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New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)-(NCAA Division III)
Overview: The Trinity College Bantams of Hartford, Connecticut handed the Amherst College Mammoths of Massachusetts their first and only loss of the 2018 season, pulling out a hard-fought 27-16 win on November 3. The Bantams then pitched a 9-0 shutout over Wesleyan on the road the following week to win their third straight New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) championship, finishing 8-1 overall.
With none of the ten NESCAC teams participating in the NCAA Division III playoffs, the emphasis once again will be placed upon the nine-game round-robin schedule that starts on September 14. If Trinity is to win its fourth straight conference title, the Bantams must overcome the loss of 15 seniors who graduated from last year's squad. Don't be surprised if Amherst (8-1 in 2018) and Tufts (7-2) gives the Bantams a run for their money this season. Also, don't count out the trio that finished last fall in a three-way tie for fourth place at 5-4 in Middlebury, Wesleyan, and Williams.
2018 NESCAC Football Final Standings
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Amherst
Bates
Bowdoin
Colby
Hamilton
Middlebury
Trinity (Conn.)
Tufts
Wesleyan
Williams
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Middle Atlantic Conference (MASCAC)-(NCAA Division III)
Overview: Delaware Valley overcame a season-opening loss to Wesley on August 31, reeling off nine straight wins en route to an undefeated 8-0 record and the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) title in 2018. The Aggies lost to Muhlenberg in a heartbreaker at home in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs to finish the season at 9-2 overall.
But Del Val's setback in the D-III dance wasn't the end of the postseason troubles for the MAC, as Stevenson (8-3 in 2018) fell to Susquehanna in one of three games at the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series. Also, Misericordia saw a brilliant 8-1 start melt down into a miserable season-ending two-game losing streak, with the Cougars dropping a 70-14 decision to Ursinus in that same series. Finally, Lycoming outlasted four other teams that finished in a five-way tie for fourth place at the MAC to advance to postseason play, only to lose a hard-fought contest to Frankin & Marshall 21-20.
As the 2019 season quickly approaches, the D-III version of MAC hopes to have a better showing in postseason play. But first things first, as all of those teams must focus on faring well in early-season non-conference, with the Delaware Valley-Wesley contest at Del Val on September 14 being among such clashes.
Final 2018 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Football Standings
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Albright
Alvernia
Delaware Valley
FDU-Florham
King's
Lebanon Valley
Lycoming
Misericordia
Stevenson
Widener
Wilkes
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Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC)-(NCAA Division III)
Overview: The 2018 football season in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) can probably be best described as a "crazy eight" season for at least three teams, all of whom won at least eight games last year.
Bridgewater State started 3-2 before winning five of their last six games to finish 8-3 overall, which included a season-ending win over Salve Regina in the ECAC New England Bowl Series. Western Connecticut State carried an undefeated record into its contest against Framingham State, losing 48-26. The Colonials fell to Westfield State following week to close their season at 8-2. Finally, Framingham State finished 7-1 in MASCAC action, good enough to win the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. The Rams lost to Brockport in the first round to finish the year at 8-3 as well.
So, what might the 2019 season hold in store for the MASCAC? That question will soon be answered starting on Friday, September 6.
Final 2018 MASCAC Football Standings
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Bridgewater State
Fitchburg State
Framingham State
Massachusetts Maritime
Plymouth State
UMass-Dartmouth
Western Connecticut State
Westfield State
Worcester State
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Liberty League (LL)-(NCAA Division III)
Overview: Despite having just six teams taking to the football field, the Liberty League proved to be one of the most competitive conferences at the NCAA Division III level in 2018, as four of its teams not only finished last fall with an overall winning record but also with a winning record in conference play. In the end, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Engineers emerged on top, winning a tiebreaker over Ithaca in a low-scoring 10-9 win over Ithaca on October 6 to finish 4-1 in conference play, and advance to the Division III playoffs as an automatic qualifier from the LL.
In the D-III playoffs, RPI still managed to win two games to advance to the quarterfinals. That was despite losing the "Dutchman Shoes Trophy" game to archrival Union (N.Y.) for their lone regular-season loss on November 10. However, the Engineers pulled out a convincing win over Husson, followed by an upset win over a then-unbeaten Brockport squad before bowing to Johns Hopkins to finish the 2018 season at 10-2 overall.
