No matter what happens tomorrow, it's all but inevitable that RPI will play away against an all-star cast from Amherst, Wesleyan, Williams, Colby, Bowdoin, Hamilton, Tufts, Bates and Middlebury. Trinity gets an automatic bid to the finals. Just like Daniel Larusso in Karate Kid III.

Heading out to Troy bright and early. Am already drooling about some wings and blue cheesh. LFG!!!

How in the world can there be a section about 'Rivalry Games' in this weeks 'Quick Hits' article with no mention of the Dutchman Shoes Game? Feels like a big miss to me. It's only the 123rd meeting between the 2. Anyway...

Quote from: ICGrad on November 12, 2026, 08:02:19 PM

Quote from: Machiavelli on November 12, 2026, 04:30:40 PM6 teams in the top 40 in the Massey Ratings doesn't jump off the page at you?

If Massey were used for tourney selection? Absolutely!

But it's not. The only three teams they have that are sniffing the tourney have each lost one or fewer games; that's in keeping with other top-20 conferences, so I can't be too upset about it. (For example, if Ithaca had beaten JHU, I imagine that @ 8-1, they'd be in the tourney if they won next week, even if they weren't playing a top 10 team).

Yeah but if both or either played Brockport and Utica and lost, they'd be outcasts. But the incest runs thick. If that happened and they'd beaten those teams, I'd feel differently. Endicott's schedule blows overall. They are an AQ but their big win changes the entire dynamic to me. Ithaca beating Cortland should 100% put them in the mix. But it doesn't.

6 teams in the top 40 in the Massey Ratings doesn't jump off the page at you?

5. Trinity(8-0)
13. Wesleyan(7-1)
16. Amherst(7-1)
31. Williams(5-3)
34. Tufts(5-3)
39. Middlebury(4-4)

In comparison, the LL has 1(Ithaca(40)), the E8 has 2(Cortland(7) and Utica(22)), the NJAC has 1(CNU(18)), the MASCAC has 1(Springfield(37)) and the CNE has 1(Endicott(22)).

My issue isn't that they can't compete, but their closed conference pumps up the algorithm for their teams, and that is 100% an issue.

Trinity beat an 0-8 Bowdoin 10-3 and a 4-4 Middlebury 26-23. This whole thing is wild to me. Amherst has an average win margin of 7.4 in their 7 wins and are all but a lock to get in. I think Trinity SHOULD knock Wesleyan out, but man, what a sh!t show it will be if 3 get in.

The crazy thing in year 1 for the NESCAC is no one really knows how they will do. They should've realistically gotten  a single AQ in year 1 to see what happens. Maybe they are awesome. Maybe they are a step above Worcester State. I guess we'll finally find out.

How NESCAC-ish is it that they finally grace D3 with their presence in the postseason and could actually get 3 teams in the tournament because of the incestual nature of their league? I guess we have to anticipate 2-3 teams out of there most seasons from here on out. How are they even included on Massey ratings at this point when they have a closed conference-only schedule? I'm baffled.

Alright, it's Thursday. Let the work procrastination begin:

Mach's Final Regular Season Predictions:

Hit another 4 for 4 last week landing me at 41-6 on the season. Let's see if we can continue the streak!

Ithaca - 13
Cortland - 28
Do I think Ithaca has a puncher's chance? Yes. Do I think they pull off the upset? No.

St. Lawrence - 28
Rochester - 20
This one is tough-ish to pick. Rochester is on a 4 game slide with only 14 points against the LL top 4. St. Lawrence had a nice win against Buff St. last week. I'm going with what feels like and upset here at Roch-vegas. St. Lawrence in a close one.

The Battle for the Shoes
Union - 10
RPI - 35
RPI won the LL last week, so there's a chance for a letdown since this game means a little less theoretically. But this is the shoes game! I think a W really solidifies their feel-good story of a season. Maybe a tight first half and RPI pulls away later. Weather could be a slight factor with some snow in the forecast, but I like the boys in Red at home and some Busch Light drinking from the shoes.

Hobart - 56
Buff St - 10
The Pumpkinheads had a tough middle of the season, but I think they are a pretty solid team. I like a big win here, and followed up with a nice Bowl win the next week. Hobart finishes with a strong 7-3 record.

Let's go Red!!! F Union!

Quote from: Machiavelli on November 08, 2026, 07:09:17 PMIs there a bracket prediction out yet? The hamburger menu on mobile no longer works from the front page, so navigating the site is a little challenging.

It's fixed!!!

This is literally the dumbest discussion that's ever happened on this board. Dude is a troll. Not worth an ounce of thought.

But against my better judgement, some food for thought:

Mike Vrabel - just turned 51
Ryan Day - 47
Matt Patricia - 51
Paul LaPolice - Currently 56, but go check out what he did in his 30s and 40s
Sean McVay - 40
Kyle Shanahan - 46
Kevin O'Connell - 41

I can do this all night. Beat it troll. You bring ZERO to this board and any conversation. Clueless clown.

Is there a bracket prediction out yet? The hamburger menu on mobile no longer works from the front page, so navigating the site is a little challenging.

Pretty horrible hearing about the Hilbert situation. They just shouldn't be in this league at this point. The LL is too tough and physical for a program that can't get started. Similar thing happened against RPI. Hopefully the kid is ok.

Shoes game should be fun. I hope the weather cooperates so I can go. I feel like the downside of Ithaca beating Cortland is RPI might travel to Cortland, though it'd be an interesting matchup. I'd just love to get a Springfield or something like that. I'd really love a game at Endicott, but I'd assume they get round 1 off. RPI could go out to Utica again as well. Will be interesting to see.

Third Division dude is all-knowing. Lolol. Based on what I know and have heard, Ithaca hired one heck of a coach.

Sounds like someone's sugar daddy got passed up for the Ithaca job.

What are we even talking about here?

I was out juggling a kids' soccer game while watching the Ithaca broadcast. First off, kudos to the Ithaca broadcast team. No flosports BS. Just a solid, well done, high quality job. Love seeing it.

The game was the nail biter I knew it would be. I barely watched soccer. Both teams played their asses off. A few cheap shots by Ithaca with a no-call headshot on a sliding defenseless Balzarini that put him out for a bit. Then pulling a player into a punted ball which did get called. I respect the hustle. I was pissed there was no call on the QB hit, though. I thought it was obvious and blatant. But both teams were leaving it on the field as I would fully expect.

A few bounces in either direction and either team could've punched their ticket. But to RPIs credit, they hung on til the very last Hail Mary attempt that had me gnawing on my fingernails.

Sick game by Grayson Hunter today. The first RPI TD was a fully extended diving catch which was insane and kind of changed the trajectory of the game. Not sure if the second one was tipped or not, but was huge and ultimately sealed the deal.

Great season for Ithaca. I'd like to hope beating Cortland could give them a sniff, but odds are low. And huge congrats to my RPI boys. Amazing turnaround this year and let's hope we can keep it rolling!