FB: Empire 8

[DanPadavona]

I agree.  What qualifies a conference for Pool B? Is it # of teams, quality of play, etc.?  If it is a subjective then the NCAA needs to re-evaluate the conference.  If it is an objective process then the East region will have to suffer through it..

All Non-Pool A conferences qualify for Pool B.  So that includes conferences with 6 or fewer teams, and 7+ team leagues which have not been granted a Pool A bid yet (ECFC in 2010).

Honestly I don't think any newly formed league should be granted a Pool A auto qualifier unless at least one team joining the league has won a playoff game in the last 10 years.  What the ECFC is doing sets a horrible precedent.  Any perennial bottom feeders can opt to drop out of their conferences, join together, and get an automatic birth to the NCAA's.  I defended Maritime last week because we nothing about them.  But clearly I was wrong.  This team would be 1-8 in the NJAC.  What a joke.

The new Pool A bid for the ECFC means almost certainly another Pool C bid will be lost from Eastern Region. That means even if Fisher beats Springfield, they probably don't get a bid.  Montclair probably doesn't get the Pool C, even though they went 9-1 and beat H-S on their turf.

I really wish Springfield was joining the ECFC instead of the LL.  At least we'd have a representative championship caliber team with a 10-0 record every season.

[msarge7]

My take on today's AU game:  Beautiful day weather-wise!  SUNY Maritime was seriously limited offensively.  Numerous times in the 1st half they had 3rd and 4 or more and stayed with the option, which AU simply stuffed time after time.  I don't think Maritme had a 1st down in the 1st quarter (maybe the first half).  When AU did punt, they downed the ball twice in the first half inside the 5 yd line.  The AU starters never saw the field in the second half.  AU obviously dominated from start to finish.  Next week should be fun to watch.  Hope the weather is as good as it was today.  Sorry I missed you Pep.  I got to the field with 9:35 left in the 1st quarter and the score was already 14-0.  I'll make sure to see you next weekend.  On a side note, Coach Murray celebrated his anniversary  today along with the win!  Great day for the Murray's!  Good luck next weekend.

[allagash]

Springfield had a little rough spell with Mt. Ida but is young

[Bombers798891]

Honestly I don't think any newly formed league should be granted a Pool A auto qualifier unless at least one team joining the league has won a playoff game in the last 10 years.  What the ECFC is doing sets a horrible precedent.  Any perennial bottom feeders can opt to drop out of their conferences, join together, and get an automatic birth to the NCAA's.  I defended Maritime last week because we nothing about them.  But clearly I was wrong.  This team would be 1-8 in the NJAC.  What a joke.

Yeah, they came in through the back door, that's for sure. The problem is, there are too many bad teams in D-III and so it is possible to round up seven nobodies and schedule more nobodies OOC and call that a schedule. In D-I, it's pretty hard to do that, because you figure at least a couple of teams will be decent. But this is clearly a conference devoid of talent.

No offense to Alfred, but 50-0 in a half really only happens if a team is essentially incompetent (Or I guess, if you're one of the early MUC-dynasty victims), and those types of teams shouldn't be in the playoffs. Again, in the grand scheme of things, it probably doesn't matter, because it's not affecting the national championship anyway, but it's still an embarrassment

[dewcrew88]

Going by the D3FB top 25 rankings, there was not a SINGLE upset today. Boooooring!

I would have picked msu. Just sayin

All three d3 gurus picked Hampden-Sydney over Montclair St.  That's the closest we'll get to an upset for the first round.

Or are they gurus or just human.

[Pat Coleman]

I would have picked msu. Just sayin

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-region/east/2010/forty-year-reunion

You have a platform to make some pretty public picks. I don't see your Montclair pick.

[saxontad]

After sleeping on it some impressions of yesterday's playoff game.  It did not give us or anyone else a clue what to expect from AU at Cortland.  It's hard to believe that Maritime is as bad as they seemed.  But fluky breaks in AU's favor and travel cannot account for 29-0 in the first quarter and 50-0 at halftime.  It was good to see the second squad play the complete 2d half.  That must happen at Mount Union a lot.  I hope many of the AU faithful can make the game.  I will see you there.

On Saxon Warriors!!

[jdex]

Not only did Dave Murray spend 10 seasons at Cortland -- seven as head coach, but his top assistant, Dick Puccio, was four year qb starter at Cortland under Murray. For three of those years he was All-ECAC 

[DanPadavona]

Puccio was a 3-year starter.  Rich Keefer started in 1988.  And Murray only coached Puccio in 1990-91.  Dave Murray served as Defensive Coordinator under Rich Kayser prior to that.

[AUPepBand]

Puccio was a 3-year starter.  Rich Keefer started in 1988.  And Murray only coached Puccio in 1990-91.  Dave Murray served as Defensive Coordinator under Rich Kayser prior to that.

There are plenty of connections between Alfred and Cortland State, which should make for an interesting game. In addition to the aforementioned connections involving Coaches Murray and Puccio, Alfred AD Jim Moretti (AU '72) earned a master's degree at Cortland State about the time Pep was enrolled at Morrisville State (advocating for Moo'ville to revive its long dormant football program.)

If Pep is correct, Saturday's game will be the 39th meeting of the Saxons and Red Dragons, with the Saxons having slain the Red Dragons 27 times, while being burned by the Dragons 10 times. There was one tie. The last time the two hooked up for a football game was in 1986 (Moretti's second year as head coach) when AU prevailed, 34-9.

Pep wonders whether the Thanksgiving break will hinder attendance at Saterday's game.
Attendance at Merrill Field for the Saxons' third-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament was 2,008 (paid).
Attendance at Cortland State for the Red Dragons' win over Endicott was 822, quite a drop from the previous week's 10,600 for the Cortaca Jug.

The 39th "Cortfred" will NOT be played for a jug. Instead, the teams are playing for the privilege of advancing to the "Great Eight" in the NCAA DIII Championships. And, unless Delaware Valley's Aggies break the trend, the winner will travel to Alliance to face the Mount.

[DanPadavona]

DP likes Cortfred, but prefers Alfland

[AUPepBand]

DP likes Cortfred, but prefers Alfland

Nice, works for Pep!
+K

[DanPadavona]

+K right back at you Pep   

[dewcrew88]

I would have picked msu. Just sayin

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-region/east/2010/forty-year-reunion

You have a platform to make some pretty public picks. I don't see your Montclair pick.

it would be easy just to make picks in MY column... wouldn't it?

[dewcrew88]

DP likes Cortfred, but prefers Alfland

I like Alfland too.