The Liberty League adds one extra program going into the 2019 season, as Buffalo State joins the mix from the Empire 8 Conference to make it seven teams in all this fall.
Final 2018 Liberty League Football Standings2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Buffalo State
Hobart
Ithaca
RPI
Rochester
St. Lawrence
Union (N.Y.)
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Empire 8 Conference (E8)-(NCAA Division III)
Overview: The Brockport Golden Eagles took home their second straight Empire 8 Conference crown in 2018, finishing unbeaten at 7-0 in E8 action. However, unlike their unlikely run to the national semifinals in 2017 (13-1), Brockport's season was stopped cold in the second round by RPI, as the Engineers downed the Golden Eagles in heartbreaking fashion. The Golden Eagles finished last season at 11-1, having now compiled a combined record of 24-2 overall over two full seasons.
If there are any teams that could challenge Brockport for the E8 title in 2019, there's definitely no shortage of them, as Cortland (7-3 overall, 5-2 in the E8 in 2018) hopes to overtake the Golden Eagles after being overlooked for postseason play despite finishing alone in second place. Also, don't count the trio that finished last fall in a three-way tie for third place in Alfred (7-4), Morrisville State (6-5) and Utica (7-4). All three teams finished 4-3 in E8 play a year ago.
Finally, what would this long offseason be without, yes, another change in conference affiliation? Buffalo State leaves for the Liberty League this fall after spending the last seven seasons in the Empire 8. The loss of Buffalo State, as well as the departure of Ithaca to the LL in 2017, leaves the E8 with just seven teams taking the field in 2019.
Final 2018 Empire 8 Conference Football Standings
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Alfred
Cortland *
Hartwick
Morrisville State
St. John Fisher
Utica
*-Schedule courtesy of d3football.com.
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Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC)-(NCAA Division III)
Overview: The Husson University Eagles (8-3 overall) finished unbeaten at 6-0 to win their third straight Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) championship, losing to RPI 38-14 in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. The only other ECFC team to advance to postseason play in 2018 was Maritime (N.Y.)-(7-4). The Privateers season ended in defeat as well, falling to Springfield 17-14 in the New England Bowl Series.
The ECFC's membership will be reduced to six teams, as Husson leaves to join the Commonwealth Coast Conference this fall. The loss of the Eagles to the CCC could very well make the Privateers the favorite to win the ECFC in 2019.
Final 2018 Eastern Collegiate Football Conference Football Standings
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Alfred State
Anna Maria
Castleton
Dean
Gallaudet
Maritime (N.Y.)
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Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC)-(NCAA Division III)
Overview: Three teams finished atop the Commonwealth Coast Conference on the football field at 5-1 in CCC play for the 2018 season, with Western New England (8-3 overall), earning the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs, while Salve Regina and Endicott (both 7-4 overall) settled for ECAC bowl bids.
The Golden Bears run in the D-III playoffs was cut short in the first round, as Frostburg State ended WNEU's season with a 42-24 setback. The CCC's other postseason representatives didn't fare any better, as Salve Regina fell to Bridgewater State 34-19 in the New England Bowl, while Endicott lost to Merchant Marine 38-22 in that same series.
The CCC brings in an additional program for 2019 in the Husson University Eagles from Bangor, Maine. Husson (8-3 overall in 2018) finished undefeated at 6-0 in their final season as a member of the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC), with the Eagles winning three straight conference championships in the process. The addition of Husson not only brings the number of teams playing football in the CCC to eight but also could make for a competitive race for the CCC championship this fall.
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Final 2018 Commonwealth Coast Conference Football Standings
Becker
Curry
Endicott
Husson
Nichols
Salve Regina
University of New England
Western New England
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Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC)-(NCAA Division II)Overview: The Hillsdale College Chargers cruised to an unbeaten record at 8-0 en route to winning the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) championship in 2018. In the NCAA Division II playoffs, the fifth-seeded Chargers downed fourth-seeded Kutztown on the road, then gave top-seeded Notre Dame (Ohio) all it could handle before bowing to the Falcons 24-19. The loss to Notre Dame ended Hillsdale's season at 10-3 overall.
