Game day from the madness

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I’m in Naperville, Ill.; Keith McMillan is in Westerville, Ohio; John McGraw is in Geneva, N.Y.; and Frank Rossi is in Belton, Texas. And there are photographers elsewhere and of course, your eyes are everywhere.

Twelve weeks into the Division III football season, and while us Triple Takers were fairly unanimous with our first-round predictions, there are still lingering questions.

We all think Wheaton will win, but here’s what Trine has on its side. Trine has a 10-game home winning streak going and hasn’t lost at Shive Field since a 21-7 loss to Hope on Oct. 28, 2006. That’s another era in Trine/Tri-State football, to be sure.

We all picked Hardin-Simmons to lose to Mary Hardin-Baylor. I know I looked at the last meeting and took into account that Mary Hardin-Baylor is really banged up. But we all picked the home team to lose, and that’s a red flag. This game is too close to call, and I think our scores reflected that. That’s also why we sent a broadcast crew, since we think this is going to be a great game.

Plus, there’s the weather. It should hold scores down across the North Central and Mount Union bracket. Is it enough to prompt an upset? There aren’t many games being played on grass today, but the ball will still be affected.

We’ll update. You’ll update. It’ll be a great time. Madness on!

134 thoughts on “Game day from the madness”

  1. There’s grass here at Otterbein Pat, as well as a very nice Division III facility, but it might as well be concrete. It snowed yesterday and a little bit remains around the outside of the track, but mostly it’s just hand-numblingly cold today. I assume the receivers and DBs these days all wear gloves, but anyone who doesn’t is going to feel it on their hands.

    Otterbein is hyped up for its first playoff appearance; Franklin traveled well, three hours from the Indianapolis area to just north of Columbus, Ohio, and is out to erase the memory of a 44-42 loss to North Central last season.

    We’re about to kick here, and I think this game is one of the biggest toss-ups on the board today.

    Feel free to chime in from wherever you are.

    And thanks to both SIDs here for helping me get online; Couldn’t snag the wireless, but they had an extra ethernet cable 🙂

    Remind me later to tell you about the Franklin tailgate too. Stone Station’s No. 1 spot I think is in trouble.

  4. 21-0. Ely INT return. That’s exactly the kind of game R-MC can’t win.

    Here, Franklin and Otterbein showing glimpses, but trading blows & remaiining scoreless. About 13 mins. in

  5. Having trouble with Daily Dose and Firefox 3.0.3. I got on the Daily Dose by Internet Explorer.

    Having trouble getting on the D3cast Hobart Lycoming game.

    Keep the updates coming.

    Thanks to all.

  6. CNU scores on 1st drive. 3-0
    W&J answers with TD 7-3 W&J
    CNU replies with TD 10-7 CNU
    W&J takes 2 plays to score – 14-10 W&J

    second qt just underway. OGUN has over 60 yds already. CNU has 106 total yds. W&J now at 137. CNU struggling on current drive. Will see first punt of day on next play. CNU D has to hold or the game will start to get out of hand.

  7. Yeah, you are not the first. Sign out and sign back in, or use ie. (or Safari)

    Here, scoreless to start the second qtr. … Otterbein gets some nice DL penetration & causes a fumble on the first play. Two plays later the Cards fumble it right back to Franklin.

    It’s not really defense making plays or offense not for either side … just a good job of one unit not allowing the other to get consistent.

  9. W&J offense is lighting up the field. Averaging 11.9 yds per play. CNU is in game only becuase of time of possession. 14 minutes to 4.

    Uh Oh!!!!! TD W&J. 2nd TD pass by Swallow. 21-10 W&J. 9:43 left in 2nd qt. This is not looking good for CNU. W&J is able to move the ball at will. CNU defense has no answers.

  10. Otterbein DL getting a lot of pressure, but on 4th-and-3 Chad Rupp gets off a quick hitch for a first down, then tosses a touch pass to the front corner of the end zone for Franklin’s 7-0 lead.

    Looks like W&J is up 21-10.

  11. W&J intercepts ball
    CNU then recovers fumble on next play.

    Issue – starting kicker for W&J is not playing. Backup K has short kickoffs. CNU starts on average around their own 40-45

    NEW QB in for CNU.

  14. My goodness…these games out there sound like turnover city!!!
    Can’t expect to win in the playoffs turning the ball over….

  15. Another W&J TD. 28-10. Swallow is controlling this game. 11-15 191 yds and 3 TD passes. 3:09 left before the CNU D can go get some oxygen in the locker room.

  16. CNU has gotten away from Ogun. He has negative yds in second qt. I know when your down 18 you want to pass to get back in it. But this is not the team to do that with. Drive by running!!!!! Get a TD and go into the half down by 15 or 11. Give the ball to OGUN and control the ball!!!!

    4th down CNU…..pass pass pass….geez

  19. Big play here … Ott punts from deep in its own territory, but DL Mike King tips a Chad Rupp pass on the first play, intercepts the pass and runs it to the 10, and Rafferty keeps it himself to score on the next play.

