Handy precaps for the four games in the Whitewater bracket of this week’s D-III playoff first round.

8 Albion (6-4) at 1 Wisconsin-Whitewater (10-0)
Perkins Stadium, Whitewater WI, 1pm ET
Available on cable in Wisconsin; no internet feeds
Series: first meeting.

Albion Britons


Location: Albion MI
Conference: Michigan IAA
Colors: Purple and Gold
Playoff appearances: 9, 5-7, 1 title (1977, 1985, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2011)
Coach: Craig Rundle (15th year, 86-63; 143-109-1 including stints at Saint Mary’s (CA) and Colorado College; Rundle was the coach of Saint Mary’s 10-0 squad in 1988)
Key games: 54-34 loss to Wheaton, 9/10; 14-3 loss to Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 9/24; 28-14 win over Adrian, 10/28
Offense: 25.3 ppg, 364.5 ypg
Defense: 19.6 ppg, 300.9 ypg
Passing offense: 226.3 ypg
Passing defense: 199.9 ypg
Rushing offense: 138.2 ypg
Rushing defense: 101.0 ypg
Turnover margin: +6
Key players: QB Spencer Krauss (59.8%, 1708 yds, 170.8 ypg, 12 TD, 7 INT), RB Clinton Orr (194-1000, 111.1 ypg, 6 TD), DL C.J. Carroll (11.5 sacks), DB Lorenzo Reese (5 INT)
Other notes: The key to the game for Albion will be whether their defense can impose their will on Whitewater’s rushing game. If they can keep Coppage in check, it could be a long day for the Warhawks.

Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks


Location: Whitewater WI
Conference: Wisconsin IAC
Colors: Purple and White
Playoff appearances: 10, 28-6, 3 titles (1988, 1990, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Coach: Lance Leipold (5th year, 67-3)
Key games: 45-0 win at Franklin, 9/10; 20-17 win at UW-Oshkosh, 10/22
Offense: 34.8 ppg, 451.2 ypg
Defense: 12.4 ppg, 259.4 ypg
Passing offense: 222.2 ypg
Passing defense: 176.5 ypg
Rushing offense: 228.9 ypg
Rushing defense: 82.9 ypg
Turnover margin: +13
Key players: QB Matt Blanchard (68.5%, 2133 yds, 213.3 ypg, 19 TD, 3 INT), RB Levell Coppage (241-1405, 140.5 ypg, 17 TD), DBs Ryan Wenkman and Noah Timm (5 INT each)
Other notes: Whitewater hasn’t been as successful inside the red zone as you’d expect from a dominant team, only scoring on 34 of 42 trips (and only getting in the end zone on 27). On the other hand, if you can get into their red zone, you can score — the problem is getting there (10 scores, 8 TDs, but only 11 trips).

Jon’s Prediction:

Wisconsin-Whitewater 38, Albion 7. Albion’s going to try to stop it, but Coppage is going to run all over them. Albion simply doesn’t have the line to survive the Whitewater onslaught.

7 Western New England (10-1) at 2 Salisbury (9-1)
Sea Gull Stadium, Salisbury MD, 12pm ET
Video available via empire8.tv. Live Stats available via Presto Sports
Series: first meeting.

Western New England Golden Bears


Location: Springfield MA
Conference: New England Football Conference
Colors: Blue and Gold
Playoff appearances: 1 (2011)
Coach: Keith Emory (6th year, 26-32)
Key games: 28-24 win over Norwich, 9/3; 19-14 loss to Mass Maritime, 9/10; 12-9 win over Salve Regina, 10/1; 40-37 win over Endicott, 10/29; 20-13 win in OT over Framingham State, 11/12
Offense: 28.8 ppg, 341.1 ypg
Defense: 16.4 ppg, 247.0 ypg
Passing offense: 135.7
Passing defense: 145.0
Rushing offense: 205.4
Rushing defense: 102.0
Turnover margin: +21
Key players: QB Bryce Brown (54.5%, 1275 yds, 127.5 ypg, 11 TD, 4 INT, 176-826 rushing, 82.6 ypg, 13 TDs, so 24 TDs total), DB Nicholas Silvester (6 INT), KR Mike Graham (38.3 avg, 4 TDs), DE James Georges (9 sacks)
Other notes: The Golden Bears trailed Framingham State 13-0 with less than four minutes to go last week. That’s sort of the story fo their season, as the scores of the key games above might indicate. This is a team that flies by the seat of its pants.

