Alright, well, I’ve had the bracket in my hands for almost five hours so I’ve probably come to grips with it, but you guys haven’t had it nearly as long so it’s time to let out those pent-up frustrations.
I would really like to get to the bottom of the Millsaps mileage issue. The folks on the committee told me that the number they got was higher than 500 miles, so I’d like to know what it takes to standardize these distances. There’s a Web site the NCAA mandates schools to use to determine whether a game is in-region and that is indeed the site I used. Why they got different numbers, neither of us is sure.
In the end, it just means we have a regional semifinal one week early.
Looking forward to the potential matchup of Rowan and Wilkes in the second round. That should be a great game. Rowan is just getting its offense in gear and I’m not sure that Hobart, which struggled with William Paterson and others, can keep up. Wilkes is strong on defense as well. I haven’t seen the field since September, so I wonder what it looks like now.
Springfield, as I mentioned on the air, is in shape to play two games on turf, which bodes well for their offense. They need a lower seed to advance out of the other half of the bracket so they can continue to host on turf. They would get that if Rowan were to beat Wilkes, but I also doubt the Springfield/St. John Fisher potential rematch in round two would replicate round one. Springfield will still be favored but that doesn’t mean the game will be the same.
Can anyone aside from Capital hang with Mount Union in the top bracket? Can Capital even do it?
Kind of a neat story to get two long-time playoff drought teams together in round one in Pittsburgh. Contrast in styles, too.
West, two storied programs meet in the first round in Pella, while Bethel tries again to get the first-round monkey off its back.
Floor open for your thoughts.
Cortland Football,
I am facinated with your computer rankings. I hope you are wrong about Hardin-Simmons – I have them getting beat by Mary Hardin-Baylor. I have MHB going to the final 4.
You are right about the hose job – those two should not be playing each other in the first round. That is a slap in the face to the whole conference.
Where do my Augustana Vikings end up in your rankings? And how about Linfield (who I don’t think should be ranked with three losses)?
Thanks man.
Cortlandfootball
Good point about the lack of play between private and public schools upstate. RPI used to play Brockport, but that series ended in the 90’s. I don’t think that Union has played a state school since Albany moved up.
I believe upstate NY Division III football is as good as you get anywhere. It is too bad that three of the state university programs had such a problem getting games that they had to join leagues out of the area to fill their schedules. It would be nice to see more of the upstate teams play one another during the season. Look at the poll below and you will see that the coaches upstate believe that their best team is Cortland.
http://campus.hws.edu/upstate/
CortlandFootball,
My computer tends to be in agreement for the most part.
1. Mt Union
2. UW-Whitewater
3. St. John Fisher
7. Hardin-Simmons
8. Mary Hardin-Baylor (0.27 points separate these two)
10. Cortland St (Strongest Out)
111. Hope (Weakest In)
183. Morrisville St
223. Principia
Bethel is better than St John’s by 0.39 points.
For perspective, Mt Union is 5 points above UW-W, who is 11 above SJF. The standard error is 1.40.
HSU/UMHB is the only first round game that my computer suggests an upset over the NCAA seeds. Of course, it doesn’t take into account home-fields. Since the game is at UMHB, one would think they have a slight advantage.
So we knew going into Sunday that two 1-loss teams were going to be left out. Why is this? Of the nine conference runners-up involved in this dilemma, four of them lost to teams with 2 losses and three more lost to teams with one loss. If any of these seven games had gone the other way, the team currently with the AQ would most likely be sitting at home this weekend, freeing up an extra Pool C spot for Cortland or Franklin (who themselves are in this list of seven games).
Too many teams just didn’t take care of business when they had the chance to win the AQ. Moral of the story: Don’t put yourself at the mercy of the selection committee.
Altor –
Great to see someone else having fun creating computer ratings! I have Fisher #4 in the country. It is interesting both of our systems concur on their strength.
SeanGOP –
I have Linfield ranked #24 in the country. Not their best team the last few years, but certainly still strong enough to win a lot of games against a brutal schedule.
