Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC)
2014 HCAC Standings
Looking back: It's never been a better time to be the Franklin College Grizzlies. Not only did they win their fifth straight Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) championship--as well as their seventh in the last eight years--they also were among the leaders in attendance at the NCAA Division III level last season, averaging more than 3,200 fans per game at home in 2014.
In the Division III playoffs, however, the Grizzlies season was cut short in the first round, with Wabash ending Franklin's season with a 33-14 loss to the Little Giants.
Looking ahead: Expect Franklin to be favored to win yet another HCAC championship this fall.
Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses):
1. Franklin (8-3): With the return of seven football players, as well as two separate preseason Top 25 national rankings from two different publications, it's no surprise that the Grizzlies are once again the team in the HCAC this season. Oh, and 16 starters are coming back to suit up for them too.
2. Mount St. Joseph (8-2): After finishing second in the HCAC at 7-1 last season, the Lions will look to make a serious run at dethroning the Grizzlies this season.
3. Rose-Hulman (7-3): The Engineers will look to win at least eight games in a season for the first time since 1988, when they finished 8-2 overall.
4. Bluffton (6-4): The Beavers will go into 2015 trying to build on their best finish ever in HCAC action, finishing 6-2 in 2014.
5. Manchester (4-6): The Spartans struggled in close games last season, finishing 1-4 in contests decided by eight points or less. If they're to finish with their first winning record since 2012, they must rely on the services of four players that were named preseason All-Americans by USA College Football.
6. Defiance (3-7): The Yellow Jackets have one of the toughest schedules in all of D-III for the 2015 season, as they must face six teams that finished the 2014 season with winning records.
2014 Media Guide
7. Anderson (2-8): New head coach John Sala will try to turn around the fortunes of a Ravens program that has won just seven games over the past six years.
8. Hanover (2-8): Six games against teams who had winning records in 2014--including two against D-III playoff teams Centre and Franklin, will highlight the 2015 schedule for the Panthers.
9. Earlham (0-10): New head coach Nick Johnson has been chosen to rebuild a Quakers program that has mustered only three wins overall since joining the HCAC in 2010.
Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
4 years ago
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