If you're not a fan of Mount Union or UW-Whitewater, it hasn't been a very fun past few years in Division III football.

Here's the worse news: It isn't likely to be any better in 2009.

There's one thing you can count on in Around the Nation: Keith McMillan will never sugar-coat it for you. We're here to tell it like it is, and our lead weekly column leads the charge.

So maybe, just maybe, everyone is playing for No. 3 or No. 4 once again this season. But that's OK. More in this week's Around the Nation.

Preseason toolbox: Top 25 poll | All-Americans | Kickoff | Week 1 schedule

Games kicked off Thursday night, with three games going, and more coming on Friday. Check the Scoreboard for updates, as well as links to audio and live stats, when they're available.

On Thursday night, Manchester hit on two big plays to take a 14-0 first-quarter lead, but Trine rallied despite 13-for-31 passing from quarterback Eric Watt and won 16-14 on a 27-yard Jeremy Howard field goal with 4:36 left.