Region Talk Playoff outlook

[Ram040506]

InkBlots rankings after last week has it like this:
https://inkblotsports.com/d2stats/2627/mfb/sr1.html

1. Kutztown
2. Slippery Rock
3. East Stroudsburg
4. Franklin Pierce
5. IUP
6. Shepherd
7. Lock Haven
8. West Liberty
9. Virginia State
10. Southern Connecticut

In the above scenario, I think LH would get bumped for Earned Access (or whatever it's called now). The CIAA champ in Virginia State would theoretically take the last spot.

Still a lot of football to be played, but I don't see many scenarios where the PSAC wouldn't get at least 4 this year. CIAA I could see 2 sneaking possibly, but if it ends up being 1... PSAC might be able to get 5 in. Bears and Slippery Rock I'd say seem like the only shoe ins at this point. Winner of Shep/ESU would be in great shape as well.

Clarion and Bloom could make a run, but need to win out. Those would be the other 2 PSAC teams with chances at this point.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Obviously a lot of the PSAC mix will take care of itself.

Remaining head-to-head games of note:

OCT. 17

Slippery Rock at IUP

Cal at Clarion - This is basically a playoff game for these two. If the Vulcans lose, they are toast. If Clarion picks up a third loss, they are on the edge of the plank.

OCT. 24

Lock Haven at Slippery Rock
Shepherd at East Stroudsburg
IUP at California


OCT. 31

Kutztown at East Stroudsburg
California at Lock Haven

Nov. 7

Clarion at IUP - Could be meaningless by then or it could mean a whole lot.

Nov. 14

These are TBD but as of right now:

East Stroudsburg at Lock Haven
Shepherd at IUP

[Ram040506]

Obviously a lot of the PSAC mix will take care of itself.

Remaining head-to-head games of note:

OCT. 17

Slippery Rock at IUP

Cal at Clarion - This is basically a playoff game for these two. If the Vulcans lose, they are toast. If Clarion picks up a third loss, they are on the edge of the plank.

OCT. 24

Lock Haven at Slippery Rock
Shepherd at East Stroudsburg
IUP at California


OCT. 31

Kutztown at East Stroudsburg
California at Lock Haven

Nov. 7

Clarion at IUP - Could be meaningless by then or it could mean a whole lot.

Nov. 14

These are TBD but as of right now:

East Stroudsburg at Lock Haven
Shepherd at IUP

From the looks of it, that 11/14 date could be an exciting slate. PSAC champ game and basically 2 first round playoff games. Would be fun to play IUP in a meaningful game again, it's been too long. A lot has been on the line for most of the IUP/Shepherd match ups for the last almost 30 seasons when they do meet. I think the 2021 regular season game was the only one that didn't have any playoff implications or conference title at stake.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

From the looks of it, that 11/14 date could be an exciting slate. PSAC champ game and basically 2 first round playoff games. Would be fun to play IUP in a meaningful game again, it's been too long. A lot has been on the line for most of the IUP/Shepherd match ups for the last almost 30 seasons when they do meet. I think the 2021 regular season game was the only one that didn't have any playoff implications or conference title at stake.

It's interesting when you breakdown the opponents' records.

Kutztown's opponents have an 18-17 record. They have (4) wins against teams with current winning records.

Slippery Rock's opponents have a combined 15-22 record. Their two big wins came against teams currently 10-3 (Duluth & ESU). Since those two opening games, SRU's opponents have a combined 5-19 record.

East Stroudsburg's opponents have a 18-17 record.
The Warriors still have Shepherd, Kutztown and (potentially) Lock Haven ahead (or the State Game).


IUP's opponents have a 14-22 record.
Breaking it down, Ashland is 1-5 (with an incredible amount of one-score losses to good teams). Regardless, the only team IUP has played with a winning record beat them (at home). West Chester is 3-3. IUP's remaining schedule - starting Saturday - is a gauntlet.


Shepherd's opponents have a 15-21 record.
The Rams have played two winless teams (Gannon and Millersville) which is clearly offsetting things. Cal and WCU are a combined 6-6, which most probably didn't see coming.


Edit: These include the pretend games with Lackawanna.

[WarriorVoice]

InkBlots rankings after last week has it like this:
https://inkblotsports.com/d2stats/2627/mfb/sr1.html

1. Kutztown
2. Slippery Rock
3. East Stroudsburg
4. Franklin Pierce
5. IUP
6. Shepherd
7. Lock Haven
8. West Liberty
9. Virginia State
10. Southern Connecticut

In the above scenario, I think LH would get bumped for Earned Access (or whatever it's called now). The CIAA champ in Virginia State would theoretically take the last spot.

