Around the Nation podcast: We’re semi-fine with it


Wesley had just four second-half possessions against UMHB ending in a punt, an interception, a field goal and a fourth-down stop.
Photo by Andrew Zavoina, d3photography.com

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Two great games, two not-so-great ones. And you can probably guess based on past experience which region was involved in the not-so-great games. We talk about all four games that took place in the national quarterfinals, of course, including the great plays, the special teams miscues. And, of course, the big bracket miscue that results in the No. 1 and No. 2 teams meeting this week instead of next week in Salem.

Updated bracket, playoff features

And it had to happen eventually. After seven years or so of doing this podcast, we finally ran into a technical problem we didn’t discover until it was too late. There is an Around the Nation podcast this week, but the recording gets a little jittery a little way into the broadcast.

Pat and Keith give their thoughts on what it means to have a new team in Salem. Keith talks about what he missed in watching Mount Union games to make him think Widener had a chance. And we talk about why it’s important for all Division III fans to come to Salem, not just the ones whose teams are playing in the game.

We talk about that and more in this week’s Around the Nation Podcast, sponsored by the City of Salem, hosts of Stagg Bowl XL. Tickets on sale now!

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You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in iTunes. 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

D3reports postgame show

Here’s this week’s D3football.com reports, highlight packages and postgame interviews.

And this week’s photo galleries from our friends at d3photography.com:

ATN Podcast: Guest Brad Bankston, committee chair

Mike McCarthy
How exactly did Bridgewater State get into the field? We get as much info for you as we can.
Bridgewater State file photo

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We know you have plenty of questions about how teams were chosen for the Division III playoffs and why. While we’re always glad to answer them to the best of our knowledge, it’s good to hear something a little more authoritative, so we’re glad to be joined by Brad Bankston, the chair of the NCAA Division III football championships committee.

Bankston and Pat Coleman talk about everything from those invisible final regional rankings, the at-large decision-making process, and as much detail as possible about how Bridgewater State got in and how Concordia-Moorhead (and others) didn’t. Will the trend of two-loss teams getting at-large bids continue? Why don’t all four regions rank their teams the same way? How has the committee’s conference call changed technologically, and how might that affect the actual decision-making process?

It’s a good conversation, and Bankston is about as frank as any national committee chair has been in the past decade. This is not just the party line. Listen in.

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You can subscribe to the Around the Nation Podcast in iTunes. 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

Although Keith McMillan participated in putting the questions together, he was unable to take part in the interview because of scheduling. However, there will also be a full Around the Nation Podcast with Pat and Keith for Monday morning.

ATN Podcast: Wrapping up 2011

UW-Whitewater
It’s not a stretch to say UW-Whitewater has reached the top level in Division III, but what of Mount Union?
UW-Whitewater athletics photo by Leah Thyne

The 2011 season is over and UW-Whitewater has taken off on a dynasty of its own — 45 consecutive wins and three national championships. But while the Warhawks take home Walnut and Bronze, they don’t take home all of the D3football.com hardware. Pat Coleman and Keith McMillan discuss Stagg Bowl XXXIX, Mount Union’s disappointment and the offensive player of the year, defensive player of the year and coach of the year awards in this week’s Around the Nation podcast. It’s the final podcast of the 2011 season.

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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

Plus, here’s this week’s D3football.com report.