Capsules for 2007
UW-Whitewater Bracket | ||
|---|---|---|
| UW-Whitewater Warhawks (9-1) | ||
| Region: | North |  |
| Seed: | No. 1 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 1 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Whitewater, WI | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Perkins (13,500) | |
| Conference: | Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 2 | |
| Head coach: | Lance Leipold (UW-Whitewater '87) | |
| Career record: | 9-1 (.900) | |
| Base offense: | Pro style | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 9-5 (1988, 1990, 1997, 2005-06) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (WIAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They are in the positive range in turnovers. The Warhawks were minus-4 in the loss to St. Cloud State and plus-19 the rest of the way. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | The offense has to rely on big plays or has a long field to go with little time (longest run this year is 63 yards, longest pass 57). | |
| This season's turning point: | Scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter to rally past UW-La Crosse, 35-28. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 210.3/176.0 (2103.0/1760.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 89.5/180.8 (895.0/1808.0) | |
| How far can they go? | This team might not be as strong as last year but has improved greatly since September. A return to the Stagg Bowl cannot be ruled out. But a first-round loss can't be, either, based on the matchup. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Case Western Reserve Spartans (10-0) | ||
| Region: | North |  |
| Seed: | No. 2 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 22 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Cleveland, OH | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Case Field (2,400) | |
| Conference: | University Athletic Association | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 113 | |
| Head coach: | Greg Debeljak (John Carroll '87) | |
| Career record: | 23-17 (.575) | |
| Base offense: | Spread | |
| Base defense: | 3-5-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-0 (First trip) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool B | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Case is winning the turnover margin and defense is forcing three and outs. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | Offense is not balanced or defense is on the field for long periods of time. | |
| This season's turning point: | Sam Coffey's 30-yard field goal gave the Spartans a 20-17 win at Carnegie Mellon in overtime. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 183.9/220.0 (1839.0/2200.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 114.4/177.0 (1144.0/1770.0) | |
| How far can they go? | One win if Dan Whalen plays the whole game at quarterback. One and out if he doesn't. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Wabash Little Giants (9-1) | ||
| Region: | North |  |
| Seed: | No. 3 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 10 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Crawfordsville, IN | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Little Giant (4,200) | |
| Conference: | North Coast Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 23 | |
| Head coach: | Chris Creighton (Kenyon '91) | |
| Career record: | 93-23 (.802) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple one-back | |
| Base defense: | 4-4 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 5-3 (1977, 2002, 2005) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (NCAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Matt Hudson has completed passes to four or more wide receivers and the defense is getting pressure on the quarterback. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | It is not executing on special teams or is forced to rely on the running game. | |
| This season's turning point: | Matt Hudson took over as starting quarterback midway through a Week 4 win against Ohio Wesleyan that was scoreless at the half. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 100.4/295.0 (1004.0/2950.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 112.9/219.6 (1129.0/2196.0) | |
| How far can they go? | They have the juice to get to the regional finals, but not beyond. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Franklin Grizzlies (9-1) | ||
| Region: | North |  |
| Seed: | No. 4 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 18 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Franklin, IN | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Faught Stadium (2,000) | |
| Conference: | Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 33 | |
| Head coach: | Mike Leonard (Hanover '84) | |
| Career record: | 30-20 (.600) | |
| Base offense: | Wing-T | |
| Base defense: | 3-4 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-0 (First trip) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (HCAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They move the chains and convert in the red zone. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They struggle against the pass and opponents don't even have to run the ball. | |
| This season's turning point: | Stopping Mt. St. Joseph's two-point conversion attempt with four minutes left to preserve a nine-point lead, then running out the clock. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 209.4/297.8 (2094.0/2978.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 136.3/228.4 (1363.0/2284.0) | |
| How far can they go? | At least an even chance to get HCAC's first playoff win. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Capital Crusaders (8-2) | ||
| Region: | North |  |
| Seed: | No. 7 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 13 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Columbus, OH | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Bernlohr (3,000) | |
| Conference: | Ohio Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 12 | |
| Head coach: | Jim Collins (Wittenberg '88) | |
| Career record: | 70-76 (.479) | |
