2013 playoffs: Bethel bracket
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Bethel Royals
| Seed: | No. 1, Bethel bracket |
| Last Top 25 ranking: | No. 6, Week 11 2013 |
| Location: | Arden Hills, MN |
| Enrollment (FT undergrads): | 2699 |
| Stadium: | Royal Stadium (3500) |
| Playing surface: | Grass |
| Conference: | MIAC |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff: | 8 |
| Head coach: | Steve Johnson (Bethel '79) |
| Career record: | 183-79-1 (.698) |
| Base offense: | Spread |
| Base defense: | 3-4 |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 7-7 (2000-01, 2003, 2006-07, 2010, 2012) |
| NCAA D-III championships: | None |
• D3football.com team page: Schedule and results, more news
| How they got here: | Pool A, MIAC |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Erik Peterson runs because he wants to, rather than needs to, and uses multiple targets, while the defense stuffs the run and forces turnovers. |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | The passing offense is focused around Mitch Hallstrom to the exclusion of Jay Hilbrands and Jared Schultz, an opposing quarterback breaks containment and the kicking game is tested. |
| This season's turning point: | Battling back after St. Thomas scored 21 points in the third quarter and scoring twice to beat the Tommies. |
| Rushing/passing yards per game: | 199.1/259.8 |
| Rushing/passing yards allowed: | 131.9/173.5 |
| How far can they go? | At least to the semifinals, and if so, expect a better result than previous trips to Alliance. |
North Central (Ill.) Cardinals
| Seed: | Likely No. 2, Bethel bracket |
| Last Top 25 ranking: | No. 4, Week 11 2013 |
| Location: | Naperville, IL |
| Enrollment (FT undergrads): | 2167 |
| Stadium: | Bendetti-Wehrli Stadium (5500) |
| Playing surface: | Turf |
| Conference: | CCIW |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff: | 6 |
| Head coach: | John Thorne (Illinois Wesleyan '69) |
| Career record: | 107-27 (.799) |
| Base offense: | Up-tempo spread |
| Base defense: | 4-3 |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 7-8 (2005-08, 2010-12) |
| NCAA D-III championships: | None |
• D3football.com team page: Schedule and results, more news
| How they got here: | Pool A, CCIW champ |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Spencer Stanek picks the opposing defense apart, especially with big target Peter Sorenson. |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | A defense that doesn't allow long drives suddenly can't get off the field. |
| This season's turning point: | After UW-La Crosse returned a fumble 53 yards for a touchdown to cut the Cardinals' lead to 21-17, North Central went right back down the field and scored to go back up by 10 on the next drive, then forced a three-and-out and went back down the field for another score. |
| Rushing/passing yards per game: | 237.7/265.1 |
| Rushing/passing yards allowed: | 117.1/136.9 |
| How far can they go? | They haven't been challenged much this year, so the question will be what happens when they face some adversity. Might take a couple rounds before they do get tested. |
UW-Platteville Pioneers
| Seed: | Likely No. 3, Bethel bracket |
| Last Top 25 ranking: | No. 7, Week 11 2013 |
| Location: | Platteville, WI |
| Enrollment (FT undergrads): | 5900 |
| Stadium: | Pioneer Stadium (10000) |
| Playing surface: | Turf |
| Conference: | WIAC |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff: | 11 |
| Head coach: | Mike Emendorfer (William Penn '86) |
| Career record: | 57-82 (410) |
| Base offense: | Spread |
| Base defense: | 3-4 |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | First trip |
| NCAA D-III championships: | None |
• D3football.com team page: Schedule and results, more news
| How they got here: | Pool C |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The run game is an afterthought and nobody really misses it, while the opponents are throwing too, with less success. |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They can't stop the run and the unnecessary points they give up keep an opponent in the game longer than necessary and something comes of it. |
| This season's turning point: | Zach Litchfield's field goal splitting the uprights as time expired to lift the Pioneers to a 17-16 win at UW-Oshkosh and all but securing the playoff bert. |
| Rushing/passing yards per game: | 149.7/338.3 |
| Rushing/passing yards allowed: | 142.7/206.6 |
| How far can they go? | First D-III playoff trip should yield first win, though probably not a second. |
Illinois Wesleyan Titans
| Seed: | Likely No. 4, Bethel bracket |
| Last Top 25 ranking: | No. 14, Week 11 2013 |
| Location: | Bloomington, IL |
| Enrollment (FT undergrads): | 2113 |
| Stadium: | Wilder Field at Tucci Stadium (3500) |
| Playing surface: | Turf |
| Conference: | CCIW |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff: | 28 |
| Head coach: | Norm Eash (Illinois Wesleyan '75) |
| Career record: | 173-89-1 (.660) |
| Base offense: | Pro set |
| Base defense: | 4-4 |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 3-4 (1992, 1996, 2009, 2011) |
| NCAA D-III championships: | None |
• D3football.com team page: Schedule and results, more news
| How they got here: | Pool C |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Rob Gallik has a little time to throw and the offense takes its time. |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | Neither running back is effective, and the opposing quarterback has all the time he wants because the defense is not getting into the backfield. |
| This season's turning point: | Driving 95 yards in 15 plays and using more than half of the fourth quarter to put Wheaton away in a 30-19 win. |
| Rushing/passing yards per game: | 177.0/219.0 |
