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2012 Final Standings
Looking back: Cal Lutheran (8-2 overall in 2012) emerged unbeaten in Southern Collegiate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play, finishing 7-0 in league games last season. Still, the Kingsmen couldn't get over the hump in the NCAA Division III playoffs, losing to North Central, 41-21, in the first round.
Looking ahead: It appears that everyone will be chasing Cal Lutheran for all of the marbles in the SCIAC again in 2013.
Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)
1. Cal Lutheran (8-2): Barring any serious injuries or other unforeseen circumstances, expect the Kingsmen to be on the throne of the SCIAC when all is said and done in 2013. By the way, the last time CLU didn't win a conference crown came in 2008.
2. Redlands (6-3): All three of the Bulldogs losses in 2012 came by 10 or more points. But that didn't stop them from ending the season on a five-game winning streak.
3. Chapman (6-3): Head Coach Bob Owens and the Panthers will try to build on the program's best finish 1996.
4. LaVerne (4-5): The Leopards look to leap higher in the SCIAC standings after finishing 4-3 in conference play last year.
5. Whittier (4-5): The Poets just can't to seem to get over that four-win hump, can they? Their last winning season came in 1998, when they finished 7-2 overall.
6. Occidental (2-7): The Tigers look to start from scratch under former Yale assistant Doug Semones.
7. Pomona-Pitzer (1-8): Wins have been hard to come by for the Sagehens, who have won just two games over the past three years.
8. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (0-9): Speaking of which, the Stags have gone finishing 7-2 in 2010, to 4-5 in 2011, to winless in 2012. It's a trend that head coach Kyle Sweeney hopes to see reversed in 2013.
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2012 Final Standings
Looking back: Linfield had yet another banner season in 2012, with the Wildcats claiming their fourth straight Northwest Conference (NWC) title. They advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs, losing to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 31-24.
Looking ahead: Expect the rest of the NWC to chase Linfield, as the Wildcats will be shooting for their fifth straight conference title in 2013.
Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)
1. Linfield (11-1): In addition to their "drive for five", as in winning their fifth straight NWC crown, the Wildcats will also look to extend one of the longest running streaks in all of sports: a college football record 58th straight winning season.
2. Willamette (8-2): With two USA Football Network Preseason All-Americans, quarterback Josh Dean, and cornerback Tyson Giza, both returning for their respective senior seasons, expect the Bearcats to have a say who might topple the Wildcats for bragging rights in the NWC this season.
3. Pacific Lutheran (7-3): Coming off of their first postseason appearance since 2001, which ironically, ended with a tough 27-24 loss to NWC rival Linfield in the first round of the D-III playoffs, the Lutes hope to build on the success they achieved in 2012, and allow that to carry over into 2013.
4. Whitworth (7-3): With five teams that posted winning records in 2012 (St. Scholastica [8-3], Chapman [6-3], Willamette [8-2], Linfield [11-1], and Pacific Lutheran [7-3]) on the 2013 schedule, the Pirates have a lot of work to do if they're to post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2006 (11-1), 2007 (8-2), and 2008 (6-3).
5. Lewis and Clark (4-5): After stumbling to a 1-5 mark in NWC action last season, the Pioneers hope to bounce back, and post their second winning season in three years this season.
6. Pacific (Ore.)--(3-6): With 23 returning starters, the Boxers hope to crash the NWC party, and the upper half of the conference standings in 2013.
7. Puget Sound (0-9): Coming off of their third winless season in four years, there's only one way for the Loggers in 2013: up.
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2012 Final Standings
Looking back: Central Washington rose to the top of a competitive championship race in the Great Northwest Athletic (GNAC) last season. The Wildcats finished 7-3 in conference play (7-4 overall).
Looking ahead: The GNAC recently received some good news: news that could bolster any potential postseason hopes in future seasons. Azusa Pacific was granted provisional status by the NCAA. That means the Cougars are on track to become full Division II members by 2014.
If that wasn't enough, South Dakota Mines was also accepted as an affiliate member of the GNAC, with the Hardrockers membership in the league becoming effective in 2014 as well. The additions of Azusa Pacific and South Dakota Mines will give the GNAC seven members for football.
Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)
1. Humboldt State (7-4): Head Coach Rob Smith welcomes back 33 letterwinners (11 starters) from a Lumberjacks team that finished second in the GNAC with a 6-4 mark in conference play last season. Still, with back-to-back losses to end 2012, HSU hopes to use that season-ending setback as motivation in 2013.
