D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast

Listen, this podcast is fun to put together and we think and hope that it is informative, but we are always trying to do more. So this week, since we've finally had some games played, we're adding a couple of new wrinkles to the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. First of all, since this season the at-large bids and the seedings are basically all going to be done by computers, we figured we'd better get you all ready for that, so we've invited back our Math Correspondent, Logan Hansen. In his Football Analytics 3:01 segment, he's going to spend exactly 3 minutes, 1 second of your time talking about who is key in the running for those top eight spots in the new NCAA Power Index, that thing we call NPI. We'll tell you more about what that means. He'll also spotlight some of the big games -- key leverage games and games that will shape the playoff picture. When you ask Patrick and Greg what the most shocking result was from Week 1 and they both say the same thing, that says a lot. It's a quick run through the top games from this past week, plus the implications and some of the history. 1999 game story from D3football.com; Johns Hopkins rallies from 17 down to beat F&M We also hand out game balls to the top performers, pick out the stats of the week, and run through region by region to get some of the other stories you might have missed. And since that didn't seem to be enough, Greg and Patrick have to pick one more region to tell one more story about on the fly. At a roll of the dice, you never know what they might end up talking about -- even a JV game? Plus we chat with Calvin head coach Trent Figg, just minutes after his team defeated Oberlin in dominating fashion in the program's first-ever football game. There's that and so much more in this week's podcast, so give it a listen! The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007. New episodes are published weekly during the season.

We had to wait an extra week longer than just about everyone else, but we are here to get you ready for Week 1 with our preview podcast. Patrick and Greg will talk about the big games nationally in this week's pod, but also about the biggest games in Region 1 all the way through Region 6. Plus, as you may know, tech is going to play a bigger role in the 2024 Division III football season, and not just in the ways we've already talked about. In addition, the Centennial Conference is instituting replay review for its football games, and regardless of how well you think that might work with a typical Division III broadcast, we're here to tell you that yes, it's a good thing. Peter Gallagher, the head coach at Ursinus, joins us to talk about that and the challenges of competing in a league dominated by Johns Hopkins and Muhlenberg, as well as getting to learn a whole new set of teams from the New Jersey Athletic Conference, and more. We answer all the big questions, such as, why exactly did we not start with games this week? What's the best Twitter/X handle for a Division III football head coach? Who really really needs a W in Region 1? Who is going to take snaps for Aurora this week? (Nobody really knows that answer yet, actually.) What low-key big game is under the radar a bit in Region 3? Is Calvin actually favored in its first-ever Division III varsity football game? And is anyone not in the mix for the SCIAC title? Sometimes it's hard to get hold of coaches at this time of year, but we are super grateful to get two of them to take time out of their busy jobs and chat with us about how camp is going in their first head coaching jobs. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007. New episodes are published weekly during the season.

Division III schools are having some hot fun in the summertime, as training camp is in full swing, and for a number of Division III head coaches, they are running camp for the first time. This is true for schools from Vermont to New Jersey to Pennsylvania to Virginia to Mississippi to Wisconsin to Texas to Minnesota and beyond. Sometimes it's hard to get hold of coaches at this time of year, but we are super grateful to get two of them to take time out of their busy jobs and chat with us about how camp is going in their first head coaching jobs. We talk with Bethel coach Mike McElroy literally during one of those hot, humid, weekday morning practices as he takes over from legendary Royals head coach Steve Johnson. And Hampden-Sydney coach Vince Luvara joins us as well, stepping in for Tigers' all-time wins leader Marty Favret. In addition, we chat with Tate Journell, a cornerback-wide receiver at Wooster who spent his offseason ... playing baseball? He tells us his story in this edition of the podcast. Plus, if you're new to Division III football, we'll start off this podcast with a little primer about how things work and what to expect come playoff time. And we also pick a half-dozen sleeper teams -- all of them teams ranked outside our Top 25 (and the extremely similar coaches Top 25 that came out this week), but whom we expect to make noise this season. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007. New episodes are published weekly during the season.

There's a bunch of serious business being done by Division III quarterbacks this offseason, as nearly four dozen of them have joined up to raise money to fight cancer as Quarterbacks vs. Cancer. There's also some light-hearted work being done by Division III football coaches, as two of them in the NJAC have joined up to fight food insecurity and battle out the proper name of a popular breakfast meat. And one more thing: The Commonwealth Coast Conference has selected a new name. They're announcing it on Aug. 1, but we found it on a website and at the 18:45 mark of this podcast we will tell you the new name. Seriously. Kudos to the sleuthiness of Dave McHugh. Quarterbacks vs. Cancer is an organization helmed by Alma quarterback Carter St. John, who thought he might only raise a few hundred dollars to support a local area cancer center, but that was just the beginning. He's joined by UW-Whitewater quarterback Jason Ceniti, Concordia-Moorhead quarterback Cooper Mattern and Carthage quarterback Bryce Lowe, plus another 40 additional Division III signal-callers. St. John, Ceniti, Mattern and Lowe join us for a great conversation. And then there's the Breakfast Bowl -- it's the brainchild of Montclair State head coach Mike Palazzo, who was looking for a way to create a rivalry game for his team and Rowan, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. And he hit upon a breakfast meat, and if you don't know the Jersey rivalry over the name Taylor Ham or Pork Roll ... listen to this podcast. We'll get you caught up! Patrick and Greg talk about their preseason Top 25 ballots, plus we take two mailbag questions, so make sure you hear them both, and talk about the latest conference shuffle. That's not a repeat from last month's show. We had another. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007. New episodes are published monthly in the offseason.

Hey, we get it -- you don't like to think about math during the summer. If you're taking a class during the summer, it's probably not math-related, rather some elective. But unfortunately, the math is now going to be just as important in Division III football as it was in the BCS days in Division I. We know. That's not encouraging. And maybe we can't be encouraging about it, at least not the way it's currently set up, but we can sure as heck talk about it and try to explain about it. That's why we've brought back in our math correspondent, Logan Hansen of @loghanratings, to talk about what the new NPI -- the NCAA Power Index -- the new math -- means for the Division III football playoffs and selection format. We'll talk about how many years the NCAA folks tested this formula on, and we'll talk about how many they should have tested it on, and what Logan found when he went back further. We also talk with Delaware Valley football coach Mike Isgro, a former Aggie player under Duke Greco and assistant coach under Greco who now goes on to replace him. We talk about the long conference winning streak, where the opportunities for improvement are for the Aggies and more. And we also chat with Jessica Huntley, founding commissioner of the Atlantic East Conference. No, this isn't another conference looking to take an automatic bid, but something even more interesting to talk about -- the growth of women's flag football and how much growth we might expect to see at the Division III level in the near future. It's a great conversation about a way schools can look to help manage their enrollment as things get tight out there in higher education, and expand the country's most popular sport in a new venue and new format. Plus we take THREE mailbag questions, so make sure you stick around to hear them all, and talk about some of the latest coaching changes and conference shuffles.