Still a lot of football to be played, but I don't see many scenarios where the PSAC wouldn't get at least 4 this year. CIAA I could see 2 sneaking possibly, but if it ends up being 1... PSAC might be able to get 5 in. Bears and Slippery Rock I'd say seem like the only shoe ins at this point. Winner of Shep/ESU would be in great shape as well.

Clarion and Bloom could make a run, but need to win out. Those would be the other 2 PSAC teams with chances at this point.

Having seen Bloomsburg in person last week, they are pretenders, not contenders. No knock, they just aren't worthy of consideration. They still have Shepherd, Kutztown, and Cal(Pa) on their schedule too...

[Ram040506]

Having seen Bloomsburg in person last week, they are pretenders, not contenders. No knock, they just aren't worthy of consideration. They still have Shepherd, Kutztown, and Cal(Pa) on their schedule too...

They've had the Rams number last couple years for whatever reason. Hoping Shepherd doesn't get caught looking ahead to playing the Warriors next week. Bloom has won 2 out of the last 3 against Shepherd.

[IUPalum]

It's interesting when you breakdown the opponents' records.

Kutztown's opponents have an 18-17 record. They have (4) wins against teams with current winning records.

Slippery Rock's opponents have a combined 15-22 record. Their two big wins came against teams currently 10-3 (Duluth & ESU). Since those two opening games, SRU's opponents have a combined 5-19 record.

East Stroudsburg's opponents have a 18-17 record.
The Warriors still have Shepherd, Kutztown and (potentially) Lock Haven ahead (or the State Game).


IUP's opponents have a 14-22 record.
Breaking it down, Ashland is 1-5 (with an incredible amount of one-score losses to good teams). Regardless, the only team IUP has played with a winning record beat them (at home). West Chester is 3-3. IUP's remaining schedule - starting Saturday - is a gauntlet.


Shepherd's opponents have a 15-21 record.
The Rams have played two winless teams (Gannon and Millersville) which is clearly offsetting things. Cal and WCU are a combined 6-6, which most probably didn't see coming.


Edit: These include the pretend games with Lackawanna.

Remember when a certain few IUP fans were on here beating their chests because IUP beat a national power in Ashland? Remember when I took hell because I disagreed with those IUP fans saying that neither team looked that good especially in the trenches? Looks like I may have been right on both accounts!

[Ship69]

It's interesting when you breakdown the opponents' records.

Kutztown's opponents have an 18-17 record. They have (4) wins against teams with current winning records.

Slippery Rock's opponents have a combined 15-22 record. Their two big wins came against teams currently 10-3 (Duluth & ESU). Since those two opening games, SRU's opponents have a combined 5-19 record.

East Stroudsburg's opponents have a 18-17 record.
The Warriors still have Shepherd, Kutztown and (potentially) Lock Haven ahead (or the State Game).


IUP's opponents have a 14-22 record.
Breaking it down, Ashland is 1-5 (with an incredible amount of one-score losses to good teams). Regardless, the only team IUP has played with a winning record beat them (at home). West Chester is 3-3. IUP's remaining schedule - starting Saturday - is a gauntlet.


Shepherd's opponents have a 15-21 record.
The Rams have played two winless teams (Gannon and Millersville) which is clearly offsetting things. Cal and WCU are a combined 6-6, which most probably didn't see coming.


Edit: These include the pretend games with Lackawanna.

The West outside of Slippery Rock looks unusually soft this year. You guys at IUP know your team much better than I do, and I'm prepared to accept the assertion that injuries have prevented them from being all they can be, but they were not impressive when I saw them play Shippensburg, and they have not been particularly impressive since. Cal seems up and down and had that utter head-scratcher against Seton Hill. Lock Haven did beat Ship, but they weren't all that. Remember where Ship is this year. If Lock Haven is a regional playoff contender this year, then this is not a strong region. Kutztown and to a lesser extent Shepherd and East Stroud look solid in the East.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The West outside of Slippery Rock looks unusually soft this year. You guys at IUP know your team much better than I do, and I'm prepared to accept the assertion that injuries have prevented them from being all they can be, but they were not impressive when I saw them play Shippensburg, and they have not been particularly impressive since. Cal seems up and down and had that utter head-scratcher against Seton Hill. Lock Haven did beat Ship, but they weren't all that. Remember where Ship is this year. If Lock Haven is a regional playoff contender this year, then this is not a strong region. Kutztown and to a lesser extent Shepherd and East Stroud look solid in the East.