| Rushing/passing yards allowed: | 96.1/190.5 |
| How far can they go? | Two years ago, IWU had a chance to go to Minnesota for a second-round game. This time they will. |
Wartburg Knights
| Seed: | Likely No. 5, Bethel bracket |
| Last Top 25 ranking: | No. 19, Week 7 2011 |
| Location: | Waverly, IA |
| Enrollment (FT undergrads): | 1729 |
| Stadium: | Walston-Hoover Stadium (4800) |
| Playing surface: | Turf |
| Conference: | IIAC |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff: | 46 |
| Head coach: | Rick Willis (Cornell '88) |
| Career record: | 127-33 (.794) |
| Base offense: | Three-wide |
| Base defense: | 4-3 |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 5-8 (1982, 1993-94, 1999, 2002-04, 2008) |
| NCAA D-III championships: | None |
• D3football.com team page: Schedule and results, more news
| How they got here: | Pool A, IIAC champ |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Both quarterbacks are healthy. Logan Schrader and Taylor Jacobsmeier give Wartburg's offense a new dynamic when they can be used interchangeably or put on the field at the same time. |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They feel they have no option but to throw or run Schrader for yards they must have. The defense can't get off the field. Bethel threw for 301 yards in a Week 2 Wartburg loss and Coe ran for 286 in a Week 8 loss. |
| This season's turning point: | Persevering after spending the entire second half trailing Central before coming back to win 16-14, avoiding what would have been a second consecutive loss. |
| Rushing/passing yards per game: | 195.3/205.1 |
| Rushing/passing yards allowed: | 137.2/192.9 |
| How far can they go? | Probably a one-and-out situation. |
Albion Britons
| Seed: | Likely No. 6, Bethel bracket |
| Last Top 25 ranking: | Never ranked |
| Location: | Albion, MI |
| Enrollment (FT undergrads): | 1940 |
| Stadium: | Sprankle-Sprandel Stadium (4244) |
| Playing surface: | Turf |
| Conference: | MIAA |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff: | 104 |
| Head coach: | Craig Rundle (Albion '74) |
| Career record: | 157-116 (.575) |
| Base offense: | Multiple I |
| Base defense: | 4-2-5 |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 5-8 (1977, 1985, 1991, 1993-94, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2011) |
| NCAA D-III championships: | 1994 |
• D3football.com team page: Schedule and results, more news
| How they got here: | Pool A, MIAA |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They force the opponent to go to the air to beat them. |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | There's no time for receivers to get open and the passing game consists of a bunch of checkdowns and dumpoffs. |
| This season's turning point: | When Hope's game-tying field goal attempt hit the upright in Week 11, securing the Britons' ticket. |
| Rushing/passing yards per game: | 143.3/232.7 |
| Rushing/passing yards allowed: | 190.9/244.7 |
| How far can they go? | This is a one-and-out trip |
Concordia (Wis.) Falcons
| Seed: | Likely No. 7, Bethel bracket |
| Last Top 25 ranking: | Never ranked |
| Location: | Mequon, WI |
| Enrollment (FT undergrads): | 1963 |
| Stadium: | Century (2500) |
| Playing surface: | Turf |
| Conference: | NACC |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff: | 73 |
| Head coach: | Greg Etter (Minnesota-Mankato '87) |
| Career record: | 23-27 (460) |
| Base offense: | Spread |
| Base defense: | 4-3 |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-3 (2003, 2006-07) |
| NCAA D-III championships: | None |
• D3football.com team page: Schedule and results, more news
| How they got here: | Pool A, NACC champ |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Austin Damaschke is making all the throws and using his legs because he wants to, rather than needs to. |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | The opponent can shorten the game by pounding the ball on the ground. |
| This season's turning point: | Getting into conference play after going 1-2 to open the season outside the league. CUW played a lot of close games and gave up a lot of yards but mostly bent rather than breaking. |
| Rushing/passing yards per game: | 184.9/291.9 |
| Rushing/passing yards allowed: | 196.4/241.2 |
| How far can they go? | They won't leave the state. |
St. Scholastica Saints
| Seed: | Likely No. 8, Bethel bracket |
| Last Top 25 ranking: | Never ranked |
| Location: | Duluth, MN |
| Enrollment (FT undergrads): | 2492 |
| Stadium: | Public School Stadium/MN-Duluth (5000) |
| Playing surface: | Turf |
| Conference: | UMAC |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff: | 138 |
| Head coach: | Greg Carlson (UW-Oshkosh) |
| Career record: | 156-100-2 (.609) |
| Base offense: | One-back |
| Base defense: | 4-2-5 |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 2011-12 (0-2) |
| NCAA D-III championships: | None |
• D3football.com team page: Schedule and results, more news
| How they got here: | Pool A, UMAC champ |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The offense is crisp and throws short- and medium-length passes without issue. |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They can never establish the run, while the opponent can do so with runs from either team. |
| This season's turning point: | Getting an 8-yard touchdown run from Tyler Harper as time expired in the first half at Greenville, putting the Saints up 21-7 and into a position to weather than eventual comeback attempt as CSS won the UMAC title from Greenville, 21-7. |
| Rushing/passing yards per game: | 245.7/186.8 |
| Rushing/passing yards allowed: | 121.1/163.5 |
| How far can they go? | Out and back. Not their time yet, though that can still be coming. |