2017 Around the Nation columns

December 22, 2017 2017 Year in Review This was a bittersweet year, Adam Turer writes. Despite players who didn't finish the season, to an entire program that didn't make it to the end, along with the death of a beloved coach and the end of a Stagg Bowl era, there was pleasure to counterbalance the pain.

November 16, 2017 Playoff picks, surprises and disappointments Who are the teams that will surprise in this year's playoffs? Who will be the disappointments? And who will still be standing when we get to the semifinals? That's what our panel picks today in an annual Around the Nation tradition.

November 12, 2017 Playing up to expectations Our projections and predictions were impressive. Let's take a look back at the teams we thought would be playing in Week 12, and assess what happened to those who came up short.

November 9, 2017 End of a long road Barry Streeter ends his 39-year head-coaching career with his final game on Saturday, and Regis Scafe is retiring after 22 years as a Division III head coach. That's dedication to Division III football. More in Around the Nation.

November 5, 2017 Going out on a high note Dozens of seniors played their final college football game yesterday. Many had to balance the sting of missing out on the playoffs with the joy of ending their career with a win. That and a whole lot more in Snap Judgments.

November 2, 2017 Cru's success is infectious Mary Hardin-Baylor's 2016 national title may well have lit a fire under the rest of the Crusaders' fall sports, and meanwhile, the 2017 Cru are looking to keep the run going.

October 29, 2017 Built for the stretch run Some programs had backloaded schedules this year. These final few weeks are their time to prove whether their early success was smoke and mirrors, or if they are for real. Eureka is one team that belongs in the latter category. Adam Turer has more in Snap Judgments.

October 26, 2017 Surviving the quick change There were quite a few late-season coaching changes, and it meant an end to one program as well as a shortened season for another. But the quick change in coaches, and the resulting domino effect, isn't always a program's death sentence.

October 22, 2017 Let's have a breakdown together Three games on Saturday provided clarity in the playoff picture. There is still much to be decided on the field over the next three weeks. Adam Turer makes his premature predictions in this week's Snap Judgments.

October 19, 2017 No longer beasts, East trying to break back through No East Region team has finished the season in Salem since 1999, and it has been 10 years since an East team has even been to the semifinals. Adam Turer explores the reasons why in Around the Nation.

October 15, 2017 Occidental not giving up yet The Tigers cancelled yet another home game, this time on homecoming weekend. Emotions are running high on campus, but the coaches and players are determined to overcome the latest adversity. That and more in Snap Judgments.

October 12, 2017 Bruins' long road to respect Seven-plus years of planning, four-plus years of practice and three-plus years of competition have led George Fox to this point -- a Top 25 ranking and a chance to play for the Northwest Conference title. The Bruins who stuck it out from the start talk to Adam Turer in Around the Nation.

October 8, 2017 Picks and polls Interceptions won some games and clinched others across Division III this weekend. Adam Turer looks at those underrated plays and breaks down his Top 25 voting strategy in this week's Snap Judgments.

October 5, 2017 Re-ranking the conferences in 2017 When conference memberships shift as much as they have this year, ranking the conferences becomes an even more difficult job. But hey, that's why Adam Turer gets whatever qualifies as the big bucks at D3football.com. Here's his take for 2017.

October 1, 2017 Through the eyes of the quarterback What is it like to pass for over 500 yards in a game, or over 1,400 yards through four games? Few know how it feels, but Hayden Bauserman and Michael Whitley shared their perspective after another prolific performance. That and more in Snap Judgments.

September 28, 2017 Hot starts create unlikely unbeatens As we head into the final weekend of the season’s first month, 39 teams sit at either 3-0 or 4-0. Many are the usual suspects, including 18 teams ranked in the latest Top 25 poll. Others, however, are off to more historic starts. More in Around the Nation.

September 24, 2017 An emotional week Loss, scandal, history, and catharsis. This week had everything. From Wooster honoring their teammate to Grove City breaking a long losing skid, Snap Judgments looks back on an emotional weekend.

September 21, 2017 Rivalry showdown takes center field Don't let the unique location or record-breaking attendance numbers distract you. The Tommie-Johnnie game is about one thing, and one thing only: who will emerge as the frontrunner for the MIAC crown. More in Around the Nation.

September 17, 2017 Feeding the beasts Several teams remained undefeated by following a familiar formula: get the ball in your best player's hands, repeatedly, until a defense figures out how to stop him. That and more in Week 3's Snap Judgments.

September 14, 2017 Back from hiatus Three former All-Region players spent 2016 on the sidelines. One was actually on the sidelines after a transfer that did not translate to playing time. The other two were away from their team, suffering the consequences of their poor decisions.

September 10, 2017 How to pull off an upset It takes aggression. Fourth downs, fake punts, and two-point conversions all factored into the weekend's biggest upsets. Snap Judgments looks at how those games shake up the national championship race.

September 7, 2017 Digging in for Duke Muhlenberg head coach Mike Donnelly has been forced to the sidelines this year as he fights acute monocytic leukemia. But he hasn't been absent from the hearts and minds of players he coaches, or coaches he's squared off against. More in Around the Nation.

September 3, 2017 Remembering how to win again Week One did not disappoint. Snap Judgments returns, getting you caught up on the Top 25 upsets, record-breaking individual performances, and long-awaited victories that defined the season's opening weekend.

August 31, 2017 This season signifies one last shot at Salem If you've never been to Salem for the Stagg Bowl, 2017 will be your last chance, at least for a while. For those who have their eyes on this prize, Adam Turer talks with those who have made that trip before, in this season's first Around the Nation column.