National Championship

[Predatory Primates]

BITD the playoffs very much were regionally arranged. The lines weren't as strict, but once the field expanded to 16, general regions coalesced fairly quickly. It was pretty much every year that a PSAC team or two had to get through GVSU or Ferris to make the semis.

I understand the fan desire to have completely balanced playoffs. But for that to be realistic, it requires a greater proportion of programs to dedicate themselves to national contention. And that's not going to happen, because most of the programs that do that end up moving on to D1. There's a lot of self-fulfilling prophecy, selection bias stuff at play here, but ultimately I see no other conclusion than regionalization is here to stay. Might as well see what's the best we can make of it.

Match ups may have been, but selection wasn't.


Before that, matchups weren't even regionalized. I think I even remember Pitt traveling to California in round 1.

[IUPNation]

I posted in and followed the IUP thread some this year to see how Sexton did.

Lots of posts, but they do it like it's discord or something. 1 or 2 threads with a jillion posts each. It makes me twitch a little. I prefer it when forums are just a bit more compartmentalized.

I thought he did well. He had some back picks but overall he had mostly good games and I'm glad we get him back for one more year.

[Inkblot]

Division II Football is unable to have automatic qualifiers because it does not have 75% institutional participation in football. I know this is a tangent, but if a sport does not have 75% participation and is not afforded automatic qualifiers, it should not be required to abide by strict regions.

From what I've read in championships committee reports, I don't think that requirement is still in place. But here's an interesting excerpt from the November report:

The Championships Committee [...] requested a legislative history as to why football awards earned access for championships participation instead of automatic qualification to help inform its review.

The intent of the original earned access proposal that became effective in 2004 (the year in which the championship bracket expanded to 24 teams) was to allow the NCAA Division II Football Committee to award earned access to the championship to Division II football-playing conferences with at least six members from which at least one member finishes in the top 10 of the final regional rankings. The rationale stated that although access must be earned annually, conference champions will usually secure access to the championship in most years. Also, given that at the time automatic qualification was reserved only in those sports that had a championship bracket of 48 or more teams, the football community considered earned access as a welcome alternative. The legislation underwent minor adjustments in 2009 (requiring the conference member to finish in the top eight rather than top 10 of the region), 2012 (only be made available to conference that had six active members but also offered a grace period for conferences with five) and 2013 (clarified conference requirements).

The committee noted that the Implementation Committee focused its discussion regarding automatic qualification on sports that don’t have it at all and did not express particular concern with football’s earned access model. Rather, the discussion within the Implementation Committee focused on the challenges presented when some sports have AQ and some don’t, and that there is an expectation among many in athletics that winning your conference should be rewarded with a postseason experience. The Championships Committee acknowledged that, but agreed that an AQ model would not be in football’s best interests. Members did note, however, that there may be an opportunity to adjust earned access to ensure inclusion of all conferences and that this discussion on the historical perspective was helpful as the committee continues to deliberate what the best championship model should be across sports in the future for Division II sports.

[KleShreen]

I never talked trash. You are making stuff up because you lost this argument two days ago. I have No delusions of grandeur thst IUP in its current state it a top tier program in D2. They are above the average but are not elite. I don’t know what else to tell you.

You got burned by Edinboro the week of the game. You needed somebody to play who would do it with no notice. You school was now going to have too few D2 foosball games on it's resume. We had enough and a schedule that was going to give us high SOS for our regional rankings had we no ****ed up two games in a row not defending three ****ing punts from being blocked. Your school snapped its fingers at IUP and we just weren’t that into youse. There was zero incentive to take that game no matter what. You just don’t seem to understand that. You got burned and it wasn’t our problem. Hopefully your AD cancelled the check before Edinboro cashed it.

This all started out as you in Region 3 whining about Region 1 having playoff spots after a Region 3 smashed a Region 4 team in the finals. That made zero sense and when called out on it you found some sad thing about IUP not taking a game with 2 days notice and saying we were scared to play like doing any of that has ever been done before. You knew better.

Of course it started after SR3 beat an SR4 team. Because that SR4 team absolutely pooped all over the best SR1 had to offer, further showing that SR1 doesn't belong in the national conversation. Just like every year for the last 51 years. Not a single national title from an SR1 school in 51 YEARS!

GV didn't "need" that game. They ended up not playing a game at all that week, and guess what? They still made the playoffs lol. Didn't "need" anything. We reached out to IUP and they turned it down. Your "two days' notice" thing is really dumb, considering it was four days in advance, AKA, the same amount of time every team uses every week to prepare for their next opponent.

IUP was scared. That's it.

Also, you're combining two different years of scheduling when you try and keep bringing up a D3 school and AIC lol. GV in 2021 played a D3 school in place of the game that Ashland left empty. GV in 2022 played AIC in place of the previously-scheduled Assumption game (aka....another playoff team). Had that game remained Assumption, GV's non-conference schedule this year would have consisted of three playoff teams, plus two GLIAC playoff teams lol. Two different years.

