Six more teams grabbed titles, or shares thereof, last week. This week, the regular season ends, and everything will be settled with three official conference championship games, three de facto title games, and a smattering of other contests to sort out the rest.

Conference titles already won:
Great American Conference: Ouachita Baptist
Great Lakes Football Conference: Urbana
Gulf South Conference: Delta State
Lone Star Conference: Midwestern State
Northeast-10: New Haven (share)
Northern Sun: Minnesota State-Mankato (share)
Rocky Mountain: Colorado State-Pueblo (share)

bold indicates team will win their conference title outright with a victory.
bold italics indicates team could win their conference title outright with a victory, depending on other results.
normal italics indicates team will win a share of their conference title with a victory.

5-5 Western New Mexico at #2 Colorado State-Pueblo
7-3 Elizabeth City State at #4 Winston-Salem State (CIAA)
7-3 Central Missouri at #6 Washburn (Mid-America)
#7 New Haven at 1-8 Saint Anselm
#24 Slippery Rock at #8 Kutztown (Pennsylvania)
3-6 Missouri Southern at #9 Pittsburg State (Mid-America)
8-2 Minnesota State-Mankato at #10 Minnesota-Duluth (Northern Sun)
6-3 Valdosta State at #13 North Alabama
6-4 Western Oregon at #14 Humboldt State (Great Northwest)
6-4 Miles at #16 Albany State (SIAC)
6-3 Concord at #19 West Virginia Wesleyan (West Virginia)
5-5 Findlay at #22 Wayne State (MI) (Great Lakes South)
5-5 Carson-Newman at #23 Mars Hill (South Atlantic)
#25 Saginaw Valley State at 7-3 Grand Valley State (Great Lakes North)
7-3 Hillsdale at 0-10 Tiffin (Great Lakes South)
6-3 Lenoir-Rhyne at 3-7 Catawba (South Atlantic)

I have composed a handy primer for playoff formats and guidelines, because we’re getting very very close to starting to hand out bids.


CENTRAL:

SUPER REGION 1 – #2 Winston-Salem State, #3 Elizabeth City State
NORTH DIVISION CHAMPION: Elizabeth City State
SOUTH DIVISION CHAMPION: Winston-Salem State

Obviously, with the divisional races already decided, last week wasn’t loaded with important games. With two exceptions, everything went as expected; Shaw and Chowan scored upsets to close out their years, and condemned both their victims to losing seasons.

This week is the CIAA Championship Game at Durham, NC. Winston-Salem State is the hands-down favorite to win this game and complete an 11-0 regular season.

GREAT AMERICAN:

SUPER REGION 4 – #7 Ouachita Baptist
CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Ouachita Baptist (outright)

Ouachita took down Southeastern Oklahoma State, and in so doing captured the outright conference title. Southern Arkansas scored an upset over Arkansas-Monticello which vaulted them into the top half of the standings.

This week, the Battle of Arkadelphia pits next-door neighbors Ouachita and Henderson State. It’s an important game, because a win should get Ouachita into the playoffs. The teams are relatively even on paper, though, so watch out. East Central, SW Oklahoma, and Harding should also close out the year with wins.

GREAT LAKES IAC:

SUPER REGION 3 – #3 Saginaw Valley State, #4 Wayne State (MI), #8 Hillsdale, #9 Indianapolis
Eliminated (North): Northwood (MI), Northern Michigan, Michigan Tech, Ferris State
Eliminated (South): Tiffin, Lake Erie, Ohio Dominican, Findlay
Could go this week (North): Grand Valley State, Indianapolis
Could go this week (South): Hillsdale, Wayne State (MI)
NORTH DIVISION CHAMPIONS: Saginaw Valley State (clinched share of title)
CLINCH ALERT (North): Grand Valley State, Indianapolis (see below)
CLINCH ALERT (South): Wayne State (MI), Hillsdale, Ashland (see below)

Ashland suffered an upset, while Findlay lost as expected. Ashland is still alive, but Findlay has been eliminated. Wayne State won the big inter-division showdown with Indianapolis, which meant that Saginaw Valley clinched a share of the North with their win over Northern Michigan, and Hillsdale was prevented from claiming a share of the South.

