RFC Summer Semester--Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC)--NCAA Division III

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2011 Final Standings 

Looking back: Mount Union took home an unprecedented 22nd Ohio Athletic Conference championship in 2011.  That amazing run also included a 20th straight conference title last season.  Oh, and about all of that success the Purple Raiders have had in postseason play over the last 20 years and change? They've won an unprecedented 10 national championships dating back to the 1993 season, although they've come up empty over the last three years, thanks to Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Looking ahead: Will the "purple reign" continue at Mount Union?  Or will another team finally step up, and put an end to it?  One of those two questions will be answered in 2012.

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

1. Mount Union (14-1):  The record speaks for itself for the Purple Raiders program.  Since 1990, they've lost just 14 games overall.  That includes the losses in the last three Stagg Bowls.  In the last dozen years alone, the Purple Raiders have lost only seven games.  Additionally, their last regular season loss came on October 22, 2005, a 21-14 setback to Ohio Northern at home.  Larry Kehres will enter his 27th season looking to add to that legacy.  With six road games to be played in 2012, it will be interesting to see if the "Mount" can continue to do just that.

2. Baldwin-Wallace (8-2):  Head Coach John Snell begins his 12th season at the Yellow Jackets helm.  He needs just six wins for his 70th career win in 2012.  Their schedule includes a home game against Mount Union on November 10.


3. Ohio Northern (6-4):  The Polar Bears look to bounce back after struggling to a 5-4 record in OAC play last season.  They'll get a chance to avenge of those losses from 2011 when they host Heidelberg in their home opener on September 15.


4. Heidelberg (8-2):  Fresh off of their best season since 1993, the Student Princes hope to take that next step, and win their first OAC title since 1972.


5. John Carroll (5-5):  With a career record of 98-88, head coach Regis Scafe needs just two wins to join the 100-win club.  He's also eight wins away from winning his 90th career game at JCU. In order to get there, though, the Blue Streaks need to post their first season of at least eight wins since 2002, when they advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs, losing to eventual national champion Mount Union in the national semifinals that year, to finish 12-2.


6. Capital (5-5):  If the Crusaders hope to be serious contenders in the OAC in 2012, they must learn to how to play catch-up once they fall behind, as they lost all five games by a combined total of 120 points in 2011.


7. Muskingum (4-6):  The Muskies fast start at 4-0 was wiped out with a six-game skid to end the 2011 season.  They hope to erase that memory during the 2012 season.


8. Marietta (3-7):  The Pioneers are hoping to notch their first winning season since 1998, when they finished 6-4.


9. Otterbein (3-7):  After three straight winning seasons, the Cardinals fell back to earth in 2011, finishing a dismal 2-7 in OAC action.  They'll face a long, uphill battle back to the top in 2012.  If they hope to get back to the winning ways of 2008, 2009, and 2010, the Cards must learn how to win the close games that got away from them last season, as they lost five games by six points or less.


10. Wilmington (0-10):  The Quakers enter the 2012 season hoping to snap a 26-game losing streak dating back to October 10, 2009.  Their last win came one week earlier, on October 3, 2009, when they defeated John Carroll, 24-16.