2024 Around the Nation columns

November 21, 2024 Our playoff surprises, disappointments Who will surprise in this year's playoff bracket? Who will disappoint? Who will advance to the semifinals? It's our team's annual take on the postseason, in Around the Nation.

November 14, 2024 Your guide to conference chaos There are 10 automatic bids left to be awarded to the 2024 Division III playoffs. Most of the conferences will probably end up being straightforward, but in case it gets wonky, Greg Thomas has your guide to the tiebreakers in Around the Nation.

November 7, 2024 Bethel has offense royally humming In just nine weeks, Cooper Drews has re-set the Bethel passing touchdown record and Joey Kidder looks like his 2022 All-American self at wide receiver. It's a new era for the Royals offense and Greg Thomas has more in Around the Nation.

October 31, 2024 Springfield running away from opponents The Pride's triple option offense is running with peak efficiency, as Springfield leads Division III in rushing offense by more than 120 yards. And the Pride are on message with peak efficiency as well, as they are firmly focused on the present. Greg Thomas has more in Around the Nation.

October 24, 2024 Statesmen making a statement Hobart hasn't been able to get through the stacked Liberty League with fewer than two conference losses in any of the past six seasons, but the Statesmen are cruising right now at 6-1 and unbeaten in league play. Greg Thomas has more.

October 17, 2024 Experience drives Coe's 6-0 start The Kohawks check a lot of boxes you might use to identify a team ready to break out, and Greg Thomas dives in with Coe in Around the Nation.

October 10, 2024 Ranking the D-III football conferences for 2024 It's a tradition unlike any other. Since the dawn of time (OK, 2002), Around the Nation has ranked the Division III football conferences from top to bottom based on not only competitiveness at the top, but competitiveness at the bottom -- depth. With non-conference play all but done for 2024, it's time for the ranking.

October 3, 2024 No. 7 Hardin-Simmons vs. No. 12 Endicott, the rematch A year ago, Endicott struck a blow for Division III football in New England with a resounding win against visiting Hardin-Simmons. The return game is this weekend, and Greg Thomas dives into these teams, their trajectory in the 53 weeks since they last met, and how important games like this are in the D-III landscape.

September 26, 2024 Cortland's Team 119 chasing its own destiny The Red Dragons are the defending champions of Division III football, but that's so last year. This year's Cortland team is focused on making this year's squad the best it can be, regardless of what it did last year. Greg Thomas talks with the folks in Cortland in Around the Nation.

September 19, 2024 Finding a scheduling fit Filling out a schedule with non-conference games, which is something almost every Division III head coach needs to do, presents a variety of challenges. Greg Thomas looks at it through the lens of one unusual non-conference game in this week's Around the Nation.

September 12, 2024 For openers, here's a trophy A whole number of teams have new head coaches this year. Of those coaches, most are head coaches for the first time. And from that list, a few were fortunate enough to start their career with a trophy game, and bring back the hardware. Greg Thomas talks to new coaches at Castleton, Millsaps and Wilkes in Around the Nation.