What we're not talking about
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 McMillan, who has provided color commentary on D3football.com's national broadcasts of the Stagg Bowls, played in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference for four years and covered it for two more. He has been a columnist for D3football.com since 2000. E-mail Keith at keith@d3football.com. Dec. 14 Is the Mount Union dynasty over?
Nov. 24 Wish they all could be like this
Nov. 11 Here's what we'd like to see
Nov. 4 Ranking the conferences
Oct. 29 What we're not talking about
Oct. 21 So don't be surprised
Oct. 15 A midseason look at the races
Sep. 17 Searching high and low for games
Sep. 8 Saturday was not Witt's end
Aug. 30 You've got questions, so do we
Jan. 6 The best and worst of 2003
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We've got a lot to get to this week, so I thought I'd start us off quickly, briefing you on six teams with a shot at the playoffs who are currently flying under the radar.
1. Hobart leads off our list of playoff possibles that no one is talking about. Winners of five straight since a 35-14 loss to Franklin and Marshall, the 5-0, 6-1 Statesmen are off this week before a Liberty League showdown Nov. 6 with 4-0, 4-2 Union.
Hobart has made its way by being efficient. The Statesmen are among the nation’s leaders in turnover margin (plus-11) and pass efficiency defense, while quarterback Shawn Mizro has completed 57% of his passes and has tossed just four interceptions. Hobart has also gone for it 26 times on fourth down — that’s nearly four times per game — converting 15 of them.
2. Wesley is flying under the radar because Salisbury and Brockport State have hogged all of the attention in the expanded ACFC. The Wolverines have turned it into a two-way conference race with the Sea Gulls behind the nation’s ninth-ranked rusher, Kevin Nelson (147 yards per game), and a defense that has allowed 10 points or fewer in all but two outings.
The Wolverines go to Salisbury this weekend in what may be the ACFC de facto title game. Each team has already defeated Brockport, Buffalo State and Newport News.
3. Thiel needs a Waynesburg win over Washington and Jefferson on Saturday to possibly force a three-way tie for the PAC title, but a Pool B playoff spot could be possible as well. The Tomcats have won six of seven since a season-opening loss to UW-Platteville, and are unbeaten on the road.
They close with teams who are a combined 2-12, and could be 8-2 hoping for an open playoff spot.
4. Texas Lutheran: After opening with nine-point losses to Trinity (Texas) and Mary Hardin-Baylor, the Bulldogs are in position to affect their own destiny. But they’ll have to do it on the road, as trips to Howard Payne and No. 3 Hardin-Simmons loom.
Quarterback Sean Salinas has helped engineer an offense scoring nearly 38 points and gaining 450 yards per game.
The Bulldogs have also played one of the nation’s most exciting games to date, a 64-62 four-overtime win against Louisiana College.
5. Lake Forest: The 7-1 Foresters could force a three-way tie in the MWC with a Nov. 6 win at St. Norbert. They went to DePere with one loss into 2002, and stole the conference playoff berth. They’re in position to do the same this year.
Sophomore quarterback Mathew Mahaney has a go-to receiver in Nick Hildreth and five teammates who’ve hauled in double-digit receptions.
With a winning season already clinched, the Foresters are two wins from really making this a season to remember.
6. Alfred: At 3-1, 6-1, the Saxons are the surprise team in the Empire 8 automatic bid hunt. Could it be because they haven’t played Ithaca or St. John Fisher yet? Or is Alfred a legitimate challenger?
The Saxons have a defense ranked in the nation’s top 20 in points allowed and also rates third in pass efficiency defense. In addition, special teams are a strength. Punt returner Jake Sprague and kick returner Chris Sargent are rated among the nation’s 30 best in yards per return, while only seven kickers have hit more field goals than Chris Reynolds. Their loss is to Springfield.
Here are six more that probably won't make the playoffs, but deserve a little shine:
1. Whitworth: The Pirates live dangerously by outscoring opponents, but it’s worked against everyone but No. 2 Linfield. That game, a 48-37 loss, wasn’t much different than Whitworth’s 52-49, 31-28 or 41-35 victories. The Pirates could be in line for a Pool B playoff bid, but their high-scoring, close-game style could backfire against Lewis and Clark, Willamette or Pacific Lutheran, the three opponents left on the schedule.