Five teams still have a chance to hang banners this week. Grand Valley can claim a share in the North with a win over Saginaw Valley. Indianapolis needs this to happen, as well as beat Ohio Dominican themselves. Both games are sort of iffy. If Saginaw beats Grand Valley, they win the North outright. In the South, Wayne State should beat Findlay, and Hillsdale will almost certainly beat Tiffin. If one wins and the other doesn’t, the winner claims the South title outright. If both win or both lose, they share the title; if they both lose and Ashland wins (almost certain), all three teams share the title. The most likely outcome is for Hillsdale to win the title outright, but only slightly more likely than a Hillsdale/Wayne split.

GREAT LAKES FOOTBALL:

SUPER REGION 3 – nobody ranked
CONFERENCE CHAMPION:: Urbana

The conference schedule is now complete, as Missouri S&T thumped Saint Joseph’s and secured a winning season.

This week, Urbana should complete a nice 8-3 season and then go home. Missouri S&T and Kentucky Wesleyan, on the other hand, are going to lose.

GREAT NORTHWEST:

SUPER REGION 4 – #8 Humboldt State
Eliminated: Simon Fraser, Dixie State, Central Washington
Could go this week: Western Oregon, Humboldt State
CLINCH ALERT: Humboldt State, Western Oregon (winner clinches title outright)

Humboldt handled Dixie, setting up this week’s winner-take-all match with Western Oregon. Humboldt should win, but they did already lose to WOU earlier in the year. Central Washington should knock off Dixie in the week’s other game.

GULF SOUTH:

SUPER REGION 2 – #1 Delta State, #4 West Alabama, #5 North Alabama, #6 Valdosta State
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS: Delta State

Delta State barely escaped West Alabama, but the win clinched the outright conference title. Delta will try to run the table this week at West Georgia, while North Alabama and Valdosta State will face off, and realistically a playoff bid is on the line for the winner, while the loser is almost certainly going home.

LONE STAR:

SUPER REGION 4 – #1 Midwestern State, #5 Abilene Christian, #9 West Texas A&M
CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Midwestern State (clinched title outright)

Midwestern took down West Texas A&M, which secured the outright conference title. Texas A&M-Commerce, previously winless, hammered Eastern New Mexico to snap that streak. Angelo and Abiliene won as expected.

This week, Abilene, Angelo, West Texas, and Kingsville should win. Midwestern should, too, but they have an actual live opponent this week, so an upset isn’t out of the question.

MID-AMERICA:

SUPER REGION 4 – #2 Washburn, #3 Pittsburg State, #4 Missouri Western, #6 Northwest Missouri State, #10 Central Missouri
Eliminated: Lincoln (MO), Truman, Emporia State, Fort Hays State, Missouri Southern, Central Missouri
Could go this week: Northwest Missouri State, Missouri Western
CLINCH ALERT: Washburn, Pittsburg State, Missouri Western, Northwest Missouri State (see below)

Washburn upended previously unbeaten Pittsburg State, which would have made this week a huge mess except for one detail: Missouri Western also upset Northwest Missouri State.

That means that Washburn and Pittsburg State would share the title should both win this week, and would also share the title should both lose this week, and would also share the title with Missouri Western or Northwest should either win (both should). Odds on both Washburn and Pittsburg losing: not good. Pittsburg has an eminently winnable game against rival Missouri Southern. Washburn, on the other hand, could very well get upset by Central Missouri, which would give Pittsburg the outright title. (Obviously, Washburn gets the outright title should they win and Pittsburg lose.) The only remaining game we haven’t touched on is Lincoln’s visit to Urbana. Lincoln’s going to lose.

