FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[GRIZ_BACKER]

no posts in 6 days here??  Does the HCAC have a big game this week??

Hansen gives MSJ a 70% chance to win.  47-38.

FC played some defense (a pick six and some penalties attributed to 14 of MSJ's32 points).  I may be wrong but I don't believe I saw Franklin attempt a pass in the 4th quarter. Great team effort all around to beat an improved MSJ outfit during what some would say is a rebuilding year (FC not as strong as in past seasons?)  Regardless the GRIZ roll-on towards another chance at a HCAC crown.

Looks like Hanover/Franklin for more than a rivalry trophy.

Should be, but have to see how the MSJ- Hanover game goes in a couple weeks to determine whether it's a 2 way fight or 3. If the Lions win that then there could could be a 3 way tie scenario and I have no idea how the tiebreaker works.

I have nothing snarky to say here for once, but I don't feel like MSJ would like going to Mount Union or Whitewater in the 1st Round.  That's essentially is what will happen to the HCAC Champ this year.

9-1 Franklin wont get the "death seed"  I would predict Denison or Eureka before FC.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

no posts in 6 days here??  Does the HCAC have a big game this week??

Hansen gives MSJ a 70% chance to win.  47-38.

FC played some defense (a pick six and some penalties attributed to 14 of MSJ's32 points).  I may be wrong but I don't believe I saw Franklin attempt a pass in the 4th quarter. Great team effort all around to beat an improved MSJ outfit during what some would say is a rebuilding year (FC not as strong as in past seasons?)  Regardless the GRIZ roll-on towards another chance at a HCAC crown.

Looks like Hanover/Franklin for more than a rivalry trophy.

Should be, but have to see how the MSJ- Hanover game goes in a couple weeks to determine whether it's a 2 way fight or 3. If the Lions win that then there could could be a 3 way tie scenario and I have no idea how the tiebreaker works.

I have nothing snarky to say here for once, but I don't feel like MSJ would like going to Mount Union or Whitewater in the 1st Round.  That's essentially is what will happen to the HCAC Champ this year.

9-1 Franklin wont get the "death seed"  I would predict Denison or Eureka before FC.

The committee has been pretty favorable to Franklin in the past putting them in a higher spot than I'd have predicted. But I believe they're lower in the regional rankings than usual this year and I would be surprised if they stay #9 as I think at a minimum Wheaton will jump up ahead.

Honestly I think a "7 seed" might be around where they'll be. I'm envisioning Martin Luther to St John's, Eureka to Whitewater but then hard to figure out who ends up at Mount (Eureka is just out of Mount's range at 512 miles). If Hampden-Sydney can knock off Randolph-Macon to take the ODAC then they'd go for sure (they're within 500 miles). There isn't really a clear 8 seed to send this year.

[SaintsFAN]

no posts in 6 days here??  Does the HCAC have a big game this week??

Hansen gives MSJ a 70% chance to win.  47-38.

FC played some defense (a pick six and some penalties attributed to 14 of MSJ's32 points).  I may be wrong but I don't believe I saw Franklin attempt a pass in the 4th quarter. Great team effort all around to beat an improved MSJ outfit during what some would say is a rebuilding year (FC not as strong as in past seasons?)  Regardless the GRIZ roll-on towards another chance at a HCAC crown.

Looks like Hanover/Franklin for more than a rivalry trophy.

Should be, but have to see how the MSJ- Hanover game goes in a couple weeks to determine whether it's a 2 way fight or 3. If the Lions win that then there could could be a 3 way tie scenario and I have no idea how the tiebreaker works.

I have nothing snarky to say here for once, but I don't feel like MSJ would like going to Mount Union or Whitewater in the 1st Round.  That's essentially is what will happen to the HCAC Champ this year.

9-1 Franklin wont get the "death seed"  I would predict Denison or Eureka before FC.

We should find out on Sunday.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

no posts in 6 days here??  Does the HCAC have a big game this week??

Hansen gives MSJ a 70% chance to win.  47-38.

FC played some defense (a pick six and some penalties attributed to 14 of MSJ's32 points).  I may be wrong but I don't believe I saw Franklin attempt a pass in the 4th quarter. Great team effort all around to beat an improved MSJ outfit during what some would say is a rebuilding year (FC not as strong as in past seasons?)  Regardless the GRIZ roll-on towards another chance at a HCAC crown.

Looks like Hanover/Franklin for more than a rivalry trophy.

Should be, but have to see how the MSJ- Hanover game goes in a couple weeks to determine whether it's a 2 way fight or 3. If the Lions win that then there could could be a 3 way tie scenario and I have no idea how the tiebreaker works.

I have nothing snarky to say here for once, but I don't feel like MSJ would like going to Mount Union or Whitewater in the 1st Round.  That's essentially is what will happen to the HCAC Champ this year.

9-1 Franklin wont get the "death seed"  I would predict Denison or Eureka before FC.

We should find out on Sunday.

Franklin has to beat a solid hungry Hanover outfit this Saturday at Franklin first.  Hanover has finally put together a group that has a solid chance of beating the GRIZ.  9-1 was a theoretical comment.  8-2 could happen.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

no posts in 6 days here??  Does the HCAC have a big game this week??

