This weekend sees four play-in games for Men’s D1AA in NCR and and four play-in games for D1.
The winners will all lay next week against teams that had a week to rest up for the quarterfinals, so it’s a tough-ask for the play-in squads.
That’s OK, sometimes that extra game is just what you need.
Here’s a quick look at who’s playing and what we think might happen.
NCR D1 Play-ins
Walsh at Indiana
This will be played Friday evening and certainly Indiana will be hoping for much better weather than last week. It’s fair to say that the Hoosiers felt stymied by a snowstorm in the Big 10 final against Notre Dame, a game they lost 12-0.
It was enormously slow going in that match, which doesn’t play to IU’s strengths. Notre Dame might well have won that game anyway, but different conditions would certainly have made the game itself different.
Walsh, for their part, are masters of the rebound. They seemed to have put it all together at the right time to take the #3 spot in the ARC. They are hard-hitting, quick, and trundle the ball up the gut well with their tight five.
And that’s where the game will be won or lost. Maybe a toss-up for now, but if Walsh exert physical and territorial pressure they will probably win.
Dartmouth at Wheeling
A complete wild-card game, in which a more in-form Dartmouth hosts a decidedly not in-form Wheeling. This sets up, of course, a potential upset.
Speed and some excellent goalkicking gets Wheeling in good shape, but Dartmouth hosts, almost beat Brown at that field, and we figure they should win.
Belmont Abbey at Thomas More
The Saints started off a bit slow this fall, losing to Kutztown, but won three in a row to make the Big Rivers semis. Defense is a question for TMU, who, in five of their games, allowed 167 points. And Belmont Abbey could actually bring some major problems and toughness to this matchup.
Taking a look at common opponents, Thomas More lost to Kutztown 29-26. beat Rio Grande 48-33, and lost to Queens 33-26 (probably their best showing TH).
Abbey beat Kutztown 25-22, lost to Queens 47-19, and beat Rio Grande 39-17. So not a ton of difference there. If Abbey better before of the Rio game, or is TMU better because of the Queens results? We suspect Belmont Abbey might snag this, but we’re on the fence.
Southern Nazarene vs St. Bonaventure
This is a great opportunity for SNU and good for them for getting in this playoff. But St. Bonaventure has an excellent chance at winning the whole thing. Yes they lost to Queens in the ARC final, but that’s no great burden to bear.
It’s a difficult travel for the Crimson Storm and Bonnies is primed to win this one on Sunday.
