When rivals No. 5 Mary Hardin-Baylor and No. 8 Hardin-Simmons collide in a first-round game of the NCAA Division III playoffs at noon Saturday at Tiger Field, the outcome of their previous 13 meetings will be of little consequence.
What can’t be ignored, however, is the fact that the Crusaders (9-1) will be facing a Cowboys defense that ranks last statistically in the 32-team playoff field.
HSU (9-1), which allowed UMHB to hold the ball for 39 minutes and rush for 358 yards during a 20-18 Crusaders victory in early October, ranks last among playoff teams against the run and in total defense.
The Cowboys are surrendering an average of 199 rushing yards and 355 total yards per game. They rank 22nd in scoring defense, giving up 18 points per game, and 28th in third-down defense - opponents convert on third down almost 40 percent of the time.
“Both teams are certainly very familiar with each other,” UMHB coach Pete Fredenburg said after the playoff bracket was released Sunday afternoon. “There usually aren’t any secrets about what each team wants to do.”
Crowning moment
With last Saturday’s 42-20 victory over Sul Ross State in the regular-season finale coming on the road, the Crusaders weren’t able to celebrate capturing their fourth straight American Southwest Conference title in front of their home fans.
In a next-best-thing ceremony, the team received its championship trophy Sunday at Andersen Fieldhouse prior to the release of the playoff bracket.
“That’s four in a row and six overall. What an unbelievable accomplishment,” UMHB vice president for athletics Ben Shipp told the team. “We never want to take this for granted, absolutely never.
“I know it’s easy for people to think, ‘Well, we just always win.’ But I understand how hard you work and the commitment that you made. I know I’m proud of you, and I know the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and all of our fans are proud of you as well.
Added ASC commissioner Amy Carlton after presenting the trophy: “Guys, represent us well. Congratulations and good luck.”
Playoff tidbits
n With UMHB and HSU in the field, Texas is one of eight states with multiple teams in the postseason. A total of 18 states will be represented, and Illinois is home to four of the 32 schools in the bracket. Indiana, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania qualified three teams each. Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin have two apiece, and Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, California, Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Oregon each have one.
n The Crusaders-Cowboys clash is the only first-round game pitting top-10 teams against each other.
n This year marks the fourth time the ASC has had two teams qualify for the playoffs, and this will be the third time UMHB and HSU have squared off - with the Crusaders winning the previous two. The only time the two ASC representatives did not meet was in 2001, when UMHB lost to Trinity and HSU fell to Wittenburg (Ohio) in first-round games.
Conference honor
UMHB linebacker John Hamilton was named American Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week. The junior Temple product posted nine tackles - 2½ for losses - caused one fumble and recovered another during the Crusaders’ victory over Sul Ross.
