The sun set late Sunday afternoon with most Division III football fans scratching their heads, and voicing displeasure, on UW-Whitewater not being selected as one of the four No. 1 seeds in the 2010 NCAA Division III Football Championship.
Let me say that I am one of the head scratchers however former UW-Whitewater football coach Bob Berezowitz told me last Thursday that North Central College had the advantage over UWW due to placement in the Regional Rankings. Remember, Coach Berezowitz was a member of the committee in the latter years of his coaches' career.
I have listened to all the talk about "regional rankings" and "SOS strength of schedule." A couple of thoughts on the criteria. Whitewater is being penalized for having to play two non-conference games vs. NAIA competition due to the fact that NCAA Division III institutions, particularly in the Midwest, simply refuse to play Whitewater, or other WIAC schools. I don't understand the criteria. Is the NCAA saying Whitewater is playing "inferior" competitions simply to improve its record?
In the final Regional Rankings, Whitewater is No. 2 in the West Region. Is there a formula to compare the "ranking" of North Central and Whitewater?
Lets go to SOS (Strength of Schedule) between NCC and UWW. Admittedly, UWW played the two NAIA schools but won 10 games with the closest being the Hawks 24-0 win over La Crosse on Saturday. North Central also takes a 10-0 record into the playoffs. The lone common opponent is UW-Eau Claire. North Central beat UWEC 20-6 on September 25th at NCC. UWW defeated UW-Eau Claire 45-0 in late October in Eau Claire.
North Central's non-conference opponents have a record of 4-26. All four of those wins were by UWEC. So much for strength of schedule.
After thinking it over, once a playoff game starts, seeding has little to due with winning and losing.
UW-Whitewater, winners of two of the last three National Championships will play one playoff game at a time with the "pot of gold" being a sixth consecutive trip to Salem, Virgina and a chance to win back-to-back National Championships for the first time in school history.
The sun WILL rise tomorrow.
Good night everybody
Voice
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