It's not often that we've had to call a coach back the next day and ask follow-up questions, but when news broke less than 24 hours after we talked with Berry coach Tony Kunczewski, we knew we had to get his take on his team getting Randolph-Macon added to its schedule. For Berry, it's one season after a 9-1 season with a low strength of schedule ended in disappointment -- Kunczewski talks about that, about the watch party his team had last November, and how they are channeling that disappointing end in 2024. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by GameStrat, the folks with the experience to help you get your sideline video replay solution up and running for this fall. They've been at this for more than a decade and can get you that edge on your opposition in 2024 with their experience, their expertise, resources for uncovering best practices and more. Mention the offer code D3FB24 to get $100 off a team's order of our sideline replay solution. We also talk with Augustana coach Stephen Bell, coming off his team's 8-2 regular season finish. And while the Culver's Isthmus Bowl might have been a disappointment for the Vikings, it's still a big step up for a program which hasn't made the playoffs since 2005, but still holds the unbroken record of four consecutive Division III football national championships. And since football schedules are almost entirely out and announced, Patrick and Greg went through the games that are in and each picked one game each week to spotlight and talk about. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

When Crawfordsville and Greencastle, Indiana, found themselves beneath a total eclipse last week, it turned out to be a great time to combine a rare celestial event with a chance to talk with the coaches in one of Division III football’s top rivalries. In the case of DePauw, that’s Brett Dietz, whose team has won […]

What's next? That's a great question this time of year, and we tackle that big question in a few ways in our January podcast, the first one of 2024. Cortland, now the reigning and defending national champs, says what's next is turning the page, but before they do, we sit down with Red Dragons head coach Curt Fitzpatrick to reflect on a great (the greatest?) Stagg Bowl, and the aftermath, while talking about recruiting and the transfer portal and what his program is looking for for next season. We ask what's next of Brad Spencer and North Central football. Spencer reflects on the play call that left his team out of the end zone on a two-point conversion with 80 seconds left in the game, then getting his players back in the meeting room on campus recently to talk about what happens between now and spring ball? Something else that's definitely "next" in Division III is new programs taking the field, and the Roanoke Maroons will do so in a limited way this fall, and a more formal way in 2025. Patrick and Greg sit down with new Roanoke head coach Bryan Stinespring and his defensive coordinator, Mike Giancola, as they start the daunting task of taking a football program from an idea on paper to a unit on the field, one which will play on the same field the Stagg Bowl was just played on. Plus, what's next in the Division III football playoffs? We talk about that drive for 40 teams. Patrick and Greg discuss that and more in this edition of the podcast. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

We wrap up another season, here on the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. Perhaps not as well as the Cortland defense wrapped up Luke Lehnen on the two-point conversion attempt pictured here on the page, but we try. Was this the best Stagg Bowl ever? We've only seen about half of them in person, but our crew does its best to answer that question. Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas are joined by Keith McMillan, Ryan Tipps, and Frank Rossi and James Baker of In the Huddle. Plus, Cortland sports information director Fran Elia, a podcast superfan, stops by to chat, and we talk with and congratulate Cortland football fans who were getting a bite to eat and a cold beverage at the famous Mac and Bob's in Salem, Virginia. Our crew hands out game balls, and talk about the unsung big plays of the game. Calling a time out? Sure. Fourth-down scramble? Definitely. Is this a changing of the guard? Great question. Will the Stagg Bowl return to Salem at some point after this? We discussed it before, but after the game, maybe things seem different. Plus, Patrick has some news as to the order of quarterbacks the next time awards are handed out. You'll want to hear, complainers. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. The crew discusses, in this edition of the podcast. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

It's great to be back in Salem covering a Stagg Bowl, and Patrick and Greg and Frank Rossi are here to preview Stagg Bowl with North Central and Cortland. For North Central, it's the fourth time in a row they've been to a Stagg Bowl, and in four different places, so how does their experience stack up? For Cortland, it's the first Stagg Bowl, but does their experience playing the Cortaca Jug game in Yankee Stadium help this group prepare? From Cortland, we talk with coach Curt Fitzpatrick, quarterback Zac Boyes, linebacker John Whiney and wide receiver Cole Burgess. And from the North Central side, we chat with coach Brad Spencer, quarterback Luke Lehnen, left tackle Jeske Maples, safety Julian Bell and wide receiver DeAngelo Hardy. Will the Stagg Bowl return to Salem at some point after this? We discuss. Plus, we generally expect a high-scoring game, but how high? Over or under 94.5 points? Who will be the most prolific quarterback-to-receiver combo? More over-unders, listener questions, and the rest in our Stagg Bowl preview podcast.

Just as we expected -- one amazing national semifinal and one blowout. Never mind that people generally thought it would be the other way around -- not our predictions, by the way, which did not have North Central winning in a blowout. We talk through the Cortland win against Randolph-Macon, hear the reactions of players Cole Burgess and Jack Winey as told to Keith McMillan, talk about what we learned and whether Saturday's defensive performance by the Red Dragons is enough to suggest they can slow down North Central. We also talk through the implications of the North Central's narrow win, talk through the exciting plays that had the Cardinals on the ropes and the key defensive stops and big offensive plays which won the day. We also talk with quarterback Luke Lehnen about the experience of playing in the cold and wind, on the road, in a big game, and his sense of calm even as the Cardinals were struggling to move the ball. Plus, let's be honest. It's Stagg Bowl L. 50. FIFTY. And it's back in Salem, Virginia. That requires a special tribute, and Patrick Coleman is glad to provide. Scroll down for lyrics because they fly by pretty fast. Plus, our listener questions: What do you suggest we do in Salem? We'll give our insight there plus tackle some other questions, as well as talk about who the loudest fans are and what else is coming up this week on D3football.com This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas discuss, in this edition of the podcast.

