When Berry College returns to the gridiron on Saturday to host Centre College, they’ll be playing a kind of game they’ve never played before.
The Vikings, playing in just their third season, control their own destiny. They have an opportunity to play for the NCAA Division III football championship for the first time in program history.
A win over the visiting Colonels (7-2, 5-2 in the Southern Athletic Association), and the Vikings (7-2, 6-1 SAA) clinch a spot in the tournament. That would signal a remarkable turnaround for a squad that posted a 3-17 record in its first two seasons.
Should Berry lose? Well, it’s a lot more complicated, and the Vikings would need help from Sewanee who takes on Hendrix.
“We will have our hands full as they are probably the most talented team our league,” Berry Head Coach Tony Kunczewski said.
Berry is coming off a 14-7 road loss to SAA foe Birmingham-Southern College (5-5), their first defeat since a 43-17 loss to Maryville College (7-2) in the first week of the season. Centre notched its fourth straight victory last week with a 41-14 rout of visiting Rhodes College (4-5).
What if both Berry and Hendrix lose? That’s where it becomes really messy, with a potential four-way tie looming.