| UW-Platteville's emergence in
the past couple of years in the WIAC has helped balance the fall of
UW-Eau Claire. UW-Platteville athletics photo |
For years, Around the Nation has aimed to solve an issue for
which there is no answer elsewhere in Division III: Which
conferences are stronger than others?
It comes up so often, in discussions of playoff seeding, strength
of schedule and in subjective conjecture. We bring up conference
strength when we talk about why certain teams schedule each
other.
From a competitive standpoint, it's one of the most important
rankings we do, and it's the only one that judges your team
alongside its peers, against the rest of the 239 teams in the
nation.
In 2012, ATN reviewed 10 years and 15 sets of conference rankings
-- every one D3football.com has produced, in both ATN and our
preseason preview publication, Kickoff -- to provide high- and
low-water marks for each conference, and an average conference
ranking over the years.
What ATN comes up with is admittedly a subjective ranking, but
each time we do it, several factors are taken into account:
head-to-head records against teams from other conferences
(out-of-conference records), playoff performance, top-to-bottom
depth and the success of players in the professional ranks and in
other major accolades.
Pat Coleman and I consulted on nearly all of these rankings. When
Around the Nation does them, the reasoning and records are
presented for you to make your own judgments. The previous years' rankings that aren't stuck behind a
Kickoff paywall are linked here in the table. (One note: In
2003, 2005 and 2009, there were no ATN conference rankings. In
2011, ATN did them in tiers, not by number).
What's important to remember is that these rankings are a tool for comparison. They help us understand why some teams have done or will do so well in the playoffs. They help us understand the movement in the top 25 and the national perceptions of certain wins and losses. They don't define individual teams or careers. Everyone who plays D-III by the rules and for the love of the game has accomplished something, even if it's in the 26th-ranked conference.
Ultimately though, it's a competitive game, and the teams and conferences that play the best football as a group are recognized below:
1. WISCONSIN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (WIAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 1st of 26
High- and low-water marks: Ranked first in every
attempt at this except in 2002, when it came in second.
Average ranking, 2002 through Kickoff ‘12:
1.07
Non-conference record: 8-8 (schedule
complete)
Verdict: The WIAC’s case for No. 1 peaked
as Whitewater rose to four-time champion and the rest of the
conference took on the nation’s best, from Texas to Oregon to
Illinois. This year’s 8-8 non-conference mark includes
UW-Whitewater’s stunning upset loss against Buffalo State,
but it also includes two losses to No. 5 St. Thomas and a 1-1
record against No. 11 North Central. UW-La Crosse beat the
Cardinals and also played Division II Northern Michigan. UW-Stevens
Point, which lost by a touchdown to NAIA No. 10 St. Francis (Ind.),
beat defending IIAC champ Dubuque 55-14. In a 47-28 win against
Central, UW-Oshkosh led 47-0 after the first drive of the third
quarter. In short, this conference is much more than just
UW-Whitewater. UW-Platteville and Oshkosh are in the top 25. UW-Eau
Claire lost by but a field goal to both St. Thomas and St.
John’s. UW-La Crosse, which might be an afterthought by the
end of the season, scored the big Week 1 upset. Over the course of
10 seasons, the WIAC is still the top-to-bottom strongest
collection of D-III football teams. Period.
2. OHIO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (OAC)
| Chris Denton has broken out
as a receiver and return man for Mount Union this
season. Photo by Dan Poel for d3photography.com |
Kickoff '12 ranking: 2nd
High- and low-water marks: Ranked 1st in 2002;
3rd in 2005 and 2nd in every ranking since.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 2.
Non-conference record: 5-5
Verdict: The discussion about the OAC usually
starts with Mount Union. The Purple Raiders’ run of dominance
– 15 Stagg Bowls and 10 championships since 1993, and every
OAC title since 1994 – counts large in the conference’s
favor. But it’s also the argument that people use against the
conference’s strength as a whole. So when you cast the light
on the entire OAC picture, the group behind Mount Union usually
determines how strong the conference is at a given time. Right now
Baldwin Wallace and Heidelberg lead that group. A turn at playing
second fiddle has rotated through six of the nine non-Mount Union
schools over the years, which shows how chasing the Purple Raiders
has raised the bar for everyone else. But there are three schools,
Marietta, Muskingum and Wilmington that count as part of the
picture, and they have not risen to that just-behind-Mount Union
level at any point over the years these rankings encompass. This
season, they’re 0-3 non-conference and 0-9 overall. For the
OAC as a whole, this year’s non-conference wins are Alma,
Bluffton, Franklin, Gallaudet and St. Norbert, which isn’t an
impressive lot. The OAC has churned out the best NFL talent in
recent years – and not just Mount Union’s Pierre Garcon
and Cecil Shorts, but also Heidelberg’s Mike Preston –
which is great if you’re making a list of conferences that
produce the best individuals. In this list though, we
couldn’t see the OAC winning more than half of the games
against the WIAC eight in a fairly distributed challenge.
