FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[johndooberson]

Round One-

Are you really going to tell me to look up the work "reprove" on a football board?  Glad to see HSC still has a solid rhetoric program. 

Anyways, when Simpson is healthy, he IS the best player in the ODAC.  He was obviously not healthy going into the game.  He did score three times but was limited to something like 32 rushes for 85 yards.  Josh Simpson is by FAR the best player on HSC.  My point was that Sitterson (when healthy) might be the best player in the league.  You can make arguments for about 5-6 guys in the ODAC..Simpson, Sitterson, Ricca, Brown and Vogelbach and maybe Sedlar but the INT numbers for Vogelbach and Sedlar are very high, but they have thrown it a bunch.

Yes the NFL looks at turnover ratio, obviously.  I'm pretty sure they judge total defense by yards though.  I would argue that 3 and outs are as important as forcing turnovers if not more important.  Like I mentioned yesterday, HSC is ranked 201st in pass defense and I think it was 126th in total defense.  These numbers are simply not impressive and it's hard to argue otherwise.  Yes you can say you "forced" a bunch of turnovers, but the fact is you were playing against pretty bad offenses.  If you don't force turnovers you will get scored on.  We moved the ball very well against you, but in the end you all had more talent and won the game.  I think that HSC and Catholic have the best teams in the ODAC, it's because both teams offenses are very effective.  So we could be looking at the ODAC championship game this Saturday.  Looks like its supposed to rain, I'm not sure if that hurts or helps HSC.  What do you think?

[Jeremybozz]

Round One,

I agree with your assessment of the game at W&L.  The Generals changed their whole offensive attack after Sitterson got hurt.  Washington and Lee played a great game and made some good adjustments.  The Tigers just had the answers when the game was on the line.

As for a weak schedule, check out the strength of schedule section on the front page.  HSC has the toughest ranked schedule of the in-region undefeated teams.  The opponents winning percentage is .575.  That stat takes the losses to HSC out of the opponents schedule.  When that is done Guilford and Kings are the only teams with a losing record that HSC has played so far.

Bridgewater is still 2-4. 2-3 if you don't count the loss to the Tigers.

[HSC85]

Jeremybozz,

Thanks for the correction.  Bridgewater played so well against HSC in the second half, I forgot that they had lost so many games.

[Ryan Tipps]

When that is done Guilford and Kings are the only teams with a losing record that HSC has played so far.

Did you mean Gettysburg (3-4) and King's (1-5) -- rather than Guilford and King's?

Guilford is one of three teams H-SC has played that is currently at .500 (along with NCW and E&H).

[muchacho]

2008 ODAC Football Standings
 
                              GP Record Win% PF PA  GP Record Win % PF PA
Hampden-Sydney   5    4-1   0.800 149 110  8  7-1      0.875 249 179
Catholic                   3    2-1   0.667 101 82    7 6-1      0.857 215 129
Emory & Henry        3    2-1   0.500 24 27      6 3-3      0.500 106 86
Bridgewater            3    1-2   0.500 61 57      6 2-4      0.333 132 135
Guilford                   3    1-2   0.333 68 89      7 4-3      0.571 195 196
Randolph-Macon     3    1-2   0.333 58 72      7 3-4      0.429 153 178
Washington & Lee 4     1-3   0.250 113 137  8 4-4      0.500 203 224

Current standing from ODACOnline.com

Had to adjust E&H and BC's records on my own, so their winning percentage and point differentials aren't right.

Looks like Catholic controls things down the stretch with 3 conference games to go. HSC has just one loss as well, but Catholic will have the tie breaker. The Tigers will have to win at Macon and hope for a Catholic loss in order to take the conference.

Emory and Henry has just one loss as well, with a matchup against Catholic next week. Their overall record doesn't look good, but they are playing pretty decently in conference. They would need to win their next 3 games and hope for a HSC loss to Macon in week 11.

[Olinemom]

Dear ODAC Friends--

A friend from the OAC boards (who often posts here and is a regular with his son Kevin at the Stagg (GO Raiders!!)), seventiesraider, underwent a really rough surgery today--in through his throat--replacing vertebrae in his neck with grafted bone from his hip--I wouldn't want to have to deal with anything like it.  He will be laid up for a good long time.  Anyway, he is in St. Thomas Hospital in Akron, Ohio and, I'm sure, would welcome cards and good wishes.  Send them on to:

David Ross
St Thomas Hospital
444 N. Main St.
Akron, OH   44310-3110

He'll  be there until Wednesday or so and then home:

3650 Mogadore Rd
Mogadore, OH  44260

I just talked to his wife and the surgery went well, but it will be a long recovery--think of him often and wish him well.  His wife said I could post the home address as long as y'all promised not to egg their house! 

Thanks for thinking of our friend.

Theaprof (Rudy)

Thanks for the address, Rudy!!  I'll have to find some really cute cards for him.  Sure hope there is a chance for him and Kevin to make it to the Stagg!  It won't be near as fun without them!!!  And you, too, of course!!

[hasanova]

I've been outside working and just saw some scores.

