Well, it’s all over guys. The 2013 MIAC football season has come and gone. Bethel won its first conference title since 2007, completed its first undefeated regular season in 13 years and now has a playoff win in the books. St. Thomas lost its first conference game since 2009, and St. John’s regained the upper hand in the Tommie-Johnnie rivalry.

However, all of that barely scratches the surface of MIAC football this year. To help you make sense of everything that happened this season and look ahead to next year, I’m handing out postseason awards to some players and teams in the MIAC. 

Conference MVP: Erik Peterson, Bethel

I’ve always thought it was a huge cop-out to just pick the star quarterback or running back of the best team in league or conference and name them most valuable player, but the conference MVP has to be Bethel quarterback Erik Peterson. He threw for nearly 250 yards per game and put up 19 passing touchdowns this season, ranking him second in both categories.

Now, you could make an argument that Augsburg quarterback Ayrton Scott should be conference MVP. Scott was certainly the most exciting player to watch this year; he led the conference in passing yards and passing touchdowns, making big plays on the ground to finish fifth in the conference in rushing yards this season. What sets the two quarterbacks apart, however, is their efficiency. Peterson led the conference in completion percentage. Scott had 80 more passing attempts than Peterson and threw 15 interceptions to Peterson’s eight.

Perhaps most importantly, Peterson was clutch in Bethel’s most important games. In back-to-back weeks against Concordia and St. Thomas– two teams that tied for second in the conference– Peterson threw for over 250 yards in both games and completed nearly 70 percent of his passes. The junior got it done when he needed to this season.

Scott just didn’t excel like Peterson did in big games this year. Augsburg lost five games this year, and four out of its five losses came by four points or fewer.

Best game: St. John’s 20, St. Thomas 18

There were plenty of great games in the conference this year. The Gustavus versus St. John’s matchup went into two overtimes. There was Bethel’s comeback win against St. Thomas, and Augsburg managed to make just about every game it lost exciting. But, hey, I’m a St. Thomas student, and I’m a homer. Sue me.

For me, this year’s best game was the Tommie-Johnnie matchup Sept. 21 at O’Shaughnessy Stadium. I think most people who attended the game (especially St. Thomas students) expected the Tommies to steamroll the Johnnies like they have in recent years. St. John’s eked out a win against Wisconsin-Eau Claire the week before, while the Tommies had posted a 52-7 victory over the Blugolds in week one. Throw in the fact that the Johnnies were on the road and this was coach Gary Fasching’s first career MIAC game at the helm, and things looked bleak for St. John’s. Oh, and don’t forget that the Tommies were ranked No. 2 in the nation going into the matchup.

Though St. Thomas was heavily favored, the game was a dogfight to the very end. The Johnnies took advantage of five Tommie turnovers and managed to make the most of their opportunities to score. The largest lead of the game was a mere eight points. After tying a school record for longest field goal in the first half, kicker Paul Graupner missed a 32-yard field goal as time expired. St. John’s downed St. Thomas 20-18.

Perhaps no other game this year serves as better microcosm for the fickleness of sports. You win some and you lose some, I guess. In retrospect, it could be said that this was the game that really prevented St. Thomas from making the playoffs this year. The stakes were high, and the finish was thrilling. This year’s Tommie-Johnnie clash goes down in my book as the MIAC’s best game of 2013.

Breakout Player: Austin Duncan, Hamline

As a sophomore, Hamline running back Austin Duncan has already established himself as one of the conference’s top ground threats. He led the MIAC with 1,460 yards, putting him just one yard ahead of Gustavus’ Jeffrey Dubose.

Duncan had a solid campaign as a freshman in 2012, but this year he really made a name for himself as a workhorse in the backfield for the Pipers. His reliability and consistency set him apart from the rest of the field.

The Pipers handed Duncan the ball over 20 times in every game this season, allowing him to pile up 319 carries this year— by far the largest total in the conference. Oh yeah, he also fumbled only once all season. For a Hamline team that often finds itself in the bottom half of the MIAC standings, it has found a gem of a running back in Duncan. With two more years left to play, Duncan made a name for himself as one of the best backs in the conference.

Coach of the Year: Gary Fasching, St. John’s

Look, I’m a St. Thomas student, and I’m obligated to hate St. John’s just like any other loyal Tommie. As much as it pains me to say it, nobody was more impressive on the sidelines than St. John’s first-year coach Gary Fasching. It’s hard to take over for a coaching legend at a school with a proud football history, but Fasching did exactly that this season.

After 60-year coach John Gagliardi’s retirement last spring, the team’s new leadership was probably the biggest question mark for the Johnnies coming into the season. However, Fasching led the Johnnies to an impressive 7-3 season and a 20-18 win over the Tommies in their conference opener— St. John’s first win over St. Thomas since 2009.

If anyone was doubting the Johnnies following Gagliardi’s departure, Fasching certainly silenced any skeptics in his first year at the helm. St. John’s seems to have a bright future with Fasching.

Dark horse for next season: Augsburg

Sure, this MIAC season was competitive, but why not take an early look ahead to next season? Take your pick between Bethel, St. Thomas, St. John’s or Concordia for which team will win the conference in 2014. They all are perennial contenders for the MIAC title, and there’s no reason to expect those teams won’t be contenders again.

What about a surprise team that could shake up the conference standings in 2014? Gustavus had a strong team this year, and even Carleton surprised the conference with a sneaky-good 5-5 record this season, its best finish since 2008.

But for me, Augsburg is going to be the team to watch next season. Already, I see Scott as the most exciting player to watch in the conference. The sophomore put up huge numbers each week and led the team in rushing and passing this year. Sophomore wide receiver Joey Sonnenfeld, who led the Auggies in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, will also return next season. The Auggies’ young offensive line will continue to improve, while they also return a sizeable number of starters on defense.

Despite a disappointing loss to Carleton to end the 2013 campaign, don’t forget Augsburg only lost to Bethel, St. Thomas and St. John’s by a combined eight points. Any of those games could have swung the other way, and I’m surprised the Auggies didn’t steal a win against one of the top four teams in the MIAC this season. Look for the Auggies to shake up the conference in 2014.

Jacob Sevening can be reached at seve8586@stthomas.edu.