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).

This seems like much ado about next to nothing.

Sure, there's a chance the NESCAC gets 3 bids this year, but this year seems like a significant outlier. Looking back 10 years, this is the only season I see with the potential (hasn't happened yet) of 3 1-loss teams.

Of the two one-loss teams, one sits in the 11th (and last) at-large spot; the other sits @ #14, below 2 two-loss teams.

Worst case scenario, they get 3 teams in. It certainly shouldn't be an annual occurrence, and there's still a decent chance they end up with one bid.

I'm intrigued to see how the NESCAC does in the playoffs. Not too long ago, NESCAC teams didn't participate in any postseason tourneys; on balance, they seem to have acquitted themselves pretty well in most sports, and I see no reason to think they won't in football as well.

Honestly, Hilbert needs to drop down club program status for 5 years or so and rebuild from the ground up. They seem to have a decent coach who has some things headed in the right direction; take a few years to build the program, go through some recruiting cycles while playing against a level of competition more in-line with where they are, and if they really want to be a decent D3 varsity program, when the time is right, make the jump.

My two nephews played club football at Clarkson (both just recently graduated); I'm pretty sure that their teams had more than 40 players.

Football isn't a sport where you can cut corners and take shortcuts in building a program.

Quote from: IC798891 on November 08, 2026, 09:36:33 PMFor comparison's sake, they played 41 players the opening week of the season, and 26 yesterday.

I would hope that the LL would step and do something here. Meet with Hilbert, develop a long-range plan, and hold them to it. If Hilbert isn't willing to do that, give them the boot.

25 players is absolutely crazy, and almost guarantees that some players ore going on both offense and defense (and certainly that there's a large overlap with special teams), which definitely increases the chances of (serious) injury.

I know I've been down on Hilbert for the (lack of) level of competition they bring to the LL. Ultimately, I'd love for them to grow the program and be a viable league member. Unfortunately, it feels like it's heading the other direction at this point...

Quote from: The Third Division on November 08, 2026, 12:37:22 AM

Quote from: IC798891 on November 07, 2026, 11:56:01 PM

Quote from: The Third Division on November 07, 2026, 11:40:12 PMIs this what happens when your school hires a young and possibly overly ambitious head coach?

Brandon Maguire is 34 and in in his first season as a head coach
Michael Toerper was 34 when he was in his first season as a head coach, at Ithaca
Dan Swanstrom was 35 when he was in his first season as a head coach, at Ithaca

You don't have to like the playcall, but I'm sure what Maguire's age has to do with anything.

Is there a reason they haven't hired anyone over 50?

Jim Butterfield wasn't yet 40 when he was named head football coach @ Ithaca.

That hiring was so historically bad, I think Ithaca is just doomed to repeat it ever since.

  Congrats to RPI. Here's hoping they make some noise in the playoffs.

Terrible offensive sequence from the Bombers to open the second half after securing great field position with an interception. Instead of trying to establish the run, we get two incomplete deep passes, then bafflingly on 4-and-13 from the 37, the Bombers go for it, with Reed getting sacked for a huge loss, giving RPI the ball in Bomber territory.

Going for it on 4th and 13...idiotic in a 3 point game where you've been shutting RPI down all game. Punt it and try to pin them deep.

ETA: Looks like Ithaca was bailed out by a double penalty on RPI. Here's hoping the play it a bit smarter from here on out.

Quote from: BomberJeff on October 31, 2026, 05:39:46 PMIthaca vs RPI almost certainly for the conference next week.

It is for the conference next week. No other team has fewer than two losses.

If RPI beats Ithaca but then loses to Union, RPI and Ithaca are tied with one loss each and RPI still wins the conference based on head-to-head. If they beat Union, they win it outright.

If Ithaca wins, they win the conference outright. (Their last game is a non-conference game; some team from Cortland or something?).

Also, is it just my imagination or is the league slate devoid of any decent games every other week? Today was just dreadful. Really hoping Rochester keeps improving and St Lawrence (and maybe Buffalo St!) turn things around.

