The 2022 Division III playoff bracket is out, and we ask our usual questions: What did the committee get right here? What did they get wrong? Who got the toughest road to the Stagg Bowl? What are the best first round games, and what are the interesting things in this bracket that people might have missed?

But of course, we can’t have any of that conversation before we talk about the drama of the closing seconds that somehow got Mount Union the OAC’s automatic bid, the moment when the ball boinked off of a Baldwin Wallace defender’s helmet before settling into the hands of Wayne Ruby, who ran it into the end zone for the unlikeliest of game winners. Stick around to the end of the podcast to find out what happened in the postgame dogpile, and then what was supposed to happen at the end of the game … but did not.

This edition of the podcast is sponsored by the hosts of Stagg Bowl XLIX, and we look forward to seeing all of you in Annapolis, Maryland, for the Division III football championship game on Dec. 16.

Meanwhile, we hear from a team making it to the playoffs for the first time — no, not the surprise team. Or at least, not that surprise team. Ithaca coach Michael Toerper joins us for a Fast 5 and we also hear from Cortland coach Curt Fitzpatrick about what his team can take away from this loss as they regroup for the playoffs.

Plus, questions about King’s and Plymouth State, and apparently the WIAC is somehow overrated? Who would fare better against Delaware Valley, assuming the Aggies make it to the second round? And still six regions of wrapup, from fun in the 1 to the rest of the regions.

Pat Coleman and Greg Thomas talk about it all in the latest D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast. The D3football.com Around the Nation Podcast is a regular conversation covering the wide range of Division III football.

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Theme music: Power 2 by DJmentos.