Yep, that's correct. You see the colors above, and nary a Purple Power to be found. No more UW-Whitewater, no Mount Union, and of course, none of those other prominent purple powerhouses that failed to make the field. Instead, you've got the familiar red of North Central, plus Cortland as actual Red Dragons, along with the Yellow Jackets of Randolph-Macon and the orange of Wartburg. These teams got here through a pretty fantastic quarterfinal round, and Patrick and Greg talk about it all. We sit down with DeAngelo Hardy of North Central after his amazing day where he filled the stat sheet in ways you wouldn't imagine possible in one person. Keith McMillan makes another return to the podcast and chats with Mitchell Johnson and Nick Hale, two of the four key running backs for Randolph-Macon. Zac Boyes talks about finding his receiver wide open on a key play that broke the Cortland game at Alma wide open, and Wartburg's Hunter Clasen talks about catching the game-winning touchdown pass against UW-Whitewater. Plus, our listener question: What does each team need to do defensively this week in order to succeed? This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas discuss, in this edition of the podcast.

We used to do this preview podcasts all the time, before life and day jobs interfered. But it's great to get back in the saddle, and do some longer interviews in this edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. Founding co-host Keith McMillan sits down for an in-depth conversation with Randolph-Macon coach Pedro Arruza as his team gets ready to take on Johns Hopkins in the quarterfinals. Arruza's career as a head coach at Randolph-Macon has now reached 20 seasons, and that's something considering he almost didn't get past year No. 3. Keith and Pedro talk about that, plus what drove Arruza to become a head coach, and much more. Patrick Coleman sits down with Alma quarterback Carter St. John. Yes, he joined us for Fast Five in 345 and talked about the final drive at Mount Union, but this is a new conversation about how St. John came to Alma rather than backing up a D-III quarterback you have definitely heard of at another school in the region. Plus, how far the kilt wearing has spread on the team, and whether a name like Carter St. John really lends itself to a fine clothing line. (Psst, it does.) We also chat with Curt Fitzpatrick, who is bringing his Cortland team to Alma this upcoming weekend. You'll hear about the Red Dragons' unexpected itinerary, plus get an early look at how Cortland quarterback Zac Boyes compares to St. John. Fitzpatrick also talks about the difference between his team's two very different playoff performances so far in this bracket. And we wrap up our conversations with UW-Whitewater cornerback and Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist Egon Hein. He talks about playing for a new head coach and a new defensive coordinator, ones who are hardly new to the program at all, as well as what it's like to play in front of all those people at Perkins Stadium, preparing for the Nameless Gray Face on the opposing side this week, playing with his brother, and much more. Plus, Trevor Castle brought us a great question: How did North Central get to this dominant position, and who are the programs that are poised to make that next step themselves? This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas discuss, in this edition of the podcast. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas.

We can't say in any way, shape or form that we called it. But in podcast 343, we did identify Alma as a team that could challenge Mount Union. But when push comes to shove, no, Alma scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter to defeat Mount Union was not something any of us saw coming. The magnitude of the victory may not have sunk in yet for everyone at Alma. We catch up with Scots quarterback Carter St. John, who talks us through that final drive and the game-winning touchdown with 10 seconds left. We also talk about the reaction to the loss in Mount Union circles and whether people should circle the wagons around their head coach. Plus, has anyone ever scored 24 in the fourth quarter of an elimination game against Mount Union? Our crack research staff has the answer. How about another thrilling finish? That's what happened when Cortland went for two, then held on against a field goal attempt from Grove City in the closing seconds. Cortland was always going for two, and Red Dragons head coach Curt Fitzpatrick comes on to talk about it. Plus, it's still hard to believe that North Central has to travel to UW-La Crosse this week. It's just as unbelievable for North Central coach Brad Spencer, whose monologue about how we have to do better for student-athletes is well worth your time to listen to. Patrick and Greg talk about all eight second-round games, and take your questions in this edition of the podcast. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. We also hand out game balls and spotlight the key stats in the bracket. Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas discuss, in this edition of the podcast.

In our first week of playoffs, the teams that should have been hosting went and won on the road anyway, and while we only had a couple of games go down to the final possession, those were certainly thrilling, memorable games. Endicott gets so close to winning a playoff game once again. Susquehanna almost avoided […]

Oh man. Back in 2011, Patrick wrote a piece on Selection Sunday morning with the headline "Two-loss teams need not apply," essentially calling out the NCAA football committee for not even considering two-loss teams in previous years and wondering if that would change. It did change. It changed that season and in multiple seasons which followed. As the seasons have progressed, getting comfortable that a strong SOS would be rewarded has led teams to schedule some really top-quality non-conference games. This year, we're back in the bad-ol' days, it seems like. And when you ask for an explanation as to how the criteria were applied, the only answer seems to be that there aren't enough at-large bids. We know this. Thanks. That puts a damper on what otherwise is not a terrible bracket. Unless you like competitive balance. Unless you like the criteria to actually be used to determine who gets to have home games and who should be traveling. Sometimes there's a common opponent result that should be consulted. Patrick and Greg try to understand why, and we also answer a number of listener questions. What teams do we think can actually win the national championship? How would we try to work within the current system to get more at-large bids? That and more, plus, Whitworth coach Rod Sandberg joins us for our Fast Five interview to talk about his team's last-minute win at Linfield. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. Plus, we hand out game balls and spotlight the key stories in each region. Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas discuss, in this edition of the podcast. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

If you were are hoping your team can get some help in getting into the NCAA playoffs as an at-large team, we got so close to being able to give you what you wanted on Saturday. But in the end, a few places where teams were on the ropes turned out to be all about chalk and we'll all be holding our collective breath for another week of what should be epic games. Maybe, just maybe teams got some help when the status quo was preserved in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and River Falls didn't beat La Crosse and turn things into a potential mess. We chat with UWL coach Matt Janus and quarterback Keyser Helterbrand is our guest on Fast Five, talking about everything from playing behind a freshman backup center, to how he ended up at La Crosse in the first place and not some school closer to home. We hear from Mount Union coach Geoff Dartt after his team got a comfortable win against John Carroll. It was perhaps Mount Union's first big test of the year, and it didn't come until Week 10, but it was a test which they passed. And Cortland aced the Empire 8 final, with Cortland turning the tables on Brockport and making its own defensive presence known. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. Plus, we hand out game balls and spotlight the cool stats from Saturday and key stories in each region. Patrick gives us his take on the four at-large teams as the playoff picture stands right now. Greg predicts who will win the NJAC's Friday night finales, and we break down the potential five-way tiebreaker in that conference. Yes, there is math. And bacon. And ginsu knives. And more. Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas discuss, in this edition of the podcast.

