2025 Weekly D3 Soccer Pool

[Ejay]

It's back!

Thought I'd through this out here early in case anyone wants to chime in with comments or suggestions for the new season.

Given all the conferences moving to Flo, it's going to be a challenge to catch many of the games; but that won't stop me from putting together weekly matchups that I'll pretend to know something about when in reality I will know nothing about :-)

Cheers all!

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

My suggestion is to have one game each week that is off the beaten path. There's over 400 teams in D3 and it gets a bit boring when the slate consists of the same handful of teams every single week.

[SKUD]

I think EJay did an excellent job at finding those games.

Maybe also take 1 game from Kuiper, our west coast expert.

[SierraFD3soccer]

First weekend and maybe second, going to have to have 20 plus games each! So many good matchups that many will not be able watch.

[SierraFD3soccer]

My suggestion is to have one game each week that is off the beaten path. There's over 400 teams in D3 and it gets a bit boring when the slate consists of the same handful of teams every single week.

Definitely think there was a very good effort.  Remember that he took a game where Mississippi Univ for Women playing someone one week. We feasted on that game for awhile. I think MSW doesn't even play in the NCAA??

[Kuiper]

My suggestion is to have one game each week that is off the beaten path. There's over 400 teams in D3 and it gets a bit boring when the slate consists of the same handful of teams every single week.

Definitely think there was a very good effort.  Remember that he took a game where Mississippi Univ for Women playing someone one week. We feasted on that game for awhile. I think MSW doesn't even play in the NCAA??

MUW is indeed an NCAA D3 team playing in the SLIAC. 0-17 last season

[Ejay]

Hey now, I had Mt Union in the pool one week   In all seriousness, I leaned heavily toward top 30 match-ups or games that could impact important league standings. But I can certainly look to add games like Rivier @ Dean on 9/20.

[SKUD]

I like the idea of keeping it the way you had it adding one crazy game to it each week

[Kuiper]

If you're looking for a crazy, off-the-beaten path, borderline sadistic, preseason game to warm-up with for EJay's pool, check out this one on on Monday night:

Lewis & Clark (DIII) at University of Portland (DI)

Monday, August 25th at 7 pm (Pacific)

I have no idea why University of Portland, which finished 7-4-7 last season, including wins against University of Washington, Oregon State, Cal, LMU, and San Diego, decided it needed to schedule a game against Lewis & Clark, which finished 0-20 last season, and has a record of 0-46-1 over the last three seasons.

To make matters more lopsided, this is a countable game for Portland, but a preseason game for Lewis & Clark.  So, Portland's stats will count and its players will get credit for any goals/assists the same as if they scored them against UCLA or Duke, while Lewis & Clark should be rotating its players and still working on getting its team into shape for the season.  On the other hand, Lewis & Clark traveled to Iceland this preseason and played three games there against local teams.  Maybe they learned a thing or two from the Icelanders about being giant killers.  At the least, their bench might be able to unsettle the Portland players by expertly performing the Icelandic "Viking Clap" or "Thunderclap" from the sidelines.

There should be no credit for predicting who wins, so it's got to be based on score or goal differential.  One issue with predicting the score in this game, though, is that I don't know for sure how high the scoreboard goes at Portland's Clive Charles Soccer Complex. Does it reach triple digits?  We may find out. Last season, Portland scored 32 goals and gave up 23.  Lewis & Clark, by contrast, scored 7 goals and gave up 70.

One additional note:  If there is an inquest after this game, there will be plenty of witnesses because the game is going to be nationally televised on ESPN+ .  I don't think this will help anyone make the argument that DIII teams can be competitive with DI teams.  We need to get Pacific Lutheran players to sneak onto Lewis & Clark's roster for one game just for the purposes of defending the Division's honor!

[SierraFD3soccer]

If you're looking for a crazy, off-the-beaten path, borderline sadistic, preseason game to warm-up with for EJay's pool, check out this one on on Monday night:

Lewis & Clark (DIII) at University of Portland (DI)

Monday, August 25th at 7 pm (Pacific)

I have no idea why University of Portland, which finished 7-4-7 last season, including wins against University of Washington, Oregon State, Cal, LMU, and San Diego, decided it needed to schedule a game against Lewis & Clark, which finished 0-20 last season, and has a record of 0-46-1 over the last three seasons.

To make matters more lopsided, this is a countable game for Portland, but a preseason game for Lewis & Clark.  So, Portland's stats will count and its players will get credit for any goals/assists the same as if they scored them against UCLA or Duke, while Lewis & Clark should be rotating its players and still working on getting its team into shape for the season.  On the other hand, Lewis & Clark traveled to Iceland this preseason and played three games there against local teams.  Maybe they learned a thing or two from the Icelanders about being giant killers.  At the least, their bench might be able to unsettle the Portland players by expertly performing the Icelandic "Viking Clap" or "Thunderclap" from the sidelines.

There should be no credit for predicting who wins, so it's got to be based on score or goal differential.  One issue with predicting the score in this game, though, is that I don't know for sure how high the scoreboard goes at Portland's Clive Charles Soccer Complex. Does it reach triple digits?  We may find out. Last season, Portland scored 32 goals and gave up 23.  Lewis & Clark, by contrast, scored 7 goals and gave up 70.

One additional note:  If there is an inquest after this game, there will be plenty of witnesses because the game is going to be nationally televised on ESPN+ .  I don't think this will help anyone make the argument that DIII teams can be competitive with DI teams.  We need to get Pacific Lutheran players to sneak onto Lewis & Clark's roster for one game just for the purposes of defending the Division's honor!

Relegation Battle???

[Ejay]

Great call out, but alas the timing is just not right. But with that said, I'm excited to announce the first pool of the season will officially be released Monday! "So grab your jock...if you need one; It's go-time". 

[Ejay]

And so it begins. Week 1 Pool closes Thursday night.

• 5 points for each game outcome
• 10 points for each correct score
• after dropping your lowest weekly score, season winner is participant with most points
• this season's prize is once again nothing :-)
• Pod with Simplecoach forthcoming

https://forms.gle/HQNDjyo5U3FhuD1j9

[SierraFD3soccer]

And so it begins. Week 1 Pool closes Thursday night.

• 5 points for each game outcome
• 10 points for each correct score
• after dropping your lowest weekly score, season winner is participant with most points
• this season's prize is once again nothing :-)
• Pod with Simplecoach forthcoming

https://forms.gle/HQNDjyo5U3FhuD1j9

Is it fair for beavers to fight it out? Blackburn v. Buena Vista?? Great weekly pick!

[SKUD]

It is fair as long as the next beaver vs beaver game is selected too! 10/11

[Ejay]

Simplecoach and I discuss the weekly pool, including the now popular Beaver vs Beaver matchup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiqqX-sspKQ