| Base offense: | Spread | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 4-3 (1987, 2005-06) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool C | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They can muster enough offense and get after the quarterback (46 sacks on the season). | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | The offense can't convert on third down. In the Crusaders' two losses, they were a combined 7-for-31 in third-down conversions. | |
| This season's turning point: | The Crusaders held on Baldwin-Wallace's two-point conversion attempt with 20 seconds left in the regular-season finale, preserving a 17-16 win. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 103.4/193.7 (1034.0/1937.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 50.5/134.8 (505.0/1348.0) | |
| How far can they go? | Defense wins championships, but somebody has to score points. Too many questions on offense. Will they continue to start a defensive end at running back? Is Robbie Thayer the answer at quarterback? Is Evan Blake healthy enough to make a difference? | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Widener Pride (8-2) | ||
| Region: | North |  |
| Seed: | No. 8 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | Never ranked | |
| Location: | Chester, PA | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Leslie C. Quick (4,000) | |
| Conference: | Middle Atlantic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 46 | |
| Head coach: | David Wood (Widener '91) | |
| Career record: | 34-18 (.654) | |
| Base offense: | Pro style | |
| Base defense: | 3-4 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 15-9 (1975, 1977, 1979-82, 1988, 1994-95, 2000-01) | |
| Championships: | 1977, 1981 | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (MAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Senior quarterback Matt Campbell and his receivers continue to make key plays at key times. Senior receivers Mike Falkenstein and Jamie Schild have made huge third-down catches and having the tight end (Tim Kilkenny) involved has made a huge difference. Freshman linebacker Joe Favinger senior cornerback Orlando Brown need to maintain their level of play. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They allow a point in the third quarter, something they haven't done since Sept. 21 against Rowan. | |
| This season's turning point: | A Kilkenny game-winning touchdown catch. Pick any of the three in the final three weeks. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 83.8/193.1 (838.0/1931.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 136.7/191.3 (1367.0/1913.0) | |
| How far can they go? | This eight seed has the best chance of pulling off a first-round upset, but the health of key players on both sides is in question. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
Washington and Jefferson Bracket | ||
| Washington and Jefferson Presidents (10-0) | ||
| Region: | South |  |
| Seed: | No. 1 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 17 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Washington, PA | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Cameron (3,500) | |
| Conference: | Presidents' Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 19 | |
| Head coach: | Mike Sirianni (Mount Union '94) | |
| Career record: | 50-7 (.877) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple | |
| Base defense: | Multiple | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 19-18 (1984, 1986, 1987, 1989-96, 1999, 2000-02, 2004-06) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (PAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Kevin Mathews and Curt Jones are running the ball effectively. W&J rushed for 200 or more yards five times this season and the average margin of victory was 41.4 points. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | The opposing defensive line causes problems for Bobby Swallow. In the only two games of the season decided by 10 or less points, Swallow was sacked 10 times for a loss of 61 yards (Geneva with four, Waynesburg six). | |
| This season's turning point: | Swallow ended an 11-play drive with a dive for the end zone, giving W&J a lead it would never lose in its biggest challenge of the regular season. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 235.2/299.4 (2352.0/2994.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 147.1/153.8 (1471.0/1538.0) | |
| How far can they go? | They'll need to prove they can beat an ASC team in order to make the regional final. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Wesley Wolverines (9-1) | ||
| Region: | South |  |
| Seed: | No. 2 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 5 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Dover, DE | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Wesley (2,500) | |
| Conference: | Atlantic Central Football Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 6 | |
| Head coach: | Mike Drass (Mansfield '82) | |
| Career record: | 119-39-1 (.752) | |
| Base offense: | Pro set | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 6-3 (2000, 2005-06) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool B | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The passing game is in sync and the opposition's passing game is rushed. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They can't manage to hit any of their big passing plays. | |
| This season's turning point: | Refocusing after a crazy day resulted in a loss to Montclair State (remember the delay because no officials were assigned) and running the table since. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 256.6/222.0 (2566.0/2220.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 99.6/147.3 (996.0/1473.0) | |
| How far can they go? | Back to the national semifinals, if it can get past Mary Hardin-Baylor. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Muhlenberg Mules (10-0) | ||
| Region: | South |  |
| Seed: | No. 3 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 8 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Allentown, PA | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Scotty Wood (3,000) | |
