The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!:mad:

[bigmrg74]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

I was thinking the exact opposite!

GO BULLDOGS!!!

Not really sure the tea leaves would work out that well for NMU if ya win out. Northern might actually be better off going on the road for the playoffs as the NCAA is pretty strick with all of the rules and whatnot you can do for the playoffs, and they usually take a big cut of the ticket sales. From a numbers standpoint, Northern would probably make more money hosting HS playoffs all day at the Dome than trying to shoehorn their own Playoff game in there as well.

Oh well, a few more things fall into place tomorrow. Put the math away for now, just go out there and get a win, thats the only thing you can controll for now, the rest is all up to the Football Gods.

 

[JuveGG24]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

Wow.

Bemidji ties the game at 28 with a minute and half left.

UMD returns the ensuing kickoff for a TD.

Bemidji drives and scores at the end.

And misses the extra point.

UMD wins 35-34.

That was nuts.

 

[Billy Blanks]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

Tough loss for NMU, 9-6. There goes our shot at making the playoffs...

Hopefully the hockey team can pull off a big win tonight.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

Wow.

Bemidji ties the game at 28 with a minute and half left.

UMD returns the ensuing kickoff for a TD.

Bemidji drives and scores at the end.

And misses the extra point.

UMD wins 35-34.

That was nuts.

I'll say. With Bemidji and Wayne State-Nebraska losing today, that has now open up the door for a third GLIAC team to make the playoffs. Due to today's results, that pretty much leaves Grand Valley, Findlay, Hillsdale and Saginaw Valley as the schools that control their fate for the playoffs. The loser of the Findlay at Saggy game next weekend would pretty much be knocked out of the running at that point.

Tough loss for NMU, 9-6. There goes our shot at making the playoffs...

Hopefully the hockey team can pull off a big win tonight.

Yeah, Looks like Northern is on the outside looking in as far as the playoffs are concerned. Northern would have to win out, and get a lot of help, mainly from Ferris picking up a win against Hillsdale next week, along with a lot of other sun, moon, planets and stars aligning up just right for the Wildcats. Pretty tall order considering how businesslike the Lakers were today. Still, with NMU's youth, still plenty of time to get some youngsters some reps, and get them ready for next year, were they're not going to be sneaking up on anybody next year.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

This week's Regional Rankings

inital thoughts....
In Region 1, looks like Bentley should have a good shot at representing the hockey schools there. They only have one regular season game left, and I don't really think there's anyways for any of their conference mates to jump them in the rankings, so as long as they're 8th in the region, they're in the playoffs via Earned Access, But I think they should still be in the top six though.

In Region 2, no hockey schools here. But the team to beat there is North Alabama, and it looks like Terry Bowden's and the Transferes are all on the same page there and making sweet music together. Region 3 winner faces the region 2 winner in the semi's and then of course, the Championship game is on UNA's home field. You wanna make it past the Lion's, better hope that they look past another region 2 team like Carson-Newman, Albany State or UNC Pembroke and they shock the D2 world. That or there's some paperwork errors with a lot of the transfers there.

Region 3, at this point, Mankato and Duluth are locks to make it. And after that, its a bunch of other schools still trying to get in. Nebraska-Kearney is the most likely team to make it in from the RMAC, and remember, as long as one RMAC team is at least 8th in the region, they're in via Earned Access. From the GLIAC, GVSU, Hillsdale, Findlay and Saginaw Valley have the best shots at making it into the playoffs. Findlay and Saggy play this weekend and that game should determine which of those schools would make it in. Grand Valley best controlls its fate, with 2 home games with good SOS squads. Hillsdale might like to figure out a way to get out of their games with Ferris and Tiffin, as both are going to hurt them SOS wise. Northern and Wayne State are not technecally out of the playoff hunt, but have to win out and have a lot of help. There's a few other squads in the NSIC that still have that slight glimmer of hope, but right now, I believe most of the scenerios favor the GLIAC getting a third team in instead of the NSIC.

