PLAYOFFS!!!!!

With the playoff brackets released this past Sunday afternoon, it came as no surprise on where the WIAC teams fell (or didn't fall). By winning the WIAC, Whitewater became the lone WIAC representative in this year's playoff field for the third straight season with an automatic Pool A bid. Stevens Point, in 2008, was the last WIAC team not named Whitewater to make the playoffs. With the season winding down, it appeared Oshkosh had a golden opportunity for a Pool C bid, but an upset loss at home against La Crosse crushed their post-season hopes. Looking at the teams that received at-large bids this year, it would have been a lock for a two-loss Titans team to get in - if only they would have beaten the Eagles. I'm almost certain of this considering  the selection committee gave one of the six Pool C spots to a two-loss St. John Fisher team. The Cardinals' two losses were against Hobart and Salisbury, both of which made the field on 32. St. John Fisher's resume would have paled in comparison to Oshkosh's, as its only two losses would have been against Mount Union and Whitewater. Not to mention Oshkosh had the stronger strength of schedule and competes in a tougher conference. St. John Fisher should be making a Thank You card out to coach Joel Dettwiler of La Crosse.
 

Looks like the NCAA is opening up its pocket book a little more this postseason, as they undoubtedly will be spending a bit more than usual for teams' traveling expenses. In the past, the committee has done its best grouping teams together that are in close proximity of each other when creating a regional quadrant. For instance, the teams in the East all usually fall in the same region/quadrant, so traveling expenses is kept to a minimum. The same can be said for the North, West and South in previous years. This year it appears teams from the East are sprinkled all over the bracket to the point where there is no longer a clear cut North, East, South and West region anymore. Also, in this new realignment, the bracket seems to tilt towards Mount Union's side when looking at the distribution of the top 10 nationally ranked teams. On one side of the bracket there are the following top 10 teams: Mount Union (2), Mary Hardin-Baylor (4), Linfield (5), North Central (6), Wesley (7), Cal Lutheran (8) and Wabash (9). While the other side just has Whitewater (1), St. Thomas (3) and Salisbury (10). If I'm a Mount fan I would be complaining almost as much as Whitewater fans did last season when they got hosed by getting a number two seed.



Offensive line at the 2010 Stagg Bowl

This is Whitewater's seventh straight trip to the post season. The Warhawks were rewarded with the number one overall seed, and was placed in a region that gives them a great opportunity to make it back to the semi-finals. I say that because the programs they typically face in the playoffs, before the Stagg Bowl, are all positioned on the other side of the bracket this year. I'm referring to teams like: NCC, Wabash, Linfield, Mary Hardin-Baylor, NCC and Wesley. These are all very good teams UWW doesn't have to worry about - unless they meet in Salem, Va. I believe this is a huge break for Lance Leipold's team. In my opinion, this season's Whitewater squad hasn't looked quite as dominant as previous years' teams. So, if they did have to play two or three teams from the list of programs above, I'm not confident UWW can get by them this time around. Then again, Mount Union has been very unMount-like in its past couple of games too. Can this be attributed to other programs finally catching up to them, or is it the fact that both UWW and UMU seem to be battling through some key injuries? I think it's more to do with the latter, however NCC and St. Thomas are two programs on the rise to look out for the next few years. Plus, Whitewater has a brand new offensive line this year that has played fairly well. However, it's almost impossible to ask them to replicate last season's line that consisted of two All Americans, so I'm probably being a little hard on them. This season the offensive line has only given up five QB sacks on the year. That may be a little misleading considering if it wasn't for the elusiveness of athletic quarterback Matt Blanchard, that number maybe a bit higher. At times the senior seems to scrambling a lot more this year than he had to last season, which was expected from a young offensive line.

Given the success the Warhawks have experienced the past six post-seasons, you can't help but look at potential matchups down the road. After Albion, it appears the Warhawks might have to face an all-too familiar Franklin team. Leipold faced the Grizzlies in the first round of last year's playoffs, as well as earlier this year in a regular season game. Both games UWW won convincingly. If Whitewater advances to the quarterfinals, the Warhawks will most likely face Kean (12th in the polls) or Salisbury (10th). I'm leaning towards Kean, since the Cougars are battle tested with wins over Wesley, Montclair State and Cortland State this year. However, Salisbury does bring a very dangerous triple option that UWW hasn't seen yet. Then in the semi-finals it might be safe to assume that St. Thomas will come out of it's region, even if they have to win at Delaware Valley to advance. This will be a very tough game for the Warhawks. The Tommies have been showing signs of becoming the next "purple power" in DIII football (along side UWW and UMU). A win at Whitewater and a trip to the Stagg Bowl, might just put them in that discussion.

On a side note, heading into the playoffs this year, the WIAC has the second highest winning percentage (32-13 .711) in the post season, right behind Mount Union OAC.