Aug 28, 2023
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| The Blue Streaks are under a new coach but certainly have the type of schedule that can make them a contender for one of the precious few at-large bids. John Carroll athletics photo |
Every year this time of year, our crew gets itching to make some predictions, and our crew is here to tell you who the playoff picks will be, who the best players will be and who will win some of the most hotly contested conferences in Division III.
The panel: Pat Coleman, Greg Thomas and Ryan Tipps of D3football.com, Stagg Bowl sideline reporter and half of In The (D3fb) Huddle Frank Rossi, analytics guru extraordinaire and Wartburg graduate Logan Hansen, and Riley Zayas, founder of True to the Cru, a publication covering Mary Hardin-Baylor.
Let's dive right in:
All about the playoffs ... |
Which will be the last team chosen in Pool C, and what will its record be?
| Pat | Greg | Ryan |
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| John Carroll, 9-1 | Johns Hopkins, 9-1 | John Carroll, 9-1 |
| Frank | Logan | Riley |
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| UW-River Falls, 8-2 | Central, 9-1 | Wheaton, 8-2 |
Which team will be the most surprising playoff entry?
| Pat | Greg | Ryan |
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| Belhaven | Christopher Newport | UW-River Falls |
| Frank | Logan | Riley |
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| Wabash | Hope | Framingham State |
Which team that didn't make the 2022 playoffs will go furthest in 2023?
| Pat | Greg | Ryan |
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| Johns Hopkins | UW-Oshkosh | Johns Hopkins |
| Frank | Logan | Riley |
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| Wabash | UW-Oshkosh | Wabash |
Will anybody prevent a Stagg Bowl rematch?
| Pat | Greg | Ryan |
| No | No | No |
| Frank | Logan | Riley |
| Yes | Yes | No |
Who will reach the national semifinals?
| Pat | Greg | Ryan |
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| Mount Union, North Central, St. John's, Trinity (Texas) | North Central, Mount Union, Trinity (Texas), Wartburg | North Central, Mount Union, Mary Hardin-Baylor, St. John’s |
| Frank | Logan | Riley |
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| North Central, Mount Union, Trinity (Texas), UW-Whitewater | North Central, Mount Union, Wartburg, Mary Hardin-Baylor | Mount Union, North Central, Wartburg, Linfield |
Who will win the national title?
| Pat | Greg | Ryan |
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| Mount Union | North Central | North Central |
| Frank | Logan | Riley |
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| Mount Union | North Central | Mount Union |