Region 4, best guesses there are Central Washington and Northwest Missouri State. Central's has a pretty slim margin to make the playoffs, being that their league isn't an earned access league and they play a round robin schedule, but they played a pretty tough non-conference schedule as far as the D2 programs they played, so as long as they win, they'll be going to the playoffs again. The LSC I no longer have any clue as to who's going to win that given that Abilene Christain has lost twice. Midwestern State maybe and another guess that the crystal ball doesn't see just yet. Along with two other members from the MIAA as well, and most likely not Nebraska-Omaha, although they can still play spoiler as well.

All in all, there's one thing I know for certain, this is a hell of a lot more fun than figuring out the BCS.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

Bob Eblan: D2Football's National Columnist Playoff Analysis.

Super Region One Current Rankings

1. West Liberty 8-1
2. Shippensburg 7-2
3. Bloomsburg 8-1
4. California 7-2
5. Bentley 8-1
6. Edinboro 7-2
7. Charleston 8-1
8. East Stroudsburg 6-3
9. Fayetteville State 6-3
10. Southern Connecticut State 5-3

This is a tough region to predict because of the four conferences, but to simplify things, keep this in mind: there are essentially eight teams (the top seven in the latest regional poll and Fayetteville State or another CIAA team) fighting for six spots. Unless there are some major, major surprises over the next couple of weeks, everyone else can be ruled out.

If West Liberty wins out, the Hilltoppers should get the top seed. WLU has a strong strength of schedule and even another loss at least keeps the Hilltoppers in the field.

With one regular season game remaining, Bentley is also in good shape. Southern Conn. is the only other Northeast 10 team in the regional poll and the Falcons have the head to head win over the Owls.

Fayetteville State only needs to get into the top eight to qualify for earned access, but the Broncos are most certainly going to drop in the rankings after playing 0-9 Livingstone this week. Then FSU will play in the CIAA championship game against a yet to be decided opponent. Of the three teams in the CIAA East vying for a spot in the championship game, only Bowie State would seem to have a high enough SOS to potentially qualify for the postseason. I would put the chances of a CIAA team getting into the field at less that 50/50 at this point.

That leaves us with the four PSAC teams (California, Bloomsburg, Shippensburg, and Edinboro) plus Charleston from the WVIAC potentially fighting for the last three (if the CIAA is involved) or four playoff spots.

The four PSAC teams all have tough games, including California playing Shippensburg in the PSAC title game. I think it's safe to assume that the winner of that game will get into the field but the loser (especially if it is Shippensburg) may not. Edinboro has the disadvantage of head to head losses to both Cal and Shippensburg while Bloomsburg has a tough game with rival West Chester to play this week. With a poor SOS, Charleston is probably going to need losses by a couple of the PSAC teams to have a good shot at getting into the field.

Super Region Two Current Rankings

1. North Alabama 9-0
2. Carson-Newman 7-2
3. Albany State 7-1
4. North Carolina-Pembroke 7-1
5. Mars Hill 6-2
6. Morehouse 6-2
7. Benedict 6-3
8. Arkansas Tech 6-2
9. Wingate 6-2
10. Fort Valley 5-4

UNA will be the number one seed if they can win out, and a Lion loss looks extremely unlikely. You can pencil them into the top seed. Carson-Newman has such a high SOS that the Eagles would seem to be a lock for the playoffs even with another loss.

UNC-Pembroke has just one D-II opponent remaining-- winless North Greenville. No doubt this is going to hurt the Braves' strength of schedule, but UNCP is also 3-1 against D2 teams with records over .500 and has a fine late season record. UNCP should be a lock for the playoffs.

After that it's a complete crapshoot with any and all of the remaining seven teams in the running for three playoff spots. Mars Hill and Albany State both have just one D2 loss, but with tough games remaining, both could still play themselves out of the playoffs. But all seven of these teams have some tough remaining games and it will be the teams that play the best and come through unscathed that will have the best shot at getting in. We will know more next week.

Super Region Three Current Rankings

1. Minnesota State (9-0)
2. Minnesota-Duluth (8-1)
3. Hillsdale (7-2)
4. Grand Valley (8-1)
5. Saginaw Valley (7-2)
6. Nebraska-Kearney (8-1)
7. Findlay (7-2)
8. Augustana (7-2)
9. Wayne State (NE) (6-3)
10. Colorado Mines (7-2)

I will start off my assessment of this region by proclaiming that I don't believe GVSU will lose either of its last two regular season games. The Lakers should finish at least third in the region and if both UMD and GVSU win out, the number two spot could be close between the two.