3. MINNESOTA INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (MIAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 4th
High- and low-water marks: Third, right now;
ninth in 2007.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 6.21
Non-conference record to date: 14-0
Verdict: The MIAC is both capable of producing a
national championship contender, or semifinalist at least, and
having top-to-bottom depth. The conference, which is finished
non-MIAC games except for three against Macalester and Gustavus
Adolphus’ date with NAIA Valley City State, went unbeaten
out-of-conference this month. That feat, which as far as I can
remember is unprecedented, warrants a move up from its Kickoff
’12 ranking of fourth. The 14-0 mark hasn’t exactly
come against a murderers’ row, but it does include three wins
against the WIAC and five against the IIAC. The MIAC’s .636
playoff winning percentage
over the years is also third-best, behind the OAC and WIAC.
4. EMPIRE 8 (E8)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 3rd
High- and low-water marks: Third in 2012; 15th in
2002, when just starting out.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 6.71
Non-conference record to date: 17-5.
Verdict: Here’s what you need to know about
D-III’s strongest East Coast conference: A
new-to-the-conference Buffalo State team that went and beat
defending champion UW-Whitewater on its home field got shellacked,
40-17, by Alfred in its first Empire 8 game. Frostburg State and
Utica are on the rise, and core members St. John Fisher and Ithaca
are always competitive. Football-only affiliate Salisbury has only
made the conference stronger; The E8 was the only league to send
two teams into last season’s playoff final eight. The E8 has
beaten top teams from the NJAC, PAC, LL and UAA in the
season’s early going.
5. NORTHWEST CONFERENCE (NWC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 7th
High- and low-water marks: Second in 2005,
seventh in 2012.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 4.5
Non-conference record to date: 14-5
Verdict: Solid wins from top to bottom, with
Linfield beating both Hardin-Simmons (ASC) and Cal Lutheran
(SCIAC), Pacific Lutheran beating Redlands (SCIAC) and Pacific
beating Occidental (SCIAC). Willamette’s beaten two Texas
teams, Whitworth has beaten St. Scholastica (UMAC), which went 10-1
last season. Except for Puget Sound, the entire conference has
kicked in to the NWC’s strong non-league showing this
September.
6. AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE (ASC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 6th
High- and low-water marks: Eighth in 2002; Third,
several times.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 4.28
Non-conference record to date: 11-13
Verdict: It hasn’t been the strongest of
starts for the ASC, but its teams will play all comers. A 1-2
record against No. 6 Wesley, a loss to No. 3 Linfield, a win over
Kean and a 2-2 mark vs. Trinity (Texas) – all playoff teams
last season – help the ASC’s rep as much as the record
hurts it. ASC teams have also lost twice to Willamette and once to
currently unbeaten Millsaps. And anecdotally, the ASC teams hold up
well, putting less of an emphasis on the record itself. Be it
because of geography or a hunger for competition, the ASC this
season has bolstered its rep as a conference whose teams are
willing to schedule almost anyone.
7. COLLEGE CONFERENCE OF ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN (CCIW)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 5th
High- and low-water marks: Third in 2011, seventh
in 2007.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 4.92
Non-conference record to date: 17-7
Verdict: It’s been a bit of a down
September for the CCIW. There’s an always-solid
non-conference record, but in marquee games, North Central has lost
to UW-La Crosse, Augustana to Dubuque, Carthage to Wartburg and
Wheaton was upset by Albion. Usually the CCIW is more dominant
against a cross-section of top teams from the conferences in the
Midwest and West.