Salisbury Sea Gulls


Location: Salisbury MD
Conference: Empire 8
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Playoff appearances: 8, 5-7 (1983, 1985, 1986, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011)
Coach: Sherman Wood (13th year, 90-44; 113-82-1 overall including six years at Bowie State)
Key games: 27-23 win at Christopher Newport on 9/17; 69-0 win at Alfred on 10/15; 23-14 loss at Wesley on 10/29; 41-21 win over Saint John Fisher on 11/5.
Offense: 45.9 ppg, 453.0 ypg
Defense: 16.6 ppg, 275.9 ypg
Passing offense: 112.8
Passing defense: 154.9
Rushing offense: 342.8
Rushing defense: 121.0
Turnover margin: +12
Key players: QB Dan Griffin (57.5%, 1073 yds, 107.3 ypg, 13 TD, 0 INT, 135-623 rushing, 62.3 ypg, 14 TD), RB Randal Smedley (115-713, 79.2 ypg, 8 TD), RB Ross Flanigan (83-626, 62.3 ypg, 11 TD), DB Andre Carter (5 INT, 1 TD), DL Matt Leon (15.5 TFL)
Other notes: Just a look at those stats tells you what you really need to know about Salisbury. They have a devastating triple option attack, and the top three rushers combined don’t even account for 60% of their rushing yards — they’re deep. They average 6.6 yards a carry, which makes stopping them a challenge.

Jon’s Prediction:

Salisbury 43, Western New England 17. The Golden Bears are going to get their chances, and they’ve seen some nightmarish ground games in the NEFC — but nothing like this.

6 Christopher Newport (8-2) at 3 Kean (9-1)
Alumni Stadium, Union NJ, 12pm ET
Video available via Kean University. Audio available via Stretch Internet. Live Stats available via Sidearm
Series: first meeting.

Christopher Newport Captains


Location: Newport News, VA
Conference: USA South
Colors: Royal Blue and Silver
Playoff appearances: 8, 2-7 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011)
Coach: Matt Kelchner (11th year, 76-39)
Key games: 12-7 win over Waynesburg on 9/3; 23-27 loss to Salisbury on 9/17; 48-30 win at Ferrum on 11/5
Offense: 32.5 ppg, 410.0 ypg
Defense: 23.3 ppg, 330.2 ypg
Passing offense: 196.5
Passing defense: 186.3
Rushing offense: 213.5
Rushing defense: 143.9
Turnover margin: +11
Key players: QB Aaron Edwards (72.2%, 576 yds in two starts, 7 TD, 1 INT), RB Markeese Stovall (207-970, 107.8 ypg, 11 TD),
Other notes: Third-string QB Aaron Edwards has had to step in the last two weeks, and his presence has made a difference. He led the team to their championship-clinching win over Ferrum, and statistically he’s performed twice as well as the two injured quarterbacks before him. He could be the difference-maker in a potential upset.

Kean Cougars


Location: Union NJ
Conference: New Jersey AC
Colors: Blue and Silver
Playoff appearances: 1 (2011)
Coach: Dan Garrett (6th year, 42-21)
Key games: 31-28 win at Wesley on 9/10; 21-16 win at Cortland State on 9/17; 28-20 loss at Brockport State on 10/15; 27-14 win at Montclair State on 11/12.
Offense: 26.8 ppg, 317.1 ypg
Defense: 17.1 ppg, 336.2 ypg
Passing offense: 173.0
Passing defense: 196.1
Rushing offense: 144.1
Rushing defense: 140.1
Turnover margin: +13
Key players: QB Tom D’Ambrisi (53.1%, 1700 yds, 16 TD, 8 INT), RB Chris DiMicco (152-657, 65.7 ypg, 6 TD),
Other notes: It’s almost surprising that this is Kean’s first trip ever, but they’ve been in the shadow of Rowan and Montclair for so long that they haven’t been able to break through.

