D3 Top 25 Fan Poll

[Andy Jamison - Walla Walla Wildcat]

Rank   Team   Conference
1   UW-Whitewater (21)   WIAC
2   Mount Union (2)   OAC
3   Linfield (2)   NWC
4   Mary Hardin-Baylor   ASC
5   Wesley   NJAC
6   Wartburg   IIAC
7   St. Thomas   MIAC
8   Wheaton (Ill.)   CCIW
9   UW-Platteville   WIAC
10   UW-Oshkosh   WIAC
11   North Central (Ill.)   CCIW
12   Concordia-Moorhead   MIAC
13   St. John's   MIAC
14   Wabash   NCAC
15   Bethel   MIAC
16   Rowan   NJAC
17   Hardin-Simmons   ASC
18   Illinois Wesleyan   CCIW
19   Wittenberg   NCAC
20   Whitworth   NWC
21   Johns Hopkins   CC
22   Thomas More   PAC
23   John Carroll   OAC
24   Hobart   LL
25   Chicago   SAA
26   Cortland State   E8
27   Washington and Jefferson   PAC

I based my rankings on what I can tell is the relative strength of a conference given past performance in the playoffs.  The top 4 teams in the WIAC and MIAC would most likely beat the #1 or #2 place teams in the NCAC, NJAC (excluding Wesley), CC, PAC, and OAC (other than MU).

[02 Warhawk]

I based my rankings on what I can tell is the relative strength of a conference given past performance in the playoffs.  The top 4 teams in the WIAC and MIAC would most likely beat the #1 or #2 place teams in the NCAC, NJAC (excluding Wesley), CC, PAC, and OAC (other than MU).

Not sure on that. I don't see the 4th team in the WIAC doing much damage in those conferences. After UWW, UWP and UWO there's a big drop off this year. I might agree with you if you said that about the top 3 WIAC teams though.

[BashDad]

Rank   Team   Conference
1   UW-Whitewater (21)   WIAC
2   Mount Union (2)   OAC
3   Linfield (2)   NWC
4   Mary Hardin-Baylor   ASC
5   Wesley   NJAC
6   Wartburg   IIAC
7   St. Thomas   MIAC
8   Wheaton (Ill.)   CCIW
9   UW-Platteville   WIAC
10   UW-Oshkosh   WIAC
11   North Central (Ill.)   CCIW
12   Concordia-Moorhead   MIAC
13   St. John's   MIAC
14   Wabash   NCAC
15   Bethel   MIAC
16   Rowan   NJAC
17   Hardin-Simmons   ASC
18   Illinois Wesleyan   CCIW
19   Wittenberg   NCAC
20   Whitworth   NWC
21   Johns Hopkins   CC
22   Thomas More   PAC
23   John Carroll   OAC
24   Hobart   LL
25   Chicago   SAA
26   Cortland State   E8
27   Washington and Jefferson   PAC

I based my rankings on what I can tell is the relative strength of a conference given past performance in the playoffs.  The top 4 teams in the WIAC and MIAC would most likely beat the #1 or #2 place teams in the NCAC, NJAC (excluding Wesley), CC, PAC, and OAC (other than MU).

Putting my homer cap on, hold on.

[...]

Okay. You're nuts.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

41 teams receiving a vote... I think that might be a record for the fan poll.