| Conference: | Centennial Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 108 | |
| Head coach: | Mike Donnelly (Ithaca '75) | |
| Career record: | 71-44 (.617) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple | |
| Base defense: | 3-4 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 1-3 (2002-04) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (CC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The offense is on the field for long stretches of time, keeping the defense fresh. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | The opponent can run the ball successfully. | |
| This season's turning point: | The Mules blocked Josh Huson's 33-yard field goal attempt in the final minute in Week 4 at Gettysburg, preserving a 14-13 lead. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 185.3/199.1 (1853.0/1991.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 62.9/105.8 (629.0/1058.0) | |
| How far can they go? | The other three offenses in this half of the South bracket are better than anything Muhlenberg faced in the regular season, which doesn't bode well. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders (8-1) | ||
| Region: | South |  |
| Seed: | No. 4 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 3 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Belton, TX | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Belton HS (8,000) | |
| Conference: | American Southwest Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 3 | |
| Head coach: | Pete Fredenburg (Southwest Texas State) | |
| Career record: | 84-26 (.764) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple I | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 7-5 (2001-02, 2004-06) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (ASC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Jarvis Thrasher and Quincy Daniels are finding running room and UMHB is not turning the ball over. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | Josh Welch is having to throw 20 or more passes and the opposing offense is playing on a short field. | |
| This season's turning point: | They're probably still looking for it, after dropping the ball a few times at UW-Whitewater. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 408.2/181.3 (3674.0/1632.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 49.3/252.9 (444.0/2276.0) | |
| How far can they go? | Until you hear further from us, we pencil them in for the national semifinals. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Salisbury Sea Gulls (9-1) | ||
| Region: | South |  |
| Seed: | No. 5 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 14 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Salisbury, MD | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Sea Gull (2,500) | |
| Conference: | Atlantic Central Football Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 51 | |
| Head coach: | Sherman Wood (Salisbury State '84) | |
| Career record: | 77-64-1 (.546) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple option | |
| Base defense: | 3-5 odd stack | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 5-5 (1983, 1985-86, 2002, 2004) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool B | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | RUN, RUN, RUN. The Sea Gulls are 9-0 if they score three or more rushing touchdowns in a game. SU averages 6.7 yards per carry and 445.3 yards of total offense per game. Similarly, if the Gulls limit an opponent to rushing less then 200 yards they are 9-0. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They turn the ball over. In the loss to Wesley, SU had three of its four interceptions for the season. The Sea Gulls also had five fumbles against the Wolverines (losing one). | |
| This season's turning point: | Outscoring Delaware Valley 26-2 after the Aggies took a 14-10 lead midway through the third quarter. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 340.8/104.5 (3408.0/1045.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 98.3/190.2 (983.0/1902.0) | |
| How far can they go? | They might be a road favorite in the first round, and the second round game could be a toss-up if they advance. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Trinity (Texas) Tigers (9-1) | ||
| Region: | South |  |
| Seed: | No. 6 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 16 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | San Antonio, TX | |
| Stadium (capacity): | E.M. Stevens (3,500) | |
| Conference: | Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 22 | |
| Head coach: | Steve Mohr (Denison '76) | |
| Career record: | 144-54 (.727) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 12-10 (1994, 1997-2005) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (SCAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They are fairly balanced offensively, running the ball well enough to protect the passing game; and the defense is forcing its opponent to be one-dimensional. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | The running game is totally ineffective and the offense is turning the ball over; also, the defense is playing poorly if they are not stopping teams on third down, and not forcing turnovers. | |
| This season's turning point: | Somewhere between about the 12th and 15th laterals. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 141.9/309.7 (1419.0/3097.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 87.7/164.1 (877.0/1641.0) | |
| How far can they go? | One win at the most, and even that is a long shot. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Hampden-Sydney Tigers (8-2) | ||
| Region: | South |  |
| Seed: | No. 7 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 22 Week 4 2005 | |
| Location: | Hampden-Sydney, VA | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Everett Stadium (1,850) | |
| Conference: | Old Dominion Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 104 | |
| Head coach: | Marty Favret (Catholic '84) | |
| Career record: | 54-26 (.675) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple, no-huddle | |
