Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, December 9, 1994 TAG: 9412100022
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Then, even today will be unique on the campus of the Methodist college in the town of 8,800 in south-central Michigan, a downtown where a ``Go Brits'' banner spans Superior Street.
It's closed.
Dr. Melvin Vulgamore, the Albion president, has called off classes today so students and staff can make a 10-hour drive to Salem for the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl against Washington & Jefferson.
``We don't think the campus has ever been closed before ... never in the history of the school,'' said Albion athletic director and coach Pete Schmidt. ``That's more than 150 years.''
So, the Britons have given their fellow students the day off. Can they give Albion its first Division III national championship in any sport?
At the beginning of the season, no one figured the Brits (12-0) would be playing in their first Stagg Bowl as one of only four remaining unbeaten and untied college football teams.
Schmidt certainly didn't see his defense setting what might be a national Division III record.
The Britons have picked off 37 passes in 12 games, breaking the NCAA-recognized Division III mark of 35 set by Plymouth (N.H.) State in 1987. Eleven of those interceptions have come in three playoff wins.
``Really?'' Schmidt said when told his team owned an NCAA record.
Well, maybe. Maybe not. Albion's 37 interceptions are definitely a 12-game best. However, NCAA Division III football committee chairman Bill Manlove said Widener's 1981 NCAA champs picked off 39 in a 13-game unbeaten season.
Manlove should know. He was the head coach.
In the NCAA Football Records Book, none of the higher NCAA football divisions has a record with a larger number of pass pickoffs, but those records are based on per-game interceptions.
By comparison, Virginia's superb defense has led I-A in interceptions each of the past two seasons, and this year the Cavaliers have 27 in 11 games.
Whatever's correct, the Britons have a stunning plus-30 turnover margin.
``Physically this hasn't been our best defense,'' said Schmidt, whose team arrived by plane Thursday for two days of Stagg preparations and parties. ``Statistically, it is. We're not as big or strong or as fast as we've been other years. We hardly put anybody on the all-conference defense.''
Schmidt also described the Britons as having a ``no-name offense,'' although running back Jeff Robinson, named a coaches' All-America choice Thursday, would be a 1,542-yard exception.
Albion's program has made a name for itself, however. The Britons rank eighth in all-time wins among Division III schools - W&J is second - and Schmidt's team is the most-accomplished in school history despite significant personnel losses from last year's 10-1 club. That was the first Albion club to win a playoff game.
Albion's program hasn't had many big men on campus since running back Hank Wineman was a Division III star in 1991. He ended up in a newspaper photo one day, being carried by his offensive linemen.
It played well in the papers, but not in the program. No question, the Stagg Bowl is the biggest deal in Albion's 110-year football history, and Schmidt is making sure the Britons are in this together.
``We thought we'd be competitive this season,'' said Schmidt, a former tight end and first baseman at Alma, one of Albion's conference rivals. ``Quite honestly, I thought we had too many holes to fill to do what we've done this year.''
Of course, competitive can have different definitions. In the 1990s, Albion is 45-4-2. The Britons haven't lost two games in a season since a 7-2 record in 1989. They've won 22 of their past 23.
The only loss in the past two seasons came in last year's playoff semifinals, 30-16 to Mount Union, which went on to finish unbeaten with the Stagg championship.
``What happened to us last year was a big factor,'' Schmidt said. ``I told our team the other day that when we won the playoffs last year and then got to play a team like Mount Union, we really got to see what it takes.
``And seeing what it takes is half the battle.''
Albion defeated Michigan 103 years ago. In 1894 - when they weren't yet known as the Britons, but the Pink and Greens - Albion whipped Notre Dame 22-12. That was 17 years after what's likely the biggest event in Albion history.
On May 13, 1877, Juliet Calhoun Blakely stood on the pulpit at the Methodist Episcopal Church and decided it was Mother's Day.
They didn't have to close school for that. For the Stagg Bowl, they did. These guys really must be great Britons.
by CNB