Playoffs! The Small Colleges

[SWC75]

NAIA

THE QUARTER-FINALS

EASTERN OREGON upset defending national champion Marian 17-0, thanks to a series of turnovers and other mishaps from the champs, who outgained the winners 373-232.
Eastern Oregon stuns top-ranked Marian in NAIA football quarterfinals

#2 ranked BAKER downed Lindsay Wilson 42-27. They were also the beneficiary of turnovers – 6 of them. Again, the winners were out-gained by the losers, 451-483.
Lindsey Wilson Athletics - No. 8 Football falls to No. 2 Baker 42-27 in FCS Quarterfinals

#3 REINHARDT shut down a crippled Montana Tech team, 27-0, holding them to 229 total yards. Tech was missing its starting quarterback and running back who had accounted for a combined 45 touchdowns this season. “Next Man Up” isn’t enough if the next man isn’t as good as the one that’s down.
Reinhardt defense shuts down ailing Tech

#4 ST. FRANCIS came back from a 0-20 second quarter deficit to beat #5 Morningside 42-35 Justin Green rushed for 296 yards for the winners.
Saint Francis rallies from 20-point deficit to take down Morningside in NAIA quarterfinal


SEMI-FINAL MATCH-UPS

EASTERN OREGON 10-2 (368-268) ranked #9 / lost to College of Idaho 7-20 and Montana Tech 24-37 / Post Season record: 2-0 (Championships: 0)
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BAKER (Kan.) 13-0 (655-246) ranked #2 / 15-15 (0)


REINHARDT (Ga.) 13-0 (692-151) ranked #3 / 2-1 (0)
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SAINT FRANCIS (Ind.) 11-1 (521-216) ranked #4 / lost to Marian 21-35 / 25-15 (0)

Comments: Somebody's going to win a first-ever title. Baker and Reinhardt are both averaging 50 points per game. I love the two trains coming toward each other type of match-up.

 

[SWC75]

NCAA Division III

THE SWEET 16

MARY HARDIN- BAYLOR defeated Linfield 27-10. The “Crw”, (Crusaders) game up an early field goal, then scored 27 unanswered points before giving up a late score on a punt return.
UMHB tops Linfield 27-10 to advance to National Quarterfinals

WHEATON used a 17 point fourth quarter to put away North Central 31-14 in a game characterized by lengthy drives. It avenged their only regular season loss.
Wheaton defeats rival North Central 31-14 in a NCAA Second Round matchup

New-time power WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER crushed old-time power Wittenberg, (the winningest school of the 1960’s and 70’s and inner of two of the first three DIII championships), 37-9. The Warhawks out-gained the Tigers, 486-258, forced 3 turnovers and controlled the ball for 38 minutes. They gave up a field goal on the opening drive and then scored 309 unanswered points.
Warhawks Advance to Quarterfinals Behind Complete Performance

JOHN CARROLL, conqueror of Mount Union, defeated Wesley 20-17 in double overtime to earn them a shot at the division’s other super-power, Wisconsin-Whitewater. The Blue Streaks really dominated the contest, outgaining the Wolverines, 380-170 but were stymied by 4 turnovers. Wesley managed a 47 yard field goal in OT after two sacks but couldn’t keep John Carroll out of the end zone. Freshman Anthony Moeglin overcame 4 interceptions, one a pick six, to hit the winner, his third TD pass, from 14 yards out to his tight end, Anthony Leonetti.
John Carroll Moves On To Quarterfinals With Thrilling Double OT Win

ST. THOMAS had no problem with Coe, blowing them away 55-6, which was the score after three quarters. They rolled up 605 yards, 263 on the ground and 342 through the air. The Tommies are looking to establish themselves as the division’s third super power. They are the only team other than Mount Union or Wisconsin Whitewater to play for the title since 2005, having lost to Mount Union twice, including 35-49 in last year’s final. The Tommies have won their first two games in there tournament by a combined 98-6.
Tommies start fast, race past Kohawks