| Base defense: | 3-4 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-1 (1977) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (ODAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The offense scores on quick drives. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They score fewer than 20 points; they're 0-2 when they do. | |
| This season's turning point: | Josh Simpson returned from an early-season suspension in Week 4. Since then the Tigers have averaged 38.9 points per game. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 162.9/317.9 (1629.0/3179.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 144.8/252.9 (1448.0/2529.0) | |
| How far can they go? | The Tigers have offense, to be sure. Can this offensive scheme hold a lead in the playoffs, even if it gets one? The past suggests otherwise. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishops (8-2) | ||
| Region: | South |  |
| Seed: | No. 8 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 19 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Rocky Mount, NC | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Northern Nash High School. (0) | |
| Conference: | USA South Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 49 | |
| Head coach: | Jack Ginn (Emory and Henry '87) | |
| Career record: | 22-16 (.579) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple | |
| Base defense: | 3-4 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-0 (First trip) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (USAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Cedric Townsend is controlling the game with his arm and feet. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They're turning the ball over. | |
| This season's turning point: | After two tough losses to teams that ended up in the playoffs, the Battling Bishops forced a fumble at midfield in the fourth quarter against Emory and Henry to salvage their last non-conference game. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 226.8/226.2 (2268.0/2262.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 142.6/156.9 (1426.0/1569.0) | |
| How far can they go? | This is probably a one-and-out situation for this season, based on the matchup. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
Mount Union Bracket | ||
| Mount Union Purple Raiders (10-0) | ||
| Region: | East |  |
| Seed: | No. 1 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 2 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Alliance, OH | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Mount Union (5,450) | |
| Conference: | Ohio Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 1 | |
| Head coach: | Larry Kehres (Mount Union '71) | |
| Career record: | 256-20-3 (.923) | |
| Base offense: | Pro set | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 52-9 (1985-86, 1990, 1992-2006) | |
| Championships: | 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (OAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They move the ball effortlessly on the ground and in the air, the first-string defense holds the opponent scoreless and the starters are out before the fourth quarter. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | In the unlikely event that this happens, you'll probably find out at the time. | |
| This season's turning point: | When Greg Micheli took over the quarterback position for good in the 2006 Stagg Bowl. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 271.9/281.4 (2719.0/2814.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 12.2/103.6 (122.0/1036.0) | |
| How far can they go? | Straight to the top of the 2008 preseason poll. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| St. John Fisher Cardinals (9-1) | ||
| Region: | East |  |
| Seed: | No. 2 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 7 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Pittsford, NY | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Growney (2,100) | |
| Conference: | Empire 8 | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 4 | |
| Head coach: | Paul Vosburgh (William Penn '75) | |
| Career record: | 71-87 (.449) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple Pro | |
| Base defense: | Shade Eagle | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 4-2 (2004, 2006) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool C | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The defense is creating turnovers (Fisher has 23 interceptions, and is plus-21 in turnover margin) and quarterback Rob Kramer is on. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | The offense is struggling and fails to convert on third down or cannot run the ball effectively. Over the last four games of the season, however, the offensive line has struggled, and the yards per carry have fallen off steadily over the final weeks of the season: (Norwich 4.3 per carry, Springfield 4.0, Utica 3.5, Alfred 3.1). | |
| This season's turning point: | Winning the last five games by three or more touchdowns after the loss at Hartwick. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 189.1/198.8 (1891.0/1988.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 91.9/180.7 (919.0/1807.0) | |
| How far can they go? | Road ends at Alliance, like many do. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Curry Colonels (11-0) | ||
| Region: | East |  |
| Seed: | No. 3 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 23 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Milton, MA | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Walter M. Katz Field (1,600) | |
| Conference: | New England Football Conference Boyd | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 77 | |
| Head coach: | Skip Bandini (Massachusetts Maritime '81) | |
| Career record: | 22-1 (.957) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple | |
| Base defense: | 4-4 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-5 (2003-06) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (NEFC Boyd Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They control the running game, score early and often, and keep turnovers and penalties to a minimum. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They're giving up field position, can't establish the running game, and commit costly penalties. | |
