Around the Nation 218: The bid-clinching has begun!

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Pat Coleman

Yep, three teams have clinched their automatic bids to the NCAA Division III football playoffs, with 23 more to go, plus five true at-large bids. And it’s those at-large bids which will receive a ton of attention … first off, because they’re the most difficult decisions the committee will make, and secondly, because those teams are going to be candidates to get a first-round home game, and perhaps win a game or two.

Who played their way into consideration? Who played their way out? Which teams are being set up for multiple home games in the tournament, should they win out? Plus, how did Pat and Keith deal with this weekend’s losses on their Top 25 ballots? Who had amazing games that were just a bit under the radar? Which conference has games that just aren’t competitive at all? And everyone’s favorite backup quarterback wasn’t a backup this week.

Plus game balls, the week’s interesting stats and more in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation between Pat Coleman and Keith McMillan and guests covering the wide range of Division III football.

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Link: NCAA Division III playoff criteria, from our FAQ
Link: Playoff primer podcast (No. 216, with committee chair Jim Catanzaro)

Photo: St. John’s, UW-Whitewater and Berry athletics photos

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Around the Nation Podcast 215: Three weeks to Selection Sunday

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Pat Coleman

Well, there were some interesting losses and some unexpectedly narrow wins on Saturday. While that didn’t change the playoff picture as much as it changed the Top 25, there were still some key changes. There’s one team out there specifically that has to feel much better about its playoff chances after this week, and Pat and Keith talk about that and more in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast.

So, with Wesley dropping out of the picture, who’s next up? There are plenty of possibilities, plus Frostburg State still has Salisbury to play, and Frostburg didn’t exactly look like world-beaters on Saturday. You can hear Bobcats coach DeLane Fitzgerald’s reaction on this edition of the pod, then find out where they ended up on Pat and Keith’s Top 25 ballots. Plus, what team do Pat and Keith make up the vast majority of the votes for? All those nuggets are in this pod, plus game balls, the off-the-beaten-path highlights and everything you’ve come to expect from our Monday wrapup podcast.

That and more in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation between Pat Coleman and Keith McMillan and guests covering the wide range of Division III football.

Hit play, or subscribe to get this podcast on your mobile device.
Full episode: [display_podcast]

Photo: Devin Limerick gave John Carroll the lead for good on a fourth-quarter touchdown run. (Photo by Tara Byrne for John Carroll athletics)

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Around the Nation Podcast 213: Taking your questions

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Pat Coleman

Every Sunday night we take questions from listeners and followers on Twitter with the intent of answering the best one on the Monday podcast. When listeners turn around and give us 10 additional good questions, well, we need to do another entire podcast!

Pat and Keith tackle the following:

What’s the most interesting conference race?
Does the CCIW race make the conference seem stronger or weaker?
How far can the Johnnies go if they make the postseason?
Will UMHB secure more votes for No. 1?
Who is most likely to get upset later in the season?
How much better is Brockport this year than last year?
What part will Marietta’s momentum play this week vs. John Carroll?
Will Delaware Valley win the MAC?
Can a team from the East Region compete on the national stage?
How do you leave Randolph-Macon out of the Top 25?

And do not go away when that’s done. We talked with Averett coach Cleive Adams about what his team and his university is struggling with in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. You can hear a preview on this podcast, with the full interview to come on Friday.

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Photo: Jefferson Fritz scoring a defensive touchdown against Southwestern. (Mary Hardin-Baylor athletics photo)

Theme music: DJmentos.