GAC Preseason Coaches Poll

pathos · October 23, 2012, 08:37:15 am

First regional rankings are out:

1. Minnesota State (NSIC)
2. Henderson State (GAC)
3. Harding (GAC)
4. Emporia State (MIAA)
5. Northwest Missouri State (MIAA)
6. Minnesota Duluth (NSIC)
7. Winona State (NSIC)
8. Sioux Falls (NSIC)
9. Missouri Western State (MIAA)
10. Ouachita Baptist (GAC)

This bodes well for Harding and Henderson. Top six get in. If both teams win out, they are definitely in. If Henderson drops one, they'll probably stay in the top six. However, being fifth or sixth is dangerous, because you can get knocked out by another conference's champion (like the GNAC).

My guess is SAU is roughly 11th or 12th. Winning out would probably get them in the top six, but it'll be a tough task and a long shot.

[edit]
I may be mistaken. I think it goes, if a conference has a team at 7 or 8, and none higher, that team will get in. It's not about conference champions (there are no AQs). So as long as a GNAC teams isn't 7 or 8, it shouldn't be an issue.

Wahls · October 23, 2012, 01:25:36 pm

Must be a big separation between the top two and everyone else since HSU beat Harding by 30 and it could have been a lot worse.

OPoraquê · October 23, 2012, 01:48:42 pm

Quote from: pathos on October 23, 2012, 08:37:15 am
First regional rankings are out:

1. Minnesota State (NSIC)
2. Henderson State (GAC)
3. Harding (GAC)
4. Emporia State (MIAA)
5. Northwest Missouri State (MIAA)
6. Minnesota Duluth (NSIC)
7. Winona State (NSIC)
8. Sioux Falls (NSIC)
9. Missouri Western State (MIAA)
10. Ouachita Baptist (GAC)

This bodes well for Harding and Henderson. Top six get in. If both teams win out, they are definitely in. If Henderson drops one, they'll probably stay in the top six. However, being fifth or sixth is dangerous, because you can get knocked out by another conference's champion (like the GNAC).

My guess is SAU is roughly 11th or 12th. Winning out would probably get them in the top six, but it'll be a tough task and a long shot.

[edit]
I may be mistaken. I think it goes, if a conference has a team at 7 or 8, and none higher, that team will get in. It's not about conference champions (there are no AQs). So as long as a GNAC teams isn't 7 or 8, it shouldn't be an issue.

Pittsburg State, last year's NC, has fallen out of this ranking after two straight losses. Wow.

pathos · October 23, 2012, 02:17:58 pm

Quote from: Wahls on October 23, 2012, 01:25:36 pm
Must be a big separation between the top two and everyone else since HSU beat Harding by 30 and it could have been a lot worse.

I don't think margin of victory is used in their equation.

Wahls · October 23, 2012, 02:38:28 pm

Quote from: pathos on October 23, 2012, 02:17:58 pm
I don't think margin of victory is used in their equation.

I just think that ranking an undefeated team one spot above a team they beat by 30 either says the top 2 or awesome or one team is being underrated.

Peety · October 26, 2012, 05:04:02 pm

What happens if SAU beats Henderson at home this weekend? And then possibly wins out? Will they be in?

Wahls · October 26, 2012, 05:12:20 pm

Quote from: Peety on October 26, 2012, 05:04:02 pm
What happens if SAU beats Henderson at home this weekend? And then possibly wins out? Will they be in?

If SAU beats Henderson, Henderson would also have to lose to OBU for SAU to leap over HSU. If HSU loses to OBU, they probably only take Harding only and you guys lost to Harding so...

Highly unlikely.

Peety · October 26, 2012, 07:45:44 pm

I'm not from SAU. Just simply wondering. Lol

OPoraquê · October 27, 2012, 10:55:39 pm

Wahls, congratulations on surviving that one.

OBU wasn't quite as blessed today, but oh, well...at least they didn't get skunked.

Wahls · October 28, 2012, 12:35:53 am

Despite the close score, the game was never really in doubt and it was exciting to watch! I gotta say, the linesman on the HSU side was ATROCIOUS. Man he was terrible.

HSU had somewhere in the neighborhood of about 3 dropped INT's on SAU's last drive and probably 6-7 throughout the game. Gotta get better at getting those turnovers.

HSU has to get better at putting teams away. They did the same sort of thing against Harding. They'll get up two TD's then slow down. Foot down.

R. A.™ · October 28, 2012, 11:02:50 am

SAU is a very good football team. Toughest game so far for the Reddies. Fumble at the one yard line was the difference in the game, if not SAU may have won the game. We have to make our FGs and XPs. Left 5 points on the field, can't do that and expect to win in the playoffs.

Very good chance we could get a first round bye and play on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Of course if we win out in the regular season.

ghostwriter · October 28, 2012, 12:42:46 pm

SAU loses to Harding by 3 and HSU by 8. They are a top 6 team in the region, after what I saw last night in Magnolia.