I noticed I have Augustana near the bottom of the top 50. I’m not sure I agree with that. They seem to be hurt by North Central, who my system doesn’t have a lot of respect for at #27. If North Central proves the system wrong and whips somebody in the playoffs, it will lift Augustana too.
CortlandFootball is certainly aware of my longstanding feelings re public vs. private scheduling problems in football. Doc Weber, highly regarded CState longtime AD of yesteryear, was at the point 50 years ago in attempting to formulate a D3 state league ….to no avail. Just how ridiculous has it gotten? Not long ago CState and Alfred had matching open dates. A no go. BUT the pair did have a preseason scrimmage, mainly because erstwhile Corts coach Dave Murray was (is) piloting Saxons’ ship. As for Hobart, it was due to open CState schedule in early 80s when it became known Cortland was considering dropping football. Hobart scrambled successfully to replace the Cortland game. Don’t believe they’ve played since then in regular season. A shame NYers can’t get along. What a conference it would be!
Also, as was written in Monday’s Cortland Standard, CState coach Dan MacNeill once served on D3 football committee and indicated it (as apparently now) had a problem ranking teams based on win index number — used to land Hobart an ’06 tourney berth. “(It supported) the idea that Hobart had a stronger road to get to where they are then we did,” Mac said. The story noted the coach feels losses should be looked at more than wins. To win: Cortland OT fall to NJAC titlist Rowan; Hobart 31-14 fall to E8 champ Union and Union loss to unranked RPI
SeanGOP-
It just occurred to me that your point about Linfield brings up the difference between a Ranking system and a Rating system. They are used inter-changeably but they are different.
Polls (rankings) tend to be a reward for a job well done during the system. This is I think the point you are trying to get at with Linfield. Does a 3 loss team merit consideration among the elite rankings? Should one reward a team like Curry, which clearly had a “better season” by going undefeated?
Who should be in the playoffs? A team which may be very strong but finished third in their conference? Or a team which won their conference but probably isn’t so good?
Power Ratings on the other hand, which is what my computer system produces, are interested in only one thing: If Team A were to play Team B on a neutral field, who would likely win? In this case I concur with Linfield being highly rated. They would certainly beat 80-90% of the teams in the country. And that doesn’t matter if they have 3, 4, or even 7 losses. Hey, if they 4-5 with close losses to Mount Union, Whitewater, UMHB, etc, they may still be a great team. But I wouldn’t rank them in a poll.
The D3Football poll is in my opinion, a hybrid poll which combines traditional rankings and power ratings. Everyone casts a vote, but the voters are so well-versed with D3 teams that they intrinsically know about the power of teams which may have 2 or 3 losses, or the weakness of teams which may have 0 or 1 losses. So they are rewarding merit for a great season on one hand, but also taking into account how likely a team would be to win a game the following week against any given team in the country. All polls should be this way. Most polls seem to be beauty contests where the 0 and 1 loss teams are at the top of the heap no matter who they played.
Cortland Football,
Interesting insight. Lets Hope North Central and Wheaton win their first round games (for Augustana’s sake).
For more comparisons…
35. Linfield
38. North Central
56. Augustana
I really need to post these on the web.
Good luck to the teams that have been selected for the playoffs.
I know “The Dude” would like us Cortland faithfull to put it to rest, but its not that simple.
I want to Congratulate this years Red Dragon team, and they truely were a “TEAM”. Standing up in the face of adveristy, and continuing to keep plugging in the next man when another goes down. For anyone who has played the game, and as a former player at Cortland who continued to coach for the Dragons as a student, and continued there after to coach at the high school level, knows what it means to make a commitment to the goal of being Champions. A path that is taken shortly after the previous season has ended, usually sparked by the dissapointment of the past. This motivates you to move on, you talk about it regularly together, privately you think about it constantly as you wake for early workouts, and return after class to work some more. The drive leads you into the preseason, that you felt would never come. It has arrived, and all that you had hoped, and worked so hard for is in the forefront, the regular season passes on the brink of perfection. This may have been one of the best teams in Cortland History. The expectations were so high with so many returning starters, with so many upperclassmen, and so many players who play at such a high level. The team lived up to expectations, only to be stopped by circumstances out of their control. No one will every truely know how great this team could have been. But as for myself and for many others, the Red Dragon team of 2006 has made me even more proud to be a Dragon.
