If you have been following the field of 32 at the DII Report, you are aware that for some of these teams on the outside looking in, the playoffs have already begun. Every game matters, which means that there are way more than five games to watch. However, it simply isn’t possible to watch that many games at once. Here are five (and a few bonus games) that could have the most important ramifications on the tournament.
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Wayne’s 5 can’t-miss Week 9 DII football games
(all times ET)
Findlay at Northwood, 12 p.m.
This is a huge game with tremendous Super Region Three implications. Findlay is one of seven undefeated teams remaining in DII, but in this crazy season of upsets, Northwood has been equally impressive, one of 15 one-loss teams remaining. Should the Wolves hand the Oilers their first loss, not only will they jump into the top eight, they could surpass Findlay in the regional rankings.
Matchup to watch: Devin Brown vs. the Findlay rush defense. Brown has had a nice season, third in the G-MAC in rushing with 584 yards and three touchdowns. However, Findlay allows just 49.8 rushing yards per game, which has been advantageous for the Oilers. Opponents cannot establish their tempo, so Brown getting the run game going could take Findlay out of its rhythm.
Number to know: 11.5. Findlay is tied with Ferris State for the third-best scoring defense in DII. The Oilers' 236.1 yards per game allowed is also a top-5 mark. The problem is, that Northwood is right behind, allowing just 12.8 points per game, sixth-best in DII. Northwood also has the second-best scoring offense in the G-MAC, putting up 32.6 points per game, a full five points more than Findlay. This game is going to be won in the trenches.
Catawba at Carson-Newman, 1 p.m.
Right now, neither of these two teams is in the projected field of 32; however, the winner of this game remains alive, while the loser is likely out of the tournament equation. The Eagles have a brutal two-week stretch that could make or break them, with Catawba this week and SAC leading Newberry next weekend. Catawba has handed Newberry its lone loss and is looking to take down Carson-Newman to take one step towards breaking a three-way tie for second place in the conference.
Matchup to watch: Both rushing attacks. Carson-Newman has the top rushing offense in the SAC with 251.4 yards per game on the ground. Catawba is right behind at 223.8 yards per game. Both are top-20 marks in DII. Jayden Sullins is the lead back for the Eagles with 396 yards rushing, but both quarterbacks — Zane Whitson and Tedros Gleaton — are rush-first players. Catawba has a pair of running backs in Kevin Lalin and Bennett Galloway that ram the ball down opponents’ throats. Lalin is averaging 104.2 yards per game and Galloway has 11 touchdowns.
Number to know: 2015. That is the last time Catawba made the DII football championship. That’s 10 long years the Indians have been waiting to get back to the bracket. Catawba has already doubled up its win total from 2024, so being in this position may not have been expected.
CSU Pueblo at Western Colorado, 3 p.m.
Welcome to the unofficial RMAC championship game. CSU Pueblo has one blemish on its record, a heartbreaking 36-35 loss to Fort Hays State in which the game-tying extra point was blocked with 27 seconds left to go. Western Colorado is a perfect 8-0 and has beaten every team its played by at least three scores. The closest game the Mountaineers have played was a 45-28 opening day win against West Texas A&M. Every other win has been by more than 20 points.
Matchup to watch: The RMAC’s No. 1 offense vs. the RMAC’s No. 1 defense. CSU Pueblo scores 42.6 points per game, 0.5 points more than Western Colorado. Western Colorado allows 13.4 points per game, three more than CSU Pueblo. These are two electric offenses, so whichever defense can figure it out will prevail. Both quarterbacks, CSU Pueblo’s Roman Fuller and Western Colorado’s Drew Nash, have thrown for an RMAC-best 22 touchdowns. Neither throws many interceptions — Fuller with three and Nash with two. Nash is also the RMAC’s eighth-best rusher, adding eight more touchdowns on the ground. This game may come down to whichever quarterback makes the one rare mistake.
