Los Angeles Rams

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Sunday, February 1, 2015

MIAC Power Rankings For Sunday 2-1-15

Was out of town yesterday and didn't get to take in any action save for following things on my phone as much as I could.  Yet, I'm ready to unleash this version of my latest power rankings on this Super Bowl Sunday. 


1.  UST
2.  Bethel
3.  SMU
4.  (tie) GAC & Concordia
5.  CSB
6.  (tie)  Augsburg & Hamline
7.  (tie)  St. Olaf & Carleton
8.  St. Kate's
9.  Macalester




The Tommies maintain their stranglehold at the top; mowing down anything and everything in their sight and it's simply difficult to imagine a scenario where this trend doesn't continue.  With their seventh straight victory; including yesterday's 78-54 thumping of SMU at Robertson Center, the Royals have now firmed up their grip on the second spot and, save for a home date with UST after Valentine's Day, they have everything laid out there in front of them - an ALMOST perfect set-up if you will - to take care of business and grab the second seed once the playoffs roll around.  It's now going to be up to Bethel to take that opportunity and run with it.


Considering the fact that I was in the La Crosse-La Crescent area yesterday, I can only surmise that it must have been an awfully long and depressing dark ride down U.S. Highway 61 and the Canadian Pacific's River Sub mainline back to Winona last night after the punch in the mouth SMU absorbed from the Royals yesterday.  But this game yesterday was the precursor to an absolutely brutal stretch coming up for the Cardinals as they must bound their way back up the River on Wednesday night to play at (gulp) UST on Wednesday night and then host Concordia next Saturday before embarking on two more roadies at both CSB and GAC.  It's safe to say that feathers could easily be flying all over the place in the next couple of weeks.   Meanwhile, remember that luxurious Gustie Express that everyone - including yours truly - was clamoring to reserve a seat on not so long ago to ride to the Promised Land?  Well, that train suffered a major derailment this last week and it's uncertain at this juncture if it can get back on track and run at all after this last disastrous week.  While I don't have a big problem with the home loss to UST (and they did have a much better second half after falling behind 30-6 early), the loss yesterday to Hamline over at venerable Hutton Arena just leaves me shaking my head.  You knew, of course, that this could be a dangerous game for them going in yet I think you had to expect at the same time that the Gusties would come into this game with renewed determination and a sense of urgency.  Looks like that failed to materialize and suddenly GAC now finds itself holding on for dear life and quite possibly staring at a fourth seed as well.  Concordia continues to teeter along that fine line as they dropped a heartbreaker to CSB at home on Wednesday night but easily dispatched Macalester yesterday.  They needed that game with CSB on Wednesday night and, considering the road ahead for the Corn, that one could cost them the fourth seed.


While I'm still not completely sold on the Blazers, they did what they had to do this last week to remain a viable playoff contender and they've got the fifth spot in my power rankings all to themselves today.  Can they hold on to it - and their playoff hopes as well?  Tough to say as a host of teams below them are nipping at their heels.  Wildly unpredictable Hamline got that big win at home yesterday against GAC but you simply can't predict what they're going to do the next game.  Augsburg has a slightly easier road this next week as home games with both Macalester and St. Kate's await but finish the regular season with four straight roadies which could easily do in the Auggies.  The two Northfield-based teams; St. Olaf and Carleton are still hanging in there - barely - and the Knights win over their crosstown rival yesterday might have been the final nail in the coffin for the Oles as I just see too many obstacles in the path for a team that has little to no margin for error from here on out.  Carleton still has GAC, UST, CSB, SMU - AND Bethel left on their regular season schedule.  I may have a better chance at winning the Powerball than the Knights have of coming through that slate of games unscathed.


Fire away with thoughts.

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