2. Washington and Lee: Frank Miriello’s Generals are the ODAC’s model of consistency, going 5-5 from 1999-2002 before dropping to 3-7 last season. W&L hasn’t won more than five games since 1985, despite winning exactly five games 11 times in that span.
The Generals are most of the way there this season, standing at 4-3 with three to play. They’d been a thorn in rival Bridgewater’s side for years, though it was ODAC rival Hampden-Sydney that needed a final-drive interception to preserve a 31-28 win Oct. 16.
Even with a loss on Saturday, wins over Emory and Henry and Greensboro could seal a winning season.
4. Ohio Northern: If you can’t beat ’em, get one of their alumni to coach you. We kid, but Mount Union grad Dean Paul’s move to Ada from Thomas More has helped the Polar Bears immediately become competitive again. ONU won four straight and led Mount Union 27-20 in the second half before the Purple Raiders closed with three touchdowns.
With Baldwin-Wallace and Capital ahead in line in the OAC, don’t expect a playoff bid. But we might be seeing the groundwork laid for a team that could routinely challenge for a postseason spot.
3. Puget Sound: The Loggers started 3-0 before running into an unforgiving stretch against Willamette, Pacific Lutheran, Whitworth and Linfield, teams that are a combined 21-4.
Still, their three victories are two more than the program won from 2001-03, and with Colorado College and Lewis and Clark (just three wins between them) to finish the season, a .500 record is a possibility.
5 and 6. DePauw and Rhodes: Trinity still owns the SCAC, and the Tigers and Lynx have been the second-tier of the conference upper echelon for some time. Still, each is 3-1, 5-2 and probably wishing it could relive its close finishes.
The touchdown Trinity scored to beat DePauw by one with 10 seconds left has been well-documented by now, while Rhodes is also a couple of plays from being unbeaten. Comebacks against DePauw and Washington U. each fell a touchdown short.
Unless the Lynx win at Trinity on Saturday, San Antonio’s Tigers will keep their 12-year stranglehold on the SCAC going. But if anyone’s going to end their run someday, DePauw and Rhodes are among the best bets.
Rivalry watch
Muhlenberg-Moravian is looking like the early favorite for most meaningful rivalry game in 2004, though DePauw-Wabash, Cortland State-Ithaca and St. Thomas-St. John's should each match winning teams.
The Mules and Greyhounds are a combined 13-1, and both teams could be playoff-bound or on the Pool C bubble when the Lehigh Valley rivals meet in a non-conference clash Nov. 13.
The Tigers and Little Giants are a combined 10-4 to date, while the Cortaca Jug foes are 9-5 and the Tommies and Johnnies are 11-3.
Undefeated watch
Last week there were 16 unbeatens, including Mt. St. Joseph, who we neglected to acknowledge.
We are down to 13 this week, as Baldwin-Wallace, Mary Hardin-Baylor and Springfield each picked up its first loss (becoming prime Pool C candidates in the process).
Amherst, Concordia-Moorhead, Delaware Valley, Hardin-Simmons, Linfield, Moravian, Mount Union, Salisbury, Trinity (Conn.), Washington and Jefferson, Wheaton and Wooster join the HCAC’s Lions in the still undefeated group.
Rowan and Alma have still not lost to a Division III opponent.
Winless watch
Our unlucky 17 is now an unlucky 14, as Gettysburg, Plymouth State and Sul Ross State each got off the schneid Saturday, the latter two breaking long losing streaks.
The Panthers beat Husson 33-21, leading coach Paul Castonia to say his program got an 800-pound gorilla off its back.
The Lobos’ 28-21 win on McMurry’s homecoming day threw a losing streak, and the forfeits that may or may not have gone with it, out the window.
The remaining winless are Benedictine, Bethany, Catholic, Concordia (Ill.), Defiance, Framingham State, Guilford, Heidelberg, Hiram, Juniata, Knox, Manchester, Muskingum and Oberlin.
At least one team will drop from this group on Saturday, when Heidelberg visits Muskingum. Three more will get a W on Nov. 6, when Concordia travels to Benedictine, Defiance goes to Manchester and Catholic heads south to play Guilford. Oberlin will go to Hiram on Nov. 13, as both teams might be looking to head into the offseason on a high note.
