FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Bill McCabe]

TigerDad,  I hope Trinity gets in.  UMHB's defense is much better than Trinity's.  I would expect UMHB to put much more pressure on Joseph.  The team speed is also better.  I'm not sure the Millsaps D will be able to shut down the UMHB running game.  It would be a very interesting game to watch.

[Carl Menist]

I hate to agree with y'all, but I do now think the AFCA #8 might have been a bit high for Trinity last week ... and (after seeing them) #7 a bit low for the Majors.  This week's D3 rankings of Millsaps at #4 (up from 5) and Trinity at #16 (down from #14) seem about right to me.

Honestly, after seeing Millsaps put together four quarters of strong O and adequate D in San Antonio, I think they have a good chance to beat UMHB this season, especially if they get them to Jackson in round 1 (or two).  Best of luck to the Majors for the rest of their season ... we'll be watching your progress.  The farther you get, the more respect for all in the SCAC.

Still holding out hope for a playoff bid for Trinity ... will be expecting them to bounce back from a tough one and get their business done in the next two weeks.  If they can finish strong, even without a Pool C bid, a 9-1 season would be a success in my book.  More would be a bonus.

Your son looked tough and made a great catch when he was in the game.

Nick Namais, a Millsaps senior and #1 running back in summer camp suffered with a knee injury that was agrivated midway through summer camp. He played in several games sparingly prior to the Trinity game and injured ihis already weak knee severely the week of the Trinity game and will not be able to play anymore. His family are good friends and he is a great kid. It breaks your heart to see something like this happen.

Hope your son can get well for a strong finish, maybe into the post season?

[exmajor]

TigerDad,  I hope Trinity gets in.  UMHB's defense is much better than Trinity's.  I would expect UMHB to put much more pressure on Joseph.  The team speed is also better.  I'm not sure the Millsaps D will be able to shut down the UMHB running game.  It would be a very interesting game to watch.

Bill, I think you are basing these comments on the fact you have seen both team play this season, but correct me if I am wrong. 

I am not sure enough credit is being given to the O-line that Millsaps has this year, it could be that Trinity did not put much pressure because these guys are big, strong and can move, not because Trinity's rushers are slow.

I have not seen UMHB play this season, but am sure they are fast.  Remember that Coach Dubose is a defensive minded coach, he spent most of the time that the Millsaps O was on the field last Saturday coaching his defense, not even watching the action on the field.  He will likely have his guys ready.  We can worry about all this later though as Millsaps still has two more games to focus on this season! 

[Bill McCabe]

exmajor,  Trinity's defense isn't anywhere near the UMHB defense.  Trinity put NO pressure on the QB and tried to rush with only their front four.  Millsaps was too good for that type of defense.  Trinity was able to move the ball some against the Millsaps defense, but the INT was a killer.  No one has really talked about the kicking game, but Millsaps had the better of that also.

[MajorDad]

exmajor,  Trinity's defense is anywhere near the UMHB defense.  Trinity put NO pressure on the QB and tried to rush with only their front four.  Millsaps was too good for that type of defense.  Trinity was able to move the ball some against the Millsaps defense, but the INT was a killer.  No one has really talked about the kicking game, but Millsaps had the better of that also.

I'd be willing to talk about that......LOL

[Bill McCabe]

MajorDad,  sounds like you might have a vested interest in the kicking game!    It was much better than Trinity's.

[golden_dome]

TigerDad,  I hope Trinity gets in.  UMHB's defense is much better than Trinity's.  I would expect UMHB to put much more pressure on Joseph.  The team speed is also better.  I'm not sure the Millsaps D will be able to shut down the UMHB running game.  It would be a very interesting game to watch.

Bill, I think you are basing these comments on the fact you have seen both team play this season, but correct me if I am wrong. 

I am not sure enough credit is being given to the O-line that Millsaps has this year, it could be that Trinity did not put much pressure because these guys are big, strong and can move, not because Trinity's rushers are slow.

UMHB is vulnerable this year due to graduation losses and an injury-plagued season, but there is still no comparision to UMHB and Trinity. Trinity has benefitted from a very easy SCAC schedule and two nonconference games against the ASC's two worst teams.

Bill, you would be better to comment on this since you've seen them in person. Trinity has a great program, but they could very easily be a 3-4 loss team this year if they played the same schedule as UMHB, HSU or MS College.

Millsaps is a very talented team, but they will go the entire regular season without a solid test.  I'm sure there are still some national doubts about them due to the schedule and the conference, but after seeing them in the opener I thought they could very well be on par with UMHB this year. In my opinion, they are probably a touchdown favorite now considering UMHB's injuries.

It should be a great game to watch because of the contrasting styles, and UMHB being a physically superior team to anyone Millsaps has faced in the regular season.

[TigerDad]

UMHB is vulnerable this year due to graduation losses and an injury-plagued season, but there is still no comparision to UMHB and Trinity. Trinity has benefitted from a very easy SCAC schedule and two nonconference games against the ASC's two worst teams.