2015 WEEK 4 TOP 25 FAN POLL

Rank         Team                    Points    Prev
  1)   UW-Whitewater (7)    199     1
  2)   Mount Union (1)      189     2
  3)   Linfield             186     3
  4)   Mary Hardin-Baylor   173     4
  5)   Wesley               168     5
  6)   Wheaton              159     6
  7)   Wartburg             149     7
  8)   Wabash               148     8
  9)   St Thomas            137     9
10)   Johns Hopkins        127    10
11)   Thomas More          123    11
12)   UW-Platteville       104    12
13)   UW-Oshkosh            91    20
14)   St John's             89    15
15)   Rowan                 80    16
16)   North Central         75    17
17)   Hardin-Simmons        72    21
18)   Wash & Jeff           57    14
19)   Cortland St           37   T22
20)   Concordia-Moorhead    33    NR
21)   Wittenberg            29   T22
22)   Albright              21    24
23)   Whitworth             18    NR
24)   Chicago               17    NR
T25)   John Carroll          15    13
T25)   Texas Lutheran        15    25

Dropped Out: Ithaca and Bethel

Also Receiving Votes: Hobart (13), Illinois Wesleyan (12), Ohio Northern (11), Maryville (10), Bethel (9), Pacific (9), Gustavus Adolphus (5), Ithaca (5), Gettysburg (4), Western New England (3), Albion (2), Salisbury (2), Utica (2), Amherst (1), Washington & Lee (1)

Voters: 02 Warhawk, D3MAFAN-MG, desertcat1, FCGrizzliesGrad, HSCTiger74, Mr. Ypsi, NCF, and thewaterboy 

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

  1)   UW-Whitewater        199  ( 1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  2)
  2)   Mount Union          189  ( 1,  2,  2,  2,  2,  3,  3,  4)
  3)   Linfield             186  ( 2,  2,  2,  3,  3,  3,  3,  4)
  4)   Mary Hardin-Baylor   173  ( 3,  4,  4,  4,  4,  4,  5,  7)
  5)   Wesley               168  ( 3,  5,  5,  5,  5,  5,  6,  6)
  6)   Wheaton              159  ( 4,  5,  6,  6,  6,  7,  7,  8)
  7)   Wartburg             149  ( 5,  6,  6,  7,  8,  8,  9, 10)
  8)   Wabash               148  ( 7,  7,  7,  7,  8,  8,  8,  8)
  9)   St Thomas            137  ( 6,  8,  9,  9,  9, 10, 10, 10)
10)   Johns Hopkins        127  ( 9,  9, 10, 10, 10, 11, 11, 11)
11)   Thomas More          123  ( 9,  9, 10, 11, 11, 11, 11, 13)
12)   UW-Platteville       104  (12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 16, 16)
13)   UW-Oshkosh            91  (13, 13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16, 17)
14)   St John's             89  (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20)
15)   Rowan                 80  (13, 14, 15, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
16)   North Central         75  (13, 13, 14, 14, 15, 19, 19, --)
17)   Hardin-Simmons        72  (12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17, 19, --)
18)   Wash & Jeff           57  (13, 16, 17, 19, 19, 20, 21, --)
19)   Cortland St           37  (15, 19, 20, 20, 22, 23, --, --)
20)   Concordia-Moorhead    33  (18, 20, 21, 21, 21, 22, --, --)
21)   Wittenberg            29  (18, 18, 18, 22, 25, --, --, --)
22)   Albright              21  (17, 18, 22, --, --, --, --, --)
23)   Whitworth             18  (14, 20, --, --, --, --, --, --)
24)   Chicago               17  (21, 22, 23, 23, 24, --, --, --)
T25)   John Carroll          15  (19, 21, 23, --, --, --, --, --)
T25)   Texas Lutheran        15  (17, 20, --, --, --, --, --, --)

27)   Hobart                13  (19, 23, 24, 25)
28)   Illinois Wesleyan     12  (22, 24, 24, 24, 24)
29)   Ohio Northern         11  (18, 23)
30)   Maryville             10  (16)
T31)   Bethel                 9  (21, 23, 25)
T31)   Pacific                9  (17)
T33)   Gustavus Adolphus      5  (21)
T33)   Ithaca                 5  (22, 25)
35)   Gettysburg             4  (22)
36)   W New England          3  (23)
T37)   Albion                 2  (24)
T37)   Salisbury              2  (25, 25)
T37)   Utica                  2  (24)
T40)   Amherst                1  (25)
T40)   Wash & Lee             1  (25)

[Mr. Ypsi]

Sad to see IWU drop out, but not surprised.  Happy to see they still received votes from as many (or more) voters than anyone below #20.  They stunk against a bad team, but DID score TWO TDs in the final 82 seconds to survive undefeated.  Very good teams don't put themselves in that position, but good teams recover from it.  I submit that IWU is a good team (probably top 10) but not a very good team.  (Even if it not my alma mater, I allow every team I'm fairly sure is good to have one stinker before I drop them on the second.)

