Wow. Didn't cover the running back coming out of the backfield.

What a game, though. A fantastic comeback by F&M. Congrats to both playoff-bound teams.

Thank you so much for the insights, Logan. I appreciate it.

Quote from: FishHack76 link=msg=2148020 date=1763051204ogbash at Monmouth/quote]
There's no way DePauw and Wabash both make the field. Swap in a 4th WIAC school in that place (assuming UWW wins vs. UWO).

If DePauw or Wabash makes the field, they'll also be 7 or 8 seeds better than Wheaton, and will be one of the teams in line for a first round bye (the winner of Wabash/DePauw will get a good NPI boost when they win this week). DePauw is also one of the very few teams who can drive to Berry (Hanover and LaGrange being the other two). I suspect there is at least a chance they end up in that pod. Wabash cannot drive to Berry.

Another domino is the Central/Coe game. If Coe makes the field instead of Central, they'll probably be in one of the pigtail games, whereas Central would likely get a first round bye.

Thanks, Pat. That makes sense. I could imagine the frantic call to a travel agent or airline if flying commercial was the only option.

So perhaps the airports don't matter as much? I thought that was the logic behind sending the Whitworth-Pomona winner to Naperville last year and sending Belhaven then Trinity to NCC in 2023.

I know some "island" team had to fly to Wheaton another year. Looks like it was Huntingdon in 2016.

Quote from: Pat Coleman on November 13, 2025, 02:45:48 PMCanton-Akron has a direct flight from Atlanta -- not that it matters because these flights are almost all charter. It's hard to find 65 seats on a commercial flight on six days' notice.

I'd be willing to bet a large sum of money that the SCIAC winner will go to Whitworth in the first round.

I think you're correct that Hardin-Simmons and Trinity will play in the second round due to their NPI rankings, or at least they should.

Another two "island" schools, Berry and LaGrange, also could meet in the second round even with LaGrange at No. 29 in the NPI. That's if Berry falls out of the top eight.

I could see either set of teams, especially the Georgia island, connected with Johns Hopkins because of JHU's proximity to a major airport (BWI). Perhaps Christopher Newport or John Carroll, which are slightly smaller airports. I would think Mount Union (Akron) would be less likely?

I tried to avoid Bethel and St. John's matching up in the quarterfinals Round of 16, at least. I don't know if the committee will think the same way. 

Just to see where my local teams might fit into the bracket. I did the potential brackets for the four "Western" top seeds. Of course, with this, there are a great number of possibilities and any little change can start a domino effect.
I tried to make sure the teams in the Top 24 in the NPI got a first-round bye and looked at this geographically -- except for the island game of Chapman-Whitworth, whose winner also could get sent to NCC again (because of O'Hare Airport). Any or all five of the Michigan or Indiana teams could go east but I sent them toward Wartburg or NCC. All those schools are too far of a drive to Bethel or UW-River Falls.


Hanover at Alma
winner goes to NCC

UW-Whitewater at Hope

---------------------

DePauw at Wheaton
winner goes to Wartburg

Wabash at Monmouth

----------------------
Chapman at Whitworth
winner goes to Bethel (Minneapolis-St. Paul airport)

Central at UW-Platteville (or UW-LaCrosse)

---------------------
Crown at Concordia (WI)
winner goes to UW-River Falls

St. John's at UW-LaCrosse (or UW-Platteville)

Just to see where my local teams might fit in. I did the potential brackets for the four "Western" top-eight seeds. Of course, with this, there are a great number of possibilities and any little change can start a domino effect.
I tried to make sure the teams in the Top 24 in the NPI got a first-round bye and looked at this geographically -- except for the island game of Chapman-Whitworth, whose winner also could get sent to NCC again (because of O'Hare Airport). Any or all five of the Michigan or Indiana teams could go east but I sent them toward Wartburg or NCC. All those schools are too far of a drive from Bethel or UW-River Falls. Hardin-Simmons and Trinity (Texas) is another island game that could be in the mix? Again, there are a number of possibilities - obviously.


Hanover at Alma
winner goes to NCC

UW-Whitewater at Hope

---------------------

DePauw at Wheaton
winner goes to Wartburg

Wabash at Monmouth

----------------------
Chapman at Whitworth
winner goes to Bethel (Minneapolis-St. Paul airport)

Central at UW-Platteville (or UW-LaCrosse)

---------------------
Crown at Concordia (WI)
winner goes to UW-River Falls

St. John's at UW-LaCrosse (or UW-Platteville)

Just to see where my local teams might fit into the bracket. I did the potential brackets for the four "Western" top seeds. Of course, with this, there are a great number of possibilities and any little change can start a domino effect.
I tried to make sure the teams in the Top 24 in the NPI got a first-round bye and looked at this geographically -- except for the island game of Chapman-Whitworth, whose winner also could get sent to NCC again (because of O'Hare Airport). Any or all five of the Michigan and Indiana teams could go east but I sent them toward Wartburg or NCC. All those schools are too far of a drive from Bethel or UW-River Falls.


