skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Key: Featured games are listed in BOLD type.
Projected winners are marked in RED.
Other games of interest are listed in normal type.
Note:
NCAA Division II
Saturday, September 1
Valdosta State at Saginaw Valley State
(Blazers head north to face the Cardinals in GSC vs. GLIAC clash!)
Nebraska-Kearney at Washburn
(Lopers take on the Ichabods in first-ever MIAA match-up!)
Minnesota State at Minot State
Sioux Falls at St. Cloud State
Fort Valley State at Delta State
Central Missouri at Missouri Western State
Lenoir-Rhyne at Concord
UNC Pembroke at Winston-Salem State
NCAA Division III
Schedule of games for week of September 1, 2012
Saturday, September 1
Mount Union at Franklin
(Grizzlies play host to the powerhouse Purple Raiders in key early-season clash!)
Salisbury at Christopher Newport
(Sea Gulls open their season on the road against the Captains!)
Endicott at Framingham State
Western New England at Norwich
Randolph-Macon at Johns Hopkins
LaGrange at Birmingham-Southern
Whitworth at St. Scholastica
NAIA
Schedule of games for week ending September 1, 2012 (courtesy of naia.org)
Thursday, August 30
Valley City State at Morningside
(Mustangs play host to the Vikings in a battle of 2011 NAIA playoff participants!)
Saturday, September 1
Marian vs. Bethel (Tenn.)--(0-1)
(2012 NAIA Big River Bowl at Dyersburg, Tenn.)
Cumberland (Tenn.) vs. Kansas Wesleyan
(2012 NAIA Big River Bowl at Dyersburg, Tenn.)
Pikeville (1-0) at Campbellsville
(Tigers play host to the Bears in critical early-season Mid-South Conference match-up!)
Baker (1-0) at Peru State (1-0)
Editor's Note: Welcome
to the 2012 edition of the "Lightning Round", on RFC. Each week during
the small college football season, the "Lightning Round" will make
predictions on small college football games of interest across the
United States, as well as one institution in Canada.
Before
proceeding, here are a few ground rules. The following games are
eligible for inclusion in each week's installment of TLR:
*--FCS vs. FCS (formerly NCAA Division I-AA)
(Example: North Dakota State at Northern Iowa)
*--FCS vs. NCAA Division II
(Delta State [D-II] vs. Tennessee Tech [FCS])
*--NCAA Division II vs. NCAA Division III
(Birmingham Southern [D-III] vs. West Alabama [D-II])
*--NCAA Division II vs. NAIA
(St. Francis [Ind.]--[NAIA] vs. Indianapolis [D-II]
*--Any other game
that features teams currently in the four lower or small college
divisions of the NCAA, as well as the entire NAIA.
(Wisconsin-Whitewater [D-III] vs. St. Xavier [NAIA])
The following games are ineligible for inclusion on TLR:
*--FCS vs. FBS (formerly NCAA Division I-A)
(Example: Eastern Washington [FCS] at Washington [FBS])
*--FBS vs. FBS (Any game involving a FBS program)
(Examples: Auburn vs. Georgia, Florida State vs. Clemson, Michigan vs. Ohio State, San Jose State vs. Washington, Troy vs. Western Kentucky, Western Michigan vs. Michigan State)
Additionally, there's a slight tweak to TLR in 2012, as up to 60 games will be chosen for prognostication. With that said, let's move on.
Key: Featured games are listed in BOLD type.
Projected winners are marked in RED.
Other games of interest are listed in normal type.
FCS
Schedule of games for week ending September 1, 2012
Thursday, August 30
Hampton at Tennessee Tech
Saturday, September 1
Robert Morris at North Dakota State
(Bison begin national title defense vs. Colonials)
Furman at Samford
(Purple Paladins square off against the Bulldogs in Southern Conference opener)
Jacksonville at Georgia Southern
Florida A&M at Tennessee State
Central Connecticut State at Stony Brook
New Hampshire at Holy Cross
Sunday, September 2
Bethune-Cookman vs. Alabama State
(Wildcats match wits against the Hornets [and former Georgia star Isaiah Crowell] in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge at Orlando, Fla.)
NCAA Division II
Schedule of games for week ending September 1, 2012
Thursday, August 30
Hillsdale at California (Pa.)
