C-N eighth in second region rankings
INDIANAPOLIS - After missing out on the initial batch of region rankings, Carson-Newman vaulted into consideration for the NCAA playoff field in the second round of region rankings released by the NCAA Monday afternoon.
INDIANAPOLIS - After missing out on the initial batch of region rankings, Carson-Newman vaulted into consideration for the NCAA playoff field in the second round of region rankings released by the NCAA Monday afternoon.
The Eagles are eighth in the second iteration of the region rankings.
The listing is the second of three region rankings that the NCAA publicizes leading up to the NCAA playoffs. The rankings are the official poll utilized by the NCAA in the championship selection process and will continue to be released each week by the NCAA Division II Football Committee up to the NCAA Championship selections on Nov. 16. The region rankings are a snap shot and only include data from past games. Future data is not up for consideration.
Carson-Newman is in Super Region II, which is comprised of the South Atlantic Conference, Gulf Couth Conference, Conference Carolinas and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The champions of each league receive an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs combined with four at-large selections to make up Super Region II's complement of eight teams to the field of 32.
While the Eagles are in the top eight, the path to an NCAA playoff berth likely requires Carson-Newman to win out. Doing so would secure the SAC's auto-qualifying spot for the Eagles.
Unbeaten West Florida (GSC) is number one while DII unbeaten Albany State (SIAC) is second. The Golden Rams conference mate Benedict sits in third. Two SAC schools occupy the four and five spots. C-N's opponent this week Newberry is fourth, while Wingate, whom C-N beat 24-7 on Sept. 27, is fifth.
Kentucky State (SIAC) and Delta State (GSC) hold the two spots above C-N. UNC Pembroke is the Conference Carolinas lone representative in ninth, while Emory & Henry is 10th. With Conference Carolinas' lone representative outside the top eight, a team would need to be in the top seven if it doesn't have an AQ to be safe for making the playoffs.
Carson-Newman has a performance indicator of 25.000 - that number is the eighth-best mark in the region, mimicking C-N's region ranking. C-N has a KPI of .245, which is the 12th best number nationally and the fourth-best in the region. C-N is also strong in its record against teams above .500 at 3-1. That .750 winning percentage is third in the region behind the top two teams, West Florida and Albany State. C-N's DII weight opponent's win percentage and opponent's opponents' winning percentage is .556 - the eighth best in the region. Wingate leads that category at .592.
Carson-Newman plays at regionally-ranked Newberry Saturday. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at noon with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
| REGION/RANK | SCHOOL | OVERALL DIVISION II RECORD | IN-REGION RECORD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUPER REGION ONE | ||||||
| 1 | Kutztown | 9-0 | 9-0 | |||
| 2 | Virginia Union | 8-1 | 8-1 | |||
| 3 | Johnson C. Smith | 8-1 | 8-1 | |||
| 4 | Assumption | 7-1 | 7-1 | |||
| 5 | Indiana (PA) | 6-2 | 6-2 | |||
| 6 | California (PA) | 6-3 | 6-3 | |||
| 7 | Slippery Rock | 6-2 | 6-2 | |||
| 8 | Frostburg St. | 7-2 | 7-2 | |||
| 9 | Fayetteville St. | 5-3 | 5-3 | |||
| 10 | Charleston (WV) | 6-3 | 6-2 | |||
| SUPER REGION TWO | ||||||
| 1 | West Florida | 9-0 | 7-0 | |||
| 2 | Albany St. (GA) | 8-0 | 8-0 | |||
| 3 | Benedict | 7-1 | 7-1 | |||
| 4 | Newberry | 7-1 | 7-1 | |||
| 5 | Wingate | 7-2 | 7-2 | |||
| 6 | Kentucky St. | 7-1 | 6-1 | |||
| 7 | Delta St. | 7-2 | 6-2 | |||
| 8 | Carson-Newman | 6-2 | 5-2 | |||
| 9 | UNC Pembroke | 8-2 | 8-2 | |||
| 10 | Emory & Henry | 6-3 | 6-3 | |||
| SUPER REGION THREE | ||||||
| 1 | Ferris St. | 8-0 | 7-0 | |||
| 2 | Findlay | 9-0 | 9-0 | |||
| 3 | UIndy | 7-1 | 7-1 | |||
| 4 | Ashland | 8-1 | 8-1 | |||
| 5 | Augustana (SD) | 9-0 | 9-0 | |||
| 6 | Minn. Duluth | 8-1 | 8-1 | |||
| 7 | Truman St. | 6-2 | 6-2 | |||
| 8 | Minnesota St. | 7-2 | 7-2 | |||
| 9 | Upper Iowa | 7-1 | 7-1 | |||
| 10 | Northwood | 7-2 | 7-2 | |||
| SUPER REGION FOUR | ||||||
| 1 | Harding | 9-0 | 9-0 | |||
| 2 | Central Wash. | 8-0 | 8-0 | |||
| 3 | Northwest Mo. St. | 8-1 | 8-1 | |||
| 4 | CSU Pueblo | 8-1 | 8-1 | |||
| 5 | Pittsburg St. | 7-2 | 6-1 | |||
| 6 | Western Colo. | 8-1 | 8-1 | |||
| 7 | Chadron St. | 7-1 | 7-1 | |||
| 8 | Western Ore. | 6-1 | 6-1 | |||
| 9 | UT Permian Basin | 7-2 | 7-2 | |||
| 10 | Southern Ark. | 6-3 | 6-3 |
