Latest Regional Rankings.

[UND-GARY]

Aug 26 Missouri Western State A 27-10, W, 1-0

Sept 4 Truman State, MO H 56-28, W, 2-0

Sept 11 South Dakota State A 20-45, L, 2-1

Sept 18 Western New Mexico H 54-17, W, 3-1

Sept 25 Southwest Minnesota State H ( 34-17, W, 1-0 NSIC, 4-1 O'All

Oct 2 Minnesota, Crookston A 41-3, W, 2-0 NSIC, 5-1 O'All

Oct 9 Bemidji State A 41-28, W, 3-0 NSIC, 6-1 O'All

Oct 16 Northern State H 60-28, W 4-0 NSIC, 7-1 O'All

Oct 23 Minnesota State Moorhead A 42-0, W, 5-0 NSIC, 8-1 O'All

Oct 30 Wayne State, NE H 12:30 pm

Nov 6 Concordia St. Paul A (Dome Classic) 1:30 pm

Quote by Dale Lennon:

"Their league (GLIAC) and our league both have key matchups during the final two weeks," Lennon said. "You have the top teams in each league playing against each other. And those outcomes will create many playoff scenarios."

When you look at that ball-busting schedule above, where are the key games where top-ranked teams go against each other and dictate playoff positions? Everyone in that league sucks except Winona. They would have to try hard to NOT make the playoffs. They have no worries at the end of the year like UND and G.V. and Omaha all have. To defend them is only kidding yourself.

But, that would be nice to have though, a virtual guarantee you are gonna get in the playoffs--can't fault them for that.

[DamStrait]

Doesn't the silly earned access rule say that if a conference has one team in the regional top ten the conference is guaranteed one of the six playoff slots?

For Winona State to not make it at this point would take a series of immaculate misfortunes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought they had to be in the top ten AND win their conference in order to qualify for earned access. Is this not correct?

[The Sicatoka]

I thought they had to be in the top ten AND win their conference in order to qualify for earned access. Is this not correct?

You know, I've never seen the official rule in the book. You could well be correct on having to do both.

Winning the league is really no big deal at this point to them either. From this week's NSIC release:

Having secured at least a share of another Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football title, Winona State can remove any remaining drama with a victory over touring Wayne State this weekend.

They've got a share of the NSIC title guaranteed already and there's about no imaginable way they'll fall from the top ten.

All that UND can do is all that any of us can do: Control what's yours to control.

If UND wins, controls what's its to control, the rest takes care of itself.

[RD17]

A school does not have to win its conference to receive the earned access bid. The only time earned access comes into play is if a conference's highest seeded team in the final regional poll is seeded 7th through 10th. Like I said, it doesn't matter where that team finished in its conference, the regional seeding is all that matters.

If you read my column this week, I've got Winona and Northwood as the only two teams I feel have a playoff spot locked up. Even if Winona lost its last two games it would not fall out of the top 10, and no one else in the NSIC has a shot at finishing higher than Winona in the regional poll.

Northwood has such a high SSI that they could afford another loss and still get in. Both of Northwood's final two games are very winnable, so it shouldn't be a problem for them to win one game.

These 6 teams are essentially fighting for the other 4 spots:

UND

UNO

SCSU

GVSU

SVSU

Michigan Tech

There is so much that could happen with so many of these teams still playing each other that it's very difficult to predict what might happen. I still think UND has a good shot at getting in to the playoffs with 2 losses, but it would depend a lot on how UND opponents like Delta State and Central Washington do the rest of the way.

[Warrior41]

Aug 26 Missouri Western State                        A 27-10, W, 1-0

Sept 4 Truman State, MO                                H 56-28, W, 2-0

Sept 11 South Dakota State                            A 20-45, L, 2-1

Sept 18 Western New Mexico                          H 54-17, W, 3-1

Sept 25 Southwest Minnesota State                  H ( 34-17, W, 1-0 NSIC, 4-1 O'All

Oct 2 Minnesota, Crookston                            A 41-3, W, 2-0 NSIC, 5-1 O'All

Oct 9 Bemidji State                                        A 41-28, W, 3-0 NSIC, 6-1 O'All

Oct 16 Northern State                                    H 60-28, W 4-0 NSIC, 7-1 O'All

Oct 23 Minnesota State Moorhead                    A 42-0, W, 5-0 NSIC, 8-1 O'All

Oct 30 Wayne State, NE H 12:30 pm 

Nov 6 Concordia St. Paul A (Dome Classic) 1:30 pm

Quote by Dale Lennon:

"Their league (GLIAC) and our league both have key matchups during the final two weeks," Lennon said. "You have the top teams in each league playing against each other. And those outcomes will create many playoff scenarios."

When you look at that ball-busting schedule above, where are the key games where top-ranked teams go against each other and dictate playoff positions?  Everyone in that league sucks except Winona.  They would have to try hard to NOT make the playoffs.  They have no worries at the end of the year like UND and G.V.  and Omaha all have.  To defend them is only kidding yourself. 

But, that would be nice to have though, a virtual guarantee you are gonna get in the playoffs--can't fault them for that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe Dale (judging by your post) was talking about the GLAIC not NSIC (Winona). The GLIAC top teams (and NCC), with play-off hopes all play each other in the last two weeks. Winona would have be playing for the conference championship had CSP not lost to Wayne State.

[UND-GARY]

I believe Dale (judging by your post) was talking about the GLAIC not NSIC (Winona). The GLIAC top teams (and NCC), with play-off hopes all play each other in the last two weeks. Winona would have be playing for the conference championship had CSP not lost to Wayne State.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes I know he was talking about the GLIAC and NCC that is why I talked about them having decisive games at the end. There is nothing to talk about in the Northern Sun. CSP losing to Wayne State just reinforces my point. Wayne State is terrible. Now Winona just has to make sure they can field 11 players on each side of the ball and they will get in the playoffs. Sad but true.

UND just has to win out. Even with 2 losses they should get in but obviously with the way it is set up they may not.