FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

Big game between two surprising undefeated teams in San Antonio this weekend ... Hardin-Simmons at Trinity.   Should be a great afternoon of football between two old foes trying to reclaim their place atop their respective conference standings.

This is the most important game in D3 this weekend by quite a ways.  Playoff implications all over the place.  I'll definitely be following this one closely.

What about W&J @ TMC? Likely PAC championship game, although I'm hoping CWRU can beat W&J and have a shot against TMC at home in week 11.

jk makes a lot of the relevant points there, but what I'm saying about the HSU-Trinity game being most important basically hinges on it's implications in Pools B and C which affects absolutely everybody.  TMC-WJ is a big game, but it basically really only matters in the PAC (and then we'll see what happens to the loser down the road). 

As far as HSU-Trinity being an elimination game...I'm not quite ready to go there just yet.  HSU still has a game with UMHB that I'm not ruling them out of which could really shake things up as well.  This whole Texas-centric Pool B/C thing is a top 3 storyline to follow in the division this season.  Fascinating stuff.

More like every year with the Texas Sub Bracket!

It is a bit of a throwback to the days of the Texas sub bracket.  It's been a bit since we've had more than 1-2 postseason-relevant teams down in the Republic though, so what's going on down there through the first four weeks is really interesting. 

[TLU02SA]

Big game between two surprising undefeated teams in San Antonio this weekend ... Hardin-Simmons at Trinity.   Should be a great afternoon of football between two old foes trying to reclaim their place atop their respective conference standings.

This is the most important game in D3 this weekend by quite a ways.  Playoff implications all over the place.  I'll definitely be following this one closely.

What about W&J @ TMC? Likely PAC championship game, although I'm hoping CWRU can beat W&J and have a shot against TMC at home in week 11.

jk makes a lot of the relevant points there, but what I'm saying about the HSU-Trinity game being most important basically hinges on it's implications in Pools B and C which affects absolutely everybody.  TMC-WJ is a big game, but it basically really only matters in the PAC (and then we'll see what happens to the loser down the road). 

As far as HSU-Trinity being an elimination game...I'm not quite ready to go there just yet.  HSU still has a game with UMHB that I'm not ruling them out of which could really shake things up as well.  This whole Texas-centric Pool B/C thing is a top 3 storyline to follow in the division this season.  Fascinating stuff.

More like every year with the Texas Sub Bracket!

It is a bit of a throwback to the days of the Texas sub bracket.  It's been a bit since we've had more than 1-2 postseason-relevant teams down in the Republic though, so what's going on down there through the first four weeks is really interesting.

The best news is that almost all of these teams are playing each other this year.  HSU played TLU and still has Trinity and UMHB.  TLU will also play Trinity and UMHB.  The only teams not matching up are UMHB and Trinity.  This scheduling could create a real pecking order or a huge mess. 

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity could not get anything going through the air today, suffered turnovers at cruicial times, and made too many mistakes in losing to HSU 31-7.    Total yardage was surprisingly close but two interceptions made all the difference.   The first one came after the Tigers had made perhaps their best defensive stand in the first half and had the ball near midfield after a short punt.   Trailing 17-0.  a ball was tipped and then returned for a TD and HSU would never be challenged after that.   

Trinity avoided the shutout by scoring with 22 seconds left.   

[umhb2001]

UMHB will not look the same to the TLU offense or defense this time around. The pecking order will be what it's always been.

[TLU02SA]

UMHB will not look the same to the TLU offense or defense this time around. The pecking order will be what it's always been.

We will see.  Looking forward to the game in Belton.

[Coolrey]

UMHB will be formidable.  But one game at a time.  ETBU is next and that won't be a small task.

[Ron Boerger]

With all the conference shakeups back east, the Liberty League is about to find themselves in the same position as the SCAC if they're not careful.    They have more options to poach add a couple of teams than the SCAC does, tho.