Sean,
Maybe the pollsters understand that Linfield probably wouldn’t be considered an underdog if they played the undefeated likes of Concordia (Wi), St. Norbert, Carnegie Mellon, or even Occidental.
Linfield doesn’t deseve to make the palyoffs because we pissed that away when we gave Whitworth the NWC title but Linfield still is a top 25 team regardless…sorry that chaps you so bad.
Wildcat,
I’m not chapped that bad. I think Linfield is a good team – last couple of years they were a GREAT team.
I think we both know Linfield would go undefeated in the Midwest Conference. I think we both know they could not do that in the WIAC or the CCIW (or the other power conferences). Linfield is not in a power conference – sorry.
Yes, they gave away the game to Whitworth – but Whitworth earned the win and Linfield lost. That’s part of the game. A win is a win, and a loss is a loss.
I’m bummed about my team (Augustana) not getting in, but I also know they finished in a three-way tie for the CCIW Championship. The other two made the playoffs. Augustana’s 7-3 record is the worst they have done in decades. Sorry some people have yet to crown Linfield this year – I’m one of them.
If you are Cortland State, then I would say “I’m on your side”. But since your team “gave away their season” – forget it.
CortlandFootball:
Excellent insight and website. What is the reason for the private D3 schools’ reluctance to schedule games with the publics? (Jdex your post was helpful in this regard). Is it about $$$? Tradition? You’d hope good local competition would trump both, at least at D3 level.
Sean,
CCIW…power conference??? I would love for Linfield to play in the CCIW.
You’re right the NWC as only won two DIII titles since coming to the divison since 1998 and only has a 17-9 playoff record since auto bids started to get handed out. While the NWC is not top to bottom as strong as the WIAC or OAC (notice I didn’t say CCIW)…the top of the NWC produces year in and year out.
Yes, I understand that a win is a win but when you limit the #8 team in the country to 85 total yards of offense while piling up over 350 yards on the day, it would leave a bitter taste in your mouth….7 turnovers can do that.
I’m don’t really care if you’re on my side and I’ve said it before that we don’t deserve a playoff spot…we did that to ourselves. That’s life and Linfield will be fine next season.
BTW, Linfield will need another D3 game or two in 2008. Have the Augustana AD give Linfield a call because I don’t want to see Linfield get stuck with more NAIA/DII schools.
Gopherguy –
JDex may have more insight here. There is an infamous story from several years ago. A newspaper reporter was wondering the same thing – Why isn’t there an upstate NY league involving the public schools?
He asked someone at RPI that very question. I cannot remember if it was the A.D. or a school administrator. But the guy actually said “RPI would not prostitute itself by playing…” .
Now that has nothing to do with the RPI players, and probably nothing to do with its coaches either. I’m certain the players are willing to take on anyone, anytime. But there is a divisive stigma which seems to stem from the private schools’ belief that they are so far above the public schools academically, that the football playing field simply isn’t even.
Now my feeling about this has always been, and remains, “If you really feel this strongly then put your money where your mouth is and play in a closed league” ala the NESCAC. Be like Williams and Trinity. Play schools you respect academically, and only those schools, and end your season with the conference championship.
But the private schools want to have their cake and eat it too. They want to choose whom to associate with, and not associate with, during the regular season. Then they want to be judged superior to the teams they avoided when the post-season comes, so they can compete for a national title. It is absolute bullcrap, and it is something which angers me greatly about football in this part of the country.