The game between Johns Hopkins and Muhlenberg ended in a pretty epic way on Saturday. So did Belhaven’s unbeaten streak this season, at the hands of Maryville. And a 20-year long streak went by the wayside this weekend as well. Matt Mitchell talks about getting back onto the field at exactly the right time for […]

The season of regional rankings, mock brackets and things such as Pool C teams is upon us, and how better to get things started than by having a conversation with the chair of the Division III football championship committee? We start every year with burning questions, and Northwestern (Minn.) head coach Matt Moore was kind enough to sit down and chat with Pat Coleman on campus earlier this week and give the most honest and open answers possible, considering not a single ranking has been made. But when you wonder, what does "results against regionally ranked opponents" mean, and how is it used, well, the answer wasn't what we expected or what we had been told was reality by chairs in years and sports past. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. If you want to hear the answer to what happens when a team plays zero non-conference games, you'll get the best answer we can get so far this season here in this podcast. If you want to know whether the national committee would change a regional ranking if it doesn't line up or make sense with the others, you'll hear that answer as well. And if you want to know how important strength of schedule is, you can get no answer more clear than Moore's answer. Pat Coleman and Matt Moore talk, and Pat and Greg Thomas discuss, in this edition of the podcast. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

Greg Thomas starts off this podcast by quoting one of the famous philosophers of our time, and it is true about what point in the season we have reached. If you intend to play in the Stagg Bowl, just know that Week 8 is only the halfway point. In a week where our panel finally […]

UW-Whitewater and UW-River Falls met in another of the big battles that should determine who goes to the playoffs out of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, whether it's one, two or three teams. And even though one of the most decorated offensive players on the field was held in check -- not to mention off the field -- for the vast majority of the game, River Falls still had a shot at the end. We chat with UW-Whitewater coach Jace Rindahl about his team, his fired-up sideline demeanor, his decision to start going for two in the second quarter and more in this week's podcast. And Matt Walker of UW-River Falls talks about what's still there for his Falcons to accomplish. But there's more ... This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. It was a big week for dreams getting crushed just a little bit as well this week. Washington U. had designs on getting into the D3football.com Top 25 (they were already ranked in the coaches poll) but fell at home to Augustana. Carleton fans were looking for a little respect up at St. John's after a 5-0 start. And King's took down Lebanon Valley, which had been riding high ever since Week 1 against Franklin & Marshall. Plus, who got a game ball out of the CCIW? And the NESCAC? What were the interesting stats of the week, and who was having fun in Region 1, pulling through in Region 2, what's to see in the 3, who's looking for more in the 4, showin' some drive in the 5 and got something to fix in the 6? Plus, how are the Top 25 voters looking at Hardin-Simmons? Patrick and Greg tackle that and more in this week's podcast. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

It seems there can be little doubt that Division III football is at its best on a Saturday afternoon when the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is playing its conference games. They might draw 20,000-plus fans, they might go to double overtime, but whatever the weekend, it always seems at least one or two of the games is going to be entertaining, if not epic. But Division III is also at its best when it is forward-looking and innovative. When a university for the Deaf and hard of hearing can work with AT&T on a project to help level the playing field for a team that finds it hard to call plays. We ask Gallaudet coach Chuck Goldstein about how well the new 5G helmet worked for his team in their win against Hilbert, plus we talk about much more in the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. Yes, UW-La Crosse came away with a great win at UW-Whitewater, shaking off a losing streak to the Warhawks that had reached 19 games. We talk about the Eagles' new wrinkles on offense and their quality defensive performance as well. Plus, Ithaca finally won a Liberty League game at RPI, and we hear from Ithaca quarterback A.J. Wingfield about that. And we look at the strange way that the Hardin-Simmons at McMurry game came to an end. We also hand out game balls, pick out our stats of the week, answer reader questions, predict winners for some of next week's games and highlight the big ones coming up in Week 7. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

W is for Wartburg. W is for Wolverines. And W is for winning. The connection is purely alphabetical, but we know that the top teams had some big wins on Saturday, one for a bell that is little, and made of brass; one that is against a key conference rival; and one that was on the road after a big turnaround. Berry had Trinity on the ropes before the Tigers' defense recovered in the second half. They had us looking super closely in the first half, not gonna lie. But Trinity came out with the win. Wartburg was down at home before scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns to win. Grove City, of course, held off rival Washington & Jefferson to win on Saturday as well, getting the Wolverines to a 5-0 start for the first time since ... when? We ask Grove City coach Andrew DiDonato about it, plus we talk about much more in the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. North Central put up some incredible numbers on offense on Saturday in beating Wheaton in the Little Brass Bell game, and we'll detail exactly how dominant Cardinals quarterback Luke Lehnen and his colleagues were. Plus, who was having fun in the 1, pulling through in the 2, out to sea in the 3, the score in the 4, lookin' alive in the 5 and in the mix in the 6. Plus, if you saw a couple of close games on Saturday and were concerned, know that you weren't alone, and we'll talk you through which results to be concerned about and which to let go. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

It's not often the outcome of a single game can turn perceptions in Division III on their head, especially a game in September. But last Friday night, Endicott not only defeated No. 5 Hardin-Simmons, the Gulls defeated the Cowboys soundly. And Pat was there to witness, interview and report. Did Hardin-Simmons losing their starting quarterback and their All-Region linebacker make a difference? What did we see on the ground in Beverly, Massachusetts? Pat gives his analysis here, first, in the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. Check out what Pat called the most spine-tingling thing he has witnessed in 25 years at D3football.com. And hear some of the unique things that go on in postgame speeches and celebrations in the locker room after games, both at Endicott and Tufts, which defeated Bates on Saturday night. Plus we look at Augsburg's Hail Mary win, Grove City's blow struck in the PAC, and hand out game balls. When is the first woman to play a position other than kicker not the first woman to play a position other than kicker? We talk about the woman who played cornerback two weeks ago. There's that and so much more crammed into this 70 minutes. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

This week didn't feature five games between Top 25 teams, but as we've known for years in Division III football, that doesn't make it any less thrilling. Out of 116 games, you're going to see a little bit of everything, such as a game where three touchdowns were scored in the final 60 seconds. A walk-off field goal for a Top 25 upset. A 0-3 team ranked in the Top 25 (first time for everything). Game balls handed out to players who did a little of everything, or who were the team's go-to guy in the closing moments. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, the licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. Last week we talked about the latest 6-foot-4, 245-pound running back -- well, how about a 300-pounder taking a fake punt to the house? Plus, who's getting it done in the 1, feeling blue in the 2, running free in the 3 and much more. We answer reader questions, put Pat and Greg on the spot and more in this podcast covering Division III football's Week 3 games. Plus, we mention every team listed in the tags at the bottom of the page. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

