FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[wabashcpa]

I would guess the only team truly comfortable with its depth would be Mount Union.

Their 2nd string is arguably a top 5-10 team.

[DPU3619]

DPU: Again, why does everyone assume that Millsaps crossed its' fingers? Can a team not have faith in its' depth?

Sure you can.  That's fine.  But doing so and then promptly losing a rivalry game is a grave, grave error.  One that I personally feel shouldn't ever be made by ANY coach, let alone one whose number of SEC championships is greater than 0.  And mistakes like that are why I would rank other 1 loss teams ahead of you.  I don't vote on anything.  I haven't been asked and it's awfully likely that trend will continue.  Just my personal opinion.

And I am in agreement with this board's finest accountant.  I personally wouldn't feel comfortable with my scrubs in there unless I was leading by 35 in the second half or playing somebody much more terrible than MC. 

I mean, this isn't like Florida playing North Carolina A&T.  UF could blow that group out with their all-redshirt squad.  Millsaps was playing a good football team.  And I don't think that the Millsaps #2's are better than Mississippi College's #1's.  I think that's awfully clear at this point. 

If Coach DuBose really, truly believes his team is so deep that he can give everybody the second half off and get away with it, and he's right, you'll be in Salem by 2010.

[historymajor]

Wow,,, Bonzo, where did you find that brilliant Hendrix blog comment?  Football = rape???  Ouch!

[Ron Boerger]

It was in a blog for discussion of adding football at Hendrix' web site and apparently was written by a student there.  In looking at the comments I don't remember seeing a single student that was in favor, though to be honest there were only a handful of comments (~10). 

[Just_that_kid]

I guess Ron was right. Everyone would rather focus on a choice made several weeks ago rather than the scores and recent history. Aren't rankings based on who the best teams are?

So in theory, if Millsaps comes out this week and dismantles DePauw, would you then consider ranking them? Not that it matters, but hypothetically. Further, if Millsaps does (knock on wood) win the SCAC, and does it in convincing fashion (which I don't think is entirely unlikely), will we still be talking about the M.C. game? Will the M.C. game affect your rankings then?

[Pat Coleman]

Unfortunately, that game was against the best team Millsaps has played -- and in most people's minds, the only decent team Millsaps has played.

So in theory, if Millsaps comes out this week and dismantles DePauw, would you then consider ranking them?

Already answered.

Listen, we also know that Millsaps is at DePauw this weekend. DePauw hasn't played a Hardin-Simmons-level schedule to open the season by any stretch but is 3-0. If Millsaps can do well on that trip that will surely turn some votes around. But Mississippi College isn't getting a ton of votes either, so that's providing a bit of a ceiling right now for Millsaps.

[DPU3619]

I guess Ron was right. Everyone would rather focus on a choice made several weeks ago rather than the scores and recent history. Aren't rankings based on who the best teams are?

So in theory, if Millsaps comes out this week and dismantles DePauw, would you then consider ranking them? Not that it matters, but hypothetically. Further, if Millsaps does (knock on wood) win the SCAC, and does it in convincing fashion (which I don't think is entirely unlikely), will we still be talking about the M.C. game? Will the M.C. game affect your rankings then?

The scores and recent history?  To me, most of the one loss teams that are ranked have played better teams than Millsaps.  MC, LC, Austin, and Rhodes doesn't exactly scream "Rank me! Rank me!"  But, on top of that, those other teams also tried to win the game they lost with all their chips on the table.  I'll say again, I personally put a great deal of value in that.  I don't think that fact can be completely ignored.  Is it more/less important than the score of the game?  Well I don't know.  Is it better/worse to get blown out by a good team with your #1's than it is to vomit your lead away with your #2's?  I don't think so, but not many of the ranked 1 loss teams have a big blowout on the slate to a similar opponent. 

We'll find out on Saturday where Millsaps stands.  They could have a repeat of last season if DePauw gives the football away like they did last year.  Millsaps could still win the whole darn conference.  And do it as convincingly as they did last year.  That's certainly worthy of being noted.  If they beat both DePauw and Trinity as convincingly as they did last year, it's going to earn them a fairly high seed in the South when it's all done.

[DPU3619]

Hooray AFCA!

http://www.afca.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9300&ATCLID=1248369

Centre's gaining steam.  Picked up another 16 votes this week.  Second team out of the poll.  Despite beating the tar out of Centre, DePauw's nowhere to be found.  And neither is Millsaps.  No votes.  Zero.  Making it look like the coaches prefer 53 other teams. 

Trinity up at a spot to 14. 

