What it is: The Atlantic Central Football Conference has competed at the NCAA Division III level since 1998, and is one of the few football-only conferences playing at any level, NCAA or NAIA. Wesley College of Dover, Delaware has dominated the ACFC since its inception, winning seven of the league's 12 titles, including the last five. The Wolverines have also finished unbeaten in league play in all but one of those season, going 4-1 in 2005. Additionally, Wesley has reached the national semifinals of the D-III playoffs three of the last five years, losing either to Mount Union or Wisconsin-Whitewater each time.
With Frostburg State and Salisbury both leaving for the Empire 8 Conference in 2011, it appears that 2010 will be the final year for the ACFC. Don't be surprised if Wesley joins either the Centennial or Middle Atlantic Conferences, or another league with an automatic bid to the D-III playoffs.
One final side note: The fourth member of the ACFC, Newport News Apprentice (Va.), is not a college or university. Nor is it affiliated with the NCAA or NAIA. Instead, it's a trade school that has played against smaller colleges and universities since its founding in 1919.
Website: http://www.acfcfootball.com
Predicted order of finish (2009 overall record in parentheses, projected champion in BOLD type)
1. Wesley (13-1): Will 2010 finally be the year the Wolverines break through, and advance to the Stagg Bowl?
2. Salisbury (5-6): The Gulls hope to win the first ACFC title since 2004, in their final season before bolting for the Empire 8 Conference.
3. Frostburg State (1-9): The Bobcats last winning season was in 2005. They finished 6-5 overall, but were a dismal 1-4 in ACFC play.
4. Newport News Apprentice (1-9): The Builders struggled to a winless, last place finish in the ACFC at 0-3.
RFC Contacts
E-mail: realfootballcentral@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/realfootball
4 years ago
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