I do enjoy the different styles of announcing you get on broadcasts.

That stadium brings back happy thoughts.  I still have indelible memories of the only time I saw a game there nearly two decades ago, afterwards known as the "Mississippi Miracle" or "Major Disaster" depending on what side you were sitting.  It seems the state has reclaimed the former to describe improvements to its public school performance!

Millsaps got out to a huge lead, Belhaven closed to within 30-20 with a couple of late TDs but then fumbled trying to score a third and the Majors get an easy rushing TD a couple plays later to make it 36-20.

Quote from: Wildcat on September 02, 2026, 02:08:19 PMAnyone know why Chris Ketchum went from transferring from Millikin to Elmhurst and back to Millikin?

Homesickness? 😏
Or perhaps one of MU's big NIL contributors/boosters kicked in a sufficient amount of 💵 to make it worthwhile for Ketchum to reverse his reversal??   

How many games does the MIAC win the first week of the 2026 season?

1 or 2

3 or 4

5 or 6

7 or 8

9 or 10

I kind of alluded to this earlier this summer, but this is a very strange start in the MIAC this year. All ten teams are playing the first week to get in their non-conference games. None of them opted to play their non-conference game the second week. However, the Oles play the Cobbers a week ahead of everyone else's first week of conference play during that second week for a non-conference game. My guess is that something is going on up at Concordia the following week, or that the Oles have somewhere to be the third week. Anybody got the skinny to know what's shakin' that second week?

Quote from: Brady12 on Yesterday at 11:10:55 AM

Quote from: Trin9-0 on September 02, 2026, 04:37:12 PMHere's what the Hansen ratings project for NESCAC win totals this season:

Trinity 7.1
Wesleyan 6.5
Williams 5.2
Middlebury 4.9
Amherst 4.6
Colby 4.3
Tufts 3.9
Hamilton 3
Bowdoin 2.9
Bates 2.7

Seems like another example of expected parity in the league this year. With that said the model has it as a two horse race for the title as it gives Trinity a 42% chance to win the NESCAC followed by Wesleyan at 26%. No other team is in double digits. I'd put Trin and Wes much closer together. This rating doesn't seem optimistic about an at-large playoff bid either. Wes has just an 8% chance and Trinity 7%.

Other notable points: Wesleyan returns an astounding 91% of their offensive production; tops in the league and 8th in the nation. Hamilton is not far behind with 90%, good for 10th in the country. It has Colby bringing back the least total production in the league with just 56%. Tufts has only 45% of their defensive production back this year. Not a great sign for team that finished 9th in scoring defense in 2025. Of the contenders, it has Trinity with the lowest returning total production (just 61%... yikes).

Williams record of; 3-6 5-3 5-3 last three years make me think back to this years senior class, If they can stay healthy this could be the year.  In 2023 they brought in Johansen, McHugh, Renzella at QB.  Stahelski, Gering at WR along with Carroll, Baker, and others I thought that class has a chance to be special. Getting them all on the field will be the challenge.  Back then I thought Johansen may end up at LB as he was a wrecking ball in high school. Adding in the talent at WR and TE will allow players like Gering to concentrate on defense. I will take the over on 5.2   

OK, we'll bite on the under...

Eagles at the Johnnies should be a doozy.

https://x.com/CouchCru17/status/2095551395319419205?s=20

Game notes are up.

A few additional thoughts and areas to watch that I couldn't fit in the twitter post that could be the difference in a good season or a great season:

Interior D Line: This is an area of the team that our truly exceptional seasons we have had studs. Haston Adams, Brazon Fuller, Joey Longoria, Isaiah Johnson, etc. We need someone to emerge here and I'm not sure the starters are at that level to start the season. We'll see.

Secondary: We have more new starters here than any other area on the field. If there is one position group that coach Harmon and our staff have done a great job of developing and reloading it's this group, but still one to watch.

Offensive line: This is the group that will likely make or break our offense this season. We have skill talent, an upgrade at QB and maybe the best two headed running back attack I've seen in almost a decade talent wise. If the O Line can gel and bring their hard hats every week this offense has a chance to be the best we've had since 2022.

Millsaps' Bizjack gives poor effort on his handoffs in the gun.  It's evident when he's pulling the ball to throw and when the back is getting the ball.   

UOlivet 39 Millikin 19 Final
UOlivet was 1-9 in 2025.

Millikin Total Yds 431
Rushing 248
Passing 183

UOlivet Total Yds 478
Rushing 126
Passing 352

QB #4 Sr. Sylas Gomez 16/31 for 183 yds,  0 TD's and 2 ints.
Rushed for 49 yds on 7 attempts.

RB #0 So. AJ Lee 167 yds 2 TD's on 13 rushing attempts.
Included a 75 yd TD

Defensively Millikin gave up 6 TD drives.

UOlivet TD drives.
13 plays 75 yards
17 plays 58 yards
3 plays 82 yards
12 plays 77 yds
5 plays 76 yds
10 plays 78 yds

4 missed xtra pts in this game. 3 by UOlivet and 1 by Millikin.

Quote from: art76 on Yesterday at 05:17:20 PMTook a look at the highlight reel and I would have to say Fremantle was dismantled by the Hawks.

Yeah, Hawthorn's work rate was through the roof. Running hard both directions. Repeat efforts. Off the ball hard running. It was an exceptional finals-quality effort.  And the tackle pressure was immense. Freo had no free space and they panicked with ball in hand. Poor decisions. Skill errors.

Meanwhile, Hawthorn's offensive running created a bounty of options and Freo just didn't commit to the gut running needed off the ball to shut the hawks down.

The aspect of Aussie Rules I most like is the aerobic extreme it demands. Winning a game is almost entirely determined by a team's commitment to push through the pain barrier and run harder for faster for longer than the opposition. And in finals that gets turned to 11. The more players you have willing to out run their direct opponent sets the win up. And hawthorn had a balanced, gut running effort that went 23 players deep yesterday. Freo were smashed.

Now we've got two weeks to recover and will be playing one of Adelaide, the Bulldogs, Sydney or Brisbane at the MCG in a Prelim Final.  I can't wait to be there for that. It will be a packed house of 96k and the atmosphere will be electric.