I don’t mean to open both barrels on RPI. But it was their newspaper quote which kinda summed the whole thing up. In fairness, there are many private schools up here who will play the state schools. Ithaca is one. Fisher as I mentioned is another. I don’t necessarilly blame the Liberty schools because many of them have their schedules filled for years. But then there are years like this one when Hobart played only 9 games, and it kinda makes you wonder.
Gopherguy,
In a nutshell, the Privates (their administrators) believe the Publics will have the pick of the “better” athletes because of lower admission standards, and yes, the fact it’s cheaper to attend a state school. Neither holds much validity today. Admission standards to Cortland have risen tremendously. And both the Privates and Publics offer student assistance ($$), some more than others if you’re a terrific athlete interested in D3.
Also, Cortland and Brockport are colleges with quite the phys ed history. Some interpret phys ed and outstanding athletes in a similar vein. Fact is, Cortland has shown considerable diversification in majors in recent years. Check out the rosters (and player’s majors) sometime.
But Auggie’s losses, meanwhile, were to nowhere near the quality of LC’s. Platteville, a sub-.500 WIAC team, beat them handily. The three teams that beat them had a total of 10 losses.
LC’s opponents lost 4 games, including a 6-3 D2 team.
Folks in the East and North don’t realize how rough it is for LC to assemble a decent schedule. How many of them them would make those trips to Texas or Wisconsin d3 powers and also play scholarship d2 and naia schools. Although down recently, S. Oregon is that removed from being a nationally ranked naia program.
LC would romp in the CCIW. It’s all conjecture, of course, but look at the NC stiffs Wheaton used to pad its record. Compare those to LC’s.
Wildcat,
I’d love Augustana to play Linfield for a non-conference game – but as usual, we are playing a WIAC and OAC team – teams from POWER CONFERENCES – JUST LIKE WE DO EVERY YEAR! Maybe Linfield should play a WIAC and an OAC team in the preseason.
I’m not crying a river because Augustana lost a heartbreaker at Baldwin-Wallace. Augie lost – just like one of the teams has to do – no excuses.
If you want to brag about conferences. The CCIW has the only team to have won 4 national championships in a row – and it’s Augustana – they never lost a game in that 4 year period. They made it to the title game the year prior to the glorious record. That is when only the best teams made the playoffs – THE BEST.
If you limit a team to 85 total yards while getting over 350 and lose – then you didn’t deserve to win in the first place. Great defenses cause turnovers.
How many teams with a winning record did Linfield beat this year? One?
I don’t know why you get so upset just because I don’t share the same admiration for your team and conference. Like I said, and will say again, I don’t think Linfield should be ranked at 6-3, having only beaten one team with a winning record. Last few years Linfield was great – not this year – get over it.
Sean,
We played a WIAC team in 2004 and 2005…and beat them. This year and next year we play Hardin-Simmons from the ASC. Linfield isn’t ducking anyone.
Augustana’s 4 titles…great run. I’m also very proud of Linfield’s 4 national titles and the NWC’s 8 football championships & 15 championship game appearances.
That’s great you don’t think Linfield should be ranked…it seems that people that have a better understanding on d3 landscape that you or I would disagree. Please take your own advice and get over it.
GOP,
Playing a top ASC team is just like playing a top OAC team. Welcome to Division III in the 21st century. This isn’t the ’80s or even the ’90s anymore. The world doesn’t begin and end with the OAC (No. 2 in our conference rankings) and CCIW (No. 5).
Don’t know much about Cortland but I am sorry they got screwed. What I do know is that Whitewater has a better team than last year —improved defense and an exemplary offensive line along with some terrific players at the impact positions. Beaver will be back very soon to complete their 2006 assault on the championship. They are a team that takes it one game at a time which is a credit to the coaches and seniors. Certainly if they play poorly they can be beat but if they play well there is no way we don’t fly into Roanoke in December……
I think that the whole country is overlooking the LL. The LL is one of the strongest conferences and Union had a very difficult schedule. Sure they lost to RPI in a sloppy game last week, but by no means should that influence what people think of them in the playoffs. They will be a powerhouse in the playoffs. The explosive offense with Mariotti behind center, the best running back in the country, Tom A, and the unstoppable duo of Twitchell and Angilletta. No one over look Union in the playoffs. Also, with a reliable and always smart coach John Audino the Dutchmen could suprise some people on saturday @ SJF!!