8. SOUTHERN ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (SAA)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 16th
High- and low-water marks: 11th in 2002; 18th in
2008.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 15.14
Non-conference record to date: 13-3
Verdict: It’s been a solid start for the
SAA five, broken off from what was two seasons ago an SCAC eight.
Birmingham-Southern’s win over Huntingdon impressed, and has
it in the top 25. Centre’s 34-16 loss at Washington & Lee
scores one for the ODAC, but the Colonels have wins over HCAC, PAC
and MIAA teams. Sewanee (Puget Sound) and Rhodes
(Claremont-Mudd-Scripps) have won matchups with similarly skilled
West Coast teams and Millsaps beat rival Mississippi College (ASC)
in the annual Backyard Brawl. I don’t think the SAA is always
a top-10 conference, but it is at this moment in time.
9. NEW JERSEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (NJAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 8th
High- and low-water marks: Fifth in 2002; Ninth
in 2010.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 7.57
Non-conference record to date: 5-10 (two games
remain)
Verdict: Aside from Rowan’s upset of
Delaware Valley, this has been the worst September in memory for
what was once the power conference in the East. Defending champion
Kean was upset at home by Albright (MAC) and wasn’t
competitive at No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (ASC). Cortland State gave
up 706 yards in a loss to departed NJAC member Buffalo State,
Montclair lost to Salve Regina (NEFC) and Western Connecticut
State’s overall losing streak reached 24 games. Brockport
State has been a pleasant surprise. The good news is that the
parity at the top of the conference should make each week in the
NJAC a blast, now that conference round-robin play is underway.
10. IOWA INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (IIAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 9th
High- and low-water marks: Eighth in 2010; 16th
in 2008.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 10.78
Non-conference record to date: 10-14
Verdict: It hasn’t been a great opening
month for the IIAC, who’s seen its teams fall to the best
from the CCIW (Wheaton, Elmhurst), MIAC (Bethel), WIAC
(UW-Plattevile, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point) and even the MIAA
(Albion). Buena Vista’s had the second-toughest schedule in
the country to date, as UW-Platteville, Concordia-Moorhead and
Bethel each remain unbeaten.
11. MIDDLE ATLANTIC CONFERENCE (MAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 11th
High- and low-water marks: Seventh in 2002-05;
15th in 2008.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 9.28
Non-conference record: 4-6
Verdict: Back up to a full 10 teams with
Misericordia and Stevenson adding football and joining, their
complete non-conference experience was the 9-on-9 MAC-NJAC
challenge, and Stevenson’s loss to Shenandoah. Albright
(Kean) and Lebanon Valley (Montclair State) scored impressive wins,
but Widener (Western Conn. State) and Wilkes (Morrisville State)
were the others.
12. CENTENNIAL CONFERENCE (CC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 19th
High- and low-water marks: 11th in 2008; 19th in
2006.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 14.76
Non-conference record: 7-3
Verdict: Best non-conference wins are Washington
& Lee and Randolph-Macon. Toughest losses are Hobart (LL) and
Ithaca (E8). With a solid performance in limited action against
other Mid-Atlantic conferences, the CC moves up a few spots. They
are also the first conference in the middle pack of them, where
quality of teams tends to be indistinguishable.
13. UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (UAA)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 15th
High- and low-water marks: 14th in 2008; 26th in
2002.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 18.28
Non-conference record to date: 9-7
Verdict: With just four teams, each teams
influence on the conference’s strength is greater than in
most conferences. In years when Case Western Reserve or Carnegie
Mellon (off to a 4-0 start) has been playoff-worthy, that’s
helped. But the UAA’s overall ranking is also helped by the
fact that all four members usually post respectable finishes; Wash
U. and Chicago are capable of winning seasons most years. The Bears
are 1-3 out of the gate, but they scheduled UW-Whitewater, Coe and
Wabash non-conference. Carnegie Mellon’s win over Catholic is
all we have to go off of in comparing the UAA with the ODAC.
