OK,
never you mind which D3football.com columnist said this season was wide open. Turns out it was always the Warhawks and the Purple Raiders.
So, I figured I might as well get a jump on this week’s chatter by setting up a thread where we can speculate if UW-W will even the score at 2-2, or will Greg Micheli and Nate Kmic go out as champions. Have at it below.
We’ll be approaching the story this week from several angles, through our Road to Salem features, the first installment of the Around the Nation year-in-review, an expanded slate of predictions for Stagg Bowl XXXVI and the release of the D3football.com all-Americans on our Stagg Bowl pregame show.
And this is as good a place as any to start sorting out the memories from the past three season that have run together. Off the top of my head, here’s what I recall:
2005: The Pete Schmitt (non-)TD before the half becomes the first instant replay review in D3 history, and a 95-yard Nate Kmic TD run helps put away a 35-28 Mount Union win.
2006: UW-W’s Derek Stanley makes a great catch along the sidelines as UW-W tries to send longtime coach Bob Berezowitz out a champion, but it’s Pierre Garcon who goes airborne for a TD in leading Mount Union to a 35-16 win. Micheli comes off the bench to go 18 of 22 and win MVP honors.
2007: Two-time champion sends one of the most talented and statistically dominant teams in Division III history to Salem, but an early goal-line stand, a determined 239-yard rushing day from Justin Beaver, and the running of QB Danny Jones, a Cal Lutheran transfer, lifted Whitewater to the title.
2008: You tell us how the story will end.
I’m sure I’m not remembering some of the numbers correctly, or mixing up the Kmic and Garcon big plays, but that illustrates my point. After three of these, some of the details are beginning to run together. D3football.com will re-visit the games this week and get all the details straight leading up to this week’s webcast of the championship game.
Whitewater will probably wear their road white jersey with black pants…things didn’t go too well the last time they wore all whites in the Stagg Bowl…!!
kehres graduated from mount in 1971, so he’s 59. one fun fact about his time at mount is that he alternated at QB with bill unger for a couple of years, sometimes every other play, sometimes every other series.
nathanshin,
I’m aware of that, and you are correct. However, HSU had to travel. UWW played UW-La Crosse at the Perk
Great Article on JSOnline regarding UWW:
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/statecolleges/36277799.html
if WW wears the whites (which I’m sure they will) I wanna see em wear the all whites…I almost feel like the oregon ducks with the different outfit combinations…
A couple of observations.
Great posts and great conversations going on. I love everyones passion for D3 sports and their perspective teams.
I enjoy seeing a well respected rivalary begin or continue. Yankees-Red Sox; Ohio State-Michagan; Mount-UWW. This is great.
I love the D3 playoff system and I am intrigued by the post from UWSYSTEMFAN. Living in Upstate NY and graduating from Mount I was excited to see Mount in the East division playing the likes of Cortland, Ithaca (last year) Hobart, St. John Fisher, etc.
I commend Coach Berowitz years ago meeting with Kehres to learn and improve the Warhawk system. I also commend St. John Fisher who stepped up to the plate and scheduled home and away games with Mount Union, becuase they knew they would get better by playing a Mount team.
Heres to a great game on Saturday morning. Are the posts true that the Winter graduation for UWW is at the same time?? If so couldn’t they postone commencment a couple of hours 🙂
Go Raiders. Good Luck Warhawks! May the best team win.
Bartman
Interesting post. I graduated from Mount and one of my friends that attended Mount was from Caledonia. Nice small town outside of Rochester. I have driven through before. As mentioned I am in Upstate and have been to games at Hobart, Ithaca and Cortland.
T_Unit14 – I hope you’re wrong!!! You might be the only person wishing for that.
I understand that history does worry you…and I’m superstitious (sp?) myself…but I think the last thing they are thinking about is the all white jersies…but look on the bright side…we have a great excuse if they do wear them and we would end up losing 🙂
TOPH, the line for the game is 3.5.
Dies anybody think think this is kinda cheap. I think mount is a touchdown better than UWW. They had a few turnovers last year that cost them. I think they protect the ball better and win 24-14.
WW will wear white with black pants!