FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

but it illustrates how much small differences and a little luck have to do with those 4-7 seedings.

...and wesley, with the best sos number in the country and a #4 RR gets to go on the road and give us a #4 vs. #2 RR matchup in the first round...

Go home Selection Committee, you're drunk.

Actually this is due to "geographic proximity.  If you have Millsaps instead of WashUSTL, then I think that Maryville goes to Millsaps and HSC can play someone else.  In order to save a flight, the committee schedules it that way.

The suggestion of Wesley vs Ithaca (a real 4-5 game and I thought Wesley should host that one) and Gallaudet to JHU made more sense to me.

[abnrgr]

Dr. Turner
Nice to see you cruising (or skulking ) down in the ditch with ODAC. Concur with the home game for Wesley. Wesley will romp

[narch]

How long did it take you to write this? You've got a lot of time on your hands. I don't.

it took about 8 to 10 minutes while i was watching college basketball last night...i like to think my life is pretty balanced, and following d3 sports is part of that balance - when i do have time to discuss d3 sports, it is something that i make a few minutes for - by the way, start to finish, this post took about 4 minutes, in case you were curious

Can we now drop it?

...sure...feel free to stop bringing up previous conversations at any point - i was here discussing a relevant topic...ncaa tournament pairings/seedings, when you brought up conversations from weeks ago...i hadn't even thought about those conversations since they ended, but apparently you had - you can move on at any time

[HSCTiger fan]

This took 5 seconds I have moved on - to watch a well EARNED HOME playoff game. 

[Highlander]

Seldom poster, but continuous lurker of this forum... First, let me congratulate the Maryville Fighting Scots and the Hampden Syndney Tigers on winning their respective conferences to receive an automatic bid to this years D3 playoff championship. Here are some of my random thoughts/questions regarding this Saturday's matchup between the Fighting Scots and the Tigers:

(1) I am going to show my age with this, but, Hampden Syndney was the site of my last Football Road Game as a Fighting Scot in 1999. Which, by the way, was a 13-3 victory for the Fighting Scots. Hopefully that is a good omen...And, The Fighting Scots finished that season the following week with a victory against those Wasps from E&H to finish the season with a 7-3 record...

(2) We have all heard fans of each of these respective conferences debating for several years about which conference was stronger. Well, on this upcoming saturday we are going to get a one-time shot at bragging rights for whichever conference champ wins.

(3) One question that needs to be asked is, "How is each of these teams going to respond after their respective games last weekend?" For examples: The Fighting Scots traveled to Huntingdon and lost to a good, but not as good as they usually are, Huntingdon team. I feel that one must remember that games between those two teams have always been great. And, each of those teams know almost everything about the other given their history and the fact that Coach Rader was an assistant at Huntingdon for so many years. While that lose may have hurt, I feel that it can be used to help focus and humble a young team that has never ever been in the position that it is in at the present time. On the flip side, The Tigers traveled to Ashland to compete in "The Game" and returned victors. Will that combined with the unexpected opportunity to host a first round game lead to a slight bit of overconfidence for the Tigers? Who knows? I certainily hope so 

(4) While we all know that this game is going to hinge on the Tigers passing attack versus the Fighting Scots rushing attack, I feel that in order for the Fighting Scots to be victorious there are a couple of things that must happen. First, I feel that the Scots need to receive the opening kick and either score first, or at the very minimum establish field position early. Second, the Fighting Scots MUST win the turnover battle. CNU proved that the best way to beat the Tigers is to turn them over. Third, the Fighting Scots must not have any more special teams breakdowns. Those will get you beat against good teams, which at this point, everyone is. Fourth, I feel that it is important that the Scots gameplan must mirror the things that have gotten them to this point. Don't fix things that aren't broke.

(5) As great as it would have been for the Fighting Scots to have been able to win last week and have the shot at hosting, I feel that being on the road may actually play into the Scots favor since they have never been in this position before. I always felt as a player it was much easier to focus the week of, night before, and day of an away game. Especially, one that is an overnight trip.

(6) Given this matchup, I am 100% sure that each team and its fans feel that this is a winnable game for each of the respective institutions. It's not like the ODAC champ or the USAC champ was shipped to Belton or Alliance  I feel that this matchup is great for the schools and the conferences that they represent. On this train of thought, I have read all about the criteria regarding the selection of the brackets and where each team is placed. One question that I have not heard is that maybe the selection committee saw this as an oppportunity, given the results in the South and East last weekend, to ensure that one of these conference champs make it to the second round

(7) Win or lose, I am extremely proud of my Fighting Scots!!!

(8) I look forward to others comments and posts leading up to the matchup this saturday.

[tigerfanalso]

Highlander

Good observations but you outlined the obvious as to what any team needs to do to win any football game; solid game plan, good execution, win turnover battle, special team play, etc. I'll say this, the team with the best defense and the best OL will win this game. We'll know that answers around 3pm on Saturday, or maybe by 1pm.

[Scots13]

Highlander

Good observations but you outlined the obvious as to what any team needs to do to win any football game; solid game plan, good execution, win turnover battle, special team play, etc. I'll say this, the team with the best defense and the best OL will win this game. We'll know that answers around 3pm on Saturday, or maybe by 1pm.

Defense will be the key to the game. If the Maryville secondary plays like they are capable of and the DL can get pressure on Nance (at least more than they were able to get on Huntingdon's qb's), look for a good game for MC. If not, HSC's frat circle will have reason to celebrate Saturday night.

[tigerfanalso]

Like I said, the team with the best defense and OL will win. We'll find out which defense and OL line is best at some point during the game measured by # of first downs and three and outs.   

[D O.C.]

If you've actually looked at those airfares to Portland Thanksgiving weekend, here's a little boost about McMinnville while you think of a way to bring that little unexpected NW vacation up to your wife so she'll think of going along with your idea....

http://1859oregonmagazine.com/72-hours-in-mcminnville

[HSCTiger fan]

If you've actually looked at those airfares to Portland Thanksgiving weekend, here's a little boost about McMinnville while you think of a way to bring that little unexpected NW vacation up to your wife so she'll think of going along with your idea....

http://1859oregonmagazine.com/72-hours-in-mcminnville

I only looked for Tacoma.

As a side note - If HSC wins, I will assure you that no one on this team has every loaded a bus or a plane to play a game where they expect to lose. If we win this week and get to play Linville or PLU, make no mistake we will go there to win. Your guys may crush us but our men will be ready to play. We will not to go play to be some sacrificial lamb.

I think Maryville would say the same thing.

[TheEHC52]

Word on the street is that Montgomery is out at E&H after nine seasons.

[Scots13]

Tis the season..
Dunleavy from Averett is now out. That makes 3 with addition of Mooney of LaGrange out of jobs between the ODAC and USAC, if the word out of Emory is correct. Wonder if any more are headed out...

[hasanova]

Word on the street is that Montgomery is out at E&H after nine seasons.

If Montgomery was on the fence, the season-ending Guilford game certainly didn't help.

[HSCTiger74]

At this point I guess you can look at it either of two ways:
   1) Who's going to start playing defense first?
   2) Who's going to have the ball last?

[algernon]

Tigers lead, 35-27, at the half!