MSU only needs to beat Upper Iowa to guarantee a playoff spot, but a Maverick loss in the final week to rival St. Cloud State would probably knock the Mavericks out of an opening round bye. It is entirely conceivable that GVSU could end up with the top seed when it is all said and done.

Nebraska-Kearney and Colorado Mines play this week and they are the only two RMAC teams ranked in the region. The winner of this game should stay in the top eight in the region, which is all that is needed to gain earned access.

Saginaw Valley and Findlay also play this week and the winner of that game also is in a great position to make the field as both teams have (or project to have) a high strength of schedule.

From here is where it gets interesting. Hillsdale appears to be in solid shape with a three ranking right now and a win over GVSU. The problem is that the Chargers' last two opponents have combined for just one win and Hillsdale will see its SOS drop like a stone these next two weeks. I believe there is at least a chance that Hillsdale could fall all the way out of the top six, while a team like Augustana or even a three-loss Findlay (who has a head to head win over Hillsdale) gets into the field instead.

Super Region Four Current Rankings

1. Central Washington 9-0
2. Northwest Missouri State 8-1
3. Missouri Western 7-2
4. Midwestern State 7-2
5. Texas A&M-Kingsville 8-1
6. Tarleton State 8-1
7. Abilene Christian 7-2
8. Washburn 6-3
9. Central Missouri 7-2
10. Angelo State 6-3

Central Washington has a high SOS and could possibly lose a game and still retain a first round bye. NWMSU still has a tough game to play against Central Missouri to close the regular season, but the Bearcats can still easily make the playoffs with two losses.

I don't believe Angelo State has much of a shot and Washburn will need help because of having three losses. But for every other team currently in the regional poll, the formula for making the playoffs is this: WIN!

MWSU will make it by winning its last two games, but the prospects of that happening look shaky after the Griffons blew a 20-point leading in losing to Missouri Southern last week. UCM will get its shot at NWMSU and if the Mules can win, I believe they will get in as well.

And, as I detailed in my column last week, the LSC teams in the poll will all get their shot at each other, and the two or three teams that can come out on top will make the field. Hopefully this region is a little clearer next week.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

Regional Rankings
November 2, 2009

Super Regional 1 Record D2 Super Regional 2 Record D2
1. West Liberty 9-1 8-1 1. North Alabama 10-0 10-0
2. California 8-2 8-2 2. Carson-Newman 8-2 7-2
3. Shippensburg 8-2 8-2 3. Albany State 8-1 8-1
4. Bentley 8-1 7-1 4. UNC Pembroke 8-1 6-1
5. Bloomsburg 8-2 8-2 5. Mars Hill 6-3 6-2
6. East Stroudsburg 7-3 7-3 6. Arkansas Tech 7-2 7-2
7. Edinboro 7-3 7-3 7. Morehouse 6-3 6-3
8. Charleston 8-2 8-2 8. Benedict 7-3 6-3
9. Clarion 7-3 7-3 9. Wingate 6-3 6-3
10. Fayetteville State 7-3 7-3 10. Fort Valley 6-4 5-3

Super Regional 3 Record D2 Super Regional 4 Record D2
1. Minnesota State 10-0 10-0 1. Central Washington 10-0 8-0
2. Minnesota-Duluth 9-1 9-1 2. Northwest Missouri 9-1 9-1
3. Grand Valley 9-1 9-1 3. Tarleton State 9-1 9-1
4. Nebraska-Kearney 9-1 9-1 4. Abilene Christian 8-2 8-2
5. Saginaw Valley 8-2 8-2 5. Missouri Western 8-2 8-2
6. Hillsdale 8-2 8-2 6. Central Missouri 8-2 8-2
7. Bemidji State 7-3 6-3 7. Midwestern State 8-2 8-2
8. Wayne State (Neb) 7-3 7-3 8. Texas A&M-Kingsville 8-2 8-2
9. Findlay 7-3 7-3 9. Washburn 7-3 7-3
10. Winona State 7-3 7-3 10. Angelo State 6-4 6-3

In region one, looks like Bentley is a lock, and should be hosting a playoff game against somebody from the PSAC.

