NAIA schools, same as Div III?

[big2522dawg]

Do people see NAIA schools the same as Div III schools? Or is it like a 5A team playing a 8A team?

I think its great kids take pride in going to NAIA schools on scholarships, but it seems like most people think it is a joke even though a lot of CCL kids attend them.

Also I don't think schools like Eastern Illinois, Valpo, Dayton, or Butler are any better than Div II or III teams.

 

[lkhammer57]

In the past couple of years we have seen d3 teams in the midwest take it to NAIA teams. North Central has beaten Robert Morris twice, UW Platteville has beaten St Francis Joliet. 3 years ago the number 1 team from d3 UW Whitewater and #1 team from NAIA Morningside in Iowa played and Whitewater won. I think it is tough. From being around it, it seems like a lot of NAIA schools put money into scholarships, and then lack great facilities, where d3 puts money into facilities and recruits kids who can play and get merit scholarships

 

[lkhammer57]

Also, Eastern would take it to 99% of d2 and d3 teams. They're giving legit scholarships out and play legit teams. The other d1s you mention are typically made up of d2, d3, and just under the borderline d1 scholarships kids, who can afford those schools financially, because they don't give out athletic scholarships and typically those schools are pretty expensive

 

[eagles2k3]

Do people see NAIA schools the same as Div III schools? Or is it like a 5A team playing a 8A team?

I think its great kids take pride in going to NAIA schools on scholarships, but it seems like most people think it is a joke even though a lot of CCL kids attend them.

Also I don't think schools like Eastern Illinois, Valpo, Dayton, or Butler are any better than Div II or III teams.

Valpo, Dayton or Butler are not too different from DIII teams. I would say the upper echelon of DIII (Think Whitewater, Oshkosh, North Central, Wheaton, Mount Union) is better than those Patriot league schools. Eastern is whole different ballgame. They are a legit scholarship school. Valpo, Dayton, Butler are legit D1 basketball schools but anyone who tells you otherwise in football is lying to themselves.

 

[USD24]

Valpo, Dayton or Butler are not too different from DIII teams. I would say the upper echelon of DIII (Think Whitewater, Oshkosh, North Central, Wheaton, Mount Union) is better than those Patriot league schools. Eastern is whole different ballgame. They are a legit scholarship school. Valpo, Dayton, Butler are legit D1 basketball schools but anyone who tells you otherwise in football is lying to themselves.

. Dayton is usually at a little higher level than the other two. It should be noted that the Pioneer League champion the last two years, Univ of San Diego, has won a game each year in the FCS playoffs. USD can definitely compete at the FCS level. That being said, they have pretty much dominated the Patriot League for the last few years.

 

[lkhammer57]

Aren't all of those schools in the Pioneer League not Patriot? I thought the Patriot was Lehigh, Holy Cross, and Fordham's conference

 

[USD24]

Aren't all of those schools in the Pioneer League not Patriot? I thought the Patriot was Lehigh, Holy Cross, and Fordham's conference

You are correct....I meant Pioneer league.

 

[Ariel11]

Not sure if it is like this anymore, but one of the things that NAIA had going for it was that it did not have the "strict" academic requirements that NCAA had. For those students that could not qualify right away, but were also not good enough for the university to risk breaking rules for, it was a way to get a scholarship. Many years ago, when I was playing D3, we scrimmaged Trinity in Deerfield. They had a guy that played both TE & D End. He was a man among boys. After the scrimmage, we had a BBQ with both teams & a few of us asked a couple of Trinity kids what the deal was with that guy, why wasn't he playing Big 10, or something like that. Their reply was simply & swift. They said, go ask him what 2 + 2 is. Not saying that all kids that go to NAIA are like that, but I think that was a draw many years ago.

 

[wm4]

Valpo, Dayton or Butler are not too different from DIII teams. I would say the upper echelon of DIII (Think Whitewater, Oshkosh, North Central, Wheaton, Mount Union) is better than those Patriot league schools. Eastern is whole different ballgame. They are a legit scholarship school. Valpo, Dayton, Butler are legit D1 basketball schools but anyone who tells you otherwise in football is lying to themselves.

