Division B Playoff Picture

[cjwilhelmi]

IF IT STARTED TODAY

The Div B playoffs, oh the drama, oh the mess, oh the headache I now have. By no means is this method of doing playoffs approved by the Executive Board but it is the only reasonable way that I can think of doing it. Here is the basic scenario: the games that count towards playoffs are your subdivision games and the crossover games. The Northeast division has six teams so therefore they have 5 subdivision games and 2 crossover games that count towards playoffs. The Northwest has 5 teams so therefore they have 4 subdivision games and 2 crossover games. The South division has 3 teams so they have 2 subdivision games and 2 crossover games. The South originally had 5 teams but since the conference meeting last fall 2 teams have dropped out (SEMO and Truman). The lines could not have been redrawn at that late time since schedules were already set. Therefore, I propose, that winning percentage be used in determining who makes playoffs with any ties to be determined by goal differential per game. This seems logical way to do this (especially tonight). The goal differential used was capped at 8 (which I think is what is in the bylaws but I’ll check when I get them). The goal differential will seem a little low in the lists below and that is because I have divided the differential by the amount of games each team is scheduled to play, not how many they have played up to date. For example: Harding has a goal differential of +8 after 1 game. I divided their goal differential by 4, which is the total games that they will have to play towards playoffs. I hope that this makes sense. If not let me know and I’ll try to explain further.

Northeast Division
RHIT (2-1, 66%) Goal Differential Per Game = .14
WIU (4-0, 100%) Goal Differential Per Game = 3.42
Augustana (1-2, 33%) Goal Differential Per Game = -1.14
NIU (1-1, 50%) Goal Differential Per Game = -.14
Cornell (0-1, 0%) Goal Differential Per Game = -1.14
Wheaton (0-3, 0%) Goal Differential Per Game = -1.14

Northwest Division
Creighton (2-1, 66%) Goal Differential Per Game = 1.5
USD (2-0, 100%) Goal Differential Per Game = 1.33
Dordt (2-1, 66%) Goal Differential Per Game = 1.66
NWC (0-4, 0%) Goal Differential Per Game = -4.33
Nebraska (2-2, 50%) Goal Differential Per Game = -.333

South Division
Harding (1-0, 100%) Goal Differential Per Game = 2
Rhodes (0-1, 0%) Goal Differential Per Game = -2
Rolla (0-0, n/a) Goal Differential Per Game = n/a

Going by winning percentage and goal differential, the division winners would be:
Northeast - WIU (4-0, 100%) Goal Differential Per Game = 3.42
Northwest - USD (2-0, 100%) Goal Differential Per Game = 1.33
South - Harding (1-0, 100%) Goal Differential Per Game = 2

We decided at the conference meeting not to make the conference winners the top seeds but to reseed everyone 1-6. That would make the tournament seeds look like this:

1. WIU (4-0, 100%) Goal Differential Per Game = 3.42
2. Harding (1-0, 100%) Goal Differential Per Game = 2
3. USD (2-0, 100%) Goal Differential Per Game = 1.33
4. Creighton (2-1, 66%) Goal Differential Per Game = 1.5
5. Dordt (2-1, 66%) Goal Differential Per Game = 1.66
6. RHIT (2-1, 66%) Goal Differential Per Game = .14


The first round pairings would be

3. USD v 6. RHIT
4. Creighton v 5. Dordt

WIU (#1) would play the lowest remaining seed after the first round. Harding (#2) would play the highest remaining seed after the first round.

I hope that this somewhat shows how the B division is rounding out. A lot could change in the next few weeks and I would assume that a lot will change. I don’t think we’ll see more than 2 undefeated teams in the playoffs but anything is possible.

Please keep in mind that this is just my idea of how I think it will turn out/look. I don’t have the most recent copy of the bylaws in front of me and I don’t know what the Executive Board is going to decide is the fairest solution that will produce the best playoffs. I will edit this when I find out more information but there it is for now.

I have just set a new record for longest post ever, move over JP, I’m coming up.

[cjwilhelmi]

I have been informed that NIU and Nebraska have Div I - A football programs and as such are not elgible for playoffs. I don't know the official rules about this, I need the bylaws, but I know for a fact that they can't go to nationals. I'm too tired to fix everything....

[culax]

corbin, where does head-to-head record come into play as a tiebreaker?

[RHITLax]

I have been informed that NIU and Nebraska have Div I - A football programs and as such are not elgible for playoffs. I don't know the official rules about this, I need the bylaws, but I know for a fact that they can't go to nationals. I'm too tired to fix everything....

Corbin, not that it matters as this post was a while ago, but why do you have NIU going to the playoffs w/ a 50% win and -.14 while RHIT has a 66% win and +.14...

...Things will DEFINATELY shape up after the crossover...It's going to be a season shaping weekend for MANY teams.

[cjwilhelmi]

Dang it Gilner, my brain hurts enough after trying to sort through that mess and come up with something that looks reasonable.

As far as I remember head to head may only count in your subdivision in event of a tie. I'm lazy and didn't do that when I posted the list above.

In the event of a tie, the first tiebreaker shall be the results of head-to-head competition between the two teams during the current regular season (in the game that was determined to count toward the rankings). If this does not produce a solution (due to more than two teams being tied or an unavoidable game cancellation that prohibited the teams from playing their regular season game), the second tiebreaker shall be overall goal-differential in required GRLC play during the current regular season. Plus or minus goal differentials in excess of 5 shall not count towards the tiebreaker for more than 8 goals. The third tiebreaker shall be a coin flip, with the Vice Commissioner flipping the coin in the presence of at least one other Executive Board member from a different school present

EDIT: Original Post edited to show this tiebreaker

[cjwilhelmi]

I have been informed that NIU and Nebraska have Div I - A football programs and as such are not elgible for playoffs. I don't know the official rules about this, I need the bylaws, but I know for a fact that they can't go to nationals. I'm too tired to fix everything....

