Tag Archives: Tufts

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ATN Podcast 423: Three weeks to settle it

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Week 8 in Division III football had no games matching Top 25 teams against each other, but it still delivered late rallies, record-setting performances and conference races that are getting increasingly complicated.

Amherst scored twice in the fourth quarter to rally past Wesleyan, Trinity (Conn.) survived a low-scoring test from Bowdoin, and the SAA suddenly has four teams tied in the loss column. Carnegie Mellon now stands alone atop the Centennial, but its final three games come against the three teams directly behind it.

Montclair State coach Mike Palazzo joins us after the Red Hawks’ first win against a ranked opponent since 2018. He explains what Montclair learned from facing Merchant Marine’s option, how those lessons helped against Salisbury and why one running back’s remarkable game-day journey made the victory especially memorable.

Who earned game balls after a thriller and a four-touchdown performance? Which player arrived just in time for pregame after a life-changing morning? How did Alvernia dominate possession with only 32 rushing yards? And how did Grinnell reach a milestone that once seemed a long way off?

Logan Hansen’s Analytics 301 sorts through the likely top eight seeds, conferences positioned for multiple bids and the Week 9 games that could become virtual playoff-clinching or elimination contests.

Then we go region by region: WPI’s Nathan Napier connects from 53 and 55 yards, RPI intercepts seven passes and returns three for touchdowns, Jalen Lackey posts a second consecutive 200-yard receiving game, Rose-Hulman takes control of the HCAC race, St. Norbert wins with a last-minute field goal and pick-six, and Nebraska Wesleyan finally breaks into the win column with 69 points.

We also look ahead to Rowan at Christopher Newport, John Carroll at DePauw, Wheaton at Augustana, LaGrange at Huntingdon and what might be the biggest home game in Lewis & Clark history against Linfield.

Plus, we go to the mailbag, to discuss: Why is the Centennial viewed differently this season? How should OAC coaches handle a possible three-way tie? Who has the inside track in the MAC? And which Week 9 games are worth making part of your Saturday schedule?

Patrick and Greg cover it all in Around the Nation Podcast No. 423.

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

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Photos: @adamcreated for Utica athletics, Montclair State and Trinity (Texas) athletics file photos

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ATN Podcast 422: Some of the numbers almost mean something

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Week 7 in Division III football brought dominant defense, dramatic finishes and a playoff picture that is beginning to take shape, even if the current NPI still needs much more data before it tells the full story.

UW-Platteville put together an almost incomprehensible defensive performance against UW-River Falls, while Maryville forced five turnovers to upset Trinity (Texas) and continue its remarkable turnaround after an 0-3 start. St. John’s survived a serious challenge from Concordia-Moorhead, and Hope erased a 15-point halftime deficit to defeat Adrian.

Hope coach Peter Stuursma joins us to discuss the halftime adjustments, his three-headed backfield and an electric homecoming atmosphere.

We hand out game balls to two big backfield performers from Saturday, talk about why two Division III football teams keep playing each other and a which conference contender is getting its injured quarterback back at exactly the right time.

Logan Hansen returns with Analytics 301 to examine the race for those coveted top eight seeds, likely at-large candidates and four Week 8 games that could reshape the postseason picture.

Then we go region by region: For example, Bridgewater wins with eight points after the clock hits zero, Texas Lutheran’s Malik Johnson makes NCAA history, Baldwin Wallace keeps building its case, Millikin and Illinois Wesleyan go wild in the final two minutes, and UW-Eau Claire takes another step forward.

We also revisit some of the “drunkest” games we’ve ever seen, ask whether anyone is truly driving the Centennial Conference race, and discuss Division III’s unusual run of in-season coaching changes.

Patrick and Greg cover it all in Around the Nation Podcast No. 422.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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:

Photos: UMass Dartmouth athletics file photo by Calder Troutman Photography cgtshots; Andy McNeill for UW-Platteville athletics; Maryville athletics file photo

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ATN Podcast 420: No consensus, plenty of contenders

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UW-Whitewater found a freshman-sized answer to a championship-sized challenge, while St. John’s turned shovel passes into an avalanche against Bethel and WashU broke through with the first top 10 victory in program history. Across Division III, defenses joined the scoring spree, long field goals delivered big wins and the playoff picture got a whole lot more interesting.

Which two defenses each produced three pick-sixes on the same Saturday? Which quarterback ran for three fourth-quarter touchdowns on just four carries? Which offense somehow scored 335 points on 336 plays? Oh yes, we did the math.

Who came up with the key defensive plays to get a game ball in Trinity’s revenge win against Berry? Who became a one-man Falcon wrecking machine in Whitewater? Who hit from 54 yards to give Luther a win, and who earned the nickname “Patty Ice” while kicking St. Olaf to a win?

Plus, WashU coach Aaron Keen joins us for Fast Five, the analytics say what they’re going to say, and Dickinson produces a third quarter unlike just about anything we’ve seen. Who survived an even longer delay than the one at St. John’s? Who scored three touchdowns before the opponent even recorded a first down? And who finally got to see the St. John’s tailgate?

And looking ahead: Can Whitewater follow its biggest win of the season by winning at UW-La Crosse? Will Rowan’s defensive prowess continue at Salisbury? Might Howard Payne make a statement at Mary Hardin-Baylor? Can Ohio Northern throw a great big … bear paw … into the OAC race? And most importantly, what happens when No. 1 North Central and No. 2 Wheaton meet for the Little Brass Bell?

Patrick and Greg tackle all this, plus your mailbag questions, in the latest edition of the D3football.com Around the Nation podcast.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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:

Photos: Semanco Media for WashU athletics; Evan Laserstein for UW-Whitewater athletics, Ella Carlson for St. John’s athletics