Eleventh-seeded Navy visits No. 6 seed Indiana in a first-round D1A playoff game full of questions for both teams on Saturday in Bloomington, IN.

Did Navy’s Slow-Burn Schedule Help Or Hinder Midshipmen?

It helped: Navy has been playing through the fall and spring. However, with time to rest up, the result is a tested but rested Midshipmen team.

And they have been tested well enough. Navy notched a hard-earned 25-7 win over Mary Washington on February 24, and the Midshipmen's 18-15 loss to Army on March 24 was exactly what USNA needed.

With one of the best 8-9 combos in college rugby, and the ability to score quickly, Navy can get by Indiana.

Is This The Same Indiana Team That Won The Big Ten?

Yes, for sure. This is a team that gives up some points but has the ability to score, as well. IU lost to Notre Dame College and Arkansas State, but you could chalk up some of that to winter rust. However, it’s also an indication of what Indiana has done all season. The Hoosiers have been giving up points—127 in four games against their biggest Big Ten opponents—so they have to score a lot, too.

Are The Hoosiers The Same Team That Made The 2017 D1A Quarterfinals?

No. The big difference is the absence of Bryce Campbell, who was not just a really, really good collegiate player leading his team but also an established USA international. He won the Rudy Scholz Award (as the nation’s top men’s college player) fairly comfortably because he was a dominant athlete. While IU is still very good, the Hoosiers are a different team without him.

Does All This Mean Navy Is The Favorite?

FloRugby Pick: Actually, yes. We’re doing with the Midshipmen to take it on the road.