Last week in this space we took a midseason glance at the 18 automatic qualifier conferences from which the NCAA selection committee draws 21 of its 28 playoff participants. Today, with an assist from Pat Coleman, we’ll look briefly at 24 schools who have a shot at securing those other seven postseason bids in what’s known as Pool B.

Most of the teams’ fates ride on big games down the stretch. They’re broken into three categories, according to our assessment of their chances, and listed alphabetically. D3football.com will release its own Pool B Power Rankings later this week to list the teams from top to bottom. For a playoff FAQ, click Playoff Info in the menu on the left-hand side of this page.

Legitimate contenders
Brockport State: The 5-1 Golden Eagles are a solid bet to get in with a win in their finale against Wesley. They’ll have a good strength of schedule (SOS) with Montclair State (35-13 loss), Ithaca (24-22 win) and Cortland State (17-14 win) on the slate.

Hartwick: The Hawks are 6-0, but have a tough stretch run, with games against RPI, Union and Muhlenberg. Two of those three are at home.

Hope: Lone loss came at I-AA Valaparaiso and win against Kalamazoo this week helps. Flying Dutchmen’s bid will be won or lost in MIAA games, especially on the road at Alma and Albion.

Linfield: The Wildcats were a No. 1 seed in last year’s playoffs, but dropped two in a row, against NAIA power Southern Oregon and PLU. They rebounded with a win over then-Top 20 Menlo. Linfield faces Whitworth and Willamette on consecutive November Saturdays.

Menlo: Solid scheduling gave the Oaks the opportunity to beat two Texas teams in McMurry and current No. 10 Hardin-Simmons. Injuries have hurt the squad, especially in consecutive losses to Linfield (30-27) and NAIA Azusa Pacific (23-12). Only eight Division III games, could finish with 7-1 record in those.

Pacific Lutheran: The Lutes (2-1 in Division III) had three of nine scheduled games against NAIA opponents. This could be a case where the committee considered out-of-division results, especially an upcoming game against the aforementioned Southern Oregon, but the finals from games against Whitworth (27-26 loss), Linfield (31-20 win) and Willamette (Oct. 27) should make the difference.

RPI: There’s an interesting situation at Rensselaer. The Engineers scheduled nine games and had their Sept. 15 game with Coast Guard canceled, leaving just eight. Brockport State made the field at 8-0 last season though. RPI is 4-0 after a 32-29 win against Union on Saturday, but still have 6-0 Hartwick and 5-1 Hobart left.

Thomas More: The Saints could go 10-0, which should earn them a bid. But beware, this team could be hurt by strength of schedule and opponents’ strength of schedule considerations. Excluding Anderson and Defiance (11-1 combined), the Saints’ other eight opponents are just 10-38 this year. Big remaining game is on Oct. 27 against current HCAC co-leader Defiance, and three of final four games are at home.

Washington & Jefferson: The No. 3 Presidents (6-0, 2-0 PAC) are close to a lock. They’ve handled their first six opponents, and should be heavily favored in each of their last four games. Plus they've got the coaches' poll vote of Mount Union head coach Larry Kehres, who never votes for himself unless it's after a Stagg Bowl win.

Whitworth: The Northwest Conference merry-go-round continues. Two years ago Pacific Lutheran and Willamette were cream of the crop. Last year it was Linfield. The Pirates, 4-0 with victories against the Lutes and Bearcats, face Linfield on Nov. 3.

So-so
Albion: The Britons (4-2, 1-0 MIAA) are one of the few two-loss teams still sporting playoff hopes, and that’s because one loss came to Division I-AA Butler. The Britons don’t have the best shot out there, but with a 29-19 win over Alma and wins over Kalamazoo and Hope in November, they could make the field.

Carnegie Mellon: The Tartans started out hot, suffering their first loss of the year to UAA rival Washington 17-7 this past week. They had a big Sept. 15 test at Bethany (W.Va.) canceled, a game they lost last year. They’ll finish with a decent SOS and their last four opponents are beatable. I would not be surprised to see CMU in the postseason.

Ithaca: The Bombers’ only blemish is a two-point loss to 5-1 Brockport State. They have games left with Cortland State, Buffalo State and Hobart, but finishing 8-1 against Division III opponents could get them in.

Redlands: Bulldogs single loss came to I-AA San Diego, and was only 21-12. Redlands has the best shot of any SCIAC team, but a canceled game at Whitworth would’ve helped a lot if they’d played and won. The conference hasn't put a team in the playoffs under the new format.

Union: The Dutchmen walloped Hobart 42-6 and lost 32-29 to RPI. They have Hartwick (6-0) and 2000 playoff participant ahead. With an Oct. 27 win over Hartwick, they’re a solid bet to get in.

Washington U.: Bears have played an ambitious schedule, but haven’t been overwhelming in their wins. A 28-3 loss to Trinity hurt, but they are 2-0 in UAA games. At 5-2, with both losses to Division III teams, they’ll need to win out for a strong case.

