Northwood Exit and Expansion Discussion

[Uindy18]

Just noticed that Ferris is playing an NAIA school (Waldorf University). Am I the only one who is surprised by this game?

I am but I get it. The pressure is on for the bigger programs to get a set schedule in place as early as possible to make ticket sales/marketing available, so waiting to sort one out over the summer as other schools do just won't work. That and they didn't have any idea schools would still be looking to fill games now in the wake of Lindenwood creating schedule gaps across the GMAC, GLIAC, and GLVC

[Tony Nicolette]

Just noticed that Ferris is playing an NAIA school (Waldorf University). Am I the only one who is surprised by this game?

Not sure if anyone else is "surprised" by this, but my opinion is that no one should be:

• Ferris doesn't have a "GLIAC double" partner this year, so they were facing five open dates...FIVE.
• The list of D2 schools that have matching open dates is far shorter than most realize...and that list gets a whole lot shorter really quickly when so many of them don't have the budgets to travel or pay worthwhile guarantees.
• Ferris hasn't lost a regular season game in forever, so no one wants to play them...kudos to your Oilers for continuing to step up to that plate thus far.
• To qualify for the playoffs, schools have to play at least eight D2 opponents, and at least ten games overall. If something happens to any one of these games, Ferris will have to take the waiver route and hope that the NCAA grants the exception.
• The CWU and L-R games are great gets...have to hand it to them that they were able to make those happen.
• Granted, it's been a while, but Ferris has scheduled non-D2 when needed before (FCS NDSU in 2013, NAIA St.Francis in 2012, for example)
• Even with the NAIA game, they STILL have an open date on the schedule.
• NAIA schools aren't "week-in/week-out" competitive vs. D2 in general, but they do offer schollies so it's not like these guys won't be able to play at all. I doubt the game will be close, but this isn't like scheduling a high school team.

[Brandon]

Dr. Mantella becomes the lead of the GLIAC presidents council and she will do whatever is needed for GVSU? That doesn't sound like good news for the rest of the conference.

Findlay (and others) already leaving the conference have done more to harm the league than any new administrator could ever do outside simply blowing it up.

[Brandon]

Not sure if anyone else is "surprised" by this, but my opinion is that no one should be:

• Ferris doesn't have a "GLIAC double" partner this year, so they were facing five open dates...FIVE.
• The list of D2 schools that have matching open dates is far shorter than most realize...and that list gets a whole lot shorter really quickly when so many of them don't have the budgets to travel or pay worthwhile guarantees.
• Ferris hasn't lost a regular season game in forever, so no one wants to play them...kudos to your Oilers for continuing to step up to that plate thus far.
• To qualify for the playoffs, schools have to play at least eight D2 opponents, and at least ten games overall. If something happens to any one of these games, Ferris will have to take the waiver route and hope that the NCAA grants the exception.
• The CWU and L-R games are great gets...have to hand it to them that they were able to make those happen.
• Granted, it's been a while, but Ferris has scheduled non-D2 when needed before (FCS NDSU in 2013, NAIA St.Francis in 2012, for example)
• Even with the NAIA game, they STILL have an open date on the schedule.
• NAIA schools aren't "week-in/week-out" competitive vs. D2 in general, but they do offer schollies so it's not like these guys won't be able to play at all. I doubt the game will be close, but this isn't like scheduling a high school team.

Right. It's no big deal.

[KleShreen]

I do find it kinda interesting that Ferris is the one who doesn't have to play a duplicate GLIAC game, considering every GLIAC opponent would be of stronger quality than Waldorf.

[D2Ohio]

I do find it kinda interesting that Ferris is the one who doesn't have to play a duplicate GLIAC game, considering every GLIAC opponent would be of stronger quality than Waldorf.

That is odd, unless no one wanted to play them twice? Not inferring anything, but seems natural the doubles would have been Ferris/GVSU, Wayne/Saginaw, Tech/Northern, with Davenport left out

[Redwing]

That is odd, unless no one wanted to play them twice? Not inferring anything, but seems natural the doubles would have been Ferris/GVSU, Wayne/Saginaw, Tech/Northern, with Davenport left out

That's arguable the worst paring across the board. Geographic, sure, but it totally kills PO seeding for the GLIAC. Frankly, it's sad that any doubles need to be scheduled, but such is the life with tight travel budgets or maybe a fear of playing higher quality programs? It's not that it's a bad strategy, but it's a result of it.

[D2Ohio]

That's arguable the worst paring across the board. Geographic, sure, but it totally kills PO seeding for the GLIAC. Frankly, it's sad that any doubles need to be scheduled, but such is the life with tight travel budgets or maybe a fear of playing higher quality programs? It's not that it's a bad strategy, but it's a result of it.

Fair point, could see second place left out of playoffs due to two losses to first place to the same team, had to look, 2004 was the last time any of the other five won the conference.

[Tony Nicolette]

I understand the logic out here of having the double-up be "closest travel". While there certainly is sense to that premise, that doesn't actually align with how conferences will usually structure their schedules.

Typically, when a league makes a decision to alter any portion of its scheduling format the goal is for everything to "even out" over the long term. The idea in this instance of "doubling-up" would be that everyone will have played everyone twice in the same season "an even # of times". In other words, you double-up with one team a year in a 'round-robin' of sorts and you don't play someone twice in a season again until you've done that with everyone else, AND you've had a year with no double-up (i.e., Ferris this year).

As for Ferris not having a double-up this year, I wasn't in the room when everything got approved so I have no way to know if this is "interesting" or not. Someone had to have no double-up this year, and the odds were one-in-seven of it being anyone so for what any of us can prove from behind our keyboards it was as much chance as anything else.

One other notion someone posted was about the potential of playoff implications. If the league's top two teams of a given season play each other twice, there absolutely is risk of a potential detriment to the league by having those two play each other more than once. One could knock the other out of the playoffs by beating the other twice, OR they could split and hurt each other's seedings. The only small saving grace is that each would be helping each other's SOS in the process, but that doesn't typically overcome additional L's on the resume. One would have to presume impacts like these are part of a conference's calculus, as leagues want to get as many of their members into the bracket as they can. With that said, if this is a model they might stick to for a while then this seems likely to come into play at some point along the evening out process of the "long-term". What the outcome will be when it does happen/come into play is anyone's guess.

[GLIAC Fan]

Here is a future scenario I see, but do not like. Davenport leaving for the GMAC and the 6 remaining football schools playing a non conference game week 1, then playing each other twice during the season for an 11 game schedule. You heard it here first.

[Redwing]

Here is a future scenario I see, but do not like. Davenport leaving for the GMAC and the 6 remaining football schools playing a non conference game week 1, then playing each other twice during the season for an 11 game schedule. You heard it here first.

If that scenario is even planned, Dport won't be the only one gone. You heard it here first.

[D2Ohio]

If that scenario is even planned, Dport won't be the only one gone. You heard it here first.

Sure. It would be helpful to GVSU if the Horizon and Bellarmine had a decision made to see if that was an option

[GV Retired Bum]

Sure. It would be helpful to GVSU if the Horizon and Bellarmine had a decision made to see if that was an option

Hearing the Horizon rejected GV. I want to be very clear... Dont take my word on it lol Just what im hearing

[MrsThortonMelon]

Hearing the Horizon rejected GV. I want to be very clear... Dont take my word on it lol Just what im hearing

GVSU will join the MAC in two years...dont take my word for it but thats what I am hearing.

[tip79]

Well, football can shoot for the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. At least it is closer than Texas.