Where is women's college rugby right now - this weekend's playoff games can tell us.

Watch The Women's D1 College Fall Final LIVE on FloRugby Dec 2

How Deep Is The Divide?

We know the gap between the very top D1 varsity and almost-varsity teams - Lindenwood, Life, BYU, Penn State, Dartmouth, Harvard, West Point, Quinnipiac - and the rest is huge.

Sure, for many of those teams, getting in is pretty difficult, but significant school and alumni support, coupled with paid coaches, has been a game-changer These programs are way ahead of everyone else ... for now.

This fall we get a chance to see which other programs are closing in. Right now, there are two to watch: Davenport, and Air Force. Air Force used to be the best in the nation, 15 to 20 years ago. Now, consistency in coaching and an increased interest in supporting rugby in the service academies, they could be again.

Davenport is primed to be a major player nationally. The Panthers were dominant in D2, transitioned nicely to D1, winning the fall title in 2017, and are poised to build on that.

Have they arrived? We need to see dominant performances to say that.

Nothing Wrong With Being A Club

UConn, Minnesota, Northeastern, and Notre Dame epitomize the ideal of a high-performing college rugby team that just has regular club sports status. It's a testament to the players and the coaches that they can get here, and still be in the national championship conversation. 

The D1 Picks

Air Force vs Sam Houston: Hard to imagine Air Force not winning this game. The level of competition the USAFA team faces prepares it for this time of the season.

Minnesota vs Notre Dame: Notre Dame might be the favorite but this is quite possible a toss-up.

Davenport vs Northeastern: Another club program on the rise is Northeastern, helped along by a strong rival in UConn. But Davenport is as powerful up front as any team in the nation. Playing an independent season, the Panthers lost only twice, to Lindenwood 43-32, and to Penn State 25-14. Neither result is one to be embarrassed about. Watch out for scrumhalf Olivia Ortiz - she's a firecracker.

Michigan State vs UConn: This could be another toss-up. Michigan State had to beat Kent State to even get here, and the program has strong numbers and a high level of athleticism. But UConn has won the fall title before and is the top team in the Northeast.