1999 Around the Midwest columns

November 19, 1999 1999 year in review For all but 28 incredibly fortunate NCAA Division III teams, the last football season of the 20th century is now just a memory. But there will still be some memories that will linger long for the teams that didn't make it to the playoffs -- and some records and accomplishments that give these teams hope for the future as the new century dawns.

November 11, 1999 Breaking the five-way tie Last year, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference saw half its football-playing teams share the conference championship. This year, half the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference could do the same.

November 5, 1999 Iowa's Game of the Year Since the beginning of the football season, small-college fans have had Nov. 6 circled on their calendars. In what could be considered the biggest game not only in the Midwest, but in the entire nation in Division III football, Central travels to Waverly, Iowa, to take on Wartburg in a game that will decide at least a share of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship.

October 29, 1999 Again, it's Wheaton-Millikin The two teams have earned the respect of many observers around the nation and could possibly secure not only one, but two, berths for the CCIW in the upcoming playoffs.

October 21, 1999 Grinnell in St. Norbert's way This year, thanks to the new automatic qualifier rule, a Midwest Conference team is guaranteed a berth in the national playoffs for the first time since 1993. And that team could be St. Norbert. But Grinnell is standing in the way.

October 15, 1999 Can Stevens Point hold on? This week should provide the toughest test of all for the Pointers. Stevens Point plays host to Whitewater on Saturday. The Warhawks enter the game on a strong roll, rallying from a 20-6 first-half deficit to claim a 53-20 whitewashing of Oshkosh last week.

October 1, 1999 Oshkosh's surprising win When I opened my Sunday morning paper here in the Twin Cities and saw that my alma mater had beaten UW-Eau Claire, a Division III playoff team of a year ago, 16-14, one thought went through my mind, and I'm sure it went through the minds of many other UW-O grads who are scattered across the country.

September 24, 1999 Johnnies, Tommies square off To paraphrase Ben Franklin, there are a few certainties in life. Death. Taxes. The St. John’s-St. Thomas football war.

September 15, 1999 WIAC shows schedule's woes At the beginning of the season, did anyone imagine that four of the favorites in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference race would be a combined 0-8?

August 29, 1999 IIAC season preview In recent years, the race in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) has centered on three teams -- Central, Simpson and Wartburg -- with Buena Vista making some significant waves. And this year appears to be no exception.

August 21, 1999 MIAC season preview The race in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 1999 might be a race for second place.

August 3, 1999 WIAC season preview The race for the football championship in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference couldn't get much closer than it did in 1998, when four teams -- UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Whitewater and UW-River Falls -- tied for the conference title with identical 5-2 league records.

July 20, 1999 Just a point of introduction Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing with you previews of what could shape up to be a great football season in the Midwest. Frankly, if it's even half the season that last year was, it could be an exciting one in each conference.