the category of being intrigued by it as a 1 time thing, but I'll take the college campus atmosphere any day. The same goes for neutral site D1 games too.

Lets say it lands somewhere between 30,000 and 35,000. That is hovering between 80% - 90% of capacity. That should make for a festive atmosphere. I imagine much of the attendance will be passive followers that are there for the reunion aspect of it all, but nevertheless, it will end up looking full. If we can step back for just a minute and realize the attendance numbers we are talking about, it is pretty spectacular.

If it comes down to a FG from the dirt there might be a revolt though.

I am also seeing a 50% chance of showers on gameday. I imagine that is the nightmare scenario for Dave St Peter. I know Target Field's drainage is 2nd to none, but a football game played on a wet turf will do a number on the playing surface.

So where would either of the kickers be practicing field-goals off the dirt considering neither campus has dirt baseball infields any longer? Any chance SJU sends the long snapper, holder and kicker to the St. Joe baseball field to get in a little practice? Where might U$T go for kicking practice?  I understand that neither team will be allowed to practice on the field before the game?

[miac952]

Put me in the category of being intrigued by it as a 1 time thing, but I'll take the college campus atmosphere any day. The same goes for neutral site D1 games too.

Lets say it lands somewhere between 30,000 and 35,000. That is hovering between 80% - 90% of capacity. That should make for a festive atmosphere. I imagine much of the attendance will be passive followers that are there for the reunion aspect of it all, but nevertheless, it will end up looking full. If we can step back for just a minute and realize the attendance numbers we are talking about, it is pretty spectacular.

If it comes down to a FG from the dirt there might be a revolt though.

I am also seeing a 50% chance of showers on gameday. I imagine that is the nightmare scenario for Dave St Peter. I know Target Field's drainage is 2nd to none, but a football game played on a wet turf will do a number on the playing surface.

So where would either of the kickers be practicing field-goals off the dirt considering neither campus has dirt baseball infields any longer? Any chance SJU sends the long snapper, holder and kicker to the St. Joe baseball field to get in a little practice? Where might U$T go for kicking practice?  I understand that neither team will be allowed to practice on the field before the game?

Oz posted the side by sides earlier in the week, and if I am gauging it correctly we'll have dirt across nearly the entire field on one end from close to the 30 yard line to the 45 yard line.

I am guessing both coaches will think twice kicking 40 to 50 yard field goals on that end. In very general terms those are 50/50 kicks in good conditions for D3. I think the most troubling aspect would be the plant foot for the kicker. Maybe we'll see kickers with a metal baseball spike on the non kicking foot. 

[art76]

Maybe we'll see kickers with a metal baseball spike on the non kicking foot.

Metal spikes have been not been allowed for at least 20 years.