FB: Region 4 fan poll

[jknezek]

Thanks, gentlemen, on the clarification of regional.  I was just wrong.  Still, I do not like the Wabash-HSC match up and the way it was developed.

Fair enough. I think it's fantastic (though I'm a little concerned about how it will go). But I also love the fact that it matches the last two football playing schools in D3 that are all-male liberal arts academies (as far as I know). Yes, I know about SJU, but they are paired so closely with CSB, something Bash and HSC don't have, that I'm ignoring them. If D3 is partially about playing teams that share mission and values, this certainly fits the bill. It also helps that both teams are well-thought of in their respective conference and region, although the hat tip definitely goes to Wabash between the two teams here.

Wouldn't mind seeing the match up in more than just football, but that's simply because I like the idea in general and think football will go Wabash's way.

[DPU3619]

Here's this week's North Region Fan Poll.  We may not agree, but at least there is no 3 way tie in the middle. We've at least got a definitive 10.

1.   Mount Union          80 pts    (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)
2.   Franklin                 68 pts    (2, 2, 2, 2 ,3, 3, 3, 3)
3.   North Central        64 pts    (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5)
4.   Wabash                57 pts    (3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5)
5.   John Carroll           48 pts    (3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7)
6.   Wittenberg           38 pts     (5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8)
7.   Heidelberg            36 pts     (6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7)
8.   Illinois Wesleyan   24 pts    (7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9)
9.   Wheaton               17 pts    (8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9)
10. Hope                       8 pts    (10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10)

The North Region Fan Poll is Mr. Ypsi, Li'l Giant, FCGrizzliesGrad, wally_wabash, NCF, smedindy, USee, and myself.

[USee]

Here's this week's North Region Fan Poll.  We may not agree, but at least there is no 3 way tie in the middle. We've at least got a definitive 10.

1.   Mount Union          80 pts    (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)
2.   Franklin                 68 pts    (2, 2, 2, 2 ,3, 3, 3, 3)
3.   North Central        64 pts    (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5)
4.   Wabash                57 pts    (3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5)
5.   John Carroll           48 pts    (3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7)
6.   Wittenberg           38 pts     (5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8)
7.   Heidelberg            36 pts     (6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7)
8.   Illinois Wesleyan   24 pts    (7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 9)
9.   Wheaton               17 pts    (8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9)
10. Hope                       8 pts    (10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10)

The North Region Fan Poll is Mr. Ypsi, Li'l Giant, FCGrizzliesGrad, wally_wabash, NCF, smedindy, USee, and myself.

Couple changes for me. I moved NCC up to #2 with their convincing win over a very good IWU team. Franklin is #3 for me. I just think NCC is better than I thought and I am starting to think UMU isn't as separated from some of the other teams as they have been. We will know for sure in the next couple weeks. I bumped IWU down but still don't see any basis for separation between 5-8. Wheaton is a touch behind because of their issues at receiver and injuries requiring less experienced players to step in. Hope vs Albion is a toss up. They play next week. Some great games coming up that will provide lots of clarity.

[D3MAFAN]

I think the committee got the rankings right. As far as what I would say to mark Leonard, I would tell him not to lose or else schedule different teams.  I still think it matters more who you beat than who you lost to.  Leading Mt Union in the 4th quarter doesn't tell me anything when you still lost.  In fact we may look back and say that was more of an indicator of Mt slipping this year as much as Frankljn rising.  We don't know yet but if you followed the fans on the OAC board you may think UMU isn't quite what it has been. Wouldn't surprise me to see them lose to JCU. We just don't know.  Franklin will get their chance along with all these teams.

As long as FC can avoid the 4/5 and Mount I like their chances either at home or on the road.  We shall see.

Even as the 4/5 I think Franklin can win the North Region if when Mount goes East.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

I think the committee got the rankings right. As far as what I would say to mark Leonard, I would tell him not to lose or else schedule different teams.  I still think it matters more who you beat than who you lost to.  Leading Mt Union in the 4th quarter doesn't tell me anything when you still lost.  In fact we may look back and say that was more of an indicator of Mt slipping this year as much as Frankljn rising.  We don't know yet but if you followed the fans on the OAC board you may think UMU isn't quite what it has been. Wouldn't surprise me to see them lose to JCU. We just don't know.  Franklin will get their chance along with all these teams.

