FB: Midwest Conference

[d-train]

Here's a possible bracket to study on

St. Norbert
@UW-Whitewater

Occidental
@Linfield

Coe or St. Thomas
@Monmouth

CCIW #2
@St. Johns

Central?

[The Roop]

Have no fear. I have not forgotten about Central. I have them hosting Mississippi College in the first round of the North Region. The victor moving on to face the NathCon-CCIW #1 winner.

Unless things have changed the mascot police won't allow Mississippi College to host a game and the NCAA probably doesn't rematch them with Mary Hardin-Baylor in the first round as they are in the same conference. So somebody has to get moved. Central is a good fit in the north as Mt. Union probably heads to the east again.

[MWCfan787]

Have no fear. I have not forgotten about Central. I have them hosting Mississippi College in the first round of the North Region. The victor moving on to face the NathCon-CCIW #1 winner.

Unless things have changed the mascot police won't allow Mississippi College to host a game and the NCAA probably doesn't rematch them with Mary Hardin-Baylor in the first round as they are in the same conference. So somebody has to get moved. Central is a good fit in the north as Mt. Union probably heads to the east again.

Interesting, but doubtful.  I think Central a little too far away to be moved North.  If anyone I think it's UWW.  To be honest I think Monmouth has a better chance of moving North than Central.

Fightintitan: I would be shocked if undefeated Central was ranked below Monmouth.  Their schedule is far better and I'm not sure what you're talking about with NCAA pollsters, every poll out there right now has Central ahead of Monmouth.

[scots fan]

 I know how about a wartburg upset of central the last game of the year at wartburg . THE polls are great but anyone who has seen a monmouth game knows this team will go as far as their  defense   takes them. if and when monmouth does bow out of the tournament it will be a high scoring affair.

[The Roop]

Whitewater won't get moved as they are the NCAAs "hired gun" to take out the winner of the west coast game. It takes a minimum of 2 flights to complete the west region and Whitewater will make sure that there won't be 3. If you doubt me then look at last years bracket.

Monmouth could be moved to the north but I am waiting for a reason as to why that would happen. I think it is more likely that we will have Mississippi College at Mt. Union in the first round of the east than it is for Monmouth to get moved.

Rankings are meaningless as economics determines the bracket. Fly team X in the hope that they lose in the early rounds, etc.

[Pat Coleman]

Unless things have changed the mascot police won't allow Mississippi College to host a game

Mississippi College has the blessing of Choctaw nation for its mascot and the NCAA signed off on that some years ago.

[The Roop]

Finally some common sense over rules the PC movement. I'd sign off on Ripon being the Redmen again but that's too generic. If they want to be the Chippewas I'll call the tribal office with my vote of approval.

[SNCOLDAD]

Wait just a minute. If Illinois cannot have the Chief back, then I want the little twerp representing "The Fighting Irish" banned also.   

GO ORANGE KNIGHTS


GO GREEN KNIGHTS

[DutchHawk]

Good call DutchHawk,

I did forget Linfield, but not Central, but wouldn't be shocked if the coaches put Monmouth ahead of one or both. Both are better better teams historically and probably this season, but I have a feeling that Monmouth's high ranking and dominant scores this season will cause the NCAA pollsters to push them a little higher than they actually belong.  I think the IIAC's public perception has dropped a bit the past few years as well and that the pollsters may go into it thinking that MC can beat the IIAC champ and thus rank them ahead.

In the end, I still think Coe goes to MC unless they slip up.

With all due respect I think thats flawed thinking. The IIAC has been in the regional final the last 2 years, Central has been just as dominant and beaten better competition than Monmouth (UWSP, defending WIAC champ, toughest conference in the nation per d3football.com). Fair or not, past playoff success will come into play and the MWC just doesnt have any to speak of. Central is 5 in the AFCA poll, behind MUC, UWW, Wesley, and SJU.

Not to piss any of you guys off, but you cant deny those facts.

[The Roop]

I don't think the NCAA will leave 5 of the top 10 in the same region. Somebody has to move so that's why I'm looking for Central to be in the north.

[Jester76]

Reading Clyde's Around the Midwest article for this week seems that Monmouth might get moved to the North region playoff bracket.  He wrote, "If Monmouth finishes undefeated, it would be difficult to deny the Scots a home playoff game while a loss could very well put Monmouth on the road, possibly against a CCIW or Ohio Athletic Conference opponent.
  That would be interesting to see how that would shake down.  What does everyone think?

[The Roop]

According to the podcast there are 5 potential #1 seeds in the west, so one and possibly two teams may get moved. Whitewater won't get moved as they are the obvious #1. Neither will Linfield for geographic reasons. And as strange as it might sound, St. Johns is too far north to be in the north. So Central and Monmouth are the candidates to go out of region.

[Jester76]

So the possibility is that Monmouth could be a number one seed in the North Region?  That is if Mount Union gets moved to the East.

[The Roop]

No, they wouldn't be a #1 in the north if they got moved. Rather there are likely to be 5 undefeated west region teams and they all can't stay in region for the play offs.

[Mr. Ypsi]

According to the podcast there are 5 potential #1 seeds in the west, so one and possibly two teams may get moved. Whitewater won't get moved as they are the obvious #1. Neither will Linfield for geographic reasons. And as strange as it might sound, St. Johns is too far north to be in the north. So Central and Monmouth are the candidates to go out of region.

You seem to be almost the only one left who doesn't think UWW to the 'North' is a foregone conclusion!

For the last three years, the NCAA seems to have abandoned 'regions' per se and gone with four #1 seeds, then build brackets around them.  Once Wheaton lost, the 'North' no longer had a clear #1 (and the 'East' never had one).  Barring major upsets, I'd say the brackets are MUC ('East'), UWW ('North'), Wesley (South) and SJU/Linfield/Central a toss-up for the 'West'.

I'll predict that Monmouth will also end up in the 'North'.  Making room for them will be Case Western helping bolster the overly weak 'East'.