D3 Top 25 Fan Poll

[MRMIKESMITH]

Certainly a lot of new faces appearing on this week's poll.  I especially want to see if Linfield still makes the Fan Poll top 25.  I am mystified that they are on the national board.  If Mt Union was 1-2, it would be hard to justify a top 25 spot.

Usually it depends on who you lose to and how close. However, they do have a quality win against a good Redlands team, which will most likely compete for their conference championship. It's hard to compare the far west conferences outside of playoffs sometimes...

[02 Warhawk]

Linfield is still a top 25 team, just as long as Whitworth is ranked ahead of them.

But yeah, this was as very hard week to rank teams. I had a difficult time on where to put Wheaton, NCC, and IL-Wesleyan. Considering head to head ILW>Wheaton>NCC. However, UWL>ILW, but no way can I rank UWL (now with 2 losses) over ILW. So many things to factor in....not easy.

[emma17]

Linfield is still a top 25 team, just as long as Whitworth is ranked ahead of them.

But yeah, this was as very hard week to rank teams. I had a difficult time on where to put Wheaton, NCC, and IL-Wesleyan. Considering head to head ILW>Wheaton>NCC. However, UWL>ILW, but no way can I rank UWL (now with 2 losses) over ILW. So many things to factor in....not easy.

02- Are you saying there's no way you can rank UWL over IWU because of the two losses or because the UWW score, of some other reason? Does the loss to a non D3 school weigh in your decision?
FYI UWL has more offensive yards and held IWU to 2.9 yds per rush, while averaging 5 yards per rush. The game was played at IWU. I have no idea who would win in a rematch. We likely didn't see UWL at their best given the OC leaving mid-week. It seems UWL did everything they had to do to earn a ranking ahead of IWU.

[02 Warhawk]

Linfield is still a top 25 team, just as long as Whitworth is ranked ahead of them.

But yeah, this was as very hard week to rank teams. I had a difficult time on where to put Wheaton, NCC, and IL-Wesleyan. Considering head to head ILW>Wheaton>NCC. However, UWL>ILW, but no way can I rank UWL (now with 2 losses) over ILW. So many things to factor in....not easy.

02- Are you saying there's no way you can rank UWL over IWU because of the two losses or because the UWW score, of some other reason? Does the loss to a non D3 school weigh in your decision?
FYI UWL has more offensive yards and held IWU to 2.9 yds per rush, while averaging 5 yards per rush. The game was played at IWU. I have no idea who would win in a rematch. We likely didn't see UWL at their best given the OC leaving mid-week. It seems UWL did everything they had to do to earn a ranking ahead of IWU.

Having two losses is part of it. Also, as we discussed in the WIAC thread, i believe UWL just isn't that good this year. However, the fact that they beat ILW who beat Wheaton who beat NCC throws me for a loop.   If UWL's game against UWW would have been a little closer, I might have put UWL in mix with Wheaton and ILW.

Considering I haven't ranked UWL at all this year, I have a hard time putting them in the Top 25 for the first time after losing by 3+ touchdowns at home to a team that didn't make the playoffs last year 

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

2018 WEEK 5 TOP 25 FAN POLL

Rank	Team	Points	Prev
1)	Mount Union (8)	224	1
2)	Mary Hardin-Baylor (1)	217	2
3)	St Thomas	205	3
4)	Brockport	198	4
5)	Frostburg St	176	6
6)	Wesley	175	7
7)	St John's	172	8
T8)	Hardin-Simmons	167	9
T8)	UW-Whitewater	167	10
10)	UW-Oshkosh	131	13
11)	Wash & Jeff	130	11
12)	John Carroll	128	15
13)	Wheaton	102	21
14)	Wittenberg	98	14
15)	Illinois Wesleyan	94	18
T16)	Berry	73	19
T16)	Case Western Reserve	73	17
T16)	North Central	73	5
19)	Trine	68	16
20)	Whitworth	44	NR
T21)	Delaware Valley	37	24
T21)	RPI	37	23
23)	Muhlenberg	35	NR
24)	Ithaca	17	NR
25)	Wabash	16	NR

Dropped Out: #12 Linfield, #20 UW-La Crosse, #22 Franklin & Marshall, #25 Union

Also Receiving Votes: Union 15, Central 10, Salisbury 9, UW-Platteville 8, Linfield 7, Johns Hopkins 6, UW-La Crosse 5, Monmouth 3, Montclair St 2, Albion 1, Baldwin Wallace 1, Marietta 1

Voters: 02 Warhawk, bluestreak66, desertcat1, FCGG, MANDGSU, Mr. Ypsi, NCF, Oline79, and smedindy

