 Delaware Valley is one of this week’s toss-up games, where our picks don’t agree. Delaware Valley athletics photo |
The field of 32 has become a more elite group of 16. Last week, several games were decided by 10 points or less. How many of those met your expectations?
The first week fell mostly according to form, and no three-game sweeps were wrong. And few games were outside of the general range of scores that we predicted: Projected blowouts were often just that, and narrow projections often came down to the wire.
So we’ll walk you through our predictions again for Round 2. We’re soon wrapping up the November games and moving closer to the Division III championship Stagg Bowl on Dec. 16.
Remember, these postseason Triple Take predictions are not intended to be lines on the games, but rather a broad test of expectations vs. outcome.
If you’re feeling prescient, leave your final score guesses for any or all games below, and be sure to come back afterward to see how you did. There’ll be a live blog running here on The Daily Dose during Saturday’s games, and all tweets with hashtag #d3fb are included.
For more info on the 32-team race to Salem, including the brackets, info on each team and feature stories, check our playoffs home page.
UW-Whitewater Bracket
Ryan’s take: UW-Whitewater 42, Franklin 7
Keith’s take: UW-Whitewater 35, Franklin 14
Pat’s take: UW-Whitewater 45, Franklin 10
Ryan’s take: Salisbury 38, Kean 24
Keith’s take: Salisbury 35, Kean 21
Pat’s take: Salisbury 35, Kean 17
Delaware Valley Bracket
Ryan’s take: St. Thomas 49, Monmouth 27
Keith’s take: St. Thomas 27, Monmouth 21
Pat’s take: St. Thomas 45, Monmouth 24
Ryan’s take: Delaware Valley 38, St. John Fisher 21
Keith’s take: Delaware Valley 20, St. John Fisher 10
Pat’s take: St. John Fisher 24, Delaware Valley 21
Mary Hardin-Baylor Bracket
Ryan’s take: Mary Hardin-Baylor 35, McMurry 24
Keith’s take: Mary Hardin-Baylor 38, McMurry 23
Pat’s take: Mary Hardin-Baylor 35, McMurry 24
Ryan’s take: Wesley 28, Linfield 27
Keith’s take: Linfield 24, Wesley 20
Pat’s take: Linfield 35, Wesley 34
Mount Union Bracket
Ryan’s take: Wabash 24, North Central 21
Keith’s take: North Central 28, Wabash 20
Pat’s take: North Central 31, Wabash 20
Ryan’s take: Mount Union 41, Centre 14
Keith’s take: Mount Union 42, Centre 17
Pat’s take: Mount Union 50, Centre 13
In making my picks, I figured I was going to be the odd duck in the group in anywhere from one to four games. Turns out that it ultimately was only two. 🙂
I think the Salisbury game is the sweep that surprises me the most.
Looks like we all have pretty similar expectations. But there are definitely some games that I could see going one of many ways. Kean has beaten so many good teams that they’re tested, but so is Salisbury.
Wesley I like a lot — like many teams they’ve got a great defense — but they cut it close last week. Matchup to watch is the nation’s leading sack-getters vs. the ever-escapable Shane McSweeney.
When you have two Ds like North Central and Wabash, who the heck knows? NCC could win by a lot or it could be a low-scoring game. McMurry and Monmouth can erupt on offense.
SJF and McM have QB issues. There’s a lot of intrigue. Those weren’t easy picks IMO. But we put our thoughts out there and welcome yours below. Who knows what the true outcomes will be. Players will decide that on Saturday.
The UMHB vs McMurry game will be much closer if Mullin can play
I predict UMHB 31 McMurry 28
I hope Mullin can play – we want to beat their best –
UMHB by 18 41-23
Some really intriguing matchups this week:
The two that I am most curious in followins (outside of SJF) is the Wesley/Linfield and Salisbury/Kean games.
I’m hoping for an E8 sweep again this week – I want to see SJF and Salisbury advance. Both have really tough opposition though. We’ll see.
This will be my longest day of the year for me.
Right now in Orange County, CA, it is 60 degrees and party sunny,similar to the forecast for Dover Saturday.
How about a lower seed win somewhere just to make the selection committee call each other at home.
I would say any question of NCC not winning against Wabash is completely out of the question. I am a Wheaton fan and they had a very good team this year. In the preseason game Wheaton handled Wabash fairly easily, however Wheaton was man handled by North central. I think North Centrals opening game was an aberration because their defense is as good as any I have seen in d3 football. I believe they will beat Wabash by a minimum of 2 to 3 tds. I would go on to say that Mt union is in at least some danger if they and NCC eventually meet.
So Wabash’s scrimmage is relevant, but North Central’s Week 1 game is not?
