The Top 10 South Region teams of the D3football.com Era

[@d3jason]

I think the 2011 Wesley team beats this year's UMHB IMHO. The Cru had pretty the same squad this year as last. Yes Bailey improved but I still have to take McSweeny. Certainly think that beating the Cru, Linfield, Hobart & racking up nearly 500 yards  on Mount in the semifinal makes a strong case. If not for some dropped passes and losing Chris Mayes against Linfield along with several other defenders maybe they get it done.

At any rate, the South is close to breaking through after pushing Mount the last two seasons. Will 2013 be the year?

[@d3jason]

I also think you could make case for this year's Wolverines being the third best in nation based on their strength of schedule and being in the game in the fourth both times against the number two team.

I'm not sure where to put them on this compared to the other WC teams on this list.

[Ralph Turner]

I can see Wesley as the #3. They reflect favorably on the ASC teams that they played.

When you start comparing the 2011 Wesley team with this year's, then you are saying by extension that the loser to the 2011 Stagg Bowl runner-up is roughly on a par with 2012 Stagg Winner.

I will defer to Pat/Gordon/Keith on that one.

[HScoach]

I can say with 100% certainty that the 2012 version of Mount is much, MUCH better than the 2011 or 2010 teams.    This season's team would beat either of the other two by 14 points, or more.   

And it's all because of the QB.    Mount played the 10 and 11 Stagg bowls with a back-up to a marginal starter.   2012 was played with a very good, young QB that has a chance to be one of the Mount greats.

Comparing south teams by how they played Mount the last few years is flawed because of how much different Mount has been over the last 3 years.    The 2012 team compares to the 2006 thru 2008 run.    Whereas '10 and '11 were some of weaker Mount teams in the last 10 years.   Not saying they still weren't really good D3 teams, just not good by Mount standards.

[@d3jason]

What made Mount better in 2012. In my opinion, it was Burke. Otherwise, they are pretty much the same as in 2011. (The best team in the nation, beside UWW, who took a step back this year leaving them on top.) UMHB was slightly better this year and Wesley a bit less than in 2011.

[@d3jason]

I can see Wesley as the #3. They reflect favorably on the ASC teams that they played.

When you start comparing the 2011 Wesley team with this year's, then you are saying by extension that the loser to the 2011 Stagg Bowl runner-up is roughly on a par with 2012 Stagg Winner.

I will defer to Pat/Gordon/Keith on that one.

I don't think that you need to defer to Pat or Keith, since I have seen every UMHB/Wesley contest....

It wasn't like UWW went on to stomp UMU., so I don't think it's a stretch at all. Keith asked Nick Driskill who the best players he faced during his time at UMU and he said McSweeny and Coppage.

I watched a lot of Mount on STO this year, Burke was the difference. I remember thinking before the 2011 Wesley/UMU semifinal in 2011 when there was some question as to who would start at QB and hoping that it would not be Burke. (He had looked really good in limited duty in the games I had watched that year.)

I believe McSweeny was let down by his receivers in the 4th quarter of 2011 game (Three drops on perfectly thrown passes. One was the tying TD). Bailey had his chance with scored tied late in the fourth and went three-and-out.

[HScoach]

What made Mount better in 2012. In my opinion, it was Burke. Otherwise, they are pretty much the same as in 2011. (The best team in the nation, beside UWW, who took a step back this year leaving them on top.) UMHB was slightly better this year and Wesley a bit less than in 2011.

That's what I said in my post.  The difference was simply the QB play.  And it's by a WIDE margin.  The '10 and '11 teams made it to the Stagg IN SPITE of the QB.   The '12 made it to the Stagg BECAUSE of the QB.

The '10 and '11 teams were QB'd by the back-up to an injured starter that was marginal in the first place.  Burke as a sophomore beat out that senior 2-year starter who was returning from injury this summer and it made all the difference in the world.  If Mount had a Chuck Moore/Dan Pugh/Nate Kmic type running back and a great O-line on this team, it might not have mattered as much.  But this offense was all about getting the ball to a great WR corps, which made the QB the biggest key.


The '11 Wesley team was very good, but evaluating based on what I saw against Mount, the '12 MHB team was much better defensively and therefore was more dangerous than '11 Wesley.  McSweeney was a stud QB and reminded me very much of Rocky Pentello who led Capital to back-to-back 3 point losses to Mount in the regional finals in the mid-2000's.   It's hard for those outside of the OAC to grasp how big the difference really was, but the '12 version of Mount was significantly better than the '11 team.   If I had to set a line on those 2 teams playing each other, the '12 team would be favored by at least 14 points.  Maybe even 20. 

[HScoach]

Looking thru my Raider tinted glasses, I also think the 2001 Bridgewater team should get consideration for the #1 spot.   They played one of the better Mount teams to the very edge in the Stagg.  And if that game had another 3 minutes in it, they probably win the championship because Mount couldn't stop them.    B'Water also lost their stud TB for much of the game due to injury which really helped the Mount cause.   That was one scary 2nd half from where I was sitting.

[02 Warhawk]

I can say with 100% certainty that the 2012 version of Mount is much, MUCH better than the 2011 or 2010 teams.    This season's team would beat either of the other two by 14 points, or more.   

And it's all because of the QB.    Mount played the 10 and 11 Stagg bowls with a back-up to a marginal starter.   2012 was played with a very good, young QB that has a chance to be one of the Mount greats.

Comparing south teams by how they played Mount the last few years is flawed because of how much different Mount has been over the last 3 years.    The 2012 team compares to the 2006 thru 2008 run.    Whereas '10 and '11 were some of weaker Mount teams in the last 10 years.   Not saying they still weren't really good D3 teams, just not good by Mount standards.

UWW won the Stagg with their back-up QB in 2010. Brekke (unfortunately) went on to have a very marginal career at UWW.

Very interesting discussions here. Good reads!

[GillCJ1]

I'm sorry for the necro-bump, but I was curious if someone more knowledgeable than I would make any changes here.  It appears the last update was in 2012.  UMHB made it to the semis last season, and were a narrow loss away from reaching the Stagg.  Where do you think that team would fit into the top 10 poll?

[ExTartanPlayer]

I'm sorry for the necro-bump, but I was curious if someone more knowledgeable than I would make any changes here.  It appears the last update was in 2012.  UMHB made it to the semis last season, and were a narrow loss away from reaching the Stagg.  Where do you think that team would fit into the top 10 poll?

In the top 4 for certain, arguably as high as the top spot.

They didn't make the Stagg, but...they 1) absolutely blitzed a Wesley team that took Mount to the wire and 2) lost by one to a UWW team that pummeled Mount...both of which suggest they were probably #2 in the nation last year. You could argue for them at #1 on this list. Absolutely no lower than 4th.

[Ralph Turner]

I'm sorry for the necro-bump, but I was curious if someone more knowledgeable than I would make any changes here.  It appears the last update was in 2012.  UMHB made it to the semis last season, and were a narrow loss away from reaching the Stagg.  Where do you think that team would fit into the top 10 poll?

I would put the 2013 UMHB team into the #3 slot. I thought that they would have beaten Mount Union.

[@d3jason]

Agreed Ralph,

Not going for it on 4th and goal at the three against UWW still puzzles me.

[GillCJ1]

It probably goes without saying, but this year's version of the Cru would take over the top spot in most people's lists.

[Ralph Turner]

It probably goes without saying, but this year's version of the Cru would take over the top spot in most people's lists.

Yes.  With the 2013 CRU now in at #4.