Comments on: Who can it be now?

By: JD

JD — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 13:34:43 +0000

Thanks Blair. Sounds like the same problem some Independents have and problem non AQ conferences used to have. Those seven non DIII games puts you right at the NCAA minimum, I think, for games played against DIII teams (18) to be eligible for the post season. For your sake, I hope no one drops out of your conference or anything of the sort, because then it sounds like you guys would really have a tough time filling your schedule.

By: Blair Cash

Blair Cash — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 23:34:54 +0000

George Fox is located in the West Region in Newberg, Ore. West of the Rockies, the only D-III schools out here are either in our conference (the Northwest) or the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. There are quite a number of NAIA and D-II schools in our immediate area, though, several of whom we used to play on a regular basis in the ’80s and ’90s when we were an NAIA school, and we have kept some of those rivalries alive while helping our travel costs.

This year’s non-conference schedule for the Bruins includes five NAIA teams (three from Oregon, two from California), two D-III teams (both from California), and two games against a D-II opponent.

Hope that clears up the reason for so few D-III teams on our schedule for you. It is not an uncommon problem for those of us in the Pacific Northwest, or in California for that matter.

By: JD

JD — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 21:02:10 +0000

Odd too that George Fox leap frogged them as well considering 5 of their 9 wins are against non-DIII teams and possibly their next two wins will be against non DIII teams. Any idea why they play so many non DIII teams?

By: Pat Coleman

Pat Coleman — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 20:46:32 +0000

Got passed by McMurry, which deserved to after beating Hardin-Simmons.

That’s far less interesting than Bowdoin, which also fell, probably because it could not be considered for the No. 1 spot because of its loss to Southern Maine.

By: JD

JD — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 16:44:06 +0000

Thoughts on teams who did not lose last week yet dropped in the polls and were passed by teams who were not ranked last week? Personal opinion is that in most cases if you win you should not drop in poll unless there is a lot of shifting in front of you. I’ll admit a little bias toward W&J women but they were the only team to drop a space in the poll who did not lose a game the previous week.

By: Pat Coleman

Pat Coleman — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:11:04 +0000

Answer is now posted.

By: dcollinge

dcollinge — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 06:01:40 +0000

I see that the men’s poll is out but the women’s poll is lagging. I guess this was a tough question for more voters than just Mark.

By: JD

JD — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 18:54:25 +0000

I would have to agree with titanq. I think most voters vote for who they feel is best right now. I think sometimes teams may drop when they lose depending on several factors. Was the team they lost to ranked? Had a winning record? Or was it truly a “big upset”? I would guess most voters would tend to drop a team if they lost to someone unranked or who had a losing record. I would vote that a team stays where they are or close if they lost to someone ranked higher than them.

However dcollinnge’s point is well taken in that so few teams go undefeated that I think some voters look at the poll and say should I have someone with a loss ranked above someone who doesn’t? Voters really need to look at the overall picture i.e. SOS or QOW, records of opponents etc, which can be time consuming knowing that the poll is due Mon. afternoon.

But all in all I think the voters do a pretty good job of accurately reflecting who is the best right now. And it definitely should not be who they think will get to the national title games. I was surprised to see Milikin drop as much as they did the first time they lost. However with a recent second loss it made the pollsters look like they new exactly what they were doing!

By: ronk

ronk — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 05:59:22 +0000

Pat,
What are these arrangements for this year for all the regions? (referring to your comment that the northeast is on the road)

By: patcummings

patcummings — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 23:44:27 +0000

I agree here too Titanq…

Looking back at football, Ohio Northern did not make the postseason and going into the playoffs, I still had them midway up my ballot even though a bunch of other teams below them or not on at all were in the postseason.

As it turns out, ONU was the only team to beat Mount Union, the eventual national champions. ONU will probably remain towards the top half of the final top 25, even though they played only ten games.