FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Texas Ole]

Just noticed the 3rd team All American punter for Wheaton is John Bickle. He started out with UST, though I don't think he saw any action (who needs specialty Punters anyway?)

John's dad used to work for FCA in Southeastern MN.  Great family!  John was also a good baseball player.  I'm happy to see him having success.

[Caz Bombers]

D2 super power Grand Valley State is available for this weekend after their season opener against Edinboro (Pa.) was cancelled due to virus problems at EU. That would be an interesting matchup against UST.

[faunch]

D2 super power Grand Valley State is available for this weekend after their season opener against Edinboro (Pa.) was cancelled due to virus problems at EU. That would be an interesting matchup against UST.

Would probably be more competitive than St. Francis...would be a long ass bus ride for somebody!!!

[OzJohnnie]

FYI - For all you folks wondering about game access I've got an update (I went right to the top!).

You can currently buy access for the first game only.  They are working on a season pass this week and will keep us updated.  So expect that groovy feature.  But maybe not before the weekend?

[OzJohnnie]

Also, @AO, you plan on doing pick 'ems again this year?

[AO]

Also, @AO, you plan on doing pick 'ems again this year?

2021 MIAC PICK-EMS
All are welcome to play.  Please post picks to the pick-ems page.

The HALL OF CHAMPIONS:
2019: AO
2018: FCGrizzliesGrad
2017: Tom Thumb
2016: Finsleft
2015: ChicagoTommie
2014: wm4
2013: FCGrizzliesGrad
2012: miacmaniac
2011: Finsleft
2010: Finsleft
2009: sju56321
2008: AO
2007: AO
2006: Piperinsider
2005: Frankrickard/Repete 

Saturday Sep. 4th

Non-conference: 2pts
Sewanee (+14.5) @ St. Scholastica
#23 Aurora (+9.5) @ #6 St. John's
#16 Bethel @ North Park (+30.5)
Crown (+35.5) @ Hamline
Valley City State (+20.5) @ Concordia
Central @ St. Olaf (+15.5)
Gustavus @ Buena Vista (+10.5)
Augsburg @ Ripon (+14.5)
Minnesota-Morris (+18.5) @ Macalester

Other games of note: 1pt
#19 Washington and Jefferson (+10.5) @ #11 John Carroll

[repete]

Thank you, AO!  I appreciate your labors!

[hazzben]

I picked SJU to cover, but man I don't know what to think about that game. How much does Aurora bring back from the 2019 playoff team? SJU will have more talent, but a new QB and a lot of new Oline faces ... no clue how that game breaks.

[USee]

Aurora brings back 8-9 starters on offense from 2019 and onky 4 defensive starters.  Hansen ratings has STJU as a 29pt fav with a 95% chance of winning. Seems aggressive. But I have never been a huge buyer of Aurora, especially based on 1 game.  If the Johnnies don't score 50 it won't be because Aurora stopped them.

[DuffMan]

Yeah, I honestly don't know what to expect from this SJU/Aurora game.  I'll be pleased with any sort of SJU win, but I won't be too surprised by a loss.  I do like that Aurora's defense will be a lot of new faces since SJU needs to break in a new QB (from what I hear, Syverson is looking good) and 4/5 of their o-line.

[hazzben]

Feels like a shootout. We know Aurora's offense can score. I'm guessing the relatively green SJU offense will find it's footing sooner than the green Aurora D. The only thing that would surprise me is a low scoring game or an Aurora blowout. I lean that SJU wins but it's within a couple of scores. AO's line of 9.5 feels about right.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Did Jackson Erdmann ever manage to catch on anywhere?

[art76]

Week 1 MIAC 2021 season discussion

Ladies and gents,

It's been a long dry spell of having no MIAC football to preview as a result of the COVID pandemic. We look forward to the first week of non-conference games. Let's dig in.

Northwoods Division

Carleton is off this week

Gustavus travels down to Buena Vista in Iowa for one of three night games this week. The Beavers will get spanked by the Gusties.

St. John's hosts Aurora for what looks to be the game of the week in the MIAC, as there is so much riding on the game for both of these programs. Neither team can afford the loss. If the Johnnies were playing this game on the road, they would have more of an uphill battle. Playing in Collegeville gives them a bit of a home-field edge in this game against the Spartans. Last possession may determine this game.

St. Olaf is hosting Central (Iowa). The Dutch will do more than tip-toe through the tulips as they post a relatively easy non-conference win over the Oles.

St. Scholastica hosts its first MIAC game by having the Sewanee Tigers from outside of Chattanooga, TN visit. The Tigers haven't won a game since October 27, 2018 – a string of 12 games. The Saints will make it 13.

Skyline Division

Augsburg plays the second night game down in Ripon, WI. Even though the Redhawks will be roosting at home, the Auggie doggies will leave their mark on Ingalls Field with a road win.

Bethel travels down to North Park, Illinois to take on the Vikings. The Royals should chalk up a non-conference win and get a large number of their depth players some playing time in the second half.

Concordia hosts NAIA Valley City State for their home opener. The Vikings come in with a 24-7 win last week over the University of Jamestown. The Cobbers should win this contest, though it might be a come from behind ordeal as they get the first game jitters worked out.

Hamline hosts Crown College for the shortest trip this week between opponents. OK, so I learned something. Not sure when the change was made, but the Crown College mascot is now "Storm the Polar Bear." The Pipers will silence Storm, and all his cubs at Klas Field.

The last night game has Macalester hosting Minnesota Morris at 6:30 pm. The Scots come back to playing MIAC football after a 20 year hiatus. They haven't played the Cougars since 2010 when they won 48-27 in the Metrodome. I suspect a similar outcome for this game.

[jamtod]

Some interesting predictions on the main page. Frank has Bethel as a Pool C team at 8-2. I assume that comes with losses to St John's and UW-Platteville. That's a stretch to me.

[art76]

Some interesting predictions on the main page. Frank has Bethel as a Pool C team at 8-2. I assume that comes with losses to St John's and UW-Platteville. That's a stretch to me.

Or both losses to the Johnnies because they are forced to play each other twice in the season.