Number to know: 7,750 feet. This doesn’t have much to do with the game, but it is one of the more fun facts of college football. At 7,750 feet, the Mountaineer Bowl is the highest altitude of any stadium in all college football.
West Florida at Delta State, 4 p.m.
This is another unofficial conference championship game. West Florida has cruised to an 8-0 record, and Delta State may be its toughest challenge yet. Both of these teams have taken down nationally ranked West Alabama over the past two weeks, eliminating the Tigers from the automatic bid conversation. The winner here is clearly in the driver’s seat with Valdosta State having a transitional down year and currently below .500.
The Gulf South has been dominant the past few seasons. Either Valdosta State or West Florida has appeared in five of the last seven DII championship games, and Delta State has made an appearance in two of the last three DII football championship brackets. There is a lot at stake representing the GSC, and whichever team comes out victorious is an instant contender in Super Region Two.
Matchup to watch: Marcus Stokes vs. Delta State front. Marcus Stokes is having a solid season and really has this offense clicking. Over the past four weeks he is averaging 297.5 yards and three passing touchdowns per game. Delta State hasn’t allowed a 300-yard passer all season, and up until last week, no quarterback had thrown for more than one touchdown in a game against the Statesmen defense. The Argos have a good two-headed monster in the backfield in TJ Lane and Jay Sharp, but if Delta State disrupts Stokes, this game could go to the Statesmen.
Number to know: 0. West Florida doesn’t have a long history with its program starting in 2016, but it is quite the storied history. In just its ninth season, West Florida has a national championship, a runner-up season and five tournament appearances. The Argos have pumped out NFL players and have had some of the best offenses, but what they have not had is a perfect season. A win over Delta State, a team they have beaten in six of the last eight meetings, gets them one step closer.
Angelo State at Central Washington, 9 p.m.
Both Angelo State and Central Washington have Western Oregon remaining on their schedules, so while this game won’t officially lock up the LSC, it certainly will bring one of these two teams closer to the top. For Angelo State, it is a must-win. The Rams are already outside of the first regional rankings, and a loss would widen that divide. Central Washington could technically lose this game and still win the LSC, but it doesn’t seem like that is an option for this Wildcats team. We have seen them pummel some of the competition this year, but they have found themselves in close games against LSC heavyweights.
Matchup to watch: Kennedy McGill vs. everybody. The Wildcats have the third-best scoring offense in DII, dropping 45.8 points per game. Their dual-threat quarterback is the spark. McGill has thrown for 973 yards with 14 touchdowns and just three interceptions, while he has also rushed for 736 yards and 10 touchdowns. He not only leads the Wildcats in rushing, but all the LSC. He hasn’t thrown an interception in six weeks and has been as much an unstoppable force as anyone in DII right now.
Number to know: 2. That’s where Central Washington was ranked in Super Region Four in the latest field of 32 projections. Angelo State wasn’t ranked at all in the first regional rankings but hung in at No. 9 in the field of 32 projections. The Rams have a path to the bracket, but it requires picking up two massive victories. It starts with a win over Central Washington this weekend and then Western Oregon next weekend.
BONUS: Two Super Region One showdowns to monitor closely.
Johnson C. Smith at Fayetteville State is a big one in the CIAA. Both teams appeared in the first regional rankings, but Fayetteville State needs a win here to stay in the conversation. The Broncos are undefeated in the CIAA, but a Golden Bulls victory would drop FSU to a four-loss team overall, making it very hard to find a spot in the bracket. However, the Frostburg State at Cal (PA) has major implications in Super Region One and could keep the Broncos alive. The Vulcans are reeling, having lost three of their last four games. They have some strong selection metrics, but a loss to MEC-leading Frostburg State could be a dagger, especially if Fayetteville State wins. Frostburg State was a 6-5 team a year ago and simply keeps surprising, now at 7-1 and in a position to move up to as high as No. 3 in the next regional rankings. In short, the outcome of these games could see two teams out of next week’s regional rankings, or potentially, all four teams in the rankings.
