If things go according to plan, we'll have a DIAA playoff this spring; here's where we stand around the country.

NCRC

Oregon won the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference with a very convincing 31-3 defeat of Western Washington. There’s some talk of creating a PAC Conference North and that might do well to skirt around the competitive balance issues between varsity and well-funded teams in the South (Cal, Arizona, UCLA, and, to a lesser extent, Arizona) and the club teams up north.

But it’s worth noting that a club team just beat a quasi-varsity team to win the NCRC.

Oregon Wins NCRC Final Over WWU

Gold Coast

We’re nearing the end of conference play and Cal State Lon Beach is 3-1, and so is Arizona Sate. Those are the two top DIAA teams in the conference, and they will play each other on March 21 for the conference championship.

Long Beach State is led by David Arredondo and Bruce Yun, who between them have scored 13 tries in the four conference games. Arizona State is led by Kyson Jester, who has scored 11 tries in conference play this season, while freshman Carson Shoemaker has been a huge addition at No. 8 and scored five.

Heart of America

Kansas clinched the Saturday. Captain Blake Mitton led the Jayhawks to a 58-7 victory over Nebraska last week as the conference reignited its activity. Kansas is 6-0 and has one more game left, against 3-2 Iowa State. Iowa sits 5-1 and has one more, against Truman State. But Kansas has a six-point lead over Iowa, so even a Kansas loss won’t change things.

Lonestar

Sam Houston State won the playoffs last week, with Texas State coming second.

Sam Houston State Takes Lonestar Championship

Pacific Western

Fresno State leads the conference with a 3-0-1 record, and will finish up this weekend with a game against Sacramento State. Chico State is at 3-1 and finishes up against Nevada. The top four will go to the conference playoffs, and while it looks like Fresno State and Chico State will be meeting in the final, you never know.

Fresno State Puts Hand Up In Pac West

Florida

South Florida and Florida Atlantic are both 6-0 but there are five competition weeks to go. 

South Florida Rides Team-First Culture To Top Of Conference

FAU, USF Still Unbeaten In Florida DIAA

At-Large

There is a possibility that an Ivy League team could be brought in as an at-large bid. Even if they don’t participate, there will be eight playoff spots with six conference champions. It is likely that Florida DIAA and Pac West will have the added spots.

Eight teams will be in two brackets, one in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and one at Stanford University April 18-19. Those weekends will be for the quarterfinals and semifinals. The winners will meet on May 2 at Stanford.

Here’s how those brackets might look:

Eastern Bracket:
Florida 1 (probably USF or FAU)
Florida 2 (probably USF or FAU)
Sam Houston State
Kansas

Western Bracket:
Oregon
Gold Coast 1 (CSULB or Arizona State)
Pac West 1
Pac West 2 (still to be determined)