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

  1)   Mount Union          224     ( 1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  1,  2)
  2)   Mary Hardin-Baylor   217     ( 1,  2,  2,  2,  2,  2,  2,  2,  2)
  3)   St Thomas            205     ( 3,  3,  3,  3,  3,  3,  3,  4,  4)
  4)   Brockport            198     ( 3,  3,  4,  4,  4,  4,  4,  5,  5)
  5)   Frostburg St         176     ( 5,  5,  6,  6,  6,  7,  7,  8,  8)
  6)   Wesley               175     ( 5,  5,  5,  6,  6,  7,  7,  9,  9)
  7)   St John's            172     ( 4,  6,  6,  7,  7,  8,  8,  8,  8)
T8)   Hardin-Simmons       167     ( 5,  6,  7,  7,  7,  8,  9,  9,  9)
T8)   UW-Whitewater        167     ( 4,  5,  6,  8,  8,  9,  9,  9,  9)
10)   UW-Oshkosh           131     (10, 10, 10, 11, 11, 12, 12, 13, 14)
11)   Wash & Jeff          130     (10, 11, 11, 11, 11, 12, 12, 12, 14)
12)   John Carroll         128     (10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 11, 13, 13, 19)
13)   Wheaton              102     (11, 13, 13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 15, 22)
14)   Wittenberg            98     (11, 12, 12, 12, 13, 14, 16, 20, --)
15)   Illinois Wesleyan     94     (12, 13, 14, 14, 15, 16, 18, 18, 20)
T16)   Berry                 73     (13, 13, 16, 16, 16, 17, 22, 24, 24)
T16)   Case Western Reserve  73     (15, 17, 17, 17, 17, 18, 19, 19, 22)
T16)   North Central         73     (15, 15, 16, 16, 17, 18, 19, 19, --)
19)   Trine                 68     (15, 15, 16, 17, 17, 18, 21, 21, --)
20)   Whitworth             44     (16, 17, 20, 21, 21, 21, 22, --, --)
T21)   Delaware Valley       37     (14, 18, 19, 22, 22, 24, --, --, --)
T21)   RPI                   37     (14, 18, 20, 21, 23, 23, --, --, --)
23)   Muhlenberg            35     (20, 20, 20, 20, 22, 23, 23, 25, --)
24)   Ithaca                17     (19, 22, 24, 24, 24, --, --, --, --)
25)   Wabash                16     (19, 20, 24, 25, --, --, --, --, --)

26)   Union                 15     (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
27)   Central               10     (19, 23)
28)   Salisbury              9     (18, 25)
29)   UW-Platteville         8     (18)
30)   Linfield               7     (21, 25, 25)
31)   Johns Hopkins          6     (23, 23)
32)   UW-La Crosse           5     (21)
33)   Monmouth               3     (23)
34)   Montclair St           2     (24)
T35)   Albion                 1     (25)
T35)   Baldwin Wallace        1     (25)
T35)   Marietta               1     (25)

[bluestreak66]

There actually aren't as many teams in the ORV category as I thought there would be!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Voting looked pretty much as expected this week.  The only anomalies I noted were the complete absence of Witt, NCC, and Trine from one ballot each.  On the other hand, I had two choices that others may question: leaving Whitworth off my ballot (beating LaVerne is certainly no credit, and not sure how much credit goes to beating Chapman by 3 at home and beating an obviously down Linfield - I strongly considered them near the bottom of the ballot, but didn't pull the trigger) and giving UW-LaX their only 5 points (the 'beat-down' by UWW was actually a 'wear-down' - close into the 4th, and UWW may be back close to their Stagg years, plus UWL beat my Titans to open our season! )

Overall, I think we voters 'done good'.

[bleedpurple]

Linfield is still a top 25 team, just as long as Whitworth is ranked ahead of them.

But yeah, this was as very hard week to rank teams. I had a difficult time on where to put Wheaton, NCC, and IL-Wesleyan. Considering head to head ILW>Wheaton>NCC. However, UWL>ILW, but no way can I rank UWL (now with 2 losses) over ILW. So many things to factor in....not easy.

02- Are you saying there's no way you can rank UWL over IWU because of the two losses or because the UWW score, of some other reason? Does the loss to a non D3 school weigh in your decision?
FYI UWL has more offensive yards and held IWU to 2.9 yds per rush, while averaging 5 yards per rush. The game was played at IWU. I have no idea who would win in a rematch. We likely didn't see UWL at their best given the OC leaving mid-week. It seems UWL did everything they had to do to earn a ranking ahead of IWU.

Having two losses is part of it. Also, as we discussed in the WIAC thread, i believe UWL just isn't that good this year. However, the fact that they beat ILW who beat Wheaton who beat NCC throws me for a loop.   If UWL's game against UWW would have been a little closer, I might have put UWL in mix with Wheaton and ILW.