Union,
I agree about your team and your schedule. The Springfield game is a great out of conference game for Union. I wouldn’t say the LL is one of the strongest conferences in D3 – but I put it in the top 40% based on my computer rankings. It certainly has turned into one of the most balanced leagues now that Coast Guard is gone (addition by subtraction, heh!).
As I was discussing with the Cortland SID yesterday, the top teams in the NJAC, LL, and E8 are pretty much on par with each other. Rowan manages to seperate itself from the pack some years, but most times the top 2-3 teams from these 3 conference are all within a touchdown of each other.
I expect Union vs Fisher will be one of the best games of this weekend. But it looks to me like Fisher has their best team ever, and one of the better upstate teams of the last several years.
Wildcat,
ENOUGH!! I think we both respect what the other’s team has accomplished. The difference is Linfield ranked at 6-3, and that’s it.
I respect the fact that you prop you team up (they earned it, and should be respected).
Our constant back and forth do nothing.
What do we agree on? Who is your final four? It is a tough choice, but you got to choose someone to play pick ’em.
I Chose UW Whitewater, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Springfield, and of course Mount Union. That was the best I could come up with.
Truce.
Truce…
How can you bet against Mount…..but I hope that someone from the west will rise up. I thought that Whitewater was and still could be the one but a hurt Beaver doesn’t give me confidence (even with an exception Warhawk defense and game breaker at WR).
Last year, Mount really took away the balance in the Warhawks offense and that was the play action boot game of the ‘hawks. Mount’s DE’s were the unsung hero’s of the Stagg bowl in how disruptive they were. Without Beaver a team like Mount can even put more focus on the boot sets of WW and that is why I like Mount again….
However, I like the winner of UMHB/HSU and Wesley to have a say in the final pairing.
jdex _ yes, Union lost to unranked RPI, did you know that Rowan lost to unranked Montclair St?
jdex and gopherguy – you’re stereotyping the “public” v “private” school debate for Upstate NY football is pathetic and. frankly offensive. Read it again and really reflect on some of your respective comments.
What about CNU? no one ever gives them credit for what they deserve. i guarantee they will turn sum heads come this weekend
Wildcat,
I went against Mount Union because of selfish reasons (the whole 4 in a row thing). But, I think UW Whitewater is tough as nails.
I can’t wait for the playoffs to start, but I won’t want them to end either.
SeanGOP
Thanks for the explanation and well done. Seriously. Now the fun part.
It’s funny you mention the record that Auggie holds. I was at the St. Johns vs St. Olaf game this year and someone came up to me and said:
Oh Mount Union…..ya know Augustana has won four D3 championships in a row and you haven’t!”
All I was waiting for was the Naah, Naaah, Naaah, Naaaah, Naaaah.
OK they haven’t won four in a row. I admit it. Just six out of seven in one span and nine out of fourteen currently????????? OPPs I am getting ahead of myself. They have to settle for 54 & 55 wins in a row back to back. Sucks. Damn you Rowan and St. Johns! LOL.
I hope this doesn’t hurt my nomination to the Classless A$$hole Club in the MIAC.
SeanGOP –
I don’t buy Springfield as a final 4 team. They are too one dimensional. Eventually some will shut down their ground attack (like IC did). The playoff teams are simply too tough to be one dimensional against.
Rowan would be a strong bet to stifle Springfield’s ground attack. I can see Fisher making the proper adjustments the second time around to contain them better. Union has seen them once before too, and might have some better ideas of how to stop them. And as always, Springfield is a much better team on turf than on grass.
Gopher Guy,
As an answer to your question about public(SUNY) vs. private in Upstate, I would say much has to do with history, not so much $$ or tradition.