14. OLD DOMINION ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (ODAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 13th
High- and low-water marks: Ninth in 2002; 19th in
2007.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 14.21
Non-conference record to date: 15-7
Verdict: As always with the ODAC, you have to
examine how much of their non-conference record comes against the
USAC. In 11 games, ODAC teams are 9-2. Also went 1-2 vs. CC and 2-0
vs. PAC. In high-profile games, Hampden-Sydney lost at home to
Huntingdon and Randolph-Macon was beaten well in the opener against
Johns Hopkins. Given those facts and the lack of recent playoff
success, the ODAC ranks right in the middle. It is more even top to
bottom than most conferences, the parity makes it fun to watch each
year. But it’s hard to rank very high because of the lack of
a single dominant team, which is what it had in Bridgewater back
when it hit ninth in ATN’s 2002 conference ranking.
15. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SCIAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 10th
High- and low-water marks: 10th in 2012; 25th in
2002.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 18.5
Non-conference record to date: 2-12
Verdict: It’s a quick fall from grace for
the conference the finally earned respect, with its top teams
hanging in and occasionally beating the best of the West, and
sending two teams to the playoffs last season. Chapman joined this
year, but with Occidental on the downswing, the SCIAC still
isn’t very deep. Cal Lutheran and Redlands are the title
contenders, and so far the Bulldogs have struggled. The two
non-conference wins are Whittier at Puget Sound (NWC) and Cal
Lutheran over Pacific Lutheran (NWC). The conference is even 0-3
against former D-III member Menlo, now NAIA.
16. LIBERTY LEAGUE (LL)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 12th
High- and low-water marks: Tenth in 2006; 19th in
2011.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 13.35
Non-conference record to date: 11-11
Verdict: Hobart picked up where it left off in
last season’s playoffs, surging into the top 25 with
convincing wins. But overall, the LL is 2-5 vs. the E8, 1-1 vs. the
CC, 2-0 vs. the PAC, 2-3 vs. the NEFC and 4-2 vs. the ECFC.
Springfield, which joined from the Empire 8, isn’t the team
it was a few years ago, and lost its opener to Bridgewater State
(NEFC). St. Lawrence, conference champion in 2010, scored just
three TDs in its first three games. The LL has perhaps the most
wild swings of any conference, capable of being in the top ten or
bottom handful. It looks more like a down year for the conference,
but RPI and Hobart combined to go 5-0 against non-LL teams.
17. NORTH COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (NCAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 14th
High- and low-water marks: Twelfth in 2002; 22nd
in 2009.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 17.21
Non-conference record to date: 6-8
Verdict: The question here is always ‘can
anyone besides Wabash and Wittenberg compete?’ With a 1-5
non-conference record vs. the UAA but 3-1 vs. the HCAC, there are
clear answers. The biggest September result is an in-conference
upset, Allegheny beating Wabash. The other big question with the
NCAC is that no matter how strong its top teams get, there’s
always the matter of Hiram, Kenyon and Oberlin at the bottom. Those
three teams are responsible for five of the eight non-conference
losses to date, including three shutouts, but both Kenyon and
Oberlin have contributed a win (against Earlham) as well.
18. PRESIDENTS' ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (PAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 18th
High- and low-water marks: 20th in 2002; 10th in
2004.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 14.76
Non-conference record to date: 5-9
Verdict: The PAC has an odd non-conference
profile: Games against the SAA, ODAC, UAA, HCAC, NCAC, E8, USAC,
LL, CC and OAC, but no more than three contests against any single
one. The PAC’s big moments so far are twice pushing Empire 8
contender St. John Fisher to the brink. Thomas More and Washington
& Jefferson pulling out those wins might have made the
conference’s rank a little different. Shaded behind the NCAC,
which it went 1-1 against (St. Vincent lost to Wooster, but
Westminster beat Hiram), because the North Coast’s top two
are stronger right now.
19. USA SOUTH ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (USAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 22nd
High- and low-water marks: 13th in 2006; 23rd in
2010.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 18
Non-conference record to date: 6-17
Verdict: It’s not just that the conference
performs poorly in non-conference win-loss results. It’s the
level of competitiveness; each loss is by 10 points or more. And
for every sign of encouragement, like N.C. Wesleyan’s 16-13
win against the OAC’s Ohio Northern, there’s a sign of
discouragement, like the Battling Bishops’ 69-6 loss to
top-10 Salisbury. Until the USAC can get back to the times when it
would split most games with the ODAC, which poached Shenandoah this
season and has won nine of 11 head-to-head games, the ranking will
lag. Adding Huntingdon next season will likely help raise the
level.
