FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

I wouldn't put DPU in my Top 25 yet, either.  My vote and a dollar won't get you much more than a Sunday paper, though.  Maybe if they play Millsaps tough in a couple weeks, I'll think about it. 

cpa, I think you're giving DPU an awful lot of credit.  I don't know yet if they're the same team that beat #9 Wabash a year ago or not.  We'll find out in Jackson in a fortnight.

Yep, sounds like psychological warfare to me!   

[wabashcpa]

I wouldn't put DPU in my Top 25 yet, either.  My vote and a dollar won't get you much more than a Sunday paper, though.  Maybe if they play Millsaps tough in a couple weeks, I'll think about it. 

cpa, I think you're giving DPU an awful lot of credit.  I don't know yet if they're the same team that beat #9 Wabash a year ago or not.  We'll find out in Jackson in a fortnight.

Yep, sounds like psychological warfare to me!   

Shhhh!

Seriously, if we're going down that road, the "signature" wins for Mount St. Joseph this year are Wilmington and Lakeland (pretty darned impressive), and they have 3 votes.  All I'm saying is DePauw is good enough to earn a vote.  I didn't say they should be ranked - as Wes said (or at least implied), if they take care of their business, that will come eventually. 

[D3_DPUFan]

Seriously, if we're going down that road, the "signature" wins for Mount St. Joseph this year are Wilmington and Lakeland (pretty darned impressive), and they have 3 votes.  All I'm saying is DePauw is good enough to earn a vote. 

agreed!

[DPU3619]

Seriously, if we're going down that road, the "signature" wins for Mount St. Joseph this year are Wilmington and Lakeland (pretty darned impressive), and they have 3 votes.  All I'm saying is DePauw is good enough to earn a vote.  I didn't say they should be ranked - as Wes said (or at least implied), if they take care of their business, that will come eventually. 

Well, I guess I have to 2 things to respond to that with:

1) Somebody's got to put them in there for them to receive a vote.  A whole bunch of people have to put them in there to be ranked.  Right now nobody's putting them in there.  2) MSJ was a playoff team last year.  And the year before that.  And the year before that and so and so forth all the way back to 2004.  Even if they lose to Franklin this year like they did last year, they may still be a playoff team at 9-1 out of the not-exactly-a-powerhouse Heartland.  That will usually help you get some votes.

I just don't think they've played good enough football against two teams that they should probably beat the tar out of.  They beat a really bad Anderson team by only 30.  Anderson lost to Taylor.  TAYLOR!  52-17 isn't exactly an awe-insipiring win for the voters.  Plus, they beat a 4 loss Centre team by only 2 scores.  I'm sure the voters don't think they're nearly as improved as I do.  If DePauw plays like they're capable of playing in two weeks, it will come.  I guess I'm just used to DePauw never getting a ton of poll recognition, I reckon.  Not really a huge shock for me.

[@d3jason]

I was loooking at the SCAC conference standings on both this site and the SCAC's site and neither has included the result of the Rhodes/Birmingham-Southern game as a conference game. Is this an oversite by the sites or is it not being counted as a conference game?

[Pat Coleman]

Birmingham-Southern doesn't count in the conference standings until they are eligible for the title. I assume that would be when they are eligible for the NCAA playoffs, which would be 2011 at current pace.

[@d3jason]

Birmingham-Southern doesn't count in the conference standings until they are eligible for the title. I assume that would be when they are eligible for the NCAA playoffs, which would be 2011 at current pace.

Thanks, I figured it was something like that. Just checking.

[Ralph Turner]

Birmingham-Southern doesn't count in the conference standings until they are eligible for the title. I assume that would be when they are eligible for the NCAA playoffs, which would be 2011 at current pace.

Thanks, I figured it was something like that. Just checking.

Games versus BSC will count as in-region when BSC is in Year #3, probably 2009-10.

[D3_DPUFan]

I just don't think they've played good enough football against two teams that they should probably beat the tar out of.  They beat a really bad Anderson team by only 30.  Anderson lost to Taylor.  TAYLOR!  52-17 isn't exactly an awe-insipiring win for the voters.

Anderson is not a quality football team, but I guess I'm confused by your term "beat the tar out of"...I thnk scoring 52 points in your season opener with your starters playing three quarters qualifies.  But that's just me.

[TE4SAPS80]

No disrespect to McMurry fans, but did you see what Mississippi College did to McMurry this past weekend.  Millsaps may even be better than I have given them credit in my head this year.  Millsaps beat MC very thoroughly this year, and MC had about the same spread as TU did on McMurry (without their great QB, Adam Schafer).  I know weekly scores do not mean a thing, but I just thought it was a point worth warrent.

