What it is: Although its current version dates back to 1975, the history of the South Atlantic Conference actually traces its roots back to the North State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference of the 1930's. That league included current FCS members Appalachian State and Western Carolina. Members of the current SAC are located in upstate South Carolina, western North Carolina, and eastern Tennessee. It currently has eight schools playing football, although D-II independent North Greenville (S.C.) will have a scheduling alliance with the SAC starting in 2011. Also, the membership of the SAC consists primarily of private, church-affiliated institutions.
Carson-Newman has the most storied history of all current SAC members, posting 555 wins overall dating back to 1913. Ken Sparks will enter his 31st season as the Eagles head coach, compiling a career record of 287-70-2 since 1980. C-N has won five national championships, all within the NAIA ranks (1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1989), while finishing as national runners-up at the NCAA Division II level three times in four years (1996, 1998, and 1999). The Eagles most recent postseason appearance came in 2009, where they fell to eventual D-II national runner-up Grand Valley State, 41-27, in the national semifinals.
Website: http://www.thesac.com/
Predicted order of finish (2009 overall record in parentheses, projected champion in BOLD type)
1. Carson-Newman (11-3): The Eagles finished unbeaten in SAC play at 7-0 last season. But they must overcome of at least 16 starters in order to entertain any thoughts of another postseason run this season.
2. Wingate (7-3): The Bulldogs open the 2010 season with back-to-back non-conference road games against West Georgia and Valdosta State. They'll face 2009 D-II playoff participant UNC Pembroke in their home opener on September 25.
3. Catawba (4-6): The Indians have signed up to 39 new players in hopes of rebounding from a disappointing 2009 campaign in which they finished last in the SAC at 1-6.
4. Tusculum (3-7): The Pioneers struggled to a 2-5 finish in SAC play in '09. That followed a nine-win season in 2008, where they advanced to round two of the D-II playoffs.
5. Newberry (6-4): The 2010 schedule has six home games, one of which includes a clash against Carson-Newman on October 30.
6. Mars Hill (6-4): The Lions bring back 30 letterwiners from a squad that notched a 4-3 finish in SAC action last season.
7. Brevard (7-4): The Tornados hope to take that next step, and contend for a SAC title after finishing 3-4 in conference play last season. But they'll have to play six games on the road to get there.
8. Lenoir-Rhyne (5-6): The Bears hope to improve on a 2-5 finish in SAC play in 2009. For 2010, LR will face six teams that had winning seasons from last year.
5 years ago
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