I was at SJFC from near the very beggining of the D3 program when we played Cortland and the other SUNY schools every year. In all honesty at that time we couldn’t compete, Cortland was (and still is I might add) a dominant force in Upstate football. At one point from ’89-91 Cortland outscored us 169-14, by the way we didnt win any of those 3 games. SJFC was new to football, we played on a roped off field with a brown stand alone shack for a press box, one row of bleachers, and wore hand-me down uniforms that the Washington Redskins wore in the 80’s. The football program’s budget was all but non-existent. To get into SJFC you needed to average in the low 90’s and the tuition at the time was triple that of a state school. That’s not exactly a recipie for a successful football program. So SJFC did what was best for its program at the time and stopped scheduling all of the SUNY schools. We kept Brockport on the schedule because it was 20 minutes away and went out looking for opponents that were more in line with where our program was so that the program would have a chance to grow. It was around that time that 3 of the other Upstate schools that now comprise the E8 were starting their programs and I would suggest that they followed suit and tried to find opponents that were of equal standing so that their programs could have a chance to grow as well. This is the point in history where I believe the Upstate rivalries were stymied. None of the new D3 programs in Upstate wanted Cortland/Buff St/Brockport on their schedule, why get thrashed by a local rival that would have an easier time both financially and acedemically getting a local talent into school? It didn’t make any sense, you were strangling your program by playing the SUNY schools. As for the established private schools (RPI, Hobart, UofR. etc.) they were happy to schedule the new private school D3 programs but seemed to shy away from the SUNYs. (The only school that seemed to take on all comers was Ithaca.) Unfortunately for Upstate, a pattern of scheduling started there in the early to mid 90’s that is still the norm today.
It’s a shame because a great deal has changed in 13 years. Many of the private school’s programs that started in that era have progressed a great deal. Academic standards, facilities, and budgets are all different today. I for one would love to see SJFC play Cortland every year, what better way to see how far the program has come. But as i said earlier the history of the early to mid 90’s brings us to where we are today in Upstate. Its too late to form a league with SUNYs and privates involved, all we can hope for is some open dates on eachother’s schedules and some agreeable ADs to create and renew rivalries in Upstate.
Cortland- curious what your thoughts are on this take?
Raiderguy — I have a feeling as long as you wear purple your membership is a lock …
SJFC –
I agree. In the case of Fisher vs. Cortland, while it would be a fun game, I don’t think either team needs the game. Fisher has enough wars to deal with in the E8, and Cortland has Rowan, Montclair, IC, and Brockport. At some point you overwhelm your team with too many tough games. Heck, we had 1 loss this season and missed the playoffs!
However I do think your thoughts on changing academic standards and facilities are correct. I don’t know much about Brockport, but I know how far Cortland has come from being a glorified party school in the 1970s.
What I would like to see is a Hobart or RPI include a game with the SUNY schools. It’s not going to happen, but it would sure sort out a lot of these nagging Pool C questions every season.
I still hold out hope the SUNY schools could find a willing member or 2 to join with them and form an upstate public school league. The Cortland coaches have likely given up on the possibility, and I don’t blame them after years of disappointment. It could be –
Cortland
Morrisville
Brockport
Buffalo State
Maritime
I doubt Maritime would be interested. They seem to be headed toward forming something with the weak sister northeastern indies (Mt Ida, Becker, etc) But then you still need 2 more teams even if Maritime agrees. Maybe a WestConn? I cannot think of any other possibilities unless Albany goes back to D3 (not going to happen either).
Cortland is happy in the NJAC even if the travel is a pain. And it seems the NJAC is happy to have Cortland since it gives them a power to go along with Rowan and Montclair.
