Playoffs! NCAA Division II

[SWC75]

Here is the field for the NCAA Division II playoffs, with the team name, the state they are in, (if it’s not already part of the name), the won-loss record, the points for and against, who they lost to, their ranking, their all time post season record, (including NAIA and other NCAA divisions and small college bowl games, and championships won. Division II runs a 24 team playoff with the top 8 teams getting byes the first week.

BLOOMSBURG of Pennsylvania, (10-1, 431-297). Lost to Shippensburg 42-49 on 10/27, (and now get a rematch). Rank: #10. All-time: 7-7. No titles.
Vs.
SHIPPENSBURG of Pennsylvania, (10-1, 537-267). Lost to Indiana (Pennsylvania) 10-41 on 11/10. Rank: #15. All-time: 2-4. No titles.

SHEPARD of West Virginia (8-2, 317-156). Lost to Shippensburg 28-38 on 9/1 and West Liberty 16-17 on 10/13. Rank: #25. All-time: 7-10. No titles.
Vs.
INDIANA (Pennsylvania) (10-1, 410-123). Lost to California (Pennsylvania) 24-26 on 9/22. Rank: #11. All-time: 16-15. No titles.

MIDWESTERN STATE of Texas (9-1, 411-248). Lost to Tarleton State 17-20 on 9/8 (and then won 9 in a row). Rank: #8. All-time: 2-5. No titles.
Vs.
INDIANAPOLIS of Indiana (9-2, 423-193). Lost to Ashland 14-37 on 8/30 and Western Illinois 17-27 on 9/8, (and then won 9 in a row). Rank: #18. All-time: 0-1. No titles.

WEST TEXAS A&M of Texas, (they were once a major college team as West Texas State- they once had Duane Thomas and Mercury Morris in the same backfield). (9-2, 456-219). Lost to Colorado State-Pueblo 34-44 on 8/30 and Midwestern State 48-52 on 11/3. Rank: #16. All-time: 6-5. No titles.
Vs.
CHADRON STATE of Nebraska (9-2, 376-247). Lost to Montana State 6-23 on 8/30 and Colorado State-Pueblo 38-45 on 10/6. Rank: #20. All-time: 4-10. No titles.

MILES of Alabama (8-2, 370-163). Lost to North Alabama 30-31 on 9/2. Lost to Tuskegee 17-27 on 11/3) Rank: #23. All-time: 0-0. No titles.
Vs.
WEST ALABAMA (8-3, 398-196) Lost to Samford 6-34 on 9/8, Midwestern State 27-42 on 10/4 and Abilene Christian 16-22 on 11/3.Unranked. All-time 4-6. NAIA D1 1971 (1).

FORT VALLEY STATE of Georgia, (8-3, 319-276), Lost to Valdosta State 14-62 on 9/8, Tuskegee 18-49 on 9/29 and 24-55 on 11/10, (they played them twice because it was a conference championship. Unranked. All-time: 1-8. No titles.
Vs.
LENOIR-RHYNE of North Carolina, (8-2, 367-164), Lost to Concord 21-24 on 9/1 and Carson-Newman 23-47 on 9/15. Unranked. All-time: 6-3. Titles: NAIA 1960 (1).

HARDING (9-1, 368-155) Lost to Northwest Missouri 10-38 on 10/13. Rank: #12. All-Time: 0-3. No titles.
Vs.
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE (9-2, 475-142) Lost to Central Missouri 21-31 on 9/8 and Missouri Western 20-21 on 11/10 Rank: #13. All-time: 34-13. Titles: NCAA DII: 1998, 1999, 2009 (3).

MINNESOTA-DULUTH (10-1, 503-224). Lost to St. Cloud State, 49-51 on 9/29. Rank: #7. All-time: 11-4. Titles: NCAA DII 2008, 2010 (2).
Vs.
MISSOURI WESTERN (10-1, 470-218). Lost to Missouri Southern 30-31 on 10/13. Rank:#9. All-time:: 4-3. No titles.

