# 2021 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season

The 2021 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association season was the season of college football played by the seven member schools of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) as part of the 2021 NCAA Division III football season.
The Albion Britons and Hope Flying Dutchmen tied for the MIAA championship. Albion won the head-to-head matchup and advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs, losing to Wisconsin–La Crosse in the first round.
The Olivet Comets led the MIAA in scoring offense with 388 points in 10 games (38.8 points per game). Hope led the MIAA in scoring defense, allowing only 145 points in 10 games (14.5 points per games).

## Conference overview

| Conf. rank | Team | Head coach | Overall record | Conf. record | Points scored | Points against |
| 1 (tie) | Albion | Dustin Beurer | 9–2 | 5–1 | 357 | 220 |
| 1 (tie) | Hope | Peter Stuursma | 8–2 | 5–1 | 341 | 145 |
| 3 | Trine | Troy Abbs | 6–4 | 4–2 | 331 | 188 |
| 4 (tie) | Olivet | Dan Musielewicz | 7–3 | 3–3 | 388 | 212 |
| 4 (tie) | Adrian | Jim Deere | 5–5 | 3–3 | 276 | 242 |
| 6 | Alma | Jason Couch | 5–5 | 1–5 | | |
| 7 | Kalamazoo | Jamie Zorbo | 1–9 | 0–6 | |

## All-MIAA honors

At the end of the regular season in November 2021, the MIAA head coaches voted on individual honors, including the following:
* Most Valuable Offensive Player - Justin Thomas, Albion, wide receiver
* Most Valuable Defensive Player - Mitch Arendsen, Albion, defensive end
* Pete Schmidt Memorial Scholar Athlete Award - Justin White, Trine
The following players received first-team honors on the 2021 All-MIAA football team:
Offense
* Quarterback - Jack Bush, Albion
* Running backs - Cortaveon Barnett, Olivet; Steven Moses, Adrian
* Wide receivers - Terrell Harris, Hope; Justin Thomas, Albion; Bubba Wilson, Kalamazoo
* Tight end - Seth Young, Olivet
* Offensive line - Christopher Beck, Olivet; Brady Eding, Hope; Luke Marsh, Hope; Jarret Nighswander, Albion; Ben Pelletier, Adrian
Defense
* Defensive line - Mitch Arendsen, Albion; Jamon Gibson, Trine; Alonzo Grigsby, Olivet; Ta'Mar Heart-Wilkins, Olivet
* Linebackers - Jeremiah Major, Albion; Kyle Minder, Adrian; Kyle Naif, Trine; Odin Soffredine, Alma
* Defensive backs - Keysean Arnison, Trine; Brady Howe, Hope; Jack Kretzschmar, Alma; John Wester, Albion
Special teams
* Kicker - Ryan Hibbetts, Trine
* Punter - Austin Behnke, Adrian
* Return specialist - Josh Davis, Trine

## Teams
### Albion

The 2021 Albion Britons football team represented the Albion College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 2021 NCAA Division III football season. Under head coach Dustin Beurer, the Britons compiled a 9–1 record in the regular season (5–1 against conference opponents), tied for the MIAA championship, and lost to Wisconsin–La Crosse in the first round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs.
In December 2021, coach Beurer was selected by the American Football Coaches Association as the Regional Coach of the Year for Region 4. Two Alma players, wide receiver Justin Thomas and defensive end Mitch Arendsen, were selected as the MIAA Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Players.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | at Mount St. Joseph* | Schueler FieldCincinnati, OH | W 36–20 | 578 |
| September 11 | at Defiance* | Justin F. Coressel StadiumDefiance, OH | W 51–0 | 250 |
| September 18 | Hanover* | Sprankle-Sprandel StadiumAlbion, MI | W 24–14 | |
| September 25 | Wisconsin–Eau Claire* | Sprankle-Sprandel StadiumAlbion, MI | W 23–20 | 446 |
| October 9 | at Adrian | Docking StadiumAdrian, MI | L 7–21 | 1,840 |
| October 16 | at Kalamazoo | Angell FieldKalamazoo, MI | W 49–0 | |
| October 23 | Olivet | Sprankle-Sprandel StadiumAlbion, MI | W 38–17 | 3,817 |
| October 30 | Trine | Sprankle-Sprandel StadiumAlbion, MI | W 31–24 | 2,683 |
| November 6 | at Hope | Ray and Sue Smith StadiumHolland, MI | W 41–38 | 2,930 |
| November 13 | Alma | Sprankle-Sprandel StadiumAlbion, MI | W 34–8 | 3,408 |
| November 20 | Wisconsin–La Crosse* | Sprankle-Sprandel StadiumAlbion, MI (NCAA Division III first round) | L 23–58 | 975 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Hope

