What it is: The Southland Conference (SLC) has established itself as one as the strongest conferences in all divisions of college football since it started in 1963.
Over the years, the SLC has competed in six different divisions, starting with the NAIA in 1963, the former NCAA College Division in 1968, NCAA Division II in 1973, NCAA Division I in 1975, NCAA Division I-A in 1978, and NCAA Division I-AA (now the Football Championship Subdivision) since 1982. As far as the FCS playoffs go, McNeese State has made the most appearances of any current member, with 13 league titles and 14 trips to the FCS playoffs entering the 2010 season. Also, as hard as it may be to believe, the SLC helped lay the foundation for the modern-day Independence Bowl in 1976, as the conference champion played in the Shreveport, Louisiana-based game until 1980.
In addition, numerous national championships in multiple divisions have been won over at least the last 40 years, but they've mainly been won by former members such as Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, and Northeast Louisiana (now Louisiana-Monroe), all of whom currently compete in the FBS Sun Belt Conference. No current SLC member has ever won an FCS national championship.
Looking forward to 2010, the SLC will earn the right to host a national championship game in January 2011, as this season's title contest will be played at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. Additionally, the league will welcome former NAIA and NCAA Division II power Central Arkansas into the fold, as the Bears spent the past four years playing under provisional status for the NCAA Division I level. Non-football playing Lamar returns to the gridiron fold in 2010, with the expectations of playing a full SLC schedule by 2011.
The SLC has also had its share of former players go on to the NFL, with former defensive end Fred Dean, ex-quarterback Bubby Brister, and running back Larry Centers, just to name a few.
Website: http://www.southland.org/
Predicted order of finish (2009 overall record in parentheses, projected champion in BOLD type)
1. McNeese State (9-3): The Cowboys bring back all 11 starters on defense in hopes of bringing home that elusive national championship.
2. Stephen F. Austin (10-3): With 12 players landing on the preseason all-SLC squads, expect the defending co-champion Lumberjacks to be serious contenders for the conference crown again in 2010.
3. Texas State (7-4): The Bobcats tough non-conference schedule includes games against FBS Houston from Conference USA, as well as contests against Cal Poly and Southern Utah from the FCS Great West Conference.
4. Southeastern Louisiana (6-5): The Lions last conference championship came back in 1961. That was the year they won the now-defunct Gulf States Conference crown.
5. Sam Houston State (5-6): The Bearkats hope a new head coach in Willie Fritz will help lead them to their first FCS playoff appearance since 2004.
6. Nicholls (3-8): The Colonels also welcome a new head coach for 2010 in Charlie Stubbs.
7. Central Arkansas (5-7): The Bears enter first full season of eligibility in the FCS ranks with key early non-conference tests against FCS playoff participant Eastern Illinois, as well as Tulsa from FBS Conference USA.
8. Northwestern State (0-11): The Demons last win came in the final game of the 2008 season, as they defeated Stephen F. Austin, 34-24, on November 22 of that year.
5 years ago
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