(Vulcans play host to the Chargers in a PSAC vs. GLIAC match-up!)
West Texas A&M at Colorado State-Pueblo
(Buffaloes, Thunderwolves square off in Super Region 4 showdown!)
Friday, August 31
Bloomsburg at Stonehill
Upper Iowa at Bemidji State
Pace at Bentley
Quincy at Northwood
Saturday, September 1
Grand Valley State at Western Oregon
(Wolves play host to the Lakers in a non-conference showdown in the Pacific Northwest!)
North Greenville at Albany State (Ga.)
(Golden Rams play host to the Crusaders in a re-match of an NCAA Division II playoff game from 2011!)
Some of the top teams in the NAIA teams cruise to easy victories, while the two teams that were tied for No. 11 in that division's preseason poll both fell victim to upset losses, to open the season. Find out who won, and lost, by clicking here, in the first installment of the RFC Scoreboard for 2012.
It might be hard to believe, but the 2012 college football season gets underway this weekend, with all of the games involving NAIA teams! Click here for the full schedule, courtesy of naia.org.
Editor's Note: This is the final installment of the "RFC Summer Semester" series for 2012. To read previous installments, log on to http://realfootballcentral.blogspot.com, and scroll down to the "Blog Archive".
Website
2011 Final Standings
Looking back: Cal Lutheran outlasted Redlands, 28-24, en route to winning the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championship, as well as the subsequent automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs, in 2011. The Kingsmen suffered both losses to Linfield, in the regular season opener, as well as in the first round of the D-III dance, with the latter loss ending their season. The Bulldogs didn't fare much better in postseason play, either, as they fell to Mary Hardin-Baylor, 34-13, also in round one.
Looking ahead: The SCIAC's membership will grow by one institution to eight in 2012, as Chapman University joins the league. Meanwhile, don't be surprise if the race for this year's conference title comes down to Cal Lutheran and Redlands once again.
2012 Predicted
Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)
1. Cal Lutheran (8-2): With a preseason ranking of No. 12 in the d3football.com poll, the Kingsmen appear poised for yet another potential run at postseason play in 2012. With an all-time record of 298-175-7 entering this season, they need just two more wins to join the 300-win club.
2. Redlands (8-2): But don't expect the Bulldogs to go away, especially with them hosting a what's sure to be a much anticipated showdown against the Kingsmen on September 29. They've advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs four times over the last 10 years, dating back to the 2002 season. Additionally, head coach Mike Maynard enters the 2012 season--his 25th at the Bulldog helm--with a career record of 151-69-1.
3. Occidental (5-4): The Tigers have a lot of work to do if they're to break the stranglehold that CLU and Redlands have had on the SCIAC in recent years. They'll be on the road for games against both teams this season.
4. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (4-5): The Stags enter the 2012 season with a new head coach in Kyle Sweeney.
5. LaVerne (4-5): The Leopards hope to earn their first NCAA playoff berth since 1994, as well as well as their first SCIAC championship since 1995, in 2012. In order to accomplish either task, though, they must do it under second year head coach Chris Krich.
6. Whittier (2-7): The Poets haven't had a winning season since 1998, when they finished unbeaten (6-0) in SCIAC play en route to winning their last conference crown that season.
7. Chapman (4-5): The Panthers saw a 4-1 start unravel into an 0-4 finish last season. They'll face an uphill battle in their first full SCIAC season.
8. Pomona-Pitzer (0-9): Speaking of uphill battles, the Sagehens will be seeking their first win since November 6, 2010, when they edged LaVerne, 28-26.
Website
2011 Final Standings
Looking back: Humboldt State (9-1 overall) won the 2011 Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship, finishing conference play at 7-1. Despite those excellent marks, though, the Lumberjacks found themselves on the outside looking in when the NCAA Division II playoff selections were made.
Looking ahead: The GNAC will make history in 2012, as Simon Fraser--out of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, will become the first non-U.S. institution to become an official NCAA member. Meanwhile, Humboldt State will get company from its home state of California, as Azusa Pacific officially begins the transition from the NAIA to the D-II ranks.
2012 Predicted
Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)
1. Western Oregon (6-5): With the return of 13 starters, eight of them on defense, don't be surprised if the Wolves find themselves as the leaders of the pack in the GNAC at the end of the 2012 season.