Valpo, Dayton, Drake and Butler (Pioneer league) are really top D3 programs in substance, operating in the form of D1. Mt Union, St Thomas, Oshkosh, Whitewater and UHMB can compete with any of those and would win their fair share of games. As others have said, they're D1 only because they have to follow their D1 basketball programs.

The top teams in D3 really kick the ever living s*** out of 90% of their opponents. You could make a case that they should step up in class and play better competition. The logical landing point would not be D2, but rather the non-scholarship level of D1 (Pioneer league). It'll never happen, but it's interesting to debate.

 

[ramblinman]

Also I don't think schools like Eastern Illinois, Valpo, Dayton, or Butler are any better than Div II or III teams.

Careful. Posters have already correctly pointed out that EIU would destroy most D2 and D3 schools.

As for the others schools you mentioned, I think that all of them would beat most D2 and D3 schools. There are 251 schools that play D3 football, the vast majority of which would not fare well against most Pioneer League schools in my opinion.

Would love to see a Dayton vs Mount Union or a Drake vs. UW-Whitewater matchup. I think it would be fun.

 

[woody6]

St. Xavier, in Chicago's Southland, is an NAIA football program. They play many kids from the CCL and local public conferences. See roster in link below and maybe you can recognize some names that will help determine caliber of play?
http://www.sxucougars.com/roster/0/5.php

 

[eagles2k3]

Aren't all of those schools in the Pioneer League not Patriot? I thought the Patriot was Lehigh, Holy Cross, and Fordham's conference

My fault. Yes it's Pioneer league.

 

[eagles2k3]

. Dayton is usually at a little higher level than the other two. It should be noted that the Pioneer League champion the last two years, Univ of San Diego, has won a game each year in the FCS playoffs. USD can definitely compete at the FCS level. That being said, they have pretty much dominated the Patriot League for the last few years.

San Diego is a little different because it’s in San Diego! A family friends son went to San Diego to play football and had an incredible experience. They target high academics and kids who come from money to fill their roster.

 

[lkhammer57]

Careful. Posters have already correctly pointed out that EIU would destroy most D2 and D3 schools.

As for the others schools you mentioned, I think that all of them would beat most D2 and D3 schools. There are 251 schools that play D3 football, the vast majority of which would not fare well against most Pioneer League schools in my opinion.

Would love to see a Dayton vs Mount Union or a Drake vs. UW-Whitewater matchup. I think it would be fun.

I think the talent is a vast array in the Pioneer league. Having played at both d2 and d3 programs, I had plenty of teammates, including myself, that were recruited by those Pioneer schools but didn't even really look at those Pioneer schools because of the cost. I think top level d2 is VERY good, especially when looking at the Northwest Missouri State's of the world and such. Those really good schools in Missouri, Minnesota, and Michigan play some really high level of football. They are able to get those really good high school kids that can't pay all that money, and actually receive an athletic scholarship.

 

[USD24]

San Diego is a little different because it’s in San Diego! A family friends son went to San Diego to play football and had an incredible experience. They target high academics and kids who come from money to fill their roster.

I would agree with everything you stated. Was a great place to go to school and play football!

 

[anon_4vszfu35bv677]

Careful. Posters have already correctly pointed out that EIU would destroy most D2 and D3 schools.

As for the others schools you mentioned, I think that all of them would beat most D2 and D3 schools. There are 251 schools that play D3 football, the vast majority of which would not fare well against most Pioneer League schools in my opinion.

Would love to see a Dayton vs Mount Union or a Drake vs. UW-Whitewater matchup. I think it would be fun.

I think Drake used to play one of the Wisconsin schools, was either whitewater or platteville.

 

[ramblinman]

I think Drake used to play one of the Wisconsin schools, was either whitewater or platteville.

I found a 2007 game between Drake and UW Platteville at Platteville. Drake won 20-7.

 

[lkhammer57]

I found a 2007 game between Drake and UW Platteville at Platteville. Drake won 20-7.

Platteville was 2-8 and that year. I believe they didn't qualify for the d3 playoffs first time until 2013

 

[anon_4vszfu35bv677]

I found a 2007 game between Drake and UW Platteville at Platteville. Drake won 20-7.

There were some games before that as well. I think a home & home for a couple of years prior.