FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[y_jack_lok]

^^^ Once R-MC took control vs Ferrum I was checking in on that W&L/ H-SC game regularly. After the Generals scored the 4th TD I thought they had it, no sweat. Little did I know. H-SC sure looked different today than they had in their first two games, which I watched parts of. I only saw snatches of their game vs SU --- most of the time it happened to be when SU was on offense, so didn't get a good read on them. Missed all of the GC game. The Tigers appear to be improving a lot.

The R-MC/Ferrum game looked like it was going to be competitive. Ferrum led 14-13 and had held the Jackets to two field goals and a punt on three of their first four drives., the other being a TD. The Jackets got a second TD with just over two minute left in the first half. On the following kickoff Ferrum fumbled, R-MC recovered and scored another TD for a 27-14 halftime lead. The second half was all R-MC. On all second half R-MC kickoffs Ferrum opted to fair catch. Ferrum's #5 is a dangerous receiver.

[jknezek]

Anyone know why Apprentice vs Guilford was cancelled yesterday? The Generals are a bit beat up right now and face Apprentice next week. As a fan and hopeful for W&L's season, I wouldn't be too upset if it wasn't played and they had a chance to get healthy. As a fan and a proponent for the players, I hope the game goes on and the Generals get to play a full season since the upperclassmen, especially, have already lost an entire slate.

[HSCTiger fan]

Anyone know why Apprentice vs Guilford was cancelled yesterday? The Generals are a bit beat up right now and face Apprentice next week. As a fan and hopeful for W&L's season, I wouldn't be too upset if it wasn't played and they had a chance to get healthy. As a fan and a proponent for the players, I hope the game goes on and the Generals get to play a full season since the upperclassmen, especially, have already lost an entire slate.

Looks like it was COVID-19 related on Guilford's end.

https://www.gobuilders.com/general/2020-21/releases/Guilford_Game_Canceled

[jknezek]

Anyone know why Apprentice vs Guilford was cancelled yesterday? The Generals are a bit beat up right now and face Apprentice next week. As a fan and hopeful for W&L's season, I wouldn't be too upset if it wasn't played and they had a chance to get healthy. As a fan and a proponent for the players, I hope the game goes on and the Generals get to play a full season since the upperclassmen, especially, have already lost an entire slate.

Looks like it was COVID-19 related on Guilford's end.

https://www.gobuilders.com/general/2020-21/releases/Guilford_Game_Canceled

Well, hopefully the game will be a go for the players then. Thanks. Appreciate it.

[jknezek]

I'll say this for NNA... they have some big guys on the line and the fullback is a bloody tank. If the Generals were feeling bruised up coming in, they aren't going to feel better going out...

[jknezek]

That was one of the better NNA teams I've watched. They played W&L straight up and physical for 3 quarters and then, I think, they simply ran out of gas. Their first string was big, they were physical, but it didn't seem like they were real deep. And outside of the one running back, I think the skill positions weren't the best. But the qb and lines, especially the lines, and even the linebackers, played the best I've seen from NNA over the years.

I think, had Guilford not had COVID issues last week, NNA could have won that game. I suspect they will not be a pushover for the other ODAC teams, though I think all will beat them, especially if I'm right and they aren't that deep. 

[y_jack_lok]

The Shennandoah/Ferrum game was amazing.

[jknezek]

W&L hosting Bridgewater was not the prettiest game. W&L's defense held Bridgewater to... well, nothing. 118 yards of total offense, 7 first downs. Bridgewater went nowhere.

Bridgewater's defense held W&L to... well, not much. 312 yards of total offense, 23 first downs. The 17-0 score was accurate, but it was definitely helped along by W&L's 3 turnovers well inside Bridgewater territory. One fumble, 2 picks. Second quarter, W&L fumbles at the Bridgewater 20 yard line after a 78 yard, 10 play drive. Second quarter, W&L throws a pick at Bridgewater's 7 yard line after an 11 play, 43 yard drive. 4th quarter, W&L takes over at B'water's 30 yard line on downs, and then gets picked off on a pass to Bridgwater's 2 yard line.

