Next Div. A Top 25 poll

[TrainerDan]

Revised top ten as of tonight:

1. CSU
2. Michigan
3. Sonoma
4. BYU
5. UCSB
6. Colorado
7. FSU
8. Cal Poly
9. UCSD
10. Oregon

[NomaBlueCollar]

Noma's loss tonight makes Michigan's case for the #1 spot even stronger... such a toss up with these three teams.

Is there such a thing as a tie in the polls?

[Bluevelvet]

Dan and Freda-
What happened to Arizona. They are definately better than Cal Poly, Oregon and FSU. They beat UCSB and ASU this week!

CSU can't stay #1 after losing late in the season, this week. Michigan is #1.

BTW the UCSB win vs. ASU is a classic example of the final score not being indicative of how the game unfolded. It was definately NOT a "less than stellar" performance by UCSB. The score was 10-4 in the fourth when UCSB started to get deep into their bench. ASU scored 3 goals to make the final 10-7. But it was a pretty efficient and typical low scoring UCSB game.
This goes with my post above about why goal differential is not a good indicator of relative team power.

[TrainerDan]

Dan and Freda-
What happened to Arizona. They are definately better than Cal Poly, Oregon and FSU. They beat UCSB and ASU this week!

BTW the UCSB win vs. ASU is a classic example of the final score not being indicative of how the game unfolded. It was definately NOT a "less than stellar" performance by UCSB. The score was 10-4 in the fourth when UCSB started to get deep into their bench. ASU scored 3 goals to make the final 10-7. But it was a pretty efficient and typical low scoring UCSB game.
This goes with my post above about why goal differential is not a good indicator of relative team power.

Good point...I'm glad I'm not a pollster this week.

[grinderpete]

I should be doing homework but i think that this week will end up

1) Michigan
2) CSU
3) UCSB
4) Colorado
5) SSU
6) BYU
7) FSU
UofU
9) Cal Poly
10) Oregon
11) UCSD
12) Duluth
13) Lindinwood
14) ?

[steveperry]

Joker-
Thanks for assembling all the information. Your research and effort are appreciated. Very Nice post.
I have one thought on goal differential as an indicator of the relative power of a team. It's not very worthwhile statistic because it is biased toward "run and gun" offensive teams. As we all know from the last 3 years, "run and gun" does not win championships. Teams like UCSB and Michigan, that possess the ball and play defense, have been much more successful than a team like Florida St or Texas A&M that rely on offense to win. Possession teams usually do not have large goal differentials because they are disciplined and refuse to play "drive, dodge and shoot" even if it is easy to score.
Another problem with goal differential is that it is sometimes misleading. eg. when Sonoma put in an empty net goal in the waning moments against UCSB it doubled the goal differential to 2.
Another example is when a team with a long roster starts to get pretty far down the depth chart in the fourth quarter, they give up a few meaningless goals that the starters would never have allowed. Thus making a blow out into a closer game.
But, a blowout win or loss is a pretty significant statistic if it is against top opposition.

I think all of those are great points. I think when a game is decided by one or two goals, even if one of those was tossed in on an empty net, you probably have a game that could have gone either way. When you have teams like Michigan that take down the best of teams by more then 4 goals each game, you can clearly see they are a better team. I just think that when we give huge lifts to teams that can only win by one goal (Utah, ASU to name two), I don't think they have proven that they can really get it done come tournament time. A win is a win, and that is always true. There is no question that teams will also play their whole bench at the end of a game, maybe making it a bit closer, but I think that it is important to look the difference between teams that can put away good teams, and those that usually just squeak by.

[steveperry]

Joker

Thanks for taking the time to assemble that information in one spot.

I'd love to see that list of information updated on Sunday, April 30th when all of the conference championships are finishing up for the final poll vote on Monday, May 1st. You should expand your "coverage" to the Top 25 or 30. I know it probably won't make a difference for the final few at-large bids. But if team like Minnesota-Duluth or Northeastern stumbles or at any last minute suprises... things could get interesting.

Stay tuned....

I plan on it. At large bids should be pulled out of hat this year. Maybe the right one's will get picked that way. Darts are good too

[NomaBlueCollar]

14) ?

FSU?

[grinderpete]

14) ?

FSU?

Have them up at 7.

[NomaBlueCollar]

I'm blind. apparently

[grinderpete]

I'm blind. apparently

apparently.

[TrainerDan]

Noma's loss tonight makes Michigan's case for the #1 spot even stronger... such a toss up with these three teams.

Is there such a thing as a tie in the polls?

Michigan and CSU have both lost once in the MDIA, both lost to BYU.

I just took a good look at the schedules and in hindsight, Michigans' looks tougher to this point.

That being said...I still think CSU would take Michigan head to head. CSU stays #1 and Michigan #2.

[Bluevelvet]

I should be doing homework but i think that this week will end up

1) Michigan
2) CSU
3) UCSB
4) Colorado
5) SSU
6) BYU
7) FSU
UofU
9) Cal Poly
10) Oregon
11) UCSD
12) Duluth
13) Lindinwood
14) ?

You left out Arizona. Arizona at least #8. I guarantee that UCSD will not fall 6 spots by losing to the #1 div B team USD. USD could beat at least 5 teams on your list, Pete, maybe more.Here is mine:
1. Michigan
2. CSU
3. UCSB
4. SSU
5. Colorado
6. BYU
7. UCSD
8. Arizona
9. CalPoly
10 Utah
11 FSU
12 Oregon
13 Lindenwood
14 UMD
15 AQ UConn/NEastern
16 AQ Texas

[NomaBlueCollar]

Ok who else is stoked about watching the Sonoma vs BYU game Wed? I know its after the new poll is already out, but could have pretty big effect on the seeding for Plano,

I believe its at 3:30 Mountain time on BYU tv.

[grinderpete]

I should be doing homework but i think that this week will end up

1) Michigan
2) CSU
3) UCSB
4) Colorado
5) SSU
6) BYU
7) FSU
UofU
9) Cal Poly
10) Oregon
11) UCSD
12) Duluth
13) Lindinwood
14) ?

You left out Arizona. Arizona at least #8. I guarantee that UCSD will not fall 6 spots by losing to the #1 div B team USD. USD could beat at least 5 teams on your list, Pete, maybe more.

Yea, i forgot about AZ. Here is a revised list.
1)Mich
2) CSU
3) UCSB
4) Colorado
5)SSU
6)BYU
7)FSU
UofU
9) Arizona
10) Cal Poly
11) Oregon
12) UCSD
etc.