October 26, 2015

Football tabbed sixth in first region ranking

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – If the season ended today, Carson-Newman football would be headed to the playoffs.

The Eagles sit in sixth place in the region poll with a 5-2 region record (the Eagles are 6-2 overall).

The top seven teams in each super region make the playoffs. Unbeaten West Georgia is number one in the region followed by Tuskegee, who holds a 7-1 record.

The Gulf South's North Alabama and the SAC's Catawba follow at third and fourth. The Eagles were defeated by the Indians 14-7 earlier in the season.

The fifth spot is occupied by an interesting case in North Greenville. The Crusaders are 4-1 in countable games.

According to the NCAA rule book:

In order to be considered during the selection process, a team must:

● Have an overall won-lost record of .500 or better against Division II opponents;

● Play at least eight Division II opponents during the regular season (there will be an appeals process available in 2015 if a given institution is not able to satisfy this requirement);

● Play at least 10 opponents during the regular season. An institution may submit a waiver request to the football committee for their consideration if a given institution is not able to satisfy this requirement.

With Charleston Southern, Ave Maria, Faith and Virginia Lynchburg on the schedule, North Greenville doesn't satisfy either the second or third conditions for playoff eligibility.

Following the Eagles in the rankings are a quartet of two-loss teams. Wingate, West Alabama, Florida Tech and Valdosta State round out the top 10.

The first place team in the region receives a first round bye in the playoffs, which begin Nov. 21. The two-seed hosts the seven, the three-seed the six, and the four-seed the five.

The last time Carson-Newman made the playoffs (2013), the Eagles debuted at seventh in the poll, dropped a spot to eighth and then vaulted to fourth with wins over Newberry and Wingate for the final iteration of the poll.

The following schedules were prepared by an old friend of the Eagle Sports Network and the Carson-Newman Sports Information Office:

Gulf South:
West Georgia (Gulf South: 4-0, NCAA DII: 8-0, overall: 8-0)
@ Mississippi College (overall: 2-5)
@ Florida Tech (overall: 5-3)
vs Shorter (overall: 2-5)
North Alabama (Gulf South: 3-1, NCAA DII: 5-2, overall: 5-2)
vs Delta State (overall: 5-3)
@ Shorter (overall: 2-5)
vs West Alabama (overall: 6-2)
Florida Tech (Gulf South: 3-1, NCAA DII: 4-2, overall: 5-3)
vs Shorter (overall: 2-5)
vs West Georgia (overall: 8-0)
@ Valdosta State (overall: 4-2)
West Alabama (Gulf South: 2-2, NCAA DII: 5-2, overall: 6-2)
@ Valdosta State (overall: 5-2)
vs Mississippi College (overall: 2-5)
@ North Alabama (overall: 5-2)
Valdosta State (Gulf South: 2-2, NCAA DII: 4-2, overall: 5-2)
vs West Alabama (overall: 6-2)
@ Delta State (overall: 5-3)
vs Florida Tech (overall: 5-3)
Delta State (Gulf South: 1-3, NCAA DII: 5-3, overall: 5-3)
@ North Alabama (overall: 5-2)
vs Valdosta State (overall: 5-2)
@ Mississippi College (overall: 2-5)

South Atlantic:
Catawba (South Atlantic: 3-1, NCAA DII: 6-1, overall: 6-2)
@ Brevard (overall: 0-8)
@ Tusculum (overall: 3-4)
vs Lenoir-Rhyne (overall: 4-3)
Carson-Newman (South Atlantic: 4-2, NCAA DII: 5-2, overall: 6-2)
@ Limestone (overall: 2-5)
vs North Greenville (overall: 6-2)
vs Tusculum (overall: 3-4)
Wingate (South Atlantic: 3-2, NCAA DII: 6-2, overall: 6-2)
vs North Greenville (overall: 6-2)
@ Mars Hill (overall: 3-5)
vs Newberry (overall: 4-4)
Lenoir-Rhyne (South Atlantic: 2-2, NCAA DII: 4-3, overall: 4-3)
vs Newberry (overall: 4-4)
vs Brevard (overall: 0-8)
@ Catawba (overall: 6-2)

SIAC:
Tuskegee (Southern Intercollegiate: 3-0, NCAA DII: 7-1, overall: 7-1)
vs Central State (overall: 4-4)
vs Miles (overall: 4-4)
SIAC Championship

Independent:

University of North Carolina at Pembroke (NCAA DII: 4-3, overall: 4-3)
vs West Virginia St (overall: 5-3)
@ Kentucky Wesleyan (overall: 2-4)
vs Limestone (overall: 2-5)

North Greenville University (NCAA DII: 4-1, overall: 6-2)
@ Wingate (overall: 6-2)
@ Carson-Newman (overall: 6-2)
vs. Virginia-Lynchburg (non-countable opponent)

SUPER REGION TWO	Team	Region	Overall
1	West Ga.	8-0	8-0
2	Tuskegee	7-1	7-1
3	North Ala.	5-1	5-2
4	Catawba	5-2	5-2
5	North Greenville	4-1	4-1
6	Carson-Newman	5-2	5-2
7	Wingate	6-2	6-2
8	West Ala.	4-2	5-2
9	Florida Tech	4-2	4-2
10	Valdosta St.	4-2	4-2