Hansen gives MSJ a 70% chance to win.  47-38.

FC played some defense (a pick six and some penalties attributed to 14 of MSJ's32 points).  I may be wrong but I don't believe I saw Franklin attempt a pass in the 4th quarter. Great team effort all around to beat an improved MSJ outfit during what some would say is a rebuilding year (FC not as strong as in past seasons?)  Regardless the GRIZ roll-on towards another chance at a HCAC crown.

Looks like Hanover/Franklin for more than a rivalry trophy.

Should be, but have to see how the MSJ- Hanover game goes in a couple weeks to determine whether it's a 2 way fight or 3. If the Lions win that then there could could be a 3 way tie scenario and I have no idea how the tiebreaker works.

I have nothing snarky to say here for once, but I don't feel like MSJ would like going to Mount Union or Whitewater in the 1st Round.  That's essentially is what will happen to the HCAC Champ this year.

9-1 Franklin wont get the "death seed"  I would predict Denison or Eureka before FC.

The committee has been pretty favorable to Franklin in the past putting them in a higher spot than I'd have predicted. But I believe they're lower in the regional rankings than usual this year and I would be surprised if they stay #9 as I think at a minimum Wheaton will jump up ahead.

Honestly I think a "7 seed" might be around where they'll be. I'm envisioning Martin Luther to St John's, Eureka to Whitewater but then hard to figure out who ends up at Mount (Eureka is just out of Mount's range at 512 miles). If Hampden-Sydney can knock off Randolph-Macon to take the ODAC then they'd go for sure (they're within 500 miles). There isn't really a clear 8 seed to send this year.

They are lower but Wabash, Wittenberg, and Baldwin Wallace may not be in the playoffs thus Franklin could be in the 5-7 slot.  If Hanover wins Saturday I can easily see them being an 8 seed.

[Pat Coleman]

Regional rankings:
http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2018/second-regional-ranking

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Regional rankings:
http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2018/second-regional-ranking

I am shocked that Franklin is ahead of IWU and Wheaton.

[Pat Coleman]

Regional rankings:
http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2018/second-regional-ranking

I am shocked that Franklin is ahead of IWU and Wheaton.

Hence the "strict constructionist" item in the analysis.

[SaintsFAN]

Regional rankings:
http://www.d3football.com/playoffs/2018/second-regional-ranking

I am shocked that Franklin is ahead of IWU and Wheaton.

Hence the "strict constructionist" item in the analysis.

That guy who writes those comments is a genius. 

[GrizFan]

If Franklin wins, they are in the playoffs. 

What happens if Hanover takes home the Victory Bell?  Who would receive the automatic bid?  Hanover would be tied with Franklin and MSJ.  MSJ beat Hanover but lost to Franklin.

[wally_wabash]

If Franklin wins, they are in the playoffs. 

What happens if Hanover takes home the Victory Bell?  Who would receive the automatic bid?  Hanover would be tied with Franklin and MSJ.  MSJ beat Hanover but lost to Franklin.

I believe Hanover wins on the strength of their OOC schedule, but that should be double checked. 

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

If Franklin wins, they are in the playoffs. 

What happens if Hanover takes home the Victory Bell?  Who would receive the automatic bid?  Hanover would be tied with Franklin and MSJ.  MSJ beat Hanover but lost to Franklin.

I believe Hanover wins on the strength of their OOC schedule, but that should be double checked.

I'm trying to find the official list of tiebreakers but I'm coming up empty.

Franklin's preview only says

The stakes have never been higher for the two teams, with the winner set to take the 2018 HCAC regular season championship and earn the league's automatic berth into the 2018 Division III playoffs.

While Hanover's says a bit more

The final week of the regular season has three teams with a chance of earning at least a share of the HCAC title. Franklin (8-1, 7-0 HCAC) can win the title outright with a victory over Hanover. A Panthers' (6-3, 6-1 HCAC) win would make it a three-way tie for first in the league standings with FC and Mount St. Joseph. Due to the fifth step in the conference tiebreaker rules, Hanover would earn the league's automatic qualification for the NCAA Division III Playoffs due to regional strength of schedule.

[SaintsFAN]

If Franklin wins, they are in the playoffs. 

What happens if Hanover takes home the Victory Bell?  Who would receive the automatic bid?  Hanover would be tied with Franklin and MSJ.  MSJ beat Hanover but lost to Franklin.

I believe Hanover wins on the strength of their OOC schedule, but that should be double checked.

Call it the Bridge Bowl rule... shouldn't have quit playing it.

[GrizFan]

Since the tie-breaker criteria is regional strength of schedule, MSJ playing in the Bridge Bowl would have had no effect.

[wally_wabash]

Since the tie-breaker criteria is regional strength of schedule, MSJ playing in the Bridge Bowl would have had no effect.

It's incredibly hard to not play a regional game anymore.  Franklin and MSJ are doomed on this tiebreak by having played against Benedictine and Capital, respectively.  Both are 2-7 and Hanover has Centre's 8-1 record supporting them here.  Thomas More on MSJ's schedule would have helped, but not nearly enough to overcome the hole that Capital put them in.