It was a fun night for Trinity (Texas) fans in San Antonio, and the same for fans of Eastern on a rainy night in Philadelphia. Oberlin got a losing streak out of the way, King's looks good at 2-0, Susquehanna got a win off of the Brockport bullpen, and UW-Whitewater followed a Week 1 statement with a Week 2 statement. Yes, Trinity got over the hump of beating Mary Hardin-Baylor for the first time in more than two decades. Is that enough to make the Tigers the program to beat in Texas? We convened a panel of experts to talk about that and more from the Tigers' 35-16 win. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by d3photography.com, officially licensed photography bureau contracted by D3sports.com. Plus we hand out game balls to two performances which took place in the same state, talk about the latest 6-foot-4, 245-pound running back, see a different set of Tigers come roaring back, talk about a matchup with a little bit of buzz. We answer reader questions, put Pat and Greg on the spot and more in this podcast covering Division III football's Week 1 games. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

It really does seem as though the 2023 Division III football season is going to be just like the 2022 version. But with even more games between ranked teams, more nailbiting, more magic. Johnnie Magic up in Collegeville? Perhaps, if you're a fan. If you're Trinity (Texas) coach Jerheme Urban, you may come from a different mindset. He gives his perspective on the sequence events at the end of that game at St. John's in our Fast Five interview segment. Plus you'll hear from people on the St. John's side about the big win, and also coach Larry Harmon from Mary Hardin-Baylor and Matt Walker from UW-River Falls about the shocking, blowout manner in which that game went down. In addition, we hear from Johns Hopkins quarterback Bay Harvey after his team's win against Ithaca. Thanks to Riley Zayas of True to the Cru and Frank Rossi of In the Huddle for some bonus audio this week. In addition, we hand out our Game Balls, pull out our stats of the week, answer reader questions, put Greg on the spot and more in this podcast covering Division III football's Week 1 games. The D3football.com podcast is a weekly in-season podcast by Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas, which was started in 2007.

The 2023 Division III football season is upon us, kicking off on Thursday night, Aug. 31. Birmingham-Southern is one of those teams kicking off on Thursday, and the fact that B-SC is here at all is something to celebrate. The school nearly closed this past summer and still faces sever funding issues, but is here […]

Teams are in training camps, and if you’re new to Division III football, or awaking from a long slumber, this is a good time to get caught up. Because if you’re coming to Division III for the first time, as a Division I FBS fan, just know that this is not the same. D-III is […]

Nobody at the American Southwest Conference is talking on the record — heck, there basically is nobody at the American Southwest Conference since they showed their commissioner the door, and two more schools left their all-sports membership not all that long ago. This is desperate times calling for desperate measures for the ASC, and if […]

We welcome Jace Rindahl of UW-Whitewater, the new 36-year-old head coach who was playing linebacker for the Warhawks so recently that he was the 2008 D3football.com Defensive Player of the Year. The Warhawks men's basketball team made a surprising run to the D-III Final Four. We also welcome John Carroll coach Jeff Behrman. (Mount Union's men's basketball team made it to the Final Four, but coach Geoff Dartt again declined an interview request, so we'll represent the OAC with its next-best men's basketball team.) And Paul Crowley of Christopher Newport joins us as well after the CNU men won the D-III national title and the CNU women won their national semifinal and will play for the national title on Saturday, April 1. Rindahl has spent 16 of the past 18 years in the Whitewater football program, and he comes into his first year as head coach with a schedule that is just simply loaded, starting with John Carroll. He talks with us about what kind of head coach he'll be, how the program feels after their surprising first-round playoff loss to Aurora, and how they intend to handle each new opponent in that gauntlet. Behrman is a John Carroll grad just returning to the institution after a quarter-century, and he talks about what the university has to sell to recruits, how much he'll change the scheme, whether he'll be able to bring some stability to a program that is on its third head coach in three seasons, and how much Mount Union footage he has watched so far. And Crowley talks about the great gameday atmosphere at his institution, some of last year's early growing pains in his first year as a head coach and what kind of kids he is looking to recruit to get his program back in the conference title conversation. Plus, Pat and Greg talk about the fact that D-III seems to keep losing programs and what that means for the SCIAC (divisions?) and the SAA (expansion?). Pat puts Greg on the spot and gets a conference ranking for the SCAC, whenever it is able to get all of its programs on the field.

This upcoming 2023 football season will have just four at-large bids. It's getting harder and harder to make the NCAA Division III football playoffs as an at-large team, there's no denying it. Before it gets even worse, this is the time that Division III administrators need to recognize the issues and act on them. Is the answer to expand the playoffs beyond 32 teams, into a sixth week? Where does this week come from? Or is the answer to raise the bar, so that a conference needs seven or eight teams to get a football automatic bid instead of the current ludicrous six? We surveyed Division III football head coaches for their opinions. And we convened a roundtable of Division III experts to talk through the issues and tell us what needs to be done next.

And just like that, the 2022 season, arguably the greatest season in NCAA Division III football history, is in the books. But before the podcast goes into offseason mode and becomes a monthly show, we do what we always do at the end of the season -- discuss, debate if necessary, and determine the D3football.com final awards: D3football.com Offensive Player of the Year, D3football.com Defensive Player of the Year, D3football.com Coach of the Year. Some of these debates were quick, while others took some time, but listen and find out why we landed on who we did. Plus, of course, you get our team's reaction to results of Stagg Bowl XLIX: a game in which North Central scored the first 21 points and then had to hold on as Mount Union came charging back. And you get to find out what Keith McMillan wants to be known as going forward, and what our holiday wish list is for next season and beyond/ Pat Coleman, Greg Thomas, former co-host Keith McMillan and guest Frank Rossi of In the D3FB Huddle talk through it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