| This season's turning point: | Coast Guard receiver Sam England stumbled making a catch with 30 seconds left in the NEFC title game, falling at the 25. If he'd caught the pass in stride, he'd have scored the go-ahead touchdown and Curry may not have gotten an at-large bid. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 224.5/212.8 (2470.0/2341.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 77.0/195.4 (847.0/2149.0) | |
| How far can they go? | This is a golden opportunity for the NEFC to get a playoff win, but Hartwick's passing game is a tough matchup. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| RPI Engineers (8-1) | ||
| Region: | East |  |
| Seed: | No. 4 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 20 Week 9 2007 | |
| Location: | Troy, NY | |
| Stadium (capacity): | '86 Field (3,000) | |
| Conference: | Liberty League | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 38 | |
| Head coach: | Joe King (Siena '71) | |
| Career record: | 133-48-2 (.732) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple spread | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 3-3 (1999, 2001, 2003) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (LL Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Offensively, if they establish a consistent running game; defensively, if they can make the opposition one-dimensional. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | Offensively, if they throw the ball more than they run; defensively, if they don't win the battle of the trenches and force turnovers. | |
| This season's turning point: | Rebounding from a home loss to Rochester to win the Shoes and the Liberty League title. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 148.8/254.6 (1339.0/2291.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 102.8/175.4 (925.0/1579.0) | |
| How far can they go? | Road ends at Alliance at the latest. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Hobart Statesmen (8-2) | ||
| Region: | East |  |
| Seed: | No. 5 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 20 Final 2006 | |
| Location: | Geneva, NY | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Boswell (4,500) | |
| Conference: | Liberty League | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 45 | |
| Head coach: | Michael Cragg (Slippery Rock '83) | |
| Career record: | 90-40 (.692) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 3-5 (2000, 2002, 2004-06) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool C | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They can keep a balance between the pass and run on offense, and they're able to contain the run on defense. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They lose the turnover battle (Hobart is plus-18 in eight wins, minus-1 in two losses). | |
| This season's turning point: | Scoring five times in their first six possessions at WPI following a 35-31 home loss to RPI. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 170.7/272.6 (1707.0/2726.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 153.2/154.3 (1532.0/1543.0) | |
| How far can they go? | As long as they don't have to go to Alliance. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| New Jersey Lions (8-2) | ||
| Region: | East |  |
| Seed: | No. 6 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 15 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Ewing, NJ | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Lions (5,000) | |
| Conference: | New Jersey Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 135 | |
| Head coach: | Eric Hamilton (Trenton State '75) | |
| Career record: | 187-117-6 (.613) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple I | |
| Base defense: | 40 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 3-4 (1990, 1996-98) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (NJAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The defense or special teams puts points on the board and wins the interception battle. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They can't contain a mobile quarterback or protect their own signal-caller. | |
| This season's turning point: | Andrew Larkin's 82-yard interception return tied the game with Rowan 7-7 in the fourth quarter of a game TCNJ eventually won 10-7. Though Rowan finished under .500, the win provided a shot in the arm and a little legitimacy. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 170.9/163.8 (1709.0/1638.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 70.9/169.1 (709.0/1691.0) | |
| How far can they go? | In this bracket, one win is all they can get. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Hartwick Hawks (8-2) | ||
| Region: | East |  |
| Seed: | No. 7 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | Never ranked | |
| Location: | Oneonta, NY | |
| Stadium (capacity): | All Weather Field at Wright Stadium (1,200) | |
| Conference: | Empire 8 | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 156 | |
| Head coach: | Mark Carr (New Hampshire '90) | |
| Career record: | 27-31 (.466) | |
| Base offense: | Pro style | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-0 (First trip) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (E8 Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | Lindy Crea is actually not the leading rusher. It's a change from years past. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They can't manage at least a 40-60 split between running and passing. | |
| This season's turning point: | Two big defensive stops: One of St. John Fisher's last-second goal-line play in September and the other of Utica's two-point conversion attempt in the fourth overtime in Week 11. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 137.0/355.8 (1370.0/3558.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 214.7/202.8 (2147.0/2028.0) | |
| How far can they go? | They could win two games, but since they're on the road, it's highly unlikely. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Ithaca Bombers (8-2) | ||
| Region: | East |  |
