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Pioneer Football League (FCS)
Overview: The University of San Diego Toreros had yet another banner season last fall, finishing unbeaten in Pioneer Football League action en route to an 8-0 record in PFL play, as well as a fourth straight outright conference championship. USD's season ended in the first round of the FCS playoffs yet again, as the Toreros lost a hard-fought contest at Northern Iowa 17-3 on November 30 to finish their 2019 campaign at 9-3 overall.
Looking ahead to the 2020 season, expect the three PFL teams that start with the letter "D" in Dayton (8-3 overall, 6-2 in the PFL in 2019), Drake (6-5, 6-2) and Davidson (8-4, 5-3) to challenge USD for the league title. There will be some changes off the field as well, as Jacksonville University (3-9, 1-7) dropped its football program after 22 years of action. Additionally, Presbyterian has plans to join the PFL in 2021.
2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.
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 2019 Pioneer Football League Football Standings
Butler
Davidson
Dayton
Drake
Marist
Morehead State
San Diego
Stetson
Valparaiso
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Patriot League (FCS)
Overview: The Holy Cross Crusaders were the class of an otherwise mediocre Patriot League in 2019, overcoming a sluggish 1-3 start to finish PL play on top at 5-1 en route to winning the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. The Crusaders fell to Monmouth (N.J.) 44-27 in the first round on November 30 to finish the season at 7-6 overall. No other Patriot League finished the campaign with a winning record, although Lafayette did finish league play at 4-2 despite finishing at 4-8 overall.
Quickly looking ahead, can the Crusaders successfully defend the Patriot League title that they won last year? Or could Lafayette step up and steal the crown? Or could Colgate (3-8 overall, 3-3 in the Patriot League in 2019) bounce back after a disappointing campaign a year ago? Or could even the Georgetown (D.C.) Hoyas have a say in the conference championship conversation, as they finished 5-6 overall following a 5-2 start, finishing last in league play after losing four straight games to end the season at 1-5? At least one of those questions could be answered this fall.
Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.
2020 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 2019 Patriot League Football Standings
Bucknell
Colgate
Fordham
Georgetown (D.C.)
Holy Cross
Lafayette
Lehigh
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Ohio Valley Conference (OVC)-(FCS)
Overview: The 2019 season turned out to be a changing of the guard in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), as the Austin Peay State University Governors made history in not only winning their first league crown since 1977 but also advancing to the FCS playoffs for the first time ever.
In the FCS playoffs, the Governors downed Furman in the first round for their first-ever FCS playoff victory, followed by a stunning upset win over #3 seed Sacramento State in the second round, before finally falling to Montana State in the quarterfinals to finish the season at 11-4 overall.
The only other OVC squad to advance to postseason play in 2019 was the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks. Unlike the Governors, however, the Redhawks saw their season grind to a halt in the first round, as the Illinois State University Redbirds ousted them 24-7. The loss ended Southeast Missouri State's season at 9-4 overall.
The 2020 season could prove to be a campaign of uncertainty, COVID-19 notwithstanding, as Austin Peay will not only look to defend its OVC crown but also hope to make another deep postseason run if and/or when they do get there. UT-Martin (7-5 overall, 6-2 in the OVC in 2019) and Eastern Kentucky (7-5, 5-3) could very well have a say in the league title discussion this fall. Don't count out perennial power Jacksonville State either, as the Gamecocks hope to rebound after a disappointing 2019 campaign in which they finished 6-6 overall and 3-5 in OVC action.
Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.
2020 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 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Football Standings
Austin Peay
Eastern Illinois
Eastern Kentucky
Jacksonville State
Murray State
Southeast Missouri State
Tennessee State
Tennessee Tech
UT-Martin
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Northeast Conference (NEC)-(FCS)
Overview: The Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils cruised through Northeast Conference action undefeated to finish 7-0 en route to a final 11-2 overall record for the 2019 season. However, CCSU's postseason run was cut short in the first round of the playoffs, as Albany (N.Y.) blasted the Blue Devils 42-14.
Barring further changes or constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic, expect the following teams to challenge Central Connecticut State for the NEC crown in 2020: Robert Morris (Pa.)-(7-5 overall, 6-1 in the NEC in 2019), Sacred Heart (7-5, 4-3), Duquesne (6-5, 4-3), and St. Francis (Pa.)-(6-6, 3-4).
Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.
2020 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 2019 Northeast Conference Football Standings
Bryant
Central Connecticut State
Duquesne
LIU
Merrimack*
Robert Morris (Pa.)
Sacred Heart
St. Francis (Pa.)
Wagner
*-Transitioning from the NCAA Division II level.
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Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)-(FCS)
Overview: The North Dakota State University Bison officially cemented its place as the team of the 2010s, as they held off an excellent James Madison University Dukes squad to win its eighth NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national championship in nine years dating back to the start of the 2011 season. The Bison held on to beat the Dukes 28-20 on January 11, 2020, to become the first-ever college football team to finish a season undefeated at 16-0 overall. That's not to mention that the Bison have won 37 straight games dating back to November 11, 2017. NDSU's last loss came the week before, on November 4, 2017, when the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits knocked off the Bison 33-21.
While the Bison cruised to yet another national championship, other Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) squads made deep postseason runs in 2019, with Northern Iowa and Illinois State both advancing to the FCS quarterfinals before losing to James Madison and North Dakota State, respectively, to finish the season with identical 10-5 overall records. A fourth team, South Dakota State, fell to Northern Iowa in the first round to finish 8-5 overall.
The 2020 season will bring about tremendous changes, as the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks officially join the MVFC after spending the last two seasons as an independent. North Dakota finished the 2019 season at 7-5 overall, losing to Nicholls State 24-6 in the first round of the FCS playoffs.
