By Keith McMillan
D3sports.com

Now that most teams have five or six games under their belts, we've reached the a point in the season where fans have started speculating about conference championships and NCAA playoff bids. And wouldn't Around the Nation be remiss if it didn't help you sort all of this out?

Don't forget that of the 28 playoff spots, 17 go to champions of automatic qualifier conferences (Pool A), seven go to the best of the non-AQ conferences and independents (Pool B) and three go to runners-up in AQ conferences (Pool C).

Here's a look at the championship prospects of teams in 28 conferences, followed by independents: 

Atlantic Central
Title Contenders: Salisbury, Wesley, Frostburg State.
Playoff Possibilities: One pool B bid
Key games remaining: Oct. 19 Wesley at Newport News, Oct. 26 Newport News at Salisbury, Nov. 2 Salisbury at Wesley, Nov. 16 Frostburg State at Salisbury.
The breakdown: You'd think unbeaten Salisbury would be in control, but they haven't played an ACFC game yet. In fact, the only ACFC games played to date have been Frostburg's 42-6 win over Newport News and its 37-18 win over Wesley. The Shipbuilders are having a great year at 5-1, but it won't end up in the playoffs with remaining games at Wesley and Washington & Jefferson, and against Salisbury and Bethany. The Wolverines and Bobcats have already lost twice each, although their out-of-conference losses have come to Rowan, Montclair State and Brockport State. Any team can still win the conference, but the 6-0 Sea Gulls (sporting the nation's top rushing offense at 377 yards/game) are the only ones like to earn a Pool B playoff bid, and that's with wins at Newport News, Ferrum and Frostburg, and at home against Wesley.

American Southwest
Title Contenders: Howard Payne, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Hardin-Simmons
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier, likely Pool C bid for runner-up
Key games remaining: Oct. 19 HPU at UMHB, Nov. 2 HSU at UMHB. 
The breakdown: Everything changes on the heels of HPU's 51-48 win over HSU, the Cowboys' first ASC loss since 1997. The Yellow Jacket win set up a showdown with the Crusaders in Belton, with the winner taking control of the title chase. But the Cowboys, who rolled up 641 yards against HPU, can play spoiler on Nov. 2. In addition, both HSU (Menlo) and UMHB (Willamette) have strong out-of-conference wins to help their Pool C cases.

Centennial
Title Contenders: Johns Hopkins, McDaniel
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: Oct. 19 Muhlenberg at Johns Hopkins, Nov. 16 McDaniel at Johns Hopkins
The breakdown: For the first time since 1996, someone besides the Green Terror is the odds-on favorite to take home the Centennial Boot. The Blue Jays won 21-14 at Westminster last season and host both McDaniel and Muhlenberg, which lost to the Green Terror 35-14. The Mules, who shared the CC title last season, are still a factor, but would need to win out, have Hopkins lose two CC games and McDaniel lose another to win the title. Hopkins, 5-0 for the first time since 1931, may win its first-ever Centennial championship and advance to the playoffs this season.

College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
Title Contenders: Wheaton, Augustana, Milikin, Illinois Wesleyan
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier, but pool C bids are unlikely because each contender has a loss already and still has to play two other contenders.
Key games remaining: Oct. 26 Augustana at Milikin, Oct. 26 IWU at Wheaton, Nov. 16 Milikin at IWU, Nov. 16 Wheaton at Augustana.
The breakdown: Even after a weekend when all four CCIW contenders played each other, we're still left with a logjam. Three schools are at 4-1, and 3-1 Augustana might be if bad weather hadn't knocked off the finish of their game with UW-Platteville. The Thunder and Vikings are in the driver's seat at 2-0 in-conference, but with this foursome roughing each other up, nobody knows who might end up on top.

Dixie
Title Contenders: All seven teams
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: All Dixie games
The breakdown: Every conference team has at least three losses, and all seven DIAC teams combined have two out-of-conference wins. But five teams are seriously in the hunt for a playoff bid with one conference loss or less, including 1-4 Shenandoah and 1-4 Greensboro. Ferrum is 3-0 in DIAC games, 3-3 overall and the conference's best hope for a playoff representative with a winning record. No matter what happens, it probably means another first-round exit for one of Division III's youngest conferences.