The Stagg Bowl comes around holiday time and really is the most wonderful time of the year. It's the time when you can't duck questions any longer, and we talk with both head coaches and offensive and defensive players on both teams in this Stagg Bowl preview podcast. On the air with us: Mount Union head coach Geoff Dartt, wide receiver Wayne Ruby and linebacker Mason McMillen; plus North Central coach Brad Spencer, running back Ethan Greenfield, quarterback Luke Lehnen and cornerback Antwain Walker. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16. Pat Coleman, Greg Thomas and guest Frank Rossi of In the D3FB Huddle talk through it all, give their predictions on not just who will win, but a couple of key stats as well. Plus, Pat breaks some news in the first 90 seconds of the podcast, plus he takes a few minutes to tell exactly why Stagg Bowl season is the most wonderful time of the year. You won't want to miss it! This is the second of three podcasts to come this week. The following one will drop on Saturday morning and give our breakdown of the game, plus our rationale as to why we chose whomever we end up choosing as our Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

It's No. 1 vs. No. 2, just as everyone expected, as North Central and Mount Union advance to play in Stagg Bowl XLIX in Annapolis. While this is a rematch of teams that played in the second round in 2019, then in the semifinals the next season (2021), this particular rematch turns the tables. 2022 Division III football playoff bracket It's unusual not just in that it's the first one being played outside of Alliance, Ohio. It's also now a flipping of the old paradigm. Suddenly it's North Central, playing in the Stagg Bowl for the third consecutive time, that is the program with all the Stagg Bowl experience, while Mount Union hasn't played in the game since 2018, and hasn't won it since 2017. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16. We sit down for a long postgame conversation with North Central's Brad Spencer after his team's win against Mary Hardin-Baylor. And we don't, or can't, with Mount Union's Geoff Dartt. We certainly try, and we try multiple times a year, and we'll talk more about that. Meanwhile, we'll hear from the Mount Union coach and players solely via the team's postgame news conference. Plus, we take reader questions, one from a reader who isn't satisfied merely to have his team win, but questions why people didn't pick North Central to win by more. (The answer is simple, and we'll give it to you on the podcast.) And another prompts a good discussion of which games on North Central's and Mount Union's schedule provide the best opportunity to gain insight on how this week's game will be played. This is the first of three podcasts to come this week. The next will drop Friday morning and preview the Stagg Bowl, and the following one will drop on Saturday morning and give our breakdown of the game, plus our rationale as to why we chose whomever we end up choosing as our Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 12 are the four teams left in contention for a trip to Annapolis, Maryland, for Stagg Bowl XLIX. Mary Hardin-Baylor took down Bethel with a fourth-quarter surge, while Mount Union eased past Delaware Valley, North Central trounced Ithaca and Wartburg did the same to Aurora. The key story at Wartburg? Just the mere fact that Nile McLaughlin was in the lineup at quarterback for the Knights. For Mary Hardin-Baylor, it was KJ Miller's 65-yard touchdown catch and run. We'll hear him talk a little about that. We hear from North Central's Luke Lehnen and Mount Union's Braxton Plunk as well after they quarterbacked their teams to victory. 2022 Division III football playoff bracket Pat and Greg give out their game balls, one on offense and one on defense, and you can learn more about the status of the big postseason awards that are coming in the next week, plus find out which players were on Pat and Greg's Gagliardi Trophy ballot. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16. Plus, the end of the season at Bethel and Delaware Valley also marks the end of careers for key players in this run. The end of the 2022 football season for the Royals leaves coach Steve Johnson feeling a little emotional, and Delaware Valley defensive back Blaine Netterman talks about having played with the Nobile brothers since sophomore year of high school, and the future of the Del Val program. Plus, what's the difference between rebuilding and reloading? How do those elite teams remain at that level? Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

The entertainment in the 2022 Division III playoff bracket continued into the second round, and then reverberated throughout social media on Sunday afternoon and evening. That’s when the Division III football world came to realize that Delaware Valley was given the nod to host the playoff game against Mount Union, then came to us for […]

We asked out loud how the Division III football playoff bracket could possibly live up to the 11-week regular season. Are you not entertained? Sure, every first round has its share of blowouts, and this one had four shutouts. But it also had ... dare we say, the biggest first-round upset since the Division III football playoffs expanded to five rounds? 2022 Division III football playoff bracket Yes. We dare say that. Aurora coach Don Beebe said his team wanted to get either Mount Union or UW-Whitewater and not only did the Spartans get what they asked for, they made good on it, upsetting UW-Whitewater 33-28. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16. Wartburg added to the first-round surprises, defeating UW-La Crosse 14-6 and helping knock the WIAC out of the postseason entirely in the first round for the first time since 2002. We chat with Knights head coach Chris Winter about the challenges faced, the defense that helped them face them, and the week ahead. Plus, you hear voices from around the bracket, including the coach in a kilt on the sidelines, the story of the kicker who recovered a fumbled kickoff and helped his team take the lead, the quarterback whose shoulder is the object of many questions. That and more. Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

The 2022 Division III playoff bracket is out, and we ask our usual questions: What did the committee get right here? What did they get wrong? Who got the toughest road to the Stagg Bowl? What are the best first round games, and what are the interesting things in this bracket that people might have missed? But of course, we can't have any of that conversation before we talk about the drama of the closing seconds that somehow got Mount Union the OAC's automatic bid, the moment when the ball boinked off of a Baldwin Wallace defender's helmet before settling into the hands of Wayne Ruby, who ran it into the end zone for the unlikeliest of game winners. Stick around to the end of the podcast to find out what happened in the postgame dogpile, and then what was supposed to happen at the end of the game ... but did not. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16. Meanwhile, we hear from a team making it to the playoffs for the first time -- no, not the surprise team. Or at least, not that surprise team. Ithaca coach Michael Toerper joins us for a Fast 5 and we also hear from Cortland coach Curt Fitzpatrick about what his team can take away from this loss as they regroup for the playoffs. Plus, questions about King's and Plymouth State, and apparently the WIAC is somehow overrated? Who would fare better against Delaware Valley, assuming the Aggies make it to the second round? And still six regions of wrapup, from fun in the 1 to the rest of the regions. Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

Sure, that might not be the sexiest title for a podcast episode, but it’s important. We got a good 45 minutes with the Division III football national committee chair, subjected him to our questions, and your questions. The ones submitted by readers are the ones in the graphic on this page, but we also asked what the point is of an alphabetical ranking, and does it seem right that 90.5% of the season passes before we get an actual ranking in the only poll that counts for playoff consideration? That’s J.J. Nekoloff, the associate commissioner of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. He’s been on the committee for three years, and worked to help organize 12 Stagg Bowls in Salem as part of the ODAC office. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16. If you’ve been paying close attention to Division III football and some of the selection committee processes in general for the past 10 years, one of these answers will come as a surprise to you. Plus, we go right off the top to ask how in the heck eight teams got ranked in Region 3, we talk about how much mock bracketing the committee does, we talk about the ways some regions rank primarily by winning percentage before all others, and much more. In addition, Pat and Greg look at some of the key pieces of this regional ranking, break down the playoffs chances of schools such as King’s, Hardin-Simmons and Alma and Albion.