I mean, compare it to lacrosse, where the league is pretty strong top to bottom. Good-to-great games every week, multiple times per week. Hoping LL football can get there.

Quote from: Machiavelli on October 29, 2026, 12:47:12 PM

Quote from: UfanBill on October 29, 2026, 12:28:39 PMUnion travels to Hilbert Saturday but I don't expect the huge beat down scores you guys are projecting. Why not? There are a couple of factors. One is found in looking at last year's game, a 34-13 snoozer in Schenectady where QB Patch Flanagan played the first half throwing 2 TD passes and Union went up 24-0. That was it for Patch and the first teamers. Coach Drach cleared the bench in the 2nd half using all backups including 5 different quarterbacks. In all Union completed 10 passes to 10 different receivers.   92 Garnet Chargers got into the game. Many for their first time. Drach is not interested in running up the score. He wants to build his roster and there's no better way than giving guys playing time..If Union gets out to a solid lead this week I'd expect more of the same except it won't be 92 players since travel restrictions will limit Union's dressed players to around 55. Hopefully all of them will play and they'll be no injuries. Maybe they'll find a running back. ...Union 41-13.     

Just for insight, I'm pretty sure RPI was on their 2nd and 3rd stringers before halftime, and legitimately down to 5th and 6th stringers by the beginning of the 4th quarter(some luxury with it being a home game and more kids dressed). Obviously the strength in depth would dictate how that plays out, but in the RPI game, as a viewer, you couldn't tell the difference against Hilbert. Everyone looked like a superstar.

Ithaca was up 49-0 20 minutes in and started liberally subbing. Pretty sure it was their 2nd (or even 3rd) string qb who threw the 2nd quarter pick six, giving Hilbert their only points for the day.

Also, speaking of Toerper, Cornell is off to a nice-ish start this season...except defensively, where they've looked abysmal at times.

Cornell gave up 21 straight to end the game @ Brown this afternoon en route to blowing a 14 point 4th quarter lead in an overtime loss. Ouch.

Quote from: IC798891 on October 24, 2026, 05:20:39 PM-- Then Union intercepts Reed, only to have an offside penalty negate it --

To be fair, Reed knew he had a free play there. He probably doesn't risk that throw if flags  weren't flying all over the place.

But yeah, an unusual number of defensive encroachments/offsides.

You could definitely make the case that Union outplayed Ithaca for the first 3+ quarters today, despite trailing for much of that spell.

I blame the cowbells.

Quote from: BomberJeff on October 24, 2026, 03:57:30 PMFinishes Ithaca 35 Union 14.  That second half was just a show from the Bombers, Union had a couple of chances early in it but didn't get anything from it and the game just cascaded from there.  On to what is now a likely conference championship between the Bombers and RPI in two weeks.

Hilbert and Buffalo State trading blows early, tied at 15 in the second quarter.

Union dominated the first 20 minutes of the second half, but a fumble and 2 missed 4th down conversions left them with nothing to show for it.

After Union's 2nd missed conversion, Ithaca's running game finally started clicking and the game was over.

Through six games this season, Hilbert scored a total of 30 points.

Hilbert has 21 in the first half against Buff St.

Quote from: Bartman on October 24, 2026, 02:25:51 PMGame of the day has Union behind Ithaca 21-14 at the half. I still think Union will pull this out at home, but their offense has to pick it up.

Union's offense is fine. They had Ithaca stopped deep in their own territory on 4th and 5 and gave them a 1st down with an offsides. Result of drive: Ithaca touchdown.

Then they had Ithaca stopped again, roughing the kicker (15-yards). Result of drive: Ithaca touchdown.

Ithaca's third scoring drive was aided by a pass interference on 2nd and 20 and later a roughing the passer.

Union has to clean it up.

I wish there were a cowbell filter that would eliminate or at least greatly reduce the noise of all these cowbells on this stream. Ugh...