I don't understand JCU still ranked above ONU - they have played roughly equal schedules (in fact 2 of 3 opponents are the same), are both 3-1, and ONU won AT JCU.  I admit a 3-point win is hardly decisive, but it was AT JCU.

[USee]

Ypsi,

Your team won right? Why are you apologetic. They are 4-0 and a top 25 team in a tough league. Good teams can play stinker games. Remember last year's national champ? They scored with 26 seconds left in the final conference game @UWRF (3-7) to win. Didn't seem to affect their rankings or their season. Great teams find a way to win games, tough games, road games, stinker games, whatever.

[ExTartanPlayer]

I don't understand JCU still ranked above ONU - they have played roughly equal schedules (in fact 2 of 3 opponents are the same), are both 3-1, and ONU won AT JCU.  I admit a 3-point win is hardly decisive, but it was AT JCU.

Co-signed.

[D3MAFAN]

Now who voted for Amherst??? We don't do that here in the Fan Poll 

[ExTartanPlayer]

  4)   Mary Hardin-Baylor   173  ( 3,  4,  4,  4,  4,  4,  5,  7)

I would like to hear the rationale for this. 

Presumably this voter has Wesley, Wheaton, and Wartburg ahead of UMHB.  I am especially puzzled by Wartburg.  I suppose if you started with Wartburg ranked ahead of UMHB and do the "I don't like to drop a team in my rankings until they lose" thing you might still have Wartburg that high, but Wartburg has played four close games this year, only one of them against something resembling a playoff-caliber team (Bethel, who just lost to Concordia-Moorhead).  Maybe the powerhouse of 2014 Wartburg is still lurking in there somewhere, but they have absolutely not shown it in 2015.

UMHB has only lost to teams ranked #1, 2, and 3 on this list in the last three years (in games decided by three points, one point, and a touchdown in the final 2 minutes, no less) and through four games this year, appears to be its usual juggernaut self.  What am I missing here?  I would be genuinely curious about the rationale for them at #7.  Is there some concern about the team at a key position?  Coaching turmoil?  I just don't see any reason for them behind any of those three teams right now.

[wally_wabash]

  4)   Mary Hardin-Baylor   173  ( 3,  4,  4,  4,  4,  4,  5,  7)

I would like to hear the rationale for this. 

Presumably this voter has Wesley, Wheaton, and Wartburg ahead of UMHB.  I am especially puzzled by Wartburg.  I suppose if you started with Wartburg ranked ahead of UMHB and do the "I don't like to drop a team in my rankings until they lose" thing you might still have Wartburg that high, but Wartburg has played four close games this year, only one of them against something resembling a playoff-caliber team (Bethel, who just lost to Concordia-Moorhead).  Maybe the powerhouse of 2014 Wartburg is still lurking in there somewhere, but they have absolutely not shown it in 2015.

UMHB has only lost to teams ranked #1, 2, and 3 on this list in the last three years (in games decided by three points, one point, and a touchdown in the final 2 minutes, no less) and through four games this year, appears to be its usual juggernaut self.  What am I missing here?  I would be genuinely curious about the rationale for them at #7.  Is there some concern about the team at a key position?  Coaching turmoil?  I just don't see any reason for them behind any of those three teams right now.

