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).