FB: Region 4 fan poll

[wally_wabash]

I thought I was being generous to Wheaton at 7.  Hard to overlook the whole no Hiben thing.

They have two 6'6 and one 6'3 WR's waiting to step up. This could be another three team battle for the top as NC, Wheaton and IWU have large senior classes. Could be an exciting yedr in the CCIW.

Being tall does not automatically make one a worthwhile WR.  Hiben is a manbeast.  This much we know.  These other guys might be awesome also, but we'll have to wait and see. 

Agree with you on the CCIW...that's going to be a fun race to watch this fall. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Just back from Maine - great as always!  (Rather chilly at the lake, but two weeks of 'fall' in Maine is still batter than two weeks of 'summer' almost anywhere else!)

Poll looks highly reasonable to me (though without Kickoff or roster study, I'm not ready yet to vote on several teams).  Only thing that would have definitely differed if I'd voted is IWU would have gotten a vote of somewhere between 4 and 7.  Last year they were 6-0 and ranked #12 in the country when (added to the usual injury problems) they got the one injury they could NOT survive - the QB.  #2 had quit preseason; the new #2 was a freshman who looks promising for the future, but was NOT CCIW-ready; they finished 6-4.  If Rob Gallik stays healthy this year, I predict a top 4 regional finish, and a top 10 national finish.

[Li'l Giant]

Just back from Maine - great as always!  (Rather chilly at the lake, but two weeks of 'fall' in Maine is still batter than two weeks of 'summer' almost anywhere else!)

It was 80 degrees at 8:00 a.m. here in South Texas. I'd trade for that Maine chill in a heartbeat.

[TheBerg40]

We're back and almost the same as we ever were!  Here's the Pre-season North Region Fan Poll!  Welcome Li'l Giant to the poll, who will vote in short's place. We'll have 7 voters eventually, but this poll only has 6 because Mr. Ypsi is on vacation.

1. Mount Union         60 pts (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)
2. North Central        52 pts (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3)
3. Wittenberg            43 pts (2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5)
4. Franklin                37 pts (2, 3, 6, 6, 6, 6)
5. Heidelberg             35 pts (4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 7)
6. Wheaton               34 pts (3, 3, 5, 7, 7, 7)
7. Wabash                 31 ots (4, 5, 5, 5, 8, 8)
8. Ohio Wesleyan      14 pts  (8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10)
9. Baldwin-Wallace    11 pts  (7, 8, 9, 9, -, -)
10. Illinois Wesleyan  6 pts   (9, 10, 10, 10, 10, -)

Adrian                       4 pts   (7, -, -, -, -, -)
Elmhurst                   2 pt    (9, -, -, -, -, -)
Otterbein                   1 pt   (10, -, -, -, -, -)

The North Region Fan Poll is voted on by Wes Anderson, wally_wabash, FCGrizzliesGrad, smedindy, NCF, and Li'l Giant.

I'm a little surprised Mount Union got all the 1st place votes, especially since they have a new coach and very few starters returning.

[Pat Coleman]

It's not as if Mount Union has never reloaded before. And Larry Kehres didn't go far. One North Region team has beaten Mount Union in the past 18 seasons. All pretty good reasons to give them the benefit of the doubt in August 2013.

[wally_wabash]

I'm a little surprised Mount Union got all the 1st place votes, especially since they have a new coach and very few starters returning.

Who would you vote for?  Heidelberg? Their best would-be player transferred. To Mount Union. North Central? For all of their hype, they've never been able to get to a game against the Raiders let alone show that they could win such a game. Franklin will get their shot but we have a recent result to suggest that they have a ways to go to be in Mount Union's territory. Wittenberg doesn't have a defense that could hold Mount Union down. Wabash has some other stuff to clean up before we can have a serious Mount Union conversation with them. There's really not a viable alternative to Mount Union that I can see.

[NCF]

Just back from Maine - great as always!  (Rather chilly at the lake, but two weeks of 'fall' in Maine is still batter than two weeks of 'summer' almost anywhere else!)

Poll looks highly reasonable to me (though without Kickoff or roster study, I'm not ready yet to vote on several teams).  Only thing that would have definitely differed if I'd voted is IWU would have gotten a vote of somewhere between 4 and 7.  Last year they were 6-0 and ranked #12 in the country when (added to the usual injury problems) they got the one injury they could NOT survive - the QB.  #2 had quit preseason; the new #2 was a freshman who looks promising for the future, but was NOT CCIW-ready; they finished 6-4.  If Rob Gallik stays healthy this year, I predict a top 4 regional finish, and a top 10 national finish.

