FB: Region 6 fan poll

[OzJohnnie]

It's a shame it isn't possible to hear the reasoning for some votes, like Coe in 1st and UST not even ranked.  I don't want to argue but am genuinely interested in the reasoning as I can't see it. But it does give me some pleasure to see UST out of it.

Also, it is nice to see the variety in the voting. It shows that people aren't just picking with the crowd.

[art76]

It's a shame it isn't possible to hear the reasoning for some votes, like Coe in 1st and UST not even ranked.  I don't want to argue but am genuinely interested in the reasoning as I can't see it. But it does give me some pleasure to see UST out of it.

Also, it is nice to see the variety in the voting. It shows that people aren't just picking with the crowd.

I'm guessing that at least one voter may be of the mindset that 0 losses in the current season means more than any past year's performance.

[D O.C.]

I'm pleasantly surprised - not that polls mean mushrooms to a cow pie - that d3.com and you voters have graced LINFIELD with faith.

[02 Warhawk]

I'm pleasantly surprised - not that polls mean mushrooms to a cow pie - that d3.com and you voters have graced LINFIELD with faith.

As far as the West goes, Linfield is benefiting from the West being down this year to start the season. UWW and St. Thomas already have 3 losses (all to unranked teams). I have Linfield at 3, and it looks like that's the highest among our voters. The fact they lost to the best team in the country didn't change my opinion of them too much. I had Linfield as my #2 team prior to that game.

My Top 3
UWO
St. John's
Linfield

I think there's a big drop off after UWO and St. John's in the West. UWP's defense hasn't been impressive (against 2 unranked teams), but luckily their offense has bailed them out in their first two games. I have them 4th. I don't think UWW is that good this year, so that's why I'm not very high on Concordia-Moorhead. Whitworth, I'm still waiting to see how that defense holds up against good competition. Next week will be a great test in Linfield.

[02 Warhawk]

Interested to see how the poll stacks up this week. There's a lot of moving parts with Coe, who received a 1st place vote, losing. Along with the #2 team also losing. Looking at head to head we have:

Stout > St. Thomas > St. John's

Looking forward to see how this is interpreted among our voters.

[wildcat11]

There's a lot of moving parts with Coe, who received a 1st place vote, losing.

Might as well have lit that vote on fire.

[miac952]

There's a lot of moving parts with Coe, who received a 1st place vote, losing.

Might as well have lit that vote on fire.

With Fred Jackson's current free agent status maybe he was thinking he could come back to Coe?  Can't surmise any other explanation

[wm4]

Interested to see how the poll stacks up this week. There's a lot of moving parts with Coe, who received a 1st place vote, losing. Along with the #2 team also losing. Looking at head to head we have:

Stout > St. Thomas > St. John's

Looking forward to see how this is interpreted among our voters.

Yeah, kind of a strange week with the schedule.  While Tommie/Johnnie got all the attention, so many other top teams were idle that it's really hard to have formed any further opinions on teams.  Glad we'll be getting into the first full week of conference games now.   We'll get clarity on the WIAC teams over the next two weeks, and Linfield/Whitworth this week will be big too.

[02 Warhawk]

Yup...

Stout/Platteville - See if that St. Thomas game was a fluke.
Oshkosh/Whitewater - If UWW gets spanked, I think we're seeing an end of an era for the Hawks.
La Crosse/Point - Winner could be the 3rd best team in the WIAC.
Whitworth/Linfield - Good measuring stick for the Pirates
Coe/Wartburg - Winner is in the driver's seat for the IIAC title.

All big games in the West this weekend

[HansenRatings]

Yup...

Stout/Platteville - See if that St. Thomas game was a fluke.
Oshkosh/Whitewater - If UWW gets spanked, I think we're seeing an end of an era for the Hawks.
La Crosse/Point - Winner could be the 3rd best team in the WIAC.
Whitworth/Linfield - Good measuring stick for the Pirates
Coe/Wartburg - Winner is in the driver's seat for the IIAC title.

All big games in the West this weekend

I was looking through some of my numbers today, because I noticed that UWO is a 11.5-point favorite against UWW (seems high, but bear with me)

The last three times UWW was an underdog were all to Mount Union in Stagg Bowls.

The last time they were an underdog in the regular season was 2004 (twice). They won both games.