WISCONSIN-OSHKOSH beat St. John’s of Minnesota 31-14 to advance to the Elite 8 against St. Thomas. They dominated the yardage, including 332 yards on the ground, 198 and 3 TDs from Dylan Hecker. Their one loss was to Whitewater, 14-17.
Titans Return To Quarterfinal Round Of NCAA Championship

Defending champion and original division superpower MOUNT UNION seems to to be spinning its wheels just a bit. After roaring through the first nine games outscoring their opponents by a Mount Union-like 464-66, (52-7), lost to John Carroll 28-31, beat Hobart 38-21 and scrapped by johns Hopkins 28-21 after coming back from a 7-21 deficit. So they may be more vulnerable than usual.
Mount Union Rallies Past Johns Hopkins, 28-21, in NCAA 2nd Round


They will next face ALFRED, who defeated Western New England 30-24. A strip-sack at the Saxon 11 sealed the win, despite 331 yards passing from WNE.
Saxons hold on to beat WNE in NCAA second-round thriller


THE ELITE EIGHT (Quarterfinals)

WHEATON (Ill.) 11-1 (429-166) ranked #13 / lost to North Central 25-35 / Post Season record:14-10 (Championships: 0)
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MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR (Tx) 12-0 (590-174) ranked #1 / 29-14 (0)

JOHN CARROLL (Ohio) 11-1 (426-153) ranked #6 / lost to Wisconsin-Oshkosh 14-33 / 7-4
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WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER 12-0 (442-177) ranked #2 / 48-8 (6)

WISCONSIN-OSHKOSH 11-1 (492-147) ranked #4 / lost to Wisconsin-Whitewater 14-17 / 7-2 (0)
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St. THOMAS (Minn) 12-0 (581-126) ranked #3 / 18-9 (0)

MOUNT UNION (Ohio) 11-1 (558-139) ranked #7 / lost to John Carroll 28-31 / 92-14 (12)
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ALFRED (NY) 12-0 (439-242) ranked #14 / 4-3 (0)

Comment: Can we avoid another Mount Union-Whitewater final? They did it last year by bracketing them so they would meet in the semis. Not so this year. Mount Union seems to have slipped a bit late in the season. St. Thomas has been coming on like gangbusters. Mary Hardin Baylor has been a perennial contender who seems to have their best-ever team this year. How about the Crew vs. the Tommies for all the marbles?

 

[SWC75]

NCAA Division II

SWEET SIXTEEN

It looked good early for Indiana (Pa.) against Pennsylvania Conference rival CALIFORNIA (Pa.). In a game that must have looked a lot like Syracuse’s game against South Florida. The Indians bolted out to a 17-0 lead seven seconds into the second quarter only to have the Vulcans, (yes, the Vulcans – they were named that long before Star Trek – this is coal mining country), out-score them 44-6 the rest of the way for a 44-23 final. Quarterback Michael Kier threw for four touchdowns to give him a total of 39 on the season.
Cal U advances with victory over IUP, 44-23

SHEPHERD easily beat LIU-CW Post 40-21, rolling to a 26-7 halftime lead. The Rams outgained the Pioneers 591-288.
Shepherd Football Advances with Win over LIU Post

Things also looked good for UNC Pembroke when they recovered a fumble in the NORTH ALABAMA end zone to take a 17-10 lead midway through the second quarter. But the Lions roared and scored the remaining 31 points of the game to win 41-17. “The Lions totaled more than 260 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers in the second half to fuel the lopsided final.”
No. 12 Football Falls At No. 3 North Alabama In NCAA Playoffs

NORTH GREENVLLE built up a 35-7 halftime lead and then held off a Tuskegee comeback to win 45-26. Ahead 35-20, They held on downs on their own 12 and then got a 51 yard TD pass to clinch the game.
North Greenville surges past Tuskegee

