FB: Liberty League

[Machiavelli]

Here's how the LL Top 3 breaks down

Union: 3 wins over teams with a combined record of 2-13, 2 losses to teams with a combined record of 8-1
RPI: 3 wins over teams with a combined record of 6-9, 2 losses to teams with a combined record of 8-2
Ithaca: 4 wins over teams with a combined record of 5-17, 1 loss to a team that is 1-3

None of the teams have a good win unless you're buying WPI at 4-1.

WPI has beaten:
0-5 UNE
1-4 Husson
3-2 Coast Guard
1-3 Norwich

Personally, that's a no from me. So IMO, we're parsing losses.

There's no way to put RPI over Union based on losses. Cortland is objectively a better loss than Utica, and there's no way losing 45-10 to Brockport is better than a loss OT to Susquehanna.

So it's Union ahead of RPI. What to do with Ithaca? One less loss, but it is, by far, the worst loss. And, the lousy 2nd half vs. Hobart means that they narrowly escaped with a win over a team RPI easily handled.

Thus, we have:

1. Union
2. RPI
3. Ithaca
4. Hobart
5. Rochester
6. St. Lawrence
7. Buffalo State
8. Hilbert

Your breakdown makes sense on paper. But recent games, momentum and history play into my thoughts. It's all speculation at this point, but just so my thoughts are clear, there it is.

[Ice Bear]

It's funny. I can see Union replicating what they did in conference last season. With that said, I can see them also absolutely not replicating last year and dropping games to all three or two of three of the remaining top LL teams. I've seen the Garnet grow and find a bit of an identity over the last three weeks, but again, against the likes of 1 bad team and 2 very bad teams.

I do have a bit of a feeling about RPI, having watched bits of their games and do think they could run the table as well. Same with IC.

I'm open to any interpretation of the top 4 as for me, it's hard to be definitive about any of them.

[Bartman]

Here's how the LL Top 3 breaks down

Union: 3 wins over teams with a combined record of 2-13, 2 losses to teams with a combined record of 8-1
RPI: 3 wins over teams with a combined record of 6-9, 2 losses to teams with a combined record of 8-2
Ithaca: 4 wins over teams with a combined record of 5-17, 1 loss to a team that is 1-3

None of the teams have a good win unless you're buying WPI at 4-1.

WPI has beaten:
0-5 UNE
1-4 Husson
3-2 Coast Guard
1-3 Norwich

Personally, that's a no from me. So IMO, we're parsing losses.

There's no way to put RPI over Union based on losses. Cortland is objectively a better loss than Utica, and there's no way losing 45-10 to Brockport is better than a loss OT to Susquehanna.

So it's Union ahead of RPI. What to do with Ithaca? One less loss, but it is, by far, the worst loss. And, the lousy 2nd half vs. Hobart means that they narrowly escaped with a win over a team RPI easily handled.

Thus, we have:

1. Union
2. RPI
3. Ithaca
4. Hobart
5. Rochester
6. St. Lawrence
7. Buffalo State
8. Hilbert

Your breakdown makes sense on paper. But recent games, momentum and history play into my thoughts. It's all speculation at this point, but just so my thoughts are clear, there it is.

I agree with Machs rankings, I can only say although Hobart laid an egg in Troy and played sloppy against Ithaca, there is no question that the better team Hobart played was RPI. I'm hoping that the team pulls it together against Union because right now we are just trying to get to third place in the LL and a decent Bowl game. I think since we are playing at the Boz , Union is beatable, but we'll have to play all four quarters for once this year. Of course Rochester is 2-0 in the Ll and we are 0-2 , so no assumptions made until the games are played. I think the league title will come down to the Shoes game and Ithaca needs to improve a lot before Cortaca, because Cortland beat a very good Utica squad.

[BomberJeff]

ESPN's Bill Connelly in his weekly SP+ rankings has moved Hilbert into the 772nd slot, meaning they are the worst college football team he ranks.  Below every NCAA team, below the NAIA teams, heck even below some teams with no overarching affiliation at present (mostly the Christian conference teams).  They were 771 last week, they go lept by previous longtime bottom team Maine Maritime.

https://bsky.app/profile/espnbillc.bsky.social/post/3mx4ynuyltc2t

[ICGrad]

ESPN's Bill Connelly in his weekly SP+ rankings has moved Hilbert into the 772nd slot, meaning they are the worst college football team he ranks.  Below every NCAA team, below the NAIA teams, heck even below some teams with no overarching affiliation at present (mostly the Christian conference teams).  They were 771 last week, they go lept by previous longtime bottom team Maine Maritime.

https://bsky.app/profile/espnbillc.bsky.social/post/3mx4ynuyltc2t

Ouch.

Judson, an NAIA team two spots above Hilbert, has lost back-to-back games by 90 points.

Hilbert plays St Lawrence and Buffalo State next. Last year they were competitive against Buffalo, losing 15-8, but were blown out by St Lawrence. Be interesting to see how they do this year.

[Machiavelli]

ESPN's Bill Connelly in his weekly SP+ rankings has moved Hilbert into the 772nd slot, meaning they are the worst college football team he ranks.  Below every NCAA team, below the NAIA teams, heck even below some teams with no overarching affiliation at present (mostly the Christian conference teams).  They were 771 last week, they go lept by previous longtime bottom team Maine Maritime.

https://bsky.app/profile/espnbillc.bsky.social/post/3mx4ynuyltc2t

Maine Maritime looks like it's TOP is not nearly as solid as Hilbert's. How in the world does Alfred State beat Hilbert 57-12 with a TOP deficit of 47:22 vs 12:38? Hilbert must have gotten screwed by the refs that game.

This poll is suspect.

[IC798891]

Excluding kneel downs, Alfred State ran 28 offensive plays in that game. Given that, I'm amazed that they even had the ball for 12 minutes.

[IC798891]

LL Midseason Awards

Offensive Player of the Year - Michael Reed, Ithaca QB. Leads the conference in passing yards by close to 40 a game (used instead of raw totals given that Union's QB has only played in 4 games). Both he and Sheehan have done their damage against the lower parts of the conference. Reed is also T-5th in rushing yards.

Defensive Player of the year - A.J. Bicksler, Rochester, DL. Leads the conference with 6.5 sacks and is second with 7.5 TFL. He's had at least half a sack in every game and I appreciate the consistency vs what we sometimes see where 80% of the production comes in 2-3 games.

Coaching Staff of the Year - Whoever wins the conference I guess? No one is likely to overachieve, so this one probably comes down to the boring logic of "To the winner go the spoils."

[Bartman]

PICKS for WEEK SIX(26-6 on season including the wrong bonus pick against Cortland last week)

RPI.       56.    Buff. State.    10.   Sliderulers accumulating stats all day in Buffalo

Union.     24.    Hobart.         27.   Hobart salvages an upset win at the Boz with a late FG

Rochester  10.    Ithaca.         37.   Bombers swat away the Yellowjactets

SLU.       63.    Hilbert.         7.   Saints take their turn at the Pinata

RPI, Union and Ithaca getting ready for some big games in the next few weeks. Ithaca will continue to be the only LL team to get votes in the poll.