Another week of thrilling games leaves us able to practically smell the NCAA Division III football playoffs. But while `nearly half of the 27 automatic bids to the 32-team playoff field have already been claimed, the at-large playoff picture seems clear as mud. Aside from UW-La Crosse, which should be as much of a shoo-in as there can be for an at-large bid if they win next week, it's hard to make a definite case for any particular at-large candidate. Pat and Greg run through the candidates as they stand today, and will revisit them this week. This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16. And one of those possible at-large candidates is the runner-up in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, where co-leaders Albion and Alma, both 9-0, will square off on Saturday. We go a Fast Five with Alma coach Jason Couch -- he's the one coaching in a kilt on the photo on this page, and his Scots live by the KILT philosophy, which Coach Couch will explain. Meanwhile, Greg gives his impressions of Mount Union, now that the Purple Raiders have finally played an opponent of note. Are we worried about Mary Hardin-Baylor's recent performance. Pat does an in-person visit as Keystone gets its first-ever home win and celebrates its first Senior Day (already?) and there's dancing in the sheets, if not the streets. Plus, how bad is Pat's voice this week, anyway? In addition, Pat and Greg hand out game balls, spotlight the unexpected in Stat of the Week, make guesses about Week 11 games and more. Fan question in the mailbag from @rgyfo: What’s the history on seeding for Pool C? Thinking team like UWL actually ranked higher than AQ from its conference. Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

This post was re-uploaded on Nov. 3 after a site crash. It was originally posted Oct. 31. Susquehanna stops the two-point conversion for the final time with 49 seconds remaining and the River Hawks defeat Johns Hopkins to really take control of the Centennial Conference standings for the first time. We talk about that game and coach Tom Perkovich stops by for a Fast Five minutes as we talk about that game, its importance, and its final scoring drive. And then the WIAC’s big three games all have dramatic finishes, and you’ll hear them all. How can this not be the most entertaining season of Division III football? Pat explains this take in a couple of different places in this week’s podcast. We’ve talked about this in a previous podcast, but what does a coach say after a player or a team has lost in a devastating way? Morrisville State coach Ed Raby had to figure that out for himself this week after his team’s loss to Utica, and he shared with us what his message to his team was. Plus, a stat of the week of zero, a first-ever mention of a Springfield wide receiver on our podcast, a game ball going to someone with two blocked kicks and a key pick, and more. In all, 62 schools merit serious mention in this week’s podcast. That includes a rundown of all the teams in each region who could clinch an automatic bid to the playoffs this week, either alone or with help. In addition, Pat and Greg hand out game balls, spotlight the unexpected in Stat of the Week, look ahead to Week 10 games and more. There’s a list in small type at the bottom of this page of all the teams that are talked about. Fan question in the mailbag from @D3FBHuddle: Where does this wkd’s Utica vs Morrisville controversial finish rank in the all time “controversial #d3fb game finishes” you’ve seen / covered over the past 20+ seasons? Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

Some things we can't seem to avoid talking about every week this season: The Cortaca Jug game in Yankee Stadium The University of Wisconsin-Platteville This week, Platteville made headlines again, and for the second week in a row, extremely positive headlines as the Pioneers shook up the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with a 17-14 win against then-No. 3 UW-Whitewater. What in the name of Dan Arnold is going on with this program? How did the Pioneers go from losing back-to-back games by an average of 40 points, to these two consecutive wins against River Falls and Whitewater? We've had these questions. We assume you've had these questions. So we ask these questions. We ask them of Ryan Munz, the Platteville head coach, who is our guest on Fast 5, plus maybe a couple of extra minutes at the top of the podcast. Plus, it's really time to dig into how the playoffs are set up in Division III football. If you're new to Division III, this is a must-listen. Even if you've been following for a few years, a refresher might be helpful and yes, some things have changed, even if they are small things. In all, 69 schools merit serious mention in this week's podcast. That includes the way in which Cortland beat Utica, how North Central handled Washington U., Austin College and Beloit breaking long losing streaks, not to mention Bowdoin pulling off an unexpected victory as well. In addition, Pat and Greg hand out game balls, spotlight the unexpected in Stat of the Week, make guesses about Week 9 games and more. There's a list in small type at the bottom of this page of all the teams that are talked about. Fan question in the mailbag from @mikey_shoultz: What team from the bottom 10 ranked conferences in your conference rankings has the best chance to win a playoff game? Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

We talk about all six regions, multiple times, in each D3football.com Around the Nation podcast, For example, this week, who's lookin' alive in Region 5? Ripon is lookin' quite alive as the Redhawks remain unbeaten here in what coach Ron Ernst has announced is his final season. The team is tied for first in the Midwest Conference after knocking off Lake Forest on Saturday, and Ernst joins us for a Fast 5 minutes to talk about the team, how it has come together, and whether anyone has presented him with a keepsake on this farewell tour through the Midwest Conference. Also from the 5, a stat of the week detailing exactly how dominant the North Central run game was this past weekend. Plus a little safety dancing from Dubuque's win at Coe, Concordia (Wis.) heading for a conference championship showdown, and more. How does UW-River Falls' loss at Platteville affect the playoff at-large bid picture? Greg Thomas just wrote about it last Thursday in Around the Nation and there will be more talk about it now. In all, 48 schools merit serious mention in this week's podcast. Who's getting it done in Region 1? Who's blue in the 2? What's the score in the 4? Who's tryin' to survive in the 5? Plus, who's in the mix in the 6, and what is the sound of 19,000 cats, anyway? In addition, Pat and Greg hand out game balls, spotlight the unexpected in Stat of the Week, make guesses about Week 8 games and more. There's a list in small type at the bottom of this page of all the teams that are talked about. Fan question in our mailbag from Jeff Seidel @seideljeff: Taking recent playoff success into account, dating back to 2018, how does JHU, Muhlenberg, Sus and Ursinus compare to the top 4 in other conferences? Especially since several 2018 kids are still playing at Hop? Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