Fumbles
A few of you noticed slip-ups last week. I did leave Mount St. Joseph off the list of undefeated teams, and you’ll note I did not repeat that mistake this week. Thanks for pointing it out.
Trinity (Texas) was lumped in with the unbeaten even after losing to Azusa Pacific on Oct. 16. Uh, I meant Trinity (Conn.). Yeah, that’s the ticket.
We’ll get everything corrected for our stretch run.
Five games to watch
> No. 1 Mount Union at No. 15 Baldwin-Wallace: The last OAC team to beat Mount Union (in 1994) gets the last real shot to knock the Purple Raiders off before the playoffs. The Yellow Jackets are clinging to slim playoff hopes after losing to Capital, and would certainly like to play their best game now.
> UW-Stevens Point at No. 13 UW-Whitewater: They’re all big games for the Pointers, who rarely get a week without a ranked opponent. Whitewater is among three WIAC teams with a 3-1 conference record, so perhaps the Pointers can help sort out the championship chase.
> Wesley at No. 17 Salisbury: The Sea Gulls can virtually seal a playoff bid with a win, while the Wolverines need a win to get into the playoff picture. In their fifth and final ACFC game, the Wolverines could win the conference title, while Salisbury would still have to close the season with a Regents Cup win over Frostburg State to avoid having to share the title.
> Albion at Hope: The Britons are one loss behind Hope and Alma in the MIAA race with road trips to both in the next two weeks. Albion, coming off three blowout wins, can make itself a factor or watch the Scots and Flying Dutchmen duke it out.
> Wartburg at Central: Perhaps we’d expect more to be on the line when these proud programs meet, but this game isn’t meaningless. Three teams are one loss behind of Buena Vista in the race for the IIAC’s automatic bid, including the Knights and Dutch.
Also keep an eye on: Ohio Northern at No. 5 Capital, Waynesburg at No. 9 Washington & Jefferson, Rhodes at No. 10 Trinity (Texas), No. 14 Rowan at Brockport State, No. 20 Springfield at Ithaca, No. 21 Augustana at Elmhurst, No. 22 McDaniel at Franklin & Marshall, Washington & Lee at No. 23 Bridgewater (Va.), Dickinson at No. 24 Hampden-Sydney, Anderson at Hanover
Who are those guys?
Our weekly look at teams playing non-Division III competition turns up three NAIA opponents.
Simpson travels to Central Methodist of the NAIA’s Heart of America conference, while Thiel plays first-year program Ohio Dominican and Newport News (which, granted, isn’t Division III either, but we track them as if they were) takes on Southern Virginia.
Eye-opener of the week
No. 1 Mount Union has given up 54 points this season, and it isn't the nation's No. 1 scoring defense. The 7.7 points per game allowed rank fourth in the country.
Curry and Trinity (Conn.) have been stingy with the points as well, but the nation’s hottest defense hails from Maryland.
McDaniel posted its third shutout this week, and has surrendered just 10 points in the past four games. They are giving up less than a touchdown per outing, having allowed just 39 points all season.
Since none of their final three opponents averages more than 24 points a game, the 5-1 Green Terror could very well close the season not having allowed more than the 18 points Christopher Newport scored on them in Week 2.
Centennial Conference foe Muhlenberg is the stingiest with the yardage, allowing just 156 per game.
Road trips of the week
It’s a relatively do-able week across the nation. Even our trusty travelers from Colorado College are at home against Puget Sound. Menlo travels to Linfield to play a team that will soon become a conference foe.
The trips that stand out this week aren’t outrageous, but Rochester at Coast Guard (6 hours, 380 miles), Sewanee at Millsaps (6½ hours, 410 miles) and Rhodes at Trinity (11½ hours, 730 miles) make for long conference road trips.
Bethany at Chicago is a non-conference game, and an eight-hour, 470-mile trek across Indiana and Ohio from the West Virginia panhandle.
Poll beef of the week
I might as well make this a weekly department, as I seem to raise a question about one poll or another each week. I know polls are an inexact science and breed disagreement. Some weeks I’m not even happy with my own Top 25 as I submit my ballot for the D3football.com poll.