NORTHEAST TEN:

SUPER REGION 1 – #1 New Haven, #8 Southern Connecticut State
Eliminated: Pace, Saint Anselm, Stonehill, Assumption, American International, Bentley, Merrimack
Could go this week: Southern Connecticut State
CONFERENCE CHAMPION: New Haven (clinched share of title)

Except for American International’s mostly meaningless upset win over Merrimack, everything went as planned, and New Haven claimed a share of the title.

The Chargers can, and almost certainly will, seal the outright title with a win at 1-8 Saint Anselm. Should they inexplicably falter, Southern Connecticut can share the title with a win over Merrimack; likely, but not inevitable. Assumption and American International should win the other two games.

NORTHERN SUN:

SUPER REGION 3 – #5 Saint Cloud State, #6 Minnesota State-Mankato, #7 Minnesota-Duluth
Eliminated (North Division): Minnesota-Crookston, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Bemidji State, Northern State, Mary
Eliminated (conference title): Minnesota-Crookston, Northern State, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Upper Iowa, Concordia-Saint Paul, Southwest Minnesota State, Mary, Winona State, Augustana (SD)
Could go this week (North Division): Saint Cloud State
Could go this week (conference title): Saint Cloud State, Minnesota-Duluth
CLINCH ALERT (North Division): Saint Cloud State (can claim share of title)
NORTH DIVISION CHAMPIONS: Minnesota-Duluth (clinched share of title)
SOUTH DIVISION CHAMPIONS: Minnesota State-Mankato (outright)
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS: Minnesota State-Mankato (clinched share of title)

Bemidji State upset Saint cloud while Duluth pounded Crookston, handing Duluth a share of the North title. Mankato crushed Southwest Minnesota State, finishing a clean sweep of the South for the outright crown, and claiming a share of the overall conference title. (Remember, the NSIC crowns both divisional champions and conference champions without reference to tiebreakers.)

First, Mankato will clinch the outright title should they beat Duluth this week. That game is about as much of a tossup as it’s possible to have at this point. Should Duluth win, they would share the conference title; Saint Cloud would also share in the title in that instance, as well as sharing the North title, with an almost certain win over Moorhead.

In other games, expect wins from Augustana, Concordia, Wayne, Bemidji, and Mary.

PENNSYLVANIA:

SUPER REGION 1 – #4 California (PA), #5 Kutztown, #6 Bloomsburg, #9 Slippery Rock
EASTERN DIVISION CHAMPION: Kutztown
WESTERN DIVISION CHAMPION: Slippery Rock
CLINCH ALERT: Kutztown/Slippery Rock (winner is PSAC champion)

C.W. Post took care of business, beating Cheyney, but it was all for naught as Kutztown handed Bloomsburg their second straight loss in very convincing fashion and captured the East title. Slippery Rock, who already had the West title in hand, was upset by Gannon. Everything else went as you’d expect.

This week is the PSAC State Game at Kutztown, who should probably get past Slippery Rock to claim the title. In other games, Edinboro, California, C.W. Post, Bloomsburg, Millersville, Indiana, Shippensburg should win.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN:

SUPER REGION 3 – #1 Colorado State-Pueblo, #2 Nebraska-Kearney, #10 Colorado Mines
Eliminated: Western State, Fort Lewis, Colorado Mesa, New Mexico Highlands, Western New Mexico, Adams State, Chadron State, Colorado Mines
Could go this week: Nebraska-Kearney
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS: Colorado State-Pueblo (clinched share of title)

CSU-Pueblo manhandled Western State, and secured a share of the title. Kearney remained in position to potentially share the crown by pounding Fort Lewis.

It probably doesn’t matter; I don’t see Western New Mexico knocking off Pueblo Saturday, so the title should be secure. If Pueblo does fall, Kearney would still have to get past Colorado Mines to share the title, which is likely but not certain. Chadron, Adams, and New Mexico Highlands should win the other games.

