Bulldogs still have hopes

The University of Redlands football team has to be happy with the outcome of Saturday's other SCIAC game. Occidental beat Cal Lutheran 24-21 in a classic. There was a good scenario for Redlands in either case but an Oxy win was probably for the best.

Had Cal Lutheran won and Redlands were to run the table - those three teams would have ended in a three-way tie atop the conference. Yes, you always want to win a title, even if its a share of one. But you also want a chance at the playoffs and the Bulldogs wouldn't have had one if Cal Lutheran had won.

In the case of a three-way tie, Cal Lutheran would go to the playoffs as the SCIAC rep based on the Rosel Bowl rule since it has been eons since the Kingsmen have been to the playoffs.

In that case Oxy and Redlands would go into Pool C for playoff consideration. Pool A is for automatic qualifiers and Pool B is for independents worthy of consideration. Pool C is for conference runner-ups. And if both Oxy and Redlands are sitting there with 8-1 records and the SCIAC gets a second berth (which rarely happens), Oxy would go because of its head-to-head win over the Bulldogs.

This way Redlands has a shot at being the runner-up all alone. They have been ranked much of the year and played a decent enough caliber of competition in nonconference to at least be in the discussion.

This is a talented Redlands team and it would be too bad if they didn't have any shot.