Empire 8
Title Contenders: Ithaca
Playoff Possibilities: One Pool B bid, maybe two
Key games remaining: None for conference title, but Oct. 19 Ithaca at Brockport State, Oct. 26 Hartwick at RPI for playoff positioning
The breakdown: It's 5-0 Ithaca's conference championship (they've already clinched), with a 19-18 win over Hartwick already in the rear-view mirror. The Bombers should get into the playoffs, even if they lose to independent Brockport State (5-1) on Saturday. Challenges also await Ithaca in Cortland State and Hobart. Hartwick has RPI and Union (of the UCAA) ahead, and would probably need to run the table for a playoff invite.

Freedom
Title Contenders: Springfield
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: Oct. 26 Kings Point at Western Connecticut
The breakdown: With wins against its two most viable challengers, Springfield would have to stumble in one of its three remaining FFC games to allow the Mariners or Colonials back into the playoff picture. The Pride's three conference opponents have a combined record of 4-13.

Heartland
Title Contenders: Hanover, Anderson
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: Oct. 19 Hanover at Anderson.
The breakdown: This weekend's Panthers-Ravens winner should advance to the playoffs. Hanover has rolled to a 5-0 start, Anderson is three weeks removed from a 65-7 loss to Milikin. Mt. St. Joeseph is technically still in the hunt, but their three wins have come over teams with a combined 1-15 record. The second half of the Lions schedule is far more difficult than the first half was.

Illini-Badger
Title Contenders: MacMurray, Concordia (Wis.)
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: Nov. 9 MacMurray at Concordia (Wis.)
The breakdown: The Falcons are the only thing standing in the way of a second consecutive IBFC title and playoff berth for the Highlanders. The Nov. 9 showdown should settle it.

Iowa
Title Contenders: Wartburg, Central, Coe
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifer, possible Pool C bid
Key games remaining: Oct. 19 Wartburg at Coe, Oct. 26 Central at Wartburg
The breakdown: One of these three teams will be in control by November. Central's 21-20 win over Coe gave it a leg up on its IIAC rival. Wartburg, with one loss, would have the best Pool C case. Its out-of-conference win came over UW-Oshkosh, while Central lost to Augustana and may need to win the IIAC to get in. This conference is full of spoilers, so the finish should be interesting.

Middle Atlantic
Title Contenders: Widener, King's
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: Oct. 19 Widener at King's
The breakdown: A win against King's would put two games between Widener and the rest of the 11-team MAC in the conference title chase. A Monarchs win would throw everything off, since six teams have two conference losses. FDU's overtime win over Lycoming was a shocker, and assured that the perennial playoff participant would be out of the NCAA tournament for the third consecutive season.

Michigan
Title Contenders: Alma, Albion, Adrian
Playoff Possibilities: A Pool B bid.
Key games remaining: Oct. 19 Alma at Albion, Nov. 2 Adrian at Albion, Nov. 9 Alma at Adrian.
The breakdown: If you're not from Michigan, all these A-teams might confuse you, so let's proceed slowly. Alma and defending champion Albion are the strongest contenders for the MIAA title, and one of Albion's two losses came out of Division III. Adrian is in the hunt, but using the hated compared scores technique, Alma's 49-7 win over Defiance is far more impressive than Defiance's 17-14 win over Adrian. I'm confusing you more? Alma and Albion played tough out-of-conference competition in Gustavus Adolphus and Wittenberg, but didn't fare well. Even if one team makes the playoffs, it may not be pretty.

As a side note, earlier this year the MIAA added a seventh team, Wisconsin Lutheran, but apparently moved too slowly to secure an automatic qualifier for this season. That means we still lump MIAA teams into Pool B consideration, but they should have an AQ in 2003.

Minnesota
Title Contenders: Concordia-Moorhead, St. John's 
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: Oct. 26 St. John's at Concordia-Moorhead, Nov. 2 St. Thomas at St. John's, Nov. 8, St. Thomas at Concordia-Moorhead.
The breakdown: The surprise Cobbers and perennial champion Johnnies are on a crash course, and the winner should be the MIAC's lone remaining unbeaten by next weekend. After that, St. Thomas, which lost 25-24 to Gustavus Adolphus, could still take the conference title with wins over both teams.