[umhb2001]

UMHB will be formidable.  But one game at a time.  ETBU is next and that won't be a small task.

Welcome to the boards! +k

[TLU02SA]

With all the conference shakeups back east, the Liberty League is about to find themselves in the same position as the SCAC if they're not careful.    They have more options to poach add a couple of teams than the SCAC does, tho.

I am amazed at the constant conference shuffling in D3.  I would have thought D3 conferences would be more stable.  Obviously, TLU has been involved in that shuffling.  I have seen TLU change conferences twice.  First in 1999 when TLU joined the ASC upon changing its affiliation from NCAA D2/NAIA D1 to NCAA D3.  This move also coincided with TLU restarting its football program.  The second was the move to the SCAC.  In the referenced article, it certainly appears that certain conferences will lose their AQ.  You are right, the east coast schools do have more options and opportunities to reach that AQ threshold.  At this point, I don't see the SCAC regaining their football AQ unless more schools in Texas and surrounding states start up football programs or change their affiliation to D3.  I have not heard any rumors about either of these happening.

[umhb2001]

With all the conference shakeups back east, the Liberty League is about to find themselves in the same position as the SCAC if they're not careful.    They have more options to poach add a couple of teams than the SCAC does, tho.

I am amazed at the constant conference shuffling in D3.  I would have thought D3 conferences would be more stable.  Obviously, TLU has been involved in that shuffling.  I have seen TLU change conferences twice.  First in 1999 when TLU joined the ASC upon changing its affiliation from NCAA D2/NAIA D1 to NCAA D3.  This move also coincided with TLU restarting its football program.  The second was the move to the SCAC.  In the referenced article, it certainly appears that certain conferences will lose their AQ.  You are right, the east coast schools do have more options and opportunities to reach that AQ threshold.  At this point, I don't see the SCAC regaining their football AQ unless more schools in Texas and surrounding states start up football programs or change their affiliation to D3.  I have not heard any rumors about either of these happening.

It makes things a lot more difficult when you don't have the AQ to rest on, of course, that just means that each week is a playoff game, cause if you lose one, you may not make it. I don't know that the SCAC will ever create a full league due to the relative sparseness of D3 schools who play football in our area. It seems that if a school opened in Houston or Galveston, they could do well to draw players and provide another outlet for football.

What amazes me is the fast enormity of players who play any kind of college ball. There are so many schools recruiting, it seems impossible to field these teams with any quality.

[TLU02SA]

With all the conference shakeups back east, the Liberty League is about to find themselves in the same position as the SCAC if they're not careful.    They have more options to poach add a couple of teams than the SCAC does, tho.

I am amazed at the constant conference shuffling in D3.  I would have thought D3 conferences would be more stable.  Obviously, TLU has been involved in that shuffling.  I have seen TLU change conferences twice.  First in 1999 when TLU joined the ASC upon changing its affiliation from NCAA D2/NAIA D1 to NCAA D3.  This move also coincided with TLU restarting its football program.  The second was the move to the SCAC.  In the referenced article, it certainly appears that certain conferences will lose their AQ.  You are right, the east coast schools do have more options and opportunities to reach that AQ threshold.  At this point, I don't see the SCAC regaining their football AQ unless more schools in Texas and surrounding states start up football programs or change their affiliation to D3.  I have not heard any rumors about either of these happening.

It makes things a lot more difficult when you don't have the AQ to rest on, of course, that just means that each week is a playoff game, cause if you lose one, you may not make it. I don't know that the SCAC will ever create a full league due to the relative sparseness of D3 schools who play football in our area. It seems that if a school opened in Houston or Galveston, they could do well to draw players and provide another outlet for football.

What amazes me is the fast enormity of players who play any kind of college ball. There are so many schools recruiting, it seems impossible to field these teams with any quality.

It does seem impossible but it just goes to show how good and deep Texas high school football is. 

