We keep meaning to mention that the Aztec Bowl is at 2 p.m. on Saturday. You can get more information at the Aztec Bowl’s web site. They also do preview shows talking with the seniors who comprise the team, and the final one runs tonight from 7:30-9 ET.

Tune over for the end of the Aztec Bowl after we leave the air on Saturday.

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Stagg Bowl XXXIII will have video replay to review officials’ calls, sources tell D3football.com.

The Division III football national championship will be governed by the same instant replay rules used in the Southeastern Conference, which deal with the following plays:

Reviewable
1. Plays governed by Sideline, Goal Line, End Zone, and End Line:
a. Scoring Plays, including a runner breaking the plane of the goal line.
b. Pass complete/incomplete/intercepted at sideline, goal line and end line.
c. Runner/receiver in or out of bounds.
d. Recovery of loose ball in and out of bounds.

2. Passing Plays:
a. Pass ruled complete/incomplete/intercepted in the field of play and end zones.
b. Touching of a forward pass by an ineligible receiver.
c. Touching of a forward pass by a defensive player.
d. Quarterback (Passer) forward pass or fumble (if ruled incomplete, play is finalized).
e. Illegal forward pass or illegal handing off beyond the line of scrimmage.
f. Illegal forward pass or illegal handing off after change of possession.
g. Forward or backward pass thrown from behind the line of scrimmage.

3. Other Detectable Infractions:
a. Runner ruled not down.
b. Forward progress with respect to first down.
c. Touching of a kick.
d. Number of players on field.
e. Clock adjustments (in conjunction with overturned plays).
f. Fourth-down/try fumble plays.

Not Reviewable
1. Holding.
2. Off-sides/Encroachment.
3. Pass interference.
4. Personal fouls (e.g., late hits).
5. Illegal blocks.
6. Illegal formations.
7. Face mask.
8. Taunting/excessive celebration.
9. False starts.
10. Roughing passer/kicker.
11. Fighting participants.

The SEC guidelines note that the technology allows the official to review plays without stopping the game, so just because play is not halted does not mean a play was not reviewed.

More from the SEC’s replay policy:

While most plays can be reviewed between the dead ball and the beginning of the next play, the Replay Official can stop play on the field by using a pager system:
a. Replay Official communicates via vibrating pager to field officials that a play is under review.
In the event of a pager system failure, the Communicator shall immediately notify the Alternate Official by walkie-talkie. The Alternate Official shall then notify the nearest official, who will stop play.
b. Referee announces via Stadium PA, “The previous play is under review.”
c. Communicator begins timing the replay. When play is stopped, a minimum of 45-seconds will be used. Replays should not exceed two-minutes.

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… as in I-81, for us. If you drive that route to the Salem/Roanoke area, watch out for law enforcement. They patrol that in force, usually.

D3football.com has landed in Salem, Ryan Coleman and I left D.C. early because of the snow/ice forecast for Thursday morning. Didn’t want to get stuck in it. Safe travels to all.

Thursday’s itinerary: Gagliardi Trophy ceremony, team practices and interviews.

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We’ve predicted every Stagg Bowl since Stagg Bowl XXVII, and that year we were one of the few groups east of the Rockies to correctly predict Pacific Lutheran would beat Rowan.

We’re going to rest on those laurels … well, basically forever. We’ve been right every year except 2003, when St. John’s got it done against Mount Union against very long odds. Here’s what our assorted staff and contributors see happening Saturday in Stagg Bowl XXXIII:
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It’s hard to keep from pondering that if the NCAA had put UW-Whitewater in the North and Lakeland in the West (remember, Whitewater is closer geographically to the rest of the North bracket than Lakeland is!) then we could have seen UW-Whitewater/Mount Union today and UW-Whitewater/Linfield next week.

Thank goodness there was a competitive game today. Rowan did alright by the East in this one. Should be a good crowd in Salem. Looking forward to that one.

Congrats to Mount Union and UW-Whitewater. Fans, you should know that the Stagg Bowl organizing committee is sponsoring giveaway of a free hotel night and admission to the game. On Friday there’s a luncheon for the teams at the Salem Civic Center that you can purchase tickets to. You should find out which team is in which hotel if you are traveling so you can figure out whether you want to stay in the Clarion or the Wyndham (one team will stay in each, though there are many other hotels to choose from as well, check the Stagg Bowl Web site).

Pat Cummings, Keith McMillan and I will have a live audio broadcast of the game, with Gordon Mann and I handling pregame, halftime and postgame festivities. We start two hours before the game kicks off, and our pregame show will include the first announcement of the D3football.com All-America team. We’ll also carry it through the postgame news conferences and give you our final thoughts on the 2005 season, probably running at least an hour after the games end. So if you want to hear what your team and coaches have to say, tune to us.

We’ll also do photo galleries from the week, including the luncheon and team activities, as well as the game.

Enjoy the week. Post responsibly.

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