FB: Region 4 fan poll

[smedindy]

I think the NATHC getting votes shows how shaky the middle of the 'power' conferences are, how no one trusts Case far enough to throw them, and how unreliable the middle of the MIAA, HCAC and NCAC are.

Personally, I'm higher on Franklin than others because I felt they kind of went, "Welp, it's Manchester" after opening with a Purple and Butler. But another game of meh by Franklin could force my hand.

[wally_wabash]

If Franklin has a "meh" game tomorrow, would we be able to tell?  That's not going to be pretty tomorrow. 

For me this week, Benedictine slipped into the ten because I felt compelled to group them with Wheaton and Albion.  More results will break up that cluster, probably this week.  If I'm peering into the crystal ball, I believe that Franklin will get back into my top ten through sheer inertia (they almost can't lose until maybe week 11, and other teams on the list certainly will lose), Wheaton will probably creep up as their results going forward are going to be more impressive than what Benedictine or Concordia-Chicago will do by virtue of the schedule, and Elmhurst is in a position to gain by being competitive with the top of their league, even if they drop a game or two.  This will start to shake out a little easier when league play really cranks up and we get some more head to heads to help order things.

[smedindy]

Franklin has to score less than Fitty...

[smedindy]

I think the debate has become a bit more muddled regarding 'upsets' and 'rankings'. Kean beat Brockport and Alfred is beating Buffalo State.

[smedindy]

Franklin has to score less than Fitty...

We'll they have 70 in the 3rd, but gave up a score to Earlham.

[NCF]

I think the debate has become a bit more muddled regarding 'upsets' and 'rankings'. Kean beat Brockport and Alfred is beating Buffalo State.

I think this season will be a wild and crazy ride and the national champion could very well be a one (or two?) loss team. Anything can happen.

[wally_wabash]

All we really need to make this thing complete chaos this week is for Wooster to beat Witt tonight. 

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

I think I may just blow up my ballot and start over. Can I submit a ballot with a #1 and leave the rest blank?

[smedindy]

I hit reset, kinda, both here and the Top 25.

[DPU3619]

Here's the North Region Fan Poll for this week.  Lot of justifiable confusion here.  So much so that I had one voter move a team out because of a crummy win and another voter move that team near the top of their poll because they keep winning.

1. Mount Union               80 pts (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)
2. North Central              65 pts (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5)
3. Heidelberg                  55 pts (2, 2, 2, 4, 5, 5, 5, 8)
4. Illinois Wesleyan          52 pts (2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 7)
T5. Wittenberg               43 pts (3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10)
T5. Wheaton                  43 pts (3, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 8, 9)
7. Wabash                     35 pts (5, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 10)
8. Baldwin-Wallace          24 pts (3, 5, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, -)
9. Franklin                     18 pts (7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 10, -, -)
10. Albion                      11 pts (6, 7, 9, -, -, -, -, -)

ARV:
Elmhurst                          9 pts (9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10, -, -)
Allegheny                         4 pts (7, -, -, -, -, -, -, -)
Ohio Wesleyan                  1 pt (10, -, -, -, -, -, -, -)

[smedindy]

Looking at the schedules, there may not be much clarity afforded this week (unless the UAA upsets the NCAC against Wabash and Witt). I can't see anyone like Kalamazoo, Bluffton, Concordia - Chicago or Benedictine breaking through with wins.

The one game to watch is Elmhurst against North Central. If the Blue Jays are close they could justify their votes.

Remember when the Augie / Wheaton game was something?

[NCF]

Looking at the schedules, there may not be much clarity afforded this week (unless the UAA upsets the NCAC against Wabash and Witt). I can't see anyone like Kalamazoo, Bluffton, Concordia - Chicago or Benedictine breaking through with wins.

The one game to watch is Elmhurst against North Central. If the Blue Jays are close they could justify their votes.

Remember when the Augie / Wheaton game was something?

It most likely will take a couple of weeks for things to sort themselves out.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

My initial ballot had Mount Union 1 and 2 and the rest blank... apparently that one wasn't acceptable

1) Mount Union (obvious)
2) North Central (has a loss but against a tough schedule)
3) Wheaton (possibly a bit high here at the moment, plenty of tough games to come)
4) Wittenberg (unbeaten against a so-so schedule)
5) Baldwin-Wallace (same as above)
6) Illinois Wesleyan (unbeaten unlike conference foes above but against a weak schedule so not a surprise)
7) Albion (kind of a Jekyll and Hyde so far... not the toughest schedule left)
8) Heidelberg (haven't played anyone yet... but if they can keep winning they will work their way up)
9) Elmhurst (huge game this week)
10) Wabash (weak schedule and a loss... we'll see how they fare the next 2 games)

My next 3 teams I'd have put would be Concordia (IL), Millikin, and Otterbein... none of which received any votes. Maybe it's me following them the closest and being harsh, but Franklin isn't even in my top 13.

[wally_wabash]

I moved Albion up to 6 and Allegheny into my top ten at 7.  Call me old fashioned, but winning big games against good teams carries weight.  I pushed Wabash all the way down to 8 because, well, they lost to Allegheny and that's kind of how that has to go.   Wabash can make big gains on the ballot in the next two weeks. 

Moved H'berg to 2, Witt to 3 (Princes jumped the Tigers for me this week), still have IWU and North Central at 4 and 5.  Wheaton and B-W made up my 9 and 10.  Unfortunately, Benedictine had to fall out to make room Allegheny.  It hurt me to do it, but there it is. 

Also on the cusp are Elmhurst (they can earn a spot in the 10 this week), Franklin (they'll just have to wait for people to lose or for B-W to keep being average, but they'll get in before this is done), OWU (very likely will be in before the heavy back end of their schedule hits), and Concordia-Chicago. 

[DPU3619]

I'm apparently the President of the Illinois Wesleyan Fan Club.