What it is: The Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) is a football-only conference whose membership stretches from Ohio to Iowa, with schools in Indiana and Illinois sandwiched in between. The league has been in operation since 1993. In its 17 years of play, though, the MSFA has become of the toughest conferences in the NAIA, as programs such as Malone, McKendree, St. Ambrose, St. Francis (Ind.), St. Xavier (Ill.), and Walsh have established themselves as perennial national powers over the years. The conference is split into two "leagues", as opposed to "divisions": the Mideast and the Midwest.
Website: http://www.mid-statesfootball.org/
Predicted order of finish (2009 overall record in parentheses, projected champion in BOLD type)
Mideast League
1. St. Xavier (13-1): The Cougars from Chicagoland hope that 2010 will finally be the year they win it all. They reached the 2009 national semifinals before losing to eventual national champion Sioux Falls (S.D.)
2. St. Francis (Ind.)--(7-3): The Cougars from Fort Wayne look to return to their national championship contention form after settling for a second place tie in Mideast Division play at 5-2. But accomplishing that task won't be easy, as they'll face three teams that finished the 2009 season in the NAIA Top 25.
3. Walsh (8-3): The Cavaliers were 2-1 in games decided by eight points or less.
4. Taylor (7-3): The Trojans won their final four games of 2009 to finish in a three-way tie for tie for second place in the MSFA Mideast League.
5. Marian (6-5): The Knights fared slightly better on the road (4-3) than they did at home (2-2) last season.
6. Malone (4-6): The Pioneers slumped to a 2-5 mark in MSFA Mideast play last year.
7. Olivet Nazarene (2-9): The Tigers have a tough row to hoe if hope to make their first trip to postseason appearance since 2005. They last made the NAIA playoffs in 2000.
8. Trinity International (0-11): The Trojans face four teams that made the final Top 25 poll in the NAIA a year ago.
Midwest League
1. McKendree (9-2): The Bearcats will open the 2010 season in Tennessee against the University of the Cumberlands in the "Big River Bowl".
2. Grand View (8-3): The Vikings begin the 2010 campaign ranked No. 20 in the NAIA spring poll.
3. St. Ambrose (6-4): The Bees lost three of their four contests from 2009 by five points or less.
4. William Penn (7-5): The Statesmen hope to take another step towards postseason play after finishing third in the MSFA Midwest League at 5-2 last season.
5. Quincy (4-7): A tough early season schedule for the Hawks includes games against NCAA FCS foes Southern Illinois and Indiana State, as well as a contest versus Walsh from the MSFA Mideast League.
6. St. Francis (Ill.)--(3-8): The Fighting Saints hope to put up a much stronger fight for respect after struggling to a dismal 2-5 mark in conference play a year ago.
7. Iowa Wesleyan (2-9): The Tigers not only gave up at least 40 or more points in eight of their nine losses, they were also shutout in five of those contests.
8. Waldorf (1-9): The Warriors enter the 2010 campaign trying to snap an eight-game skid.
4 years ago
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