Eastern Collegiate Football Conference

[UfanBill]

Thanks NED for keeping this board active. As I'm sure you're aware the ECFC is getting the Evil Eye from many teams across the country that are battling for those precious Pool C bids while your champ gets an AQ and finishes below .500.  So be it. You explained it perfectly in your post from 9/27/22 "The ECFC served it's purpose very nicely for a decade or so. It gave new programs a place to play and grow before they were ready for a step up to a better conference. We saw this with Becker (RIP), Husson, SUNY, Keystone and likely with AMC in the coming year or so. The ECFC also allowed a historic program like Norwich an opportunity to find themselves again after a conference shake up left them searching for a place to compete and allowed Gallaudet to be in a conference and compete for an NCAA AQ." The ECFC has served a valuable purpose and I'm saddened it will soon be no more. (one more year I think, if there's any teams left)

Not sure who you root for but when the ECFC is gone you've always got an invitation to join us on the LL board. Much respect.

[NED3Guy]

Thanks Bill. I'm actually a LL (UCAA) guy at heart, so I might school myself up a bit and head over to the LL board sooner or later. Much appreciated.



ECFC is a lot more messy than it looked last week at this time thanks to a three team triad at the top. Ana Maria, Alfred State and Gallaudet are each 1-1 against each other and could each very well finish 3-1 in conference for a tie at the top. Castleton (0-2) and Dean (1-1) will try their best the next two weeks to knock teams off; but it would be a tall task to see either team beating one of the top three.

Alfred State has Castleton today, Dean next week.
Gallaudet has Dean today, off next week.
AMCATS are off this week before hosting Castleton.

In the event of the 3 way tie I'm expecting; things get very interesting.
The first 3 tie breakers are a wash:

Head to head
Results vs league opponents in order of standings
Results against common ooc opponents.

Tie breaker four is overall win percentage vs d3 opponents.
Alfred State and Gallaudet both have wins against provisional D3 teams in Hilbert and Lyon. I suspect those wins won't count and the AMCATS will be the ECFC champ; if they all finish tied.

But I've been wrong a lot, so who knows.

This week:
Alfred State big over Castleton
GU tight vs Dean

Power Rankings:

1-3: see above...who knows!?!
4- Dean
5- Mt Ida
6- Castleton- home loss to Dean when you get 2TDs on D is inexcusable.
7- Becker

[NED3Guy]

HERE WE GO!

Final week of the season....still a lot to be playing for. The ECFC Chaos scenario I talked about last week is still very much in play.

Gallaudet is the leader in the clubhouse at 3-1. They are off this weekend.
Alfred State is 2-1 and travels to Dean (1-2)
Anna Maria is 2-1 and hosts Castleton (0-3)

Gallaudet beat Alfred State, but lost to Anna Maria
Anna Maria beat Gallaudet but lost to Alfred State
Alfred State beat Anna Maria but lost to Gallaudet

If things play out as expected this weekend, without a Dean or Castleton upset, we'll end up with three teams tied at 3-1 in conference play. It will come down to the fourth tie-breaker, overall winning percentage against NCAA D3 opponents; and Anna Maria will be declared the ECFC Champion by virtue of their 5-4 record.
*Alfred State has the chance to finish 6-4 with a win this weekend, but two of their wins are against first year NCAA D3 football programs and I believe those wins will not be factored into the tie-breaker due to those teams being provisional NCAA teams this year. Similarly, Gallaudet has a win against a first year program that will not count in the 4th tie-breaker.

Other potential scenarios:

Castleton wins and Alfred State wins.

A Castleton win vs Anna Maria would move the AMCATS to 2-2 in ECFC play, leaving Gallaudet and Alfred State alone at the top with 3-1 records. Tie-breaker #1 is head to head, Gallaudet would be the ECFC Champion regardless of how Alfred State does against Dean.

Castleton win, Dean wins-

Same as above, but no need for tie-breaker. Gallaudet would win outright being the only 3-1 team.