Wesley: The Wolverines opened with a solid win against Dixie Conference favorite Ferrum, then followed with the requisite loss to Rowan. Their toughest opponent left is Brockport State. They wouldn’t be easy to leave out of the field at 8-1.

Willamette: They’re just 3-3, but the 17-14 loss to Whitworth was their first in Division III. A canceled trip to UW-Stout leaves the Bearcats with seven D-III games. Wins over PLU (Oct. 27) and Linfield (Nov. 10) are imperative for consideration.

Unlikely
Bethany: A 35-7 loss to W&J Saturday and a lost opportunity in a canceled game against Carnegie Mellon hurt the Bison (5-1, 1-1 PAC). Not to mention a schedule that includes Gallaudet, Shenandoah and Newport News. 

Cal Lutheran: Wins against Muhlenberg (44-20) and NAIA Azusa Pacific (35-28) are promising, but they won’t mean much if the Kingsmen (4-1, 1-1 SCIAC) don’t beat Menlo on Saturday. Also have SCIAC games left with Occidental and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

Chicago: The Maroons started 4-0, and lost to Rochester just 25-20 last week. But they host Carnegie Mellon (4-1) before visiting Washington (5-2) and Bethany (5-1). Chicago’s playoff hopes are slim, but if they win the rest of their games, they deserve the spot they’ll earn.

Hobart: Probably the weakest of the three UCAA teams in contention, judging by their 42-6 loss to Union. The Statesmen, a 2000 playoff participant, have three of their final four on the road, including games at Ithaca and RPI.

Kalamazoo: Four out-of-conference wins were a lot easier than their five-game MIAA schedule. After loss to Hope, Hornets probably need to win out.

Occidental: A four-overtime win against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps was impressive, but a 54-20 loss to Menlo wasn’t. Tigers (3-1, 2-0 SCIAC) get visits in November from Cal Lutheran and Redlands. 

Mail Call
Last week’s column breaking down the races in the 18 automatic qualifier conferences was serious business to the teams involved. For football followers, it is just as much for fun. To keep folks interested, I decided to predict the conference winners.

It became a huge undertaking, involving more energy and effort than I had ever put into a single column before. I’ve had a fair grasp on the conferences around the country, but I went the extra length to do the research on each conference before making an educated guess at its eventual winner.

I get e-mail feedback regularly, a few a week, from all over the country. Last week’s column generated responses from the MAC, SCAC, IIAC, WIAC, ODAC and elsewhere. But when I picked Rowan to win the NJAC, the e-mail came in like never before.

Most of it was from irate Montclair State players and fans.

I’m from Jersey myself, so I’m well aware of how… well, blunt, my people can be. At times I appreciate the attitude, and I’m used to handling it.

I called the Profs "nearly unbeatable," and the rival Red Hawk contingent didn’t like that one bit. I’d analyzed numbers and talked to folks I know who follow NJAC football. The message I got was that Rowan was looking as strong as ever with a new offense and an exceptional quarterback in Tony Racioppi. Sources I trust swayed my pick.

I figured that the last game of the season would decide the NJAC title, and it still could. But I had to laugh at the number of people who thought they’d sent me original and clever taunts when Rowan dropped its first game 32-31 to NJAC rival Cortland State on Saturday.

My favorite was the one that told me to ‘get off Rowan’s [expletive].’

Being professional under such circumstances in an interesting tightrope walk. My first inclination is always to reply, and I usually do. I’m man enough to put my name to my picks and explain my reasoning to anyone willing to listen. But even I was shocked at how seriously I’m taken.

I won’t blanket the whole MSU community, for which I have nothing but respect. However, most of the folks that wrote me both before and after Rowan’s loss seemed seriously disturbed by the amount of attention Rowan gets. There was a laugh-at-you-after-you-fall quality to the e-mails I got Saturday evening. 

They made me smile. Only my people from Jersey.

I made a pick, and I may turn out to be wrong. That’s a loss I can deal with. If the Profs beat the Red Hawks on Nov. 10, I’m not sure I could say the same for my e-mail antagonists.

Around the Nation
Whitworth’s Pirates are swashbuckling their way through the Northwest Conference. When Billy Condon scored from 1 yard out with one minute left to give Whitworth a 17-14 victory against Willamette on Saturday, it marked several milestones for the unbeaten club.

Junior quarterback Scott Biglin engineered the fifth game-winning drive of his career. The Pirates improved to 4-0 for the first time since 1990, and it was their first win in Salem since 1988.

The most impressive — and dangerous — note: Whitworth needed second-half rallies in all of its wins.

It was another wild week in the WIAC, possibly the only conference as cluttered at the top as the Northwest. Four teams are now 2-1 in conference play, and the other four are 1-2.

