Two conference champions were crowned on Sunday in men's DI college rugby in dramatic fashion, as Syracuse won the Empire and Bowling Green won the MAC in games that went down to the wire.

First, the MAC. Bowling Green had already lost a close game to Western Michigan in regular-season play. Both teams had won their semifinal games on Saturday, with WMU beating Dayton 46-5 in a game that Coach Mark Allen said was much closer early on than it appeared. Bowling Green defeated Ohio 65-19, leading 43-7 at halftime.

The Sunday game was nowhere near as easy to decide. Western exerted some early pressure but missed their first shot at goal. Still Bowling Green was deep in their own end for a good eight minutes at the beginning of the game before a penalty and kick to touch lifted the pressure. WMU came right back, though and kicked a penalty to lead 3-0. Right after the restart, the Falcons tried to kick for distance, and the Broncos returned the ball into the corner for a lead of 8-0. Nick Ross finally got BGSU on the scoreboard with a try that he converted. WMU added a penalty kick after an intentional knock-on was called, making it 11-7 WMU midway through the first half.

Bowling Green camped out in Western's half for a good portion of the next ten minutes, and eventually Ross kicked a penalty to draw his team within a point. WMU pressured off the restart and while Bowling Green's defense was solid, it seemed the run of play was in the Broncos' favor. Eventually, the Falcons cleared and near the end of the half Adam Regini's try put Bowling Green ahead 15-11.

Bowling Green added to that momentum in the second half with a try from Mario Mockus, set up by Niall McNamara. WMU settled down after that and had another shot at goal. This was missed, but from the ensuing lineout the Broncos scored a try to make it 20-16. Then WMU took the lead. Mockus got a yellow card for not wrapping up in a tackle, and WMU scored on an interception to make it 21-20 with 19 minutes to go. Seven minutes later WMU scored again to lead 26-20.

With less than ten minutes to go, Bowling Green had a scrum five meters from the WMU line. They won the ball and spun it wide to Ross, who scored his second try, and converted to make it 27-26 Bowling Green in the lead. WMU came right back, and kicked a penalty with two minutes left to re-take the elad 29-27. That set up one more play for BGSU. The Falcons got a scrum with no time left, won the ball, and Griffen Palmer chipped over the top for Adam Regini to chase down. He scored, and that won the game, and the converence, for Bowling Green.

In the Empire, the defending champion Stony Brook Seawolves faced off with the upstarts Syracuse Hammerheads. Syracuse had lost to Stony Brook 33-26 on September 26, but had steadily improved since then. Two weeks ago the Hammerheads had beaten Colgate for the right to be in the championship game. A game that was expected to be close ended up 30-8. Stony Brook, meanwhile, ran the table in the Empire, but it was worth noting that the two teams had very similr points for and against numbers.

So on to the game. Michael Ordorica scored early for Syracuse to give his side the lead, but after that it was a defensive game. Neither team was able to score any more points in the first 20 minutes. Finally Stony Brook's go-to scorer Phil Salter touched down and Bryan Michel's conversion made it 7-5 Srony Brook. Moments later, Alex Hodgkinson, whose return to the Syracuse team after a football detour has been a huge boost to the team, raced over for a try and a 10-7 Syracuse lead.

Captain Angus Bishop set up Andrew Burdsall for another Syracuse try and with the conversion that made it 17-7. And the first half was wrapped up with another Syracuse try, as Jake Smith punched it over and Hodgkinson converted for a commanding 24-7 lead. 

It seemed ever more bleak for Stony Brook when Dallas Haskins went over for a fifth Syracuse try and a 29-7 lead. But after that, Stony Brook came back. Salter scored his second try and then prop Jimmy Sheridam ploughed over. Both tries were converted by Michel and Syracuse's lead was now 29-21. As time frittered away, Aiden McNaughton scored, and with Michel's conversion it was suddenly a one-point game, 29-28.

Syracuse still held on to a tiny lead. Hodgkinson added a penalty to make it 32-28 and ensure Stony Brook needed to score a try to win. But there wasn't enough time. Syracuse held on to win the conference title.