Eight qualifiers are chosen for the USA Rugby Men’s DI College 7s Championships in Denver, with three of those also getting automatic bids to the CRC invitational in Chester, Pa. a week later.

One of those tournaments double-dipping will be the Big Ten Universities. At the moment, it’s tough to imagine any team other than Indiana winning this event. IU waded through the opposition in the first qualifier tournament, and then sat the next one out, only to see Notre Dame (not a Big Ten University) win.

Certainly Iowa, led by the likes of David Ryberg and Taylor Young, has played well, and Purdue, with Eremia Tapsell, Patrick Jenkinson, and Dion Crowder all playing well, has had some good moments. 

Because Indiana didn’t play in the last tournament, Illinois, 2nd at Michigan and 3rd at Iowa, and hosts this time around, are actually the top seeds. Purdue is #2 and Iowa #3. This means that Illinois is in Pool A with #4 Michigan State, #5 Michigan, and Wisconsin, who didn’t compete in the qualifiers but got a bye because they were in the DIA 15s playoffs.

(Wisconsin got to play that playoff a week earlier as they wanted to be able to play in this tournament. The Badgers lost their DIA game to Penn State, but are a potential force in 7s, too.)

The standings being the way they are, then, Pool B suddenly becomes the Pool of Death, with favorites Indiana actually seeded #6, with #2 Purdue, #3 Iowa, and gallant Northwestern at #7.

Throw the seedings out for this one. Indiana and Wisconsin could well meet in the final, despite the consistent play of Illinois, and others.

BTU 7s POOL SCHEDULE:

900: Michigan v Wisconsin
920: Indiana v Northwestern
940: Illinois v Michigan State
1000: Purdue v Iowa

1100: Illinois v Wisconsin
1120: Purdue v Northwestern
1140: Michigan State v Michigan
1200: Iowa v Indiana

100: Michigan State v Wisconsin
120: Iowa v Northwestern
140: Illinois v Michigan
200: Purdue v Indiana