Division III football rivalries

[KentATM]

I really don't like Trinity (Tx).  Most students at Austin College (especially athletes) seem to share that view.  I have no idea if they actually count us as a rival though (mainly b/c we have been terrible at most everything the last oh, i dunno, 20 years)

I watched us take on their #1 rated soccer team the other day and I have never heard a more mouthy team that was expected to win easily.  I mean come on!  We haven't won one game this year and they cried about damn near everything!

They will get payback come homecoming! 

[Ralph Turner]

Trinity and Austin College is one of the oldest "D3" rivalries in Texas.

The first game was played in 1904, a 23-6 win for Trinity.  Trinity leads the 71-game series 36-29-6.

Other Texas series of interest in include:
Austin College-McMurry (66 games, AC leads 34-30-2 since 1934).
Hardin-Simmons/Howard Payne (60th game this year since 1917. HSU leads 31-24-4.).
Howard Payne/McMurry (70 games, HPU leads 43-25-2 since 1927).
McMurry/Sul Ross State (78th game this weekend since 1923, McMurry leads 42-33-2).

In Texas these schools have been up and down. Hardin-Simmons was "major college", but dropped football after 1963, re-instating it in 1990.  The other four have been in various conferences, together and apart or as independents.

[Ron Boerger]

Ralph, I'd say AC-TU is more of a long-lasting series, not a rivalry - and Trinity too was Division I (small college) into the late 60s/early 70s. 

Kent, I think the game the last week of the regular season will be very interesting, especially if there are still playoff implications for your much-disliked opponent. 

[dewcrew88]

Who needs a column or Crichton, that story was riveting.

I'm gonna hafta do a D3 rivalry book one of these years.

Keith -- If you're writing a book, I'd love to help!

[billrt66]

K Mack:  I would STRONGLY suggest that you do a D III rivalry book.  You could travel on sort of the "blue road" kind of tour and pick maybe 10 or 20 that just have to be done! It would take a couple of years since all the games are on Saturday, but you could be the new GAMEDAY guy!! ( God Knows you'd be better than Corso and Herbstreet)  My guess is you could get some sponsors at every stop who would love to see your perspective in print!! I know I would.
Bill

[K-Mack]

Here's the deal.

I've been knowing I'm eventually going to write one for several years. As to when and how, not quite sure, but I'm getting closer.

Certainly I've seen a good portion of the D3 hot spots, and will see St. John's later in the year, for a more general book, but I also haven't taken in color specifically for a book on those trips. Would probably need to do a lot of background and follow-up in the preseason and offseason.

As for the rivalries themselves, yeah, with most of them being that same weekend in November each year, I would either have to write it over several years or write it without seeing them all. I think there are enough anecdotes and interviews and people who would point me in the right direction that it could be done, but I think I would have to see Cortland-Ithaca in a good year and of course Amherst-Williams. Although with video documentaries and team promotion/recruiting DVDs growing in popularity, there might be ways to get a substitute "feel" for a game

Also, I haven't the first clue about getting published.

Also not terribly sure how I'd survive while devoting the time to it. Would love to be full-time, if even just for one fall.

Also, there could be multiple volumes. Don't have to stop at one since there are so many of us and we are ever-changing.

Once I do one, I imagine the others would come easier.

[redswarm81]

Here's the deal.

I've been knowing I'm eventually going to write [a book about D3 football] for several years. As to when and how, not quite sure, but I'm getting closer.

* * *

Also not terribly sure how I'd survive while devoting the time to it. Would love to be full-time, if even just for one fall.

I assume that you've read Austin Murphy's masterpiece "The Sweet Season?"  In it, Murphy talks some about how difficult it is to write a book while keeping all the rest of life's balls in the air at the same time.

[K-Mack]

Yeah,
I've read The Sweet Season.

When I said survive though, I meant like actually have money to go grocery shopping.

Once I set up that kind of nest egg and/or figure out how to take a sabbatical, then I've got a shot.

Until then, wishful thinking. Unless I can squeeze in a few chapters in between work, kids and writing ATN

[billrt66]

K Mack:  write me an email off the message board.  I have a close friend who is in the business of publishing specialty books.  He has already done a number of what are commonly referred to as "coffee table" kinds of books for colleges and universities.....this might really be something he would want to get his teeth into. I'll get back to you with some more specific information if you have have an interest.

[fossywriter8]

I remember back when I played (and I use the word "played" very loosely) for Central from 1987-90. Our two big rivalry games were against William Penn (which was not very good at the time, though they had been in the past) and Simpson (which was very tough). Both were located close to Pella, which only helped the rivalries.

I remember my senior year (1990) when a writer on the William Penn newspaper wrote some kind of column about how Central was full of rich kids named Skippy and Buffy, how we would make the playoffs and choke every year and that our players used steroids. He was trying to be funny, but it was William Penn's misfortune that the article came out right before our game.

Judas Priest, it got so bad I got in the game and actually had a carry! The coaches tried to keep it in check, but once a play started, it was all out war.

The games with Simpson were always big ones and usually decided the conference championship. I remember the Simpson faithful having a cement truck with LOUD horn they would sound off whenever they did something good.

[KentATM]

Ralph, thanks for the info.  I had no idea AC was that close to Trinity all time.  Coming here is starting to make me want to get on the school to go a bit more in depth with our website.  We don't even mention that we won an NAIA title in 81 on our site.

Ron, maybe being in the SCAC will make it a bit more of a rivalry.  Especially after we ruin their season November 10.

[jekelish]

Kent, it's not just the students at AC that dislike Trinity...there's definitely a dislike/envy/rivalry type of thing with a lot of the staff.

From being around that vibe a lot, and from having Sox friends and Yankees friends (and family) and living in Boston during the 04 ALCS, I can tell you that the way AC people view Trinity is pretty darn similar to the way Sox fans, at that time, viewed the Yankees.

[tmerton]

Certainly I've seen a good portion of the D3 hot spots, and will see St. John's later in the year, ...

KM - We're looking forward to your visit with Pat this weekend.

[K-Mack]

Certainly I've seen a good portion of the D3 hot spots, and will see St. John's later in the year, ...

KM - We're looking forward to your visit with Pat this weekend.

As am I.

And then I plan to not fly for a long, long time.

Except for maybe in the playoffs. 

['gro]

It's Shoes Week in upstate NY.  RPI and Union meet for the 106th time.

this is the best part about the series:
"Rensselaer claims an 11-4 win in 1886, the first meeting of the series, while Union says the Dutchmen won, 4-0, that year"

a game from 121 years ago is still being disputed!