If they paid me to do this (cover MIAA football for D2Football.com), they'd pay me to write what I think. I usually don't beat around the bush; Any of you who have read me for the past six years can attest to that. And I won't this year, either.

I agree with many of the posters on the D2Football.com message board that the first-round playoff matchup with Harding is little more than a bye week for Pittsburg State. Heck, the winner of the Northwest-Duluth game in Southern Canada gets a rare second-round bye, too.

Don't get me wrong. I don't hate the GAC. I love Harding and Ouachita Baptist and the rest of 'em, but kinda like a little brother. Sure, they're family, so you have their backs. But it's just kind of annoying when they want to come and play on the same playground as the big boys.

And yes, the big boys' playground is the D2 football playoffs. In Super Region 3, we have Pittsburg State and Northwest Missouri (the big boys of the MIAA) and Minnesota State Mankato and Minnesota-Duluth (the big boys of the NSIC) - and then the pesky little brothers.

Mind you, the GAC is still young. The conference only started in 2011 (as a combination of LSC & GSC schools) and Harding and Henderson State made the conference's first playoff appearances in 2012. The MIAA blew them both out - Harding in a 35-0 defeat at Northwest Missouri and Henderson State in a 45-21home loss to Missouri Western). Last year, Henderson fared a little better, but still trailed by 2 scores at halftime, 2 scores heading into the 4th quarter and 2 scores midway through the final frame in a game that ended 40-35. That puts the young conference's playoff record at 0-3.

Some day this will change, but for now, until a GAC team actually proves something in the playoffs, I have a hard time taking any of them seriously and don't have too hard of a time looking past them come the postseason.

Now that I'm off my soapbox, let's take a quick look at this week's games.

No. 17 Harding (9-1 in all GAC games) at No. 5 Pittsburg State (10-1 in all MIAA games)
Saturday, Nov. 21; 1 p.m. CT
Carnie Smith Stadium; Pittsburg, Kan.
Pitt State game notes | Harding game notes
LINK: Free Video Stream
LINK: GAC blogger's take

We already know who I think is going to win, but will it be similar to Harding's loss at Northwest a few years back or closer to Henderson State's close-but-no-cigar defeat to St. Cloud last year?

I'm seeing a lot of "Harding is a lot like Missouri Southern" talk, but I'm not so sure. To HU's credit, they appear a little better than the only team in the MIAA throwing out the triple option. They have a Harlon Hill regional candidate in RB Romo Westbrook, and while they only throw about half as much as Southern does, they have more touchdowns (9) and a higher completion percentage (52%).

Harding has run its option attack to more than 300 yards 30 times in the past 42 games, including 4 times this year in which they eclipsed 450 yards rushing. Missouri Southern had over 400 just once, and it took 3 overtimes to do it.

Missouri Southern lost 2 weeks ago to Pittsburg State 41-10. I don't think this will be that big of a blowout though, because while I'll listen to the "It's the GAC" argument all day, I do think Harding is better on both sides of the ball.

The Bisons have held 6 of their 10 opponents to under 300 yards of offense, and rank 5th in the country in total D.

I don't think this game ever gets out of hand, but I also don't ever see it being in question.

Prediction: Pittsburg State 35 Harding 21

No. 6 Northwest Missouri (10-1 in all MIAA games) at No. 2 Minnesota Duluth
Saturday, Nov. 21; 1 p.m. CT
James S. Malosky Stadium; Duluth, MN
Northwest game notes | Duluth game notes
LINK: Free video stream
LINK: The NSIC blogger's take


Duluth, unlike the GAC in its infant stages, has earned my respect. The Bulldogs have made the playoffs 7 straight years and are looking for their 3rd national title in that span. They are truly on the same "D2 BlueBlood" level that Pittsburg State and Northwest Missouri are on.

So it's only fitting the Bulldogs once again meet up with the Bearcats in the postseason. Three times in the Bulldogs' 7-year playoff stretch (a 4th in 2002) have the teams met in the postseason. Duluth beat Northwest in the 2008 title game and again 2 years later in the semifinals en route to another national title. Last year, Northwest returned the favor with a 45-31 trouncing of the Bulldogs that wasn't even that close on their way to a national title.

So the winner of this game will take home the crown next month in Kansas City, right? Eh, maybe.

The truth is, Duluth is VERY untested this year. But as much as that is a factor, it still doesn't stop me from worrying about them. What makes me feel a little better about this matchup is that Duluth is a run-heavy team, and Northwest, as we've seen all year, can stop the run with the best of them.

One of Duluth's star running backs, Austin Sikorski, is out for the year, but they've got plenty of room to spare in the running game. QB Drew Bauer and RB Logan Lauters both have double-digit touchdowns and multiple games with over 100 yards rushing.

My big question about this game is whether or not the Northwest D can keep Bauer from hurting them through the air. Yeah, he loves to run, but he's had some big passing games this year. Sure, he's only surpassed 300 passing yards once, but he's only thrown 5 picks all year and has thrown at least one TD in all 11 games this year.

Can Duluth's offensive line keep the dominant Northwest front 7 away long enough to get enough going on the ground and allow time for Bauer to hit his targets?

Prediction: No. That's going to be hard for anyone to do this year. Northwest Missouri 28 Duluth 14

JUST FOR FUN: My picks in the other 6 playoff games this week

VSU over Post
Slippery Rock over West Chester
W. Georgia over Tuskegee
North Alabama over VSU
Michigan Tech over Angelo
Dominican over Mines