Corbin, not that it matters as this post was a while ago, but why do you have NIU going to the playoffs w/ a 50% win and -.14 while RHIT has a 66% win and +.14...

...Things will DEFINATELY shape up after the crossover...It's going to be a season shaping weekend for MANY teams.

Because I'm retarded and wrote all that up and then checked the GRLC site and noticed that more games were played on Sunday, or at least posted yesterday and today. I tried to change what I noticed but I guess I didn't catch that.

EDIT: Original message edited to show this retarded display of counting on my part

[RHITLax]

Looks like after this weekend things get mangled again.

The division is shaping up as follows:

Division winner seats as of now:
Harding
WIU
(NW district winner)

Teams contending for the other 3 spots:
*Creighton
RHIT
Dordt
SD
Nebraska


Since SD lost to Creighton, SD will only clinch division winner if:
Creighton loses to RHIT (crossover) AND SD defeats Dordt (4/16) otherwise, even with equal records, I assume Creighton gets the division win.

After that, the fun starts....

RHIT (currently 2-1) can still lose one game to end 5-2 (thus clinching a spot if the decision goes to win %)

The following teams could all finish 4-2:
SD (currently 2-1, plays Dordt 4/16)
Dordt (currently 2-1 plays SD 4/16, WIU 4/24)
Nebraska (currently 2-2, could win out next 2 games)

If that were to happen, SD and Dordt beat Nebraska, so BOTH SD and Dordt would make the playoffs REGARDLESS of what happens in their game vs. each other.

If Dordt beats SD then loses to WIU, they would finish 4-2 ---- OTHERWISE, they would finish 5-1 and clinch the first of the three at large spots based on win %

The next spot would go to RHIT (if they only lose one) and then the last to SD based on the fact that Nebraska has lost to both SD and Dordt.

IF DORDT LOSES BOTH TO SD AND TO WIU, then Nebraska goes to the playoffs.

(NIU also has the possibility of finishing 5-2 by beating RHIT, SD, and Rolla pending the fact that NIU beat Cornell on 4/10)





I wish the best of luck to all teams in the next 2 weeks. There may be MANY upsets as teams compete for those playoff spots. One thing's for sure, it will be interesting and more importantly fun!

(oh, and I think that this is all correct, please don't kill me if it's wrong...thanks)

[unllax22]

This may sound kind of repetitive, since I know it has been asked before in this post, but I'm not sure if there was ever a definitive answer. I know that we (Nebraska) are not eligible for the national tournament (because of our football team's status), does anyone know if Nebraska is eligible/not eligible for the grlc tournament?

[cjwilhelmi]

Nebraska is not elgible for playoffs. I'll find it in the bylaws and post it here.

[cjwilhelmi]

Found it

Any institution fielding a Division I-A football program must compete at the Division A level. GRLC programs representing an institution fielding a Division I-A football program wishing to compete at the Division B level may annually petition the full voting body to do so (subject to a 2/3 vote). Such a team competing at the Division B level shall be excluded from GRLC playoffs.

[cjwilhelmi]

RHITlax - nice work, glad you took most of the headache away from me.

After this weekend the playoffs will be (If using goal differential per game)

1. Harding
2. WIU
3. Creighton
4. Dordt
5. USD
6. RHIT

Now I'll elaborate on the interesting part:

From the South:
Harding will probably win it, they have NWC and Cornell at the Crossover
Rhodes can get in IF: wins over RHIT and WIU

From the Northeast:
WIU has magic number of 2: any combination of WIU win or RHIT loss
RHIT can get in IF: must win 3 of next 4 and beat Rhodes
I believe that NIU has Div 1-A football if I'm wrong someone correct me

From the Northwest:
Creighton must win at 1 more and Dordt and USD both lose 1; or win 2. they have tiebreakers over both Dordt and USD
Dordt can get in IF: beat USD and win 1 crossover and Rhodes losses again
USD can get in IF: beat Dordt and win 1 crossover and Rhodes losses again

I may be wrong on some of this but I think thats the layout

It looks like the big game this year will be at the crossover with RHIT v Rhodes

[RHITLax]

I believe that you are correct regarding NIU.

Question: If NIU is not eligible for playoffs, do the games VS NIU count toward playoff standing? That would be an interesting topic of discussion.


Oh, and any word on the final decision regarding tiebreakers cross division? (i.e. Dordt vs. RHIT if records are the same? --- is it going to be goal differential? ---- is it in the bylaws?)

[RHITLax]

Found it

Any institution fielding a Division I-A football program must compete at the Division A level. GRLC programs representing an institution fielding a Division I-A football program wishing to compete at the Division B level may annually petition the full voting body to do so (subject to a 2/3 vote). Such a team competing at the Division B level shall be excluded from GRLC playoffs.

Corbin, can you please post a link to the bylaws (or the entire thing). Thanks.

[cjwilhelmi]

Yes the games still count since they are part of your subdivision.

I have looked through the bylaws and found nothing saying that they aren't part of the subdivision+crossover record.

[RHITLax]

Yes the games still count since they are part of your subdivision.

I have looked through the bylaws and found nothing saying that they aren't part of the subdivision+crossover record.

Thanks.