It sure is nice to here from someone on the NAIA side of things that actually knows what they are talking about.  Thank you for your insight JD.  I think, that when it comes right down to it, to compare D3 to NAIA is a lot like splitting hairs.  It is a very difficult task, and there isn't much of a point to it.  We can't really settle it on the playing field in any comprehensive way.  In reality the players on the field are the same kids on either side of the ball.  Same talent level....recruited in some cases by the same institutions....just made different choices when it came down to picking the college that fit them best.  From a football standpoint the difference between the two is very, very, marginal.

smedindy-
I wouldn't worry too much about getting the score wrong...footballfever made an earlier post claiming that Waldorf beat Simpson 48-13 when in reality it was the other way around..Simpson won 48-13.  Not that this does anything for D3's argument....Simpson should pound Waldorf...but I just thought I would point out his hypocricy.  Two NAIA playoff teams from IA...Morningside and St. Ambrose.....both would be beaten 9 times out of 10 by the IIAC champ.  I take that back..Morningside would be beaten 9 times out of 10 and St. Ambrose would be 10 times out of 10.  They were lucky to beat an average Loaras team.

fbfever-
I notice you never really respond to the facts that have been presented in previous messages refuting your argument that NAIA is better than D3.  At least not in an effective manner.  You simply keep stating that NAIA has a higher quality of player, based on their ability to offer athletic scholarships.  I would like to bring up the point that, just because D3 institutions cannot offer athletic scholarships, it does not mean that there are no players with scholarship talent on D3 teams. I know you never said that explicitly, and you being knowlegeable about D3 football; I'm sure you were already aware of this point.  You just chose to conveniently ignore it.  I have experience with a D3 team that has great tradition, and while I'm not sure the exact number at any one period of time, there were quite a few guys over my 4 years that turned down walk on offers at D1 schools, transferred from D1 schools after walking on, or turned down scholarship offers from lower division NCAA shools, or from NAIA schools to play D3 football.  This is not to mention guys who had no scholarship offers who, after a couple of years to develop in the weight room, turned into very good football players.  I would say the talent level accross the board is very comparable when looking at top D3 schools as compared to top NAIA schools.  While I'm not sure anyone can ever convince you of this, even when comparing results between top teams recently, I'm sure that we can both agree that each has some tremendous athletes and tremendous teams, that don't get enough credit as compared to higher levels.  Some things will never change....................................................... BTW...anyone have any thoughts about comparing D3/NAIA/D2 teams to D1AA non-scholarship.  I know D3 usually stacks up pretty well with Drake.  Yet Drake is still considered one of the "big 4" in football in the state of IA by the Des Moines Register....Nothing against Drake, but that team is nothing more than a glorified D3 team..I'd say they'd contend for the IIAC crown with Central, Wartburg, and Coe...which is great.  But do they really deserve to be mentioned in any category with Iowa, ISU, or even UNI for that matter!!! OK so maybe I'm bitter on that point....Go bulldogs!