FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Flying Dutch Fan]

All eight MIAA football teams are on the road in Week 1. It would be very nice to get 4 wins, anything more than that seems like it would be difficult for the league given the schedule. (Adrian is playing an FCS school, so leave them aside.)

Well, Adrian won vs. FCS Valpo, so congrats to them!

Was kind of surprised to not see something on the front page about that (maybe I missed it) - or is it not unusual for a D3 school to beat an FCS school??

[maripp2002]

Well, Adrian won vs. FCS Valpo, so congrats to them!

Good on them! Based on that sample I think we can conclude that the MIAA is superior to the Pioneer Conference. 

In the last 5 or so years both Wabash and Depauw played Butler, and both got boatraced. While I appreciate that all three schools used to have rivalries back in the 1970s, I do NOT like d3 teams scheduling d1, even the non-scholarship pioneer schools. The Pioneer schools made a choice to play at that level and not be really competitive nationally (or the MIAC kicked them out), so schedule at that level.

Other than making sure the players/fans get the full 10 games, I just don't think it adds anything.   

[maripp2002]

or is it not unusual for a D3 school to beat an FCS school??

I not only think it's unusual to win, I think it's generally just unusual to even have them play. With that said, I also forgot that Hanover played Butler last year, and will be playing them this year.

Hanover 0 - Butler 53
Wabash 21 - Butler 47 (in 2023)
Depauw 24- Butler 49 (in 2021)

I think the Pioneer remains one of the only non-scholarship conferences in d1 (the Ivy being the other) but for OOC they're mostly scheduling d2 or NAIA teams in the Pioneer, while the Ivy generally schedules other local FCS teams.

[Pat Coleman]

We made a big deal about it on social media and talked about it in the podcast. We had four front page stories from the weekend already.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

We made a big deal about it on social media and talked about it in the podcast. We had four front page stories from the weekend already.

I get it, but as mostly a basketball guy, I just know how huge a story it would be there for a D3 to beat a D1 so I was anticipating something similar.  I honestly wasn't aware of Valpo not offering scholarships, so maybe that lessens the "hugeness" of the win a bit

[Pat Coleman]

Yes, for sure! And 20 years ago these things happened more often, before we had as many conference games and as much emphasis on in-region/D-III opponents. Our basketball rule still applies for basketball, though -- there aren't any non-scholarship D-I basketball programs.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Week 2 predictions (from HansenRatings: https://hansenratings.github.io/) are for a 8-0 week for the MIAA!

@Adrian 31 Thiel 3
Albion 37 @Bluffton 14
@Alma 43 Denison 23
@Calvin 32 Concordia(WI) 26
Hope 43 @Franklin 6
@Kalamazoo 32 Bethany 14
@Olivet 52 Madonna 31
@Trine 33 Rose-Hulman 23

[ziggy]

Week 2 predictions (from HansenRatings: https://hansenratings.github.io/) are for a 8-0 week for the MIAA!

@Adrian 31 Thiel 3
Albion 37 @Bluffton 14
@Alma 43 Denison 23
@Calvin 32 Concordia(WI) 26
Hope 43 @Franklin 6
@Kalamazoo 32 Bethany 14
@Olivet 52 Madonna 31
@Trine 33 Rose-Hulman 23

I'm very interested in this matchup for Calvin as a gauge of progress from year one to two. Flipping the script on their 34-24 loss at CUW last season would be nice.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

I feel like we used to have an MIAA team playing one of those non scholarship 1AA every year back when I was playing/coaching. Maybe its fallen out of favor since then, cant say Ive paid the same level of attention I did then!

Always good to get a win, even better to get a win playing "up" as it were.