Got it. Thanks.
Because I’m feeling prescient:
UWW 41 – Franklin 17
Salisbury 35 – Kean 24
St Thomas 42 – Monmouth 17
Del Valley 31 – St. John Fisher 24
UMHB 45 – McMurray 27
Wesley 38 – Linfield 31 OT
NC 42 – Wabash 24
UMU 49 – Centre 21
I see only 2 games being “close” at the end, as reflected in the above scoring predictions. I’ve picked two “upsets” – Wesley will get past Linfield and NC against Wabash and that won’t be close – nor a big upset. Would love to see Del Valley at St. Thomas in person but I don’t think that’s in the cards with how the brackets got seeded.
Everyone have a fun Saturday!
Art
Good point, ryantipps — the first game of the season is indeed more significant than a pre-season scrimmage. Nevertheless, I agree with trainer about North Central and Wabash. Wheaton was probably better than half the teams that made the playoffs, and North Central handled them with ease. NCC looks mighty good, and I think they’ll do the same with Wabash.
More accurately, I don’t think either the scrimmage or the Week 1 game is that significant at this point in the season. Only in the rarest of circumstances does a team not mature and evolve (and improve) over the course of the season.
You all are missing the boat on a upset. Monmouth WILL beat St. Thomas!! Go Fightin Scots!!
Mount Union will win by 30 over Centre.
Ryan your right in that I did not use my comparisons well. Let me put it this way. Wheaton and wabash have scrimmaged Often. Typically they are mirror images of each other talent wise with one or the other perhaps having a slight edge. Neither one of them can stay with ncc, and this year I thought Wheaton was better than wabash. I’ll be glad to eat crow tomorrow if I’m wrong. I don’t think that’ll happen though.
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purpleraider50 — I picked Monmouth last week but that was as much as I could do. I thought Illinois Wesleyan didn’t have enough offense to take advantage of Monmouth’s occasional defensive lapses, but I don’t have the same worries about St. Thomas on offense.
Interesting debate re Wabash and ncc. I tend to agree with Ryan, the games at the beginning of a season rarely are indicative of how teams perform weeks let alone months later. Particularly now the quality of most teams remaining is indisputable therefore I think the underestimated factor is neither comparative results nor directs strengths but rather the psychological strength of each team. Ncc has a strong conference and has recovered from a loss while Wabash has always found a way to win, pretty or not and also handled Wittenberg. For me one of the most impacting factors is pride to show off. Therefore my tip is Wabash because they have the tremendous boost of home field advantage.
Pat, I understand completely. However when they do win today, promise me that you will pick them next week
Monmouth has as good an offense as any, but they don’t boast the def. to get too far in the playoffs. The midwest conference isn’t quite the same competition as some of the other conferences still in.
Last minute picks:
Whitewater 42, Franklin 20
Salisbury 21, Kean 20
St. Thomas 42, Monmouth 35
St. John Fisher 24, Delaware Valley 20
UMHB 49, McMurry 42
Wesley 28, Linfield 24
North Central 17, Wabash 14
Mount Union 59, Centre 21
Depends on the opponent, purpleraider50!
I appreciate your thoughts germanjon. I guess will see. But it is fun to try and predict. I think NCC 31 Wabash 10.
That prediction is probably right, trainer. Wabash playing with backup QB isn’t a good thing….
Really impressed with Wabash young QB. A really tough kid.
Me too! He’s really come into his own through this game.
wow eating a nice helping of crow. Congrats Wabash! Tyler Burke is going to be a good one.
Burke is actually a senior. 🙂 This is his last stretch.
That’s a shame
Some great games today, but my favorite was the North Central v. Walbash game. The Little Giants showed a lot of grit and heart in outscoring North Central 29-7 in the second half. I thought this game was over at halftime and shifted my attention to Linfield v. Welsey and Kean v. Salisbury games until hearing an update that the Little Giants were on the move. Putting it all on the line by going for the 2 pt conversion for the win was as gutsy as it gets, but picking up the 2 pts on a tipped pass was icing on the comeback of the day cake.
I did the same thing as odacfan and actually got off line and listened to the Tommies game on WCCO here in the twin cities. That game got lopsided pretty quick so I went back on-line to see the end of the NC – Wabash game, saw some of the Salisbury – Kean game and watched the UMHB – McMurray ending. It was a great weekend for football.
I only picked one of the upsets so I only got a .750 batting average in my picks. I don’t think we’re done seeing upsets for the year because there are 8 great teams left. I am fairly confident in going on the record as saying that there is a real good chance that we will not have UWW and UMU both in the Stagg Bowl this year.
Everyone have a great week getting ready for the next 4 games,
Art