D2 Frontrunners?

[MarsHillU2022]

NW is banged up but that defense is pretty salty. I'm not sure they have the team speed they have had in years past. Even that salty defense got gashed by Ferris with ease last year. PItt is too Jekyll and Hyde to make a deep run. They are a couple of players and a year or two away. I don't understand all the Angelo State love, they made a good run in a weak region last year. I say this because they beat a very one dimensional with a questionable defense UNK team last year. But every team that beat them in the playoffs went on to get whupped.

Ferris, and GV are the class. Mines has a shot. I like Bagent and Shepherd but man once they got out of the region last year the difference between them and Ferris was immense.

Shepherd has no chance against Angelo State let alone mines Ferris and GV.

[GoneBlastin]

IMO

Legitimate shot to win it all
FSU
GVSU
Delta
Angelo
Mines

Wouldn’t completely shock me
Pitt St
WF

Could be SF contender but no further
Shepherd
IUP
Ashland
SRU

I agree with this 100%. I might add Ouachita in group 3. I would add them to group 2 but they have to get through Ferris or GVSU and possibly Pitt to get that far.

[d2 football fan]

I agree with this 100%. I might add Ouachita in group 3. I would add them to group 2 but they have to get through Ferris or GVSU and possibly Pitt to get that far.

How are the regions bracketed for the play offs this year? That may determine a lot of things...

[KleShreen]

How are the regions bracketed for the play offs this year? That may determine a lot of things...

They don't matter how the regions are bracketed anymore. The semifinalists are always reseeded 1-4 now.

[OldBison]

It’s way too earily to be predicting who the regional finalists will be and how they’ll be seated but my prediction is:

SR 1: Shepherd or IUP - seeded # 4
SR 2: Delta State or West Florida - seeded # 2
SR 3: Ferris State or GVS - seeded # 1
SR 4: Angelo State or Mines - seeded # 3

[Gliac_fan10]

Now don't get me wrong. I love WF and we got two really good players from there (Newton Brothers), but I don't think they are that good this year I mean they almost lost to NG and the defense hasn't ever really been good but this year they seem worse for some reason. Would be surprised if they even made it past the first let alone the second round this year. You can't go in every year with the mentality that the offense will win you every game as you saw last year in the first round to Newberry. The defense needs to step it up and also from the games I've seen so far this year the offense is too in-between they need to find consistency to hot then cold often. I would say they are great at the run, but they love throwing it deep when they don't have to. If they can get it together it wouldn't surprise me to see them back in the Natty. With that being said I still think Ferris repeats or Grand valley. dark horse for natty is Mines they are scary good on offense.

Don’t disagree on WF, I could see an early exit too. I think there is very very little chance anyone out of that top 5 I had will win it all. I haven’t watched WF much but I just get the feeling that they wouldn’t be a utter shock if they were able to win it all

[Gliac_fan10]

I agree with this 100%. I might add Ouachita in group 3. I would add them to group 2 but they have to get through Ferris or GVSU and possibly Pitt to get that far.

I thought about Ouachita too, but the fact GV, FS (and Pitt St) are in their region doesn’t bode to well for their path.

[Gliac_fan10]

It’s way too earily to be predicting who the regional finalists will be and how they’ll be seated but my prediction is:

SR 1: Shepherd or IUP - seeded # 4
SR 2: Delta State or West Florida - seeded # 2
SR 3: Ferris State or GVS - seeded # 1
SR 4: Angelo State or Mines - seeded # 3

I definitely agree the SR3 winner will be the 1 seed and SR1 region will be the 4... the 2&3 seeds will be interesting, especially if Delta and Angelo are there and both undefeated.

[Ram040506]

NW is banged up but that defense is pretty salty. I'm not sure they have the team speed they have had in years past. Even that salty defense got gashed by Ferris with ease last year. PItt is too Jekyll and Hyde to make a deep run. They are a couple of players and a year or two away. I don't understand all the Angelo State love, they made a good run in a weak region last year. I say this because they beat a very one dimensional with a questionable defense UNK team last year. But every team that beat them in the playoffs went on to get whupped.

Ferris, and GV are the class. Mines has a shot. I like Bagent and Shepherd but man once they got out of the region last year the difference between them and Ferris was immense.

The shepherd performance against Ferris was not good at all. The only solace I personally took in that game was that Ferris seemed to have their way with Valdosta and everyone else in the playoffs as well, that may have been an all timer of a team last year.

[Wallst]

Shepherd has no chance against Angelo State let alone mines Ferris and GV.

yes, which is why I said there was such a big step up in competition for Shepherd when they played Ferris in the semi's last year.

[MarsHillU2022]

The shepherd performance against Ferris was not good at all. The only solace I personally took in that game was that Ferris seemed to have their way with Valdosta and everyone else in the playoffs as well, that may have been an all timer of a team last year.

How much have you guys improved defensively? Haven't been able to see you guys play yet.

[EastStroud13]

I expect Ashland to be last left standing in SR1. Shepherd has gotten by but they've had some close calls, and Ashland has the much better defense. They will still be a major underdog against any other semifinalist.

[Ram040506]

How much have you guys improved defensively? Haven't been able to see you guys play yet.

Hard to say, only 7 of 22 starters from last year are back. The LB's are much better now, and the DL is a bit improved overall it seems in their assignments. As a whole its a better defense, but I wouldn't say by leaps and bounds.

There is no excuses from that game, but that went about as poorly as it could have and snowballed rather quickly. That was the first time in Shepherd's history that I've followed where they were run off the field like that. They've held up against other regions in the past when they've gotten to that point. 2010 lost a tough game against Delta State in the national semi's, beat GV in 2015 in the semi's, 2016 North Alabama was a slugfest.... Ferris last year was much better than any of them. Even that NWMS national champion team from 2015, I think that Ferris team from last year wins by multiple scores.

[Inkblot]

Shepherd has won their last six one-score games. I think that streak is bound to end sooner or later.

[NWHoops]

Ferris last year was much better than any of them. Even that NWMS national champion team from 2015, I think that Ferris team from last year wins by multiple scores.

I'm hardly a NW football apologist as my name shows I'm more of a basketball guy but that's a big statement. Guess it depends on what you mean by multiple scores. NW lost to Ferris last year by 21 and last year's NW team was not even close to the same level as the 2015 NW team.