Monday, December 13, 2010

A Different Kind of College Football

As most of us wait for the college football bowl season to begin in a couple weeks, there is still college football being played. This is championship time in the divisions other than Division I.

Case-in-point is Saturday’s Division III championship game involving Wisconsin-Whitewater and Mount Union (Ohio). A little research tells me these schools ARE Division III football. The schools are playing each other for the sixth straight time in the championship game. Both enter with 14-0 records. Whitewater won last season.

I will admit I don’t usually follow Division III. Yes, I do remember each year seeing this game in the TV listings and maybe watching a few plays. But I was in Whitewater recently and I decided to check this club out a bit.

It doesn’t take a genius to soon figure out that they take football seriously at Wisconsin-Whitewater. I strolled into a new athletic building and the first thing I saw was football trophies and special footballs. It was impressive. This was big time like something you would see at a Division I school.

Then I strolled out to see the football field on a brisk, Wisconsin day. I actually walked around the thing. Another impressive sight. The turf looked perfect. I felt it. It was field turf. The end zones were painted in purple—school colors. It looked like a great place to watch a football game.

These folks have an attitude—a championship attitude. They expect to play in the championship game. And they hope for their third national championship Saturday.

I think I’ll tune in.

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