20. MIDWEST CONFERENCE (MWC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 17th
High- and low-water marks: 17th in 2002, 2012;
23rd in 2007-08.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 20.76
Non-conference record: 2-8
Verdict: The wins are Illinois College, looking
like the pride of the conference this season, against Hanover
(HCAC) and Carroll over Lakeland (NATHC). Everyone else took it on
the chin, and by that we mean Monmouth’s 33-3 loss to Coe
(IIAC), St. Norbert’s 40-3 loss to John Carroll (OAC),
Ripon’s 31-0 loss to Wisconsin Lutheran (NATHC) and Knox
giving up an NCAA-record 736 passing yards to Eureka’s Sam
Durley. These are not strong statements in favor of the MWC, which
picked up Cornell this year from the IIAC. The MWC champ won a
playoff game against the CCIW last season (it also got an at-large
bid). It remains to be seen if that was the function of one
exceptional player lifting a pretty good team, or if MWC champions
are threats to knock other playoff teams off on a regular
basis.
21. NORTHERN ATHLETICS CONFERENCE (NATHC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 24th
High- and low-water marks: 24th in 2012; 27th in
2008.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 25.14
Non-conference record to date: 10-14
Verdict: Rise in the rankings attributed almost
solely to a 6-2 mark against the MIAA, which has a 5-0 mark against
the HCAC. And it’s from the bottom (Rockford over Olivet) to
the top (Benedictine over Albion). The NathCon, along with the UMAC
and ECFC, has never had a team win a playoff game. Until then, the
respect meter will only go so high. Still, this September has been
a step in the right direction.
22. MICHIGAN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (MIAA)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 20th
High- and low-water marks: 18th in 2002 and 2011;
24th in 2009.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 20.71
Non-conference record to date: 11-16
Verdict: MIAA teams tend to schedule
aggressively, although that might be a function of geography as
much as anything. Still, the conference’s respect level would
skyrocket if it put up more results like Albion’s 22-21 upset
of Wheaton this month. Unfortunately, there’s also a 70-9
UW-Oshkosh win against Alma to contrast with. In other marquee
matchups, Trine lost to Elmhurst, Hope lost to Illinois Wesleyan,
Kalamazoo lost to Centre and Adrian lost to Carthage, so the entire
conference owns a piece of this ranking. In fact, among the D-III
results, the MIAA has gone 2-6 vs. both the CCIW and NathCon, and
5-0 vs. the HCAC.
23. EASTERN COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL CONFERENCE (ECFC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 26th
High- and low-water marks: 25th in ATN 2010; 27th
in Kickoff ’10.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 25.8
Non-conference record to date: 11-10
Verdict: Earns its highest ranking after a 7-3
mark in crossover play against the NEFC. The ECFC is composed
almost entirely of programs with no history earlier than 1999, so
these signs of growth are good ones. Norwich, SUNY-Maritime and
Gallaudet have begun to balance out the effect of the teams at the
bottom of the conference like Husson. And with both Becker
(Fitchburg State) and Anna Maria (Maine Maritime) beating NEFC
opponents, the ECFC staked a claim to best playoff-eligible
conference composed mostly of New England teams.
24. NEW ENGLAND FOOTBALL CONFERENCE (NEFC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 23rd
High- and low-water marks: 23rd in 2012; 25th,
several times.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 24.07
Non-conference record to date: 7-9
Verdict: Salve Regina beat Montclair State (NJAC)
and Union (LL), which is a nice accomplishment. The Seahawks could
not have scored those wins without taking the scheduling risk,
which most NEFC teams either can’t afford or won’t do.
And so the conference, which went 3-2 vs. the LL, 3-7 vs. the ECFC
and 1-0 vs. the NJAC, languishes. With 16 teams, it needs to have
more than just Salve’s feather to put in its cap. Bridgewater
State beating Springfield was also noteworthy, especially given
that the Pride have since won three straight. Yet the NEFC also
lost key games, like Coast Guard falling to rival Merchant Marine
and Western New England being edged by Norwich. The NEFC had been
doing the rest of D-III a favor by taking only one of the playoff
spots it’s theoretically entitled to based on its size. Next
season, when the conference splits in two, and in 2015 when the
eight departing schools plus Western Connecticut get their AQ in
the MASCAC, it’ll be another opportunity for these schools to
prove they can compete nationally. Unless it comes one more team
that consistently gets beaten, if not blown out, in the first
round.