The AFCA seems to be ranking teams solely off of records. For example, I have no problem with undefeated Salisbury being ranked. I myself vote for the Sea Gulls each week in our poll. But I’m not sure what — schedule included — makes them, at No. 6 in the AFCA poll, so much better than No. 25 Mount St. Joseph and unranked Moravian.
Continued, next page.
1. Hobart leads off our list of playoff possibles that no one is talking about. Winners of five straight since a 35-14 loss to Franklin and Marshall, the 5-0, 6-1 Statesmen are off this week before a Liberty League showdown Nov. 6 with 4-0, 4-2 Union.
Hobart has made its way by being efficient. The Statesmen are among the nation’s leaders in turnover margin (plus-11) and pass efficiency defense, while quarterback Shawn Mizro has completed 57% of his passes and has tossed just four interceptions. Hobart has also gone for it 26 times on fourth down — that’s nearly four times per game — converting 15 of them.
2. Wesley is flying under the radar because Salisbury and Brockport State have hogged all of the attention in the expanded ACFC. The Wolverines have turned it into a two-way conference race with the Sea Gulls behind the nation’s ninth-ranked rusher, Kevin Nelson (147 yards per game), and a defense that has allowed 10 points or fewer in all but two outings.
The Wolverines go to Salisbury this weekend in what may be the ACFC de facto title game. Each team has already defeated Brockport, Buffalo State and Newport News.
3. Thiel needs a Waynesburg win over Washington and Jefferson on Saturday to possibly force a three-way tie for the PAC title, but a Pool B playoff spot could be possible as well. The Tomcats have won six of seven since a season-opening loss to UW-Platteville, and are unbeaten on the road.
They close with teams who are a combined 2-12, and could be 8-2 hoping for an open playoff spot.
4. Texas Lutheran: After opening with nine-point losses to Trinity (Texas) and Mary Hardin-Baylor, the Bulldogs are in position to affect their own destiny. But they’ll have to do it on the road, as trips to Howard Payne and No. 3 Hardin-Simmons loom.
Quarterback Sean Salinas has helped engineer an offense scoring nearly 38 points and gaining 450 yards per game.
The Bulldogs have also played one of the nation’s most exciting games to date, a 64-62 four-overtime win against Louisiana College.
5. Lake Forest: The 7-1 Foresters could force a three-way tie in the MWC with a Nov. 6 win at St. Norbert. They went to DePere with one loss into 2002, and stole the conference playoff berth. They’re in position to do the same this year.
Sophomore quarterback Mathew Mahaney has a go-to receiver in Nick Hildreth and five teammates who’ve hauled in double-digit receptions.
With a winning season already clinched, the Foresters are two wins from really making this a season to remember.
6. Alfred: At 3-1, 6-1, the Saxons are the surprise team in the Empire 8 automatic bid hunt. Could it be because they haven’t played Ithaca or St. John Fisher yet? Or is Alfred a legitimate challenger?
The Saxons have a defense ranked in the nation’s top 20 in points allowed and also rates third in pass efficiency defense. In addition, special teams are a strength. Punt returner Jake Sprague and kick returner Chris Sargent are rated among the nation’s 30 best in yards per return, while only seven kickers have hit more field goals than Chris Reynolds. Their loss is to Springfield.
Here are six more that probably won't make the playoffs, but deserve a little shine:
1. Whitworth: The Pirates live dangerously by outscoring opponents, but it’s worked against everyone but No. 2 Linfield. That game, a 48-37 loss, wasn’t much different than Whitworth’s 52-49, 31-28 or 41-35 victories. The Pirates could be in line for a Pool B playoff bid, but their high-scoring, close-game style could backfire against Lewis and Clark, Willamette or Pacific Lutheran, the three opponents left on the schedule.
2. Washington and Lee: Frank Miriello’s Generals are the ODAC’s model of consistency, going 5-5 from 1999-2002 before dropping to 3-7 last season. W&L hasn’t won more than five games since 1985, despite winning exactly five games 11 times in that span.
