 Wesley finds itself in the regional rankings, but there are more Pool B teams listed than there are spots for them in the postseason. Wesley athletics photo |
The first (and second-to-last) public NCAA regional rankings have been released.
Remember that regional rankings primarily take Division III games into account. Teams are listed with their Division III record first, followed by their overall record. For more information about the playoff format and how participants are determined, check out our FAQ.
No teams have clinched an automatic bid to the playoffs as of yet.
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EAST 1 Hobart 7-0 7-0 2 Ithaca 7-1 7-1 3 Gallaudet 8-0 8-0 4 Rowan 6-2 6-2 5 Lebanon Valley 7-1 7-1 6 Framingham State 7-1 7-1 7 Alfred 6-2 6-2 8 St. John Fisher 6-2 6-2 9 Salve Regina 6-1 6-2 10 St. Lawrence 6-2 6-2 |
Notes: Framingham State is a Pool B-eligible team. One-loss Ithaca is ranked ahead of unbeaten Gallaudet, likely on the strength of a better strength of schedule, plus two wins vs. regionally ranked opponents. |
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NORTH 1 Mount Union 8-0 8-0 2 North Central (Ill.) 8-0 8-0 3 Wabash 8-0 8-0 4 Wittenberg 7-0 7-1 5 John Carroll 8-0 8-0 6 Illinois Wesleyan 7-1 7-1 7 Franklin 6-1 6-2 8 Wheaton (Ill.) 7-1 7-1 9 Heidelberg 7-1 7-1 10 Hope 7-2 7-2 |
Notes: In this region, all of the unbeaten D-III teams come first, followed by all of the teams with losses. Franklin’s performance vs. common opponent Butler doesn’t seem to weigh into how it is ranked vs. Wittenberg. Heidelberg needs to beat John Carroll to have a fighting chance anyway, but definitely once you see where they’re ranked. The North Region rankings were released with conference record rather than Division III record printed. We have corrected this to show consistent data. |
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SOUTH 1 Mary Hardin-Baylor 8-0 8-0 2 Johns Hopkins 8-0 8-0 3 Texas Lutheran 7-0 7-0 4 Wesley 4-2 6-2 5 Millsaps 8-0 8-0 5 Thomas More 7-1 7-1 7 Maryville (Tenn.) 7-1 7-1 8 Washington U. 6-2 6-2 9 Hampden-Sydney 6-2 6-2 10 Washington and Jefferson 6-2 6-2 |
Notes: More or less lines up according to form except that Wesley’s strength of schedule (.688, best in D-III) gives it a big advantage over Millsaps (.484). Texas Lutheran, Wesley, Millsaps and Wash U are all Pool B eligible in this ranking. |
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WEST 1 UW-Whitewater 8-0 8-0 2 Bethel 8-0 8-0 3 Linfield 7-0 7-0 4 UW-Oshkosh 7-1 7-1 5 Concordia-Moorhead 7-1 7-1 6 UW-Platteville 7-1 7-1 7 Pacific Lutheran 7-1 7-1 8 Illinois College 8-0 8-0 9 Wartburg 6-2 6-2 10 St. John’s 6-2 6-2 |
Notes: Bethel has two wins vs. regionally ranked opponents and if the Royals finish running the table, will have three. UW-Whitewater is 3-0 vs. regionally ranked opponents (including Wash U.). Strength of schedule is basically a wash. Unbeaten Greenville (.394 SOS, eighth from the bottom in Division III) is not ranked. |
How to use these regional rankings: If you are an at-large candidate, you want to be sure you are the top at-large candidate in your region. That will ensure you get discussed by the national committee and have a chance to be put in the field.
There are 24 automatic bids, three Pool B bids and five Pool C (true national at-large) bids. Selection Sunday is Nov. 17.
Being listed in these rankings is not a guarantee of selection to the playoffs. There is no guarantee an at-large team will be taken from each region.
I think the “How to use these” verbiage need to be updated for 2013 (e.g. talk of only one Pool B slot, mentions of Huntingdon and Waynesburg which aren’t in the mix this year). 🙂
Yep. Done. (Or deleted.)
I wonder how did St. John’s sneaked in there ahead of Redlands and Pacific. The SOS comparison isn’t even close, and neither way have regional wins.
I think UWW has three regional wins: UWP, UWO and Wash U.
Good catch — I did not consider that on Wash U.
How can Franklin be 7th in North region when they are ranked 9th in D3, lost at Mount Union by 3 on the road, and lost to a Butler team by 3 that blasted Wittenberg?
No respect these rankings are a joke.
