So over the weekend, a guy asked me if I watched the UA game. I didn't and he said it was impressive to watch the talent, and that if it worked enough it could probably beat a D3 team. I said this was no doubt, and that I'd venture to guess that one of the top high school teams (Florida 6A, Texas 6A, etc.) could handle a run of the mill D3 team (not your Mt. Union or Wisconsin powerhouses). He disagreed, but I stand by it. You put a run if the mill D3 team against one of the powerhouses and the high school teams wins 7 out of 10 games, easy. Thoughts?
If the HS kids have been together long enough, in a stable system since middle school, sure, why not?
There's something to be said about 20-21 year olds playing against 17-18 year olds. Although, St. Thomas Aquinas and Booker T have been pretty good for a couple of years.
Isn't that what the vast majority of D3 football is? I mean, you've got your powerhouses, then everyoen else.
I guess you'd really have to define "run of the mill," but I would probably agree with you. The very top of D3 is extremely good. This probably includes the top 5 teams. The next level is very good, but there is a noticeable difference between them and the very top. This probably includes 5-20 in the rankings. The next level makes up the vast majority of D3 and is pretty average. This is what I would consider "run of the mill," and I think a top high school team could certainly beat them just from a pure athleticism standpoint with a few key players. The very bottom of D3 is BAD. Consider this: half of the bids to the playoffs go to conference champions. Some of these conference champions, which would probably fall in the category just above this one, get beat in the first round of the playoffs by scores like 56-0. Knowing that, consider how bad their conferences must be.
I have no doubt a quality large high school team in a stable system could consistently hang with your average D-3 team.
I would assume so. Wabash falls just outside that top 5 range. Edit: I'm assuming by "your school" you meant Wabash, and by "them" you meant top high school teams.