Midwest
Title Contenders: St. Norbert, Lake Forest, Ripon
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: Oct. 26 Ripon at St. Norbert, Nov. 9 Lake Forest at St. Norbert
The breakdown: As usual, it's the Green Knights' conference to lose. Ripon and Lake Forest trail by one game each, but both still have a shot at St. Norbert. Knox's 35-30 win threw a wrench in the Foresters'dream season, but if Lake Forest runs the table and finishes with a win over St. Norbert, they could win the title and go to the playoffs. Ripon's 20-18 loss to Lake Forest puts them a step behind, but a win over St. Norbert and another MWC loss for Lake Forest could send the Red Hawks to the postseason. Ripon must first get past Knox and Beloit, who have both been tough on occasion. This finish could get interesting.

North Coast
Title Contenders: Wabash, Wooster, Wittenberg
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier, strong Pool C possibilities
Key games remaining: Nov. 2 Wooster at Wabash, Nov. 16 Wittenberg at Wooster.
The breakdown: The Tigers hadn't lost an NCAC game in five years (30 straight conference wins) before Saturday's thriller (a 46-43 loss to the Little Giants), which left the door wide open for Wabash and Wooster. The two meet Nov. 2 at Wabash, and one can really take control of the NCAC race if they can get to November unbeaten. Allegheny, which stunned Washington & Jefferson, faces Wooster and Wittenberg down the road; Ohio Wesleyan still has games with Wabash and Wittenberg. Neither of those teams is mathematically eliminated, but we'll call this a three-horse race for now. At the least, it should be the most exciting NCAC finish in years.

New England
Title Contenders: Westfield State, Mass-Dartmouth
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: Nov. 16 NEFC Title game: Boyd Division Champion vs. Bogan Division Champion.
The breakdown: Westfield State, last year's NEFC playoff representative, is this year's Bogan Division leader following a 17-13 win over Worcester State. They should meet Mass-Dartmouth in the NEFC title game, a battle of the nation's current No. 3 and No. 4 scoring defenses. UM-D is the only Boyd division team with a winning record in-conference and overall, and it's no wonder they're plowing their competition. The Corsairs are averaging nearly four turnovers a game and have a plus-23 turnover margin. Plus, opponents are only scoring 7.5 points a game, even if they have a combined record of. If either Westfield State or Mass-Dartmouth stumbles twice in its final four games, 5-1 Worcester State or any number of teams could sneak into the NEFC title game.

New England Small College
Title Contenders: Amherst, Williams, Trinity (Conn.), Wesleyan, Tufts
Playoff Possibilities: None (teams do not participate in NCAA tournament)
Key games remaining: Nearly every NESCAC game from now on is key.
The breakdown: If you know anything about the NESCAC, you know that the winner of Division III's oldest rivalry usually gets double the bragging rights. After Amherst and Williams tussle for the 117th time this November, one should walk away as both the winner of the rivalry and the NESCAC. Both teams are 4-0, but Trinity (Conn.), Wesleyan and Tufts are each close behind at 3-1. Amherst has to play all four teams (combined record of 13-3), and no team has less than two games left against the rest of the top five. There's only one way to sort out a mess like this: play the games.

New Jersey
Title Contenders: Rowan, Cortland State
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier, Pool C bid possible
Key games remaining: Oct. 19 Cortland State at Rowan, Nov. 2 TCNJ at Montclair State, Nov. 16 Rowan at Montclair State.
The breakdown: By Saturday night, either the Profs or Red Dragons will have this conference firmly in its grasp. Montclair (a 20-16 loser to Cortland) and TCNJ (30-25 loser to Rowan) are not out of the running, but need help. Besides, someone has to lose on Nov. 2. A loss to Rowan doesn't kill Cortland's Pool C hopes, with a win over Brockport State and a 41-38 loss to TCNJ behind them. But it will make the Cortaca Jug game a must-win. If Rowan loses to Cortland like they did last year, the Profs would need to win on Nov. 16 for Pool C to be a possibility. 

