A defending national champion who could finish the season 10-1 and share a conference title potentially missing the playoffs would be a travesty.

Right?

Meh, I'm over it. Sure, it'd be unfortunate, but as the end of the season approaches, it's becoming glaringly obvious that some very good football teams are going to be on the outside looking in.

No. 8 Northwest Missouri might just be one of those teams.

We all know by now the first Regional Rankings came out this week, and the Bearcats currently sit at No. 7 in Super Region 3. Pittsburg State, who handed Northwest its only loss of the season a few weeks back, sits just one spot ahead of the Bearcats at No. 6.

We could complain. But I'm not interested. The MIAA didn't do itself any favors by moving to an all in-conference schedule and with the extreme depth of the region, things seem about right.

Sure, it's not an easy pill to swallow that four 2-loss teams would get into the playoffs if they started today, while 4 1-loss SR3 teams would be sitting at home, but we're gonna have to deal with it, if it comes down to that.

Want to argue Asuza Pacific, a GNAC team at 7-1, should be ranked lower than our mighty MIAA squads. Okay. Sure. The good news is if APU drops over the last 3 weeks of the season because of a loss and/or problems with SOS, they do not qualify for earned access because the GNAC doesn't have enough full-time members.

That come as a surprise to you? Yeah, me too. The NCAA, or the NCAI as I like to call them (No Chance of Attaining Information) kind of snuck that one in there this year, with the GNAC explaining it this week on their website.

Whatever. Makes me happy. Fans from the Pacific Northwest can cry about it all you want, but I'll take a 1-loss MIAA squad over one of yours with the same record any day, any week, any year. I don't care if you beat a moderately-above-average GVSU team or not.

A couple of weeks back, I threw out there that the region's 2-loss teams were still alive for a playoff spot. Two weeks later, with 10 teams still with only 1 or less loss, that seems unlikely. Very unlikely. Impossible? No. But I wouldn't be holding on to a lot of hope if you've got a second loss.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. There's still 3 weeks to play. Northwest and Pitt probably need to win out to even be in consideration for a playoff spot, and while I think it can happen, I don't see it being easy.

It starts this week with the MIAA's version of Rivalry Week. Let's take a look at this week's matchups.\\

Fort Hays State (4-4) at Nebraska-Kearney (2-6)
Saturday, Nov. 1; 12 p.m. CT
Foster Field; Kearney, Neb.

Is anyone in the league playing as well as UNK quarterback Bronson Marsh? Sure, his team has only 2 wins on the season, but 11 of his 18 total TDs have come in the last 3 weeks, which have resulted in the Lopers' only wins and a near-upset of No. 6 Pittsburg State.

Fort Hays has struggled since their story-of-the-season victory in Pittsburg about a month ago, losing 3 of 4 since. They hung with Northwest Missouri for a minute last week, but like much of the season, couldn't get anything going offensively.

The Hays defense, which racked up 4 big sacks in the Pitt game, has only picked up 6 more in those 4 games and QB Treveon Albert, while throwing more TDs (5) than INTs, has been downed in the backfield 11 times.

The Tigers still rank near the top in MIAA in total defense, but if Marsh and company can put up points like they did early against Pitt State, I like their chances at home against Hays.

Prediction: Give me Kearney in a mild upset. UNK 28 Hays 20

Emporia State (4-4) at Washburn (2-6)
Saturday, Nov. 1; 1 p.m. CT
Yager Stadium; Topeka, Kan.

The Turnpike Tussle has been a little more fun the last 2 years. Both teams had postseason aspirations as Emporia and Washburn met in the final week of 2012 and '13. Not so much this year.

I like Emporia's win at Missouri Western last week. Just treading water with a 3rd-string QB in this league is an accomplishment, and all Braxton Marstall has done is nearly lead a miracle comeback 2 weeks ago against Hays and then go 24 for 38 with 2 TDs and a pick against the Griffons.

Washburn's struggles continue. They got better last week, but were still bad. In scoring in all 5 red zone chances, they could only reach the end zone once, settling for field goals on the other 4 trips. They'll take the improvement, but it helped them squander an early 10-0 lead to a good Central Oklahoma team.

Washburn RB Vershon Moore, a guy I liked as a preseason POY candidate, has still only found the end zone 3 times on the year, but has eclipsed 100 total offensive yards in 3 of 4 games. If the 'Bods can limit turnovers AND find some success in the red zone, they can beat Emporia.

Prediction: I have no reason to believe both will happen. Emporia 31 Washburn 20

Northeastern State (0-8) at Central Oklahoma (6-2)
Saturday, Nov. 1; 2 p.m.
Wantland Stadium; Edmond, Okla.

The winless RiverHawks scored more than 13 points for just the 2nd time this season in another blowout loss, a 56-14 defeat at the hands of Central Missouri. At 0-8 and having shown few signs of life all year, that's about the best thing to say about Northeastern State.

NSU hasn't had a 100-yard rusher all season, and the only time they've had a 300-yard passer and 100-yard receiver was in their lone offensive outburst against Emporia.

QB Kevin Pantastico threw for 369 yards in that game, but has completed just over half his passes and averaged just 175 yards a game in the other 7.

Northeastern's in-state rival meanwhile, has seen the success all of the MIAA newcomers have hoped for quicker than the rest. You might remember my references earlier in the year to a "3-headed-monster" at one particular school. Forget them. QB Chas Stallard, RB Jake Gandara and WR Marquez Clark have emerged as the fiercest behemoth in the conference.

Clark will graduate after this year, but Stallard and Gandara are just sophomores. I can't wait to see if they can develop into even better players than they have already become.

As for this game, I like UCO. By a lot.

