FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

FCGrizzliesGrad · September 25, 2022, 12:14:11 AM

Defiance was up 19-14 well into the 3rd quarter... then gave up 4 TD in the final 18 minutes to lose 42-33. That brings this year's final non-conference record to... 4-20. That's a whopping .167 batting average. The good news is that's not the worst conference record this year... the bad news is the one conference we're better than is 1-0 against us. The UMAC's 3-25 record includes Greenville's win over Manchester.

Regular season non-conference record
2006: 13-11 (Franklin, Rose 3-0; Defiance, MSJ 2-1; Anderson, Bluffton, Manchester 1-2)
2007: 12-12 (MSJ, Rose 3-0; Franklin, Manchester 2-1; Anderson, Defiance 1-2)
2008: 10-14 (Franklin, Manchester, MSJ, Rose 2-1; Anderson, Bluffton 1-2) Franklin quarterfinals
2009: 7-17 (Franklin, MSJ, Rose 2-1; Defiance 1-2)
Earlham joins HCAC
2010: 6-12 (Bluffton, Franklin, Hanover, Manchester, MSJ, Rose 1-1)
2011: 3-15 (Franklin, Manchester, MSJ 1-1) Franklin 2nd round
2012: 2-16 (Bluffton, MSJ 1-1) Franklin 2nd round
2013: 1-17 (Earlham 1-1) Franklin 2nd round
2014: 4-14 (Rose 2-0; Manchester, MSJ 1-1)
2015: 4-14 (Rose 2-0; Bluffton, MSJ 1-1)
2016: 5-13 (Bluffton 2-0; Defiance, Franklin, Rose 1-1)
2017: 3-15 (Manchester, MSJ, Rose 1-1)
2018: 2-16 (Franklin, MSJ 1-1)
Earlham halts football program
2019: 6-12 (Anderson 2-0; MSJ 1-1; Hanover 2-1; Rose 1-2)
2020/21: 1-2 (Bluffton 1-0)
2021: 6-18 (Franklin 2-1; Bluffton, Hanover, MSJ, Rose 1-2)
2022: 4-20 (MSJ 3-0, Manchester 1-2)

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 01, 2022, 10:57:47 AM

Conference play gets underway today. Good news for 3 teams who will get their first win of the season because the six 0-3 teams all play each other. In all four matchups, today's road team has won at least 6 straight and should be favored again today.

My spreads:
Game of the day: Franklin @ Bluffton (+7.5)
Hanover @ Defiance (+28.5)
Rose-Hulman @ Anderson (+40.5)
Mount St Joseph @ Manchester (+35.5)

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 08, 2022, 09:34:38 AM

Considering three of my spreads last week were within a FG and the fourth was 11.5 off, might as well keep doing it. Bottom four teams in the conference on the road at the top four teams so don't look for too much excitement today. I can see MSJ taking a little aggression out after Defiance upset them last season for the Yellow Jackets' only win in 2021

My spreads:
Game of the day: Bluffton (+17.5) @ Hanover
Anderson (+24.5) @ Franklin
Defiance (+34.5) @ Mount St Joseph
Manchester (+37.5) @ Rose-Hulman

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 08, 2022, 03:08:13 PM

These games are more lopsided than I thought... Hanover up 49-14, MSJ up 41-7, and Franklin up merely 31-7 all at half while Rose is up 34-7 late 2nd quarter.
And we get to look forward to yet another week of top half vs bottom half next week.

dc_has_been · October 10, 2022, 12:21:07 PM

Well...at least DC could outscore an opponent in the second half for once. They were outscored 102-36 in the second half in their past four games. Plus, Mount Union took it easy on them, so that the amount could have been much worse.

Being optimistic about my beloved program, I am excited to see that DC has scored more points through five games this year (111) than they did for all ten games last year (96).

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 10, 2022, 02:01:07 PM

I think MSJ and Rose are 1a and 1b right now with Hanover lurking at 3rd.
Then Franklin 4th and Bluffton 5th right in the middle.
The bottom is bad, I think I'd go Manchester, Defiance, and Anderson in that order. The Yellow Jackets get both of them at home so it's possible they get a couple of wins. I think I'd take Defiance even if it was at Anderson.

