Division III football playoff coverage

December 21, 2010 Wrapping up Stagg Bowl, 2010 season Stagg Bowl XXXVIII crew Keith, Pat and Frank Rossi take a look back at the Stagg Bowl, hand out the season's individual awards and give their wishes for 2011 in the final Around the Nation podcast.

December 18, 2010 Changing of the guard? With two wins in a row and three in the past four seasons, UW-Whitewater has wrestled the mantle away from Mount Union, says Keith McMillan.

December 18, 2010 Coppage carries UWW to Stagg Bowl repeat Levell Coppage ran for 299 yards and three touchdowns for the Warhawks in a 31-21 win, giving UW-Whitewater another Walnut and Bronze.

December 17, 2010 New faces in Salem The teams, uniforms and colors don't change but that doesn't mean the Stagg Bowl isn't new for some. Mount Union and UW-Whitewater have plenty of players making their first trip and first start in Salem.

December 16, 2010 Who will play quarterback? Both teams come into Stagg Bowl XXXVIII with a key question not quite answered. Will it be Lee Brekke or Matt Blanchard for the Warhawks? Neal Seaman or Matt Piloto for the Purple Raiders?

December 14, 2010 See you in Salem! With all due apologies to Franklin and St. John's, the best tailgate in recent years has been in Salem. What's in store?

December 12, 2010 Around the Nation Podcast Boring? So there's been a lack of variety in Salem the past six years. But you cannot say the games have been boring. More on that, Saturday's semifinals and the Salem experience. Click to listen.

December 11, 2010 Warhawk defense locks up Salem trip Jared Kiesow had two interceptions and UW-Whitewater picked off five passes as the Warhawks locked down Wesley in a 27-7 win.

December 11, 2010 Mount Union takes familiar road to Salem Without its starting quarterback (haven't we heard that before?) Mount Union defeated Bethel in Saturday's semifinal to punch yet another ticket to the Stagg Bowl.

December 11, 2010 Warhawk defense locks up Salem trip Jared Kiesow had two interceptions and UW-Whitewater picked off five passes as the Warhawks locked down Wesley in a 27-7 win.

December 10, 2010 Three takes on two games The Triple Take crew has the stage for one final week -- next week, we include guest pundits -- and makes its call on the familiar foes for the semifinals. Plus, Pat and Keith pick identical scores? Read on.

December 10, 2010 Playing with backups Although UW-Whitewater is relatively famously playing without its No. 1 quarterback, Wesley has suffered perhaps more than its fair share of injuries. But the 2's have stepped right in. A Road to Salem feature.

December 9, 2010 2010 All-Region Teams A record 815 players were nominated and 228 were chosen for the D3football.com 2010 All-Region teams. They're a prelude to our All-American teams, which come out Dec. 18 in Salem.

December 9, 2010 Ballhawking Warhawks finding big plays The UW-Whitewater defense doesn't necessarily emphasize generating turnovers. But it's been a big part of their success in the playoffs.

December 9, 2010 A dream defensive season Bethel doesn't have a defensive lineman over 240 pounds but is ninth in Division III against the run. How? More in a Road to Salem feature.

December 8, 2010 Shorts sees what's ahead For seniors such as Mount Union receiver Cecil Shorts, the end of the line is looming. Whether his D-III career ends this week or next week, he wants his younger teammates to feel the urgency.

December 4, 2010 Familiar faces in football's final four Wesley defeated Mary Hardin-Baylor 19-9 in the fifth NCAA playoff meeting between the teams. The Wolverines will host defending national champions UW-Whitewater next week.

December 4, 2010 Still on track for Purple Bowl VI The NCAA put a little wrinkle into this year's bracket, but UW-Whitewater passed the test and Mount Union avoided it.

December 3, 2010 Alfred next for the challenge Mount Union poses a considerably tougher challenge than Cortland State did, but Alfred coach Dave Murray said the mindset must stay the same.

December 3, 2010 The rematch When Bethel and St. Thomas met on Oct. 23, it never crossed our mind they'd be doing it again for a berth in the semifinals. A preview of the all-MIAC quarterfinal.

December 2, 2010 Carrying the load UW-Whitewater All-American running back Levell Coppage has been slowed at times this season, but with the Warhawks' No. 1 quarterback out, Coppage has been stellar in the playoffs.

December 2, 2010 Wesley, UMHB meet again After a year off, the two South Region powerhouses meet for the rubber match of the five-game series, with a trip to the semifinals in the balance.

December 1, 2010 Gagliardi Trophy has its final four Four Division III football players will head to Salem, Va., where we will all find out which of them is the winner of the the Gagliardi Trophy.

December 1, 2010 Finally comfortable For a guy who's been a key part of the Mount Union defensive line for years, Lambert Budzinski is only now getting accustomed to his position. That's bad news for anyone going against him.

December 1, 2010 Who is North Central? If it seems like North Central has less of an identity than it has in previous years, you aren't necessarily mistaken. The Cardinals are racking up fewer individual numbers to focus on depth.

November 27, 2010 St. Thomas, Linfield wage epic battle The Tommies threw four interceptions in five possessions but got the last takeaway in a 24-17 double-overtime win.

November 26, 2010 Second round has big showdowns The rankings suggest these two games should take place in December, not November. But the bracket brings Top 10 teams together this weekend.

November 26, 2010 Wheaton, Bethel meet again Bethel lost in devastating fashion last September. Wheaton knows that either meeting could have gone either way. So the rematch features a lot of respect between two evenly matched teams..

November 25, 2010 At least he's got his health Many people are thankful for their health this time of year, but for a football player, being healthy in Week 13 is no laughing matter. For Cortland quarterback Dan Pitcher, it's downright rare.

November 24, 2010 Trine heading where it wants to go So the Thunder have won a first-round game for the second year in a row. But if Trine wants to be the next UW-Whitewater (and don't most playoff teams?) it will need to take that next step.

November 23, 2010 For winning defenses, challenge looms Delaware Valley, Thomas More and Montclair State each shut down successful offenses in the first round, but it gets much tougher for each in Round 2 on Saturday.

November 18, 2010 Playoff picks, surprises, disappointments Keith, Pat and the crew tackle the tough questions: Who will overachieve and underachieve in this year's bracket? Who will meet in the national semifinals? More in Around the Nation.

November 17, 2010 2010 NCAA Playoffs: Mount Union Bracket

November 17, 2010 2010 NCAA Playoffs: North Central Bracket

November 17, 2010 2010 NCAA Playoffs: St. Thomas Bracket

November 17, 2010 2010 NCAA Playoffs: Wesley Bracket

November 16, 2010 Just a small-town boy Four of the quarterbacks in the Division III playoffs come from little towns, where the population wouldn't fill a D-III stadium.

November 12, 2010 The last of the waiting It's going to be an uncomfortable day on the bubble for a bunch of teams. Who will get the last at-large bids? We'll find out between 3:15 and 3:30 p.m. ET.