With just a few weeks to go in the DII fall season, it’s starting to get interesting.

The big game for this weekend in the Midwest is Pittsburgh v. Michiana, where the winner of that match cane lay a solid claim to 2^nd place (trailing 5-1 Dayton). Pittsburgh is in better shape than Michiana despite both teams being 4-2 as they have more bonus points. Michiana, therefore, could win the match and still not be in second if Pittsburgh gets two bonus points.

Finishing second doesn’t matter that much as #2 will play #3 in the playoffs November 5 anyway.

Dayton seems to have #1 sewn up in the Midwest East, so the big battle is for 4^th. Should Cincinnati, which plays 0-5 Detroit, win, they will join Toledo and Rochester at 3-3. Rochester is idle but Toledo plays 2-4 Grand Rapids. October 29’s Cincinnati v. Rochester match could decide who claims that final playoff spot. Toledo has to win this weekend and chew their fingernails for the remainder of the fall.

In the Midwest-West, undefeated Wisconsin takes on 4-1 Lincoln Park. Should the Chicago-based club win they can’t catch Wisconsin, but they can stay in the hunt for second. It’s a tough hunt as 4-1 South Side Irish takes on the 1-5 Chicago Westside Condors.

The key spot in the MW-West is 3^rd. In the two-conference division, the #3 teams face off for a shot at the #4 seed to the Midwest playoffs. Right now Milwaukee is hoping for a Lincoln Park loss and a win for them to stay in with a chance. However, they will need Lincoln Park to keep losing to make the playoffs.

In Midwest Pool 1 the Eastside Banshees have #1 sewn up, and Bremer County almost set for 2^nd. Metropolis, Clinton and Cedar Rapids all can be third. Clinton has the best shot at emerging from this weekend placed third.

MIDWEST DII Club Matchups
Cincinnati Kelts (2-3) @ Detroit RFC (0-5)
Pittsburgh (4-2) @ Michiana (4-2)
Grand Rapids (2-4) @ Toledo (3-3)
Metropolis (2-4) @ Bremer County (3-1-1)
SS Irish (4-1) @ WS Condors (1-5)
Clinton (2-3) @ Des Moines (1-4)
Cedar Rapids (2-3) @ Eastside Banshees (5-1)
Milwaukee (2-4) @ Fox Valley (0-5)
Wisconsin (5-0) @ Lincoln Park (4-1)

In the West the big question is, who can be tops in the West-Central? Greater Omaha and the St. Louis Bombers are both 2-0 and they play each other.

WEST
Glendale (2-0-1) vs. NorCo (0-2)
GOATS (2-0) @ Bombers (2-0)
Ramblers (1-0) @ Tulsa (0-0)
KCRFC (0-3) vs. Royals (0-2)

In the Mid-Atlantic, there are few big matchups. Richmond and Rocky Gorge look to be dominant in the MARFU South.

MARFU
Brandywine (2-2) vs. Jersey Shore (0-3)
Doylestown (4-0) vs. Hibernians (0-4)
Frederick (1-2) vs. Severn River (0-2)
Richmond (1-0) vs. Rocky Gorge (2-0)
Washington Irish (2-1) vs. Western Suburbs (0-1)

In New England, now that we know that Middlesex is better than Worcester, we know get to decide whether the teams from the Daly Conference are better. Portland (Daly leaders) takes on Laurence Conference #2s Worcester.

NERFU
Newport (2-3) @ Middlesex (5-0)
Portland (4-0-1) @ Worcester (4-1)
BIWRFC (1-4) @ Saratoga (0-4)
Burlington (3-2) @ Albany (2-1-1)
Old Gold (1-3) @ Charles River (1-4)
Providence (4-1) @ North Shore (1-4)

Easily identifiable big game in MetNY. Montauk is in 1^st place, and 4-0, and they play 4^th-place Union, which is 3-1. A win by Union should vault them to 2^nd, although Bayonne, playing winless New Jersey, will probably be there, too.

METNY
Union (3-1) @ Montauk (4-0)
Bayonne (3-1) @ N. Jersey (0-5)
CT Yankees (2-3) @ Rockaway (1-3)
Princeton (1-3) @ Lansdowne (3-2)

It’s all confused in the Pacific Northwest, as the league is divided between North and South, but the crossover matches have all gone to the South. Only the Eastside Axemen look like they could challenge ORSU, Portland and the Eastside Tsunami, all of Oregon.

PNRFU
Rovers (1-2) at Snake River (1-1)
Tacoma (0-3) at Chuckanut (0-3)
Axemen (2-0) at Valley (1-1)
ORSU (2-0) at Tsunami (1-1)