The Generals are most of the way there this season, standing at 4-3 with three to play. They’d been a thorn in rival Bridgewater’s side for years, though it was ODAC rival Hampden-Sydney that needed a final-drive interception to preserve a 31-28 win Oct. 16.
Even with a loss on Saturday, wins over Emory and Henry and Greensboro could seal a winning season.
4. Ohio Northern: If you can’t beat ’em, get one of their alumni to coach you. We kid, but Mount Union grad Dean Paul’s move to Ada from Thomas More has helped the Polar Bears immediately become competitive again. ONU won four straight and led Mount Union 27-20 in the second half before the Purple Raiders closed with three touchdowns.
With Baldwin-Wallace and Capital ahead in line in the OAC, don’t expect a playoff bid. But we might be seeing the groundwork laid for a team that could routinely challenge for a postseason spot.
3. Puget Sound: The Loggers started 3-0 before running into an unforgiving stretch against Willamette, Pacific Lutheran, Whitworth and Linfield, teams that are a combined 21-4.
Still, their three victories are two more than the program won from 2001-03, and with Colorado College and Lewis and Clark (just three wins between them) to finish the season, a .500 record is a possibility.
5 and 6. DePauw and Rhodes: Trinity still owns the SCAC, and the Tigers and Lynx have been the second-tier of the conference upper echelon for some time. Still, each is 3-1, 5-2 and probably wishing it could relive its close finishes.
The touchdown Trinity scored to beat DePauw by one with 10 seconds left has been well-documented by now, while Rhodes is also a couple of plays from being unbeaten. Comebacks against DePauw and Washington U. each fell a touchdown short.
Unless the Lynx win at Trinity on Saturday, San Antonio’s Tigers will keep their 12-year stranglehold on the SCAC going. But if anyone’s going to end their run someday, DePauw and Rhodes are among the best bets.
Rivalry watch
Muhlenberg-Moravian is looking like the early favorite for most meaningful rivalry game in 2004, though DePauw-Wabash, Cortland State-Ithaca and St. Thomas-St. John's should each match winning teams.
The Mules and Greyhounds are a combined 13-1, and both teams could be playoff-bound or on the Pool C bubble when the Lehigh Valley rivals meet in a non-conference clash Nov. 13.
The Tigers and Little Giants are a combined 10-4 to date, while the Cortaca Jug foes are 9-5 and the Tommies and Johnnies are 11-3.
Undefeated watch
Last week there were 16 unbeatens, including Mt. St. Joseph, who we neglected to acknowledge.
We are down to 13 this week, as Baldwin-Wallace, Mary Hardin-Baylor and Springfield each picked up its first loss (becoming prime Pool C candidates in the process).
Amherst, Concordia-Moorhead, Delaware Valley, Hardin-Simmons, Linfield, Moravian, Mount Union, Salisbury, Trinity (Conn.), Washington and Jefferson, Wheaton and Wooster join the HCAC’s Lions in the still undefeated group.
Rowan and Alma have still not lost to a Division III opponent.
Winless watch
Our unlucky 17 is now an unlucky 14, as Gettysburg, Plymouth State and Sul Ross State each got off the schneid Saturday, the latter two breaking long losing streaks.
The Panthers beat Husson 33-21, leading coach Paul Castonia to say his program got an 800-pound gorilla off its back.
The Lobos’ 28-21 win on McMurry’s homecoming day threw a losing streak, and the forfeits that may or may not have gone with it, out the window.
The remaining winless are Benedictine, Bethany, Catholic, Concordia (Ill.), Defiance, Framingham State, Guilford, Heidelberg, Hiram, Juniata, Knox, Manchester, Muskingum and Oberlin.
At least one team will drop from this group on Saturday, when Heidelberg visits Muskingum. Three more will get a W on Nov. 6, when Concordia travels to Benedictine, Defiance goes to Manchester and Catholic heads south to play Guilford. Oberlin will go to Hiram on Nov. 13, as both teams might be looking to head into the offseason on a high note.
Fumbles
A few of you noticed slip-ups last week. I did leave Mount St. Joseph off the list of undefeated teams, and you’ll note I did not repeat that mistake this week. Thanks for pointing it out.