2. Humboldt State (9-1): The Lumberjacks suffered their lone loss of 2011, to none other than, the WOU Wolves. That one loss, however, likely cost them a trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs. HSU will likely need to go undefeated to have any shot at postseason play in 2012.
3. Central Washington (4-6): The Wildcats look to return to their 2009 playoff form after a disappointing 2011 season.
4. Simon Fraser (3-7): The Clan hope to make some noise in their first full season as an NCAA Division II member.
5. Dixie State (1-10): The Red Storm hope to go only one way in 2012, and that's up.
Not eligible for GNAC title
Azusa Pacific (9-3): After advancing to the playoffs for the final time as an NAIA member in 2011, the Cougars must adjust to life as a transitional D-II program in 2012.
Website
2011 Final Standings
Looking back: Linfield rolled to yet another Northwest Conference (NWC) championship in 2011, going unbeaten (9-0) during the regular season en route to advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. That's where the Wildcats season came to an end, as they were eliminated by Wesley, 49-34.
Looking ahead: Expect the rest of the NWC to chase Linfield in 2012.
2012 Predicted
Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)
1. Linfield (10-1): The Wildcats will look to not only extend the longest active streak of winning seasons in college football at all levels--56 straight winning seasons from 1956-2011--but also try to make a deeper postseason run in 2012. If that wasn't enough, with a career record of 49-13, head coach Joseph Smith needs just one more win to join the 50-win club.
2. Pacific Lutheran (6-3): As hard it was to believe, the Lutes once reeled off 36 straight winning seasons from 1969-2004, with most of them coming under former head coach Frosty Westering. Now, under current head coach Scott Westering (yes, he's Frosty's son), PLU hopes to build on back-to-back winning seasons. In the last two years, the Lutes are a combined 14-4 overall, although their win total did decrease by two between 2010 and 2011. They'll be tested sternly in their 2012 season opener at home against Cal Lutheran on September 8.
3. Lewis and Clark (7-2): Although they clinched their first winning season since 1995, the way the 2011 season ended was anything but pleasant for the Pioneers, as they lost back-to-back games to close it out after starting 7-0. They hope to win their first NWC crown since 1991, when they shared it with Linfield, en route to finishing 7-2-1 overall that season.
4. Willamette (4-6): The Bearcats will look to not only bounce back from their first losing season since 2007, but also try to win their first NWC title--as well as advance to the NCAA Division III playoff for the first time--both since 2008. With an all-time record of 491-385-38 going into the 2012 season, they need just nine more wins (which would mean they would have to go 9-0 during the regular season) to get the program's 500th all-time win.
5. Whitworth (4-6): The Pirates hope to build on a season-ending surge where they won three of their last four games to end the 2011 season after a 1-5 start. Only a tough loss to Linfield in the next-to-last game of last season kept them finishing it at .500.
6. Pacific (1-8): In just their second season resuming their football program, the Boxers won their lone game of 2011: a 44-25 rout of Puget Sound for Homecoming.
7. Puget Sound (0-9): Speaking of the Loggers, they'll try to win their first game since October 30, 2010, when ironically, they beat the Boxers, 42-31.
Website
2011 Final Standings
Looking back: Montana and Montana State both finished the 2011 season with identical 7-1 records in Big Sky Conference play. However, the Grizzlies downed the Bobcats in convincing fashion, 36-10, to win the Big Sky autobid to the FCS playoffs. In the playoffs, Montana (11-3 overall) advanced as far as the national semifinals before losing to eventual national runner-up Sam Houston State in heartbreaking fashion, 31-28, while Montana State (10-3) was crushed by the Bearkats in the quarterfinals just the week before, 49-13.
Looking ahead: With the addition of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, North Dakota, Southern Utah, and UC Davis--all former members of the now-defunct Great West Football Conference (GWFC)--the Big Sky Conference's numbers will go from nine to 13 members for 2012.
2012 Predicted
Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)
1. Montana (11-3): The Grizzlies hope to make a much deeper postseason run in 2012. As in winning a national championship, which would be their first since 2001. Still, head coach Mick Delaney must replace at least 13 starters, nine of them on defense, if the Grizzlies hope to play deep into December, or into January for that matter.