    1 play, 10 yards in 0:05 on the drive … suddenly flipped from Franklin looking to add a quick one before the half to trailing for the first time today.

    MUC just went up 28-0.
    W&J just went up 28-10.
    Cortland 17-6 at the half.

    It’s on the scoreboard too 🙂

  20. 28-17 W&J at the half. CNU racks up 100+ yds in 1st qt but goes negative in 2nd half. W&J will be hard to stop in second half.

  26. Not looking good for UW-Whitewater. St. John’s just plows down the field on their first drive for a TD and then picks off a Jeff Donovan pass on the Warhawks’ next drive.

    7-0 SJU 5:30 1st Q

  28. Several games at the half and a few close to getting there. Franklin drove 73 yards in 1:38 to tie it on another Chad Rupp-to-Logan Deffner TD pass. They got down there on a Rupp rollout and a Deffner adjustment, but Deffner did that off-balance fall. Rupp hit him with a 3-yard strike to tie it.

    Then Otterbein nearly didn’t field the kick … but anyway, 14-all here. Otterbein getting quite the D-Line push and having its DBs tackle well in the open field, while Franklin is getting to the QB and forcing the pitch to the pitchback every time on the option.

    I guess I delayed, Plymouth and Cortland are probably in the 3rd by now.

  29. After CNU scored on about the second play of the second qt, Ogun has touched the ball 3 times. I wish I could call the lcoker room. Ogun touches the ball 3 times and then W&J takes a big lead. It’s not rocket science. For CNU to have a chance they need to give the ball to the second leading rusher in d3 (only .04 yds per game from top rusher). Why would you take the ball out of his hands? He had over 60 yds in the first qt!!!!! Is he hurt?

    Also – nice halftime show on radio. CNU radio interview Steeler coach Mike Tomlin. He addressed the Captains last night. CNU coach Kelchner recruited Tomlin at William and Mary. Tomlin is a Newport News native.

  30. BTW, free video broadcast of the UWW-SJU game on PennAtlantic.

    UWW fumbles on a 3rd and goal at the SJU 1-yard line. 1st and 10 SJU.

    7-0 SJU 1:00 1st Q

  31. Anyone from d3football know why I have two comments above from about 30 minutes ago that state “your comment is awaiting moderation”?

  32. hobart outgained lyco 208 to 138 in the first half, 13 to 6 in first downs, and 72 to 29 yards rushing. hope hobart can keep up the momentum in the second half.

  33. UWW running backs can’t seem to get anything going today. Looks like SJU D-line is just dominating and filling gaps.

  35. 35-17. CNU D gave up the second 4th and 5 in the red zone. W&J is not kicking FG’s with the backup K in the game. Of course, they don’t need to when they can convert 4th and 5 at will. CNU stops those 2 plays and it’s 21-17 and CNU possibly controls the clock even more …..shoulda coulda woulda….frustrating.

  36. Oh, that was Cortland audio I had on at the same time. Now wonder it didn’t match up.

    Back underway here in Westerville.

  37. UWW gets it close to the end zone again but can’t put it in. Schebler Field Goal.

    7-3 SJU 10:12 2nd Q

  39. Cortland just had a big TD called back for an illegal shift, but still up 24-6.

    Here, Franklin forces a 3-and-out to start the 3rd, then there was a Rupp quick screen to Zmick and he stepped out at the 32; next play is Rupp to Logan Deffner for another TD.

    Franklin is dangerous when it gets in rhythm.

    F 21-14.

  41. 4th and 3 for CNU at the W&J 11….Ogun runs for TD. CNU going for 2……

    No good. 35-23……not sure why you go for 2 at this point…..kick PAT and be down by 11 – where a FG and THEN a TD with 2 pt conversion ties it. Now, CNU HAS to score 2 TDs.

  42. Jeff Schebler kicks another field goal for the Warhawks, now trailing the Johnnies by only one.

    7-6 SJU 5:15 2nd Q

  44. Otterbein strikes right back, using Franklin’s no-huddle against them. The Cards stalled on first and goal though and Ott kicked a 21-yd FG to cap a 9-58-2:55 drive.

    21-17.

  46. UWW defense forces another punt deep in SJU territory. 1st and 10 UWW at the Johnnie 29.

    7-6 SJU 3:30 2nd Q

  47. CNU gets back in game by running. D stops W&J for the first time so CNU thinks passing is a good idea now……aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

  49. Jeff Schebler kicks his third field goal of the day for the Warhawks. The offense is doing a great job of getting into SJU territory, but they seem to sputter once they get in the red zone.

    9-7 UWW over SJU 1:55 2nd Q

  50. 6:09 2Q; HSU’s Feaster scrambles (about 15-something yards) for a TD. PAT good. Tied at 21. This was a 92-yd drive.

    Frank Rossi says Curry leads Ithaca 18-14 mid way thru the 3rd qtr.

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