Beauty of this whacky sport is it can all change by Saturday night.

[Big__Tasty]

The West outside of Slippery Rock looks unusually soft this year. You guys at IUP know your team much better than I do, and I'm prepared to accept the assertion that injuries have prevented them from being all they can be, but they were not impressive when I saw them play Shippensburg, and they have not been particularly impressive since. Cal seems up and down and had that utter head-scratcher against Seton Hill. Lock Haven did beat Ship, but they weren't all that. Remember where Ship is this year. If Lock Haven is a regional playoff contender this year, then this is not a strong region. Kutztown and to a lesser extent Shepherd and East Stroud look solid in the East.

I hear what you're saying and based upon the Shippensburg game, I would agree with your evaluation of Lock Haven. However, they have improved drastically since that opening game -- on both sides of the ball. The first two Saturdays of the season were both dismal performances by the Bald Eagles. Additionally, I think Shippensburg is a much better team than that for which many people give them credit. I think you all may be in good shape with this new coaching staff.

[Ship69]

I hear what you're saying and based upon the Shippensburg game, I would agree with your evaluation of Lock Haven. However, they have improved drastically since that opening game -- on both sides of the ball. The first two Saturdays of the season were both dismal performances by the Bald Eagles. Additionally, I think Shippensburg is a much better team than that for which many people give them credit. I think you all may be in good shape with this new coaching staff.

I think Coach Drew has done a good job working with the situation he has inherited at Ship. The key, of course, will be if he can keep guys around at the end of the year. We have a few young guys who look as if they can play, but if they get scooped up it really doesn't help us in the long run. You don't particularly want your school to become a training ground to develop players for bigger outfits with more money, but that's where a lot of D2 appears to be headed at the point. We'll see what develops. And, yes, Lock Haven is certainly better than they've been in quite a long time.

[Ship69]

Beauty of this whacky sport is it can all change by Saturday night.

Certainly possible. That's why they play the games. But some of those schools are really going to have to step it up to make that happen.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Certainly possible. That's why they play the games. But some of those schools are really going to have to step it up to make that happen.

One thing I can promise you is these teams at some point all need a shrink.

The mental state of a team is always the wild card ... the piece you can't see coming.

You know, this board is full of experts who mostly all get half their pick 'em games wrong every week. Nobody talks about it after the fact. Predicting this age group isn't easy.

Seton Hill - 29
Cal - 0


That still doesn't make a lick of sense. But, it happened. Clarion beat winless Gannon by the skin of its teeth last weekend.

Every team has a clunker. Most have one week every thing goes right.


I gave up trying to figure out our basketball league years ago. How many times have you seen a red hot team show up and shoot 3 for 30 from outside and miss 15 FTs. Next game they light it up.

At IUP (football) when they are clearly favored ... hold your breath. You never know what is coming. When they are a dog, Tort really gets them stirred up.

Watching this league for going on 40 years the one predictable thing is it's very unpredictable.

[Ship69]

One thing I can promise you is these teams at some point all need a shrink.

The mental state of a team is always the wild card ... the piece you can't see coming.

You know, this board is full of experts who mostly all get half their pick 'em games wrong every week. Nobody talks about it after the fact. Predicting this age group isn't easy.

Seton Hill - 29
Cal - 0


That still doesn't make a lick of sense. But, it happened. Clarion beat winless Gannon by the skin of its teeth last weekend.

Every team has a clunker. Most have one week every thing goes right.


I gave up trying to figure out our basketball league years ago. How many times have you seen a red hot team show up and shoot 3 for 30 from outside and miss 15 FTs. Next game they light it up.

At IUP (football) when they are clearly favored ... hold your breath. You never know what is coming. When they are a dog, Tort really gets them stirred up.

Watching this league for going on 40 years the one predictable thing is it's very unpredictable.

Yeah, basketball can be totally insane. I'll never forget the game a couple of seasons back when one of the Jake Biss teams at Ship went up to Lock Haven and shot something like 4-for-32 from three-point range and missed a ton of free throws. Ship last year beat ESU and West Chester at home while managing to lose to Bloomsburg. It's a dogfight.