2. Montana State (10-3): The Bobcats, however, just might have a say as to who will finish on top in the Big Sky before all is said and done. But, with 12 offensive lettermen lost from 2011, repeating that success in 2012 will be anything but easy.
3. Portland State (7-4): The Vikings hope to break the stranglehold both UM and MSU have had on this conference in recent years. They bring back 13 starters at all from 2011. Oh, and their win total improved by five from the 2010 season.
4. Eastern Washington (6-5): The Eagles hope to return to their national championship form of 2010. They won five of their final six games after an 0-4 start.
5. North Dakota (8-3): Former GWFC champions hope to at least be competitive in their inaugural Big Sky season.
6. Weber State (5-6): The Wildcats closed out an otherwise disappointing 2011 season with back-to-back wins to finish with a winning record in Big Sky play at 5-3. It'll be interesting to see if that finish will carry over into the 2012 season.
7. Northern Arizona (4-7): The Lumberjacks will face Arizona State from the Pac-12 Conference, as well as UNLV from the FBS (BCS non-AQ) Mountain West Conference, to open the 2012 season.
8. Sacramento State (4-7): The Hornets hope to move up in the Big Sky standings after finishing 3-5 in conference play last season.
9. Southern Utah (6-5): The Thunderbirds finished 3-0 against current members of the Big Sky Conference in 2011, including a season-ending 27-24 win over Northern Arizona. Still, that won't mean anything, as SUU begins its first full season as an affiliate member.
10. UC Davis (4-7): The Aggies face an uphill battle, as they begin their inaugural Big Sky season.
11. Cal Poly (6-5): The Mustangs also find themselves facing tougher competition, in a brand new league.
12. Idaho State (2-9): The Bengals head into the 2012 season trying to snap an eight-game skid. That came after a 2-1 start to the 2011 season.
13. Northern Colorado (0-11): The Bears look to bounce back after a winless 2011 season.
Website
2011 Final Standings
Looking back: Carroll (Mont.) took home yet another Frontier Conference title in 2011, advancing to the NAIA national championship game, only to see their dream of claiming their seventh title in the last 10 years derailed by St. Xavier, 24-20.
Looking ahead: The FC will have eight schools take the field in 2012, with the addition of Dickinson State University in North Dakota, as well as Southern Oregon University. Additionally, the College of Idaho will bring back its football program in 2014.
2012 Predicted
Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)
1. Carroll (Mont.)--(13-2): Saints are the team to beat until and unless another squad steps up and proves otherwise.
2. Eastern Oregon (8-3): With a preseason ranking of No. 16 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 poll, the Mountaineers just might give the Saints a run for their money.
3. Montana State-Northern (5-5): The Lights face a rough stretch to start the 2012 season, with games against Carroll and EOU to open it, among other opponents.
4. Dickinson State (4-6): The Blue Hawks face a tough road ahead in their rookie season in the FC.
5. Rocky Mountain (5-6): The Bears hope to bounce back after a season-ending three-game skid ended their hopes of having a winning season.
6. Southern Oregon (5-5): After posting their best mark in nearly a decade, the Raiders hope to become serious contenders for a conference title, as they enter their inaugural season in the FC.
7. Montana Tech (3-8): The Orediggers hope to bounce back after a rough 2011 season.
8. Montana Western (2-9): The Bulldogs will face an uphill battle out of the FC basement entering 2012.
Website
2011 Final Standings
Looking back: In just its fourth season since resuming its football program, Colorado State-Pueblo won the 2011 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) championship. The Thunderwolves run in the NCAA Division II playoffs, however, was cut short in the second round, as they were stunned by Minnesota-Duluth, 24-21, for their lone loss of last season. The only other team from the RMAC to advance to the D-II playoffs was now former member Nebraska-Kearney, whose Lopers also fell in round two, losing to eventual national runner-up Wayne State (Mich.), 38-26, in an upset.
Looking ahead: While it has lost UNK to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), the RMAC did gain a new member in Black Hills State University out of South Dakota. The Yellow Jackets, though, are ineligible for not only the conference title, but also any postseason play. As for the squads that are eligible, CSU Pueblo should be the team to beat in 2012.
