RFC Summer Semester--Liberty League Preview (NCAA Division III)

Liberty League Preview (NCAA Division III)

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2011 Final Standings

Looking back: Hobart took home the 2011 Liberty League championship, despite playing just eight games during the regular season.  The Statesmen fell to eventual national semifinalist Wesley, 35-28, in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Looking ahead: Springfield College out of Massachusetts joins the LL from the Empire 8 Conference this season.  That gives the conference eight teams for the 2012 campaign.

 2012 Predicted Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)

1. Hobart (7-2):  28 proved to be the unlucky number for the Statesmen in 2011.  That's the exact number of points they scored in both of their losses last season.  They blew an early 28-7 in losing their lone regular season contest to RPI, 29-28, on November 5, followed by the season ending loss to Wesley to in the opening round of the D-III dance by the final score of, you guessed it, 35-28, just two weeks later.  So, the key to beating the Statesmen in 2012 just might be that opponents might have to hold them to exactly 28 points scoring.


2. Union (N.Y.)--(6-4):  If there's any team in the LL that might seriously challenge Hobart for the conference's automatic bid to the D-III playoffs, the Dutch just might be that team.  After starting last season at 0-3, the Dutch caught fire, winning six of their final seven contests, including a season-ending four-game winning streak. The only loss they had during that span: a 41-24 setback to Hobart on October 8. Hopefully, the momentum they built at the end of last season will carry over into this season.  Oh, and just one other side note: under current head coach John Audino, Union has had just one sub-.500 season in his 20 years at the helm, with the Dutch finishing a dismal 2-7 in 2010.


3. RPI (4-5):  The Engineers upset win over Hobart was the primary bright spot of an otherwise mediocre 2011 season, as they were 3-4 in games decided by 10 points or less.   They'll be tested tremendously in their 2012 season opener on September 8, when they play host to Alfred.  Additionally, the Engineers will host Hobart on October 20.


4. Rochester (4-5):  The Yellowjackets will four games at home, and five on the road, in 2012.  One of those away games will be played on September 15, when they face NCAA Division III playoff quarterfinalist St. John Fisher.


5. U.S. Merchant Marine (3-7):  The Mariners hope to improve on last season's 2-4 Liberty League mark.


6. Springfield (6-4):  The Pride finished their final season in the Empire 8 Conference with a respectable 4-3 record in league games.  It'll be interesting to see if they can least match that mark in their rookie season in the LL.


7. St. Lawrence (3-6):  The Saints hope that 2012 will be kind to them after a disappointing 2011 campaign.  That followed a 2010 campaign that resulted in a 5-1 conference record (5-6 overall) that put them in the D-III dance as the Liberty League's automatic qualifier.


8. WPI (2-7):  The Engineers will start the 2012 season trying a snap a five-game skid that ended their 2011 campaign.

RFC Summer Semester--Empire 8 Conference Preview (NCAA Division III)

Empire 8 Conference Preview (NCAA Division III)

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2011 Final Standings

Looking back:  Salisbury University made a big splash in its first season in the Empire 8 Conference in 2011, as the Sea Gulls went undefeated (7-0) in league play en route to advancing to the NCAA Division III playoff quarterfinals, losing to eventual national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater, 34-14.  Additionally, St. John Fisher also advanced to the quarterfinals, losing to eventual national semifinalist St. Thomas, 45-10.

Looking ahead: Buffalo State joins the E8 this season, while Brockport will follow suit in 2014.  That will give the conference at least nine members by then, barring any further changes in membership.  Also, Springfield left the E8 to join the Liberty League in 2012.

2012 Predicted Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)

1. St. John Fisher (10-3):  The Cardinals hope to make another deep run in the D-III playoffs this season.  But a tough early season slate has them facing the likes of Thomas More and Washington and Jefferson, both out of the President's Athletic Conference.

2. Salisbury (11-2):  After a remarkable run which included an inaugural conference title, as well as a trip to the D-III Elite Eight, the Sea Gulls also hope to go deep in the D-III playoffs.  But they definitely won't be sneaking up on anyone, especially with perennial postseason participants like Christopher Newport and Wesley to start off the 2012 slate. 

3.  Alfred (8-3):  The Saxons ended an otherwise "down" season by their standards with a 41-10 rout of Bridgewater State (Mass.) in last year's ECAC Northeast Bowl.  On a side note, they'll play only one game outside of New York State this season; a trip to Salisbury on October 20.

4. Utica (5-5):  The Pioneers hope that 2011 will end better than it started, as they lost three straight after a 5-2 start, to finish E8 action at 2-5.

5. Ithaca (4-6):  The Bombers look to begin the long climb back to respectability after experiencing something their faithful hadn't experienced in years: a losing season.