Going into 2019, there will be one less game to play in G-MAC action, as Malone University dropped its football program earlier this offseason. That move leaves the conference with eight schools taking the field this fall. Even with the loss of Malone, expect Hillsdale to be the favorite to win another league title, although a "trio from Ohio" in Ohio Dominican, Tiffin both 9-2 overall in 2018) and Findlay (8-3) could have a say in the title conversation.
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Final 2018 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Football Standings
Alderson Broaddus
Findlay
Hillsdale
Kentucky Wesleyan
Lake Erie
Ohio Dominican
Tiffin
Walsh
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Mountain East Conference (MEC)-(NCAA Division II)
Overview: In just their ninth full season of varsity football, the Notre Dame College Falcons from South Euclid, Ohio made history in 2018, as they not only finished the regular season undefeated in winning their first-ever Mountain East Conference (MEC) championship, they also advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time ever. They advanced to the national semifinals, losing to eventual national champion Valdosta State 30-24 to finish 13-1 overall.
Like multiple Division II conferences, the MEC will be seeing changes to their membership in 2019, with perennial powerhouse Shepherd (7-3 in 2018) saying goodbye after spending the last six seasons there, as well as almost nine decades in the now-defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). The Rams will be headed to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) after winning six WVIAC/MEC titles between 2010 and 2017, winning at least 10 or more games in all but one of those seasons (8-3 in 2012).
With Shepherd leaving the Mountain East Conference, two other programs will join the seven-year-old league this fall, as Frostburg State (10-1 in 2018) makes the move up to D- II after advancing to the NCAA Division III playoffs the last two seasons, while Wheeling Jesuit will make its gridiron debut. Expect most of the other MEC teams to give chase to Notre Dame in 2019.
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Final 2018 Mountain East Conference Football Standings
Charleston (W. Va.)
Concord
Fairmont State
Frostburg State
Glenville State
Notre Dame (Ohio)
Urbana
West Liberty
West Virginia State
West Virginia Wesleyan
Wheeling Jesuit
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Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)-(NCAA Division II)
Overview: Both division champions, West Chester (10-1 overall, 6-0 in the PSAC) in the East and Slippery Rock (11-3, 7-0), finished undefeated in their respective divisions en route to advancing to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship game in 2018. The Golden Rams completed an unbeaten regular season with a 33-10 win over The Rock to claim the conference crown.
However, West Chester's postseason run was cut short in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, with New Haven pulling off the 35-28 upset win over the Golden Rams, while fellow East Division rival Kutztown (9-2) fell to Hillsdale, also in the opening round. Still, Slippery Rock represented the PSAC well in postseason play, pulling off upset wins over LIU Post and New Haven before succumbing to Notre Dame (Ohio) in the quarterfinals.
The PSAC will be one of many conferences at the Division II level to experience a change in membership for 2019, as Shepherd University from West Virginia joins the mix after spending the past six seasons in the Mountain East Conference, as well as a founding member of the now-defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) many years before that. The addition of Shepherd gives the PSAC 16 member schools, with eight teams each in both the East and West Divisions.
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Final 2018 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Football Standings
East Division
Bloomsburg
East Stroudsburg
Kutztown
Lock Haven
Millersville
Shepherd
Shippensburg
West Chester
West Division
California (Pa.)
Clarion
Edinboro
Gannon
Indiana (Pa.)
Mercyhurst
Seton Hill
Slippery Rock
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Northeast 10 Conference (NCAA Division II)
Overview: It was the "Year of the Pioneer" for the Northeast 10 Conference in 2018, as the LIU Post Pioneers (10-1 overall) cruising through the regular season undefeated en route to winning what proved to their final NE-10. However, No. 2 seeded LIU Post's postseason run was stopped cold by upstart No. 7 seed Slippery Rock in a season-ending upset loss in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. As for second place New Haven (9-3 overall), the No. 6 Chargers stunned No. 3 West Chester in the first round before falling to the aforementioned Slippery Rock in the second round.
