With UMHB running the gauntlet to get to the Stagg Bowl (they defeated the final #4, #5 and #6 teams), and with the eastern half of the region being placed in the other half of the bracket, I thought we had a good idea of the strength of the South Region.
HSU's performance at Linfield was disappointing to ASC fans who anticipated a great matchup in Belton in Round 2 (
between ASC teams 
). Placing the Linfield game into the perspective of the tail of the regular season, it looks like HSU did not finish strong, for whatever reason. I voted them 4th.
Berry's program looks like it is building something very strong. It reminds me of the Trinity programs from the turn of the century. I personally knew some of the Trinity players. (They were outstanding student-athletes, to wit, current Trinity head coach Jerheme Urban.) Trinity was reaching a demographic niche in Texas that was not being met. If Berry can establish that type of program, where they are getting academically stronger talent, getting D2 and low D1 talented players that want to play AND get strong academics, then the entire Southeast is open to them.
I was curious to see how CWRU would do in the post-season. The on-the-road shutout over IWU spoke volumes and the 45-16 game against UMU was a strong effort. (Fulford scored UMU's last TD with 2:13 left in the game! Coach Kehres was not calling off the dogs, to leave your starting QB in the game with a 22 point lead.)
I echo jknezek's points about the strong showings in the ASC, PresAC and SAA. (He did have TMC as the #2 team in the pre-season poll. I had TMore at #4.)
ETBU is supposedly playing a WIAC team for its non-conference game in 2018. That should help us with them.
