In the intriguing world of the independent college seasons, Notre Dame College and Lindenwood-Belleville have been chasing each other without actually facing off (yet).

It’s a dance where, as both coaches have acknowledged, every game is a playoff game. Neither team can afford to select down, or use a non-conference game as a test, because USA Rugby is evaluating everything they do.

For Lindenwood-Belleville, this fall has gone exceedingly well. The Lynx have played seven teams, from a varsity small college to a top (independent) DII team, to playoff contenders in DIAA and DIA. In that schedule, L-B is 4-3, having beaten Tennessee, Missouri, Spring Hill, and Iowa Central CC. They’ve lost to Wheeling Jesuit, Arkansas State, and Davenport - none of those being patsies, by any stretch. 

Compare this to Notre Dame College’s 2015 fall season, where the Falcons won seven games against teams from DII to DIA, and lost three to DIA-level competition (Navy is not DIA, but plays at that level). Lindenwood-Belleville’s performance isn’t quite as good at Notre Dame College’s from last year, but it’s comparable. Notre Dame College, of course, went on to finish 2nd in DIAA in the spring. Could Lindenwood-Belleville make a similar run? Well, we’ll see.

Notre Dame College, meanwhile, has ramped up the results this fall. So far the Falcons have beaten Wheeling Jesuit (a team L-B lost to), St. Bonaventure (a team NDC lost to last year), Navy (!), and Davenport (a team L-B lost to this fall and NDC lost to last fall). For now, at least, it seems Notre Dame College is the stronger of the two.

And so on to new challenges. Lindenwood-Belleville has St Louis University this coming weekend, then Arkansas. NDC takes on Indiana and West Virginia.

Then on November 5, in Lamont, Ill., the two will meet. By most accounts, it appears that the winner will move on to the DIAA fall playoffs, while the loser will not. It can be argued that both would do well in the DIAA knockout rounds, but right now it seems only one will get the chance.

For Notre Dame College, this weekend clash with the Goff Rugby Report #2 team of the fall, Indiana, is a huge test.

“We’re excited about it,” said NDC Head Coach Jason Fox. “It’s going to be a big test for us. We played a men’s club last week; we had open subs and used over 30 players, and the idea was that we knew Indiana was going to be a tough, physical game, so we needed to play a hard game and get ready. But anytime we get to play a team the caliber of Indiana University, we’re thrilled.”

And, in fact, NDC doesn’t actually have to win to keep their DIAA stock high. Indiana is a serious DIA team, and as such considered of a higher level than the Falcons. Just a good showing - akin, perhaps, to L-B’s very competitive losses to ASU, WJU, and Davenport - would keep them top-of-mind when the DIAA playoff seedings come down.