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 15, 2022, 02:13:03 PM

Another long day of top half vs bottom half this week then we finally get some good games next week. Then one final slog of top half vs bottom half before the final two weeks of duking it out.

2nd quarter for everybody... Rose beating Bluffton 28-7, MSJ over Anderson 21-0, Hanover over Manchester 21-7, Franklin over Defiance 13-0. On track to have four teams at 3-0 and four teams 0-3.

formerd3db · October 19, 2022, 05:24:59 PM

Well, the hatchet just fell at Anderson as reported by d3football.com with the dismissal of HC Rock. Probably, many of you in the HCAC assumed this was coming. Obviously, these situations are always difficult for both parties involved, to say the least. However, I always wonder why they just didn't allow the coach to finish out the season. Of course I don't know any inside, underlying info that may have pushed the decision that way. But, it doesn't make sense to name, especially at this level. I would be surprised if they make a decision on a new permanent HC before the end of the season, so, IMO, just finish out the season status quo. Although perhaps they want to see how the interim coach handles the situation for these last few games. Regardless, as we all know, this is just the nature of the business, even at DIII in this era.

Anyway, FCGrizzliesGrad, do you think there is any possibility that Rock will return to FC as an assistant coach?

Pat Coleman · October 19, 2022, 05:49:01 PM

There aren't typically very many D-III head coaches let go this way, but Rock was the second one in the past seven days. Definitely unusual.

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 19, 2022, 07:26:21 PM

Quote from: formerd3db on October 19, 2022, 05:24:59 PM
Anyway, FCGrizzliesGrad, do you think there is any possibility that Rock will return to FC as an assistant coach?

He spent his entire Franklin tenure under Mike Leonard who left a couple seasons after Rock went to Anderson. It's conceivable he could return but I would doubt it.

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 22, 2022, 11:14:06 AM

Finally some good action in the HCAC. Two games of 3-0 vs 3-0 and two games of 0-3 vs 0-3. Someone will get their first win of the year in Defiance.

My spreads:
GotD: MSJ @ Hanover (+4.5)
Franklin (+16.5) @ Rose
Bluffton @ Manchester (+6.5)
Anderson (+7.5) @ Defiance

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 22, 2022, 02:54:49 PM

Franklin getting demolished in Terre Haute. Rose leads 28-0 at halftime. Grizzlies just 7 of 24 passing for 51 yards. Jailen Hobbs has been killing Franklin with 2 receiving TD and a punt return TD so far.
It's 20-14 at halftime in the battle of the kitties. When Hanover scores 7, MSJ responds with 10. Lions seem to be doing a bit better offensively than the Panthers.
Another tight one between the Beavers and Spartans, tied at 17 at half.
Low scoring in Ohio in the battle of the winless. Defiance up 7-0 on Anderson.

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 22, 2022, 03:55:35 PM

It's now 49-0 RHIT. Jailen Hobbs needs to be on D3F Team of the Week. He's got 7 receptions for 103 yards and 3 TD, plus 4 punt returns for 148 yards, 1 TD, and nearly a second but was pushed out inside the 5 yard line.

Every other game is a one score game in the 4th quarter.

Hanover with a 29-23 lead on unbeaten MSJ with 11 minutes left.
Manchester with a couple FG in the 2nd half for a 23-17 lead on Bluffton with 9 minutes left.
Defiance up 26-22 with under 9 minutes left.

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 22, 2022, 04:07:01 PM

Rose-Hulman goes to 4-0 in conference play with a 49-0 win over Franklin.

Defiance with a TD but miss the 2pt and lead Anderson 32-22 with 4:52 left.
Mount St Joseph also with a TD and take a 30-29 lead against Hanover with 6 minutes left
Bluffton with a couple TD and now lead Manchester 30-23 with 3:08 left

FCGrizzliesGrad · October 22, 2022, 04:22:56 PM

MSJ get another TD for a 37-29 lead, then recover the kickoff. 4th and goal at the 1 with under a minute left, MSJ go for it and get the TD. 44-29 now.

Manchester punch it in with under 30 seconds left to tie Bluffton at 30. Beavers take a knee and they're headed to OT.

Defiance gets a stop and run out the clock. 32-22 final