THE RFC MYC: Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)-(FCS)

Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)-(FCS)

Overview: The pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season saw a changing of the guard in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, as both the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits (8-2 overall) and the Missouri State University Bears (5-5 overall), finished 5-1 in MVFC action. That was good enough for both squads to share the conference crown. The University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks (5-2, 4-1) finished not far behind both the Bears and Jackrabbits, respectively, in finishing a solid third in league play despite having their remaining regular-season contests canceled due to COVID-19.

The tone for the season was set on the last Saturday in February. That was when Illinois State crushed the then three-time defending FCS national champion North Dakota State University Bison, 38-14, to snap NDSU's 39-game winning streak. NDSU (7-3, 5-2) then saw its hopes of winning another MVFC championship fall by the wayside, with the Jackrabbits knocking off the Bison in Fargo, N.D. by a final score of 27-17 on April 17. It marked the first time in just over a decade (2010) that North Dakota State had not won at least a share of the MVFC title.

In the FCS playoffs, South Dakota State advanced to its first-ever FCS national championship game in Frisco, Tex., on Sunday, May 16. However, the Jackrabbits lost a heartbreaker to Sam Houston State, 22-21, in the final seconds to settle for a national runner-up finish. 

Meanwhile, North Dakota State saw its run for a fourth-straight national championship vanish during the second half of their quarterfinal game at Sam Houston, with the Bearkats rallying late to eliminate the Bison, 24-20, in quarterfinal round action on Sunday, May 2.

Other teams shined in postseason play as well, with North Dakota advancing to the quarterfinals before bowing to James Madison, while Southern Illinois (6-4, 3-3) pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the FCS playoffs in stunning a then unbeaten Weber State squad, 34-31, in the first round on April 24. The Salukis then pushed SDSU to the limit before losing in the final seconds in the second round on May 2. Missouri State's share of the MVFC crown also put the Bears in the playoffs, only to fall at North Dakota in the first round.

Looking ahead to the traditional fall season, expect a similarly competitive race in the MVFC, with South Dakota State using the heartbreaking loss to Sam Houston as motivation to make a return trip to Frisco in early January. Also, don't be surprised if the Jackrabbits get challenged by the likes of Missouri State, North Dakota, North Dakota State, and Southern Illinois, among other squads.

Editor's Note: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2021 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.

2021 (Fall) 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 2021 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 2021 (Spring) 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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THE RFC MYC: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)-(FCS)

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)-(FCS)

Overview: The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 caused just three of the six teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) to take the field for a significantly shortened spring season in 2021. Of those three teams, only South Carolina State managed to finish their schedule, with the Bulldogs finishing at 2-0 overall, while Delaware State finished at 2-2, and Howard finished winless at 0-2.

The upcoming fall season for the MEAC will see all six teams take the field, as longtime members Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman have left for the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), while North Carolina A&T has moved on to the Big South Conference. Those departures have left the MEAC searching for new members, likely looking to the NCAA Division II level, with Kentucky State (SIAC) and Virginia State (CIAA) among the likely replacements for Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M.

2021 (Fall) 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 2021 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 2021 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 2021 (Spring) MEAC Football Standings

Delaware State

Howard

Morgan State

Norfolk State

North Carolina Central

South Carolina State

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THE RFC MYC: Ivy League (FCS)

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 its' 2019 campaign all alone in third place in the Ivy League at 8-2 overall and 5-2 in league action. 

With the entire 2020 season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it'll be interesting to see how the entire Ivy League will fare, as well as bounce back, going into the 2021 season.

2021 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 2021 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


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THE RFC MYC: Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)-(FCS)

Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)-(FCS)

Overview: 2020-21 saw not one, but two teams finish the pandemic-shortened regular season undefeated, as both the James Madison University Dukes and the University of Delaware Blue Hens finished 5-0, winning the South and North Division titles, respectively.

In the FCS playoffs, both the Dukes and Blue Hens advanced to the semifinals before to the eventual national champion and runner-up in Sam Houston State and South Dakota State, respectively. JMU advanced with wins over VMI and North Dakota before losing 38-35 to the Bearkats, while Delaware defeated Sacred Heart and No. 4 seed Jacksonville State before being crushed by the Jackrabbits, 33-3.

As for what the traditional fall season of 2021 could hold in store in CAA, it's anyone's guess as to what could happen after a non-traditional spring season that was cut short due to COVID-19. Still, don't be surprised if the likes of Delaware, James Madison, and a host of other teams play a big role in which teams finish on top this season.

2021 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 2021 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 2021 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 (Spring) 2021 Colonial Athletic Association Football Standings

Albany (N.Y.)

Delaware

Elon

James Madison

Maine

New Hampshire

Rhode Island

Richmond

Stony Brook

Towson

Villanova

William & Mary

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THE RFC MYC: Big South Conference (FCS)

Big South Conference (FCS) 

Overview: The Monmouth (N.J.) Blue Hawks crushed the Kennesaw State Owls (4-1 overall in Spring 2021), 42-17, on April 10 to claim the Big South Conference championship for the abbreviated 2020-21 season. On April 24, Monmouth gave eventual finalist Sam Houston State all it could handle before losing 21-15 in the first round of the FCS playoffs. The Blue Hawks finished their shortened season at 3-1 overall after going unbeaten during that brief span.