6. Frostburg State (4-6):  The Bobcats will look on last year's 3-4 conference record in their inaugural season of E8 play.

7. Buffalo State (5-5):  With a tough schedule that includes a trip to three-time defending national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater on September 15, the Bengals might be hard pressed to even repeat last year's respectable 5-4 league mark in their final season in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), much less finish above .500 in their rookie season in the E8.

8. Hartwick (2-8):  The Hawks have nowhere to go but up after going winless (0-7) in E8 games last season.

 

RFC Summer Semester--Northeast 10 Conference Preview (NCAA Division II)

Northeast 10 Conference (NCAA Division II)

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2011 Final Standings

Looking back: In just their third season since re-starting football, the University of New Haven finished unbeaten in Northeast 10 conference play (8-0) en route to winning the league title, as well as advancing to the quarterfinals of last year's NCAA Division II playoffs.  The Chargers lost to Winston Salem State, 27-7, to finish the 2011 campaign at 11-2 overall.

Looking ahead:  In a first for the conference, the NE-10 will hold its first-ever "Championship Weekend", where the top two teams in the final regular season standings will play in a championship game on November 10.  The other teams will play in consolation games on that same date.

 2012 Predicted Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)

1. New Haven (11-2):  If they can stay healthy and focused, there's no reason why the Chargers can't make another deep postseason run in 2012.  Hopefully, the signing of 19 players during the offseason will help them do just that.

2. Southern Connecticut State (7-3):  The Owls will look to de-throne the Chargers after finishing second in the NE-10 at 6-2.  They must make the trip to UNH on October 27, for the potential opportunity to do so, though.  


3. Merrimack (6-4):  The Warriors were one of three teams to finish in a three-way for third place last season.  Their lone non-conference game of the 2012 season will be played against NCAA Division III Rowan on September 8.  That's one week after their season opener at New Haven.


4. American International (6-4):  The Yellow Jackets will quickly find out how good they are in their season opener on September 8, when they travel to West Virginia to face a Shepherd squad that finished 9-2 last season.


5. Bentley (6-4):  Head Coach Thom Boerman hopes the signing of mostly Massachusetts signing class will help the Falcons challenge for a conference title in 2012.


6. Stonehill (4-7):  If the Skyhawks are to improve on last year's 3-5 conference mark of 2011, they must win learn how to win the close games.  They were 1-3 in games decided by 10 points or less last season.


7. Assumption (4-6):  The Greyhounds also struggled in close games last season, going 2-2 in contests decided by 10 points or fewer.


8. Pace (1-9):  The Setters look to move up after going winless in conference play (0-8) last season.  Their only win of 2011 came on September 10, as they outlasted Stonehill, 23-20.


9. Saint Anselm (1-9):  The Hawks lone win of 2011 also came in NE-10 action: a 47-21 rout of Pace on September 22.


 

 

RFC Summer Semester--New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Preview (NCAA Division III)

New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)
 
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2011 Final Standings 

Looking back:  Amherst finished unbeaten (8-0) in a conference that doesn't send any of its teams to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Looking ahead: Don't be surprised if the Lord Jeffs, as well as Trinity (Conn.) do battle for the NESCAC crown in 2012.


2012 Predicted Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)

1. Amherst (8-0): The Lord Jeffs won a close game over Trinity (Conn.), followed by a win over archrival Williams, to complete an undefeated season.


2. Trinity (Conn.)--(7-1):  The Bantams played in just three games decided by nine points or less last season, including that tough seven point loss to the Lord Jeffs.


3. Williams (5-3):  The Ephs will look to return to the top of the NESCAC after a mediocre 2011 campaign in which they lost all three of their games by a combined 30 points.


4. Middlebury (4-4):  The Panthers hope to notch their first eight win season since 1972.


5. Bowdoin (4-4):  The Polar Bears ended last season with a split against their "CBB" rivals, losing to Bates, followed by a season ending win over Colby to retain the mythical crown for the sixth straight crown.


6. Colby (3-5):  The Mules welcome a new head coach in Jonathan Michaeles.


7. Bates (3-5):  A convincing win over Bowdoin in the next-to-last week of the season gave the Bobcats their first three-win season in a decade.


8. Wesleyan (3-5):  The Cardinals are looking for their first winning season since 2002, when they finished 5-3.


9. Hamilton (3-5):  The Continentals hope their institution's bicentennial year (the Clinton, N.Y.-based institution opened in 1812) will result in a winning season.

10. Tufts (0-8):  The Jumbos defeated Hamilton, 21-10, in the season opener on September 25, 2010.  They haven't won since, losing 15 in a row.