2012 Predicted
Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)
1. Colorado State-Pueblo (11-1): After a phenomenal 2011 season that ended all too abruptly, the Thunderwolves are looking forward to the 2012 season. With at least two publications ranking them in the Top 10, don't be surprised if CSU-Pueblo not only makes another run at the postseason play, but also wins at least one playoff game, maybe more.
2. Colorado Mines (8-3): The Orediggers hope to mount a serious challenge against the Thunderwolves for the RMAC title, as they look to advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time since 2010.
3. Chadron State (6-5): The Eagles needed a hard-fought overtime win over Colorado Mesa to finish the 2011 season with a winning record. Now, as the 2012 campaign approaches, they'll look to advance to the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 2008.
4. Adams State (6-5): Despite finishing RMAC play at 4-5, the Grizzlies still managed to notch their first winning season since 2006, when they also finished 6-5. They hope to win their first conference title since 1989. That was also the last time the Grizzlies made the playoffs, as an NAIA member.
5. Western New Mexico (5-6): The Mustangs are still looking for their first winning season since 1994, when they finished 5-4. They lost four of their six games in 2011 by 13 points or less.
6. Colorado Mesa (4-7): The Mavericks look to improve on last year's 3-6 record in RMAC play. Their last winning season was in 2008, which preceded a postseason appearance in 2007.
7. Fort Lewis (3-8): The Skyhawks struggled to a 2-7 mark in RMAC games last season.
8. New Mexico Highlands (4-7): A seven-game losing streak to end 2011 wiped out any good a 4-0 start did for the Cowboys. Four of those losses came by seven points or less. If they hope to have a better ending to 2012, winning those close games is a must for them.
9. Western State (1-10): A 15-14 upset win over New Mexico Highlands on October 1 was the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for the Mountaineers.
Not eligible for RMAC title
Black Hills State (3-7): The Yellow Jackets face a tough task in their rookie RMAC season.
Website
2011 Final Standings
Looking back: Despite finishing the 2011 season with the best overall record in the SWAC, Jackson State (9-2 overall) was unable to advance to the conference championship game. That was because the Tigers didn't meet the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate (APR). As for the teams that actually played for the SWAC title, Grambling State edged Alabama A&M, 16-15, to win the conference crown, overcoming a 12-point halftime deficit along the way.
Looking ahead: Another SWAC program, Texas Southern, won't participate in postseason play of any kind in 2012, as the Tigers from Houston also fell victim to the same APR sanctions that kept JSU from conference title game eligibility in 2011. In another off-the-field development, Alabama State signed former University of Georgia running back Isaiah Crowell, who was dismissed from the Bulldogs program after his arrest on weapons charges in May.
2012 Predicted
Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)
East Division
1. Alabama State (8-3): The addition of Crowell could help the Hornets at least advance to the SWAC championship game, if not win it all, in 2012.
2. Alabama A&M (8-4): But don't count out the Bulldogs, either!
3. Jackson State (9-2): Or the Tigers, for that matter!
4. Alcorn State (2-8): The Braves will face an uphill battle to even win more than two games, never mind finish with a winning record, in 2012.
5. Mississippi Valley State (1-10): The Delta Devils are in that same boat as well.
West Division
1. Grambling State (8-4): The Tigers overcame a 1-4 start, including a four-game skid after winning their opener, to win seven straight games, and the 2011 SWAC title. It'll be interesting to see if GSU can repeat that success in 2012.
2. Prairie View A&M (5-6): With 39 letterwinners--including 16 starters--coming back, don't be surprised if the Panthers mount a serious challenge for the West Division title in 2012.
3. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-5): The Golden Lions might have a say in who comes out on top in the West as well.
4. Southern (4-7): The Jaguars look to bounce back after finishing SWAC play at 4-5 last season.
Not eligible for SWAC title
Texas Southern (4-7): With postseason play out of the question due to NCAA APR sanctions, the Tigers will play every game like it's well, a postseason game.
Website
2011 Final Standings
Looking back: Sam Houston State (14-1 overall in 2011) made a remarkable run to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) title game in Frisco, Texas last January, only to fall to North Dakota State. 17-6. Central Arkansas was the only other SLC squad to advance to postseason play last year, as the Bears defeated Tennessee Tech, 34-14, for their first-ever FCS playoff victory, before being eliminated by Montana in the second round, 41-14.