The 2021 Hope Flying Dutchmen football team represented Hope College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 2021 NCAA Division III football season. Under head coach Peter Stuursma, the Dutchmen compiled an 8–2 record (5–1 against conference opponents) and tied for the MIAA championship
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 3 | Anderson | Ray and Sue Smith StadiumHolland, MI | W 42–7 | |
| September 11 | at Coe | Clark FieldCedar Rapids, IA | L 21–28 | 472 |
| September 18 | Rose-Hulman | Ray and Sue Smith StadiumHolland, MI | W 27–20 | |
| September 25 | Northwestern (MN) | Ray and Sue Smith StadiumHolland, MI | W 52–10 | |
| October 2 | Kalamazoo | Ray and Sue Smith StadiumHolland, MI | W 67–0 | |
| October 16 | at Olivet | Cutler Athletic ComplexOlivet, MI | W 31–16 | 2,555 |
| October 23 | Adrian | Ray and Sue Smith StadiumHolland, MI | W 19–7 | 2,510 |
| October 30 | at Alma | Bahlke FieldAlma, MI | W 27–3 | |
| November 6 | Albion | Ray and Sue Smith StadiumHolland, MI | L 38–41 | 2,930 |
| November 13 | at Trine | Fred Zollner Athletic StadiumAngola, IN | W 17–13 | 4,219 |

### Trine

The 2021 Trine Thunder football team represented the Trine University as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 2021 NCAA Division III football season. Under head coach Troy Abbs, the Thunder compiled a 6–4 record (4–2 against conference opponents) and finished in third place in the MIAA.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 2 | at Manchester* | N. Manchester, IN | W 52–14 |
| September 11 | Rose-Hulman* | Fred Zollner Athletic StadiumAngola, IN | L 31–30 |
| September 18 | Mount St. Joseph* | Fred Zollner Athletic StadiumAngola, IN | W 31–30 $^{OT}$ |
| September 25 | at Centre* | Farris StadiumDanville, KY | L 14–7 |
| October 2 | Adrian | Fred Zollner Athletic StadiumAngola, IN | W 36–20 |
| October 9 | at Olivet | Olivet, MI | W 35–14 |
| October 23 | Kalamazoo | Fred Zollner Athletic StadiumAngola, IN | W 47–13 |
| October 30 | at Albion | Albion, MI | L 31–24 |
| November 6 | at Alma | Alma, MI | W 37–23 |
| November 13 | Hope | Fred Zollner Athletic StadiumAngola, IN | L 17–13 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Olivet

The 2021 Olivet Comets football team represented Olivet College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 2021 NCAA Division III football season. Under head coach Dan Musielewicz, the Comets compiled a 7–3 record (3–3 against conference opponents) and finished in a tie for fourth place in the MIAA.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 11 | at Eureka* | FioRito StadiumEureka, IL | W 42–23 |
| September 18 | Manchester (IN)* | Cutler Athletic ComplexOlivet, MI | W 59–7 |
| September 25 | at Milsaps* | Harper Davis FieldJackson, MS | W 44–27 |
| October 2 | at Alma | Alma, MI | W 33–10 |
| October 9 | Trine | Cutler Athletic ComplexOlivet, MI | L 14–35 |
| October 16 | Hope | Cutler Athletic ComplexOlivet, MI | L 16–31 |
| October 23 | at Albion | Sprankle-SprandelAlbion, MI | L 17–38 |
| October 30 | Kalamazoo | Cutler Athletic ComplexOlivet, MI | W 49–7 |
| November 6 | at Adrian | Docking StadiumAdrian, MI | W 35–28 |
| November 13 | Finlandia* | Cutler Athletic ComplexOlivet, MI | W 79–6 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Adrian

