FB: Liberty League

[ICGrad]

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.

[Machiavelli]

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.

[Patrick Coleman]

It definitely pumps up Massey.

Middlebury is 131 in NPI.

[ICGrad]

6 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).

[Machiavelli]

6 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.

[Machiavelli]

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...

[Ice Bear]

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...

Rarely am I critical anymore, mostly I'm just super grateful for all the coverage in here...but with that being said, I am incredibly disappointed that in any mention of D3 rivalry games, which this is one, there isn't any mention of The Shoes. Couldn't agree more Mach...even as the falling snowflake I am, this here is some Buford T Justice, BS.

[Ice Bear]

"There's no way, no way, that you could come from my loins. Soon as I get home, first thing I'm gonna do is punch yo' momma in da mouth!"

Obviously I want Union to win tomorrow. Yet, I also REALLY want to see RPI do well in the tourney. A loss to Union could be very deflating and take the wind and momentum from the Engineers sails heading into the following week. As much as I absolutely love Union Football, the more I'm around the more I feel a real loyalty to the LL and want to see teams from our league be successful on national level. My respect has grown for RPI, Hobart, and Ithaca each season. This is probably because I was never a player. As a matter of fact, aside from my father you'd be hard pressed to find another non alumni that is as much of a fan of Union College as me...as pathetic as that may seem. Anyway, I lost my train of thought. Hoping for an injury free competitive and exciting Shoes game. What a great football rivalry.