FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Was hoping for Franklin at Thomas More to see just how many people we can get on the TMC campus.  Oh well, another year perhaps.  Or maybe our ADs should talk Home and Home contracts?

Franklin is always willing to schedule tough teams. I really liked the Illinois Wesleyan choice these past 2 years and I hope they schedule more games like Albion, Wittenberg, Baldwin Wallace, Thomas More, etc rather than UWW, Mount Union and FCS Butler.
Last time Franklin and Thomas More met in the regular season (there was the playoff game in 2011) was back in 2003 when I was just a freshman. It's probably about time.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Was hoping for Franklin at Thomas More to see just how many people we can get on the TMC campus.  Oh well, another year perhaps.  Or maybe our ADs should talk Home and Home contracts?

Franklin is always willing to schedule tough teams. I really liked the Illinois Wesleyan choice these past 2 years and I hope they schedule more games like Albion, Wittenberg, Baldwin Wallace, Thomas More, etc rather than UWW, Mount Union and FCS Butler.
Last time Franklin and Thomas More met in the regular season (there was the playoff game in 2011) was back in 2003 when I was just a freshman. It's probably about time.

Hey, you got the same bottom line results from IWU as from UMU, UWW, and Butler!   (Though admittedly, probably much closer losses! )

(Wow, did IWU lay an egg on Saturday - first loss to NPU since 1985!  Even worse than the Lions' losing streak in Wisconsin - ended today, started in 1991. )

[DadofBashWarrior..]

I thought Franklin might have a shot at a home game or maybe being on the road in a 4-5 type matchup. More surprised at Ohio Northern making it.
Polar Bears @ Grizzlies... I can bearly contain my excitement

I texted Pat during their Bracketology Show last night that I thought Northern would get in.  They were a missed XPT away from being 9-1 with a loss at Mount Union and a 3 point win at John Carroll.

Well, you were right, but I still think UWP and Guilford were more deserving than Whitworth and ONU.

No question Platteville should be in...

[SaintsFAN]

I thought Franklin might have a shot at a home game or maybe being on the road in a 4-5 type matchup. More surprised at Ohio Northern making it.
Polar Bears @ Grizzlies... I can bearly contain my excitement

I texted Pat during their Bracketology Show last night that I thought Northern would get in.  They were a missed XPT away from being 9-1 with a loss at Mount Union and a 3 point win at John Carroll.

Well, you were right, but I still think UWP and Guilford were more deserving than Whitworth and ONU.

Agree on UWP over Whitworth but not Guilford.  They've taken heat (and rightly so) here for continuing to schedule the down programs in their area.  This year their OOC schedule was awful.  They played teams who finished 2-7 (Averitt), 4-6 (Methodist), and 3-7 (Greensboro).  You don't have to schedule a top 25 program but come on.  The best win they had was Hampden-Sydney, who finished 6-4. 

I also think it would've been tough to leave a North Region Pool C candidate out after being at the table from the beginning of the conversation, especially from that conference.  I'd feel the same way about a 2 loss team from the CCIW, to be honest.
Just my thoughts.  It also why I never had Guilford under any serious consideration on my Top 25 Ballot.  (BTW I was one of the holdouts who kept IWU on my ballot until this week).

[SaintsFAN]

Was hoping for Franklin at Thomas More to see just how many people we can get on the TMC campus.  Oh well, another year perhaps.  Or maybe our ADs should talk Home and Home contracts?

Franklin is always willing to schedule tough teams. I really liked the Illinois Wesleyan choice these past 2 years and I hope they schedule more games like Albion, Wittenberg, Baldwin Wallace, Thomas More, etc rather than UWW, Mount Union and FCS Butler.
Last time Franklin and Thomas More met in the regular season (there was the playoff game in 2011) was back in 2003 when I was just a freshman. It's probably about time.

Yes.  It could be a great series.  Although TMC leads the series, Franklin won the most recent and most important one in 2011.

I really respect The Grizzlies not being afraid to play anyone.  One would think teams looking to dethrone Franklin would want to do the same.  Instead, it's Finlandia.  As such, these teams sit at home come tournament time.