Trinity (Texas) was lumped in with the unbeaten even after losing to Azusa Pacific on Oct. 16. Uh, I meant Trinity (Conn.). Yeah, that’s the ticket.
We’ll get everything corrected for our stretch run.
Five games to watch
> No. 1 Mount Union at No. 15 Baldwin-Wallace: The last OAC team to beat Mount Union (in 1994) gets the last real shot to knock the Purple Raiders off before the playoffs. The Yellow Jackets are clinging to slim playoff hopes after losing to Capital, and would certainly like to play their best game now.
> UW-Stevens Point at No. 13 UW-Whitewater: They’re all big games for the Pointers, who rarely get a week without a ranked opponent. Whitewater is among three WIAC teams with a 3-1 conference record, so perhaps the Pointers can help sort out the championship chase.
> Wesley at No. 17 Salisbury: The Sea Gulls can virtually seal a playoff bid with a win, while the Wolverines need a win to get into the playoff picture. In their fifth and final ACFC game, the Wolverines could win the conference title, while Salisbury would still have to close the season with a Regents Cup win over Frostburg State to avoid having to share the title.
> Albion at Hope: The Britons are one loss behind Hope and Alma in the MIAA race with road trips to both in the next two weeks. Albion, coming off three blowout wins, can make itself a factor or watch the Scots and Flying Dutchmen duke it out.
> Wartburg at Central: Perhaps we’d expect more to be on the line when these proud programs meet, but this game isn’t meaningless. Three teams are one loss behind of Buena Vista in the race for the IIAC’s automatic bid, including the Knights and Dutch.
Also keep an eye on: Ohio Northern at No. 5 Capital, Waynesburg at No. 9 Washington & Jefferson, Rhodes at No. 10 Trinity (Texas), No. 14 Rowan at Brockport State, No. 20 Springfield at Ithaca, No. 21 Augustana at Elmhurst, No. 22 McDaniel at Franklin & Marshall, Washington & Lee at No. 23 Bridgewater (Va.), Dickinson at No. 24 Hampden-Sydney, Anderson at Hanover
Who are those guys?
Our weekly look at teams playing non-Division III competition turns up three NAIA opponents.
Simpson travels to Central Methodist of the NAIA’s Heart of America conference, while Thiel plays first-year program Ohio Dominican and Newport News (which, granted, isn’t Division III either, but we track them as if they were) takes on Southern Virginia.
Eye-opener of the week
No. 1 Mount Union has given up 54 points this season, and it isn't the nation's No. 1 scoring defense. The 7.7 points per game allowed rank fourth in the country.
Curry and Trinity (Conn.) have been stingy with the points as well, but the nation’s hottest defense hails from Maryland.
McDaniel posted its third shutout this week, and has surrendered just 10 points in the past four games. They are giving up less than a touchdown per outing, having allowed just 39 points all season.
Since none of their final three opponents averages more than 24 points a game, the 5-1 Green Terror could very well close the season not having allowed more than the 18 points Christopher Newport scored on them in Week 2.
Centennial Conference foe Muhlenberg is the stingiest with the yardage, allowing just 156 per game.
Road trips of the week
It’s a relatively do-able week across the nation. Even our trusty travelers from Colorado College are at home against Puget Sound. Menlo travels to Linfield to play a team that will soon become a conference foe.
The trips that stand out this week aren’t outrageous, but Rochester at Coast Guard (6 hours, 380 miles), Sewanee at Millsaps (6½ hours, 410 miles) and Rhodes at Trinity (11½ hours, 730 miles) make for long conference road trips.
Bethany at Chicago is a non-conference game, and an eight-hour, 470-mile trek across Indiana and Ohio from the West Virginia panhandle.
Poll beef of the week
I might as well make this a weekly department, as I seem to raise a question about one poll or another each week. I know polls are an inexact science and breed disagreement. Some weeks I’m not even happy with my own Top 25 as I submit my ballot for the D3football.com poll.
The AFCA seems to be ranking teams solely off of records. For example, I have no problem with undefeated Salisbury being ranked. I myself vote for the Sea Gulls each week in our poll. But I’m not sure what — schedule included — makes them, at No. 6 in the AFCA poll, so much better than No. 25 Mount St. Joseph and unranked Moravian.
Continued, next page.