That comes courtesy of Stevens Point, who dealt WIAC leader River Falls its first loss 12-7. Then-No. 24 ranked Eau Claire stunned No. 20 Stout 33-0. 23rd-ranked Whitewater had owned Platteville, until the Pioneers dished out a 27-26 win Saturday. It was the third consecutive WIAC game decided by three or less for the Warhawks. La Crosse, who had lost four in a row for the first time since 1963, snapped the losing streak at Oshkosh. It was the Eagles 16th consecutive win over the Titans.

Still no pick for the champion, by the way.

Publicity from Washington University dubs freshman defensive backs John Woock and Jon Kuerzi "Louisville Sluggers." The duo shares a first name, a position, a class and a hometown (Louisville). Oh, and they can play too. Woock has an interception, two pass breakups and nine tackles. Kuerzi has nine special teams tackles and a fumble recovery.

Allegheny sophomore quarterback Bubba Smith set two Gator records with 365 passing yards and six touchdowns in a 68-13 win against Kenyon. The latter tied an NCAC mark. And Smith has a famous name to boot.

Hardin-Simmons junior quarterback Dustin Proctor had the same exact passing numbers — 365 yards and six TD passes — in the Cowboys’ 49-26 win against Howard Payne. He added 17 carries for 85 rushing yards and now has 17 touchdown passes on the season.

Here’s why a quarterback always needs to stay sharp. Making his first start in 3½ years, Sewanee’s Knox Vanderpool guided the Tigers to a 21-14 SCAC win over Rhodes. The senior quarterback tossed his first career TD pass, a 65-yarder to Neko Jones, to give Sewanee a 21-7 lead en route to their first win in Memphis since 1983.

Games to Watch
Capital at No. 1 Mount Union
The Crusaders’ 5-1 (4-1 OAC) start is surprising, but nothing would be a bigger shocker than a win against the top-ranked Purple Raiders.

No. 4 Bridgewater at Emory & Henry
The Eagles are just 1-25-1 against the Wasps, perennial ODAC champions. And while Bridgewater gets all the press this year, the Wasps certainly want to play spoiler. They can also take control of the ODAC race, as both teams enter 2-0 in conference play. The Wasps beat the Eagles on a late touchdown pass to win 37-35 in 2000.

No. 5 Central at Wartburg
Wartburg suffered IIAC losses to Cornell and Coe, but they’re one of the few teams in the conference talented enough to defeat the unbeaten Dutch.

No. 8 Millikin at No. 9 Augustana
This battle is for the CCIW lead, and probably a playoff spot. Both are 6-0, 3-0 in conference contests.

Ohio Northern at No. 11 John Carroll 
Two upper-echelon regulars in the OAC battle for Pool C consideration. Each is 4-1 in the conference with the loss coming to Mount Union.

No. 14 Mary Hardin-Baylor at Howard Payne
Part two of the ASC title puzzle. Hardin-Simmons beat Howard Payne last week, but Mary Hardin-Baylor needs to stay unbeaten to remain in the chase.

No. 18 Ohio Wesleyan at No. 15 Wittenberg
Battling Bishops are 6-0 and 3-0 in the NCAC. Perennial Champion Tigers await the challenge. Teams have played since 1894, but Wittenberg is 9-3 since the first NCAC meeting in 1989. Winner takes lead in confernce and AQ race.

No. 22 St. Norbert at Grinnell
Green Knights can put the finishing touches on what should eventually be a Midwest Conferece championship.

No. 24 Centre at No. 23 Trinity (Texas)
Colonels (6-0, 3-0 SCAC) try to knock off Tigers, who have had a stronghold on the league. A Centre win reshapes the SCAC race, reviving DePauw and Millsaps’ life. Winner is frontrunner for SCAC AQ.

MacMurray at Aurora
Battle of unbeatens and serious contenders in the Illini-Badger. Like the Wasp-Eagle game in the ODAC, what some would call a defacto title game.

RPI at Hartwick
Unbeaten New York powerhouses face off in Oneonta. Win propels one to front of Pool B pack.

Cal Lutheran at Menlo
The Oaks are stumbling without quarterback Zamir Amin, dropping out of the Top 25 this week for the first time since their victory against Hardin-Simmons. Cal Lutheran is fighting for a Pool B bid. 

Oberlin at Kenyon
Both NCAC teams are winless; the Yeomen have yet another chance to snap the nation’s longest losing streak. Last week they lost 24-17 to Hiram.

Also keep an eye on: No. 19 Lycoming at Albright, Wilkes at Moravian, Hope at Alma, Coe at Buena Vista, Carnegie Mellon at Chicago, Allegheny at Frostburg State, Augsburg at Gustavus Adolphus, Ripon at Monmouth (Ill.), UW-Platteville at No. 17 UW-Eau Claire, UW-Whitewater at UW-La Crosse, UW-Stevens Point at UW-Oshkosh, UW-River Falls at UW-Stout.