The 2021 Adrian Bulldogs football team represented Adrian College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 2021 NCAA Division III football season. Under head coach Jim Deere, the Bulldogs compiled a 5–6 record (3–3 against conference opponents) and tied for fourth place in the MIAA.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | Heidelberg* | Docking StadiumAdrian, MI | L 20–48 | 2,950 |
| September 11 | at Hanover* | Alumni StadiumHanover, IN | L 14–21 | 2,248 |
| September 18 | Greenville* | Docking StadiumAdrian, MI | W 41–28 | 4,500 |
| September 25 | at Finlandia* | McAfee FieldHancock, MI | W 56–6 | 602 |
| October 2 | at Trine | Fred Zollner Athletic ComplexAngola, IN | L 20–36 | 5,980 |
| October 9 | Albion | Docking StadiumAdrian, MI | W 21–7 | 1,840 |
| October 16 | Alma | Docking StadiumAdrian, MI | W 36–21 | 2,006 |
| October 23 | at Hope | Ray & Sue Smith StadiumHolland, MI | L 7–19 | 2,510 |
| November 6 | Olivet | Docking StadiumAdrian, MI | L 28–35 | 1,856 |
| November 13 | at Kalamazoo | Angell FieldKalamazoo, MI | W 33–21 | 561 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecoming ||||||

### Alma

The 2021 Alma Scots football team represented Alma College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 2021 NCAA Division III football season. In their fourth season under head coach Jason Couch, the Scots compiled a 5–5 record (1–5 against conference opponents) and finished in sixth place in the MIAA.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 4 | Bluffton* | Bahlke FieldAlma, MI | W 24–6 |
| September 11 | at Manchester (IN)* | N. Manchester, IN | W 47–23 |
| September 18 | Anderson (IN)* | Bahlke FieldAlma, MI (Hall of Fame Game) | W 51–2 |
| September 25 | at Martin Luther* | New Ulm, MN | W 35–27 |
| October 2 | Olivet | Bahlke FieldAlma, MI | L 10–33 |
| October 9 | at Kalamazoo | Angell FieldKalamazoo, MI | W 28–3 |
| October 16 | at Adrian | Adrian, MI | L 21–36 |
| October 30 | Hope | Bahlke FieldAlma, MI | L 3–27 |
| November 6 | Trine | Bahlke FieldAlma, MI | L 23–37 |
| November 13 | at Albion | Albion, MI | L 7–34 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecoming ||||||

### Kalamazoo

The 2021 Kalamazoo Hornets football team represented Kalamazoo College as a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) during the 2021 NCAA Division III football season. Under head coach Jamie Zorbo, the Hornets compiled a 1–9 record (0–6 against conference opponents) and finished in last place in the MIAA.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 4 | at Oberlin* | Knowlton ComplexOberlin, OH | W 24–17 |
| September 11 | at Central (IA)* | Pella, IA | L 13–69 |
| September 18 | Bluffton* | Angell FieldKalamazoo, MI | L 20–21 |
| September 25 | Alfred* | Angell FieldKalamazoo, MI | L 7–10 |
| October 2 | at Hope | Ray & Sue Smith StadiumHolland, MI | L 0–67 |
| October 9 | Alma | Angell FieldKalamazoo, MI | L 3–28 |
| October 16 | Albion | Angell FieldKalamazoo, MI | L 0–49 |
| October 23 | at Trine | Fred Zollner Athletic ComplexAngola, IN | L 13–47 |
| October 30 | at Olivet | Cutler Athletic ComplexOlivet, MI | L 7–49 |
| November 13 | Adrian | Angell FieldKalamazoo, MI | L 21–33 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecoming ||||||