Precaps for the first round games in Super Region Three, and information on the two teams that have byes, just after you click this thingy here:

6 Wayne State (MI) (8-3) at 3 Saint Cloud State (9-2)
Husky Stadium, Saint Cloud MN, 1pm ET
Video available via NMTVSports. Audio available via KNSI and KVSC. Live Stats available via Saint Cloud State.
Series: first meeting.

Wayne State Warriors

Location: Detroit MI
Conference: Great Lakes IAC
Colors: Green and Gold
Playoff appearances: 1 (2011)
Coach: Paul Winters (8th year, 44-42)
Key games: 27-10 win over then #22 Michigan Tech on 9/17; 20-17 loss at Ashland on 10/15; 27-24 win in OT at Hillsdale on 10/22, 28-20 loss to Saginaw Valley State on 10/29, 28-19 win at Indianapolis on 11/5; 43-42 loss in OT to Findlay on 11/12
Offense: 35.5 ppg, 408.3 ypg
Defense: 22.2 ppg, 362.0 ypg
Passing offense: 210.9 ypg
Passing defense: 245.4 ypg
Rushing offense: 197.4 ypg
Rushing defense: 116.6 ypg
Turnover margin: +5
Key players: QB Mickey Mohner (56.5%, 2245 yds, 21 TD, 6 INT), RB Josh Renel (216-1051, 95.5 ypg, 11 TD), WR Troy Burrell (65-1285, 116.8 ypg, 12 TD), KR James Jackson (11-332, 2 TD), DB Jeremy Jones (6 INT)
Other notes: They can run, and they can toss, and they can stop the run… but they’re vulnerable in the air, and they’ve been maddeningly inconsistent in the latter half of the season, as shown by the five consecutive key games above.

Saint Cloud State Huskies

Location: Saint Cloud MN
Conference: Northern Sun
Colors: Cardinal Red and Black
Playoff appearances: 4, 2-3 (1989, 2004, 2010, 2011)
Coach: Scott Underwood (4th year, 24-11)
Key games: 26-3 win at then #12 California (PA) on 9/1; 29-16 loss at Winona State on 9/17; 31-13 win over Minnesota State-Mankato on 10/8; 35-7 win over then #6 Minnesota-Duluth on 10/29; 19-14 loss at Bemidji State on 11/5
Offense: 33.8 ppg, 435.3 ypg
Defense: 15.1 ppg, 301.3 ypg
Passing offense: 199.5 ypg
Passing defense: 180.5 ypg
Rushing offense: 235.8 ypg
Rushing defense: 120.8 ypg
Turnover margin: +7
Key players: QB Phillup Klaphake (64.3%, 1751 yds, 8 TD, 7 INT), RB Dante Steward (106-684, 76.0 ypg, 6 TD), RB Michael Walker (126-666, 60.5 ypg, 13 TD)
Other notes: More likely to run than pass, and fairly stingy on defense either way. They lost a couple of mild head-scratchers, but won all the big games on the schedule.

Jon’s Prediction:
Saint Cloud State 27, Wayne State (MI) 22. If the “good” Wayne shows up, this is closer to a tie. If the “bad” Wayne shows up, it’s not even close. I’m just going to have to assume we’re in the middle, and I think this will be a good one.

5 Saginaw Valley State (7-3) at 4 Minnesota-Duluth (9-2)
James S. Malosky Stadium, Duluth MN, 1pm ET
Video available via Penn Atlantic. Audio available via KQDS and WSGW.
Series: first meeting.

Saginaw Valley State Cardinals

Location: Kochville Township MI
Conference: Great Lakes IAC
Colors: Red and Blue
Playoff appearances: 7, 4-6 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011)
Coach: Jim Collins (4th year, 27-16; 93-67 overall including 11 years at Capital)
Key games: 38-35 loss to then #24 Hillsdale on 10/1; 44-41 OT win at Michigan Tech on 10/8; 29-20 loss at Indianapolis on 10/15; 27-6 win over then #23 Ashland on 10/20; 28-20 win at then #15 Wayne State (MI) on 10/29; 49-24 loss at Grand Valley State on 11/12
Offense: 31.9 ppg, 423.9 ypg
Defense: 27.6 ppg, 368.9 ypg
Passing offense: 261.9 ypg
Passing defense: 208.8 ypg
Rushing offense: 162.0 ypg
Rushing defense: 160.1 ypg
Turnover margin: -3
Key players: QB Jonothan Jennings (68.8%, 2600 yds, 26 TD, 9 INT), RB Tim Hogue (105-664, 66.4 ypg, 2 TD, DE Brandon Williams (14 TFL)
Other notes: Saginaw got into the field despite losing their season finale to Grand Valley State, and Grand Valley actually shared the title as a result and finished 8-3, so this selection’s a little baffling.

Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs

Location: Duluth MN
Conference: Northern Sun
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Playoff appearances: 6, 9-3 (2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Coach: Bob Nielson (9th year, 88-23, 4th year in current stint, 50-4, 158-56-1 overall including stints at Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wartburg, and Ripon)
Key games: 20-12 win at then #8 Augustana (SD) on 9/3; 7-0 loss at Wayne State (NE) on 9/17; 26-23 win at then #24 Bemidji State on 9/24; 35-7 loss at then #11 Saint Cloud State on 10/29; 31-19 win over Minnesota State-Mankato on 11/12
Offense: 30.3 ppg, 385.6 ypg
Defense: 16.9 ppg, 270.5 ypg
Passing offense: 139.8 ypg
Passing defense: 162.0 ypg
Rushing offense: 245.8 ypg
Rushing defense: 108.5 ypg
Turnover margin: 0
Key players: QB Chase Vogler (65.3%, 1504 yds, 11 TD, 5 INT, 130-564 rushing, 51.3 ypg, 4 TD), RB Brian Lucas (131-700, 63.6 ypg, 6 TD), RB Zach Hulce (88-650, 65.0 ypg, 9 TD), RB Austin Sikorski (108-583, 72.9 ypg, 7 TD), K David Nadeau (10-13, long 55), LB Rob Huberty (11.5 TFL), LB Derrick Zappa (10.0 TFL)
Other notes: The defending champs slipped a little this year, but still did enough to share the division and conference titles. They’re keyed by a running attack in which you don’t know which of four weapons is going to be fired, with just enough passing to keep you honest. Defensively, they’re driven by their linebackers, and UMD has something most D-II teams don’t: an actual FG threat.

Jon’s Prediction:
Minnesota-Duluth 31, Saginaw Valley State 24. My gut looks at these two teams as basically even, which means Duluth’s got the edge playing them at home. The numbers pretty much bear me out here, but skew a little more strongly to UMD, thus the touchdown spread.

The byes:

2 Nebraska-Kearney (10-1)

Nebraska-Kearney Lopers

Location: Kearney NE
Conference: Rocky Mountain
Colors: Blue and Gold
Playoff appearances: 4, 1-3 (2002, 2005, 2009, 2011, plus 4 NAIA playoff appearances prior to joining NCAA)
Coach: Darrell Morris (12th year, 92-38)
Key games:
Offense: 40.3 ppg, 530.0 ypg
Defense: 14.3 ppg, 304.1 ypg
Passing offense: 245.2 ypg
Passing defense: 217.8 ypg
Rushing offense: 284.8 ypg
Rushing defense: 86.3 ypg
Turnover margin: +5
Key players: QB Jake Spitzlberger (59.8%, 2252 yds, 18 TD, 13 INT, 135-864 rushing, 86.4 ypg, 12 TD), RB Ricky Trinidad (97-616, 88.0 ypg, 5 TD), DB Arthur Hobbs (6 INT)
Other notes: Spitzlberger is the key, as the team’s leading rusher as well as the passing threat. Kearney wins games by piling up yards on you, then preventing you from running the ball. They’ll give up passing yardage, but not much underneath; opponents have actually made 30 trips into the red zone, and only get into the end zone 1/3 of the time.

1 Colorado State-Pueblo (11-0)

Colorado State-Pueblo Thunderwolves

Location: Pueblo CO
Conference: Rocky Mountain
Colors: Red and Blue
Playoff appearances: 1 (2011, plus one NAIA playoff appearance back in the 80s)
Coach: John Wristen (4th year, 31-12)
Key games:
Offense: 34.1 ppg, 381.8 ypg
Defense: 9.1 ppg, 286.5 ypg
Passing offense: 186.1 ypg
Passing defense: 207.3 ypg
Rushing offense: 195.7 ypg
Rushing defense: 79.3 ypg
Turnover margin: +15
Key players: QB Ross Dausin (60.6%, 1868 yds, 16 TD, 4 INT), RB Jesse Lewis (167-849, 77.2 ypg, 8 TD), RB J.B. Mathews (112-657, 73.0 ypg, 9 TD), PR Josh Sandoval (35-608, 2 TD), DB Mark Sterling (5 INT), K Kyle Major (22-29, 19-22 inside 50, 11-12 inside 40)
Other notes: A very balanced offense, not prone to turnovers, combined with a turnover-happy defense which also crushes the run game as well as great special teams. They got to #1 for a reason.