[IUPNation]

Of course it started after SR3 beat an SR4 team. Because that SR4 team absolutely pooped all over the best SR1 had to offer, further showing that SR1 doesn't belong in the national conversation. Just like every year for the last 51 years. Not a single national title from an SR1 school in 51 YEARS!

GV didn't "need" that game. They ended up not playing a game at all that week, and guess what? They still made the playoffs lol. Didn't "need" anything. We reached out to IUP and they turned it down. Your "two days' notice" thing is really dumb, considering it was four days in advance, AKA, the same amount of time every team uses every week to prepare for their next opponent.

IUP was scared. That's it.

Also, you're combining two different years of scheduling when you try and keep bringing up a D3 school and AIC lol. GV in 2021 played a D3 school in place of the game that Ashland left empty. GV in 2022 played AIC in place of the previously-scheduled Assumption game (aka....another playoff team). Had that game remained Assumption, GV's non-conference schedule this year would have consisted of three playoff teams, plus two GLIAC playoff teams lol. Two different years.

If they didn't need it they wouldn't have asked IUP out on the date. Plenty of schools had games cancelled due to COVID and that was that. Two day or four days...it makes no sense to take a game on short notice and then you expected us to come running to Meatchicken. I mean if you were in the same state...maybe...but go to Meatchicken? Nope. You were looking for a stooge.

IUP was not scared. Scared would be asking us for a game in September during the previous spring and turning it down. We are sorry that Edinboro ghosted you...but it was not our responsibility to replace them as your Pee Sack sacrifice. So we go to Meatchicken...get pummeled due to being unprepared and still technically in camp and lose a few starters to injury. You think that is worth some paycheck that we weren't looking for?

Our first week dance card is full through 2026 as we have a 4 year date with Ashland...but feel free to ask us out on a proper date in Spring 2027 for September 2027 and hopefully IUP has gotten it's act together...has better funding than we do now and is more competitive nationally and we'll be glad to do a nice home and home series so we can have the opportunity to raise our record vs GV to 8-1. I mean it only took Brian Kelly a full decade and 7 tries to finally beat IUP!

As for Assumption...I don't care that they ditched you for whatever reason. How nice that AIC was willing to lube up and take it for a few hours. You guys had to pay them to play on their field? That's a good Sugar Daddy!

[IUPNation]

Of course it started after SR3 beat an SR4 team. Because that SR4 team absolutely pooped all over the best SR1 had to offer, further showing that SR1 doesn't belong in the national conversation. Just like every year for the last 51 years. Not a single national title from an SR1 school in 51 YEARS!

GV didn't "need" that game. They ended up not playing a game at all that week, and guess what? They still made the playoffs lol. Didn't "need" anything. We reached out to IUP and they turned it down. Your "two days' notice" thing is really dumb, considering it was four days in advance, AKA, the same amount of time every team uses every week to prepare for their next opponent.

IUP was scared. That's it.

Also, you're combining two different years of scheduling when you try and keep bringing up a D3 school and AIC lol. GV in 2021 played a D3 school in place of the game that Ashland left empty. GV in 2022 played AIC in place of the previously-scheduled Assumption game (aka....another playoff team). Had that game remained Assumption, GV's non-conference schedule this year would have consisted of three playoff teams, plus two GLIAC playoff teams lol. Two different years.

So...your logic is because a SR4 team got pummeled...that SR 1 needs to go?

What about SR 4...if they can't compete...I guess they need to go too.

You literally make no sense.

Didn't Grand Valley win their first title as a member of Region 1?

In fact you won two as a member of Region 1.

Opps.

The GLIAC might still be in Region 1 had the Northeast 10 didn't decide they wanted to participate in the playoffs...something they sat out of up until before 2004. So the Northeast 10 really is good at screwing you guys over. Friggen Mass Holes!!!! :-)

[KleShreen]

So...your logic is because a SR4 team got pummeled...that SR 1 needs to go?

What about SR 4...if they can't compete...I guess they need to go too.

You literally make no sense.

Didn't Grand Valley win their first title as a member of Region 1?

In fact you won two as a member of Region 1.

Opps.

The GLIAC might still be in Region 1 had the Northeast 10 didn't decide they wanted to participate in the playoffs...something they sat out of up until before 2004. So the Northeast 10 really is good at screwing you guys over. Friggen Mass Holes!!!! :-)

This entire thread has been me saying that SR1 and SR4 and most of SR2 are not worthy of the playoffs. So yea, SR1 consistently losing to every other SR is a pretty bad indictment considering 90% of D-II football sucks.

How weird that the best school to come out of your region is GVSU, who you then had to kick out because you couldn't compete with them. IUP and Ashland really do have a lot in common in that regard!