Hanover at Alma
winner goes to NCC

UW-Whitewater at Hope

---------------------

DePauw at Wheaton
winner goes to Wartburg

Wabash at Monmouth

----------------------
Chapman at Whitworth
winner goes to Bethel (Minneapolis-St. Paul airport)

Central at UW-Platteville (or UW-LaCrosse)

---------------------
Crown at Concordia (WI)
winner goes to UW-River Falls

St. John's at UW-LaCrosse (or UW-Platteville)

Just to see where North Central and Wheaton might fit, I did the potential brackets for the four "Western" top-eight seeds. Of course, with this, there are a great number of possibilities and any little change can start a domino effect.
I tried to make sure the teams in the Top 24 in the NPI got a first-round bye and looked at this geographically -- except for the island game of Chapman-Whitworth, whose winner also could get sent to NCC again (because of O'Hare Airport). However, there are three Indiana schools all near Indianapolis and two Michigan schools that are in the west or central parts of the state. Any or all five of those teams could go east but I sent them toward Wartburg or NCC. All those schools are too far of a drive from Bethel or UW-River Falls.


Hanover at Alma
winner goes to NCC

UW-Whitewater at Hope

---------------------

DePauw at Wheaton
winner goes to Wartburg

Wabash at Monmouth

----------------------
Chapman at Whitworth
winner goes to Bethel (Minneapolis-St. Paul airport)

Central at UW-Platteville (or UW-LaCrosse)

---------------------
Crown at Concordia (WI)
winner goes to UW-River Falls

St. John's at UW-LaCrosse (or UW-Platteville)

Just to see where teams in  my area might fit into the bracket. I did the potential brackets for the four "Western" top seeds. Of course, with this, there are a great number of possibilities and any little change can start a domino effect.
I tried to make sure the teams in the Top 24 in the NPI got a first-round bye and looked at this geographically -- except for the island game of Chapman-Whitworth, whose winner also could get sent to NCC again (because of O'Hare Airport). However, there are three Indiana schools all near Indianapolis and two Michigan schools that are in the west or central parts of the state. Any or all five of those teams could go east but I sent them toward Wartburg or NCC. All those schools are too far of a drive from Bethel or UW-River Falls.


Hanover at Alma
winner goes to NCC

UW-Whitewater at Hope

---------------------

DePauw at Wheaton
winner goes to Wartburg

Wabash at Monmouth

----------------------
Chapman at Whitworth
winner goes to Bethel (Minneapolis-St. Paul airport)

Central at UW-Platteville (or UW-LaCrosse)

---------------------
Crown at Concordia (WI)
winner goes to UW-River Falls

St. John's at UW-LaCrosse (or UW-Platteville)

Just to see where North Central and Wheaton might fit into the bracket. I did the potential brackets for the four "Western" top seeds. Of course, with this, there are a great number of possibilities and any little change can start a domino effect.
I tried to make sure the teams in the Top 24 in the NPI got a first-round bye and looked at this geographically -- except for the island game of Chapman-Whitworth, whose winner also could get sent to NCC again (because of O'Hare Airport). However, there are three Indiana schools all near Indianapolis and two Michigan schools that are in the west or central parts of the state. Any or all five of those teams could go east but I sent them toward Wartburg or NCC. All those schools are too far of a drive from Bethel or UW-River Falls.


Hanover at Alma
winner goes to NCC

UW-Whitewater at Hope

---------------------

DePauw at Wheaton
winner goes to Wartburg

Wabash at Monmouth

----------------------
Chapman at Whitworth
winner goes to Bethel (Minneapolis-St. Paul airport)

Central at UW-Platteville (or UW-LaCrosse)

---------------------
Crown at Concordia (WI)
winner goes to UW-River Falls

St. John's at UW-LaCrosse (or UW-Platteville)

Closest D3 title game in history. Central (Iowa) beat Ithaca by two points in 1974.

True. 1:20 was more than enough time to score.

Quote from: IC798891 on December 15, 2023, 10:23:48 PM

Quote from: FishHack76 on December 15, 2023, 10:18:37 PM
Probably should have stuck with the original playcall on the 2-point conversion, or stuck with the misdirection. The play was far too telegraphed.

Honestly, I'm not even sure it would have mattered. NCC had no answer for Boyes and Cortland's offense in the second half

Yep. Great game.

Quote from: New Tradition on December 15, 2023, 10:19:33 PM
Man, Cortland earned that. Congrats to them.

Probably should have stuck with the original playcall on the 2-point conversion, or stuck with the misdirection. The play was far too telegraphed.