Purple Raiders

Mary Hardin Baylor is favored to win the Division III Championship, but to get there they will have to contend with the defending champions, Mount Union.  The Cru are just in their 19th season of football, but they have won 12 straight American Southwest Conference titles and have made the national title game once in 2004.  Meanwhile, the Purple Raiders are the only team since the playoff went to 32-teams to win three straight road games to get to a semifinal game. They have also won their last 114 road games dating back to a 34-33 loss at Albion (Mich.) in the second round of the 1994 NCAA Playoffs.  In addition, Mount Union has played in the national championship game 20 times since 1993, winning 12 NCAA Championships.    Seems to me that Mount Union is the favorite until someone beats them.