Prediction: All 3 who make up the monster get some second-half rest. UCO 48 NSU 10

Lindenwood (1-7) at Central Missouri (6-2)
Saturday, Nov. 1; 2 p.m. CT
Walton Stadium; Warrensburg, Mo.

Up for some hot and cold? Central Missouri has the conference's longest winning streak, at 5. Lindenwood has lost every game since the season opener. The Mules have dropped at least 30 points in each of their wins in the streak, putting up 44+ 3 times. The Lions have lost each of their games by multiple possessions, 4 of them by 3 or more.

UCM quarterback Hayden Hawk was sacked 18 times in the first 4 weeks, but just 8 times since. His numbers are in no way through the roof, but he's only thrown 1 INT in the past 3 weeks and when you have LaVance Taylor running the ball (1,177 rushing yards, 12 TDs), you don't need huge numbers from your QB.

For Lindenwood, the passing game has been good, if you want to call it that. They're 3rd in the league at 356.8 yards a game (just .1 behind Emporia), but have thrown a league-high 15 picks (that's tied with Northeastern). Add to that a total lack of a running game (just 55 yards a game), and that puts way too much pressure on gunslinger Graham Lindham.

Nobody in the MIAA has picked off more passes than Central Missouri, so expect turnovers to play a role in another Lindenwood loss.

Prediction: The Mules D picks off at least 3 passes and UCM rolls. Central Missouri 44 Lindenwood 17

No. 6 Pittsburg State (7-1) at Missouri Southern (4-4)
Saturday, Nov. 1; 7 p.m. CT
Lewis Field; Joplin, Mo.

The Gorillas had trouble getting going last week against Kearney, falling down 21-13 early in the third quarter, but they were able to turn on the jets and beat the Lopers by 15 points in the end.

Now, Pittsburg State needs to avenge their season finale loss to Missouri Southern that kept them out of the playoffs last year to keep their position in the current field in Super Region 3.

Perhaps the story of the year in the MIAA is that Pitt, forever a pound it on the ground kind of team, is back atop the conference without any semblance of the run game that helped build their dominance over the years. In amassing more yards than he had all year up to that point last week (102), RB Jamal Tyler became Pittsburg's first 100-yard rusher since Jeff Seybold's last full game before his injury, and just the second all year.

I guess that means their quarterback has been pretty good then, huh? You could say that. Senior Anthony Abenoja has been outstanding, throwing for 300 yards in 5 of 8 games and leading the conference in completions, percentage, TDs and yards, and none of them are even that close.

The emergence of WR Gavin Lutman from a serviceable No. 2 receiver to player of the month status has helped. After setting an MIAA record for receiving yards a few weeks back against Emporia, all he's done is follow up with a 134-yard, 1 TD day and pile up 95 yards and another TD against Kearney. Maybe that's the answer to my question earlier in this blog about if anyone is playing better than UNK's Marsh.

Missouri Southern hasn't had any issues rushing the ball. They're averaging over 300 yards a game on the ground in their triple option attack. Running back Giresse Forchu is leading the way with 622 yards and no fumbles on the season and has scored at least 1 TD in every game since the season opener against Emporia. They still don't do much of any passing, but QB Scott Lathrop has been efficient in his limited attempts, not throwing a single INT since coming into the game in Week 3.

This could be one of those games for Pitt State. They're in a good position; They control their own destiny for at least a shared MIAA title and a playoff berth, but we've all seen the Gorillas lose games like this in recent years. The one recent year they didn't, they brought home the NCAA D2 title in 2011.

Pittsburg's defense remains solid - 2nd overall, 3rd in rushing and tops in passing - and I think they have what it takes to put a stop to Southern's rush game. But can the inconsistent offense take care of its own business? They disappeared against Hays and have taken some time to warm up against Emporia and UNK.

I like Southern to give Pitt a game here, but like last week, the Gorillas will take it by a slightly-deceiving score.

Prediction: Southern leads early, but Pitt State turns it on late. PSU 38 MSSU 24

Missouri Western (5-3) at No. 8 Northwest Missouri (7-1)
Saturday, Nov. 1; 1 p.m. CT
Bearcat Stadium; Maryville, Mo.

I'll never forget watching the Griffons claim an MIAA title in Maryville in 2012 with a last-minute victory over the Bearcats. It was definitely one of the most exciting games I've seen since joining D2Football.com in 2009.

But this is quite a different Griffon team. Running back Raphael Spencer is good. Maybe awesome. But he's no Michael Hill. And I gave Travis Partridge a lot of flack for several years, but he developed into a winner - becoming one in that game - and is sorely missed as Western has struggled at QB this season.

And the Bearcats are the Bearcats. Mel Tjeerdsma told me several years ago one of the reasons they have been able to sustain success in the MIAA is the consistency they've had in their coaching staffs over the years. They're not just consistent in coaches, though. Each year, they put together a core group of skill players, both offensively and defensively. Most times it seems like, they have an MIAA player of the year - either offensively or defensively - leading the way. They don't have a standout offensive player this year, but last year's defensive player of the year, Matt Longacre, is at it once again and could win the award in consecutive years.

The Bearcats have struggled at various times this year, most times being able to figure themselves out and come away with a convincing victory. But against Pittsburg's top-level defense, they could only do so much. I don't think Western's D is quite as good as Pittsburg's, but it's not that far away.

So I think we see some struggles from the Bearcats this week. And boy, won't an early deficit put some stress on things as the perennial SR3 powerhouses will be looking at missing the playoffs for the first time since pre-Civil War.

But I think that consistency comes through once again, whether it's QB Brady Bolles or RB Robert Burton III or one of the many talented receivers, and Northwest makes the plays necessary to come out of this game on top.

Prediction: The Bearcats never trail, but Missouri Western keeps it close all the way. Northwest Missouri 30 Missouri Western 23