Small College Football Playoff Predictions & Bracketology: NCAA Division III

Editor's Note: This is the second installment of a three-part series leading up to the start of the playoffs at the NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA levels. Next up is NCAA Division III. In each installment, there'll be some predictions of each first-round game, followed by a brief analysis of each bracket. Now, on to the second post.

NOTE: For this week's regular "RFC Top Games" column, please click here, or scroll below.

NOTE: For the NCAA Division II first-round preview & predictions column, please click here, or scroll below.

KEY: Projected winners marked in RED.

NCAA Division III Playoffs-First Round

Saturday, November 17

Interactive Bracket

Printable Bracket (Courtesy of d3football.com)

Lower Right Bracket

MIT (9-1) at Johns Hopkins (9-1)

Western New England (8-2) at Frostburg State (9-0)

Husson (8-2) at RPI (8-1)

Framingham State (8-2) at Brockport (10-0)

Quickie Analysis: The "East Coast" portion of the D-III bracket features four teams that won eight games, three teams with nine wins, and one undefeated 10-0 team in Brockport. Expect a tough fight to the national semifinals for whichever team emerges from the first three rounds from this side of these playoffs. In other words, this bracket is anyone's for the taking.

Upper Right Bracket

Muhlenberg (9-1) at Delaware Valley (9-1)

Randolph-Macon (8-2) at John Carroll (9-1)

Washington and Jefferson (9-1) at Centre (9-1)

Denison (8-2) at Mount Union (10-0)

Quickie Analysis: Defending national champion Mount Union will look to add to its record of 13 national championships, as they hope to hoist the national championship trophy for the 14th time on December 14 in Shenandoah, Texas. However, the road to the Lone Star State won't exactly be easy, as there are multiple one-loss teams on this side of the bracket. Two games will feature four 9-1 teams in Muhlenberg-Delaware Valley and Washington and Jefferson-Centre.

Lower Left Bracket

Wartburg (8-2) at Bethel (Minn.)-(9-1)

Hanover (7-3) at North Central (9-1)

St. Norbert (9-1) at Trine (10-0)

Eureka (9-1) at Wisconsin-Whitewater (9-1)

Quickie Analysis: Wisconsin-Whitewater hopes to win its first national championship since 2014, as well as their seventh all-time, by working their way through a bracket that includes another undefeated team in Trine, as well as several one-loss teams. Hanover, who downed Franklin to win the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) championship, could be the Cinderella team of this year's playoffs, while American Rivers Conference (ARC) champion Wartburg could make a surprise postseason run as well.

Upper Left Bracket

Hardin-Simmons (9-1) at Mary Hardin-Baylor (10-0)

Maryville (7-2) at Berry (9-1)

Martin Luther (9-1) at St. John's (10-0)

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (7-3) at Whitworth (9-0)

Quickie Analysis: Mary Hardin-Baylor is the favorite to advance to the national semifinals out of the far-flung "South/Southwest/Upper Midwest/West Coast" bracket, as the Crusaders hope to not only advance to their third-straight Stagg Bowl but also try to win their second national championship in three years. However, UMHB will run into many likely challengers such as St. John's and Whitworth, both of whom cruised through unbeaten regular seasons themselves.

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