THE RFC MYC: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC)-(NCAA Division III)

2017 SCIAC Final Standings (Courtesy of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)

Overview: In what was probably one of the most bizarre seasons in its history, the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) saw the Chapman University Panthers finish conference play undefeated despite going 0-2 in non-conference games. The Panthers fell to then-defending national champion turned eventual national runner-up Mary Hardin-Baylor in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs to finish the 2017 season at 6-3 overall.

But the oddities didn't stop there. The University of Redlands Bulldogs finished their 2017 campaign at 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the SCIAC. However, it was that lone loss in league play to Chapman on October 14 that not only cost the Bulldogs a conference championship but also a trip to postseason play. Don't be surprised to see Redlands use that loss as motivation for the 2018 season.

Still, perhaps the strangest-and maybe the saddest-development of the 2017 season in the SCIAC came in the form of the Occidental College Tigers. The Tigers abruptly canceled their campaign after playing just three games last fall, citing a lack of healthy players. Occidental was 0-3 overall when the decision was made to cut the rest of their season short. As of this writing, the Tigers are scheduled to play nine games in all for the 2018 season, starting with an exhibition game vs. CETYS Mexicali on September 1, followed by the regular season opener vs. Willamette at home on September 15.

Finally, as the team (s) to beat in the SCIAC, expect Chapman to be in the conversation once again, with Redlands and Cal Lutheran not far behind.

NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2018 season. When the team's schedule is submitted, the link (s) will appear in each blog post. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for preseason previews, schedules, schedule updates, and much more.

Cal Lutheran

Chapman

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

La Verne

Occidental

Pomona-Pitzer

Redlands

Whittier

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