RFC Summer Semester--Arena Football League Update

The Tampa Bay Storm hold on for a big win, while the Georgia Force fall victim to an upset loss at Kansas City, falling into a two-way tie for first place in the South Division.  Click the following links for a quick recap of Saturday's action in the Arena Football League.

Tampa Bay 63, Milwaukee 55

Kansas City 39, Georgia 27

Arizona 69, New Orleans 45 

San Antonio 64, Utah 61

RFC Summer Semester--2012 Debut--New England Football Conference (NEFC)--(NCAA Division III)

Editor's Note:  Welcome to the third season debut of the "RFC Summer Semester", exclusively on Real Football Central.  We hope to get through yet another summer of preseason previews of small college football throughout the U.S.A., as well as occasionally previewing some key games in the Arena Football League, the other indoor football leagues, and the upcoming Canadian Football League (CFL) season.  So, without further ado, let's get started, with the NCAA Division III New England Football Conference (NEFC).

New England Football Conference

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2011 Final Standings 

Looking back:  A dramatic 2011 season in the NEFC ended with Western New England outlasting Framingham State in an overtime thriller, and advancing to its first-ever NCAA Division III playoff.  However, the Golden Bears were quickly ousted by Salisbury, 62-24, in the first round.


Looking ahead: 2012 will mark the final season of the current 16-team NEFC, as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) will begin playing football in 2013.  


Here's the make-up of the two split conferences:


MASCAC:  Bridgewater State, Fitchburg State, Framingham State, Massachusetts-Dartmouth, Massachusetts Maritime, Plymouth State, Western Connecticut, Westfield State, and Worcester State.


NEFC: Coast Guard, Curry, Endicott, Maine Maritime, MIT, Nichols, Salve Regina, and Western New England.


2012 Predicted Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)

Bogan Division

1. Worcester State (8-3):  The Lancers finished in a three-way tie for first place in the Bogan Division at 6-2, but lost a three-way tiebreaker that eventually went in favor of Framingham State.  If they hope to land a berth in the NCAA playoffs in 2012, they must survive a schedule that includes playing three of their first five games of the season on the road.  That includes a September 15 visit to defending NEFC champion Western New England.

2. Framingham State (7-4):  After a heartbreaking overtime loss to WNEC in last year's NEFC title game, the Rams hope to get over the hump, and win another Bogan Division crown.


3. Bridgewater State (7-3):  The Bears will play three of their first five games at home, including three straight games in the middle of September, and three of the final five games on the road.


4. Westfield State (5-5):  The Owls won back-to-back games to close out the 2011 season after starting it at 3-5. They were an even 3-3 in games decided by three points or less last season. 


5. Massachusetts Maritime (5-4):  The Buccaneers started last season 5-2, but lost back-to-back games to finish at 3-4 in NEFC play.  They open this season playing four of their five games on the road, while playing their final two games at home.


6. Coast Guard (2-8):  The Bears look to move up after a miserable 2011 season.


7. Maine Maritime (4-5):  A 4-1 start to 2011 ended with a four-game losing streak for the Mariners, who hope to advance to the D-III playoffs for the first time since 2009.


8. Fitchburg State (2-8):  The Falcons enter the 2012 campaign on a five-game losing streak.


Boyd Division

1. Endicott (10-1):  The Gulls may have lost only one game in 2011, but that one loss, to Western New England, cost them a chance to play for a conference title.  They hope to get over that hump in 2012.


2. Western New England (10-2):  Fresh off their first-ever NCAA playoff appearance, the Golden Bears hope to make it back-to-back postseason appearances in 2012.  

3. Salve Regina (8-3):  The Seahawks reeled off six straight wins to end the 2011 season after a 2-3 start, including a win over Worcester State in the ECAC Northwest Bowl to top it off.  They hope that momentum will carry over into 2012.


4. Curry (5-5):  After missing out on postseason play the last three years, the Colonels hope to return to the top in 2012.  But that would mean having to overtake the three teams that finished above them in 2011, as they play Endicott, WNEC, and Salve Regina in consecutive weeks starting on September 29.


5. UMass-Dartmouth (5-5):  The Corsairs have a brutal road trip to open the season, paying visits to Mount Ida, Bridgewater State, and Framingham State, before playing against Plymouth State in their home opener on September 22.


6. Plymouth State (4-6):  The Panthers look to rebound after a season-ending four-game losing streak wiped out a promising 4-2 start.


7. MIT (2-7):  The Engineers struggled to a 1-6 mark in Boyd Division play last season.


8. Nichols (0-10):  The Bison's last win came on October 30, 2010, when they (ironically) held off MIT, 17-14.  They've lost 11 straight games since then.