FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[sju56321]

Art76-very interesting about slotting Bethel and SJU, if they get in. I wonder who will be the bracket teams-NCC, UWW, Wartburg and Mount Union?

[Retired Old Rat]

One nice thing is that the committee will most likely set BU and SJU in opposing brackets so that they couldn't meet again until at least week 3 or 4 of the tourney. Likewise, Wartburg and Whitewater would also most likely be tied together in like manner. This probably puts La Crosse in St. John's bracket. But maybe not, as they may not want North Central in the same bracket as Wartburg. It'll be interesting to see how the committee "disentangles" the pairings because of all the inter-conference play that has occurred here in the upper-Midwest.

Art, I love your optimism. I don't expect either team to make it past the second round.

[faunch]

Johnnies are at #20
Bethel got 10 votes
https://www.d3football.com/top25/2023/week10

[BiggieSmalls]

Bethel will stomp GAC.

Curious why you think this? These two teams played close in Arden Hills earlier. Looks like the Gustie passing game is still clicking with 2 guys over 100 yds with Breitbach 200+.

Answer: Would you want to be a 18-22 year old young man playing to send off Steve Johnson with his last chance for a MIAC Championship and fall short of that goal? The Royals will be laser focused and will prevail by two or more scores.

Fair point and I agree. I thought you were seeing something different on the rematch compared to initial meeting this season.

[GoldandBlueBU]

I think that the way that the first matchup ended, and that this is Gustavus' first chance for a miac title and a playoff berth since is probably worth something on their side?  I expect a close game.

[OzJohnnie]

My prognostication:

If the Gusties win, then they are in and both SJU and BU are out regardless of how SJU does against CON.  If BU wins, then they are in, and if SJU beats CON then SJU is in as well.

[DuffMan]

I agree with Oz.

[faunch]

My prognostication:

If the Gusties win, then they are in and both SJU and BU are out regardless of how SJU does against CON.  If BU wins, then they are in, and if SJU beats CON then SJU is in as well.

Sending an unranked team to the playoffs would be a very MIAC thing to do.

[OzJohnnie]

My prognostication:

If the Gusties win, then they are in and both SJU and BU are out regardless of how SJU does against CON.  If BU wins, then they are in, and if SJU beats CON then SJU is in as well.

Sending an unranked team to the playoffs would be a very MIAC thing to do.

Not really.  When was the last time the MIAC sent an unranked team over a ranked team?  Plus, the Gusties have played by the same rules as everyone else and if they get in and no one else does then they earned it.  It was very easy for SJU to avoid this outcome by not laying an egg against Gustavus.

I'm not looking to be argumentative, just spitting facts as the youngsters say.  Anyways, I think both BU and SJU will win this weekend and we'll make the postseason.  And I wouldn't be surprised to see us first up against Aurora on their home turf.  And then we can be expecting a lot of Michael Scott-esqe smack talk coming back at us.



EDIT:  And a further thought, if GAC manage to beat both BU and SJU in the same season then how do they not deserve the auto-bid from the MIAC, regardless of their national ranking?  I can't stand the smarmy Gusties and their heathen ways, but I have to admit that if they win the MIAC championship this year, then they did everything a team must do to qualify for the post season.  First and foremost, knocking both of the big dogs off their perches.

That being said, I'm thinking BU will monkey-stomp them.  Maybe worse.

[sju56321]

Be fitting for bethel to lose and knock SJU out of the playoffs-

[BiggieSmalls]

Be fitting for bethel to lose and knock SJU out of the playoffs-

LOL! That would be interesting. Would also be fitting for SJU to get into playoffs even though they didn't make it into the conference championship game.

[NWCFan]

SJU should be pool C. 

[TheChucker]

My prognostication:

If the Gusties win, then they are in and both SJU and BU are out regardless of how SJU does against CON.  If BU wins, then they are in, and if SJU beats CON then SJU is in as well.

I think the Johnnies are in with a win vs the Cob no matter what. Out of the five realistic Pool C bubble teams (UWW, Wheaton, SJU, UWRF, John C.), they probably have the 2nd or 3rd best resume' behind UWW. I think it's a battle between UWRF and John C. for the last spot.

[jakeMN91]

My prognostication:

If the Gusties win, then they are in and both SJU and BU are out regardless of how SJU does against CON.  If BU wins, then they are in, and if SJU beats CON then SJU is in as well.

I think the Johnnies are in with a win vs the Cob no matter what. Out of the five realistic Pool C bubble teams (UWW, Wheaton, SJU, UWRF, John C.), they probably have the 2nd or 3rd best resume' behind UWW. I think it's a battle between UWRF and John C. for the last spot.

It's possible that SJU gets in even with a Bethel loss, but I'd also add Union to your list of serious Pool C contenders. Maybe Coe too

[hazzben]

I expect Bethel vs. GAC to be a very good game. Both teams have all sorts of motivation. GAC to win their first MIAC title in decades and go dancing for even longer. Bethel with the chance to send Coach J out with a last MIAC title. Interestingly, the first game should give GAC plenty of confidence they can hang, plus the upset of SJU. But Bethel has also had GAC's number for quite a while and seems to always figure out a way to pull out close wins against them. Should be a great game.

So, back to my earlier comment when I said it hurts BU's chances for home games if the Johnnies also make the dance. The Jays have a better SOS and have won head-to-head against Bethel. If the committee decides that BU, as MIAC champ "deserves" a home game, well it stands to reason, then so must St. John's because of their selection criteria. If the committee does lean in this direction, are there enough teams to "go around" also in the play-offs that don't have the resumes to warrant home field advantage in the first couple of rounds? If there are not, then who is sent packing? I'm guessing the selection criteria takes precedence over the conference championship, so BU would travel before the Johnnies.

One nice thing is that the committee will most likely set BU and SJU in opposing brackets so that they couldn't meet again until at least week 3 or 4 of the tourney. Likewise, Wartburg and Whitewater would also most likely be tied together in like manner. This probably puts La Crosse in St. John's bracket. But maybe not, as they may not want North Central in the same bracket as Wartburg. It'll be interesting to see how the committee "disentangles" the pairings because of all the inter-conference play that has occurred here in the upper-Midwest.

I actually disagree here Art. I don't think the committee cares one bit about who is Pool A or C from the MIAC. If both get in, they'll look at H2H, SOS, and RRO results and give SJU a stronger seed. Whether that means a home game is something else.

As far as rematches go, I think they'll work to avoid them week 1, outside of the island teams. But with UWL, UWW, Wart, Bethel, SJU, NCC and Coe/Wheaton there are just a ton of potential rematches to avoid. I think anything beyond a week 1 rematch won't be something they can or will care about. This also speaks to the myriad ways they can construct regions around these teams, when you add in Aurora, and the champs from the MWC and UMAC.

Here's to a Bethel victory and all of these scenarios being in play come Sunday!

Very possible