2. Central Washington (7-4): If the Wildcats (7-3 GNAC in 2012) are to defend the conference crown they won a year ago, they must do it under interim head coach John Picha. He replaces Blaine Bennett, who was unexpectedly released from his contract.
3. Western Oregon (6-5): The Wolves look to improve on last season's 6-4 GNAC record.
4. Simon Fraser (5-6): The Clan faces a tough row to hoe in trying to clinch their first-ever winning season as an NCAA member.
5. Azusa Pacific (4-7): A four-game winning streak to end the 2012 season following an 0-7 start gives the Cougars and their faithful some cautiously optimistic high hopes going into the 2013 season.
6. Dixie State (3-8): Red Storm face a huge, uphill battle after a disappointing 2012 season.
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2012 Final Standings
Looking back: For the first time in a long time, Carroll (Mont.) failed to advance to the NAIA playoffs. Instead, Southern Oregon and Montana Tech represented in the Frontier Conference in postseason play, with the Raiders advancing to the quarterfinals before losing to Morningside, 47-44, in overtime. As for the Orediggers, they lost back-to-back games to end the 2012 season, losing to SOU in the regular season finale, before being ousted in the first round of the NAIA playoffs by Morningside, 40-35.
Looking ahead: Can Carroll return to the form that won them national championships (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010)? Or can Montana Tech and Southern Oregon prove that they're here to stay as perennial contenders in the Frontier Conference? Those are just two of the many questions that will be answered during the upcoming 2013 season.
Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)
1. Montana Tech (8-3): With a preseason national ranking of No. 7 in the NAIA poll, the Orediggers hope that will be a banner year, and then some, in 2013.
2. Carroll (Mont.)--(7-4): After a rare down season, the Saints hope to reclaim their position as one of the elite teams in the Frontier Conference, as well as the NAIA as a whole.
3. Southern Oregon (9-3): Although they begin the 2013 season as the nation's No. 14 team during the preseason, the Raiders still have a lot to prove if they want to remain among the elite programs in the NAIA.
4. Rocky Mountain (6-5): The Bears will have their work cut out for them if they hope to be in the hunt for the Frontier Conference title in 2013.
5. Eastern Oregon (4-6): The Mountaineers look to improve after a disappointing 2012 season in which they lost five of their six games by 10 or more points.
6. Montana State-Northern (3-7): The Lights hope to see some light at the end of the tunnel in 2013.
7. Montana Western (4-6): Bulldogs begin a new era under new head coach B.J. Robertson.
8. Dickinson State (1-9): Blue Hawks face a tough task in 2013.
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2012 Final Standings
Looking back: Colorado State-Pueblo cruised its way to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) championship in 2012, finishing the regular season undefeated at 11-0 overall (9-0 in conference play). The Thunderwolves downed Indianapolis, 28-7, in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, only to be upset by West Texas A&M, 34-13, in the quarterfinals.
Chadron State (9-3 overall in 2012) was the only other RMAC team to advance to postseason play. Like CSU-Pueblo, the Eagles season also ended at the hands of West Texas A&M, 38-30, in the first round of the D-II playoffs.
Looking ahead: It will be interesting to see if CSU-Pueblo can either stay in the top, or if the likes of Chadron State, New Mexico Highlands, and Adams State can knock them off of the perch in the RMAC going into 2013.
Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)
1. Colorado State-Pueblo (12-1): With a preseason national ranking of No. 8 by the AFCA, the Thunderwolves hope to use their stunning playoff loss to West Texas A&M last season as motivation for a deeper run in the playoffs this season. With a tough non-conference schedule that includes the season opener at FCS Northern Colorado on September 7 followed by a trip to Cowboys Stadium to face Angelo State the following week, don't expect CSU-P to sneak up on anybody in 2013.
2. Chadron State (9-3): The Eagles will look to learn last year's sudden first round playoff exit, and build on it in 2013. By the way, guess who they'll face at Cowboys Stadium on September 12? The very team that ended their season in 2012: none other than West Texas A&M.
3. New Mexico Highlands (8-3): They may have grabbed just two votes in the AFCA D-II Coaches Preseason Poll, but it appears that things are looking up for the Cowboys after many years of losing. The faithful in Las Vegas, New Mexico that is, hope that their team will looking down on the rest of the RMAC by the end of 2013.