While the COVID-19 pandemic was on the minds of most Americans during the summer of 2020, one school quietly made the move from the Northeast Conference (NEC), as Robert Morris from outside of Pittsburgh joined the Big South Conference during the offseason. The Colonials finished their shortened spring season winless at 0-3 overall, with two of their contests canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.

Speaking of realignment, the Big South Conference will lose two of its current members to the new Atlantic Sun Conference by the end of the 2021 season, as Kennesaw State and North Alabama will join the latter league by the beginning of the 2022 season. Both schools will eventually be joined by Central Arkansas from the Southland Conference, as well as Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State from the Ohio Valley Conference, with the possibility of more programs joining in future seasons. Also, North Carolina A&T will move from the MEAC to the Big South effective this fall.

In the meantime, expect Monmouth to be favored to win a third-straight Big South Conference title, with Kennesaw State also expected to be in the conversation for the conference crown this fall. The additions of North Carolina A&T and Robert Morris, as well as the eventual departures of Kennesaw State and North Alabama, will leave the Big South Conference with seven schools for the 2022 season.

2021 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 2021 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 2021 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 (Spring) 2021 Big South Conference Football Standings

Campbell

Charleston Southern

Gardner-Webb

Hampton

Kennesaw State

Monmouth (N.J.)

North Alabama*

North Carolina A&T

Robert Morris

*-Ineligible for Big South Conference Championship.

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The longest college football season ever is finally over...

and the Sam Houston State University Bearkats (yes, their nickname is spelled with a "k") won their first-ever NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) with a thrilling 23-21 come-from-behind win over the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits on Sunday, May 16, 2021!!!...

The complete recap of the game from both perspectives are listed below:

Sam Houston State

South Dakota State

And now, the final totals for the "RFC Weekly Predictions column, for this "epic" Fall 2020/Spring 2021 season are:

2-2 (.500)*

*Totals include both FCS semifinal games, as well as the FCS and NAIA national championship games.

Finally, the final tally for this long season is:

407-194 (.678)

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THE RFC MYC: Big Sky Conference (FCS)

Big Sky Conference (FCS) 

Overview: The Weber State University finished the COVID-19 shortened regular-season undefeated at 5-0 in the Big Sky Conference championship for the spring of 2021. However, the Wildcats' run in the FCS playoffs was stopped cold by Southern Illinois, as the Salukis pulled off the stunning upset in the final seconds in their first-round game. Don't be surprised if Weber State uses that loss as motivation to make a deeper run in postseason play this fall.

The only other Big Sky squad to advance to postseason play was the Eastern Washington University Eagles. EWU fell to North Dakota State 42-20 in the first round of the FCS playoffs to finish the spring season at 5-2 overall. Expect the Eagles to stay in the conversation for the conference crown later this fall, as well as a 2019 co-champion in Sacramento State. The Hornets shared the conference crown with Weber State just two years ago, with both squads finishing league play at 7-1. Sacramento State was upset at home by Austin Peay in the second round of the FCS playoffs that fall, while Weber State advanced to the semifinals before losing to the eventual national runner-up James Madison.

Sacramento State was one of several Big Sky Conference teams to sit out the entire 2020-21 season due to the pandemic, with Northern Colorado and Montana State being the others. Additionally, Cal Poly, Montana, and Portland State played a limited schedule of games during the spring, with the latter two teams choosing to play non-conference games only. Cal Poly played only three games in going 0-3 overall, as the Broncos canceled the remainder of their season due to COVID-19 concerns.

Looking ahead, the Big Sky Conference will lose Southern Utah to the newly-resurrected Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2022, with Northern Arizona possibly joining the WAC fold in the future. Additionally, don't be surprised if other current Big Sky members such as Cal Poly, Northern Colorado, Sacramento State, UC Davis, and even Weber State are considered for future membership in the WAC going forward.

2021 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)

Editor's Note #2: At the time this post was uploaded, there is a possibility that the 2021 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 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 2021 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 (Spring) 2021 Big Sky Conference Football Standings

Cal Poly

Eastern Washington

Idaho

Idaho State

Montana

Montana State

Northern Arizona

Northern Colorado

Portland State

Sacramento State

Southern Utah

UC Davis

Weber State

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THE RFC MYC: AQ7 (Atlantic Sun and Western Athletic Conferences)-(FCS)

AQ7 (Atlantic Sun and Western Athletic Conferences)-(FCS)

Overview: The so-called "AQ7" Conference for the fall 2021 season is a mixture of the new Atlantic Sun and Western Athletic Conferences, respectively. Although the "AQ7" consists of nine schools, stretching from Kentucky to Arkansas, Alabama to Texas and Utah, only seven teams are eligible for the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. That's because two of those teams, Dixie State and Tarleton State, are still in the process of making the transition from the NCAA Division II level to the FCS level.

