The NCAA News - News Features

Division III

Mount Union primed to win it all

OVERVIEW: Could this be the year that Mount Union finally overcomes its playoff jinx against Wisconsin-La Crosse? After semifinal losses to the Eagles in 1992 and 1995, Mount Union returns 16 starters from a team that went 12-1 last year. The key returnee is quarterback Bill Borchert, who again leads the division in passing efficiency with a rating of 199.0 (through games of November 2) .... Borchert's aerial success does not bode well for Wisconsin-La Crosse: The Eagles have held opponents to just 62.3 y ards per game on the ground but have given up more than 200 through the air. But the defending champions, who have been ranked atop the deep West region all season, will enter the playoffs after being battle-tested in the tough Wisconsin State University Conference .... The South region's Lycoming, Trinity (Texas), and Washington and Jefferson also are contenders for the title. Lycoming returns quarterback Keith Cadden, and Washington and Jefferson quarterback Jason Baer also is back after finishing secon d to Borchert in passing efficiency last season.

FIELD: The 16-team field includes four teams from each of four regions.

DATES AND SITES: First-round (November 23) and quarterfinal (November 30) games will be played on campuses of competing institutions. Semifinal games will be hosted December 7 by the East and West regional winners. The championship game will be December 1 4 in Salem, Virginia.

TELEVISION COVERAGE: ESPN will televise the championship game live at 2 p.m. (Eastern time) December 14.

INFORMATION/RESULTS: The fax-on-demand telephone number is 770/399-3060 (passcode 1915); request numbers are 1358 for bracket/schedule and 5091 for championship-game results. Game scores and pairings also will be available on the World Wide Web at www.nca a.org. Championship-game results will be published in the December 23 issue of The NCAA News.

CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES: This year's title game will be the fourth straight in Salem.