Looking ahead: Can the Bearkats not only make another deep playoff run, but also win it all, in 2012? Or will the Bears from UCA have something to say about who even wins the SLC crown, let alone the national championship, come January 2013? Or will another team mount a serious challenge this fall? One--or maybe none--of those questions will soon be answered in the coming months.
2012 Predicted
Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)
1. Sam Houston State (14-1): With the bitter taste of that national championship game loss still fresh in their mouths, the Bearkats hope to use it as motivation for a potential postseason run in 2012. They must travel to Waco, Texas to face BCS Big 12 Conference foe Baylor, before beginning defense of their Southland Conference title at Central Arkansas the following week.
2. Central Arkansas (9-4): The Bears hope to build on their 2011 FCS playoff appearance. Probably won't be an easy task, though.
3. Stephen F. Austin (6-5): The Lumberjacks overcame a 1-5 start to finish 2011 with five straight wins. Hopefully, those winning ways will continue in 2012.
4. McNeese State (6-5): The Cowboys were very "Jekyll and Hyde" in 2011, losing their season opener to Kansas, followed by three straight wins, four straight losses, before ending their season with three more wins in a row. It'll be interesting to see if they can maintain some consistency in 2012.
5. Northwestern State (5-6): The Demons return 20 starters from a squad that ended the 2011 season on a three-game losing streak.
6. Lamar (4-7): The Cardinals hope to improve on last year's 2-5 mark in SLC play.
7. Southeastern Louisiana (3-8): The Lions look to start over under new head coach Ron Roberts.
8. Nicholls State (1-10): The Colonels will try to snap a 10-game losing streak going into the 2012 season.
Website
2011 Final Standings
Looking back: Midwestern State (10-1 overall) breezed through the regular season undefeated to win the 2011 Lone Star Conference crown. But the Mustangs postseason run was halted before it even started, as they were stunned in overtime by Northwest Missouri State, 38-31, in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Two other teams also advanced to postseason play, but had mixed results, as Abilene Christian fell to Washburn in a heartbreaker, 52-49, in the first round of the D-II dance, while West Texas A&M downed Central Missouri, 26-7, to win the 2011 Kanza Bowl in Topeka, Kansas.
Looking ahead: Expect the Mustangs to be the team to beat in the LSC in 2012.
2012 Predicted
Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)
1. Midwestern State (10-1): If they can stay healthy and focused, the Mustangs should win their fourth Lone Star conference crown in four years, as well as advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs for just the fourth time ever, in 2012. Oh, and they've had 12 straight winning seasons dating back to 2000, too. Now, if they can make that deep postseason run that has eluded them recently.
2. Abilene Christian (8-3): Despite having a new head coach in Ken Collums, don't count out the Wildcats this season.
3. West Texas A&M (8-3): Winning the Kanza Bowl is nice, but the Buffaloes really want to be in the D-II playoffs this season. Their last trip there was in 2010.
4. Tarleton State (6-5): The Texans overcame a sluggish start at 1-5 to finish 2011 above .500, winning their final five games to close out the season. They hope that late season surge will carry over into 2012.
5. Texas A&M-Kingsville (6-5): The Javelinas look to make a serious run at the LSC championship after struggling to a so-so 4-4 mark in league action last year.
6. Angelo State (5-6): The Rams lost five games by 14 points or less last season. Were it not for those tough losses, they would have finished 2011 with a winning record. That's something the Rams hope to accomplish in 2012.
7. Incarnate Word (2-8): The Cardinals look to fly high as they enter their fourth season of football. In fact, their win total has declined steadily since their inaugural season in 2009, when they finished 5-5.
8. Texas A&M-Commerce (1-9): Head Coach Guy Morriss hopes the return of 45 letterwinners--including 13 starters--will restore the roar to a Lions program that hasn't had a winning season since 2001, when they finished 7-4. They'll face a serious uphill battle to get there in 2012.
9. Eastern New Mexico (2-9): The Greyhounds also face some long odds after a long 2011 season.
Website
2011 Final Standings
Looking back: Mary Hardin-Baylor won its seventh straight American Southwest Conference (ASC) championship in 2011, finishing 8-0 in conference play. The Crusaders advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs, where they were knocked off by Wesley, 27-24.
