FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Kelly Boggs]

TLU will have two weeks to prepare for UMHB, that could makes things interesting at The CRUthedral on October 24.

[TLU02SA]

TLU will have two weeks to prepare for UMHB, that could makes things interesting at The CRUthedral on October 24.

I hope it is an exciting game like the playoff game last year (without the weather related interruptions).  Last year, TLU also had its bye week before the UMHB game in Seguin last year.  As you know, that did not help TLU at all in that game.

[crufootball]

TLU posted their 2015 schedule here: http://tlubulldogs.com/news/2015/3/26/FB_0326153028.aspx.  Same schedule from last year except the home/away is reversed.  It appears the toughest stretch of the season will be three straight road games (broken up by their bye week) at ETBU, at UMHB, and at Trinity. 

I may be misremembering but I thought I read somewhere that the SCAC would go to a six game conference schedule with each football member playing a home/away series against the remaining SCAC members.  Is that right and, if so, what year will that start? 

I don't want to dismiss something before it is implemented but I am not sure I am a fan of that scheduling quirk.  It will certainly help develop better rivalries between TLU, Trinity, Southwestern and AC.  However, I think it will make it more difficult for the SCAC champion to get an at-large playoff bid.  One, it is difficult to beat the same team twice in a single season.  Two, and more importantly, I am afraid the playoff committee will view such scheduling as a weakness.

Can't say I would be fan of that idea either, on top of the reasons you said, I can imagine that having some negative affect on recruiting. Not exactly the most exciting thought knowing you are going to face 3 teams twice every year.

[TLU02SA]

TLU posted their 2015 schedule here: http://tlubulldogs.com/news/2015/3/26/FB_0326153028.aspx.  Same schedule from last year except the home/away is reversed.  It appears the toughest stretch of the season will be three straight road games (broken up by their bye week) at ETBU, at UMHB, and at Trinity. 

I may be misremembering but I thought I read somewhere that the SCAC would go to a six game conference schedule with each football member playing a home/away series against the remaining SCAC members.  Is that right and, if so, what year will that start? 

I don't want to dismiss something before it is implemented but I am not sure I am a fan of that scheduling quirk.  It will certainly help develop better rivalries between TLU, Trinity, Southwestern and AC.  However, I think it will make it more difficult for the SCAC champion to get an at-large playoff bid.  One, it is difficult to beat the same team twice in a single season.  Two, and more importantly, I am afraid the playoff committee will view such scheduling as a weakness.

Can't say I would be fan of that idea either, on top of the reasons you said, I can imagine that having some negative affect on recruiting. Not exactly the most exciting thought knowing you are going to face 3 teams twice every year.

I agree.  I would prefer TLU and the rest of the SCAC fill out their schedule with ASC and SAA teams.  Also, games against out of region teams from time to time would be nice but I know costs is always an issue there.

[roocru]

TLU posted their 2015 schedule here: http://tlubulldogs.com/news/2015/3/26/FB_0326153028.aspx.  Same schedule from last year except the home/away is reversed.  It appears the toughest stretch of the season will be three straight road games (broken up by their bye week) at ETBU, at UMHB, and at Trinity. 

I may be misremembering but I thought I read somewhere that the SCAC would go to a six game conference schedule with each football member playing a home/away series against the remaining SCAC members.  Is that right and, if so, what year will that start? 

I don't want to dismiss something before it is implemented but I am not sure I am a fan of that scheduling quirk.  It will certainly help develop better rivalries between TLU, Trinity, Southwestern and AC.  However, I think it will make it more difficult for the SCAC champion to get an at-large playoff bid.  One, it is difficult to beat the same team twice in a single season.  Two, and more importantly, I am afraid the playoff committee will view such scheduling as a weakness.

Can't say I would be fan of that idea either, on top of the reasons you said, I can imagine that having some negative affect on recruiting. Not exactly the most exciting thought knowing you are going to face 3 teams twice every year.

I agree.  I would prefer TLU and the rest of the SCAC fill out their schedule with ASC and SAA teams.  Also, games against out of region teams from time to time would be nice but I know costs is always an issue there.

Not sure I understand what you mean.  TLU is playing six ASC teams in 2015 and Austin College is playing one.  Also in 2015, AC is playing Whittier from California and Hendrix from SAA.  The SAA kicked out the SCAC teams several years ago and will not schedule them.  Hendrix is coached by an AC alum and that is probably the only reason they will play an SCAC team.  Haven't seen Trinity's 2015 schedule but in 2014 they played three ASC teams and two from the west coast as well as Chicago.  Southwestern played three ASC teams and one from Wisconsin.  Seems to me they are playing a pretty varied schedule concerning their geography.