Considering I haven't ranked UWL at all this year, I have a hard time putting them in the Top 25 for the first time after losing by 3+ touchdowns at home to a team that didn't make the playoffs last year 

You mean the one ranked 8th in your national poll?

[02 Warhawk]

Linfield is still a top 25 team, just as long as Whitworth is ranked ahead of them.

But yeah, this was as very hard week to rank teams. I had a difficult time on where to put Wheaton, NCC, and IL-Wesleyan. Considering head to head ILW>Wheaton>NCC. However, UWL>ILW, but no way can I rank UWL (now with 2 losses) over ILW. So many things to factor in....not easy.

02- Are you saying there's no way you can rank UWL over IWU because of the two losses or because the UWW score, of some other reason? Does the loss to a non D3 school weigh in your decision?
FYI UWL has more offensive yards and held IWU to 2.9 yds per rush, while averaging 5 yards per rush. The game was played at IWU. I have no idea who would win in a rematch. We likely didn't see UWL at their best given the OC leaving mid-week. It seems UWL did everything they had to do to earn a ranking ahead of IWU.

Having two losses is part of it. Also, as we discussed in the WIAC thread, i believe UWL just isn't that good this year. However, the fact that they beat ILW who beat Wheaton who beat NCC throws me for a loop.   If UWL's game against UWW would have been a little closer, I might have put UWL in mix with Wheaton and ILW.

Considering I haven't ranked UWL at all this year, I have a hard time putting them in the Top 25 for the first time after losing by 3+ touchdowns at home to a team that didn't make the playoffs last year 

You mean the one ranked 8th in your national poll?

That's the one!

(It was my tongue and cheek attempt to down play UWW to help build my argument)

[smedindy]

High on Whitworth

Low on CWRU and Berry

Voted for Central

Sole vote for Platteville

Didn't have Del Val or Ithaca

May have to reconsider Thomas More.

[bluestreak66]

High on Whitworth

Low on CWRU and Berry

Voted for Central

Sole vote for Platteville

Didn't have Del Val or Ithaca

May have to reconsider Thomas More.

I had the other Central vote. I was also the sole vote for Marietta

[MRMIKESMITH]

High on Whitworth

Low on CWRU and Berry

Voted for Central

Sole vote for Platteville

Didn't have Del Val or Ithaca

May have to reconsider Thomas More.

I had the other Central vote. I was also the sole vote for Marietta

I actually like Berry they have been playing some good football. I think Johns Hopkins bounces back and are still a top 25 team. Delaware Valley is right where I expect them to be at seasons in. I do think some teams will find their way back in towards season end.

[bleedpurple]

For whatever reason, I am finding myself more and more interested in the dynamics of polls and what influences voters to vote the way they do. Since I have more access to ya'll than I do to most of the D3football.com voters, you get my questions!

From the outside looking in (in terms of really spending time considering where teams should be ranked), one team's position baffles me.  Frostburg State ranked #5.  Who in the world have they beaten to deserve a top 5 ranking? They lost by 33 in the quarters to Mount Union last year, giving up 70 points. They also lost to Wesley last year. In 2016, they lost to Wesley by 36.  In 2015, they lost their last 3 games of the season and earlier had lost to Wesley by 41. I guess I'm asking what victories they have had to convince you guys that they are a top 5 team?  Top 5 is a pretty elite perch. It seems to me they ought to go at least one season without losing to someone by 30 before being put up there. Just my opinion and would like to hear your input/reasoning.

[Oline89]

For whatever reason, I am finding myself more and more interested in the dynamics of polls and what influences voters to vote the way they do. Since I have more access to ya'll than I do to most of the D3football.com voters, you get my questions!

From the outside looking in (in terms of really spending time considering where teams should be ranked), one team's position baffles me.  Frostburg State ranked #5.  Who in the world have they beaten to deserve a top 5 ranking? They lost by 33 in the quarters to Mount Union last year, giving up 70 points. They also lost to Wesley last year. In 2016, they lost to Wesley by 36.  In 2015, they lost their last 3 games of the season and earlier had lost to Wesley by 41. I guess I'm asking what victories they have had to convince you guys that they are a top 5 team?  Top 5 is a pretty elite perch. It seems to me they ought to go at least one season without losing to someone by 30 before being put up there. Just my opinion and would like to hear your input/reasoning.

So I have Frosty ranked 7, behind Wesley and St Johns. Why are they even 7?  Well they are undefeated, have outscored opponents 115-21, and as you mentioned won two rounds in NCAA's last year before running into Mount.  Obviously, after this weekend, there will be major shifts in the top 10.  The fates of Wesley, Frosty, Hardin Simmons, UMHB, UWO and UWW will be determined on the field!
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