AMCAT win - and any outcome between Alfred State and Dean = AMCATS are ECFC Champs....either by the head to head with GU, or the three team tie breaker noted above.

Alfred State is essentially eliminated from ECFC title consideration.

SO.....
AMCATS win and they're in.
If you're a Gallaudet fan, you NEED Castleton to beat the AMCATS this weekend.
If you're a fan of Alfred State, I guess it doesn't really matter who you root for...if you win you can say you had a share of the title I guess.

Power Rankings:
1a) GU
1b) Alfred State
1c) AMCATS - Likely winning the AQ.
4) Dean
5) Mt. Ida
6) Castleton
7) Becker

This week:
AMCATS 41 - Spartans - 17 - AMCATS have something to play for, Spartans do not. Do the Spartans open up the playbook with some trickery and try to steal one? I'm not sure it will matter.
Dean 28 - Alfred State 21 - UPSET ALERT! If they find a way to win this weekend, Coach Murphy gets my vote for Coach of the Year. He's also a Veteran, Coaching on Veteran's Day....every football fan who sees this should appreciate that.

[NED3Guy]

WELL, I guess everything I was told about tie breakers was wrong...

According to Alfred State website, they are the ECFC champions.

I'll try to get more details.

If I'm Anna Maria and I know Alfred State has wins vs Lyon (transitioning from NAIA to NCAA this year) and Hilbert (first year team, provisional ncaa d3 team); I'd be furious tonight.

[UfanBill]

And I was convinced you had it all figured out. If it is Alfred St. good for them. They're entering the E8 and it may be a l-o-n-g time before they get another chance.

The only thing I can say is Anna Maria had a turn in the tourney 2 years ago and was monkey stomped by Delaware Valley 62-10. They also gave up 93 points to Coast Guard week 2 this year and they lost to Alfred St. Certainly not playoff worthy.

[Desertraider]

Alfred State is essentially eliminated from ECFC title consideration.

I do not think that word means what you think it means.

Well not much going on in the ECFC board. Is anyone making the journey to Alliance for round 1?

[NED3Guy]

Alfred State is essentially eliminated from ECFC title consideration.

I do not think that word means what you think it means.

Right? I guess so...yikes. I really thought I had it figured out. Oh well.

Good for Alfred State. I love to see yet another new team win the conference. This is the 8th different school to win the ECFC since 2009. Husson 4 times, Norwich 3 times, Gallaudet twice, Mt Ida, SUNY, AMCATs, Dean (but they couldn't get the AQ) and now Alfred State.

I don't know if I trust my source anymore, but I've been told that my info about the tie-breakers was correct, however I had it upside down....they use the tie-breakers to eliminate a team from the bottom; then go back to head to head when only two teams remain....(my scenarios below were based on the idea that they'd pull a team off the top from the 4th tie-breaker)

Gallaudet was eliminated on the 4th tie-breaker; then Alfred State and Anna Maria remained and head to head became the determining factor...resulting in Alfred State being named champion.

Serves me right for trying to figure out a three way tie in a five team conference!

In other news: AMCATS will be playing at Salve Regina (8-2 - NEWMAC) in a New England Bowl.

Final ECFC Power Rankings of 2023...pretty cut and dry at this point.
1) Alfred State - Earned the Championship, earned the AQ, earned the trip to Alliance, Ohio.
2) AMCATS - Played a complete game vs Spartans last weekend. BIG test for them this weekend in the bowl game.
3) GU - Up and down season. When they were clicking they were hard to stop. I hope they have a good plan in the works for life after the ECFC (if in fact the ECFC is done in 2025). They're fun to watch.
4) Dean - In full rebuild mode. Saw some flashes during their victory against Castleton. They will bounce back quickly.
5) Castleton - Winless in conference in their final ECFC season. I'm guessing that's not how anybody in Vermont wanted to go out. MASCAC awaits next year. I suspect the Spartans lick their wounds and find themselves in the middle of the MASCAC next year.