It really is a shame that all these great schools cannot schedule each other. Could you imagine all the amazing games each year? Yet, as usual history seems to stay true and we most likely will never see these possibilities become reality. Heah Cam08 you are the best man! Even if we disagree in the future I’ll have fun posting with ya! Who is your team? I don’t think I ever asked or knew that. Pat, amazing job with the brackets. That was so much fun (even though mine might be somewhat unrealistic). I’ll tell you this site is fantastic and I really appreciate all the hard work you guys do. I think the only person I know who would have a problem with D3football.com is my wife because I am always on it. Thanks for everything guys. This has been the best D3 football season I have ever enjoyed. A lot of that has to do with this site. GO DRAGONS! Beat the you know what out of RPI!
I sure hope it’s not true Hobart shys away from playing Cortland and the like,it would be some good football much rather see a good loss than a cheap win any day.I think the LL could use a little shake up,I’ll must likely get clobbered here but what I watch this year was pretty vanilla(Sorry)where I am used to watching football you didn’t have to worry about hurt feelings.Still working on my class issue.GO ROWAN
Mr.D would you believe Hobart,how would you like me for a fan.I know they are 9-1 but they just never impressed me the teams they should have crushed they squeked by,the game they should have been sky high for they looked totally lifeless.Mr Raiderguy I didn’t know there was a classless A O club I think I am in.
Cortland,
Maybe this is a “pipe dream” but, why not an E10? Add Brockport, Cortland, Buff St., Morrisville and drop Springfield and Norwich? That would be one of the toughest conferences in D3. You would get an automatic and at least one at large most years. The third place team would probably play an ECAC game. Schedules wouldn’t change a whole lot as you already play Ithaca and the state schools, and some of the E8 already plays Brockport. Just a thought, it would definetly be a fun season with non stop battles.
sjfc1993:
we must have played together at SJF. I was there 1992-1996. Oh the memories of the ‘pristine’ brown press box. Coach Hendel used to try to bribe guys to burn it down so that it might be replaced.
sjff82,
I’m sure we did, I was there 89-93′ season. Things sure are different there now. Proud to have been a part of the begginings though.
42
Can someone explain to me how Hobart gets selected to the playoffs and Cortland State does not? (Don’t give me that Hobart beat Cortland in the
playoffs by 1 point crap either – different teams in 2006)
Cortland Ranked 15th by AFCA Hobart Ranked 24th
Cortland Ranked 14th by D3Football Hobart Ranked 19th
Cortland 9-1 overall and 6-1 conference
Hobart 8-1 overall and 5-1 conference
Cortland crushed Hobart in their scrimmage back in September
Hobart getting in over Cortland just doesn’t add up
Raiderguy,
I can’t say anyone will break the records Mount Union has set with all of their national championships. All the records you mention are amazing. However, I must hold on to Augustana’s 4 in a row thing. It’s still the record, and Mount Union has the best chance of beating it – and I don’t want them to do so.
Cortland Football,
I feel your pain about Springfield not being a final four team. I do like their QB, and the possible Rowan game makes me nervous. However, I did have to make a decision (not an easy one) in order to make my picks. I do have faith in Springfield – one dimension and all.
Everyone else,
It is amazing how some high school teams can schedule games out of state during the regular season, but Mary Hardin-Baylor and Hardin Simmons get stuck playing each other in the first round of the playoffs! Talk about a touch choice for the Pick ’em. A loss in that game could mess up a lot of pools.
CortlandFootball:
Thanks for your “factoids from the computer ratings based on all regular season games”-but I have to tell you that computers don’t impress me. Somewhere there is a computer that has Rutgers ranked ahead of Ohio State right now and they’ll be fortunate to escape Cincinnati this weekend with a win.
I have enjoyed the past 4 years of reading these blogs and comments and the D3 website in general. This week is a double whammy for me. My son is a senior at Hardin Simmons and he and his classmates have done nothing but enhance the fine reputation of the school and its coaching staff led by one of the greatest coaches in Texas history Jimmie Keeling. If you want to understand the essence of D3 football i encourage everyone to learn more about Coach Keeling.
Although every game now could be the last time I see my son play, I would like to say I appreciate the words etc. about the “Texas Situation”. Speaking for several of our fans, Thank you very much for your concern, but we knew what we were getting into. D3 is not like the other divisions with their misguided priorities. Sure I was disappointed when my son was a soph and he got shut out because of the 55 man travelling rule. etc.
