Factualizing the Playoffs

Here is the prescribed curriculum from the NCAA. Let's see how it looks right now for Hillsdale compared to Ashland in the event both teams win this Saturday. Notes in Bold

This comes directly from the 2007 Division II Championship Handbook as updated by the NCAA on Sept. 27, 2007 Download for yourself.

Primary Criteria.
• In-region Division II won-lost results; Ashland at 8-1=.888, Hillsdale at 9-2=.818

These are added to the next two criteria to get a final number.

• Overall Division II strength-of-schedule (SOS) (opponents’ average winning percentage
and opponents’ opponents’ average winning percentage) (see Appendix L of the manual for more
details); Hillsdale will carry an advantage in SOS. Many scenarios play into and many math problems are involved. The end result will be very close. The committee will have to decide whether the small margin is significant enough to award the spot. If it is not significant enough they move to further criteria.

The NCAA lists the following as tie-breakers in the manual.
• Head-to-head competition; Hillsdale 49 Ashland 21
• Results versus common opponents; AU +1 with win against Ferris
• Results against Division II teams greater than .500; These could vary depending on what teams do this weekend. Hillsdale seems to hold a slim advantage in most cases.
• Trend performance (most recent four games beginning with the first regular season
ranking); Both 4-0
• Overall won-lost results;
• Division II won-lost results (games won-cumulative results of opponents; and games
lost-cumulative results of opponents);
• Results against Division II teams less than or equal to .500; and
• Results versus non-Division II opponents.

Wow! Bottom line. Hillsdale has to win. Get there and support them! Playoffs or no playoffs, this has been a historic season of Charger football.