[Ron Boerger]

Well, 2-2 Centre DID post an unimpressive win at home against a team that's now 1-3 (sorry roocru).   And unless Sewanee pulls the upset, they'll likely be in the AFCA top 25 next week. 

Sigh. 

[roocru]

Well, 2-2 Centre DID post an unimpressive win at home against a team that's now 1-3 (sorry roocru).   And unless Sewanee pulls the upset, they'll likely be in the AFCA top 25 next week. 

Sigh. 

That's OK Ron.  I am realistic enough to know we are not there yet, but I still hope we can sneak up on a few SCAC members. 

I get another look this week when I go to watch the Colorado College game.

[Tex]

Well, 2-2 Centre DID post an unimpressive win at home against a team that's now 1-3 (sorry roocru).   And unless Sewanee pulls the upset, they'll likely be in the AFCA top 25 next week. 

Sigh. 

That's OK Ron.  I am realistic enough to know we are not there yet, but I still hope we can sneak up on a few SCAC members. 

I get another look this week when I go to watch the Colorado College game.

I thought CC looked like it had some major upside potential in the first half against Trinity.  You guys might be in for a long night if they put two good halves together.

[TigerDad]

I know it's Tuesday already, but I want to comment on the two games I watched (in person) last Saturday afternoon.

Mary Hardin-Baylor 48, Texas Lutheran 0
This was as uninteresting of a blowout as I've ever seen.  If anything, UMHB played down to the level of their poor opponent in the first half and scored only on big plays.  Other than two 70+ yard TD runs by Thrasher (off-tackle runs with literally NO DB coverage by TLU), the game was a snoozer in the first half.  Neither team showed any ability to sustain a drive or make an offensive move.  TLU never crossed mid-field and the Cru wasn't really much better.  In the second half, UMHB showed a little more life, but really didn't look like #2 in the nation.  I left in the third (headed for S.A.) but I didn't miss much.  See the stats here if you care to read them: http://www2.umhb.edu/sportsinfo/cfootball/txluther.htm

Trinity 38, Colorado College 13
I'm not a neutral party here, but I thought Trinity looked average until the final drive of the first half ... when they ran the hurry-up drill right down the field, 67 yards in just under 4 minutes.  They looked sharp, poised and in-control from then on.  Barmore deserves the SCAC OPOW as he was very confident.  Colorado was over-matched in this contest, but Trinity looked very good on both sides of the ball.  The Black Flag bent but did not break and got some big stops on drives when Colorado chose not to punt.  If Trinity's offense continues their progress, they will be ready for DPU and Millsaps this season.

[Ron Boerger]

Ooh, that's right, I want to go see CC this weekend in Sherman, too.   See you there, roocru!

[Ralph Turner]

I guess Ron was right. Everyone would rather focus on a choice made several weeks ago rather than the scores and recent history. Aren't rankings based on who the best teams are?

So in theory, if Millsaps comes out this week and dismantles DePauw, would you then consider ranking them? Not that it matters, but hypothetically. Further, if Millsaps does (knock on wood) win the SCAC, and does it in convincing fashion (which I don't think is entirely unlikely), will we still be talking about the M.C. game? Will the M.C. game affect your rankings then?

Just that kid,

Please go back to the Top 25 Final results from the previous seasons and compare where SCAC teams have finished.

2006 -- Trinity is RV #26.  "Cinderella-saps" (RV- Tied for 32.  The Majors lost to another "Cinderella", Carnegie Mellon in the first round.  CMU finishes in #22. (CMU is the first UAA school to get an at-large bid in 7 years.)  2006 Final Top 25.

2005 -- Trinity loses in first round of playoffs to UMHB 6-35 and finishes #19.

2004 -- Trinity (9-2) lost to NAIA Azusa Pacific 14-30 and at UMHB 13-32 in the first round of the playoffs.  They are still 3 years out from their Stagg Bowl appearance. They finish at #14.

2003 -- Trinity (8-3) lost at  Pomona-Pitzer 31-35, and at Rhodes 20-23.  They lost in the first round of the playoffs to the weakest of the ASC Tri-Champs in OT at ETBU 41-42.  They finish #24. Click for 2003 final poll.

For Millsaps to break into the Top 25, they need to dominate what has been demonstrated as a middle-rung conference.  I am not disparaging Millsaps; it is just that there are so many schools clustered between #20 and #40 in real strength.

[Pat Coleman]

This is probably the right time to throw out the general reminder that it's twice as hard to make the Top 25 in Division III as it is in Division I-A, because there are twice as many teams.