But enough waxing about the past. This year it is simple. There is a great, intense and sometimes bitter rivalry with UMHB. But the fact remains, if we had beaten them earlier in the season, we could have dispatched them fromplayoff contention with three losses. We didn’t. Every year the road to the top leads through Belton. We need to beat them, if we don’t we are not number in the state. Simple.
I am thankful we get to play them first with all their guys intact and all of our guys intact. I would hate to play them without they key people or ours. No excuses, No surrender. We’ll bring ours and they will bring theirs. Old fashion Texas shootout. It is even symbolic that it is at HIgh Noon! GO COWBOYS!
OU#25,
You’re absolutely right and the d-1 has more interconnected play and hence “better” data to work with … the rating are interesting but not without some major limitations.
Eolman, none of those things are part of the selection criteria. Read up:
http://www.d3football.com/faq.php?question&category=Playoffs
Oddly enough, your 2005 playoff game is just as relevant as your 2006 scrimmage. 🙂
Now I am hooked. Sat out for four years and now I have a lot to say. Here is an except from the game between UMHB and Whtewater. The Warhawks managed just 120 yards of total offense and only had 42 yards of offense in the second half. UWW rushed for only 30 yards in the game. O LIne might be good but not the best . No chance for the final four here. Hardin Simmons will be there but not UW Whitewater. Go Cowboys!
An E10? Interesting. Would Cortland (Brockport, Buff St.) have been interested? You bet. Didn’t happen. Such a conference was in planning stages when Cortland made the NJAC move because it and other state schools weren’t included, would never be, and needed a schedule. That’s what was pathetic and offensive. Someone needed a backbone to get things done. Needed someone to step up, bring schools together. A leader. Didn’t happen.
SJFC, we sure do remember your formulative fb days. You were the final victim in a regular season unbeaten season for the Corts. Recall that field well. You’ve come a long way and really don’t recall if Fisher, as you became respectable, was (is) one of the privates to pull the shade on Cortland. Know the series ceased (suddenly at one school’s request) when both were independents.
Yes, we know Montclair beat Rowan, and Rowan would not have made the playoffs had it not won the NJAC. For sure because of that loss. As for stereotyping, sorry if we paint with a broad brush, otherwise we would have started with Union, RPI, Hartwick, Alfred. All offer great education, just as Corts, Brocks, Buffs.
As for history, this league thing of getting (all) together goes back 50 years.
Cortland Football..
I think you have most of it right about why private schools didn’t play the public schools in the past. I would like to know where you got the quote from the RPI official. I never saw that and have never heard that story before. Though I don’t doubt that some of the private schools did have that attitude at one time.
If you look back 30 or 40 years, RPI Union and many of the state schools that played football were not that good. In fact RPI once held the longest losing streak in the nation. Ithaca, Alfred, St Lawrence and Rochester were football powers. RPI was in the ICAC with some of them and just could not compete for several reasons.
Once RPI started to get serious about being competitive in the 1980’s, they got some winable games on the schedule, put some money into the program and became respectable. I think the bias RPI and some of the other private schools may have had against the state schools is gone. You are probably more correct when you say that the difficulty in trying to schedule around conference commitments and long-time rivalries makes it difficult to get competitive schedules.
It would be great to have all the upstate schools in two or three leagues and play more games against one another. I hope that happens. The danger there would be that you could then end up with very few games against teams from other regions and that would create another set of problems when trying to rank or rate teams and when selecting teams for the NCAA Tournament.
jdex;
There is some validity to the private school argument about the state schools having a larger pool from which to recruit players. They normally have more majors, often lower admisssions requirements and, despite financial aid, the cost of schools like Union, Ithaca, RPI and St Lawrence is about double the state schools and the financial aid just doesn’t cover the difference if you are a middle class family.
I think the private-state peeing match is overblown and not as much of a factor in scheduling as it might have been in the past.