THE LIGHTNING ROUND--WEEK 1--PART 2

KEY: Projected games highlighted in RED.

Game (s) of the week in italics.

Other games of interest highlighted in BOLD type.

Saturday, August 29

NCAA DIVISION II

Grand Valley State at West Texas A&M

(Preseason #1 team in d2football.com, AFCA polls faces early season test against the Buffaloes.)

Delta State at Texas A&M Kingsville

(Javelinas host Gulf South Conference favorite Statesmen in season opener.)

Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) at Minnesota-Duluth

North Alabama at Southern Arkansas

UNC Pembroke at Fayetteville State

Virginia State at Livingstone

Mary at Chadron State

Clark Atlanta at Fort Valley State

Central Oklahoma at Pittsburg State (Kan.)

NAIA

Avila vs. Doane

Ottawa vs. McKendree

(First Down Classic at Platte City, Mo.)

Faulkner at Webber International

Dickinson State at Rocky Mountain

Azusa Pacific at Carroll (Mont.)

Eastern Oregon at Southern Oregon

THE LIGHTNING ROUND--2009 DEBUT!!!!!! (Part 1)

Welcome to the "Lightning Round", the weekly post of predictions available exclusively on Real Football Central!

Each week, the "Lightning Round" will predict who will some of the top games in small college football nationwide. Here are some ground rules for these predictions.

Only teams that are currently competing at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-AA), NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA levels eligible to have their games included on the list of predicted games. Additionally, games involving current NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-A) programs are ineligible for inclusion on this elite list.

For example, the following games are "LR Eligible".

Appalachian State vs. Georgia Southern (FCS)
Grand Valley State vs. Ashland (D-II)
DePauw vs. Wabash (D-III)
Azusa Pacific vs. Carroll (Mont.)--(NAIA)
Quincy (NAIA) vs. Indiana State (FCS)
St. Cloud State (D-II) vs. Maine (FCS)

These games aren't eligible for inclusion on "The Lightning Round".

Any game involving two FBS teams (example: Ohio State vs. Michigan).
A game pitting any FBS opponent vs. an FCS opponent (example: Charleston Southern vs. Florida).

Having said that, what are waiting for? Let's go!

Projected winners are highlighted in RED.

Game (s) of the Week highlighted in italics.

Other games of interest highlighted in BOLD type.

Thursday, August 27

NCAA DIVISION II

Northwest Missouri State at Abilene Christian

(Bearcats face Wildcats in playoff re-match.)

Ashland at Bloomsburg

(Huskies take on the Golden Eagles in another battle of playoff teams from 2008.)

Saginaw Valley State at California (Pa.)

Carson-Newman at Winona State

Albany State (Ga.) at Chowan (N.C.)

Arkansas Tech at Northeastern State (Okla.)

NAIA

Marian at St. Francis (Ill.)

Bethel (Tenn.) at St. Xavier

INTERDIVISIONAL GAMES

Quincy (Ill.)--(NAIA) at Indiana State (FCS)

West Alabama (D-II) at Belhaven (NAIA)

Minot State (NAIA) at Bemidji State (D-II)

Friday, August 28

NCAA DIVISION II

Indiana (Pa.) at Southern Connecticut State

Assumption at Millersville

RFC Original--The NAIA Dandy Dozen

Editor's Note: Our preseason rankings wrap up with a look at which made the Top 12 in the NAIA.

1. Sioux Falls (14-0 in 2008): The Cougars won their second national championship in the last three years after knocking off then defending national champion Carroll (Mont.) in last year's title game. With 18 starters coming back this year, USF is the obvious favorite to repeat as NAIA champs. That is, unless another team proves otherwise.

2. Carroll (Mont.)--(13-1): The Saints from the northern Rocky Mountains just may be that aforementioned team to stop the "Sioux Falls Express", as their quest to win an unprecedented sixth national championship in seven years was derailed by these similarly aforementioned Cougars from South Dakota. Obviously, don't be surprised if the 2009 edition of the Saints make another deep playoff run.

3. St. Francis (Ind.)--(12-1): The Cougars from Indiana have made a serious run at a national championship the last several years, only to fall short each time. The big question mark is on defense. That's where USF only returns four starters from a year ago.

4. Lindenwood (Mo.)--(11-2): The Lions look to not only defend the Heart of America Athletic Conference championship they won last year, but also take that next step, and advance to the NAIA championship game in Rome, Ga. They hope to do just that, with 15 starters returning from 2008.

5. Morningside (10-2): The Iowa-based Mustangs hope to make a deeper playoff run after a heartbreaking 34-31 loss to Lindenwood in last year's quarterfinals.

6. University of the Cumberlands (Ky.)--(10-2): The Patriots advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NAIA playoffs for the first time ever last season, only to lose to St. Francis (Ind.), 31-20. Can the two-time defending Mid South Conference East Division champions take that step, and go deeper into postseason play? If this early season ranking is any indication, those chances could be very good for the Cumberlands faithful.

The Other Six

7. Mid American Nazare (Kan.)--(10-1)

8. Langston (Okla.)--(10-3)

9. Friends (Kan.)--(10-1)

10. Shorter (Ga.)--(9-3)

11. Union (Ky.)--(9-3)

12. Virginia-Wise (8-3)

Honorable Mention: Lambuth (Tenn.)--(8-4), St. Ambrose (Iowa)--(8-4), Ottawa (Kan.)--(8-2), St. Xavier (Ill.)--(7-4), Montana State-Northern (7-3), and Dickinson State (N.D.)--(7-4).