Looking ahead: Can the "Cru" take home yet another ASC title in 2012? Or can Louisiana College finally get over that seven-win hump? Or can Hardin-Simmons return to being one of the elite small college football programs in Texas, if not the nation? These and other questions could be answered this autumn? Off the field, the ASC lost McMurry to the NCAA Division II ranks, while Texas Lutheran will leave the league after this season to join the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) in 2013.
2012 Predicted
Order of Finish (2011 overall record in parentheses)
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor (12-1): Not only will the Crusaders try to win an unprecedented eighth straight ASC title in 2012, they'll also shoot for their seventh straight season of 10 or more wins. Achieving the latter goal, though, might be more difficult than they think, as they open this season playing against three teams that advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs last season: Kean, Wesley, and Trinity (Tex.). The combined overall record of the Cru's first three foes last season? 32-5 (.865). Oh, and that second game they'll play against Wesley? They'll have to travel all the way East to Delaware for that contest on September 15, against the very squad that eliminated them from last year's playoffs? Ouch!
2. Louisiana College (7-3): Should the "Cru" tumble from their lofty perch atop the ASC, the Wildcats could be poised to pounce on top, in their 13th season of football. Over the last four years, however, they've finished each season with the exact same overall record of 7-3, even finishing in second place at 7-1 in conference play in 2010. By the way, LC does play host to UMHB on October 13.
3. Hardin-Simmons (6-4): The Cowboys hope to improve on last season's 4-4 mark in ASC play. Their non-conference schedule for 2012 includes a visit to NCAA playoff participant Linfield on September 8.
4. Texas Lutheran (5-5): After finishing in a three-way tie for fourth place last season (4-4), the Bulldogs hope to make their swan song in the ASC a successful one.
5. East Texas Baptist (5-5): The Tigers will shoot for not only their first conference championship, but also their first playoff appearance, since 2003. Of course, that would mean trying to get over the five-win hump, which they've been stuck on four times in the last five years.
6. Mississippi College (3-7): The Choctaws look to get back on the rebound after a disappointing 2011 season. Five of their seven losses came by 13 or more points.
7. Sul Ross State (2-8): A couple of close wins over NAIA Bacone, as well as ASC foe Mississippi College for Homecoming, were the lone bright spots in an otherwise dismal 2011 season for the Lobos. As for the 2012 season, the Lobos will face a pair of NCAA Division II squads in Western and Eastern New Mexico, then must face perennial D-III power Trinity (Tex.), before opening ASC play at home against Mary Hardin-Baylor on September 29. Yet another "ouch!"
8. Howard Payne (1-9): The Yellow Jackets must travel to San Antonio to open the 2012 season against, you guessed it, the Trinity Tigers.
Editor's Note: Here's a brief post on several independent football program in the state of Texas.
Overview: Because of the departure of many teams in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), to form the new Southern Athletic Association (SAA), at least two schools from Texas, Austin and Trinity from nearby San Antonio, will play without a conference home in 2012. A third institution, McMurry out of Abilene, has begun the transition from the NCAA Division III to the NCAA Division II level. Also, Texas Lutheran plans to leave the American Southwest Conference for the SCAC by 2013. Additionally, Southwestern University from Georgetown, Texas, will start a football program in 2013.
2011 overall record in parentheses
Austin (0-10): The Kangaroos will enter their season of independence trying to snap a 12-game losing streak dating back to October 24, 2010, a 17-16 win over Rhodes.
McMurry (9-3): The Warhawks won their first--and only--NCAA Division III playoff game, in 2011--a 25-16 upset win over Trinity (Tex.) in the first round. Now they must go into 2012 learning how to adjust to life as an NCAA Division II program.
Trinity (Tex.)--(10-1): Speaking of the Tigers, after almost two decades of dominating the SCAC, they must try to earn another D-III playoff appearance as an independent. With a preseason ranking of No. 24 in Lindy's Sports magazine, and No. 16 in the d3football.com poll, they have a chance to make a deep postseason run in 2012. Perhaps the toughest game for the Tigers this season will be played on September 29, when they play host to Mary Hardin-Baylor in a potential playoff preview.
