This should look pretty different after the Round of 32 tomorrow and Round of 16 next Saturday.

But does that PLU land just never get conquered since they're not in the postseason?

Johns Hopkins (correctly) getting a bye while CC champ that just beat them F&M does not.

The scarce money for first-round flights went to sending Framingham State to LaGrange. Okay.

DePauw at UW-Whitewater best matchup?

Potential for Union vs. Mount Union in Round 2.

The teams with the highest NPI that did not make the field:

Ohio Northern, 8-2 (NPI 36)
Utica, 8-2 (37)
Central, 8-2 (38)
Ithaca, 8-2 (39)
UMHB, 5-2 in D-III, 7-3 overall (40)
Wash. U., 8-2 (43)
Baldwin Wallace, 8-2 (45)

That outcome seems to be why Alma is in and ONU is out.

This season, the Centennial Conference will also have three in the postseason.

Last season, the PAC and SAA placed three teams each. The WIAC had two.

In Weeks 6-8 this season, six WIAC teams were ranked in the #d3fb top 25.

UW-River Falls, 9-1 (conference champ, NPI 6) and at-larges UW-Platteville, 8-2 (14), UW-Whitewater, 8-2 (18) &
UW-La Crosse, 7-2 (23) made it.

- It’s time to start seriously looking at NESCAC teams, starting w/ Wesleyan’s two-TD win vs. Middlebury. While they still won’t have noncon play or playoffs til ‘26, not starting deep into Sept. means we can begin to evaluate. NESCAC teams win titles in other sports. They can be top 25 in football.

- After the Cortland Stagg Bowl win, it was time to adjust old ways of thinking. Yes, I can vote for three Northeast-ish teams in the top 5, and put DePauw at 6.

- You think I *like* voting for Hampden-Sydney instead of Randolph-Macon? But two wins over perennial playoff-caliber programs is two wins.

- We might be re-entering the era of great-by-Mount-Union-standards Mount Union, as opposed to regular-season good Mount Union.

- Also surprising that Mount Union, who voters could make a case for at No. 1 after beating playoff-caliber Wheaton and Grove City handily, is on any ballot lower than No. 2.

Since three have them at 1, we know mathmatically not every ballot has them at 2.

… three ranked teams playing opponents that are 1-0 and won at least eight games last season:

Coe (9 wins in 2024) at No. 13 UW-River Falls

No. 14 DePauw at Centre (8)

No. 19 Randolph-Macon at Central (8)

And five ranked teams playing teams that won 6 or 7 games in 2024. #d3fb

Probably by the Whitworth game, if not sooner. The thing about the pre-conference part of the schedule is there are a bunch of huge clashes and teams that will end up with 7+ wins are gonna lose a game or two. Lots of opportunity for movement. Good on the 'Cats for playing Oshkosh early.