The Top 10 Eastern Region teams of the D3football.com Era

[realistic]

Same reason the Ivy League does it.

I don't even know why the Ivy League does it, but it sure seems that if Ivy does it, then NESCAC wants to, too.

I think that is exactly the point...but the main difference (In my opinion) is that the Ivy's would generally get killed across the board, even in 1AA competition while the NESCAC could compete.  I think any academic reasons are pretty weak too...

[JQV]

Same reason the Ivy League does it.

I don't even know why the Ivy League does it, but it sure seems that if Ivy does it, then NESCAC wants to, too.

Crazy.  Seems like the gap between the Ivy Teams and some of the 1-AA powerhouses is a lot greater than the gap between the NESCAC and D3 powerhouses.

['gro]

It would be in the NESCACs interest to keep playing the no non-conference game schedule, BUT send their champion to the playoffs.

I know football is a subset of a subset (student athletes) but the NESCAC must be losing some kids to UAA schools and other lib arts like Union, Hobart, St. Lawrence, etc because of this playoff thing.

[Tags]

It would be in the NESCACs interest to keep playing the no non-conference game schedule, BUT send their champion to the playoffs.

I know football is a subset of a subset (student athletes) but the NESCAC must be losing some kids to UAA schools and other lib arts like Union, Hobart, St. Lawrence, etc because of this playoff thing.

Good point

[JT]

If all their sports programs refused to compete in the NCAA playoffs, it would be admirable.

For two decades, they did just that.

I also don't want to take a vote away from a school that participates "fully".

[Jonny Utah]

Same reason the Ivy League does it.

I don't even know why the Ivy League does it, but it sure seems that if Ivy does it, then NESCAC wants to, too.

Crazy.  Seems like the gap between the Ivy Teams and some of the 1-AA powerhouses is a lot greater than the gap between the NESCAC and D3 powerhouses.

Not so true.  If you see Harvard has beaten some A-10 and Patriot League teams pretty bad.  And those are the better teams from the best leagues in 1-AA.

[Jonny Utah]

And if you look at these nescac rosters you would be suprised as to how national they are now.

LL schools (and Ithaca) still have Id say about 75% from NY state and 25% from NE, NJ and PA? (thats off the top of my head.)

[union89]

Same reason the Ivy League does it.

I don't even know why the Ivy League does it, but it sure seems that if Ivy does it, then NESCAC wants to, too.

Crazy.  Seems like the gap between the Ivy Teams and some of the 1-AA powerhouses is a lot greater than the gap between the NESCAC and D3 powerhouses.

Not so true.  If you see Harvard has beaten some A-10 and Patriot League teams pretty bad.  And those are the better teams from the best leagues in 1-AA.

Not sure I understand this correctly.  Are you saying the Patriot League is one of the best in 1-AA??  If so, I strongly disagree with that one and disagree totally with that rationale!!

[JQV]

Same reason the Ivy League does it.

I don't even know why the Ivy League does it, but it sure seems that if Ivy does it, then NESCAC wants to, too.

Crazy.  Seems like the gap between the Ivy Teams and some of the 1-AA powerhouses is a lot greater than the gap between the NESCAC and D3 powerhouses.

Not so true.  If you see Harvard has beaten some A-10 and Patriot League teams pretty bad.  And those are the better teams from the best leagues in 1-AA.

Not sure I understand this correctly.  Are you saying the Patriot League is one of the best in 1-AA??  If so, I strongly disagree with that one and disagree totally with that rationale!!

Colgate went to the title game a year or two ago...right?

[Jonny Utah]

Yea I guess the league as a whole might not be the best, but Colgate and Lehigh are two of the best 1-aa teams in the country the last 10 years.

And JQV is right, Colgate made the national championship game a few years ago.

[Jonny Utah]

Same reason the Ivy League does it.

I don't even know why the Ivy League does it, but it sure seems that if Ivy does it, then NESCAC wants to, too.

Crazy.  Seems like the gap between the Ivy Teams and some of the 1-AA powerhouses is a lot greater than the gap between the NESCAC and D3 powerhouses.

Not so true.  If you see Harvard has beaten some A-10 and Patriot League teams pretty bad.  And those are the better teams from the best leagues in 1-AA.

Not sure I understand this correctly.  Are you saying the Patriot League is one of the best in 1-AA??  If so, I strongly disagree with that one and disagree totally with that rationale!!

I could look it up but Im pretty sure Harvard ended up in the top 10 in the country a few years ago.  At least the top 20.  And they play other 1-aa teams.

[union89]

Lafayette and Lehigh do well in the Patriot and get smoked for the most part outside.....Holy Cross is pretty bad for the most part........I'll give Northeastern as a pretty good team, but regularly mix in atrocious years as well.....IMO, Harvard does mot play a strong out of conference schedule.....not as bad as RPI's, but bad.

[Reno Hightower]

Yeah keep in mind that Union game wasn't as close as the final score reflected.  They were up 28-3 at halftime and put in a lot of reserves in the second half.  Also the Mount Union game I believe Fisher really did have a shot at winning that.  A couple of narrowly missed passes would have resulted in 2 different touchdowns that I can remember and would have put Fisher over the top.  Mount Union was shell shocked you could tell.  I remember one play in particular when Robinson busted through the line for a 40+ yarder.....The Mount Union fans became silent, I think it was then they realized it wasn't going to be all cakes and pies for them.   

Having been at the Union-SJF game, I can honestly say that SJF did not call the dogs off so to speak. Maybe the last 5 minutes or so of the game but even then I dont think that they did that. To say they tried to do that against Union is wrong, in fact I even remember them running a fake punt in a situation that with the lead they had, they would only do so to try to score more points as the game was clearly over.

Also, in regards to the MU-SJF Game. I have to say that I believe that SJF's Pass Defense definetly needs to be given some credit. And a lot of it. As a Union fan, I can honestly say that I thought that was the best part of their whole team. Yes, they shut down TA in that game but this was for a variety of reasons (Im not going to say TA was injured, even though he was. Ive stated in the past that even if he had been healthy, running behind Union's O-Line he would not have been able to run for 100 yards on 25 carries vs SJF).....the #1 reason Union could not run the ball against SJF was because they had so much confidence in their pass defense that they were not afraid to use their db's to defend the run. I have not seen their game against MU but if I had to guess, as someone who considers himself to be very knowledgable about the game of football.....I would say that they probably used a very similar game plan against MU as they used against the U, but that they got pushed around in the front 7 by MU's dominant OL. SJF was very fast up in the front 7 but not very big at all. I would wager that MU ran  a lot of inside run plays behind that big OL and dominated up front.

[Jonny Utah]

Lafayette and Lehigh do well in the Patriot and get smoked for the most part outside.....Holy Cross is pretty bad for the mosst part........I'll give Northeastern as a pretty good team, but regularly mix in atrocious yars as well.....IMO, Harvard does mot play a strong out of conference schedule.....not as bad as RPI's, but bad.

Yea but I wouldnt say they get smoked.  Especially if Colgate is making the final game.  And Lehigh always does some damage when they make it. 

And you are right about Harvards non comference schedule, but lets not kid ourselves and say its as bad as RPIs.....

[union89]

Of course not......that would be REDICULAS!!!!