Division III-IV

Playoff Preview: Division III football

This is the point in the Division III football season where we start to talk about the top two seeds meeting up for a classic championship game in two weeks at the University of New Hampshire. Except that hasn't ever really been the case with D3 in the three-division format.

Joe Marchilena

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Playoff Preview: Division III football

This is the point in the Division III football season where we start to talk about the top two seeds meeting up for a classic championship game in two weeks at the University of New Hampshire.

Except that hasn't ever really been the case with D3 in the three-division format.

Upsets have become the norm in this division, despite some of the top seeds having dominated during the regular season. But are this year's top teams too dominant to have an upset take place?

The chances of any this weekend seem slim, given that three of the quarterfinals are rematches that were won by an average of 32.7 points in the regular season.

So what can you expect when these teams take the field on Saturday? Here’s a closer look at all the teams that are in this year’s playoff field.

No. 1 Monadock

  • Record: 8-0.
  • Last title: 2012 (Division V).
  • Title game appearances: 1985, 2003, 2012.
  • Points scored: 332 (41.5)
  • Points allowed: 50 (6.3)
  • Record vs. playoff teams: 4-0.

No. 2 Campbell

  • Record: 8-0.
  • Last title: 2014 (Division III).
  • Title game appearances: 2008, 2014.
  • Points scored: 450 (56.3).
  • Points allowed: 32 (4.0).
  • Record vs. playoff teams: 3-0.

No. 3 Somersworth

  • Record: 7-1.
  • Last title: 1997 (Division IV).
  • Title game appearances: 1972, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2012.
  • Points scored: 359 (44.9).
  • Points allowed: 117 (14.6).
  • Record vs. playoff teams: 2-1.

No. 4 Newport

  • Record: 7-1.
  • Last title: 2015 (Division III).
  • Title game appearances: 1973, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2010, 2014, 2015.
  • Points scored: 281 (35.1).
  • Points allowed: 79 (9.9).
  • Record vs. playoff teams: 3-1.

No. 5 Epping-Newmarket

  • Record: 6-2.
  • Last title: None.
  • Title game appearances: 2011.
  • Points scored: 345 (43.1)
  • Points allowed: 238 (29.8)
  • Record vs. playoff teams: 0-2.

No. 6 Stevens

  • Record: 5-3.
  • Last title: 2016 (Division III).
  • Title game appearances: 2005, 2013, 2016.
  • Points scored: 238 (29.8).
  • Points allowed: 143 (17.9).
  • Record vs. playoff teams: 2-3.

No. 7 Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough

  • Record: 4-4.
  • Last title: 2011 (Division VI).
  • Title game appearances: 2011, 2015, 2016.
  • Points scored: 194 (24.3).
  • Points allowed: 211 (26.4).
  • Record vs. playoff teams: 1-4.

No. 8 Kearsarge

  • Record: 4-4.
  • Last title: 2010 (Division V).
  • Title game appearances: 2010.
  • Points scored: 224 (28.0).
  • Points allowed: 114 (14.3).
  • Record vs. playoff teams: 0-4.

Quarterfinals: Saturday, Nov. 4

  • No. 8 Kearsarge at No. 1 Monadnock, 1 p.m.
  • No. 5 Epping-Newmarket at No. 4 Newport, 1 p.m.
  • No. 7 Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough at No. 2 Campbell, 1 p.m.
  • No. 6 Stevens at No. 3 Somersworth, 1 p.m.

Preseason playoff prediction

Playoff teams: Monadnock, Campbell, Somersworth, Newport, Epping-Newmarket, Kearsarge, Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough, Winnisquam.

Updated playoff prediction

Quarterfinal winners: Monadnock, Campbell, Somersworth, Newport.

Most likely quarterfinal upset: Epping-Newmarket over Newport.

Championship: Campbell over Monadnock.

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