Yes, they were 6-0, but none of the teams they played had a winning record last season.  Same thing in 2011, undefeated until a one loss North Central came into town for Homecoming (one of my favorite games ) and shut out the Titans 24-0.I do think, however, that IWU just might be the sleeper team in the CCIW this season, IF they can stay healthy. They get both Wheaton and North Central at home, back-to-back. Those two weeks, plus the Wheaton/NC game could determine the conference champion(s) and possible play-off contenders.

[NCF]

I'm a little surprised Mount Union got all the 1st place votes, especially since they have a new coach and very few starters returning.

Who would you vote for?  Heidelberg? Their best would-be player transferred. To Mount Union. North Central? For all of their hype, they've never been able to get to a game against the Raiders let alone show that they could win such a game. Franklin will get their shot but we have a recent result to suggest that they have a ways to go to be in Mount Union's territory. Wittenberg doesn't have a defense that could hold Mount Union down. Wabash has some other stuff to clean up before we can have a serious Mount Union conversation with them. There's really not a viable alternative to Mount Union that I can see.

Completely agree with all your points, even the painfully obvious one in NC. Ouch-but unfortunately true

[Pat Coleman]

I'm a little surprised Mount Union got all the 1st place votes, especially since they have a new coach and very few starters returning.

Who would you vote for?  Heidelberg? Their best would-be player transferred. To Mount Union. North Central? For all of their hype, they've never been able to get to a game against the Raiders let alone show that they could win such a game. Franklin will get their shot but we have a recent result to suggest that they have a ways to go to be in Mount Union's territory. Wittenberg doesn't have a defense that could hold Mount Union down. Wabash has some other stuff to clean up before we can have a serious Mount Union conversation with them. There's really not a viable alternative to Mount Union that I can see.

Regarding Germany Woods, Heidelberg did alright last year without him. Cartel Brooks clearly is no slouch.

[smedindy]

If someone beats Mt. Union before the playoffs. Otherwise, they're pretty much engraved at #1.

[DPU3619]

I admit that I paused momentarily before putting Mount Union at the top.  It was rather short because I didn't find a better option.  I'm very interested to see how Franklin does against them.  Franklin is going to be good. I did not vote Franklin 2 or 3, but, in hindsight, I wish I would have.

[D3MAFAN]

It's not as if Mount Union has never reloaded before. And Larry Kehres didn't go far. One North Region team has beaten Mount Union in the past 18 seasons. All pretty good reasons to give them the benefit of the doubt in August 2013.

However, over the last 5 years or so, they really have only played a few North teams out of conference. However, going to the championship game, over the last decade or so is still a good enough reason.

[D3MAFAN]

If someone beats Mt. Union before the playoffs. Otherwise, they're pretty much engraved at #1.

Over the last recent years, I would agree 100%, but with the turnover of the team and the retirement of Kehres, I have reduced my assessment to 75%.

[Li'l Giant]

It's not as if Mount Union has never reloaded before. And Larry Kehres didn't go far. One North Region team has beaten Mount Union in the past 18 seasons. All pretty good reasons to give them the benefit of the doubt in August 2013.

This was my thought process regarding my vote for Mount Union as #1. No telling if they'll be garnering a #1 vote in the final fan poll of the season but there is no real compelling reason to put anyone else at #1.

I'm very interested to see how Franklin does against them.  Franklin is going to be good. I did not vote Franklin 2 or 3, but, in hindsight, I wish I would have.

I'm interested to see Franklin too. It would not surprise me for them to end up being the 2nd or 3rd best team in the region.

[smedindy]

They may be, but how much love* will they get for rolling through the HCAC? It all depends on how the look against Mt. Union and even Butler - which you can semi compare-and-contrast Witt and Franklin on how they handle the Bulldogs.

Franklin's problem with polling* will be the same, to a lesser extent, as anyone from the MIAA or the NACC where the conferences are shallow. I know we've said the same about the NCAC before, but the middle tier has improved at least.

But if they do well (or well enough) against their first two games, then start to put beat downs on the HCAC dregs with no mercy (until the starters are pulled), they probably will get pollster* respect.

*Naturally, I'm talking nationally because I think we're plugged in enough here to know.

**Thank goodness for playoffs!