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There's
lots of ways to rank Pool B teams, and since they are scattered across
the country and don't play each other much, it's not exactly cut-and-dried.
The national committee takes into account winning percentage, primarily against regional teams and other Division III teams, as well as strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and results against common opponents when determining who will get the seven Pool B bids. (And people, if you don't know what Pool B is, try the Playoff FAQ.)
Obviously, with four weeks left in the regular season, there's a lot that can change. Some of these teams will play each other. Others will see their strength of schedule increase or decrease with their final opponents. But here's our look at Pool B through games of Oct. 20, 2001 (teams with asterisks have a non-Division III loss):
| No. | Team | D3 | Opp% | Note |
| 1 | Wash. & Jeff. | 6-0 | .606 | Firmly
in control here, though two non-D-III games could cost them a first-round bye. |
| 2 | RPI | 5-0 | .714 | Two sub-.500 teams and Hobart left to play. |
| 3 | Hope | 5-0 | .680 | Higest team with a loss, to I-AAA Valparaiso. |
| 4 | Whitworth | 4-0 | .500 | Played
winless Puget Sound, hurts SOS. Winless Eastern Oregon next week. |
| 5 | Pacific.Lutheran | 3-1 | .643 | Knocked off NAIA No. 4 Southern Oregon. |
| 6 | Thomas More | 7-0 | .378 | Struggled at home with 1-5 Chapman. |
| 7 | Brockport | 6-1 | .500 | Loss is to Montclair, win against Ithaca, two quality opponents left. |
| 8 | Union | 6-1 | .556 | Can knock Hartwick out entirely this week. Or vice versa. |
| 9 | Linfield | 4-1 | .526 | Pivotal game in two weeks against Whitworth. |
| 10 | Menlo | 5-1 | .615 | Could
be in trouble if Linfield loses, remaining sked will not help SOS. D-II win might help. |
| 11 | Hartwick | 5-1 | .433 | Only
chance is wins against both Union and Muhlenberg next two weeks. |
| 12 | Wesley | 4-1 | .520 | Salisbury,
Chowan won't help their cause, but Brockport in Week 11 will. |
| 13 | Washington U. | 6-2 | .641 | Needs help to make field, but win against Albion is a start. |
| 14 | Albion | 4-1 | .536 | Has
win v. MacMurray, a Pool A poss. Loss to Wash U. keeps them behind Bears. |
Some things to note: The strength of schedule takes into account only the games that have been played to date, and only against Division III teams. Strength of schedule doesn't take into account the games played against the team being measured. (That is, if Washington & Jefferson's opponents are 14-15, we subtract the five losses W&J gave its opponents. This helps even out the effects of playing a particularly strong opponent.)