[GrizFan]

[/quote]

Hey, you got the same bottom line results from IWU as from UMU, UWW, and Butler!   (Though admittedly, probably much closer losses! )

(Wow, did IWU lay an egg on Saturday - first loss to NPU since 1985!  Even worse than the Lions' losing streak in Wisconsin - ended today, started in 1991. )
[/quote]

IWU played their last two games without their best player, Artie Checcin.  He was awesome in the two games against the GRIZ.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

Was hoping for Franklin at Thomas More to see just how many people we can get on the TMC campus.  Oh well, another year perhaps.  Or maybe our ADs should talk Home and Home contracts?

Franklin is always willing to schedule tough teams. I really liked the Illinois Wesleyan choice these past 2 years and I hope they schedule more games like Albion, Wittenberg, Baldwin Wallace, Thomas More, etc rather than UWW, Mount Union and FCS Butler.
Last time Franklin and Thomas More met in the regular season (there was the playoff game in 2011) was back in 2003 when I was just a freshman. It's probably about time.

Yes.  It could be a great series.  Although TMC leads the series, Franklin won the most recent and most important one in 2011.

I really respect The Grizzlies not being afraid to play anyone.  One would think teams looking to dethrone Franklin would want to do the same.  Instead, it's Finlandia.  As such, these teams sit at home come tournament time.

I like the idea of playing Thomas More every season.  Rock solid programs on both sides of the ball, both teams still have ability to regulalry run the table in their respective confererences, so a win really helps in seeding,  IMO Franklin should drop Butler and pick up a tough D3 as a replacement.  (Not UWW or MNU though, LOL).  I think Depauw may be coming onto the schedule (at least I heard that). They are up and coming in the NCAC.  Wittenberg would be a good one as well.  I dont Wabash will ever be in the picture though.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

16-0 at halftime with snow starting to fall. ONU put together a nice drive at the end of the half but stopped on 3rd and 1 then missed a FG.
Franklin with no turnovers and 4 of 5 on 4th down.

[desertcat1]

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.  Safe travels.

[formerd3db]

I join the others in wishing all of you HCAC'ers an enjoyable and blessed Thanksgiving Day and weekend whatever you are doing.

[Craft_Beermeister]

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

The coaches have picked Franklin to re-re-re-re-re-repeat.

1) Franklin (6)                  78
2) Rose-Hulman (1)          68
3) Mount St. Joseph (1)    66
4) Bluffton (1)                   56
5) Manchester                  40
6) Defiance                      31
7) Hanover                      30
8) Anderson                     25
9) Earlham                       11


At least Anderson didn't get a first place vote this year

[HansenRatings]

Here's how my model sees it (without adjusting for returning starters yet):

School	W-L	Conf	Pool A Probability
Franklin	7.4-1.6	7.3-0.7	63.6%
Rose-Hulman	7.2-2.8	5.9-2.1	19.2%
Bluffton	6.6-3.4	5.2-2.8	9.0%
Mount St. Joseph	5.5-4.5	5.1-2.9	5.5%
Manchester	5.0-5.0	4.3-3.7	2.2%
Defiance	3.5-6.5	3.4-4.6	0.2%
Hanover	3.0-7.0	2.8-5.2	0.3%
Anderson	1.4-8.6	1.4-6.6	<0.1%
Earlham	1.4-8.6	0.7-7.4	0.0%

Source: https://loghan.shinyapps.io/Season_Projections/

Out of 10,000 simulations, Anderson won the conference's Pool A bid exactly once, so maybe they should have garnered a first-place vote?

[Adam Sayer]

I'll tell you this much. That fancy computer simulator you're using can't figure out Franklin plays 10 games, not 9.

Good luck to all this year.

[cave2bens]

I'll tell you this much. That fancy computer simulator you're using can't figure out Franklin plays 10 games, not 9.

Good luck to all this year.

Just wonder if per chance the model doesn't include the Griz-Butler game due to divisional disparity?