I live in the Houston area and I don't see any schools in this area starting a D3 program any time soon. The only schools without a team in the area are the UH-Downtown, UH-Clear Lake, UH-Sugarland, and St. Thomas.  The UH affiliated colleges do not sponsor sports at all.  St. Thomas is a NAIA school but I have not heard anything about them starting a football program.  That would certainly be newsworthy here in Houston.  Unfortunately, it is what it is.  There are too many Texas/Louisiana D3 football programs for one conference and not enough for two. 

I have a question, does D3 have any rule that permits a conference championship game in football?  I am assuming they are not allowed because I have not heard of such a game being played and the playoffs start the weekend after the regular season ends.  Thus, there is no room to schedule it.  If it was permitted, a combined ASC/SCAC football only conference would work with twelve teams but would require a two division/conference championship setup.  I doubt the schools would have interest in that type of setup though.

[jknezek]

I have a question, does D3 have any rule that permits a conference championship game in football?  I am assuming they are not allowed because I have not heard of such a game being played and the playoffs start the weekend after the regular season ends.  Thus, there is no room to schedule it.  If it was permitted, a combined ASC/SCAC football only conference would work with twelve teams but would require a two division/conference championship setup.  I doubt the schools would have interest in that type of setup though.

Yes. The conference championship rule was actually established to benefit a DIII conference. I think it was the ECFC that had two divisions and petitioned and won the right to have a conference championship back in the 90s. They were the only DIII conference I can remember having one and they recently split into two conferences, ending the need.

[wally_wabash]

I have a question, does D3 have any rule that permits a conference championship game in football?  I am assuming they are not allowed because I have not heard of such a game being played and the playoffs start the weekend after the regular season ends.  Thus, there is no room to schedule it.  If it was permitted, a combined ASC/SCAC football only conference would work with twelve teams but would require a two division/conference championship setup.  I doubt the schools would have interest in that type of setup though.

Yes. The conference championship rule was actually established to benefit a DIII conference. I think it was the ECFC that had two divisions and petitioned and won the right to have a conference championship back in the 90s. They were the only DIII conference I can remember having one and they recently split into two conferences, ending the need.

To piggy-back on what jk said, the MWC currently hosts a conference championship game.  Those schools play 9 games between weeks 1 and 10, then in week 11 they pair off teams from each division in a 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2, etc. format with the 1 vs 1 game being played for the league's championship and AQ. 

[ExTartanPlayer]

I have a question, does D3 have any rule that permits a conference championship game in football?  I am assuming they are not allowed because I have not heard of such a game being played and the playoffs start the weekend after the regular season ends.  Thus, there is no room to schedule it.  If it was permitted, a combined ASC/SCAC football only conference would work with twelve teams but would require a two division/conference championship setup.  I doubt the schools would have interest in that type of setup though.

Yes. The conference championship rule was actually established to benefit a DIII conference. I think it was the ECFC that had two divisions and petitioned and won the right to have a conference championship back in the 90s. They were the only DIII conference I can remember having one and they recently split into two conferences, ending the need.

To piggy-back on what jk said, the MWC currently hosts a conference championship game.  Those schools play 9 games between weeks 1 and 10, then in week 11 they pair off teams from each division in a 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2, etc. format with the 1 vs 1 game being played for the league's championship and AQ.

And just because I'm a stickler for detail, it was the NEFC (not the ECFC; that league is more recently formed) that used to have two divisions and played a conference championship game.  It's my understanding that the NEFC was a football-only league that served as a home for schools from a couple of different leagues that did not sponsor football, but then it split into the NEFC and MASCAC and now there's going to be more shuffling, there was a story on the D3 page recently.

(http://www.d3football.com/notables/2015/10/ccc-brings-football-teams-in-house)

So, yeah.  You can have a conference title game, probably has to be something like the model wally describes here.

[GillCJ1]

Very interesting stuff.  Thanks for the info.  It may never happen with the ASC/SCAC, but it's nice to dream of a unified conference again.