The last time they were a double-digit underdog in a WIAC contest was 2000.

Unless they right the ship quickly, it already feels like the end of an era.

[smedindy]

I think Stout's win against St. Thomas won't move Stout ahead of St. John's. A three-point win at home is probably the margin of home-field advantage (I think, Logan knows.)

The best team doesn't always win, and Stout's got two big games coming up after a two-week delay. (Yikes..)

[HansenRatings]

I think Stout's win against St. Thomas won't move Stout ahead of St. John's. A three-point win at home is probably the margin of home-field advantage (I think, Logan knows.)

The best team doesn't always win, and Stout's got two big games coming up after a two-week delay. (Yikes..)

Yes, average home-field advantage is nearly exactly 3 points. I started doing team-specific home field advantages this year, too. That game had an approximate HFA of only 2.3 points. Both Stout & UST have slightly below-average HFA.

[02 Warhawk]

I think Stout's win against St. Thomas won't move Stout ahead of St. John's. A three-point win at home is probably the margin of home-field advantage (I think, Logan knows.)

The best team doesn't always win, and Stout's got two big games coming up after a two-week delay. (Yikes..)

Yes, average home-field advantage is nearly exactly 3 points. I started doing team-specific home field advantages this year, too. That game had an approximate HFA of only 2.3 points. Both Stout & UST have slightly below-average HFA.

Stout was +25.5* dogs that game. Even with the game being played in Menomonie, you still would think St. Thomas should have won by multiple TDs.

I'm ok if someone wants to put Stout ahead of St. John's (and even St. Thomas). Head to head matchups are very definitive to me. Yes, I agree the best team doesn't always win...however the game still has to be played, even though we all know who the better team is before kickoff.

*AO (MIAC Pickems)

[emma17]

Yup...

Stout/Platteville - See if that St. Thomas game was a fluke.
Oshkosh/Whitewater - If UWW gets spanked, I think we're seeing an end of an era for the Hawks.
La Crosse/Point - Winner could be the 3rd best team in the WIAC.
Whitworth/Linfield - Good measuring stick for the Pirates
Coe/Wartburg - Winner is in the driver's seat for the IIAC title.

All big games in the West this weekend

I was looking through some of my numbers today, because I noticed that UWO is a 11.5-point favorite against UWW (seems high, but bear with me)

The last three times UWW was an underdog were all to Mount Union in Stagg Bowls.

The last time they were an underdog in the regular season was 2004 (twice). They won both games.

The last time they were a double-digit underdog in a WIAC contest was 2000.

Unless they right the ship quickly, it already feels like the end of an era.

Looking for the silver lining here. Maybe the underdog role fits UWW. How did UWW fare in those 3 underdog roles vs. Mt?
I assume one of the 3 underdog years was 2007 (one of greatest UWW wins of all time). What were the other years? I'll guess 2006 (L) and maybe 2010 (w injured QB issue).   

[02 Warhawk]

Yup...

Stout/Platteville - See if that St. Thomas game was a fluke.
Oshkosh/Whitewater - If UWW gets spanked, I think we're seeing an end of an era for the Hawks.
La Crosse/Point - Winner could be the 3rd best team in the WIAC.
Whitworth/Linfield - Good measuring stick for the Pirates
Coe/Wartburg - Winner is in the driver's seat for the IIAC title.

All big games in the West this weekend

I was looking through some of my numbers today, because I noticed that UWO is a 11.5-point favorite against UWW (seems high, but bear with me)

The last three times UWW was an underdog were all to Mount Union in Stagg Bowls.

The last time they were an underdog in the regular season was 2004 (twice). They won both games.

The last time they were a double-digit underdog in a WIAC contest was 2000.

Unless they right the ship quickly, it already feels like the end of an era.

Looking for the silver lining here. Maybe the underdog role fits UWW. How did UWW fare in those 3 underdog roles vs. Mt?
I assume one of the 3 underdog years was 2007 (one of greatest UWW wins of all time). What were the other years? I'll guess 2006 (L) and maybe 2010 (w injured QB issue).

If he's looking at the last three Stagg Bowls UWW was underdogs, my guess would be:

2013 - Missed the playoffs the year before and there were still doubters
2010 - Blanchard hurt
2009 - Mount beat UWW in 2008, and people thought 2007 was an anomaly (maybe?)