I remember three things about the 2003 Stagg Bowl.

One of which might be a false memory, which would be:  1)  A Mount Union receiver dropped a touchdown pass early in the game.

2)  Mount was definitely subpar (by Mount standards) at QB and RB.  Huge drop-off from Adamson and Pugh the previous
year.

3)  It seemed that  every player on every play on defense and special teams was in position for St. John's.  I kept waiting for a mistake.  I'm still waiting for it.

That the 2003 MUC team was sub-par might be true with 15-year hindsight.

 That was not the talk before the game. Heard plenty of about this potentially be one of the best teams, better it was said than the one that needed a last-minute FG to beat SJU in 2000.  Heard all this stuff about Dillard, Kinnard, Knapp ... and they looked pretty darn good in running that win streak to 55. You folks here know better, but it might be a good team having a bad game . . . . against another good team that had its game plan, especially on defense, dialed in ... and made fewer mistakes.

Yes...I find the preoccupation with "beautiful futbol" in D3 soccer to be somewhat amusing.  This is not La Liga, nor is it year around club soccer.  This is D3 soccer...featuring good, hard working athletes who play a very short regular season leading in to a high pressure "one and done" NCAA tournament.  The object is to win.  If I were a coach, I'd be encouraging athleticism, fearlessness, winning the 50/50s and strong, high pressure defense from front to back.  If you have the time to knock it around and effectively build up an attack...great...but you gotta do what you gotta do when faced with various circumstances in the moment.  And you'd better be adaptable.  It's about effectiveness and not aesthetics...

I think there is a reason they call ours the beautiful game.
I was the first or second poster to congratulate the Amherst boys for reaching the promiseland a few seasons ago.
They deserved their crown and no one can take it away from them. Ever.

I think it is an all-time debate that is maybe as old as football itself.
I prefer (as a fan) to watch a passing team with individuals who are skillful on the ball and have really quick brain speed.
I love to see a #10 make a pass that I did not see before he made it and his teammate (9/7) being the only other human that knew the play in advance and made the right run.
Total football when played by good footballers cannot be beat in my opinion.
I still think there is a place for winning, after all at the end of the day that is what survives the test of time, championships, but soccer should be played on the ground in my opinion, and is more pleasing (to watch atleast) that way.

Getting this in real quick since he plays tonight and I'm heading out right now.

Joe Neal - Concordia (TX) vs Southwestern 11/20

I know I'm not Wally, but the SCIAC has eight football-playing members and can sustain the loss of one before it would be in danger of losing its automatic bid.

If it slipped below seven football-playing members, it would have a two-year grace period before losing its AQ, like the ASC did in 2014 and 2015 before moving to Pool B in 2016.

To all my friends from John Carroll - JCUStreaks70, Bluestreaks66, Onward On, John Carroll and whoever else.

First, congrats on a great season. I know it fell short of your expectations. But, a whole bunch of teams would love to have a 9-2 record. It shows that the Blue Streaks have a solid program and will be heard from in the future. I think every team has it's bad day. Mount certainly has had a few. Unfortunately, yours was in the playoffs.
Second, no one around here (here being in Alliance and the Mount Union community) wanted to play JCU again. No matter what the records may be, UMU vs JCU is always a dog fight. That happened once this year. And once is enough!
Knowing the type of guys you all are, you'll be rooting for the Raiders. Might not be easy, but it is the OAC.
Best to all of you in the off-season. I know you'll be back next year. Have a super and safe holiday.
😃🏈🍺❗️

Thanks MUC.. For anyone worried about me and thinking I'd be on Suicide watch, I am fine.... I think..

It was a tough loss on Saturday, and I wish it had gone differently; but Randolph Macon wanted the win and played a better game. It sucks going home early, but I can't help but think of the positive in this situation (yes, I found one)..

I have expectations now, and we have now made the playoffs without Arth (so the program did not die when he left) .. When BlueStreak66 and I were playing we were 5-5/6-4.. We didn't even get close to smelling the playoffs. And here we are 6 years later and 4 playoff appearances in that time. 2013's disappointing finish to SJF was easy because A.) it was our first appearance in 10 years and B.) it was another at large bid. In 2014 and 16 then, we finished in the Top 5 even after losing to UMU in the Quarter's and then Oshkosh in the magical 2016 run... But this one, did not have any "at least" finish..

So while this loss sucks, I can at least be excited for where we can go from here.