November 3rd, 2015 12:00am
For some teams in D2, the playoffs start this week. Literally. The Lone Star Conference "tournament" begins on Saturday. Many conferences around the country have a championship game on the final Saturday of the regular season but the LSC takes it a step further by essentially giving four teams a shot at the league crown.
Top seeded Texas A&M-Commerce hosts Angelo State and Midwestern State hosts Eastern New Mexico with the winner of each game playing for championship and the losers playing for third.
In a second bracket West Texas A&M hosts Panhandle State with Tarleton State hosting Texas A&M-Kingsville, with the winners and losers of these two games meeting up next week. I guess this could be called the LSC consolation championship. Do they get a trophy for this?
Even the mechanics of this arrangement don't seem right. The league had to conduct a coin flip to award the third, fourth and fifth seeds since three teams were tied in the standings. WTAMU was the odd team out and left to play in the consolation bracket. But hey, I guess this gives the 4-4 Buffaloes a better shot at a winning season. OPSU is still playing this season as an independent but gives the LSC a needed eighth team to get this arrangement to work.
This entire conference tournament idea is kind of clever, but just doesn't work well in football. I mean, who really wants to play in what is essentially a third place game? Especially when you have already played the same team earlier in the season.
To be sure, this arrangement in the LSC is a by-product of what is going on with the other conferences. The LSC's nearest options for non-conference games are the GAC, MIAA and RMAC. The GAC and MIAA have eleven game conference schedules and don't play non-conference games. The LSC was able to squeeze six non-conference games out of the RMAC this year, but the RMAC wants to get to 12 teams and do the conference only scheduling as well. The LSC was forced to do something creative just to get enough D2 games for each of the teams in the league.
Fortunately, the LSC is also expanding in the near future. Western New Mexico, Panhandle State and and Texas-Permian Basin all will be added to the conference next year. That will give each league team nine conference games and hopefully make the LSC tournament format a thing of the past.
News and Notes from around the Country
-One of the major complaints I have gotten from Super Region One fans over the years is that the PSAC gets too many teams into the playoffs. This year it appears likely that the PSAC will get no more than two teams in. Part of this is because there has been more parity this year in the conference (especially in the East Division) and the league did not do well in out of conference games.
-In last week's 39-38 overtime win over Tiffin, Michigan Tech converted a fourth quarter 2-point conversion on a simple option left out of the pistol formation. After scoring in overtime to get within a point, the Huskies went right back to the same play on the 2-point conversion attempt and converted again to win the game.
-The playoff picture in Super Region One has gotten very interesting with the news that Bowie State (8-1) played four games with an ineligible player- former quarterback Matthew Goggans. What this means is that BSU will likely face a nullification penalty for the four games Goggans played in this year. This will hurt BSU in the regional rankings but as long as they stay unbeaten against D2 competition it's likely that they make the playoffs. BSU's fate for the CIAA title game is still up in the air however.
-Northern State (5-4) won its fifth straight game last Saturday, shocking Minnesota-Duluth 23-15. It was NSU's first win over the Bulldogs since 2003 and the loss is virtually certain to keep UMD out of the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
Top Games this Week
Michigan Tech (6-2) at Ashland (9-0)
Coming off an emotional win over Tiffin on Senior Day last week, the Huskies go on the road to face an Ashland team coming off a huge win over Grand Valley. Both teams will have to find a way to get back up for this one. At the end of the day, I think Ashland is simply too explosive offensively for MTU. Ashland 35 Michigan Tech 24
North Greenville (7-2) at Carson-Newman (7-2)
While not an official member of the conference, NGU plays several SAC teams each season and has gone 4-1 against the league so far this season. These two teams are both ranked in the top seven in Super Region Two so this is a huge game. The Crusaders are balanced and efficient offensively and I expect them to give C-N fits. But I think the Eagles win this one at home. Carson-Newman 34 North Greenville 30
Minnesota State (8-1) at Sioux Falls (8-1)
Just two weeks ago this looked like the game of the year in D2 football. That was until both teams unexpectedly dropped games on October 24th. With the NSIC title and playoffs on the line, I expect this to be a very hard fought game, just as it was last year when MSU came from behind to win in the fourth quarter. I think I have to give a slight edge to the Mavericks because of their exceptional defense. Minnesota State 27 Sioux Falls 23
Clarion (7-2) at Slippery Rock (8-1)
The Golden Eagles started the year with seven straight wins, but have dropped two straight after getting into the heart of the PSAC West schedule. It won't get any easier this week with SRU playing for a spot in the PSAC title game. The Rock is just too explosive offensive for Clarion to contain. Slippery Rock 45 Clarion 28
West Georgia (9-0) at Florida Tech (6-3)
With just two D2 losses and currently ranked eighth in Super Region Two, Florida Tech's playoff hopes are very much alive. This game is also huge in the GSC race. The Panthers are a solid all around team, but they don't have the talent on either side of the ball that UWG does. West Georgia 33 Florida Tech 20
Pittsburg State (6-3) at Central Missouri (7-2)
The Gorillas are pretty much out of the playoff running, but they can ruin UCM's chances as well with a win in this game. The problem is that since losing quarterback John Roderique to a season ending injury, the Gorillas have really struggled offensively and I don't see them doing much against a UCM defense that allows just 100 yards per game on the ground. Central Missouri 34 Pittsburg State 21
Colorado Mesa (8-1) at CSU-Pueblo (8-1)
The winner of this game locks up at least a share of the RMAC title. CMU has quietly had a very nice season as the Mavericks rely on a good defense that is adept at forcing turnovers. The problem this week is the physicality of CSU-Pueblo running back Cameron McDondle. He is a load for any defense to handle. CSU-Pueblo 30 Colorado Mesa 16
Emporia State (8-1) at Northwest Missouri State (9-0)
ESU quarterback Brent Wilson is the best in the MIAA, but he will be dealing with a NWMSU defense that is the best in the league as well. The key to this game will be the ESU defense. The Hornets have struggled to stop the run at times this year and the Bearcats will be content to grind it out on the ground and keep Wilson standing on the sidelines as much as possible. Northwest Missouri 28 Emporia State 20
Mailbag
[Q] Who in your opinion is the best team in the history of D2?
[A] 1986 North Dakota State. The Bison went 13-0 and outscored their opponents 539-87 that year, never allowing more than 13 points in a game. They won their three playoff games by a combined score of 112 to 19. They had the Jeff Bentrim as their quarterback and he won the Harlon Hill trophy that year. 1986 capped a stretch where NDSU was in the national championship game four straight years, winning three.
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