Chris, I think you misunderstood me.  I did not mean to suggest a comparison between UMHB and Trinity ... that's simply not valid.  There's not near room in this nor the ASC topic to discuss such a case.  The ASC and SCAC are very different conferences with different priorities, student bodies, and schedules. I'm guessing the Roos can attest better than any of us.  No telling how Trinity might fare in the ASC, but that is an unlikely scenario, eh?

My comment was only that this year's Millsaps team is very big, very fast, and very talented ... much like the UMHB team that defeated Trinity in last year's playoffs.  In each game, Trinity hung tough and stayed within reach until the fourth quarter.  When the Tigers ran out of gas, both the Cru and the Majors still had plenty left in the tank and were able to step on the pedal and pull away.

I believe we do agree that, Cru injuries aside (and there have been many this season), Millsaps and UMHB might match up closely this year and make an interesting playoff game, especially if it's in Jackson this time.  Neither team is likely to face much of a challenge until then.

I will hold out hope for events to bring about a Trinity playoff bid and another chance to win a playoff game ... if not this year, then perhaps the next.  Too early to quit rooting for my Tigers in 2007.  Business remains to be done.

[golden_dome]

UMHB is vulnerable this year due to graduation losses and an injury-plagued season, but there is still no comparision to UMHB and Trinity. Trinity has benefitted from a very easy SCAC schedule and two nonconference games against the ASC's two worst teams.

Chris, I think you misunderstood me.  I did not mean to suggest a comparison between UMHB and Trinity ... that's simply not valid.  There's not near room in this nor the ASC topic to discuss such a case.  The ASC and SCAC are very different conferences with different priorities, student bodies, and schedules. I'm guessing the Roos can attest better than any of us.  No telling how Trinity might fare in the ASC, but that is an unlikely scenario, eh?

My comment was only that this year's Millsaps team is very big, very fast, and very talented ... much like the UMHB team that defeated Trinity in last year's playoffs.  In each game, Trinity hung tough and stayed within reach until the fourth quarter.  When the Tigers ran out of gas, both the Cru and the Majors still had plenty left in the tank and were able to step on the pedal and pull away.

I believe we do agree that, Cru injuries aside (and there have been many this season), Millsaps and UMHB might match up closely this year and make an interesting playoff game, especially if it's in Jackson this time.  Neither team is likely to face much of a challenge until then.

I will hold out hope for events to bring about a Trinity playoff bid and another chance to win a playoff game ... if not this year, then perhaps the next.  Too early to quit rooting for my Tigers in 2007.  Business remains to be done.

I didn't intend that post to disparage Trinity, they have a great program. But looking over their results this year, it doesn't seem they are as dominant as they have been in previous seasons.

The last 4-5 years it's been UMHB and then everyone else in this part of the country. Millsaps looks like a team this year that is in that same class and could match up with them in the playoffs.

[Chronological Order]

Is there a reason why BSC, Rhodes, Millsaps, and Austin all get SCAC bye weeks before they play Trinity? Rhodes filled theirs with another team but it must be difficult playing against teams who already don't need any extra motivation to play a top-tier team and also get an extra week to prepare. It is very odd.

[Ralph Turner]

Is there a reason why BSC, Rhodes, Millsaps, and Austin all get SCAC bye weeks before they play Trinity? Rhodes filled theirs with another team but it must be difficult playing against teams who already don't need any extra motivation to play a top-tier team and also get an extra week to prepare. It is very odd.

Don't worry.

When Hendrix comes on board for football, they can fill the open date slots in the schedules. 

[TigerDad]

Is there a reason why BSC, Rhodes, Millsaps, and Austin all get SCAC bye weeks before they play Trinity? Rhodes filled theirs with another team but it must be difficult playing against teams who already don't need any extra motivation to play a top-tier team and also get an extra week to prepare. It is very odd.

It's not just odd.  It's evidence of a clear conspiracy by the SCAC authorities and member schools to neutralize Trinity's historic dominance of the conference championship and offset TU's long-standing home field advantage with home-cooked officials.  Millsaps was finally able to capitalize on it this year! 

Next year, everyone should get a bye week heading into the Millsaps game.  We demand parity of scheduling!!

  (jk)

[Ron Boerger]

Week 9 regional rankings:

1. Millsaps 7-0 8-0 - Pool A
2. Muhlenberg 8-0 8-0 - Pool A
3. Mary Hardin-Baylor 6-0 7-1 - Pool A
4. Hardin-Simmons 8-1 8-1 - Pool C
5. Thomas More 7-1 7-1 - Pool A
6. Huntingdon 7-0 8-0 - Pool B/[C with L but would be lower in ranking]
7. Trinity (Texas) 6-1 7-1 - Pool C
8. Washington and Jefferson 6-1 7-1 - Pool C
9. Catholic 6-1 7-1 - Pool A
10. Wesley 2-1 6-1 - Pool B/C

Huntingdon should get a pool B if they win out - which would make Trinity the 2nd team off the board in the SR for Pool C consideration.   

Wonder if Wesley will march upwards as they get more regional games under their belt. 

[Pat Coleman]

They only have one regional game left.

Good to see the NCAA figured out what a regional game was again. 

[MajorDad]

Millsaps will probably need convincing victories over last two teams with a combined 2-13 record to remain on top wouldn't you think? Unless Muhlenberg has a close one like last week.....