[Pat Coleman]

Trinity's schedule:
http://www.d3football.com/teams/Trinity_(Texas)/2015/index

[crufootball]

TLU posted their 2015 schedule here: http://tlubulldogs.com/news/2015/3/26/FB_0326153028.aspx.  Same schedule from last year except the home/away is reversed.  It appears the toughest stretch of the season will be three straight road games (broken up by their bye week) at ETBU, at UMHB, and at Trinity. 

I may be misremembering but I thought I read somewhere that the SCAC would go to a six game conference schedule with each football member playing a home/away series against the remaining SCAC members.  Is that right and, if so, what year will that start? 

I don't want to dismiss something before it is implemented but I am not sure I am a fan of that scheduling quirk.  It will certainly help develop better rivalries between TLU, Trinity, Southwestern and AC.  However, I think it will make it more difficult for the SCAC champion to get an at-large playoff bid.  One, it is difficult to beat the same team twice in a single season.  Two, and more importantly, I am afraid the playoff committee will view such scheduling as a weakness.

Can't say I would be fan of that idea either, on top of the reasons you said, I can imagine that having some negative affect on recruiting. Not exactly the most exciting thought knowing you are going to face 3 teams twice every year.

I agree.  I would prefer TLU and the rest of the SCAC fill out their schedule with ASC and SAA teams.  Also, games against out of region teams from time to time would be nice but I know costs is always an issue there.

Not sure I understand what you mean.  TLU is playing six ASC teams in 2015 and Austin College is playing one.  Also in 2015, AC is playing Whittier from California and Hendrix from SAA.  The SAA kicked out the SCAC teams several years ago and will not schedule them.  Hendrix is coached by an AC alum and that is probably the only reason they will play an SCAC team.  Haven't seen Trinity's 2015 schedule but in 2014 they played three ASC teams and two from the west coast as well as Chicago.  Southwestern played three ASC teams and one from Wisconsin.  Seems to me they are playing a pretty varied schedule concerning their geography.

It looks like this year Trinity, Southwestern, and Austin College are all playing each other twice with TLU being the lone SCAC member that is only playing the others once. 

[TLU02SA]

TLU posted their 2015 schedule here: http://tlubulldogs.com/news/2015/3/26/FB_0326153028.aspx.  Same schedule from last year except the home/away is reversed.  It appears the toughest stretch of the season will be three straight road games (broken up by their bye week) at ETBU, at UMHB, and at Trinity. 

I may be misremembering but I thought I read somewhere that the SCAC would go to a six game conference schedule with each football member playing a home/away series against the remaining SCAC members.  Is that right and, if so, what year will that start? 

I don't want to dismiss something before it is implemented but I am not sure I am a fan of that scheduling quirk.  It will certainly help develop better rivalries between TLU, Trinity, Southwestern and AC.  However, I think it will make it more difficult for the SCAC champion to get an at-large playoff bid.  One, it is difficult to beat the same team twice in a single season.  Two, and more importantly, I am afraid the playoff committee will view such scheduling as a weakness.

Can't say I would be fan of that idea either, on top of the reasons you said, I can imagine that having some negative affect on recruiting. Not exactly the most exciting thought knowing you are going to face 3 teams twice every year.

I agree.  I would prefer TLU and the rest of the SCAC fill out their schedule with ASC and SAA teams.  Also, games against out of region teams from time to time would be nice but I know costs is always an issue there.

Not sure I understand what you mean.  TLU is playing six ASC teams in 2015 and Austin College is playing one.  Also in 2015, AC is playing Whittier from California and Hendrix from SAA.  The SAA kicked out the SCAC teams several years ago and will not schedule them.  Hendrix is coached by an AC alum and that is probably the only reason they will play an SCAC team.  Haven't seen Trinity's 2015 schedule but in 2014 they played three ASC teams and two from the west coast as well as Chicago.  Southwestern played three ASC teams and one from Wisconsin.  Seems to me they are playing a pretty varied schedule concerning their geography.

I am not questioning anyone's out of conference schedule.  I am questioning the home and away series between SCAC members.  I am not a fan of scheduling the same team twice in a 10 game season because of the implications it could have on the eventual SCAC champ making the post-season.  My suspicion is the home and away conference schedule will be viewed as a liability and not a strength by the playoff committee.  You just don't see that type of scheduling in any level of football except the NFL, which plays a 16 game regular season.   

[Ron Boerger]

I am not questioning anyone's out of conference schedule.  I am questioning the home and away series between SCAC members.  I am not a fan of scheduling the same team twice in a 10 game season because of the implications it could have on the eventual SCAC champ making the post-season.  My suspicion is the home and away conference schedule will be viewed as a liability and not a strength by the playoff committee.  You just don't see that type of scheduling in any level of football except the NFL, which plays a 16 game regular season.

