2014 Around the Nation columns

December 23, 2014 2014 year in review There were many memorable moments from the 2014 season. We can't possibly cover them all, but we'll hit the high points from coast to coast and you can suggest the rest.

November 20, 2014 Playoff picks, surprises, disappointments Around the Nation has assembled a team of prognosticators for an annual look at who might surprise and disappoint us in the 32-team playoff.

November 13, 2014 Playing to perfection in the MAC Delaware Valley and Widener have been building to this point all season. This weekend there are bragging rights, a rivalry trophy, the conference title and playoff seedings all on the line.

November 9, 2014 Snap judgments: Finding parity Ryan Tipps thinks parity arises from other teams following the examples of top teams, finding the coaches and the recruits that best fit in with each school’s academic and athletic philosophies and, lastly, stepping up to meet the new challenges.

November 6, 2014 From slumping to surging With two weeks of football left to play in the regular season, some names that may not be so familiar to football fans around the country are in the postseason discussion.

November 2, 2014 Snap judgments: A week with plenty of surprises By this point in the season, our expectations for each team are pretty solidly grounded. Upsets will continue to happen, of course, and that’s why everyone everywhere should continue paying close attention.

October 29, 2014 The Empire 8: The conference where all 9 can beat you So far, Brockport State has beaten Hartwick, who beat Alfred, who beat Buffalo State, who beat Frostburg State, who beat Ithaca, who beat Salisbury, who beat St. John Fisher, who beat Utica, who beat Brockport State. Such is the state of the Empire 8.

October 26, 2014 Snap judgments: An interesting week It’s particularly exciting to see how conferences can still get shaken up this late in the season. People have built so many expectations by this point that much is assumed going into game day, and yet, things still go haywire.

October 23, 2014 Finding a freshman phenom When a freshman steps on campus, he could be the next Nate Kmic, or he could be gone before the end of two-a-days. Most fall somewhere in between, and Ryan Tipps talks to a couple of them in the latest Around the Nation column.

October 19, 2014 Snap judgments: Finding clarity We found out some things about how the NJAC race will play out, as well as the ODAC and HCAC. And while there are more than a few games of importance left in the MIAC, we got the beginnings of the answer there as well.

October 16, 2014 Distance no deterrent to Mighty Mikey, Merchant Marine The Mariners' football team 'adopted' a young cancer patient a few years ago, and although young Mikey Weinstein is no longer in the New York area, his fight still inspires the team and the team still brings Mikey joy.

October 12, 2014 Snap judgments: Putting the -ack in ODAC You can tell when someone doesn't know Division III, because they pronounce the ODAC as O-D-A-C. But if anyone needed a reminder of the pronunciation, they got it this week, when the ODAC was all out of whack.

October 9, 2014 Re-ranking the conferences for 2014 Keith McMillan ranked conferences for years for D3football.com. This is Ryan Tipps' first crack at it. What do you think?

October 5, 2014 Snap judgments: Where's the dropoff in Division III? Saturday's loss by St. John Fisher and losses earlier this season by Bethel and North Central serve as a reminder that the gap between the haves and the almost-haves in Division III is hard to cross. More in Ryan Tipps' Snap Judgments.

October 2, 2014 It’s the size of the fight in the dog This past week, Maranatha Baptist had to cancel a game because it didn't have enough players. And they're not the only teams getting by with short rosters.

September 28, 2014 Snap judgments: Signature wins come in upsets St. John's and UW-Stevens Point took center stage for their upset victories, but Christopher Newport had a great Saturday night as well.

September 25, 2014 The phrase that stays From DePauw Never Quits to Wabash Always Fights to Every Man a Lute, some Division III schools identify with a phrase that has lasted through the years. Ryan Tipps takes a look at some of those in Around the Nation.

September 21, 2014 Snap judgments: Taking a new look at the poll positioning The perception seems to be that at about Week 3, most Top 25 voters do major teardowns and rebuilding of their ballots. Ryan Tipps points out that this past Saturday’s games do a good job of reminding voters why it might be time to do so.

September 17, 2014 Startups come back for seconds The three teams that started up Division III football programs last season are now in the midst of Year Two, and they don't play so much like freshmen any more.

September 14, 2014 Snap judgments: These underdogs brought some bite There were some near-upsets on Saturday, but in the end, almost all of the higher-ranked teams came out on top.

September 11, 2014 Monarch linebacker forced to follow his heart Forced from the middle of the action to a supporting role on the sidelines, Methodist linebacker Bryan Bing learned a lot about the game, and himself.

September 7, 2014 Snap judgments: Right/wrong foot There are two ways to start the season -- with a win, or a loss. Now, not every win necessarily puts you off on the right foot, but it certainly helps.

September 2, 2014 Division III football: A gentleman's game Hampden-Sydney and Wabash, two all-male schools, are squaring off in football this weekend for the first time. As we simultaneously pass the baton to a new Around the Nation columnist, Ryan Tipps introduces the Gentlemen's Classic, and himself as well.

March 3, 2014 Analyzing the NJAC and E8's big moves Wesley and its Capital Athletic Conference brethren join forces with five New Jersey schools to form a power conference, while the Empire 8 becomes the New York nine. What does this mean for playoffs, schedules and travel, and why did it happen? Keith McMillan explains, in Around the Nation: