NCAA D2, D3 and NAIA Playoffs Begin this Weekend

[LAZ]

While so many of us are focused on which teams will be selected for the Four Team FBS tournament, the smaller guys are set to decide it on the field beginning this weekend. These lower level playoffs will include scores of ex-Florida high school stars who have continued their careers at less publicized universities. There are also Florida college teams that will be participating in these tournaments. Here are the participants for this week's college playoff games. I have handicapped each of them beginning with NCAA Division II. 

NCAA Division II  (28 team field - Top 4 seeds receive 1st round byes)

Byes - Kutztown (PA), Valdosta St (GA), Ferris St (MI), Colorado School of Mines

Angelo St (TX) over Minnesota-Duluth by 17

Augustana (SD) over Bemidji St (MN) by 12

Grand Valley St (MI) over Lindenwood (MO) by 11

Harding (AR) over Washburn (KS) by 8

Lenoir-Rhyne (NC) over Bowie St (MD) by 12

Nebraska-Kearney over Western Colorado by 1

New Haven (CT) over Bentley (MA) by 3

Notre Dame (OH) over Slippery Rock (PA) by 5

NW Missouri St over Central Washington by 10

Shepherd (WV) over Findlay (OH) by 8

West Florida over Newberry (SC) by 19

West Georgia over Albany St (GA) by 10

 NCAA Division III (32 team field)

Birmingham Southern (AL) over Huntingdon (AL) by 9

Central (IA) over Bethel (MN) by 6

Cortland St (NY) over Springfield (MA) by 15

Delaware Valley (PA) over Anna Maria (MA) by 37

DePauw (IN) over Rose-Hulman (IN) by 3

Johns Hopkins (MD) over Salisbury (MD) by 7

Linfield (OR) over Redlands (CA) by 16

Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX) over Trinity (TX) by 10  

Mount Union (OH) over Washington & Lee (VA) by 24

Muhlenberg (PA) over Framingham St (MA) by 30

North Central (IL) over Carnegie Mellon (PA) by 22

Rensselaer (NY) over Endicott (MA) by 6

St Johns (MN) over Lake Forest (IL) by 21

Wisconsin-La Crosse  over Albion (MI) by 13

Wisconsin-Whitewater over Greenville (IL) by 43

Wheaton (IL) over Aurora (IL) by 13

NAIA (16 team field)

Grand View (IA) over Dickinson St (ND) by 6

Indiana Wesleyan over Kansas Wesleyan by 11

Lindsey Wilson (KY) over Montana-Western by 23

Marian (IN) over Southwestern (KS) by 9

Morningside (IA) over Ottawa (AZ) by 9

Northwestern (IA) over Central Methodist (MO) by 15

Reinhardt (GA) over Keiser (FL) by 8

St Xavier (IL) over Concordia (MI) by 1

 

Note - NCAA D1 FCS Selections will be made this coming Sunday 

[Ray Icaza]

39 minutes ago, LAZ said:

While so many of us are focused on which teams will be selected for the Four Team FBS tournament, the smaller guys are set to decide it on the field beginning this weekend. These lower level playoffs will include scores of ex-Florida high school stars who have continued their careers at less publicized universities. There are also Florida college teams that will be participating in these tournaments. Here are the participants for this week's college playoff games. I have handicapped each of them beginning with NCAA Division II. 

NCAA Division II  (28 team field - Top 4 seeds receive 1st round byes)

Byes - Kutztown (PA), Valdosta St (GA), Ferris St (MI), Colorado School of Mines

Angelo St (TX) over Minnesota-Duluth by 17

Augustana (SD) over Bemidji St (MN) by 12

Grand Valley St (MI) over Lindenwood (MO) by 11

Harding (AR) over Washburn (KS) by 8

Lenoir-Rhyne (NC) over Bowie St (MD) by 12

Nebraska-Kearney over Western Colorado by 1

New Haven (CT) over Bentley (MA) by 3

Notre Dame (OH) over Slippery Rock (PA) by 5

NW Missouri St over Central Washington by 10

Shepherd (WV) over Findlay (OH) by 8

West Florida over Newberry (SC) by 19

West Georgia over Albany St (GA) by 10

 NCAA Division III (32 team field)

Birmingham Southern (AL) over Huntingdon (AL) by 9

Central (IA) over Bethel (MN) by 6

Cortland St (NY) over Springfield (MA) by 15

Delaware Valley (PA) over Anna Maria (MA) by 37

DePauw (IN) over Rose-Hulman (IN) by 3

Johns Hopkins (MD) over Salisbury (MD) by 7

Linfield (OR) over Redlands (CA) by 16

Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX) over Trinity (TX) by 10  

Mount Union (OH) over Washington & Lee (VA) by 24

Muhlenberg (PA) over Framingham St (MA) by 30

North Central (IL) over Carnegie Mellon (PA) by 22

Rensselaer (NY) over Endicott (MA) by 6

St Johns (MN) over Lake Forest (IL) by 21

Wisconsin-La Crosse  over Albion (MI) by 13

Wisconsin-Whitewater over Greenville (IL) by 43

Wheaton (IL) over Aurora (IL) by 13

NAIA (16 team field)

Grand View (IA) over Dickinson St (ND) by 6

Indiana Wesleyan over Kansas Wesleyan by 11

Lindsey Wilson (KY) over Montana-Western by 23

Marian (IN) over Southwestern (KS) by 9

Morningside (IA) over Ottawa (AZ) by 9

Northwestern (IA) over Central Methodist (MO) by 15

Reinhardt (GA) over Keiser (FL) by 8

St Xavier (IL) over Concordia (MI) by 1

 

Note - NCAA D1 FCS Selections will be made this coming Sunday 

Thanks for highlighting these schools as many excellent players don't make it to Division 1, but can continue their career and further their education thru these schools.  A prime example is an undersized back from OHS that leads the Lenoir-Rhyne (Div II) rushing attack named Dwayne McGee (DeWee); he just set an new single season rushing record for that school last week.  Congrats to him and all the other Florida kids finding success after HS.  Will definitely will be following him thru the playoffs.

[LAZ]

1 hour ago, Ray Icaza said:

Thanks for highlighting these schools as many excellent players don't make it to Division 1, but can continue their career and further their education thru these schools.  A prime example is an undersized back from OHS that leads the Lenoir-Rhyne (Div II) rushing attack named Dwayne McGee (DeWee); he just set an new single season rushing record for that school last week. Congrats to him and all the other Florida kids finding success after HS.  Will definitely will be following him thru the playoffs.

Ray,

It's somewhat of a travesty to think of all the Florida players that are still playing but in terms of notoriety have been somewhat forgotten other than by family and friends. This state is so well represented in the upcoming playoffs it's really amazing. I've just started going through the rosters of all these playoffs teams and what I'm seeing is incredible. For example, here's a look at the number of Florida players on D2 playoff Rosters. 238 players on 20 of the 28 teams. Look at Ferris (MI) with 24 Floridians! Pipeline? 

These are just the D2 teams that made the playoffs. There are 138 D2's that didn't make the postseason. I haven't even looked at D3 and NAIA yet. My initial post said "scores" of ex-Florida players. It should have said "hundreds". 

West Florida	77
Valdosta St (GA)	52
Ferris St (MI)	24
Albany St (GA)	17
Lenoir-Rhyne (NC)	11
Notre Dame (OH)	11
Harding (AR)	6
Bentley (MA)	5
Findlay (OH)	5
Nebraska-Kearney	4
New Haven (CT)	4
Slippery Rock (PA)	4
Augustana (SD)	3
NW Missouri St	3
West Georgia	3
Angelo St (TX)	2
Bemidji St (MN)	2
Shepherd (WV)	2
Newberry (SC)	2
Lindenwood (MO)	1
Minnesota-Duluth	0
Kutztown (PA),	0
Colorado School of Mines	0
Grand Valley St (MI)	0
Washburn (KS)	0
Bowie St (MD)	0
Western Colorado	0
Central Washington	0

   

[Ray Icaza]

1 hour ago, LAZ said:

Ray,

It's somewhat of a travesty to think of all the Florida players that are still playing but in terms of notoriety have been somewhat forgotten other than by family and friends. This state is so well represented in the upcoming playoffs it's really amazing. I've just started going through the rosters of all these playoffs teams and what I'm seeing is incredible. For example, here's a look at the number of Florida players on D2 playoff Rosters. 238 players on 20 of the 28 teams. Look at Ferris (MI) with 24 Floridians! Pipeline? 

These are just the D2 teams that made the playoffs. There are 138 D2's that didn't make the postseason. I haven't even looked at D3 and NAIA yet. My initial post said "scores" of ex-Florida players. It should have said "hundreds". 

West Florida	77
Valdosta St (GA)	52
Ferris St (MI)	24
Albany St (GA)	17
Lenoir-Rhyne (NC)	11
Notre Dame (OH)	11
Harding (AR)	6
Bentley (MA)	5
Findlay (OH)	5
Nebraska-Kearney	4
New Haven (CT)	4
Slippery Rock (PA)	4
Augustana (SD)	3
NW Missouri St	3
West Georgia	3
Angelo St (TX)	2
Bemidji St (MN)	2
Shepherd (WV)	2
Newberry (SC)	2
Lindenwood (MO)	1
Minnesota-Duluth	0
Kutztown (PA),	0
Colorado School of Mines	0
Grand Valley St (MI)	0
Washburn (KS)	0
Bowie St (MD)	0
Western Colorado	0
Central Washington	0

   

Talent rich state as they also provide "Hundreds" of players for other Division 1 schools outside of FL.

[LAZ]

Here are the rest of the Playoff Rosters with Florida representation:

NCAA D3  (127 ex-Florida High School players)

Mount Union (OH)	25
Aurora (IL)	15
Huntingdon (AL)	12
Greenville (IL)	8
Wheaton (IL)	8
Johns Hopkins (MD)	6
Springfield (MA)	5
North Central (IL)	5
Lake Forest (IL)	5
Albion (MI)	5
Birmingham Southern (AL)	4
Carnegie Mellon (PA)	4
Rensselear (NY)	4
St John's (MN)	4
Bethel (MN)	3
Central (IA)	2
Anna Maria (MA)	2
DePauw (IN)	2
Washington & Lee (VA)	2
Cortland St (NY)	1
Rose-Hulman (IN)	1
Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX)	1
Framingham St (MA)	1
Endicott (MA)	1
La Crosse (WI)	1
Delaware Valley (PA)	0
Salisbury (MD)	0
Linfield (OR)	0
Redlands (CA)	0
Trinity (TX)	0
Muhlenberg (PA)	0
Whitewater (WI)	0

NAIA (118 ex-Florida High School players) 

Keiser (FL)	88
Northwestern (IA)	5
Indiana Wesleyan	4
Central Methodist (MO)	4
Reinhardt (GA)	4
Kansas Wesleyan	3
Grand View (IA)	2
Southwestern (KS)	2
Marian (IN)	1
Dickinson St (ND)	1
Lindsey Wilson (KY)	1
Morningside (IA)	1
Ottawa (AZ)	1
Concordia (MI)	1
Montana-Western	0
St Xavier (IL)	0

Interesting to note - There are no Division 3 schools based in the state of Florida, yet the winningest program in all of college football over the past 25 or 30 years, regardless of classification (Mount Union OH) has 25 Floridians on their roster. Coincidence? I think not.

As Ray mentions, there are 504 teams playing in D2, D3 and NAIA combined. This list only reflect the 76 playoff teams and their Florida connections. There are many, many more Floridians continuing to represent at these levels. As for the 483 Florida "kids" playing this weekend, their families, friends and ex-coaches, these playoff games are as important as it gets. Best of luck to all of them.   

[KeemD321]

On 11/17/2021 at 1:21 PM, Ray Icaza said:

Thanks for highlighting these schools as many excellent players don't make it to Division 1, but can continue their career and further their education thru these schools.  A prime example is an undersized back from OHS that leads the Lenoir-Rhyne (Div II) rushing attack named Dwayne McGee (DeWee); he just set an new single season rushing record for that school last week.  Congrats to him and all the other Florida kids finding success after HS.  Will definitely will be following him thru the playoffs.

Cocoa's running back from last season DayDay Farmer recently broke the single season rushing yards and touchdowns record at St Thomas University. 

[Ray Icaza]

10 hours ago, KeemD321 said:

Cocoa's running back from last season DayDay Farmer recently broke the single season rushing yards and touchdowns record at St Thomas University. 

Awesome, but I thought he was a wide receiver out of Holy Trinity in Melbourne.  Did they turn him into a running back?  Lot of players, like Dewee don't pass the eyeball test and get overlooked; he is a redshirt Freshman and rushed for almost 1600 yards during the regular season.  Definitely will be pulling for him to have a big game Saturday in the playoffs.

[KeemD321]

1 minute ago, Ray Icaza said:

Awesome, but I thought he was a wide receiver out of Holy Trinity in Melbourne.  Did they turn him into a running back?  Lot of players, like Dewee don't pass the eyeball test and get overlooked; he is a redshirt Freshman and rushed for almost 1600 yards during the regular season.  Definitely will be pulling for him to have a big game Saturday in the playoffs.

That's his little brother at Holy Trinity unless I'm getting their names mixed up lmao TayTay and DayDay one is a freshman at Holy Trinity and the other is a freshman at St Thomas University 

[Perspective]

4 hours ago, KeemD321 said:

That's his little brother at Holy Trinity unless I'm getting their names mixed up lmao TayTay and DayDay one is a freshman at Holy Trinity and the other is a freshman at St Thomas University 

Either WayWay, sounds like both of them can PlayPlay.