So, in this coming Monday’s Podcast will there be talk of who gets seeded where, now knowing what we know from the NCAA in these rankings? Is it just me, or does there seem to be a bit more equity in these four regions concerning unbeaten teams?
Grizzle, that’s why it’s really important to read the other things on the page — the FAQ, the strength of schedule link, so you know what these rankings take into account and what they purport to do.
Looking at strength of schedule the rankings still do not reflect an accurate picture based on SOS;
Mount Union -165
North Central -153
Wabash -145
Wittenberg -102
John Carroll -172
Illinois Wesleyan -101
Franklin -157
Lots of football to be played. Does not matter Home or Road GO GRIZ!
Grizzle, that’s why it’s really important to read the other things on the page — the FAQ, the strength of schedule link, so you know what these rankings take into account and what they purport to do. 🙂
No seriously, if you read the FAQ that contains the playoff selection criteria you will find the answer to your question about how those unbeaten teams’ ties are broken.
Then seriously what is the point of your Poll? You schedule non-conference opponents as tough as possible(See Mount Union and UWW) and this is the reward?
Seems to me you are better off scheduling patsies in non-conference and bolster your wins versus D3 opponents. Lord knows we see enough 69-0 games during the season.
@art76 … I would imagine there’ll be an analysis of what this means before next week’s podcast, but I’m not promising anything.
@grizzle … the D3.com top 25 is a subjective poll of 25 media members, SIDs and coaches of the best teams nationally at the time the poll is taken.
It has NOTHING to do with the NCAA’s regional rankings, which are numbers- and criteria-based rankings put together separately by four different NCAA regional advisory committees (coaches and occasionally ADs and commissioners in each region hold a conference call every week and are given five primary criteria and 6-7 secondary criteria to follow)
Often the regional advisory committees and the D3football.com pollsters disagree. The NCAA selects the playoff field.
In Franklin’s case — and Art, this is why I want to write a what does this mean — the only thing you care about right now is winning the HCAC AQ. Wabash and Witt, UMU and JCU and Wheaton and North Central all still play each other, so there’s plenty of time for Franklin to move up to a place in the North rankings where they will host a home game in Round 1 of the playoffs.
Also, scheduling really good teams helps, in terms of SoS … but it really helps when you BEAT the good team. So close.
Is it correct for me to assume that in the West ranking, BU is ahead of Linfield because of SOS? I’m not complaining! Just wondering considering a number of other factors, like D3 poll position.
“Then seriously what is the point of your Poll?”
Grizzle, the point of the poll is to tell you who the good teams are. The point of the NCAA regional ranking is to tell you who might make the playoffs.
It is unfortunate that the NCAA doesn’t agree on who the good teams are. But our ranking is a better predictor of postseason success.
Edstone, that would be our take as well.
I have not had an opportunity to fully view all the teams in the regional rankings, but I noticed two teams that I don’t believe belong on the rankings. Salve Regina is 6-2 eventhough according to the bogas rules the central connecticut state route doesn’t count, they only beat two mediocer teams with winning records and all other wins were to lesser fortunate teams. Salve Regina doesn’t have any game that convinces me they deserve top 10 in the east…. The other team I saw was Washington U. They are 6-2 and beat 4 teams they should have 2 somewhat fairly matched wins. Wahington U. Beat MacAlester 7-0 two weeks ago and barely won this past week. I just don’t see anything special about thos teams accomplishments. Any thoughts?
Gallaudet!?!?! Sticks out like a sore thumb doesn’t it? To anyone whose not paying attention and probably never heard of Gallaudet let me say there is a real potential for the 3rd ranked Bison to finish undefeated and possibily the only undefeated team in the East. Hobart plays Liberty League 2nd/3rd place St. Lawrence and Rochester while Ithaca still has to play at Salisbury and Cortland.Losses by both those teams would almost certainly elevate Gallaudet to the top of the East! How would that jive with your poll? Just sayin’
Our poll would still be right. 🙂 The NCAA’s regional ranking, though, would not look good with Gallaudet at the top of it.
So Bethel beats WW at WW?? If your pole is a predictor of postseason success dont you have to take in effect where those games will be played potentially. Now that the regional rankings are out does that move WW ahead of bethel? I just think WW should have moved up more than 1 spot after beating UWO and UWP. Just throwing out thoughts. I think you guys do an excellent job with the site and the top 25.
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In general, no, I wouldn’t say National No. 5 wins at National No. 6 in a true road game.
Our voters care little to nothing about the regional ranking. UWW is already trending toward Bethel (24 points apart last week, 7 points apart this week) and could overtake them anyway.
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