E-mail: realfootballcentral@gmail.com

RFC Originals--The D-III Dandy Dozen

Editor's Note: Our preseason previews with the revelation of the top 12 teams in NCAA Division III.

1. Mount Union (15-0 in 2008): There's no doubt as to who's on top to start the 2009 season: none other than the Purple Raiders from Alliance, Ohio. With 10 national championships (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2008) in the last 16 years, Mount Union has had a run of excellence that even the strongest programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-A) can't match. In fact, in the last 10 seasons alone (1999-2008), the Purple Raiders have lost just five games overall. Now, the big question is this: Can head coach Larry Kehres and his charges continue that run of excellence this season? An experienced group of returnees could provide answers as to whether the "Mount" will mount up yet another national championship trophy come December.

2. Wisconsin-Whitewater (13-2): The Warhawks hope to do something very few teams at any level of football have done over the years: reach a national championship game for the fifth year in a row. UWW has reached four straight Stagg Bowls at Salem, Virginia, with one national championship (2007) already under their belts, at the expense of the aforementioned Mount Union program. Additionally, the Warhawks have compiled an impressive 55-5 record over the last four years. It's a run of success this program hopes to continue in 2009.

3. Mary Hardin-Baylor (12-2): The Crusaders have become one of the strongest programs in all of D-III over the last seven years, winning at least 10 games in all but of those seasons. That's not to mention they've played for a national championship in 2004. Last year, though, UMHB reached the national semifinals, only to lose to eventual national runner-up Wisconsin-Whitewater. It'll be interesting to see if the Crusaders can take that next step, and make their first trip to the Stagg Bowl in five years.

4. Wheaton (11-3): Another national semifinalist from a year ago, the Thunder hope to go all the way in 2009. It fell to Mount Union there.

5. North Central (11-1): But the defending College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin champion Cardinals might have something to say about that along the way. They downed the Thunder 44-23 en route to the league title, but fell to Franklin in round two of last year's D-III playoffs.

6. Wisconsin-Stevens Point (9-2): The Pointers pulled off the upset over Wisconsin-Whitewater en route to a share of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title last season, but lost to Wartburg in the first round of the playoffs. UWSP hopes to win at least one playoff game this year, assuming the Pointers can tough in the always-tough WIAC. They open the 2009 season with three straight non-conference games, all on the road.

The Other Six

7. Willamette (11-1)

8. Hardin-Simmons (9-2)

9. Wesley (9-2)

10. Cortland State (11-2)

11. Ithaca (9-2)

12. Monmouth (Ill.)--(11-1)

Honorable Mention: Washington & Jefferson (11-2), St. John's (Minn.)--(8-3), Case Western Reserve (10-1), Franklin (11-2), Wabash (10-2), Christopher Newport (8-2), Otterbein (9-2), Hobart (9-2), DePauw (8-2), LaGrange (9-2), and Millsaps (11-1).

RFC Originals--The Dandy Dozen of (NCAA) Division II

Our preseason previews continue with a look at the top 12 teams in NCAA Division II. So, what are we waiting for? Let's go!

1. Minnesota-Duluth (15-0 in 2008): Of course, the most logical place to start this latest installment is with the defending national champions from Duluth, Minnesota. After an unlikely, yet remarkable season a year ago, can the Bulldogs repeat the feat in 2009? Team captains Tobias Lemke, Cole Strilzuk, and Brandon Wood could be the key as to whetherd UMD can bring home another national championship trophy home come December.

2. Northwest Missouri State (13-2): The Bearcats accomplished a "four-peat" last year, but not the one most people want: a fourth straight national runner-up finish. Still, that hasn't stopped both the coaches and media from picking Northwest to finish on top in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association for the fourth straight year. A season-opening contest at Abilene Christian on national television (CBS College Sports) August 27 could tell just how good the Bearcats may be in 2009, as they hope the fifth time will be the charm, at least in terms of winning their first national championship in 10 years, with back-to-back crowns being won in 1998 and 1999, respectively.

3. Grand Valley State (11-1): GVSU has won four NCAA Division II titles this decade (2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006). But despite not having lost a regular season game in five years, the one loss the Lakers did suffer ended their season the last two years. Can Grand Valley end this current decade with a "one for the thumb" national championship in 2009?

4. California (Pa.)--(12-2): The Vulcans have gone 25-3 over the last two seasons, but both ended with losses in the national semifinals. Can Cal U finally get over the hump, and punch a ticket to the title game in Florence, Alabama this December.

5. Bloomsburg (11-2): The Huskies return a solid nucleus for what could be another potential deep playoff run. Their first comes on August 27. That's when they'll face another playoff team from a year ago in Ashland.

6. North Alabama (12-2): The Lions may have a new head coach in Terry Bowden, who--of course--is the son of legendary Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden. But it will take more than a famous name for UNA to make another deep playoff run in 2009.

The Other Six

7. Abilene Christian (11-1)

8. Pittsburg State (11-2)

9. West Texas A&M (11-2)

10. Delta State (11-2)

11. Chadron State (11-2)

12. Central Washington (10-2)

Honorable Mention: Valdosta State (9-3), Albany State (Ga.)--(7-4), Tusculum (8-4), Seton Hill (10-3), Ashland (9-4), West Chester (9-4), Wayne State (Neb.)--(9-3), and American International (-2).