In region three, it looks like Minnsota State, Minnesota-Duluth, Grand Valley and Nebraska-Kearney are all now locks for the playoffs. The fifth and six spots are way up for grabs here. The fifth and sixth teams, Saginaw Valley and Hillsdale both play teams that don't do them any SOS favors, and honestly, should probably both hope that they all come down with Swine Flu or some other excuse to not play those games. I don't think the math would favor Findlay too much, But Bemidji there stands a halfway decent chance at sneaking into the playoffs. Then again, Winona State could beat Duluth this weekend and that would probably get them into the playoffs.

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

In region one, looks like Bentley is a lock, and should be hosting a playoff game against somebody from the PSAC.

In region three, it looks like Minnsota State, Minnesota-Duluth, Grand Valley and Nebraska-Kearney are all now locks for the playoffs. The fifth and six spots are way up for grabs here. The fifth and sixth teams, Saginaw Valley and Hillsdale both play teams that don't do them any SOS favors, and honestly, should probably both hope that they all come down with Swine Flu or some other excuse to not play those games. I don't think the math would favor Findlay too much, But Bemidji there stands a halfway decent chance at sneaking into the playoffs. Then again, Winona State could beat Duluth this weekend and that would probably get them into the playoffs.

Hopefully the Beavers can get the win at Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, then let the chips fall where they may. IF they just could have held on against Mankato (OT loss), or made the extra point against Duluth (35-34 loss), or not laid the egg they did against St. Cloud, they would be there. But, if they don't make the playoffs, they have the inside track at the Mineral Water Bowl berth for the NSIC, and the two extra weeks of practice for this young team would be HUGE for next year.

 

[thebrain]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

When do the DII playoffs start and are they at the highest seed of the region?? How exactly does the DII football playoffs work?

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

When do the DII playoffs start and are they at the highest seed of the region?? How exactly does the DII football playoffs work?

In theory, the top six ranked teams in the region get into the playoffs. Now the rankings are based on a formula and completely objective. BUT, the tournament committee can figure in some subjective criteria to set the field.

Teams one and two get byes, three hosts six and four hosts five. The only neutral site game is the National Championship.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

Hopefully the Beavers can get the win at Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, then let the chips fall where they may. IF they just could have held on against Mankato (OT loss), or made the extra point against Duluth (35-34 loss), or not laid the egg they did against St. Cloud, they would be there. But, if they don't make the playoffs, they have the inside track at the Mineral Water Bowl berth for the NSIC, and the two extra weeks of practice for this young team would be HUGE for next year.

True that Millsy. Most of the perdictions I've been seeing over at D2F really favor the Beavers right now, as the SOS they'll be getting this weekend from CSP isn't much better than what Hillsdale will be getting from Tiffin this weekend. Throw in the fact that the five seed, Saginaw Valley plays a lousy one win Ferris as well and those final two spots are pretty much up for grabs, and there's a quite a few teams here in this region that are wishing that they hadn't let a close game get past them.

In theory, the top six ranked teams in the region get into the playoffs. Now the rankings are based on a formula and completely objective. BUT, the tournament committee can figure in some subjective criteria to set the field.

Teams one and two get byes, three hosts six and four hosts five. The only neutral site game is the National Championship.

Well, you always got to have a little smoke in the room just to make things interesting ya know. H2H is one of the tiebreakers they can use if teams are all things considered, about even with everything else. Supposedly, thats how the Committee ended up flipping UND and UNO around 3 years back when UND had just won a court case against the NCAA over their name. UND should have had the second seed but ended up with at the 3 because UNO had beaten them earlier that year in a head to head matchup.

Also, this year with the Semifinals, the Matchups are this, the region 3 winner faces the region 2 winner, and the Region 1 winner faces the Region 4 winner. Thus, say if Bentley wins Region 1, they could very well end up flying all the way out west to Central Washington for the semifinal game. Thankfully, in the playoffs, any trip over 500 miles the NCAA picks up the tab to fly there. Less than 500, they give you the money to bus there.