Definitely a struggle all day on offense. On the other hand, the General's defense was savage. The Generals held the ball for over 41 minutes, so the defense looked and played fresh all day.

[y_jack_lok]

^^^ I was checking in on that game periodically. Couldn't get a feel for was was happening. Didn't happen to see any of the Generals turnovers. Thanks for the insights.

The big surprise of the weekend was the other low scoring game -- Shenandoah over E&H on a last second FG. No one in the pickems chose SU to win that game.

[jknezek]

^^^ I was checking in on that game periodically. Couldn't get a feel for was was happening. Didn't happen to see any of the Generals turnovers. Thanks for the insights.

The big surprise of the weekend was the other low scoring game -- Shenandoah over E&H on a last second FG. No one in the pickems chose SU to win that game.

Yeah, I was surprised by the Shenandoah/E&H game also. If I was doing pick'ems this year, I wouldn't have gotten that one right either! Nice roll by R-MC. That was one of the better NNA teams I've seen, but it seemed to me that their strength, big strong lines, was matched against R-MC's strength in the trenches. I was pretty sure that wasn't going to go well for NNA... and it didn't.

On a side note, having only 8 qualifying D3 games is likely to really hurt R-MC this year. With a full 10 games and the big OOC win, I suspect they would have had a shot at a C if needed. With only 8 games, I feel like it's more of a stretch. Not sure where the ODAC goes from here, but getting full 10 game schedules with only 7 conference members is a big chore. And NNA just isn't the answer if we want to have any kind of shot at not being one of the last seeds as an AQ, let alone a Pool C.

[y_jack_lok]

On a side note, having only 8 qualifying D3 games is likely to really hurt R-MC this year. With a full 10 games and the big OOC win, I suspect they would have had a shot at a C if needed. With only 8 games, I feel like it's more of a stretch. Not sure where the ODAC goes from here, but getting full 10 game schedules with only 7 conference members is a big chore. And NNA just isn't the answer if we want to have any kind of shot at not being one of the last seeds as an AQ, let alone a Pool C.

Thanks for those thoughts. You know way more about that stuff than I do, so good to get that perspective. R-MC still has to worry about Shenandoah and H-SC before even contemplating the possibility of a Pool C bid. Neither of those games will be easy.

[jknezek]

On a side note, having only 8 qualifying D3 games is likely to really hurt R-MC this year. With a full 10 games and the big OOC win, I suspect they would have had a shot at a C if needed. With only 8 games, I feel like it's more of a stretch. Not sure where the ODAC goes from here, but getting full 10 game schedules with only 7 conference members is a big chore. And NNA just isn't the answer if we want to have any kind of shot at not being one of the last seeds as an AQ, let alone a Pool C.

Thanks for those thoughts. You know way more about that stuff than I do, so good to get that perspective. R-MC still has to worry about Shenandoah and H-SC before even contemplating the possibility of a Pool C bid. Neither of those games will be easy.

No. And W&L has Shenandoah and Ferrum, neither of those will be easy (plus E&H, which I suspect will cause more than a few bruises). So we will see.

[jknezek]

The first Regional Ranking (Listing) is out. Reminder, the change this year is the "Rankings" for the first week are in alphabetical order, not in an actual ranking:

Region 3           
   Birmingham-Southern
   Centre   
   Hardin-Simmons   
   Mary Hardin-Baylor   
   Randolph-Macon   
   Trinity (Texas)   
   Washington & Lee

whole story here: https://d3football.com/playoffs/2021/first-regional-ranking

[HSCTiger fan]

How many teams are getting at large bids to play in the playoffs this year?

[jknezek]

How many teams are getting at large bids to play in the playoffs this year?

I think 5.