We're entering the playoff period for most fall-playing D1AA conferences and some crucial playoff-deciding regular season games, and fans have a much better idea of who could challenge for a major championship.
Remember, we have NCR and CRAA going on. CRAA's D1AA playoffs are in the spring, but the Heart of America wraps up its championship in the fall. NCRC is also playing in the fall (as well as the spring) and have just started.
Meanwhile, we've got about six weeks remaining in the NCR fall season, so everything seems to matter.
So, here's where we stand.
CRAA Conferences
In CRAA, Central Washington entered into D1AA for the first time after the team's varsity level was taken away last spring. The Wildcats played their first conference game this past weekend, beating a very tough Oregon side 31-21.
Taine Jones captained the side and club president Quaid Hunt was a big part of the win at tighthead prop. Jones, Hunt, scrumhalf Malakai Tacbian, and lock Nick Powell are the only players left over from last year's CWU side. All are in their senior year.
"The win over the weekend was a big success for the team," said CWU Head Coach Emilio Carranza. "The club members have worked hard since May just to make competing this season possible, so getting to experience a full game day because of their efforts was a huge milestone for rugby at Central.
"Oregon played some excellent rugby and really challenged us, which made the result even more rewarding. The team had to dig deep to pull off the win, and we’re excited to keep building from here."
Iowa beat Wayne State 30-17 to move to 4-0 in the Heart of America North. This was a crucial game for both, as Wayne State could have secured a semifinal place with a win. Instead Iowa clinched a semifinal spot and while the Hawkeyes are currently in 2nd in the standings behind Iowa State, ISU has finished their regular-season schedule and Iowa has one more game.
Iowa is favored to win their last game and take 1st in the HOA North. Next week Oklahoma takes on Kansas State in a game that decides who joins Kansas (UHSP could potentially sneak past both but their game with Arkansas from this past weekend was postponed).