The most likely team to come out of the Southeast or Region 2, should be North Alabama. North Alabama could find itself traveling for the semifinals this year because they're the host school for the National Championship, and given the fact that their grass field will have already have 2 playoff games were even their grass tends to go dormate, the Committee could decided to make sure the Field has a chance to heal up and not be so torn up looking for the Cameras for the Championship game. That would play well to Mankato or Duluth or pretty much anybody else in Region 3.

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

You know, you like for your team to make the playoffs and such, but with BSU being a young team would they be better off:

1. Making the playoffs, and if they get beat in the first round, only getting one extra week of practice?

2. Making the Mineral Water Bowl, getting a week or two off, and getting the two extra weeks to practice the NCAA allows before bowl games?

Of course, one can never predict what will happen next year, but the extra two weeks of practice for the youth would be huge, one would think.....

Either way, if Bemidji wins, I would say they are a lock for some post season activity!

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

You know, you like for your team to make the playoffs and such, but with BSU being a young team would they be better off:

1. Making the playoffs, and if they get beat in the first round, only getting one extra week of practice?

2. Making the Mineral Water Bowl, getting a week or two off, and getting the two extra weeks to practice the NCAA allows before bowl games?

Of course, one can never predict what will happen next year, but the extra two weeks of practice for the youth would be huge, one would think.....

Either way, if Bemidji wins, I would say they are a lock for some post season activity!

Winning out is the only thing they can control right now. They could have every other ball fall just the right way for them that they really need to make the playoff, but if you have say Winona State pulling off the shocker against Duluth, they're probably in the playoffs over BSU and everybody else.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

Lots of fates are settled tomorrow, the playoff marry-go-round will stop spinning tomorrow, and at 3 PM EST, on ESPN News, they'll be announding the brackets.

 

[bueller]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

Lots of fates are settled tomorrow, the playoff marry-go-round will stop spinning tomorrow, and at 3 PM EST, on ESPN News, they'll be announding the brackets.

Where did our perfect conference record leave Ferris?

 

[JuveGG24]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

St. Cloud beats Mankato 26-21.

 

[HumRsky]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

I didn't see this thread somehow and posted about D2 in the other college football thread...oops. Anyway, St. Cloud shocks Mankato for the Travelling Training Kit and UMD smokes Winona to win the conference outright. St. Cloud is almost certainly out of the playoffs, but remains in Mineral Water Bowl contention.

 

[Billy Blanks]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

Plastics.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

Where did our perfect conference record leave Ferris?

My best guess is back home looking for a new coach this week.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: The 2009 Division 2 Football thread - Or How I Still HATE Minnesota-Duluth!!

The Bracket

Many thanks to Saint Cloud State for beating the Gridiron Landcows Saturday. That loss cost them the one overall seed in the region and had them slide all the way to 3, hosting Hillsdale College. Winner of that game will get to go play GVSU, who got the 2 seed when Mankato lost.

Minnesota-Duluth also should be thanking SCSU as they got the one seed and home field thru the Region. Coupled with the fact that North Alabama stubbed their toe against West Alabama, they just might get a home semi-final game, for those of you that like to plan that far ahead. The Bulldog await the winner of Saginaw Valley at Nebraska-Kearney. My gut here says Bulldog fans should start modifying some of their signage that they would normally use for when Wisconsin makes a visit, particularly the "Better Dead than Red" ones perhaps, as my money would be on the Cardinals winning that game.

Also of note, Bentley managed to slide out of the playoffs, even with being eligible for Earned Access. Losing to Stonehill is what ended the Falcon's season sooner than what I thought it would. I was pretty sure that the math said that they wouldn't go any lower than 8th in the region. But that's what happens when you leave it to math when you don't just make it easy by winning.

First round of SR4 is all Texas, as the four LSC programs that made it in go head to head. and NWMSU is the only MIAA program to make it into the playoffs.

And in SR2, a good "field of dreams" story going on there is UNC-Pembroke, which is a third year program that plays a D2 independent schedule, that made the playoffs this year. Independents don't get the Earned access bump that can get them into the playoffs, so the Braves really earned their place in the playoffs.