We have quite a bit to say about D1A and NCR D1 games, plus quite a bit to say about DIAA games, so this week we're splitting DIAA off into its own preview article.
The Battle for #1
Navy remains ranked #1 and as with any defending champion you generally have to knock them down, or have someone else knock them down, before another can take that spot. Sometimes it's easy, like this weekend. Life University, while having played just the one intercollegiate game, a 42-21 victory over Mary Washington last week, is in a position to take the #1 spot from Navy with a victory in Marietta this weekend.
That game will be shown on FloRugby at 1PM ET.
But, you ask, how is it that Brown got bumped from #1 without losing? Well that’s because strength of schedule does matter in rankings, and as far as GRR World Headquarters is concerned, St. Bonaventure playing and defeating the likes of Army and Penn State is a big bigger deal than Brown having played (and beaten) Harvard, Syracuse, and Nazareth.
That’s not to say Brown’s schedule is weak; it’s not. In fact in the context of the league they’re in it’s about as tough as you could ask for. And, for that matter, Brown managed to win NCR D1’s payoffs last year based off a Liberty schedule so they could do it again.
Despite Fairfield faltering a bit of later they are a very tough team and play Brown Friday in NCR’s Friday Night Rugby series. Brown Head Coach said in NCR’s preview “we can’t take this game lightly. We have to really dial things up.”
With Bonnies idle the question is whether anyone else is on the cusp of jumping into the #1 spot. At #5 Kutztown is solid but has already lost to St. Bonaventure. Notre Dame College is a possibility, although their 9-9 tie with Army is not the same as Bonnies’ defeat of those same Black Knights. They will need a big result to vault up that far.
Special Rivalries
Indiana plays an annual game in the football stadium and this year IU hosts Ohio State in what has become a really fun rivalry. Generally these teams play very close games and there’s not a lot of love lost between them.
This year both would say they are trying to rebuild a little bit and are relatively young, so really this game is when they get that big-game experience. Both sides have players who’ve been there before, too.
Mount St. Mary’s and Mary Washington are two teams that made the move from NCR D1 to D1A this year (although they remained in the same conference). And while MSM is 2-0 in-conference and UMW is 0-1, really this game is important to see which of these two might push to finish in the upper part of the Rugby East.
Key Statements
Colorado State has started off well and Utah State just pulled off a big victory over Colorado. These two meet up this weekend.
Dartmouth is at 3-0 in the Liberty and Iona is 2-0, so they get to play each other this weekend and that’s a game for top spot, potentially, in the conference. We have four undefeated teams in Liberty D1, and will likely have three after the weekend.
It’s all to play for in the Big Rivers with three teams at 1-1, and only one, team, Aquinas, with two losses. Principia is probably favored over Aquinas in their game, and a win for the Thunder Chickens would put them at 3-0.
Wheeling can improve to 2-0 with a victory over Rio Grande, which is 1-4 but a very competitive 1-4 against some tough opposition.
Red River has a really interesting Friday Night matchup with Oklahoma at Texas, one of those rivalry games that is mirroring the football game going on a day later. Another Red River team, Texas A&M, is on tour in Colorado facing Air Force and then the CU Buffs on Monday.
