Game night with the defending champs

WHITEWATER, Wis. — This isn’t the only game going on, and it doesn’t even have an impact on the NCAA playoff selections, but it’s certainly where the most interesting game in Division III football is taking place tonight.

That’s why we’re here at UW-Whitewater tonight, to see exactly what the defending national champions are going to put on the field. We’re already well-versed in what the Warhawks graduated off last year’s team, and no, it wasn’t just Justin Beaver or A.J. Raebel. And tonight expected starting running back Jake Andersen, who ran for 233 yards and two touchdowns last season, is not dressed against St. Xavier, which is No. 8 in the NAIA’s preseason coaches poll.

But it’s still a festive night here at Perkins Stadium. The school will honor last year’s senior class at halftime and raise a national championship banner in the near end zone. The marching band is on the field and fans are packing in from the tailgating in the parking lot. Those who helped make the stadium renovations happen were recognized a few minutes ago, and the team is running out on the field as we speak.

I’ll keep you updated from here occasionally, but also follow along with the live audio, stats and/or UWW’s pay-per-view video from the links on our front page.

Game Day from Salem

Alright, so here we are, at the culmination of more than 1,100 games and after 236 teams have been eliminated from contention for the 2007 Division III football national championship, with Mount Union and UW-Whitewater. The fans are already tailgating in the parking lot, getting ready for our 4 p.m. kickoff. We’ll keep you updated here throughout the day on all the goings-on and help you follow along.

Don’t forget to turn down the audio on ESPN (Pam Ward on play by play) and turn up our audio broadcast. Those of you with a DVR may find the delay is manageable by pausing the television. We’ll pronounce names correctly, etc. 🙂

Join Gordon Mann, Frank Rossi and Ryan Tipps on our game day show starting at 2 p.m. Keith McMillan and I will take over leading up to the 4 p.m. kickoff, with Frank on the sidelines.

Some more audio to tide you over until we hit the air at 2 — I was interviewed on Western Wisconsin Sports Saturday this morning about the Stagg Bowl and recorded most of it for the audience here.

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