You should take this up with the SCAC office; if I remember correctly, in 2016 the home-and-away schedules are a requirement and both games will count in conference standings, so at some level (at least a majority) of the schools signed up.   I don't disagree at all with your assertion that this will not help the SCAC champion's chance of getting a bid; it was probably put in place due to the school(s) that didn't want to have to spend a lot of money on travel.   The ASC teams will have one less free week once McMurry is back on the conference calendar.   Still will have four free weeks to schedule quality opponents, which is more than most conferences have.   Then again, most conferences get a Pool A.   

[crufootball]

I am not questioning anyone's out of conference schedule.  I am questioning the home and away series between SCAC members.  I am not a fan of scheduling the same team twice in a 10 game season because of the implications it could have on the eventual SCAC champ making the post-season.  My suspicion is the home and away conference schedule will be viewed as a liability and not a strength by the playoff committee.  You just don't see that type of scheduling in any level of football except the NFL, which plays a 16 game regular season.

You should take this up with the SCAC office; if I remember correctly, in 2016 the home-and-away schedules are a requirement and both games will count in conference standings, so at some level (at least a majority) of the schools signed up.   I don't disagree at all with your assertion that this will not help the SCAC champion's chance of getting a bid; it was probably put in place due to the school(s) that didn't want to have to spend a lot of money on travel.   The ASC teams will have one less free week once McMurry is back on the conference calendar.   Still will have four free weeks to schedule quality opponents, which is more than most conferences have.   Then again, most conferences get a Pool A.   

Interesting that both games would count in the conference standings, seems like they are inevitably going to have a season where teams A&B beat the teams C& D twice and then split with each other. I know their are lots of ways for conferences to have ties that have awkward tie breakers but in this case it seems like a much more likely situation since as TLU02SA it can be difficult to beat a team twice.

Deep down I just wish we could all get along and the ASC and the SCAC join for football only and none of us would have to worry about schedules or very far travel again.

[roocru]

Austin College Adds New O-Line Coach;

http://www.acroos.com/sports/fball/2015-16/releases/20150428fjpn3c

[Ralph Turner]

I am not questioning anyone's out of conference schedule.  I am questioning the home and away series between SCAC members.  I am not a fan of scheduling the same team twice in a 10 game season because of the implications it could have on the eventual SCAC champ making the post-season.  My suspicion is the home and away conference schedule will be viewed as a liability and not a strength by the playoff committee.  You just don't see that type of scheduling in any level of football except the NFL, which plays a 16 game regular season.

You should take this up with the SCAC office; if I remember correctly, in 2016 the home-and-away schedules are a requirement and both games will count in conference standings, so at some level (at least a majority) of the schools signed up.   I don't disagree at all with your assertion that this will not help the SCAC champion's chance of getting a bid; it was probably put in place due to the school(s) that didn't want to have to spend a lot of money on travel.   The ASC teams will have one less free week once McMurry is back on the conference calendar.   Still will have four free weeks to schedule quality opponents, which is more than most conferences have.   Then again, most conferences get a Pool A.   

Interesting that both games would count in the conference standings, seems like they are inevitably going to have a season where teams A&B beat the teams C& D twice and then split with each other. I know their are lots of ways for conferences to have ties that have awkward tie breakers but in this case it seems like a much more likely situation since as TLU02SA it can be difficult to beat a team twice.

Deep down I just wish we could all get along and the ASC and the SCAC join for football only and none of us would have to worry about schedules or very far travel again.

With McMurry and then Belhaven joining the ASC, there are not enough weeks in the season to play everyone.

[cush]

Maybe the band can get back together again That would be with UChicago and WashU leaving the SAA, some type of schedule deal might work out between the SAA and SCAC. Also wonder if berea college might join the SAA but they don't' have football so it won't matter if that happens.

[Ron Boerger]

Wow, that is a surprise, that Chicago and WashU are abandoning the SAA almost before joining them.

http://saa-sports.com/information/Football_Chicago_-_Wash_U

I just can't see them leaving the SAA for the lower-academic profile (sorry, but we know it's true) schools in the SCAC, and the travel would be excessive.   Wouldn't I love to be proven wrong.

EDIT:  Both football teams are going to the CCIW in 2018.  http://bearsports.wustl.edu/sports/fball/2015-16/releases/20150611z55r5g
http://athletics.uchicago.edu/sports/fball/2014-15/releases/20150612631ks3

EDIT 2:  I can't read.   The Chicago release talks about WashU going to the CCIW (why??) but nothing else.

[jknezek]

Wash U is off to the CCIW. Thinking Chicago heads to the NACC or MIAA. Maybe the MWC if the want to do divisions. Makes way more sense than the SCAC