MIAC Power Rankings For Sunday 1-19-20

Another interesting week in MIAC play so let's see hows things have shaken out thus far on this AFC and NFC Conference Championship Sunday:


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


No argument with the top spot as the Bethel Express keeps on a rollin'; 15-0 overall and 10-0 in the conference with its latest victims being St. Olaf on Wednesday night and CSB yesterday up in St. Joe.  The Royals stay on the road this week with a manageable game (on paper anyway) at Carleton on Wednesday night but this next Saturday's game down the road on Snelling Avenue at Hamline could be a tricky one where the Royals will have to be extra careful.  Augsburg meanwhile held off a determined St. Kate's team at home in Si Melby Hall but ran into Mother Nature's wrath in the form of Winter Storm Jacob that shoved the big tilt at GAC from Saturday to this afternoon down in St. Peter and it'll be interesting to see how the change of date affects the Auggies.  Augsburg won't get much in the way of time off after today's game as they'll head down to Northfield on Wednesday night to face off with St. Olaf before hosting Concordia in the friendly confines of Si Melby Hall next Saturday. 

UST quietly (or not so quietly, depending upon your point of view) slid up the ladder into the third spot today but they had to survive a scare from Carleton this last Wednesday night at home before thumping a slumping SMU team down in Winona yesterday.  The good news for Tommie Nation is that they should be able to keep the ship steady with home games this week with Macalester on Wednesday night and with neighborhood rival St. Kate's next Saturday.  Meanwhile, things aren't so rosy down U.S. Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's Mankato Sub mainline in St. Peter as the Gusties slipped down into the fourth spot; largely because of the upset loss they suffered at Concordia on Wednesday night.  Then Winter Storm Jacob unleashed its fury Friday and Saturday in the area and shoved the big tilt with Augsburg to later this afternoon at 3:00 P.M.  Had GAC been able to get out of Moorhead with the "W" like they should have, I wouldn't be looking at today's game as that critical.  Now, however, I almost feel like this game is an absolute "must" win for the Gusties if they want to avoid slipping further out of the title chase - more importantly, hosting a playoff game.  The reason for that is because the team in my fifth spot - Hamline - is currently nipping on their heels.  The Pipers easily dispatched Macalester on Wednesday night but, like GAC, saw Mother Nature wipe out the planned trip to Moorhead yesterday and effectively shove that game back to February 3rd.  That means this coming Wednesday night's game at GAC is huge for both teams.  Hamline may come back down to Earth a bit when Bethel makes the trip down Snelling Avenue this next Saturday but the Pipers are still in a good spot nonetheless. 

It's still a hot mess in the middle.  What am I supposed to do?  I think few expected Concordia to be in the spot they're currently in - certainly I didn't.  But the Cobbers scored a huge home upset win this last week Wednesday night by knocking off GAC.  In a funny kind of way, Mother Nature may have done Concordia a favor by shoving back the planned game with Hamline yesterday back to February 3rd.  That gives the Cobbers a little more time to prepare for hosting CSB on Wednesday night before coming down U.S. Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline to the Twin Cities on Saturday to take on Augsburg and coming out with a split wouldn't be a terrible proposition for this team.  St. Kate's did come out with a split this last week but that's what was expected to happen as they lost at Augsburg this last Wednesday night before going down to Northfield yesterday where they took care of Carleton comfortably.  This coming week is a mixed bag for the 'Cats:  They get SMU at home on Wednesday night before making the short hop over to Schoenecker Arena this next Saturday to face UST and you have to think that another split is the most likely outcome for this group.  And it was much the same story for St. Olaf this last week as they took it on the chin at Bethel this last Wednesday night before surviving a late scare at Macalester yesterday.  This week will be very similar for the Oles as well as they make the run back up to the Cities on Wednesday night to take on Augsburg before SMU comes to town this next Saturday to take on the Oles at Skoglund Center.  Again, a split for this group would not be bad and will almost likely keep the middle of my Power Rankings what it is right now - a hot mess.

CSB also came away with a split this last week but, unfortunately for them, it really didn't help them very much as they're still on the outside looking in.  This coming week might be their best chance - indeed, perhaps their last chance - to get back into contention in the MIAC Playoff sweepstakes.  The Blazers get a rematch with SMU - a team they defeated down in Winona this last Wednesday - in the friendly confines of Claire Lynch Hall tomorrow night and then make the run up to Moorhead on Wednesday night to take on Concordia before running down to Northfield this next Saturday to take on Carleton.  It's quite possible that the Blazers go 3-0 this week.  I personally think they'll have to in order to keep their ever-fading playoff hopes alive but I think going two out of three will be the most likely outcome.  Speaking of the Knights, they lost a tough one at UST this last Wednesday night but their slim playoff hopes likely had the last rites administered to them when St. Kate's came to town yesterday and laid a thumping on this young group.  Things really don't get any easier for Carleton as Bethel comes to town this coming Wednesday and CSB pays a visit as well on Saturday.