Spoiled. We are just spoiled this season by the great games in Division III football. There's not much more we can say. The span on Saturday afternoon in which all three games pictured here: Birmingham-Southern at Trinity (Texas), UW-Oshkosh at UW-River Falls and Wartburg at Central each came down to its finish is something that should be remembered long into the cold and chill of the offseason. We are far from that, though, just a little of the way into October. Trinity survived with a great drive in the closing minute, and we talk with Tucker Horn, the Tigers quarterback, about his team's performance, the great play of receiver Carter Self, the new life around football at Trinity and more. In all, 49 schools merit serious mention in this week's podcast. Who's on the run in Region 1? Who's blue in the 2? Who's feeling sore in the 4? Seriously, what rivalry in the 4 is so intense that one school wouldn't even say the other's name ... and what happened when that team went up 21-6 on Saturday? Who's alive in the 5? And are they really alive, or just lookin' alive? Plus, who's getting their kicks in the 6, and what does it have to do with a goat? In addition, Pat and Greg hand out game balls, spotlight the unexpected in Stat of the Week, make guesses about Week 7 games and more. There's a list in small type at the bottom of this page of all the teams that are talked about. Fan question in our mailbag from James Baker @d3fbhuddle: I'll bite and direct this to the Minnesotan of the group. What's going on over at Carleton? They are NESCACian academics-wise, and they are 1 of 23 #d3fb (unbeaten) playoff eligible teams left in the nation. How'd they get here (and will they just get creamed in Weeks 9&10?) Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

Well, folks, Keith McMillan has had enough, and after 30 or so podcasts on the sidelines, with Greg Thomas co-hosting, he’s back and ready to throw down. Ready to throw down about the Top 25 poll, that is. Keith couldn’t understand why anyone would be voting for Mount Union No. 1 considering all the high-quality […]

Unexpected realizations that if Bethel had had its No. 1 quarterback healthy and won in Week 2 at UW-Platteville, perhaps we'd be in a position where someone might have given Bethel ... a No. 1 vote? Stranger things have happened. Or, well, things that are similarly strange have happened already. We had two big games to key on from Saturday, and one was a barnburner. The other ... well, it was just a team getting lit up. But we hear from players on the winning side of both games, including Bethel quarterback Jaran Roste, that aforementioned quarterback who severely dislocated his elbow in Week 1 and was on the field in Week 4. He talks us through the injury, his recovery, a key touchdown pass and more as we talk with him in our Fast 5 segment. Plus In The Huddle's Frank Rossi was in Abilene, Texas, for the Mary Hardin-Baylor win against Hardin-Simmons and he not only brings audio from Kyle King and Johnny Smith-Rider, he brings his first-hand eyewitness report. In addition, Pat and Greg hand out game balls, spotlight two interesting things from each region (as always), plus more. There's a list in small type at the bottom of this page of all the teams that are talked about. Fan question in our mailbag from Mike Shoultz @mikey_shoultz: Are we ranking the BEST TEAMS? Or the best RESUMES? We all know If Platteville, or Stout line it up against Albion, DePauw, Huntingdon they’re beating them by 7-21 points. While their records aren’t as good, they’re better teams. And if matched up that would be proven. (There's more in a second tweet from him as well.) Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

In a week where some of us didn't really expect any upsets, instead we got a couple of big ones, where Loras got two shots at a last-second field goal to beat Central, and Case throttled Washington & Jefferson's offense. Plus, two of this week's No. 1 votes went to unlikely places. Why did Hardin-Simmons get a No. 1 vote, and why does it not really actually matter? We talk with Albion coach Dustin Beurer after his team won handily at Rose-Hulman on Saturday to improve to 3-0. He tells us he had one big takeaway from last year's playoff loss to UW-La Crosse, and what his players had to do to get better, and it may not be what you would expect. He talks about that, the backup who is now leading them for the near future, and how he keeps the tradition of the Britons' 1994 national title alive for his players, in our Fast Five segment. Albion broke through into the Top 25 this week, but can the Britons break through and win a playoff game this year? Plus, are pass breakups the new assists? What actually happened at quarterback for Hobart in Week 2? Pat and Greg talk about key stories from each region. Look at the bottom of this page to see all the teams listed. That's who we talk about in this podcast, and probably more. Fan question in our mailbag from Brock Reisler @brockreisler: Is the ARC Wartburg’s league to lose now? Does yesterday’s Loras/Central say more about the Duhawks or Dutch? #d3fb Is this a breakthrough game for Loras? Or does this talk more about Central? Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

Most years it seems as though our first couple of weeks of the season are filled with top teams pasting teams that are clearly overmatched. And while we've still had some of that in 2022, this alternate reality/Bizarro world of D-III has been pretty fun. Both UW-Whitewater/Mary Hardin-Baylor and Trinity (Texas)/Wheaton (Ill.) lived up to their billing, and made for a great fan experience. Now, hey, why can't people watch the archived video of these games? We talk with UMHB coach Larry Harmon about what his team does with this Week 2 loss at Whitewater and how they channel it the rest of the season, plus Whitewater coach Kevin Bullis talks about the 180-degree turnaround of emotions between Week 1 and Week 2, plus the work his team put in this week to try to put the St. John's loss behind them. We also hear from UWW quarterback Evan Lewandowski and wide receiver Tyler Holte. But it's not just the top teams and it never has been. Pat and Greg talk about key stories from each region. Look at the bottom of this page to see all the teams listed. That's who we talk about in this podcast, and probably more. Fan question in our mailbag from @parentingonwhls: Are we going down the same old road with Ithaca again? (The one that starts 7-0?) Plus, you didn't think we were going to get through this podcast without talking about the donuts, right? We talk with the winning coach of the Glazer Bowl, because we were there. And wait, who's applying to Division II?

Yeah, this was a fun first week of the Division III football season, as we were treated to a Top Five showdown right out of the gate, another matchup of national semifinal teams and much more. We suppose it may not be so fun to be a UW-Whitewater fan or a Muhlenberg fan this week, but we'll hear from Warhawks coach Kevin Bullis about the team's commitment to tough scheduling, the mistakes they need to fix, and more in our Fast Five segment. Plus SJU quarterback Aaron Syverson returned and talked about what it was like to get that test early in the season, in front of a huge crowd. Fan question in our mailbag from @CL1974MN: "If sju wins its next two games is that enough to slot in at number one, or do they first have to cure cancer?" Plus, game balls returns, as does Stat of the Week and On the Spot. We talk about which teams are underrated and overrated, plus talk about the most interesting things region by region, including the person who gave Rowan a vote on their Top 25 ballot. And who had the worse weekend, the Ohio Athletic Conference or the USA South Athletic Conference? Plus. we talk about every single team that is tagged at the bottom of this post. That's right! The regular season is back! Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.