Byes:
ASHLAND of Ohio (11-0, 462-150). No losses. Rank: #4. All-time: 1-4. No titles.
NEW HAVEN of Connecticut (10-0, 407-137). No losses. Rank: #3. All-time: 8-5. No titles.
VALDOSTA STATE of Georgia (8-2, 415-207). Lost to Saginaw Valley State 24-28 and on 9/8 and West Alabama 28-39 on 9/22. Rank: #17. All-time: 15-9. Titles: NCAA DII 2004, 2007 (2).
CARSON-NEWMAN of Tennessee (8-2, 410-248). Lost to Newberry 22-47 on 9/22 and Wingate 24-33 on 9/27. Rank: #22. All-time: 38-19-1. Titles: NAIA DI 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989 (5).
WINSTON-SALEM of North Carolina (11-0, 463-158). No losses. Rank: #2. All-time 3-8. No titles.
MINNESOTA-MANKATO (11-0, 416-171). No losses. Rank: #5. All-time 2-5. No titles.
HENDERSON STATE of Arkansas (10-0, 533-188). No losses. Rank: #6. All-time: 3-3. No titles.
COLORADO STATE-PUEBLO (11-0, 425-208) No losses. Rank: #1. All-time: 0-2. No titles.

 

[SWC75]

FIRST ROUND

After barely nipping Bloomsburg 49-42 on a TD pass with 5 seconds to go during the regular season, the Shippensburg Red Raider used a 45 point second half to blow away Bloomsburg, 58-20. Quarterback Zach Zulli passed for 469 yards and three scores while running for another. He set all-time NCAA Division II records by accounting for 56 touchdowns in a season and 336 points. He passed for 53 touchdowns, including 9 in one game.

Indiana beat Shepard 27-17, losing a 14-7 halftime lead but coming back with 10 points in a row of their own to clinch it. It was not a game for passing as the teams combined to misfire on 30 of 38 passes and gain only 218 yards. The crimson Hawks won the ground battle, 203-154. They were the only team to rush for more than 110 against Shepherd this season. De’Antwan Williams rushed for 152 yards on 30 carries and scored a touchdown.

Indianapolis handled Midwestern State of Texas, 31-14. The game was only 7-0 at the half and two touchdowns by Keidrick Jackson actually gave Midwestern a 7-14 lead. But Indy couldn’t be stopped after that. “They just started pounding us and it wore us out” said Bob Maskill, the Midwestern coach. Matt Ripp ran for 144 yards and two scores for the winners.

West Texas A&M beat Chadron State 38-30 behind 235 yards rushing by tailback Khiry Robinson. The Buffs rushed for 311 yards and passed for 269 more but had to hold on to win. Dustin Vaughn passed for 269 yards and rushed for 72. Chadron had 331 yards passing.

West Alabama crushed Miles 41-7, rolling up 578 yards. Gary Johnston rushed for 154 yards and passed for 90 more. West Alabama leads the nation in pass defense and was 4th in total defense. “Offensively we have hit our stride over the last few weeks and have been extremely efficient…We are a 60 minute team that’s going to pound you as the game wears on”, said Coach Will Hall.

Lenoir Rhyne was a small college power back in the 50’s when people were starting to notice small college teams. They played for the NAIA title in 1959, 1960 and 1962 and won it the middle year. They are starting to make a name for themselves in this century with a 21-6 win over Fort Valley State. Isaiah Whitaker ran for 117 yards and two scores while Michael Green scored on a 100 yard interception return.

Perennial power Northwest Missouri had little trouble disposing of Harding, 35-0. Harding rushed for 304 yards but never dented the end zone. NWM was without it’s top two running backs but third string back Billy Creason became the first player to run for 100+ yards on Harding all season with 113 on 18 carries. The more balanced Bearcats got 212 yards passing and led 21-0 at the half.

In an amazing game, Missouri Western beat Minnesota Duluth, the 2008 and 2010 champs, 57-55 in three overtimes by surviving a two point conversion attempt. Chase Vogler, who had passed for 195 yards and run for 184 more for Duluth, tripped after taking the snap and went down in a very frustrated heap. The (MW) Griffons took a 14-3 first quarter lead, fell behind 14-20, took the lead back at 21-20, fell behind 21-28, tied it, fell behind again at 28-35 and tied it again at 35 to send it in to OT. It was that type of game. Travis Partridge passed for three scores and ran for four more for the winners.

 

[SWC75]

The field for the second round:

SHIPPENSBURG of Pennsylvania, (11-1, 595-287). Lost to Indiana (Pennsylvania) 10-41 on 11/10. Rank: #15. All-time: 3-4. No titles.
Vs.
WINSTON-SALEM of North Carolina (11-0, 463-158). No losses. Rank: #2. All-time 3-8. No titles.
The historically black colleges have not done well in the NCAA playoffs over the years and Shippensburg’s offense seems unstoppable. But maybe the Rams can reverse the trend.

