But then again, the Crusaders have been down this path before.
UMHB will host Wesley (Del.) in a second-round game at noon Saturday at Tiger Field, marking the second straight week the fourth-ranked Crusaders (10-1) have faced a top-10 opponent.
The matchup with the 10th-ranked Wolverines (9-1) comes on the heels of UMHB’s 38-35 victory over No. 7 Hardin-Simmons in last week’s first round.
It will be the fourth consecutive year UMHB and Wesley have met in the postseason - the Wolverines hold a 2-1 edge in the series - and a clash between the only two teams to win the South Region in the last four years.
The Crusaders’ quest for a second straight national semifinal appearance and third in five years, however, is starting to resemble their run to the 2004 national title game - at least in regard to the quality of their opponents.
The ’04 UMHB team was ranked eighth and ousted No. 7 Trinity, No. 3 HSU, No. 5 Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) and No. 1 Mount Union (Ohio) - all on the road - before falling to No. 2 Linfield (Ore.) in the Stagg Bowl.
This week’s winner likely will travel to face No. 3 Millsaps (Miss.), which is favored over No. 18 W&J, with a semifinal battle against in all likelihood No. 6 Willamette (Ore.) or defending national champion and fifth-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater on the horizon.
“I think every playoff game is a new experience, and certainly this game looming is a big one for all of us,” UMHB coach Pete Fredenburg said Monday during his weekly press conference. “It will be a huge test for us. We know the last time they came to Belton, they embarrassed us.”
Series rewind
The game that Fredenburg referred to as embarrassing was Wesley’s 46-36 victory at Tiger Field in the second round of the ’05 playoffs when the Wolverines had four scoring plays of 50 yards or more.
The last two meetings were quarterfinal matchups in Dover, with Wesley winning 34-20 in ’06 and UMHB posting a 27-10 victory last year.
One of a kind
The Crusaders’ win over the Cowboys last week was their fifth straight in the first round following victories over Trinity in 2004, ’05 and ’07 and a win over HSU in ’06.
Mount Union is the only other D-III team to play in the second round each of the last five seasons, but the Purple Raiders received a first-round bye in ’04 - the final year in which each region’s top seed was given a bye.
No changes expected
As of Monday, there were no changes listed in the Crusaders’ starting lineup.
Senior quarterback Josh Saenz, who made his first start in four weeks against HSU, is expected to be under center again this Saturday. Also, cornerback Chris Lambeth - who started against the Cowboys before getting banged up - is back in the lineup.
“We’ll start Josh this week,” Fredenburg said. “And Chris will be ready to go.”
Around the bracket
n The only other second-round matchup of top-10 teams will be in the West Region, where Whitewater will travel to face Willamette.
n The state of Illinois had three teams (North Central, Wheaton, Monmouth) make it to the round of 16. Indiana (Franklin, Wabash) and New York (Hobart, Cortland State) advanced two teams apiece.
n The UMHB-Wesley showdown could be a defensive battle. Of the 16 teams still alive, the Crusaders and Wolverines rank sixth and fourth, respectively, in total defense, and they are fifth and third, respectively, in points allowed.
