Last week was the most competitive week all season with every game being decided by 12 points or less, four games decided by four points or less, and two games being decided in OT. Everything gets decided in two games this weekend. Will Northwestern be able to hold on to the championship, or will somebody else claim the right to represent the UMAC in the Division III NCAA playoffs?
1. Northwestern College is still in the driver’s seat after a very close call in Eureka. With the exception of St. Scholastica, this is the first time all year that the Eagle’s needed the defense to win a game for them and DB Mitch Swanson and LB Alex Zeller answered the call. Every team is going to play an ugly game, and good teams figure out a way to make the plays to win ugly games. Still, it has to make you wonder if the Eagles aren’t quite as invincible as we thought going into this week’s UMAC championship game against Greenville.
2. St. Scholastica apparently decided it was going to play nice and a little more Saint-like than anticipated, but seriously do they understand that they can still win the conference if they win and Northwestern loses on Saturday? Ever since they lost to the Eagles, it just doesn't seem like they have the same nasty disposition to dominate teams as before. Going to OT against Presentation could make it onto ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown segment of “C’Mon Man!”
3. Greenville just keeps plugging away in their quest to win the UMAC championship. It all comes down to Saturday. If the Panthers beat Northwestern and St. Scholastica loses, then Greenville would claim the UMAC conference championship and the honor to get crushed by St. Thomas. A lot of things have to go right for the Panthers, but things somehow always go in their favor in crunch time. They might not be the most prolific passing team, but that run game is as dynamic and explosive as any team in the UMAC and it might be enough to carry them to the upset win against Northwestern.
4. Minnesota Morris. Usually when your QBs are a combined 30 for 60 with 2 interceptions, it does not bode well for a team. Fortunately, 14 of those completions went to WR Brendon Foss who has been sensational this season. Fortunately, the Cougars were playing a young inexperienced football team. What is it with UMAC teams throwing the football over 50 times?
5. Eureka really impressed me on Saturday. They nearly beat a Northwestern team even though QB Sam Durley had a rough day throwing three interceptions. I definitely did not give them a chance. Props to the Red Devils for hanging tough against what I thought would be a team that was clearly superior. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything in the standings about moral victories.
6. Martin Luther’s QB Luke Rothe came back to earth just a little bit on Saturday. Ok, it’s more like he’s approaching earth’s inner core. Five interceptions? Yikes.
7. Crown, crown, crown. It’s really never too early to start recruiting kickers. Try raiding the soccer teams.
8. MacMurray continues to find a way to lose close games. I know you could argue that they have been competitive in every game except Northwestern, St. Scholastica, and Wartburg but at some point you just have to figure out how to win some of these games.
9. Westminster is firmly in last place in my book. Here’s why: 1) Plassmeyer threw it 79 times, two more times than last week which results in a grand total of 156 times in two games 2) They are averaging 0.9 yards a carry for the year 3) They have rushed for a total, A TOTAL of 193 yards on the year. There might not be a more inept run offense in the entire nation and I’m including high school football.
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