This is a very exciting weekend in men's D1A/D1/D1AA college rugby.
We already took a closer look at the fact that two games in the SCRC feature 2-0 teams.
Double Battle of 2-0 Teams in SCRC
In the Big Rivers, it's a meeting of the top two teams in Thomas More and Adrian. GRR will be at that game to see in-person how it shakes down. So far the all-school-supported Big Rivers has been a big success. And it has also bolstered the arguments of all of those who said Thomas More and Adrian were too strong to be in D2. They were right. Both are 3-0 in the Big Rivers. How they do in the NCR playoffs will be another matter.
Rugby East
In the Rugby East Army will hope to stay undefeated (and GRR's #1-ranked team) in a game against a tenacious Penn State squad that has been a shade unlucky this fall. Navy is at Notre Dame College—another game GRR will be at in-person. Navy Navy is 3-0 in-conference and has allowed only 15 points. Notre Dame College did lose their first two games, one of them by only three points, but shut out Virginia Tech two weeks ago before beating Wheeling in a non-conference match. It is clear that NDC is improving, but you can say that about a few teams. Southern Virginia has kind of turned things around after being shut out 107-0 in their first two games, and beat Mount St. Mary's last week.
Kutztown escaped SVU three weeks ago, but their close loss to Army at the beginning of the season is now looming as a pretty strong result. They take on St. Bonaventure in a game that could decide who is 3rd in the conference, and potentially have major NCR playoff ramifications.
Big 10
The big thing about the Big 10 is that their in-conference but out-of-division results are only used for tiebreakers. A key in-division game this week is Michigan State at Notre Dame. The winner of that game should have a semifinal spot sewn up from the Big 10 West. Division leaders Notre Dame host Davenport and are dealing with some injured Buckeyes as they take on a Panthers side that has already beaten Indiana.
MAC
Having just lost by a point to Louisville, Western Michigan will want to rebound, but they host a pretty effective Bowling Green side that leads the conference. Pitt can make a move hosting Ohio, while IUPUI is favored against a young Cincinnati side.
Southern Conference
The new D1AA Southern Conference division has also been pretty successful and shows again how a school-supported does have a leg up over many club teams. Belmont Abbey is 3-0 going into this week's game against 2-1 NC Chapel Hill. There are three games left in conference play for both teams, but really this is the game that decides whether Belmont Abbey secures 1st or whether the Tar Heels can catch them. Belmont Abbey's defense has been stingy and they shut out UNC last time they met. The Knights haven't given up a point in 168 minutes of rugby.