| Seed: | No. 8 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 21 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Ithaca, NY | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Butterfield (5,000) | |
| Conference: | Empire 8 | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 27 | |
| Head coach: | Mike Welch (Ithaca '73) | |
| Career record: | 105-37 (.739) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple I | |
| Base defense: | 3-4 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 27-12 (1974-75, 1978-80, 1985-86, 1988, 1990-92, 1994, 2001, 2003, 2005) | |
| Championships: | 1979, 1988, 1991 | |
| How they got here: | Pool C | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They don't turn the ball over. Ithaca set a school record with just 11 turnovers and had none in five of 10 games. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They're throwing more than running; Dan Juvan has thrown for 2,303 yards, attempting 36 passes per game in Ithaca's two losses and 21 per game in Ithaca's eight wins. | |
| This season's turning point: | Rolling up back-to-back wins against Alfred and Cortland State to end the regular season. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 180.2/255.9 (1802.0/2559.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 94.2/195.3 (942.0/1953.0) | |
| How far can they go? | I think you know what the answer is. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
Central Bracket | ||
| Central Dutch (10-0) | ||
| Region: | West |  |
| Seed: | No. 1 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 6 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Pella, IA | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium (6,000) | |
| Conference: | Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 8 | |
| Head coach: | Jeff McMartin (Central '90) | |
| Career record: | 35-7 (.833) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple | |
| Base defense: | 3-3 stack | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 19-17 (1974, 1977, 1984-90, 1992, 1994-95, 1998-2001, 2005-06) | |
| Championships: | 1974 | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (IIAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They're down seven at the half, seemingly. But in actuality it's if they're having any success with the running game. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | The passing game struggles. | |
| This season's turning point: | Oh, take your pick of last-second wins. A three-overtime win at Dubuque in Week 8 sounds like a good one. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 111.9/245.4 (1119.0/2454.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 139.7/238.8 (1397.0/2388.0) | |
| How far can they go? | The toughest matchup might well be the second round game. The winner of that game wins the bracket. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Bethel Royals (9-1) | ||
| Region: | West |  |
| Seed: | No. 2 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 4 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Arden Hills, MN | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Royal (3,500) | |
| Conference: | Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 25 | |
| Head coach: | Steve Johnson (Bethel '79) | |
| Career record: | 129-63-1 (.671) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple I | |
| Base defense: | 3-4 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-4 (2000, 2001, 2003, 2006) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (MIAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They control the clock and ballhawk on defense. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They get away from the ground game and take too many chances on offense. | |
| This season's turning point: | Inserting Logan Flannery into the featured back role. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 231.8/199.3 (2318.0/1993.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 81.5/210.9 (815.0/2109.0) | |
| How far can they go? | Should get first playoff win; second is less secure. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| St. Norbert Green Knights (10-0) | ||
| Region: | West |  |
| Seed: | No. 3 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 24 Week 11 2007 | |
| Location: | De Pere, WI | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Minahan (3,100) | |
| Conference: | Midwest Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 34 | |
| Head coach: | Jim Purtill | |
| Career record: | 84-12 (.875) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple Pro | |
| Base defense: | 4-2 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 1-7 (1989, 1999-2001, 2003-04, 2006) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (MWC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The defense is setting the offense up in good field position. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | Cody Craig isn't finding Judd O'Connell for big gains offensively. | |
| This season's turning point: | St. Norbert winning the coin toss against Ripon, taking the first possession and scoring a touchdown in six plays to take early command of the de facto Midwest Conference championship game in Week 8. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 134.8/267.4 (1348.0/2674.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 140.4/168.2 (1404.0/1682.0) | |
| How far can they go? | St. Norbert has the only playoff win for the Midwest Conference and has been the only one to get a home game. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| St. John's Johnnies (9-1) | ||
| Region: | West |  |
| Seed: | No. 4 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 9 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Collegeville, MN | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Clemens (7,482) | |
| Conference: | Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 5 | |
| Head coach: | John Gagliardi (Colorado College '49) | |
| Career record: | 452-121-11 (.783) | |
| Base offense: | Spread | |
| Base defense: | Multiple | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 33-15 (1976-77, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993-94, 1996, 1998-2003, 2005-06) | |
