More shifts and adjustments on this NFC/AFC Championship Gameday Sunday with the MIAC Playoff Picture perhaps starting to slowly come into focus here:
1. Bethel
2. GAC
3. Hamline
4. Concordia
5. CSB
6. SMU
7. St. Scholastica
8. Macalester
9. St. Kate's
10. Carleton
11. Augsburg
12. St. Olaf
Bethel suffered no letdown after the big win at GAC the previous Saturday night and consolidated on their gains with easy wins - at home against St. Scholastica this last Wednesday night and then over at St. Kate's yesterday. Things look to be shaping up nicely for the Royals - at least for the short term anyway - as they host Augsburg on Wednesday night and then make the trip down US Highway 61 and the CPKC River Sub mainline to Winona this coming Saturday to take on SMU........GAC recovered nicely from last weekend's disastrous home loss to said Bethel team with two big road wins - last Wednesday night over at Hamline and then yesterday up in Moorhead against Concordia - a venue that hadn't been kind to the Gusties the last couple of seasons. On paper anyway, GAC should continue on its winning ways this coming week as they'll host Macalester on Wednesday night before coming back up to the Twin Cities to face Augsburg this coming Saturday.
The first significant shift from last week is Hamline moving up to the third spot. They weren't able to hang with the Gusties for four full periods this last Wednesday night but they recovered nicely yesterday by snaring a big road win on the frigid shores of Gitche Gumee at St. Scholastica. But another tricky week is in store for the Pipers as they first host a resurgent SMU team on Wednesday night before making the dreaded trip up US Highway 10 and the BNSF Staples Sub mainline to Moorhead to face Concordia.......And, speaking of the Cobbers, they slip to the fourth spot in my Power Rankings this Sunday; not so much because they lost to GAC yesterday but more because they had to scrape and claw to get past Macalester this last Wednesday night. For Concordia, given their relative position right now, it seems like every remaining game is going to be a matter of life or death for them and they simply have to start playing better on both ends of the floor. They make the trip down to the Cities on Wednesday evening to take on St. Kate's and then return home this coming Saturday to take on said Hamline team which, for all intents and purposes, is going to be a "must win" game for them.
CSB finally ended its four-game skid with a pair of wins this last week; against Augsburg this last Wednesday night on the road and then a big one at home against SMU yesterday. Two winnable games appear to be on the horizon this coming week for the Bennies - at home vs St. Olaf on Wednesday night and then down in Northfield this coming Saturday against the Oles crosstown rival, Carleton........For the Cardinals, it was a week that could have been but wasn't as though they did take care of St. Olaf in Winona this last Wednesday night, they couldn't finish the deal up at CSB yesterday. That split could prove costly to SMU as they have a hard row to hoe this coming week - coming up to the Cities to play Hamline on Wednesday night before hosting Bethel this coming Saturday.
Two more teams very much in play for the MIAC Playoffs. It was a rough, rough week this last week for St. Scholastica as they had to absorb a pair of losses as most expected them to - at Bethel this last Wednesday night and then yesterday's disappointment at home against Hamline. Things may not be much better than a 50-50 proposition for the Saints this coming week as they get Carleton at home on Wednesday night but then have to come down to the Cities to face a dangerously-good Macalester team this coming Saturday........So let's talk about those Scots who just fell short up in Moorhead this last Wednesday night and then turned things around by getting a big home win against Augsburg yesterday. I do think they've got to find more consistency but when you have a player like Peyton Starks who can be a one-person wrecking crew at times, you're going to be a threat. This coming Wednesday night down at GAC will likely prove to be a bridge too far for Macalester but they have a big home game this coming Saturday against aforementioned St. Scholastica team which could prove to be very big in terms of snaring that sixth playoff spot.
That's all I can think of on this day. As always, feel free to fire away with thoughts.
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