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ATN Podcast 320: Bubbles burst and the Berea Boink

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The 2022 Division III playoff bracket is out, and we ask our usual questions: What did the committee get right here? What did they get wrong? Who got the toughest road to the Stagg Bowl? What are the best first round games, and what are the interesting things in this bracket that people might have missed?

But of course, we can’t have any of that conversation before we talk about the drama of the closing seconds that somehow got Mount Union the OAC’s automatic bid, the moment when the ball boinked off of a Baldwin Wallace defender’s helmet before settling into the hands of Wayne Ruby, who ran it into the end zone for the unlikeliest of game winners. Stick around to the end of the podcast to find out what happened in the postgame dogpile, and then what was supposed to happen at the end of the game … but did not.

This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16.

Meanwhile, we hear from a team making it to the playoffs for the first time — no, not the surprise team. Or at least, not that surprise team. Ithaca coach Michael Toerper joins us for a Fast 5 and we also hear from Cortland coach Curt Fitzpatrick about what his team can take away from this loss as they regroup for the playoffs.

Plus, questions about King’s and Plymouth State, and apparently the WIAC is somehow overrated? Who would fare better against Delaware Valley, assuming the Aggies make it to the second round? And still six regions of wrapup, from fun in the 1 to the rest of the regions.

Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device.

Full episode: [display_podcast]

You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast

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Theme music: Power 2 by DJmentos.
Photo by Doug Sasse, d3photogrpahy.com

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ATN Podcast 319: National committee chair takes our questions

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Sure, that might not be the sexiest title for a podcast episode, but it’s important. We got a good 45 minutes with the Division III football national committee chair, subjected him to our questions, and your questions. The ones submitted by readers are the ones in the graphic on this page, but we also asked what the point is of an alphabetical ranking, and does it seem right that 90.5% of the season passes before we get an actual ranking in the only poll that counts for playoff consideration?

That’s J.J. Nekoloff, the associate commissioner of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. He’s been on the committee for three years, and worked to help organize 12 Stagg Bowls in Salem as part of the ODAC office.

This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16.

If you’ve been paying close attention to Division III football and some of the selection committee processes in general for the past 10 years, one of these answers will come as a surprise to you. Plus, we go right off the top to ask how in the heck eight teams got ranked in Region 3, we talk about how much mock bracketing the committee does, we talk about the ways some regions rank primarily by winning percentage before all others, and much more.

In addition, Pat and Greg look at some of the key pieces of this regional ranking, break down the playoffs chances of schools such as King’s, Hardin-Simmons and Alma and Albion.

Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device.

Full episode: [display_podcast]

You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast

Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps:

Theme music: Power 2 by DJmentos.
d3photogrpahy.com photos

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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ATN Podcast 318: A muddy playoff picture

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Another week of thrilling games leaves us able to practically smell the NCAA Division III football playoffs. But while nearly half of the 27 automatic bids to the 32-team playoff field have already been claimed, the at-large playoff picture seems clear as mud. Aside from UW-La Crosse, which should be as much of a shoo-in as there can be for an at-large bid if they win next week, it’s hard to make a definite case for any particular at-large candidate. Pat and Greg run through the candidates as they stand today, and will revisit them this week.

This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16.

And one of those possible at-large candidates is the runner-up in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, where co-leaders Albion and Alma, both 9-0, will square off on Saturday. We go a Fast Five with Alma coach Jason Couch — he’s the one coaching in a kilt on the photo on this page, and his Scots live by the KILT philosophy, which Coach Couch will explain.

Meanwhile, Greg gives his impressions of Mount Union, now that the Purple Raiders have finally played an opponent of note. Are we worried about Mary Hardin-Baylor’s recent performance? Has Bethel lost its quarterback again? Who’s looking to make the next step in the OAC? Plus, Pat does an in-person visit as Keystone gets its first-ever home win and celebrates its first Senior Day (already?) and there’s dancing in the sheets, if not the streets. Plus, how bad is Pat’s voice this week, anyway?

In addition, Pat and Greg hand out game balls, spotlight the unexpected in Stat of the Week, make guesses about Week 11 games and more.

Fan question in the mailbag from @rgyfo: What’s the history on seeding for Pool C? Thinking team like UWL actually ranked higher than AQ from its conference.

Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device.

Full episode: [display_podcast]

You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in Apple Podcasts, and many other places. You can also get this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3blogs.com/d3football/?feed=podcast

Mentioned on the pod: Adding football, why and how (Feb. 4, 2006)

Here’s how to find us on some of the major podcasting apps:

Theme music: Power 2 by DJmentos.
Photo by Steve Frommell, d3photography.com; Carl Schmuland for Bethel athletics; Alma athletics file photo

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