Northwest
Title Contenders: Linfield, Whitworth, Pacific Lutheran, Willamette
Playoff Possibilities: One or two Pool B bids
Key games remaining: Oct. 19 PLU at Whitworth, Nov. 2 Willamette at PLU, Nov. 9 Whitworth at Linfield, Nov. 16 Willamette at Linfield
The breakdown: Linfield looks like the favorite here, especially with the chip on their shoulder from getting left out of the playoffs last season, while PLU got in with a 6-2 regular-season record (and head-to-head win), and Whitworth got in at 7-1 (and head-to-head loss). The Wildcats can secure their 47th consecutive winning season this weekend, and host their two biggest remaining games in November. The 4-1 Pirates are 3-0 against Division III competition, yet they can't really afford a loss when there are only seven Pool B slots. PLU (2-2) must win out to get in. They won eight straight last year. Willamette, behind the 8-ball after a 44-31 overtime loss to Whitworth (that score is not a typo), will still be a factor whether or not it can really win the conference. From the "ouch" department: Lewis & Clark (526 yards of offense per game) finishes with PLU, Linfield, Willamette and Whitworth.

Ohio
Title Contenders: Mount Union, John Carroll, Capital
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier, always a strong Pool C possibility
Key games remaining: Oct. 19 John Carroll at Mount Union, Oct. 26 Mount Union at Capital, Nov. 16 Capital at John Carroll.
The breakdown: Capital has replaced Ohio Northern as this year's third OAC threat, but their wins have come against the bottom five teams in the conference standings. If anyone's going to beat the Purple Raiders, it's the John Carroll team bringing the nation's top scoring defense (5.4 points/game) to Alliance this Saturday. In the past four meetings, the Blue Streaks have come oh-so-close to handing Mount Union its first OAC loss since October 1994, losing 33-30 last season, 41-31 in 2000, 57-51 in triple overtime in 1999 and 21-14 in 1998. Even with a loss, I can't imagine Mount Union not making the playoffs. Any team that goes 9-1 with a loss to Mount Union has to also be a strong Pool C candidate. Baldwin-Wallace lost by just a touchdown to Mount Union and John Carroll and could give Capital trouble.

Old Dominion
Title Contenders: Bridgewater
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: The rest of Bridgewater's schedule.
The breakdown: Nothing's wrapped up when five teams have just a single conference loss, but Bridgewater (5-0, 1-0) is head-and-shoulders above the rest of its conference. The No. 2-ranked Eagles have already dished out a 38-7 whooping on Hampden-Sydney, thought by many to be the Eagles stiffest challenger. Randolph-Macon (3-2) is six points from being undefeated, but even a new defensive coordinator won't be able to close the gap between the Yellow Jackets and Eagles, who won 62-15 last season. Traditional power Emory & Henry is at the end of its run, Washington & Lee and Catholic can't match up with the Eagles, and Hampden-Sydney needs too much help (two Eagle losses).

Presidents
Title Contenders: Washington & Jefferson
Playoff Possibilities: Pool B bid
Key games remaining: Oct. 26 Waynesburg at Washington & Jefferson
The breakdown: We don't expect the Presidents to falter in the Presidents' Athletic Conference. A win over the Yellow Jackets would virtually seal the PAC title for W&J. Despite that, the Presidents may have to win out to get in, and even then a win at Hanover would be their only impressive out-of-conference win. The loss to Allegheny hurts W&J, but they may hurt opponents if they get into the postseason again.

Southern Collegiate
Title Contenders: Trinity (Texas)
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: Oct. 26 Trinty at Centre, Nov. 9 Sewanee at Trinity, Nov. 16 Trinity at Millsaps
The breakdown: Unless a team trips up Trinity, there's not much drama in this conference. DePauw (a 42-33 loser to Trinity), Millsaps, Sewanee and Centre are all worthy contenders, but the Tigers have won nine straight conference championships for a reason. Centre and Millsaps beat Trinity in 2000, and the Tigers still played three playoff games that year. They're as close to a lock as it gets.

Southern California
Title Contenders: Claremont Mudd-Scripps, Occidental, Redlands
Playoff Possibilities: Pool B bid
Key games remaining: Oct. 26 CMS at Occidental, Nov. 16 CMS at Redlands
The breakdown: The NCAA playoffs rarely feature a SCIAC team, but a 9-0 CMS would be hard to ignore. They have two tough tests, and Occidental theoretically could make the playoffs by winning out, even after a 42-35 loss to Redlands, but don't expect it. Redlands and Cal Lutheran could each contend in the SCIAC, as the conference schedule is just getting underway.

