Pierre Garcon became the first Division III player to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl since 1992 and finished with five catches for 66 yards, but in the end his Indianapolis Colts lost to the New Orleans Saints 31-17.

Garcon took center stage for the Colts in the playoffs, first when Haiti was struck with a devastating earthquake and second when he caught an AFC Championship Game-record 11 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown in the win against the Jets that propelled the Colts to the Super Bowl.

To Division III fans, this is nothing new. The most rabid of us knew Garcon when he was a freshman at Norwich, catching four touchdown passes against St. John Fisher in 2004. Or they got to know him when he transferred to Mount Union. Or perhaps when he went airborne in Stagg Bowl XXXIV, leaping over a UW-Whitewater defender into the end zone for a dramatic touchdown.

But if you're new to D3football.com and just learning about Pierre Garcon's Division III connections for the first time, here's some background reading as you get ready for Super Bowl XLIV:
• FAQ: What Division III players are in the NFL?
• How Garcon got to Mount Union
• Garcon studying for test at next level
• Studebaker, Garcon drafted

For more recent articles about Pierre Garcon and other Division III football players in professional football, check out our What We're Reading feed about D-III pros.

Garcon isn't Division III's only connection to Sunday's big game, however. Adam Zimmer, who played safety at Trinity (Texas), won a Super Bowl ring as an assistant coach for the Saints. Wabash alumnus Pete Metzelaars, perhaps the most recognizable Division III alumnus in the NFL after four Super Bowls as a tight end for the Buffalo Bills, is the assistant offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts. Metzelaars was the last Division III player to score in the Super Bowl, catching a touchdown pass from Jim Kelly in Super Bowl XXVI. Wabash has written a feature on his career. And former Baldwin-Wallace linebacker Tony Oden is an assistant defensive backs coach for the New Orleans Saints.

In the end, yes, the same two teams played for the national championship of Division III football in 2009, and the champion wears purple. (If you're one of those haters, perhaps you can find solace in the fact that it's a different shade of purple than the 10 other times Walnut and Bronze has been hoisted in Salem.)

But there were 1,240 other games played this past season. And 236 other teams that participated. Those stories -- the surprises, steps forward, steps backward and other memorable moments from 2009 -- take center stage in part two of Keith McMillan's Around the Nation Year in Review.

The final column of the 2009 season also takes a look back at some of the first things we and others attempted to do this season: predict what would happen. Keith breaks down the various preseason polls and rankings and also looks back at the predictions our band of experts put forth in Kickoff 2009. That and more in Around the Nation.

We also review the off-field high points of the season, or perhaps, the images captured on the field by those who observe it from the sidelines: our photographers. See their top picks as pics of the season.

One more thing: Congratulations to Bashbrother, who won the 2009 D3football.com Playoff Pick'em contest!