25. HEARTLAND COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (HCAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 21st
High- and low-water marks: 18th in 2009; 22nd,
several times.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 20.71
Non-conference record to date: 2-15
Verdict: The presence of Franklin, which
scheduled Mount Union and has become a perennial top 25 team under
Mike Leonard, keeps the conference out of the basement. After that
though, there’s no defending a 2-15 mark in non-conference
play. It’s as simple as that. The wins are Bluffton against
Kenyon and Mt. St. Joseph against Wilmington (29 consecutive losses
and just let coach go).
26. UPPER MIDWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (UMAC)
Kickoff '12 ranking: 25th
High- and low-water marks: 25th in 2012; 27th in
2008.
Average ranking, 2002-'12: 26.1
Non-conference record to date: 4-9
Verdict: Gave up at least 47 points in eight of
the 13 non-conference games, including Crown’s 53-6 loss to
independent Macalester, Northwestern’s 52-7 loss to St.
John’s and MacMurray’s 73-0 loss to Wartburg. St.
Scholastica was respectable in a two-touchdown defeat against
Whitworth (NWC). The wins are against Knox, Rockford, Maranatha
Baptist and Haskell Indian Nations. The conference as a whole will
have better times than this past month.
On the NESCAC and Independents: The NESCAC, which does not participate in non-conference games, is not ranked, nor are the six independents. ATN believes the level of talent in the NESCAC compares to the Liberty League, Centennial, North Coast, UAA and SCIAC, but without any non-conference games, it’s impossible to slot them based on anything but a guess. The independents, because they are not a conference, can’t be ranked. But as a group, Wesley, Huntingdon, Trinity, Austin, Macalester and Presentation cover the gamut – their preseason rankings in Kickoff ‘12’s run from the Top 25 to the Bottom 25.
> Don’t like where your team landed? Got a disagreement with a factual basis? Head on over to the ATN thread on D3boards, and discuss the rankings with D-III’s most knowledgeable fans.
Three takes on Week 5
Pat Coleman, Ryan Tipps and I combed through this week’s slate of games and found the teams most likely to salvage bad seasons, the undefeated teams most like to pick up their third losses, top 25 teams most likely to be upset and the predators to watch. Yes, predators. All in this week’s batch of predictions, the Triple Take.
Five ways to Saturday
If you’re missing the conversation, especially on game days, you’re missing the best ATN and D3football.com have to offer, and you’ll end out of the loop. Here’s how you can keep up.
You can also follow ATN ...
• Throughout the week on Twitter. Follow @D3Keith. It’s a sporadic stream of short-form minutiae, most of it D-III related. It’s also the best way to directly converse with the column’s author. There’s also @d3football, @D3MidAtlantic (Tipps), @AdamTurer, @Andrew_Lovell, @kylerobarts, @BLester1993 and several others are also worth a follow.
• On Around the Nation’s Post Patterns thread, at the top of the General Football board. That’s the next best place to ask a question about a topic raised in the column, or continue a discussion unrelated to this week’s ATN.
• Mondays, Pat Coleman and I wrap up the week that was in our podcast. Download from iTunes or listen to it in the Daily Dose’s media player.
• When the column publishes on Thursdays.
• In Friday morning’s Triple Take, on The Daily Dose.
On Saturdays, our running game day conversation no longer lives on the Daily Dose, but on Twitter.
The press box
• Crowd sourcing: I'm looking for your photos wearing D-III shirts or hats on vacations or at famous places around the world. It's for a future project, showing how we represent.
Also looking for ex-players and others willing to give testimonials about all-star games they’ve played in recruiting services they’ve used and more. Please e-mail for more details.
• For the Love of the Game: Show your love everywhere you go with an original, high-quality, color-themed Division III shirt from zazzle.com/D3Keith.
• Readers: Around the Nation encourages your opinions, questions and insights. Readers can best get a response by posting on Around the Nation's running thread on Post Patterns (under general football). Send email to keith.mcmillan@d3sports.com or use our feedback form.
• Sports Information Directors: To contact Keith McMillan, use keith.mcmillan@d3sports.com, or mail to D3football.com, 12457 Manchester Way, Woodbridge, Va., 22192.