University
Title Contenders: Everyone
Playoff Possibilities: Slim at best
Key games remaining: All UAA games
The breakdown: Conference play hasn't even started in the four-team UAA, and there's little to go on for what seems to be an evenly matched bunch. None of the out-of-conference wins are impressive. Carnegie Mellon and Washington U. have had better years. Case Western is flying up and down the field (537 yards, 37 points per game); maybe that means this is their year, but with at least two losses all around, the playoff possibilties are thin.

Upstate Collegiate
Title Contenders: Hobart, RPI, Union
Playoff Possibilities: Pool B bid
Key games remaining: Nov. 16 RPI at Hobart
The breakdown: Hobart has beaten Union and the Dutchmen turned around and took the Dutchmen Shoes trophy with a win over RPI. An RPI win over Hobart could leave the UCAA in a three-way tie and without a playoff rep. The Statesmen would do well to run the table, RPI is already a long shot and Union closes with road games at Hartwick, Muhlenberg and Springfield.

Wisconsin
Title Contenders: Eau Claire, Stout, La Crosse, Stevens Point, Whitewater and Platteville
Playoff Possibilities: Automatic qualifier
Key games remaining: All WIAC games
The breakdown: Okay, we know that no team runs away with the WIAC; consequently, it takes a while to eliminate teams. I'd like to narrow it down to four major contenders, but most of the conference's top teams haven't met. The results and remaining schedules are little help. La Crosse leads the conference right now at 2-0, but has Whitewater, Stout and Eau Claire among their remaining games. Stout, even at 4-1, has an equally tough schedule. I don't know what to make of Eau Claire, who beat St. John's in the opener, but lost by 25 to Stout. Still, let's count them in, along with Stevens Point, Whitewater and Platteville. If there's a single conference where any team can truly beat any other on any Saturday, this is it. That's also why we believe a Pool C bid is unlikely for any WIAC team, despite the excellent out-of-conference scheduling WIAC teams engage in. By the time the WIAC schedule is finished, each teams tends to have at least two or three losses, making their cases tough to compare with other Pool C teams. But with the I-AA opponents and games against the best of the CCIW, MIAC and OAC, two WIAC playoff teams is not beyond possibility.

Others to watch
Due to the strength-of-schedule consideration in Pool B, Brockport State is the only independent team with a solid shot at making the NCAA field. (Yes, that does mean tough luck for Thomas More, Menlo, etc. as well). The Golden Eagles have Ithaca, TCNJ and Wesley left, in addition to a 21-12 loss to Cortland State in their opener.

Your feedback
The quarterback for Mount Union? The running backs and receivers at Rowan? Yeah, we've heard of them. But aren't there some players just as talented that don't get the shine because their teams aren't as successful? If you know of a player still playing his heart out for a tough-luck team, Around the Nation wants to know about him!

Beyond the Numbers
The Ohio Athletic Conference, the third-oldest in the nation, turns 100 this season. Predated only by Division III's Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1888) and the Big Ten (1895), the OAC has sponsored football since the conference's inception in 1902. That year, Case Tech went 5-0-0 against the charter members of the conference to win the title. Thirty schools have been in the conference over the years, among them Ohio State (1906 and 1912 champions) and Miami of Ohio. In the OAC's early years, it also featured Case and Western Reserve, now a combined institution in Cleveland.

The MIAA, which once sponsored bicycle racing and Indian club juggling (whatever that is), predates one of the most popular sports it sponsors. Basketball was created in 1891 in Massachusetts, three years after the MIAA aligned.

For the first time in the program's 104-season history, Susquehanna will play an on-campus night game on Saturday evening as FDU-Florham visits two-year old Nicholas A. Lopardo Stadium. Susquehanna added lights this offseason, making it the third MAC school to have a lighted field, along with Albright and FDU-Florham. The Crusaders have never played an on-campus night game, but hosted games under the lights in the early 1960s and in 1980 at nearby high schools.