That's not as weird to me as anybody voting for John Carroll at all.  If you remove "2014 quarterfinalist" from their tapestry, they aren't even close to a top 25 team with their results so far this season. 

[bluestreak66]

  4)   Mary Hardin-Baylor   173  ( 3,  4,  4,  4,  4,  4,  5,  7)

I would like to hear the rationale for this. 

Presumably this voter has Wesley, Wheaton, and Wartburg ahead of UMHB.  I am especially puzzled by Wartburg.  I suppose if you started with Wartburg ranked ahead of UMHB and do the "I don't like to drop a team in my rankings until they lose" thing you might still have Wartburg that high, but Wartburg has played four close games this year, only one of them against something resembling a playoff-caliber team (Bethel, who just lost to Concordia-Moorhead).  Maybe the powerhouse of 2014 Wartburg is still lurking in there somewhere, but they have absolutely not shown it in 2015.

UMHB has only lost to teams ranked #1, 2, and 3 on this list in the last three years (in games decided by three points, one point, and a touchdown in the final 2 minutes, no less) and through four games this year, appears to be its usual juggernaut self.  What am I missing here?  I would be genuinely curious about the rationale for them at #7.  Is there some concern about the team at a key position?  Coaching turmoil?  I just don't see any reason for them behind any of those three teams right now.

That's not as weird to me as anybody voting for John Carroll at all.  If you remove "2014 quarterfinalist" from their tapestry, they aren't even close to a top 25 team with their results so far this season.

Wally, you're breaking my heart! 

[Andy Jamison - Walla Walla Wildcat]

#1 UWW Until proven otherwise
#2 MUC Wish they would have tougher playoff games prior to the semi's or finals (excluding conference rematches where teams know each other)
#3/4/5/6 Linfield/UMHB/Wesley/MIAC winner/leader
#7 CCIW winner/leader which is Wheaton
#8 Wartburg
#9 WIAC #2 or MIAC #2
#10 WIAC #2 or MIAC #2
#11 WIAC # 3 or MIAC #3
#12 MIAC #3
#13 Wabash - Head to head Wabash is going to lose to 1-8 and most likely 9 and 10 (going on historical playoff results for their conference at 20-19... the last 5 years has seen some significant point spread losses in the playoffs)

[wally_wabash]

#1 UWW Until proven otherwise
#2 MUC Wish they would have tougher playoff games prior to the semi's or finals (excluding conference rematches where teams know each other)
#3/4/5/6 Linfield/UMHB/Wesley/MIAC winner/leader
#7 CCIW winner/leader which is Wheaton
#8 Wartburg
#9 WIAC #2 or MIAC #2
#10 WIAC #2 or MIAC #2
#11 WIAC # 3 or MIAC #3
#12 MIAC #3
#13 Wabash - Head to head Wabash is going to lose to 1-8 and most likely 9 and 10 (going on historical playoff results for their conference at 20-19... the last 5 years has seen some significant point spread losses in the playoffs)

I think this is kind of lazy.  Why is any random CCIW winner just automatically #7?  You're evaluating leagues and not teams. 

[USee]

#1 UWW Until proven otherwise
#2 MUC Wish they would have tougher playoff games prior to the semi's or finals (excluding conference rematches where teams know each other)
#3/4/5/6 Linfield/UMHB/Wesley/MIAC winner/leader
#7 CCIW winner/leader which is Wheaton
#8 Wartburg
#9 WIAC #2 or MIAC #2
#10 WIAC #2 or MIAC #2
#11 WIAC # 3 or MIAC #3
#12 MIAC #3
#13 Wabash - Head to head Wabash is going to lose to 1-8 and most likely 9 and 10 (going on historical playoff results for their conference at 20-19... the last 5 years has seen some significant point spread losses in the playoffs)

I think this is kind of lazy.  Why is any random CCIW winner just automatically #7?  You're evaluating leagues and not teams.

Just as lazy to call Wheaton a random CCIW winner isn't it?