The 2019 season brings about significant changes to the NE-10 landscape, with LIU Post (soon to renamed LIU), along with fellow longtime league member Merrimack making the transition from the D-II Northeast 10 Conference to the FCS Northeast Conference. Also, the Franklin Pierce University Ravens from Rindge, New Hampshire will make their debut on the football field this fall. The losses of LIU and Merrimack, combined with the addition of Franklin Pierce, brings the total number of teams playing NE-10 football to nine for 2019.
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Final 2018 Northeast 10 Conference Football Standings
American International
Assumption
Bentley
Franklin Pierce
New Haven
Pace
Saint Anselm
Southern Connecticut State
Stonehill
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Editor's Note: RFC is taking a brief break from its current format to focus more on the teams at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) that are either new to the division or are changing conferences for the 2019 season. So, without further ado, here's more on the teams that are listed below.
Long Island University (LIU): The Sharks came about as a result of the merger of the NCAA Division II LIU-Post Pioneers (with football) from Brookville, N.Y., and the NCAA Division I LIU-Brooklyn Blackbirds (without football). In their final incarnation as the Pioneers, LIU-Post (10-1 overall in 2018) cruised through the regular season undefeated en route to winning the Northeast 10 Conference championship, only to be upset and ousted by Slippery Rock in the first round of the D-II playoffs. A rough maiden voyage awaits the Sharks in their inaugural season, as they'll head west to face national semifinalist South Dakota State in their first-ever FCS game on September 7. That's followed by seven straight games against NEC foes, starting with the home opener vs. Sacred Heart on September 21.
Merrimack: The other program to make the transition from the D-II NE-10 to the D-I NEC is the Warriors from North Andover, Mass. Unlike LIU, though, things got off to a rough start for Merrimack, losing four of their first five games, only to win four of their final five games to finish the 2018 season at 5-5 overall, and 5-4 in the NE-10. The Warriors will play an independent schedule for the 2019 season, with Virginia-Lynchburg, Central Connecticut State, NAIA Mayville State, first-year program Franklin Pierce, as well as Lehigh, Bryant and a familiar foe in LIU being among the opponents.
North Alabama: The Lions will start the second season of their transition to the FCS level playing in the Big South Conference. UNA hopes to build off of a 7-3 record in their rookie FCS season a year ago, winning four of those games by five points or less. The Lions will face a much tougher schedule this fall, with 2018 FCS playoff participants Jacksonville State and Kennesaw State among the opponents they'll play in 2019.
North Dakota: Playing in their second and final season as an independent before making the move to the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) in 2020, the Fighting Hawks hope to improve on their 6-5 overall record in 2018. In order for that to happen, however, UND must learn how to win the games, as the Fighting Hawks finished 1-3 in games decided by five points or less last season. The highlight game of the 2019 season for UND will be on September 7, when the Fighting Hawks travel to Fargo to face two-time defending FCS national champion North Dakota State in the long-awaited renewal of that intra-state rivalry. The last meeting between the two teams came in 2015. That was when NDSU downed UND 34-9.
Presbyterian: Coming off of a dismal 2-8 mark in 2018, the Blue Hose will enter 2019 hoping to go nowhere but up in their final season as a member of the Big South Conference. They'll play a full schedule as an independent in 2020 before joining the Pioneer Football League (PFL) as a non-scholarship program in 2021.
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)-(FCS)Overview: The 2018 season in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) belonged to Alcorn State (9-4 overall), as the Braves outlasted Southern 37-28 on December 1 to win their third league in the last five years. Two weeks later, though, their quest to win the Celebration Bowl fell agonizingly short, as North Carolina A&T held off a late Alcorn rally to win 24-22.
While Southern, as well as Alcorn State, will be favored to win their respective divisions in the West and East, don't count out old SWAC stalwarts like Grambling State (6-5) and Jackson State (5-5) out of the title conversation either.
2019 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2019 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 schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.
Final 2018 SWAC Football Standings
East Division
Alabama A&M
Alabama State
Alcorn State
Jackson State
Mississippi Valley State
West Division
Grambling State
Prairie View A&M
Southern
Texas Southern
UAPB
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