With just two games remaining this season, Ashland University football could not have a simpler route to a NCAA Division II playoff berth. 

Win and they are in. 

Ashland controls its own playoff destiny if they can come out with victories at Grand Valley State Nov. 1 and at Michigan Tech Nov. 8. While it is entirely possible Ashland can come out with victories in those games, it most certainly won’t be easy.

Grand Valley State has been one of the juggernauts of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in past years and made it to the national semifinals a season ago. Despite not living up a lofty preseason national preseason ranking (#2) this season, you’d have to think that the Lakers will take some pride in being the team to try and dash Ashland’s playoff hopes.

If AU comes out of GVSU with a victory, they will get rewarded with what might be an even bigger challenge by travelling to Michigan’s upper peninsula to take on a Michigan Tech team that is ranked ahead of Ashland in Super Region 4 and fighting for a playoff spot of their own. 

That game would basically be a playoff game of it’s own if both teams were to meet each other with only one loss on the season, and it’s at Michigan Tech.

While these next two games will be tests for AU, the way the Eagles are playing right now indicates that two more wins can certainly happen, and that would earn them at least the sixth-seed in Super Region 4.

This is where things really get interesting, especially (and almost exclusively) if Ashland were to finish 9-1. Let’s assume that Ashland would win its next two games just to paint a picture.

Michigan Tech would be out of the playoff picture with a second loss, leaving only two GLIAC teams ahead of Ashland in Super Region 4: top-seeded Ferris State and third-seeded Ohio Dominican.

If every team were to stay at the same rank with Ashland getting the six-seed, Ashland would end up getting another shot against Ohio Dominican. You have to think that AU would want nothing more to get revenge on the one team that beat them this season.

In addition, wouldn’t it be nice to just make the short bus ride to Ohio Dominican to play a familiar opponent rather than travel across the country to play Colorado Pines in the high altitude. 

Another interesting scenario for Ashland would be if they would match up against Indianapolis in the NCAA playoffs. Indianapolis is certainly no stranger to the Eagles, as the two teams have matched up in six in the past seven seasons.

The most recent matchup against the Greyhounds was the first game of the year last season where the Greyhounds won a close game 10-9 in Indianapolis.

Again, wouldn’t the Eagles love to get another chance against an opponent they know, all while making a familiar road trip? That would most certainly be another ideal situation for Ashland that would really make things interesting in Super Region 4. 

Coach Owens and his team, especially the upper classmen, know all too well that a six-seeded team can make noise in the playoffs. In 2012, six-seed West Texas A&M upset the Eagles at Jack Miller Stadium and went on to win the region, making the national semifinals.

That same opportunity is what Ashland wants at this point and it is most certainly possible. It has to be remembered the Eagles must take care of two tough road tests to give themselves that chance.

Win, and they’re in.