If that wasn't enough, the opening weekend of 2020 also brings about serious challenges for five MVFC squads, as many of them will open the season playing about FBS Power Five conference teams. Those match-ups include Illinois State at Illinois on Friday, September 4, as well as South Dakota at Iowa State, Northern Iowa at Iowa, Missouri State at Oklahoma, and of course, defending FCS national champion North Dakota State at Oregon.
Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.
2020 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 2019 MVFC Football Standings
Illinois State
Indiana State
Missouri State
North Dakota
North Dakota State
Northern Iowa
South Dakota
South Dakota State
Southern Illinois
Western Illinois
Youngstown State
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Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)-(FCS)
Overview: North Carolina A&T added yet another MEAC crown to their trophy case, as the Aggies finished 6-2 in conference play en route to a 9-3 overall record in 2019. They outlasted Alcorn State in a high-scoring Celebration Bowl (64-44) to end the season on a winning note on December 21.
Despite finishing 9-2 overall and 7-1 in MEAC play, Florida A&M was declared ineligible for the conference championship, as well as postseason play, due to academic sanctions imposed by the NCAA for the 2019 season. One of the Rattlers' wins, however, came against the aforementioned Aggies on October 20, picking up a dramatic 34-31 win in overtime. Sanctions or no sanctions, don't be surprised if FAMU has another good season in 2020.
Finally, the biggest offseason news in the MEAC involved, yes-you guessed it-North Carolina A&T, as officials at the Greensboro, N.C.-based institution announced on February 7 that the Aggies would leave the league to join fellow former MEAC member Hampton in 2021. But for the 2020 season at least, expect A&T to be team to beat in the MEAC unless another team proves otherwise.
2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2020 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 2019 MEAC Football StandingsBethune-Cookman
Delaware State
Florida A&M
Howard
Morgan State
Norfolk State
North Carolina A&T
North Carolina Central
South Carolina State
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Ivy League-(FCS)
Overview: The Dartmouth Big Green and Yale Bulldogs shared the Ivy League title after finishing the 2019 season at 9-1 overall and 6-1 in conference play. Dartmouth's lone loss came to Cornell 27-10 on November 16, while Yale suffered its only setback of the season against the Big Green in a 42-10 blowout that basically decided the co-championship on October 12. Additionally, Princeton finished last fall all alone in third place in the Ivy League at 8-2 overall and 5-2 in league action.
Going into the 2020 season, expect the three aforementioned teams in Dartmouth, Princeton, and Yale to have a say in the Ivy League championship conversation.
2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2020 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 2019 Ivy League Football Standings
Brown
Columbia
Cornell (N.Y.)
Dartmouth
Harvard
Penn
Princeton
Yale
Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
Editor's Note: RFC is taking a break from its current format to focus 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 2020 season. So, without further ado, here's more on the teams that are listed below.
Editor's Note #2: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.
Dixie State: The Trailblazers from St. George, Utah begin their inaugural season at the FCS level after finishing their final NCAA Division II season at 8-3 overall and 7-3 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) action. The 2020 schedule opens with a road trip to Cedar City, Utah to square off against the Southern Utah University Thunderbirds on September 5, and ends with a trip to Texas to take on fellow D-II transitionist Tarleton State on November 28.
Presbyterian: The Blue Hose begins anew as an independent for 2020 after a dismal 2-10 finish in 2019 as a now-former member of the Big South Conference. This season's schedule includes the likes of Campbell, Furman, and Incarnate Word, as well as an FCS transition team in Merrimack. Presbyterian plans to join the Pioneer Football League in 2021.
Tarleton State: Like Dixie State, the Stephenville, Texas-based Texans will begin their rookie season in the FCS ranks after many years of NCAA Division II competition. They finished their final D-II campaign unbeaten at the end of the regular season, only to be upset by then-defending national champion Texas A&M-Commerce in the first round of the playoffs to finish the 2019 season at 11-1 overall. The Texans' inaugural 2020 slate at the NCAA Division I includes a season-opening visit to perennial Southland Conference powerhouse Sam Houston State, as well as trips to 2019 FCS playoff squads in Kennesaw State and South Dakota State.
Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)-(FCS)
Overview: 2019 was the "Year of the Dukes" in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), as the James Madison University Dukes cruised to another CAA championship at 8-0 in conference play en route to a 14-2 overall record. JMU gave West Virginia all it could handle before losing 20-13 in the season opener on August 31, then won 14 straight games before falling to North Dakota State in the FCS national championship game on January 11, 2020.
While James Madison ran away with the CAA crown, the battle for second place was very intense, with Albany (N.Y.) finishing 6-2 in conference play en route to a 9-5 overall record last fall. The Great Danes crushed Central Connecticut State for their first-ever postseason win in the first round, before losing to Montana State in the second round.
The only other CAA squad to advance to postseason play was Villanova. The Wildcats advanced to FCS playoffs after finishing league action at 5-3. They let 17-point halftime lead (31-14) slip away in losing to Southeastern Louisiana in a thrilling 45-44 first-round contest to finish the 2019 campaign at 9-4 overall.
So, what could the 2020 season hold in store for the CAA? Don't be surprised if the Dukes once again reign supreme in what has been one of the toughest conferences at the FCS level this fall.
2020 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)
Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2020 college football season could be postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As always, follow RFC @realfootball and/or other media sources for any changes, details, or developments.
NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2020 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 2019 Colonial Athletic Association Football Standings
Albany (N.Y.)
Delaware
Elon
James Madison
Maine
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Richmond
Stony Brook
Towson
Villanova
William & Mary
Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
