FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[USee]

Sorry, I definitely mis-remembered my point. Wheaton was 8-2 in 2024 with losses @UWO and home v NCC and their NPI kept them out of the playoffs. In 2025 they were 8-2 and lost @Mt Union and @NCC and got in comfortably. The difference was 2 road losses against top 5 teams vs a road loss vs a top 30 team and a home loss vs #1 team. Losing on the road to Mt Union was clearly better for the Thunder NPI than a road loss to a middle of the pack UWO team. Combined with a road loss at #1 NCC (vs a home loss in 2024) it was enough to give them a higher NPI, all things being equal. So scheduling up got them in (theoretically).

The other thing I remember CarrolFan saying is that a road win vs a sub .500 team creates more NPI value than a home win vs a top 10 NPI team.