FB: Region 4 fan poll

[ExTartanPlayer]

The only surprise to me is the leeway Franklin got for losing to Bluffton from some voters.  I know that's a very, very uncharacteristic result given the rest of the season, but still, it has to hurt more than dropping to #5 or #6.  I know some of you guys voted them #2 or 3, justifiably, and may have been reluctant to drop them more than a few spots, but I really think they have to be behind Wabash, Heidelberg, and Wheaton after that.  That loss is far, far worse result than anything on anyone else's schedule in the top 9.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

The only surprise to me is the leeway Franklin got for losing to Bluffton from some voters.  I know that's a very, very uncharacteristic result given the rest of the season, but still, it has to hurt more than dropping to #5 or #6.  I know some of you guys voted them #2 or 3, justifiably, and may have been reluctant to drop them more than a few spots, but I really think they have to be behind Wabash, Heidelberg, and Wheaton after that.  That loss is far, far worse result than anything on anyone else's schedule in the top 9.

Agree.  To add some flavor, The GRIZ were down 3-4 starting receivers (except for Linville).  2nd and 3rd string didnt step up as well along with some turnovers.  8-9 is justified on results, but I personally am not worried about the GRIZ if and when they get healthy.  Hopefully they can get by Hanover this Saturday and get right for the playoffs.  At this point, assuming Franklin is going to get in might be a mistake.  In a way, it makes the trip to Hanover more fun  (who knows what may happen?)

[wally_wabash]

I shuffled Franklin down from 2 to 7- behind IWU and Wabash but ahead of H'berg and Wheaton.  I just couldn't talk myself into Wheaton or H'berg being better than Franklin.  I think there's enough good stuff out of Franklin this season to give them a mini-pass for having a crappy game against Bluffton.  Stuff happens. 

[DPU3619]

It was only crappy in terms of turnovers, too. They still gained almost 500 yards. They were good in all phases other than fumbling. Pretty easy to understand where Franklin still stands to me. I would have ranked Franklin & Wabash the exact same if I could have.

[USee]

Only crappy in terms of turnovers? Really? Come on man.

I actually added Franklin and Hope to the soup that was my 5-8 and is now my 5-10. Wabash was the benefactor as I moved them UP ONE SPOT to 6 because their game w Witt confirmed what I have thought about them and the other teams have 2 losses. I went:

Mt Union
NCC
JCU
Witt
IWU
Wabash
Franklin
Hope
Heidleberg
Wheaton

I think the bottom 6 on this list could all play each other 10 times and split. (I may be giving Hope too much credit but I am pretty confident in the others).

[DPU3619]

What? 463 total yards. 31 first downs. They ran over 100 plays. Held Bluffton under 300 total yards including a 1.5 per carry. Bluffton punted 9 times. I'm not sure what else you want. If they don't fumble, they win going away.

[USee]

What I want is DON"T LOSE TO FREAKING BLUFFTON. That's a really bad loss. Doesn't matter how.  Wheaton put up over 500 yards last year vs Elmhurst and lost very similarly via turnovers. Of course Elmhurst ended up taking St Thomas to the wire in the playoffs. Bluffton? come on man.

[DPU3619]

Unfortunately, that wasn't an option provided to me when I completed my ballot.

[USee]

I wasn't debating your poll position. I actually agree with you as I ranked Wabash and Franklin together as well. I just reacted to defending their loss via turnovers. I think their loss puts them in the undecipherable group. Capable of losing well to Mt Union or losing poorly to Bluffton, but still losing. Fun times.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

1.  Mount Union           80 pts (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)
2.  John Carroll            68 pts (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3)
3.  North Central          67 pts (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4)
4.  Wittenberg             57 pts (3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4)
5.  Illinois Wesleyan     39 pts (5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6)
T6. Franklin                 33 pts (5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9)
T6. Wabash                 33 pts (6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9)
8.  Heidelberg              25 pts (6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9)
9.  Wheaton                18 pts (7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10)
10. Hope                     12 pts (8, 8, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10)

As usual I'm the harshest on Franklin. You often see a good team stumble at some point during a season against a lesser opponent but they manage to recover and get the win. Franklin however fell flat on their face. Sure the winning TD was a bit fluky (see the d3 play of the week) but they should never have been in that position against Bluffton.

[smedindy]

I was toying a bit on possible seeds and with the strength of the North and West when it comes to "C" land and the dearth of teams South or East plus the 500 mile rule I think:

1. The OAC winner will move "East".
2. The OAC runner-up will move "East"
3. St. Norbert will come to the "North"
4. UW - Whitewater will come to the "North"
5. If Thomas More is the "C" instead of Wabash they'll plant here.
6. St. Scholastica probably stays home in the West to play Bethel.

So...

1. UW - Whitewater
2. North Central (they'll never catch a break, will they?)
3. Wittenberg
4. IWU
5. Wabash (or Franklin)
6. Franklin (or St. Norbert)
7. St. Norbert (or Thomas More)
8. MIAA (tough break for an improving league)

If the East gets a "C" instead of Wabash, the OAC runner up may stay 'home'.
If the MIAA runner up gets a "C" instead of Wabash, then I think we may either get the OAC runner up back OR W&J moves here.

I think Wabash deserves 6 more than 5, but the committee won't schedule them against Witt in the first round.

Of course, this may be ripped up if the committee decides to concentrate on first round pairings only, and let the chips fall in the second round where they may.

[MasterJedi]

2. North Central (they'll never catch a break, will they?)

2010

[Li'l Giant]

1.  Mount Union           80 pts (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)
2.  John Carroll            68 pts (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3)
3.  North Central          67 pts (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4)
4.  Wittenberg             57 pts (3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4)
5.  Illinois Wesleyan     39 pts (5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6)
T6. Franklin                 33 pts (5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9)
T6. Wabash                 33 pts (6, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9)
8.  Heidelberg              25 pts (6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9)
9.  Wheaton                18 pts (7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10, 10)
10. Hope                     12 pts (8, 8, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10)

How I voted.

I'm tougher on Wabash and Franklin than most everyone else. I think their losses make for really big question marks that I can't get over. Losing to Witt is a "better" loss than losing to Bluffton. But I've felt all year long that a matchup between the two would fall Franklin's way. I still feel that way regardless of the Bluffton loss.

I guess I'm higher on Heidelberg and Wheaton than everyone else, too. Not sure what that says about my voting tendencies, but that's my ballot.

[ExTartanPlayer]

The regional rankings:

NORTH            
1   Mount Union   9-0   9-0   
2   North Central (Ill.)   9-0   9-0   
3   John Carroll   9-0   9-0   
4   Wittenberg   8-0   8-1   
5   Illinois Wesleyan   8-1   8-1   
6   Wabash   8-1   8-1   
7   Wheaton (Ill.)   7-2   7-2   
8   Hope   7-2   7-2   
9   Franklin   6-2   6-3   
9   Heidelberg   7-2   7-2

Well done, laddies.  The NCAA is nearly in accordance with your beliefs

[wally_wabash]

Well done, laddies.  The NCAA is nearly in accordance with your beliefs

Oh, not even close.