Wow!  Catholic over HSC and Guilford tops W&L, both on the road.  With the head-to-head tie-breaker, CUA has the ODAC title in their hands if they win out ... but they have to win their last 3!  I'm sure the Tigers are disappointed to get this close to an undefeated season.  I'm still looking for a score on BC and E&H, but congratulations to RMC on their non-conference win over Frostburg ... I think it was Homecoming in Ashland today!    

[Olinemom]

I've been outside working and just saw some scores.

Wow!  Catholic over HSC and Guilford tops W&L, both on the road.  With the head-to-head tie-breaker, CUA has the ODAC title in their hands if they win out ... but they have to win their last 3!  I'm sure the Tigers are disappointed to get this close to an undefeated season.  I'm still looking for a score on BC and E&H, but congratulations to RMC on their non-conference win over Frostburg ... I think it was Homecoming in Ashland today!    

We came in second 19 - 14 this afternoon, Hasanova.  Congrats to Guilford on their win!

[hasanova]

I've been outside working and just saw some scores.

Wow!  Catholic over HSC and Guilford tops W&L, both on the road.  With the head-to-head tie-breaker, CUA has the ODAC title in their hands if they win out ... but they have to win their last 3!  I'm sure the Tigers are disappointed to get this close to an undefeated season.  I'm still looking for a score on BC and E&H, but congratulations to RMC on their non-conference win over Frostburg ... I think it was Homecoming in Ashland today!    

We came in second 19 - 14 this afternoon, Hasanova.  Congrats to Guilford on their win!

Thanks.  I'll have to say the GC/W&L 34-27 final made my day, especially when I saw the Quakers held W&L on a 4th and one at their own 4-yard line with just a couple of minutes to go.  Sounds as though the Eagles were in a hard-fought game today as well.  By the way, when was the last time BC failed to win a home game?  That's been a big surprise for me and with only one more game at Jopson, time is running out.

[coco]

Hey, Olinemom and the rest of the Bridgewater crowd!

Sorry about your loss today, and it sounds like your weather was miserable to boot.
We had great weather for our Linfield game, but Willamette really took it to us.

Better luck to you next week against W&L.

[allsky7]

     Great weekend for my family but a tough day for the Tigers. My hats off to the Tiger D. They played a heck of a second half yesterday and gave the Tigers numerous opportunities to get back in and possibly win the game. You simply cannot turn the ball over that many times (several times in the red zone) and have crucial penalties and expect to beat a good football team like Catholic. Congrats to CUA.
     Catholic controls their own destiny at this point but does have 3 ODAC game left. Two on the road at E&H and Guilford. IMO, neither one a gimme. And then finishing at home against a BC team loaded with young players but capable of knocking off CUA if they are hitting on all cylinders like they did the last 10 minutes of the H-S game.
      Obviously, H-S can't do a thing about Catholic, but they are certainly not out of the playoff picture. They have a week off to heal and prepare for an undefeated Huntington team. Assuming Huntington gets the W next week against a winless Principia team, they will go into the H-S game undefeated with the looming LaGrange game for the SLIAC title. Without a Catholic L and a W over Macon to win the ODAC, the Tigers will need an impressive W over Huntington and Macon to have any shot at a pool C. What are the Tigers chances of a pool C at 9 and 1 assuming the water doesn't get too muddy with upsets in other conferences? I assume Huntington would be in at 10 and 0 but what about them or LaGrange at 9 and 1?
     Sorry for the ramblings but just trying to get some conver started. 

[casper]

Way to go, Waspers!

Would have been nice to see McDonald manage the O from the
beginning of the season.  Truly believe we have the best D in
the conference....but I'm biased!

GO EMORY!

[muchacho]

What are the Tigers chances of a pool C at 9 and 1 assuming the water doesn't get too muddy with upsets in other conferences? I assume Huntington would be in at 10 and 0 but what about them or LaGrange at 9 and 1?

Time for the playoff experts to bring out their knowledge. Since the SLIAC doesn't get an automatic bid, wouldn't LaGrange and Huntington both be eligible for Pool B slots rather than Pool C slots? I could be wrong, but neither of those teams should take a playoff spot from HSC, unless the NCAA makes a decision to reward a Pool C from another region than the South.

If Catholic and HSC win out, then the Tigers would have just one loss to another playoff team. With HSC's recent history of success, although they haven't done anything in the playoffs, I would think they would merit a lot of consideration. However, like you mentioned in your post there is still a lot of sorting out in the ODAC and other conferences as well.

[Ryan Tipps]

Time for the playoff experts to bring out their knowledge. Since the SLIAC doesn't get an automatic bid, wouldn't LaGrange and Huntington both be eligible for Pool B slots rather than Pool C slots?

If you're in a Pool B conference and you get passed over as a Pool B pick, then your team does go into the Pool C mix. Bottom line: *everyone* is eligible for Pool C. And right now, Huntingdon and LaGrange both are undefeated in regional play (LG's loss was to a non-D3 school). However, I'd think that a 9-1 H-SC team would stack up better than an in-region, one-loss SLIAC team, whichever one it would be.

I'm going to be talking about playoff chances and sorting out the ODAC in my column this coming week. There are *a lot* of ways the Old Dominion can play out!

[PA_wesleyfan]

Ryan

Don't you think that the way the East plays out has a big impact on how many bids the south gets? Hard to see a 3 from the E8 again unless SJF get the auto bid