P.S. I have thought that DePauw has been underrated thusfar as well, they have always had a nose in there for SCAC Champion, and this year the SCAC seems like it could be more of a powerhouse than ever before with three playoff possibles of DPU, Trinity, and Millsaps (Lets not forget that Centre, and Rhodes could always play spoiler).  I guess we may be able to tell in due time when we see the MC v. MHB and MC v. Hardin-Simmons results.

Just thought this would give some topics of conversation

[D3_DPUFan]

(Lets not forget that Centre, and Rhodes could always play spoiler).

would agree with that....remember last year's 2 touchdown win by Rhodes over Trinity...and Centre can be a tough opponent at home...what are your initial impressions of the Majors?

[golden_dome]

No disrespect to McMurry fans, but did you see what Mississippi College did to McMurry this past weekend.  Millsaps may even be better than I have given them credit in my head this year.  Millsaps beat MC very thoroughly this year, and MC had about the same spread as TU did on McMurry (without their great QB, Adam Schafer).  I know weekly scores do not mean a thing, but I just thought it was a point worth warrent.

P.S. I have thought that DePauw has been underrated thusfar as well, they have always had a nose in there for SCAC Champion, and this year the SCAC seems like it could be more of a powerhouse than ever before with three playoff possibles of DPU, Trinity, and Millsaps (Lets not forget that Centre, and Rhodes could always play spoiler).  I guess we may be able to tell in due time when we see the MC v. MHB and MC v. Hardin-Simmons results.

Just thought this would give some topics of conversation

I'll add something to that for discusssion. First, I think MS College will have some similarity to the Millsaps team two years ago that lost three to start the season but won the SCAC, and it's probably not extremely accurate to compare MC's score against HSU this weekend to our showing against Millsaps in the opener. The Choctaws had nine players new to the program start Saturday against McMurry, and six of those new players are on offense. I'm not sure how good we'll be this year, but with so many new players I know we'll be much better 4-5 games into the season when everyone learns what they're doing and gets on the same page.

Having said that, I think this year's Millsaps team is the best they've had and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Majors run through the rest of the schedule, and that includes at Trinity. Obviously I haven't seen Trinity this year and it's not fair to dismiss them, but looking at the boxscores they played McMurry about like we did this weekend. McMurry also had 159 rushing yards against Trinity and managed just 55 against MS College. That could have been second half yardage but it does get your attention.

Trinity also has a common opponent to UMHB. The Tigers beat Texas Lutheran 24-0 to open the season. UMHB beat TLU 63-7 last week. I just don't see any other SCAC school giving Millsaps a game this year as long as the Majors stay healthy.

[DPU3619]

Anderson is not a quality football team, but I guess I'm confused by your term "beat the tar out of"...I thnk scoring 52 points in your season opener with your starters playing three quarters qualifies.  But that's just me.

Yes, 52 does.  But, to me, giving them 17 after they scored that exact same number on the worst football team in the state does not.  Yes, it's the first game of the year.  Yes, it's a young defense, etc etc etc.  I'm not trying to slam the team by any stretch.  Please don't take it that way.  But, if I were voting, it would be something to consider.

We're splitting hairs at this point, anyway.  I can't possibly say after these two games whether or not DePauw is better or worse than any of those teams at the bottom of the Top 25 or even any of the 20 or so teams receiving votes.  Guess I just don't know.  And if I didn't have them in there to start this season, I'm not sure I've been given a reason to put them in there.

[D3_DPUFan]

Please don't think I'm suggesting DePauw should or should not be ranked. Those things are what they are and take care of themselves over time. I'm just responding to your comments regarding the team's start.

But, to me, giving them 17 after they scored that exact same number on the worst football team in the state does not.

Just so you know, Wes...in the Anderson game the DePauw defense gave up a whopping 18 yards rushing and 10 points on two early turnovers by the offense and then a meaningless TD late in the game with 2nd and 3rd teamers in. Also regarding Anderson, the "worst team in the state" beat Earlham 47-14 last week. 

IMHO, DePauw is like alot of teams at this early point in the season...off to a good start but also a work in progress.  The fact that the Tigers are leading the SCAC in scoring offense and rushing defense, to name a few categories, are good signs. It was also nice to see the rushing game get going against Centre...Jon Ellis 123 yards...

[DPU3619]

Was referring to Taylor, but you get the point.

Just so you know, Wes...in the Anderson game the DePauw defense gave up a whopping 18 yards rushing and 10 points on two early turnovers by the offense and then a meaningless TD late in the game with 2nd and 3rd teamers in.

I'm quite aware of exactly what happened in that football game, my friend.  However, your average voter that doesn't comb every single box score isn't aware of that, and seeing DPU give up 17 after Taylor gave them 17 isn't going to win anybody over.  Unfortunately, unless you beat those teams in a Mount Union-esque manner, it's not going to wow anybody.