Pool C -- 2007

[MonroviaCat]

Prety soon we'll have to have a playoff to determine who makes the Playoffs! 

Missed this earlier.  Be forewarned: fans of teams not selected for the "playoffs to determine who makes the playoffs" will quickly demand playoffs to determine who makes the playoffs to determine who makes the playoffs!

And if my team is not selected for those playoffs ...!

We should just start the play-offs in late August----and skip the whole regular season

[retagent]

Ralph Turner. I am admittedly not all that familiar with the OAC, except for Mt Union, of course. I know that they have been considered a strong conference, but what, this year, validates that. I think that this year is one where much of the past is irrelevant. The MIAC for example, which I am familiar with, seems to have gained some strength, at least in the #2 through #5 teams. St John's is still St John's, but there has been a resurgence and consequently more parity in the teams behind them.

Educate me.

[retagent]

I might also add that IMHO, the WIAC, except for Whitewater, has also seemed to have fallen in quality this year in the teams behind UWW.

[Ralph Turner]

Ithaca vs. Cortland (the Cortaca Jug game) is a very big game for the Pool B and Pool C followers.
I think that fans root for Ithaca to beat the NJAC runner-up, and East Region #9, Cortland.

[smedindy]

Oh, I do think an 8-2 Capital bests an 8-2 Wheaton. But Capital still has to face Baldwin Wallace, which ain't hay.

Retagent - the OAC, at times, has been home to the top TWO teams in the North, plus about four or five teams that could win or contend in the CCIW and NCAC.

They only play one non-conference game, and spend the rest of the time beating each other up.

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph Turner. I am admittedly not all that familiar with the OAC, except for Mt Union, of course. I know that they have been considered a strong conference, but what, this year, validates that. I think that this year is one where much of the past is irrelevant. The MIAC for example, which I am familiar with, seems to have gained some strength, at least in the #2 through #5 teams. St John's is still St John's, but there has been a resurgence and consequently more parity in the teams behind them.

Educate me.

retagent,

I looked at the OAC's non-conference games.

Capital beat NCAC runner-up Wittenberg.  (Runner-up is not that impressive in the NCAC).

BWC beat Augustana, a mid-level CCIW.

ONU beat Millikin, next to last in the CCIW.

Otterbein lost to Defiance, which is only mid-level in the HCAC.

I think that you have convinced me that the West Region is loaded with Pool C bids, especially if Bethel and Wartburg win.  Otterbein's win over their cross-town rival probably knocked Capital out of the playoffs.

The WIAC does seem to have knocked itself back to "mediocre excellence"...lots of good teams that are probably in the Top 50, but not close to the 7th Pool C bid.


See also Smed's comments.

[retagent]

Thanks much to both. It was because of the necessarily limited non-conference schedule that I had the question in the first place.

[MonroviaCat]

Ralph Turner. I am admittedly not all that familiar with the OAC, except for Mt Union, of course. I know that they have been considered a strong conference, but what, this year, validates that. I think that this year is one where much of the past is irrelevant. The MIAC for example, which I am familiar with, seems to have gained some strength, at least in the #2 through #5 teams. St John's is still St John's, but there has been a resurgence and consequently more parity in the teams behind them.

Educate me.

I would say there has been more parity in college football as a whole this year.   A few d3 examples include (and I'm a West Coast guy so pardon my bias) the SCIAC which has 3 teams fighting for the play-offs (with the most likely being the team with the worst overall record).  In the NWC, Whitworth proved to be the best but had to fight tooth and nail to overcome several conference opponents including Willamette, Linfield, and PLU who came back strong in the second half to make it a game.  Obviously, this parity makes for great football and helps improve the level of play! 

[PA_wesleyfan]

There seems to be a lot of 2 loss team fan's that think that the east is going to get a few C spots.. There are no guarantee that the east gets 8 bids. With so many 1 loss teams that are not going to win their conference isn't there a team or 2 from the north and south that will deserve a bid?
I suppose that the owp,oowp with detemine all that?? 

[smedindy]

I don't think the East is going to get 8 spots. They can always spin someone somewhere that's on the cusp of the mileage. I think a logical scenario is to move a Concordia to the West and shuffle teams along the south / east / north edge around.

[DutchHawk]

Ralph - Whats your opinion on Central barring a loss on the 10th. Strong Pool C bid?

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph - Whats your opinion on Central barring a loss on the 10th. Strong Pool C bid?

DutchHawk, I need to see the Regional Rankings this week.

The morass of 2-loss teams is going to cause a huge debate about who gets the 7th Pool C bid.

Almost all of us will acknowledge that missing the playoffs with 2 losses is not as bad as undefeated teams not making the 16-team field.

The Dutch probably have a Pool C bid locked up, if they go 9-1.  I think that you are counting on Bethel knocking off the Johnnies for you to get the #2 seed, if you defeat Wartburg.

Wartburg has the pressure on them.  They have to assume that it is, "Win or go home"...Pool A or nothing.

[KitchenSink]

The reason I come up with, is the NCAA controlling their costs.  I beleive we seen an example or two of this in the past.

Maybe I'm wrong, but somehow I think we'll end up with an even number in the West.  It'll just happen that way without explanation ...

There's no reason there has to be 2 or 4 west coast teams.

[altor]

Ralph - Whats your opinion on Central barring a loss on the 10th. Strong Pool C bid?

Barring a loss, Central wins the AQ and doesn't have to worry about Pool C.  It's only if they lose that you have to worry about what the selection committee thinks.  And I would think that loss is a real problem.  They would be 0-1 against regionally ranked opponents as well as their poor OWP.

[altor]

The reason I come up with, is the NCAA controlling their costs.  I beleive we seen an example or two of this in the past.

Controlling costs has been a reason why they do things like match up #2 against #3 in a region in the first round.  I don't believe it has ever been used as a reason to select one school over another.