INDIANA (Pennsylvania) (11-1, 437-140). Lost to California (Pennsylvania) 24-26 on 9/22. Rank: #11. All-time: 17-15. No titles.
Vs.
NEW HAVEN of Connecticut (10-0, 407-137). No losses. Rank: #3. All-time: 8-5. No titles.
Indiana has been to the post season many times and never broken through. New Haven has a strong record this year. I remember seeing them lose in the tile game some years back 0-51 to Northern Colorado. That has nothing to do with now but when you see something like that you wonder how strong their conference is- or isn’t- and how much to make of an undefeated record.

INDIANAPOLIS of Indiana (10-2, 454-207). Lost to Ashland 14-37 on 8/30 and Western Illinois 17-27 on 9/8, (and then won 10 in a row). Rank: #18. All-time: 1-1. No titles.
Vs.
COLORADO STATE-PUEBLO (11-0, 425-208) No losses. Rank: #1. All-time: 0-2. No titles.
Pueblo used to be Southern Colorado. They are ranked #1 but have never won a post-season game, which makes me a bit suspicious of them as a #1 team. Indy has been coming on and a upset is possible here.

WEST TEXAS A&M of Texas, (they were once a major college team as West Texas State- they once had Duane Thomas and Mercury Morris in the same backfield). (10-2, 494-239). Lost to Colorado State-Pueblo 34-44 on 8/30 and Midwestern State 48-52 on 11/3. Rank: #16. All-time: 7-5. No titles.
Vs.
ASHLAND of Ohio (11-0, 462-150). No losses. Rank: #4. All-time: 1-4. No titles.
Ashland is another undefeated team whose record I don’t completely trust, given their lack of historical success. They used to be a DIII team in the old days. I could see an upset here.

WEST ALABAMA (9-3, 439-203) Lost to Samford 6-34 on 9/8, Midwestern State 27-42 on 10/4 and Abilene Christian 16-22 on 11/3.Unranked. All-time 5-6. NAIA D1 1971 (1).
Vs.
VALDOSTA STATE of Georgia (8-2, 415-207). Lost to Saginaw Valley State 24-28 and on 9/8 and West Alabama 28-39 on 9/22. Rank: #17. All-time: 15-9. Titles: NCAA DII 2004, 2007 (2).
This one is a rematch of a game West Alabama won in September. Both teams have strong resumes but Valdosta State ahs had more tournament success and is ranked higher.

LENOIR-RHYNE of North Carolina, (9-2, 388-170), Lost to Concord 21-24 on 9/1 and Carson-Newman 23-47 on 9/15. Unranked. All-time: 7-3. Titles: NAIA 1960 (1).
At
CARSON-NEWMAN of Tennessee (8-2, 410-248). Lost to Newberry 22-47 on 9/22 and Wingate 24-33 on 9/27. Rank: #22. All-time: 38-19-1. Titles: NAIA DI 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989 (5).
Lenoir Rhyne did well back in the 50’s but Carson-Newman has done well ever since, with 5 NAIA titles and 38 post season wins. They also beat the Bears 47-23 in September and will be favored to do it again.

NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE (10-2, 510-142) Lost to Central Missouri 21-31 on 9/8 and Missouri Western 20-21 on 11/10 Rank: #13. All-time: 35-13. Titles: NCAA DII: 1998, 1999, 2009 (3).
Vs.
MINNESOTA-MANKATO (11-0, 416-171). No losses. Rank: #5. All-time 2-5. No titles.
The Bearcats have been the most consistently successful team in DII since the late 90’s. They’ve played for the title 50% of the time since 1998. Mankato is still another unbeaten team that’s never done much in the post season. I’ll be surprised if they hold serve here.

MISSOURI WESTERN (10-1, 527-273). Lost to Missouri Southern 30-31 on 10/13. Rank:#9. All-time:: 4-3. No titles.
Vs.
HENDERSON STATE of Arkansas (10-0, 533-188). No losses. Rank: #6. All-time: 3-3. No titles.
The six undefeated teams that got byes because of that goose-egg are 17-27 all time in the post season. It will be interesting to see if the teams that had to win a first round game will do better than the team that had to remain idle for two weeks. I’ve never thought much of byes or the advantage they are supposed to give.