Road to the Stagg Bowl

The Stagg Bowl comes your way on Friday, December 20th, in Shenandoah, Texas. Over the next month, these 32 teams will battle it out to earn a berth in the Stagg Bowl. With the bracket revealed, let us look at which teams stand in proper positioning to play for the Division III National Championship.

Stagg Bowl (Mary-Hardin Baylor)

Mary-Hardin Baylor has become the new Division III dynasty winning two of the last three national championships. Mary-Hardin Baylor triumphed last season over Mount Union 24-16. The Crusaders finished 2019 undefeated, again, at 10-0, and won the American Southwest Conference with nine wins. The Crusaders are averaging 52 points per game on offense. There looks to be no end in sight for this team scoring-wise.

Mary-Hardin Baylor will open the postseason against Redlands. The Bulldogs hold a 9-1 record and cannot be taken lightly by Mary-Hardin Baylor. The winner of Berry and Huntingdon awaits the winner of this game in the second round next week. The Crusaders hope to get their title defense off to a good start.

Mount Union

While we have seen a changing of the guard, you cannot count out the old dog. Mount Union has hoisted the most trophies since the Stagg Bowl began in 1973. The Purple Raiders have tasted championship gold 13 times at the division three level.

Mount Union last won the Stagg Bowl in 2017. On that night, the Purple Raiders denied Mary-Hardin Baylor their second straight championship. 2019 saw Mount Union finish the regular season 10-0. The Purple Raiders won the Ohio Conference and will host in the first round.

The first-round opponent is the Hanover Panthers. The Panthers went 9-1 during the regular season. The second-round opponent will be the winner of North Central vs. Wabash. Since 2010, Mount Union made eight Stagg Bowls. The Purple Raiders went 3-5 overall in those eight games. Mount Union hopes to put together another championship run.

Wisconsin-Whitewater

The third team in Division III to keep an eye on in 2019 hails from Wisconsin. Wisconsin-Whitewater has broken through and won six championships in its program history. The Warhawks last won the Stagg Bowl in 2014.

Wisconsin-Whitewater has seen its fair share of success against Mount Union. The Warhawks are 6-3 in championship games against the Purple Raiders. Wisconsin-Whitewater glided through 2019 until last week. The Warhawks suffered their only setback of 2019 with a 27-20 loss to conference foe Wisconsin-Oshkosh. As a result, the Warhawks shared the Wisconsin Conference Championship.

Wisconsin-Whitewater will host Monmouth (IL) in their first-round matchup. The Fighting Scots went 7-2 in 2019.  Wisconsin-Whitewater has a potential quarterfinal matchup with Mary-Hardin Baylor this postseason. Furthermore, to get to the Crusaders, the Warhawks will have to win this week and then take down the winner of Hope vs. Wartburg.  Wisconsin-Whitewater hopes to get in on the fun and win their seventh Stagg Bowl in program history.

Rest of the field

In addition to the big three teams, we have six others that finished 2019 undefeated. Wheaton (IL), Chapman, Bridgewater (VA), Muhlenberg, Union (NY), and Salisbury all have zero losses heading into the 2019 playoffs.

Bridgewater’s path to a championship will have to go through Mount Union.

If the Eagles take care of business, they will face the Purple Raiders in quarterfinal action.

Muhlenberg, Union (NY), and Salisbury are all playing in the same bracket. Salisbury and Union (NY) will matchup in the second round if both teams win this week. Muhlenberg would play either team in the quarterfinals if the Mules advance passed the second round.

The easiest path to the championship game falls in Wheaton’s bracket or Salisbury’s. They will not have to face a big three team until the semifinals. If these two teams, along with Chapman and Union (NY), take care of their other opponents, the quarterfinals are set.

Additionally, the winner will have the opportunity to take down a big three team in the semifinals. Mary-Hardin Baylor, Mount Union, and Wisconsin-Whitewater are certain favorites to make the Stagg Bowl. Contrarily, these six undefeated teams will not go quietly. Similarly to division two, this will be a fun and competitive month leading up to December 20th. Will the new blood overtake the old dogs, or will the old dogs show they have some new tricks up their sleeve?

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