| Championships: | 1976, 2003 | |
| How they got here: | Pool C | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They are moving the ball and scoring (especially in the red zone). | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | Opponents are moving the ball, especially picking on the cornerbacks. | |
| This season's turning point: | Hopefully yet to come after a Week 11 loss at Bethel. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 158.1/264.1 (1581.0/2641.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 107.3/166.3 (1073.0/1663.0) | |
| How far can they go? | If the ground game resurfaces and the Johnnies take care of the ball, could be a trip to the semifinals. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Redlands Bulldogs (8-1) | ||
| Region: | West |  |
| Seed: | No. 5 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 25 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Redlands, CA | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Ted Runner (6,750) | |
| Conference: | Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 55 | |
| Head coach: | Mike Maynard (Illinois Wesleyan '80) | |
| Career record: | 121-61 (.665) | |
| Base offense: | Pro style | |
| Base defense: | Odd stack | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-4 (1990, 1992, 2002-03) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (SCIAC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | They're running the ball and moving the chains. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They are committing a lot of penalties or turning the ball over. | |
| This season's turning point: | When Whittier beat Occidental in the final Division III game of the regular season, giving Redlands an automatic bid to the playoffs. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 181.1/279.3 (1630.0/2514.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 60.7/205.9 (546.0/1853.0) | |
| How far can they go? | Their best game could beat St. John's on a bad day in Collegeville. But we wouldn't bet on it. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| UW-Eau Claire Blugolds (8-2) | ||
| Region: | West |  |
| Seed: | No. 6 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 12 Final 2007 | |
| Location: | Eau Claire, WI | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Carson (6,500) | |
| Conference: | Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 81 | |
| Head coach: | Todd Glaser (UW-Eau Claire '93) | |
| Career record: | 11-9 (.550) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple | |
| Base defense: | Multiple | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 2-1 (1998) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool C | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The Blugolds are forcing turnovers or are able to block punts or kicks. The team has accumulated a plus-10 turnover margin and have eight blocked kicks. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They start giving up some big plays and special teams is unable to keep the other team in check and win the field position battle. | |
| This season's turning point: | The moment their name was revealed on the Selection Show, the last at-large team shown on the air. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 125.2/162.8 (1252.0/1628.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 118.7/236.5 (1187.0/2365.0) | |
| How far can they go? | Curious team, Eau Claire, outgained by 67 yards per game yet 8-2. The teams they would face in the first two rounds are a combined 1-10 in the playoffs so they could get to the regional final. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Concordia (Wis.) Falcons (7-3) | ||
| Region: | West |  |
| Seed: | No. 7 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | No. 23 Week 11 2006 | |
| Location: | Mequon, WI | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Century (2,500) | |
| Conference: | Northern Athletics Conference | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 86 | |
| Head coach: | Jeff Gabrielsen (Ripon '80) | |
| Career record: | 120-56 (.682) | |
| Base offense: | Wing-T | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-2 (2003, 2006) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (NATHC Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The quarterback plays well and they can string together some early first downs. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They lack the ball. | |
| This season's turning point: | Edging Benedictine in regular season finale after getting pounded by Greenville the week before. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 255.4/98.6 (2554.0/986.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 88.2/133.5 (882.0/1335.0) | |
| How far can they go? | This is the way the IBC ends. This is the way the IBC ends. This is the way the IBC ends -- not with a bang, but a whimper. | |
| Schedule and results | ||
| Olivet Comets (6-4) | ||
| Region: | West |  |
| Seed: | No. 8 | |
| Last Top 25 Ranking: | Never ranked | |
| Location: | Olivet, MI | |
| Stadium (capacity): | Cutler Athletic Complex (2,200) | |
| Conference: | Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association | |
| Preseason ranking from Kickoff 2007: | 107 | |
| Head coach: | Dominic Livedoti (Olivet '65) | |
| Career record: | 38-34-3 (.527) | |
| Base offense: | Multiple | |
| Base defense: | 4-3 | |
| Record in NCAA playoffs: | 0-0 (First trip) | |
| Championships: | None | |
| How they got here: | Pool A (MIAA Champion) | |
| You'll know they're playing well if: | The offense is balanced and the defense shuts down the opposing run game. | |
| You'll know they're playing poorly if: | They can't hold onto the ball. Olivet was minus-9 in turnovers in four losses, plus-five in the six wins. | |
| This season's turning point: | Scoring two touchdowns in the final three minutes to beat Hope in Week 10. | |
| Rushing/receiving yards per game: | 150.0/200.1 (1500.0/2001.0) | |
| Rushing/receiving yards allowed: | 84.9/208.6 (849.0/2086.0) | |
| How far can they go? | To Iowa and back again. | |
| Schedule and results | ||