Jon’s Prediction:

Kean 27, Christopher Newport 20. Going strictly by the numbers, I’d have a much wider spread here, but Edwards has changed the face of CNU’s offense. Kean has won by forcing turnovers and making plays on special teams, and it’s still likely going to be enough to win the game, but when you’ve only got two games to go on with a replacement quarterback who’s come in and played lights out, anything could happen.

5 Thomas More (9-1) at 4 Franklin (9-1)
Faught Stadium, Franklin IN, 12pm ET
Live Stats available via Franklin
Series: Thomas More leads 7-1 (last: 2003, Thomas More 24, Franklin 21)

Thomas More Saints


Location: Crestview Hills KY
Conference: Presidents’ AC
Colors: Royal Blue, White, and Silver
Playoff appearances: 6, 3-5 (1992, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Coach: Jim Hilvert (5th season, 43-12)
Key games: 44-13 win over Hanover on 9/10; 35-32 win over Washington & Jefferson on 9/24; 20-17 win at Saint Vincent on 10/15; 26-23 loss to Waynesburg on 11/5
Offense: 35.1 ppg, 391.8 ypg
Defense: 16.7 ppg, 328.6 ypg
Passing offense: 185.7
Passing defense: 215.1
Rushing offense: 206.1
Rushing defense: 113.5
Turnover margin: +11
Key players: QB Robert Kues (58.8%, 1739 yds, 18 TD, 2 INT), RB Domonique Hayden (136-756, 75.6 ypg, 14 TD), PR/KR Kendall Owens (15.0 ypPR, 23.0 ypKR, 3 TD), DB Zach Autenrieb (7 INT, 1 TD)
Other notes: The struggling Kues was replaced by freshman Luke Magness in last week’s game, and there’s no word yet whether that change will carry over. Magness did provide a necessary spark, but Kues has not had a bad season by any stretch — and, statistically, Magness was no improvement. The Saints have also had trouble with time of possession, which is of course not as important as some think, but it’s also not irrelevant. Especially when you don’t have a quick-strike offense.

Franklin Grizzlies


Location: Franklin IN
Conference: Heartland CAC
Colors: Navy Blue and Old Gold
Playoff appearances: 4, 2-3 (2007, 2008, 2010)
Coach: Mike Leonard (9th year, 66-29)
Key games: 49-35 win at D-I FCS Valparaiso on 9/3; 45-0 loss to Whitewater on 9/10; 35-23 win over Mount Saint Joseph on 10/1; 40-15 win at Hanover on 11/12
Offense: 42.4 ppg, 486.1 ypg
Defense: 22.3 ppg, 359.3 ypg
Passing offense: 322.9
Passing defense: 216.5
Rushing offense: 163.2
Rushing defense: 142.8
Turnover margin: -5
Key players: QB Jonny West (62.9%, 3144 yds, 30 TD, 13 INT), RB Reece Craig (108-664, 73.8 ypg, 7 TD), WR Kyle Linville (68-1008, 100.8 ypg, 11 TD), DL David O’Rourke (7.5 sacks, 11 TFL)
Other notes: Franklin’s going to throw, and they’re going to score. They can also run the ball enough to burn clock, but they’ve also had some problems keeping the other team from doing the same thing. And the turnover margin is unsettling.

Jon’s Prediction:

Franklin 35, Thomas More 31. It’ll be a shootout, and it should be one of the best games of the day in terms of equality. However, if the Saints start Magness, this could get out of control quickly if he’s not up to the task.