And Now We Know: D1AA Playoffs
And Now We Know: D1AA Playoffs
San Diego beat Arizona State in emphatic fashion 41-19 Saturday to clinch the California D1AA South Conference, and get us closer to figuring out who is in the CRAA D1AA playoffs overall.
In fact, we are a LOT closer ... as in we're pretty sure we know.
The much-ballyhoo'd (OK, we were the ones ballyhooing it) game between Western Washington and Boise State never happened. Boise State bailed for a second time, which is enormously disappointing, and as a result WWU is the top team from the NCRC.
If this isn't a shove for WWU, which is clearly the strongest team and the most interested in playing tough games in the Pacific Northwest, to move up to D1A, we don't know what is. Central Washington has to be sitting there going Do It!
Which do you like better?
or
OK, anyway ... so that's two—San Diego and Western Washington.
We need four to get our Western Regionals, and, guess what! We know the other two as well.
American River faced one of their toughest games of the year but made it through the California North semis 31-15 over Chico State. ARC was led by Jared Quenga, who came on as an impact replacement at center and then ended up having to take over at flyhalf, and was very good at both. At the coalface prop Frank Leilua once again had a huge day for the Beavers.
It was another big step for this fledgling program. Meanwhile, San Jose State exploded to beat Fresno State 65-29 and stay unbeaten.
SJSU is now 7-0 against in-conference opposition, scoring 336 points in the process. That's exactly 48 points per game.
Next week SJSU faces ARC for the California North title, but we've got our four regardless. There was some thought that the fourth spot in the Western Regionals, which is a wild card spot, would be claimed by a close losing team in the Northwest. Well, when one team doesn't want to play the pivotal game, that kind of puts the kibosh on that.
Really, we were pretty confident it would be the California North runner-up given that the last time those teams played it was 22-21.
Ultimately, then, we can map it out for you:
March 23 San Jose State vs American River for the California North title.
Arpril 13: Eastern Regional final between Iowa State and Sam Houston State.
April 20-21 the Western Regionals featuring SJSU, ARC, U. San Diego, and Western Washington.
May 4-5 in Houston. The winners of the Eastern and Western Regionals get to play for the CRAA D1A championship.
(What about Florida we hear you ask ... well since Florida is, like, stuck all the way out there in the Atlantic, they won't worry too much about a national playoffs but will instead play two bowl games. We're willing to be Rice will be one of those opponents.)