4. Adams State (8-3): A four-game winning streak to end 2012 has Grizzlies fans cautiously optimistic to start 2013.
5. Colorado Mines (6-5): Orediggers head coach Bob Stitt (90-57 overall career record) needs just 10 wins to join the 100-win club. But in a league that's as tough as the RMAC, reaching that milestone won't be easy.
6. Colorado Mesa (4-7): The Mavericks enter the 2013 season looking for their first winning season since 2007 (10-2 overall). In fact, they've had just four winning seasons dating back to 2000, with three of those being 10-win seasons.
7. Western New Mexico (4-7): The Mustangs face an uphill battle after finishing 3-6 in RMAC action last season.
8. Black Hills State (4-7): The Yellow Jackets go into 2013 looking to build on a season-ending three-game winning streak from 2012.
9. Western State (1-10): The Mountaineers also hope to put the misery of 2012 behind them.
10. Fort Lewis (0-10): As do the Skyhawks, whose last win came on November 12, 2011, a low-scoring 6-3 win over New Mexico Highlands.
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2012 Final Standings
Looking back: The Big Sky Conference once again maintained its reputation as one of the toughest FCS conferences in the country, sending all of three of its tri-champions: Cal Poly, Eastern Washington, and Montana State to the FCS playoffs in 2012. All three teams finished 7-1 in conference play. Unfortunately, however, this trio had another thing in common: their seasons ended at the hands of eventual national runner-up Sam Houston State.
Cal Poly was the first team to fall to the Bearkats, as the Mustangs fell 18-16 in the second round on December 1. Montana State came next, with the Bearkats crushing the Bobcats, 34-16 in the quarterfinals on December 7. Eastern Washington was the Big Sky squad that advanced the farthest in the postseason. The Eagles advanced to the national semifinals on December 15 before bowing to Sam Houston State, 45-42.
If that wasn't enough, a fourth team, Northern Arizona, finished 8-3 overall and 6-2 in Big Sky play. But back-to-back losses at the end of last season cost the Lumberjacks a postseason berth.
Looking ahead: With five teams ranked in the Sports Network Preseason Top 25, led by No. 2 Montana State, expect the race for the 2013 Big Sky Conference championship to come right down to the final weekend of the regular season.
Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)
1. Montana State (11-2): Loaded Bobcats hope to start the calendar year 2014 with their first national championship in almost three decades (They won their last title in 1984).
2. Eastern Washington (11-3): But the equally talented Eagles will have a say in who ultimately ends up on top on the mountain in the Big Sky when all is said and done. EWU brings back 48 letterwinners (12 starters) from last year's national semifinal squad.
3. Cal Poly (9-3): The Mustangs appear to be solid as well, welcoming back 58 lettermen (18 starters) for 2013.
4. Northern Arizona (8-3): With 38 letterwinners (18 starters) returning, expect the Lumberjacks to be a tough out for many a Big Sky opponent in 2013.
5. Sacramento State (6-5): With 19 true freshmen and 14 redshirt freshmen, the Hornets must grow up quickly if they're to contend for the Big Sky title this season.
6. Montana (5-6): The Grizzlies face a rare rebuilding (or reloading) project after a rare downer in 2012.
7. Southern Utah (5-6): The Thunderbirds struggled in close games last season, going 3-4 in games decided by seven points or less. Learning how to win during crunch time could be the difference between a winning or losing record this season.
8. Northern Colorado (5-6): The Bears 2013 slate opens with a game against NAIA Langston on August 31, followed by a game against rising NCAA Division II power Colorado State-Pueblo on September 7.
9. North Dakota (5-6): After finishing a respectable 3-5 in its first Big Sky Conference season, UND must avoid the dreaded "sophomore jinx" in its second season.
10. UC Davis (4-7): The Aggies will try to turn the corner under first-year head coach Ron Gould.
11. Portland State (3-8): The Vikings face a long, uphill battle after a disappointing 2012 season in which they finished Big Sky play at 2-6. Since 2007, they've compiled a dismal 21-45.
12. Weber State (2-9): Head Coach Jody Sears enters his second season as the Wildcats head coach, as they try to build on last year's two wins.
13. Idaho State (1-10): The Bengals and their faithful hope that second year head coach Mike Kramer can turn around a culture of losing in 2013.
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