Whats the Point of the I-AA Mid-Major Poll?

[gophoenix]

This will sound like smack, but it isn't. Why is there a I-AA mid-major poll when they mid-major teams are just ranked along with everyone else in the real I-AA polls? The Sports Network breaks the mid-majors out and so does Don Hansen as well as others.

I don't get it. Why not do polls for regions too, that way everyone gets a good shot.

South
1- App St
2- Hampton
3- TN Martin
4- Furman
5- Charleston Southern
6- Elon
7- Georgia Southern
8- Coastal Carolina
9- Wofford
10- Jacksonville State


East
1- New Hampshire
2- UMass
3- Maine
4- Richmond
5- James Madison
6- Towson
7- Princeton
8- Harvard
9- Holy Cross
10- CCSU

Midwest
1- Youngstown St
2- S Illinois
3- N Iowa
4- North Dakota St
5- Illinois St
6- South Dakota St
7- Eastern Illinois
8- Western Kentucky
9- Western Illinois
10- Drake

West:
1- Montana
2- Cal Poly
3- Portland St
4- UC Davis
5- Montana St
6- Sacramento St
7- Central Arkansas
8- Sam Houston St
9- Grambling St
10- San Diego

Of you could break it up to be East, South, Southwest, Midwest and West. If the goal is to get more ranked, then just rank more people.... otherwise use the same damn poll.

[th0m]

You could rename the "East" polls the "A-10" polls, and the "Midwest" polls the "Gateway" polls ;)

[AppGuy04]

DII does the regional polls and IMO, its more confusing.

[PantherRob82]

I think it's because there is an obvious gap between the top 25 full scholarship schools and the mid majors most of the time.

[aceinthehole]

I think it's because there is an obvious gap between the top 25 full scholarship schools and the mid majors most of the time.

The "mid-major" poll was created to provide exposure to non-scholly program from the Northeast, Metro Atlantic, and Pioneer conferences. Prior to thiss season, just one "mid-major" was ever ranked in the I-AA polls - Duquense in 2002.

At first I liked the idea becasue these teams had no way to compare themselves across the 3 conferences. However, with only 21 teams in total to rank, I always thought the idea of a top 10 was stupid. Almost half of the teams eligible for the poll are ranked. A top-5 list seemed more appropriate.

With the NEC now offering limited schollys, and their ability to beat I-AA raked opponents (and becoming ranked themselves), I think the poll and term has outlived it usefulness after this season (at least for the NEC).

If I were in the NEC front office, I would ask these media outlets to stop ranking NEC team in "mid-major" polls for 2007. Without the NEC classified as a "mid-major," the remaining eligable teams would be from the MAAC (5 teams) and PFL (8 teams) would be the only non-scholly/equiv teams in I-AA.

----
Regional rankings are used in D-II (Note: Southern Conn. State is #6 in the East Region), but I too think it would cause some confusion and generally be domnated by certain conferences.

An article in today's Providence Journal noticed that 5 New England teams are ranked in I-AA. They are:
#1 New Hamsphire
#8 UMass
#15 Harvard
#19 Central Connecticut
#23 Maine

http://www.projo.com/brown/content/projo_20061013_13colpix.322c4c7.html

[henfan]

I think it's because there is an obvious gap between the top 25 full scholarship schools and the mid majors most of the time.

Ladies and germs, we have a winner! This poll is a Sports Network creation to honor the low equivalancy programs, who have historically not had much of a shot at the other I-AA poll.

[Mr. C]

The "mid-major" poll was created to provide exposure to non-scholly program from the Northeast, Metro Atlantic, and Pioneer conferences. Prior to this season, just one "mid-major" was ever ranked in the I-AA polls - Duquense in 2002.
http://www.projo.com/brown/content/projo_20061013_13colpix.322c4c7.html
Not true. I know that Dayton received enough votes to be ranked by The Sports Network during the 1997 season when they were undefeated for much of the year, kind of like San Diego this year. There was a lot disdain for the Flyers from some voters, because of their non-scholarship status. Dayton finished 23rd in the final TSN poll that year and 25th in the ESPN poll. In 1996, Dayton finished 24th in the TSN poll.

[aceinthehole]

Not true. I know that Dayton received enough votes to be ranked by The Sports Network during the 1997 season when they were undefeated for much of the year, kind of like San Diego this year. There was a lot disdain for the Flyers from some voters, because of their non-scholarship status. Dayton finished 23rd in the final TSN poll that year and 25th in the ESPN poll. In 1996, Dayton finished 24th in the TSN poll.

I did not know that. Thanks!

[UAalum72]

1.a. Some rankings don't include conferences they don't consider 'worthy', which

b. gives sportwriters the chance to fill some time and justify their salaries by making up a top-12 ranking out of the other 21 teams.

2. Prevent embarassment to fully-funded programs who would have to explain why they're ranked behind programs spending 1/2 or 1/3 the money.

[Torero Tradition]

In I-AA where Champions are decided on the field.... the Mid-Major Cup is decided by the Final poll (rankings, votes, etc.) Kinda funny. :)

[rcny46]

DII does the regional polls and IMO, its more confusing.

I think D-III does that as well.

[bkrownd]

WRT regional polls When you're in the middle of the pack, I imagine it's far more interesting to know where you stand relative to other teams in your region than relative to far away teams. When my teams aren't in the top-10 the conference standings are much more interesting to me than the polls or other top-20 sort of rankings.

[gophoenix]

rior to thiss season, just one "mid-major" was ever ranked in the I-AA polls - Duquense in 2002.

That's not true. Dayton has been ranked in the past, as were Robert Morris and Sacred Heart not terribly long ago.

BTW, the regional poll thing was just a bunch of sarcasm. It just seems to me that the silly mid-major poll is just a way to rank teams that really have no business being ranked normally. The regional things were just an absurd suggestion by me to say "why not just rank everyone" .... we're all winners... right????

ugh

[aceinthehole]

That's not true. Dayton has been ranked in the past, as were Robert Morris and Sacred Heart not terribly long ago.

BTW, the regional poll thing was just a bunch of sarcasm. It just seems to me that the silly mid-major poll is just a way to rank teams that really have no business being ranked normally. The regional things were just an absurd suggestion by me to say "why not just rank everyone" .... we're all winners... right????

ugh

Yes, it was recalled that Dayton too was also ranked prior to this season.

Robert Morris and Sacred Heart were NEVER ranked in the I-AA polls. CCSU was the first NEC team to be ranked just this year and Albany is the only other NEC team to be ranked.

I'm sure RMU, SHU, and other "mid-majors" may have received votes in the past, but they never were in the top-25 I-AA poll.