“Emporia State walked into Bearcat Stadium looking like a team poised to end NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE’S school record 26-game winning streak. The Hornets were coming off an impressive 33-point, first-round victory. The Bearcats are a different animal. Northwest quickly showed Emporia State it was in playoff mode, scoring 17 points in the first quarter. That start carried the Bearcats to an easy 44-13 victory.”
Bearcats roll to playoff victory over Hornets

HARDING rallied from a 14-24 deficit with ten minutes left in the game to beat Sioux Falls 27-24 in overtime. Tristan Parsley kicked a 47 yarder to send the game into overtime, the longest field goal he’d ever hit by 11 yards and then, after an interception stifled Sioux Falls, hit the winner from 35 yards in OT.
Harding vs Sioux Falls - DII Football

GRAND VALLEY STATE used a 17-23 first period to take control of their game against Texas A&M Commerce and then traded scores the rest of the way, finally pulling away to a 55-32 win. The Lakers rushed for 287 yards and passed for 311 for a total of 598. Marty carter rushed for 217 yards and Bart Williams threw four touchdown passes.
#2 GVSU Claims 55-32 Playoff Win Over #8 Texas A&M-Commerce

A long drive followed by an interception allowed FERRIS STATE to score twice on Colorado Mines in the final minute of the first half to take a 24-10 lead. Then they clinched a 38-17 win with a 63 yard fourth quarter TD pass. It was a passing duel as the Bulldogs threw for 392 yards and Mines countered with 363.
Ferris State Advances To Third Round Of NCAA Playoffs For First Time Since 1995


ELITE EIGHT match-ups

SHEPHERD (WVa) 12-0 (487-212) ranked #4 / 13-13 (0)
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CALIFORNIA (Pa) 11-0 (565-159) ranked #8 / 10-7 (0)

NORTH GREENVILLE (SC) 9-4 (431-312) unranked / lost to Newberry 28-29, UNC Pembroke 35-49, The Citadel 14-38 and North Alabama 21-52/ 4-1 (0)
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NORTH ALABAMA 9-1 (405-147) ranked #3 / lost to Jacksonville State 12-31 / 33-17 (3)

NORTHWEST MISSOURI 12-0 (583-157) ranked #1 / 44-15 (5)
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HARDING (Ark) 13-0 (533-178) ranked #9 / 3-5 (0)

FERRIS STATE (Mich) 11-2 (496-286) ranked #14 / lost to Ashland 31-39 and Grand Valley State 23-35 / 8-7 (0)
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GRAND VALLEY STATE (Mich) 12-0 (492-226) ranked #2 / 46-14 (4)

Comment: Defending champ Northwest Missouri looks very strong but so do Cal (Pa), North Alabama, who won three straight tiles in this division in the 90s and Grand Valley, who twice beat NWMS for the title a decade ago. (2002-03 but the Bearcats reversed that result in 2009. Harding doesn’t look like a push-over, either.

 

[SWC75]

NCAA FCS

FIRST ROUND

SAN DIEGO (Not San Diego State) avenged their only regular season defeat by beating Cal Poly 35-21. They survived a late pick 6 to do so. Jonah Hodges ran for 171 yards and three scores and caught 7 passes for 37 more yards.
San Diego vs Cal Poly - FCS Football

VILLANOVA’S Zach Bednarczyk threw three touchdown passes in 8 minutes to give the Wildcats a 31-7 halftime lead over St. Francis. They held on to win 31-21.
St. Francis (Pa.) vs Villanova - FCS Football

YOUNGSTOWN STATE had a similar run: 24 points in 19 minutes from the last minute of the first half to the first three minutes of the fourth quarter- to take the exact same lead: 31-7 and down Samford 38-24.
Samford vs Youngstown St. - FCS Football

WOFFORD used a safety and two interceptions by Devin Watson to beat Charleston Southern 15-14.
Charleston So. vs Wofford - FCS Football