OPoraquê · October 28, 2012, 01:29:27 pm

Quote from: ghostwriter on October 28, 2012, 12:42:46 pm
SAU loses to Harding by 3 and HSU by 8. They are a top 6 team in the region, after what I saw last night in Magnolia.

Heh, and OBU gets to face them next. I hope OBU (once ranked #10 in the nation, DII) can keep it respectable.

That being said, OBU starts 2 seniors on offense, 2 on defense. 6-2 isn't bad at this point for a team that's had to rely so heavily on a third-string QB (and a few times, a fourth, when the third-string guy got his helmet knocked off). HSU is young as well (isn't their QB just a sophomore, and they've got this young man, who was within a few passes of having the #2 best high school qb accuracy record of all time, right after Tim Couch in the wings).

Hope the GAC can make BIG noise in years to come.

Peety · October 28, 2012, 03:12:32 pm

Wasn't a fan of either team, but you could tell that the GAC wanted Henderson to win. The refs made sure of that. The onside kick penalty at the end was garbage, the fumble caused by the SAU safety was called head to head when the helmet was on the ball, and when Sykora slid and got knocked out, that was obviously head to head.

Feel bad for SAU, but congrats to HSU.

Wahls · October 28, 2012, 03:38:32 pm

Quote from: Peety on October 28, 2012, 03:12:32 pm
Wasn't a fan of either team, but you could tell that the GAC wanted Henderson to win. The refs made sure of that. The onside kick penalty at the end was garbage, the fumble caused by the SAU safety was called head to head when the helmet was on the ball, and when Sykora slid and got knocked out, that was obviously head to head.

Rodgers got hit helmet to helmet right in front of his bench in the first quarter and it didn't get called. Sykora's collision was a glancing blow while Rodgers got hit dead-on 10 feet infront of the linesman with an unobstructed view.

What's garbage was the PI call on Henderson where your receiver gave up on the route and there was no contact or the fact that SAU's line has holding down to an art form. What about Henderson's o-lineman that got hit about 3-4 seconds after the whistle? There was a block in the back on #5's longest run. One of your lineman pelted #43 from Henderson right as he's about to tackle #5.

I could go on and on.

OPoraquê · October 28, 2012, 04:02:35 pm

Hey, Wahls, are you "just" (I know it takes a lot of time so that's NOT intended as a putdown) in the band or are you studying music at HSU? My son's a choral music education major at OBU.

Wahls · October 28, 2012, 04:03:21 pm

Quote from: OPoraquê on October 28, 2012, 04:02:35 pm
Hey, Wahls, are you "just" (I know it takes a lot of time so that's NOT intended as a putdown) in the band or are you studying music at HSU? My son's a choral music education major at OBU.

Not currently. I was in Showband however I'm not anymore. I attend a different school.

OPoraquê · November 03, 2012, 12:52:34 pm

Good grief. OBU will suit up only six seniors for today's game against SAU on OBU's Senior Day. Such is DII.

MHSGrad · November 10, 2012, 03:49:16 pm

Sau 42, tech 6 at half

Wahls · November 10, 2012, 06:56:27 pm

Henderson - 42
OBU - 7

And it could have been a whole lot worse. 35-7 at half. 12,500 in attendance and the first perfect regular season in HSU history.

OPoraquê · November 13, 2012, 02:37:43 pm

Wahls, you called it. Congratulations.

Looks like HSU had 20 all GAC players, OBU 10. Something like 3 of OBU's players were seniors while probably about 8 of yours were as well. The two inaugural GAC OPOY's have been from Arkadelphia with the kid from OBU last year and your guy this year. Too bad OBU couldn't have made it more of a game this past Saturday.

Future looks very interesting for both these teams regardless. Saw you're #6 right now...hope you can run the table.

Wahls · November 13, 2012, 11:31:22 pm

The kid from HSU that won freshman of the year was undeserving IMO.

OPoraquê · November 24, 2012, 10:01:51 am

Go out there and represent well, Wahls. (I know you're not there any more, but figuratively speaking.

) Hope you bring it all home.

Wahls · November 24, 2012, 03:53:24 pm

Missouri Western - 45
HSU - 21
Final.

Story of the game was Kevin Rodgers throwing four INT's and not looking at all like himself. That bye week really, really hurt Henderson. HSU outgained MWSU by 50 yards of total offense, but those INT's killed HSU.

And it was cold in the shade!

Valleysports · November 24, 2012, 04:03:02 pm

Defense wins Championships?

Wahls · November 24, 2012, 05:29:53 pm

Quote from: Valleysports on November 24, 2012, 04:03:02 pm
Defense wins Championships?

Both teams gave up over 400 yards of total offense.

jdragsd · December 11, 2012, 10:45:01 am

Congratulations to HSU, HU & SAU on very successful seasons.

That being said, we've (GAC) have a long way to go to be competitive in our region. I hope this year's showing in the playoffs by HSU and HU didn't set the conference back a few years in gaining the respect of other DII teams and conferences around the country.