[KleShreen]

If they didn't need it they wouldn't have asked IUP out on the date. Plenty of schools had games cancelled due to COVID and that was that. Two day or four days...it makes no sense to take a game on short notice and then you expected us to come running to Meatchicken. I mean if you were in the same state...maybe...but go to Meatchicken? Nope. You were looking for a stooge.

IUP was not scared. Scared would be asking us for a game in September during the previous spring and turning it down. We are sorry that Edinboro ghosted you...but it was not our responsibility to replace them as your Pee Sack sacrifice. So we go to Meatchicken...get pummeled due to being unprepared and still technically in camp and lose a few starters to injury. You think that is worth some paycheck that we weren't looking for?

Our first week dance card is full through 2026 as we have a 4 year date with Ashland...but feel free to ask us out on a proper date in Spring 2027 for September 2027 and hopefully IUP has gotten it's act together...has better funding than we do now and is more competitive nationally and we'll be glad to do a nice home and home series so we can have the opportunity to raise our record vs GV to 8-1. I mean it only took Brian Kelly a full decade and 7 tries to finally beat IUP!

As for Assumption...I don't care that they ditched you for whatever reason. How nice that AIC was willing to lube up and take it for a few hours. You guys had to pay them to play on their field? That's a good Sugar Daddy!

GV asked at least four D2 schools to fill that week and they were all scared. You still aren't making any sense with this "no preparation" thing lol. Maybe that's why IUP got ***** slapped in the playoffs. Because you only had four days to prepare for Shepherd, who you had already beat two weeks prior. Maybe that wasn't enough time, and IUP should only have to play one game each month. Is a month enough time in advance to prepare for you?

[Brandon]

Of course it started after SR3 beat an SR4 team. Because that SR4 team absolutely pooped all over the best SR1 had to offer, further showing that SR1 doesn't belong in the national conversation. Just like every year for the last 51 years. Not a single national title from an SR1 school in 51 YEARS!

GV didn't "need" that game. They ended up not playing a game at all that week, and guess what? They still made the playoffs lol. Didn't "need" anything. We reached out to IUP and they turned it down. Your "two days' notice" thing is really dumb, considering it was four days in advance, AKA, the same amount of time every team uses every week to prepare for their next opponent.

IUP was scared. That's it.

Also, you're combining two different years of scheduling when you try and keep bringing up a D3 school and AIC lol. GV in 2021 played a D3 school in place of the game that Ashland left empty. GV in 2022 played AIC in place of the previously-scheduled Assumption game (aka....another playoff team). Had that game remained Assumption, GV's non-conference schedule this year would have consisted of three playoff teams, plus two GLIAC playoff teams lol. Two different years.

IUP has only played 10 games a lot.

[Brandon]

Plenty of schools had games cancelled due to COVID

If I remember correctly, it was six or eight games.

Not surprisingly, it was a clear underdog that had an outbreak.

[Predatory Primates]

SR1 teams getting a free ride to the playoffs isn't too bad, but they shouldn't get a free ride to the semis.

In the big picture, I still think the best 10 to 16 teams get in each year. It is a little frustrating that in most years a team who would probably not win 4 or 5 games in the power conferences gets more playoff games than a true top 4 team each year.

[GorillaTeacher]

SMH, LU vs NWMSU.
you have been complaining about money. Mainly that, allegedly, these Michigan schools have tax payer funded scholarships, all of them. Which seems dubious to me. You just seem to talk a lot about IUP being ready to play but when the opportunity arose they didn’t…

[Predatory Primates]

Also, don't get me wrong, I don't think being in a crappy conference should exclude anyone from the POs. When Pitt first started making the playoffs, the MIAA was absolute garbage. Conferences can definitely change.

[IUPNation]

This entire thread has been me saying that SR1 and SR4 and most of SR2 are not worthy of the playoffs. So yea, SR1 consistently losing to every other SR is a pretty bad indictment considering 90% of D-II football sucks.

How weird that the best school to come out of your region is GVSU, who you then had to kick out because you couldn't compete with them. IUP and Ashland really do have a lot in common in that regard!

No they got moved because the NE10 decided to participate in the post season. A conference had to move. You were the furthest west. Ashland seemed to beat you in recent past. Not sure what you think they were afraid of…a bunch of private schools in Ohio realized they could have their own league and cut down their travel. I’m waiting for Mercyhurdt and Gannon to bolt to the GMAC..the fit the profile of that league better but the Pee Sack public schools are closed.

[IUPNation]

GV asked at least four D2 schools to fill that week and they were all scared. You still aren't making any sense with this "no preparation" thing lol. Maybe that's why IUP got ***** slapped in the playoffs. Because you only had four days to prepare for Shepherd, who you had already beat two weeks prior. Maybe that wasn't enough time, and IUP should only have to play one game each month. Is a month enough time in advance to prepare for you?

We played Shepherd a few weeks prior.

Keep digging your hole.