SOUTH ATLANTIC:

SUPER REGION 2 – #2 Mars Hill, #8 Lenoir-Rhyne
Eliminated: Catawba, Tusculum, Brevard, Carson-Newman, Newberry
Could go this week: Wingate
CLINCH ALERT: Mars Hill, Lenoir-Rhyne, Wingate (see below)

Lenoir-Rhyne got away from Newberry in a shootout, which eliminated Newberry and prevented Mars Hill from clinching a share of the title.

Mars Hill has a tough game against Carson-Newman, who have recovered from a really bad start to get back to .500. A win, and they at least share the title; they’d claim it outright if Catawba were to upset Lenoir-Rhyne. The reverse is also true; should Lenoir-Rhyne win and Mars Hill lose, Lenoir-Rhyne wins the title outright. Should both lose, they’d share the title; Wingate would also share it with an almost certain win over Tusculum.

SOUTHERN IAC:

SUPER REGION 2 – #7 Albany State, #9 Morehouse
EASTERN DIVISION CHAMPION: Albany State
WESTERN DIVISION CHAMPION: Miles
CLINCH ALERT: Albany State/Miles (winner claims SIAC title)

Albany State knocked off Fort Valley, thereby securing the East title despite Morehouse’s win over Kentucky State. Miles had already claimed the West crown, which was a good thing considering they lost to Tuskegee while Stillman beat Clark Atlanta.

So, Miles will face Albany State in Atlanta Saturday in the first-ever SIAC Championship Game. Albany should win, and Stillman should knock off Concordia (AL) in their season finale. Tuskegee, of course, has their traditional Thanksgiving contest against Alabama State still to come.

WEST VIRGINIA:

SUPER REGION 1 – #7 West Virginia Wesleyan, #10 Shepherd
Eliminated: Seton Hill, West Liberty State, West Virginia State, Charleston (WV), Fairmont State, Glenville State, Shepherd
Could go this week: Concord, West Virginia Wesleyan
CLINCH ALERT: West Virginia Wesleyan, Concord (winner claims outright title)

Well, that was unexpected. Charleston upset previously unbeaten West Virginia Wesleyan, preventing them from claiming a share of the title. In the end, it sort of doesn’t matter; Concord’s win over West Liberty State put Concord in position to share the title, but now the WVWU/Concord game is just a de facto title game. The winner claims the title outright.

In other games, Glenville and Charleston should win, West Liberty should not, and Shepherd/Fairmont State is a tossup.

INDEPENDENTS:

SUPER REGION 2 – #3 North Greenville, #10 North Carolina-Pembroke

North Greenville destroyed Wingate, and they’re now pretty much just a win over Notre Dame (OH) away from reaching the playoffs. That win is likely. UNC-Pembroke, on the other hand, blew their chance, getting railed by Winston-Salem State. They’ll rebound this week, but it’s probably not going to be enough.

IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY:
SUPER REGION 1
#7 West Virginia Wesleyan at #3 Elizabeth City State, winner at #2 Winston-Salem State
#5 Kutztown at #4 California (PA), winner at #1 New Haven

Note that this assumes a Kutztown win over Slippery Rock; the reverse would get the Rock into the playoffs, and knock Kutztown out. Also, the loser of the Winston-Salem State/Elizabeth City State game is probably out, likely replaced by Bloomsburg given expected results next week.

SUPER REGION 2
#7 Albany State at #3 North Greenville, winner at #2 Mars Hill
#5 North Alabama at #4 West Alabama, winner at #1 Delta State

The SIAC will probably not be represented if Albany State is upset by Miles this week. Also, the loser of the North Alabama/Valdosta State game is out of contention; should Albany drop out, Lenoir-Rhyne appears to be next in line.

SUPER REGION 3
#6 Minnesota State-Mankato at #3 Saginaw Valley State, winner at #2 Nebraska-Kearney
#5 Saint Cloud State at #4 Wayne State (MI), winner at #1 Colorado State-Pueblo

SUPER REGION 4
#8 Humboldt State at #3 Pittsburg State, winner at #2 Washburn
#7 Ouachita Baptist at #4 Missouri Western, winner at #1 Midwestern State