As long as FC can avoid the 4/5 and Mount I like their chances either at home or on the road.  We shall see.

Even as the 4/5 I think Franklin can win the North Region if when Mount goes East.

Well in 2008 Franklin was a 5 seed with a senior QB and in the second round won at #1 seed North Central

[USee]

and then what happened the next week?

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

and then what happened the next week?

And then the Earth exploded meaning Franklin certainly didn't lose a home game (at the high school) in the snow to 7th seeded Wheaton 

[Mr. Ypsi]

and then what happened the next week?

And then the Earth exploded meaning Franklin certainly didn't lose a home game (at the high school) in the snow to 7th seeded Wheaton 

Yeah - undoubtedly last into Pool C Wheaton had quite the run!  The second week is almost forgotten, but the 1st (Trine, with Eric Watt) and 3rd (Franklin, with blanking on the QB's name  ) they defeated teams with QBs that come along once in a lifetime!

IWU faced the same test in 2011, but failed it.  We had overall a much better team than Monmouth, but they had senior Alex Tanney and we had sophomore Rob Gallik.  (Rob has become a very fine QB, but he is no Alex Tanney!)

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

and then what happened the next week?

And then the Earth exploded meaning Franklin certainly didn't lose a home game (at the high school) in the snow to 7th seeded Wheaton 

Yeah - undoubtedly last into Pool C Wheaton had quite the run!  The second week is almost forgotten, but the 1st (Trine, with Eric Watt) and 3rd (Franklin, with blanking on the QB's name  ) they defeated teams with QBs that come along once in a lifetime!

IWU faced the same test in 2011, but failed it.  We had overall a much better team than Monmouth, but they had senior Alex Tanney and we had sophomore Rob Gallik.  (Rob has become a very fine QB, but he is no Alex Tanney!)

Chad Rupp who was a Gagliardi finalist that year

[Mr. Ypsi]

and then what happened the next week?

And then the Earth exploded meaning Franklin certainly didn't lose a home game (at the high school) in the snow to 7th seeded Wheaton 

Yeah - undoubtedly last into Pool C Wheaton had quite the run!  The second week is almost forgotten, but the 1st (Trine, with Eric Watt) and 3rd (Franklin, with blanking on the QB's name  ) they defeated teams with QBs that come along once in a lifetime!

IWU faced the same test in 2011, but failed it.  We had overall a much better team than Monmouth, but they had senior Alex Tanney and we had sophomore Rob Gallik.  (Rob has become a very fine QB, but he is no Alex Tanney!)

Chad Rupp who was a Gagliardi finalist that year

Thanks.  It was driving me nuts, but the site doesn't still have box scores for games 5 years ago.

And congratulations to Franklin for perhaps falling back briefly after Rupp graduated, but then coming back stronger than ever.  Trine was great for Watt's tenure (even putting a scare into national champion UWW in 2010, Watt's senior year), but fell back to mediocrity thereafter.  The same has happened to Monmouth after once-in-a-lifetime QB Tanney graduated.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Upset of the year in D3?  Bluffton 24, Franklin 17!!

Combined with Witt blitzing Wabash, gonna be an interesting poll this week!

[hazzben]

Upset of the year in D3?  Bluffton 24, Franklin 17!!

Combined with Witt blitzing Wabash, gonna be an interesting poll this week!

I'd add to that JCU crushing Heidelberg. It wouldn't be indefensible to jump JCU ahead of even NCC would it? Their defense is just ridiculous this year. Several teams have an argument to be made for the #2 slot.

[Gregory Sager]

Sheesh, why that qualifier?  Just dump the distinction, which with all the ways to qualify as in-region, no longer has any real meaning.

We've discussed this before. The NCAA d3 sports world is bigger than football. It does make more sense in other sports.
There is something to be said for encouraging d3 schools not to overextend their budget trying to play all sports from one coast to the next. That, I gather, is the reason.

No, the reason is to avoid missed class time by giving coaches an incentive not to schedule games that are too distant from campus.

[smedindy]

The same 10 for me, seriously re-arranged.

[Mr. Ypsi]

The same 10 for me, seriously re-arranged.

Same here, though I seriously debated replacing Hope with Albion (but that will be resolved next Saturday).