CHATTANOOGA crushed Weber State 45-14 using long drives and a 99 yard fumble return to build up a 31-0 third quarter lead.
Weber State vs Chattanooga - FCS Football

Lehigh proved no match for NEW HAMPSHIRE, who ran away with a 64-21 verdict. The Wildcats rushed for 364 yards, led by Dalton Crossan’s 184 yards and 2 TDs while quarterback Adam Reese was passing for 273 yards and 3scores.
Lehigh vs New Hampshire - FCS Football

RICHMOND had no trouble with North Carolina A&T, beating them 39-10 behind Kevin john’s 315 yard passing day and four takeaways.
N.C. A&T vs Richmond - FCS Football

CENTRAL ARKANSAS rode a 24 point fourth quarter to subdue Illinois State, 31-24. Ten tackles for loss and two forced fumbles plus a suddenly awaken passing game fueled the comeback.
Illinois State vs Central Ark. - FCS Football


SWEET 16

SAN DIEGO 10-1 (421-142) ranked #25 / lost to Cal Poly 16-38 / 1-2 (0)
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NORTH DAKOTA STATE 10-1 (310-188) ranked #3 / lost to South Dakota State 17-19 / 53-13 (13)

VILLANOVA 9-3 (310-185) ranked #11 / lost to Pittsburgh 7-28, Richmond 0-23 and James Madison 7-20/ 14-12-1 (1)
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SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 8-3 (411-312) ranked #7 / lost to Texas Christian 41-59, Cal Poly 31-38 and Illinois State 21-38 / 3-6

SAMFORD 8-4 (445-313) ranked #24 / lost to Chattanooga 21-41, Mississippi State 41-56, The Citadel 34-37 and East Tennessee State 14-17 / 3-5 (0)
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JACKSONVILLE STATE 10-1 (347-179) ranked #2 / lost to Louisiana State 13-34 / 3-6 (0)

WOFFORD 9-3 (335-206) ranked #19 / lost to Mississippi 13-38, Samford 26-28 and The Citadel 21-24 / 8-10 (0)
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THE CITADEL 10-1 (314-229) ranked #6 / lost to North Carolina 7-41 / 2-5 (0)

CHATTANOOGA 9-3 (409-214) ranked #9 / lost to The Citadel 14-22, Wofford 28-36 and Alabama 3-31 / 8-10 (0)
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SAM HOUSTON STATE 11-0 (596-285) ranked #1 / 20-11-1 (1)

NEW HAMPSHIRE 8-4 (349-261) ranked #21 / lost to San Diego State 0-31, Dartmouth 21-22, James Madison 39-42 and Albany 25-36 / 13-17 (0)
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JAMES MADISON 10-1 (525-258) ranked #5 / lost to North Carolina 28-56 / 9-11 (1)

RICHMOND 9-3 (374-266) ranked #12 / lost to Stony Brook 14-42, James Madison 43-47 and William and Mary 13-34 / 15-10-1 (1)
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NORTH DAKOTA 9-2 (331-237) ranked #8 / lost to Stony Brook 9-13 and Bowling Green 26-27 / 19-13 (1)

CENTRAL ARKANSAS 10-2 (416-251) ranked #16 / lost to Samford 29-35 and Sam Houston State 23-59 / 16-16-2 (3)
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EASTERN WASHINGTON 10-1 (486-317) ranked #4 / lost to North Dakota State 44-50 / 15-11 (1)

Comments: Can any of these teams stop North Dakota State from winning a 6th straight title? Maybe. San Diego has a pretty strong point differential (38-13 vs. 28-17 for the Bison), and the Toreros avenged their only defeat. Villanova, Sam Houston State, James Madison, Richmond and Eastern Washington have all won titles, (although the BearKats won theirs in the NAIA back in the 60’s). So has ancient rival North Dakota, although theirs was in Division 2. The Fighting Sioux would love to be the ones to beat the Bison, more than can be described. So would another old rival, South Dakota State. But the Bison always seem to play their best football of the season in the playoffs.