Of the seven teams that are FCS playoff-eligible, two of those squads in Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State will eventually join the Atlantic Sun Conference (A-Sun) in time for the 2022 season. The other "AQ7" members; Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, Lamar, Sam Houston State, and Stephen F. Austin, will make the move from the Southland Conference to the WAC, joining JSU and EKU, respectively, in the "AQ7" for the fall of 2021.

All seven "AQ7" members will each play six conference games, three at home and three on the road, with the winner earning the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs this fall.

Finally, despite the fact that it has yet to take the field (and for just one season at that), the temporary "AQ7" Conference will already have a defending national champion as a potential favorite, as newly-crowned FCS national champion Sam Houston State will eventually join the WAC as a full member by the beginning 2022 season. That's not to mention that this one-year "mash-up" league will also perennial playoff participants in Jacksonville State and Central Arkansas just to name a few.

2021 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 2021 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 2021 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.

Abilene Christian

Central Arkansas

Dixie State

Eastern Kentucky

Jacksonville State

Lamar 

Sam Houston State

Stephen F. Austin

Tarleton State

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ICYMI: NAIA Championship Recap and Quickie Prediction for the FCS Championship Game

NAIA Championship Game Recap: Northwestern (Iowa) vs. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)

Lindsey Wilson 45, Northwestern (Iowa) 13 (courtesy of naia.org)

Bonus Coverage (courtesy of Lindsey Wilson College Athletics)

Quickie Prediction for the FCS National Championship Game (Projected winner marked in RED.)

South Dakota State 41, Sam Houston State 38

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THE RFC MYC: FBS Independents (FBS Group Of Five)

FBS Independents (FBS Group Of Five)

Overview: Of the six independent squads that belong to the FBS level, three of them; Army, BYU, and Liberty, managed to play full seasons from start to finish. BYU and Liberty both finished the 2020 season with double-digit wins, as the Cougars finished 11-1 overall, while the Flames finished 10-1 overall. BYU's only loss came at Coastal Carolina, while Liberty's lone loss came to N.C. State.

The third team to become bowl-eligible at the end of 2020 was Army (9-3 overall). The Black Knights advanced to the Liberty Bowl on New Year's Eve, losing a heartbreaker to West Virginia 24-21. On the other hand, BYU and Liberty both ended their respective storybook season with wins in their bowl games, with the Cougars crushing UCF 49-23 to win the Boca Raton Bowl in Florida on December 22, while the Flames stunned previously undefeated Coastal Carolina 37-34 in overtime to claim their second straight Cure Bowl crown.

As for the other three independents, New Mexico State played an abbreviated schedule during the spring, settling for a split in both contests, with the Aggies losing to NCAA Division II to FCS transition team Tarleton State while defeating another similar squad in Dixie State. UConn canceled its entire 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. In the last full season in which they did take the field, the Huskies finished the 2019 campaign at 2-10 overall and 0-8 in their final campaign as an American Athletic Conference member. 

UMass was the other team that played a limited schedule last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minutemen played just four games last fall starting on October 24, losing all four contests by a combined score of 161-12. Additionally, UMass was shut out in two of those games, falling at Georgia Southern 41-0, as well as Liberty, 45-0.

Looking ahead to 2021, expect all six squads to play full schedules this season, with Army, BYU, and Liberty all looking to build on their success from 2020, while New Mexico State, UConn, and UMass all hope to post winning seasons this fall. An ironic twist for the first two weeks of the 2021 season will be Army opening the campaign against two teams that played in the First Responder Bowl in Georgia State on the road, and Western Kentucky at home, respectively.

2021 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 2021 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 2021 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.

Army 

BYU  

Liberty 

New Mexico State

UConn

UMass

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THE RFC MYC: Sun Belt Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Sun Belt Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Overview: If the final standings were any indication, the Sun Belt Conference was indeed the "Fun Belt" for 2020, as five of the league's ten teams advanced to bowl games last season. Leading the way were the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (10-1 overall in 2020), as well as the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers (11-1 overall). Both teams shared the SBC title after the conference championship game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both Coastal Carolina and Louisiana finished the season ranked in the Top 25, with the Chanticleers finishing 14th in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls, respectively, while the Ragin' Cajuns finished 15th and 16th in both polls.

The SBC had perhaps the most successful postseason in its 20-year football history, as its four teams finished 4-1 overall in bowl game action. While Appalachian State (9-3 in 2020, Myrtle Beach Bowl), Georgia Southern (8-5, New Orleans Bowl), Louisiana (First Responder Bowl), and Georgia State (6-4, Lending Tree Bowl), Coastal Carolina had the lone loss for bowl season, as the Chanticleers quest to finish the season undefeated fell agonizingly short in a heartbreaking upset loss to Liberty in overtime at the Cure Bowl on December 26.

Looking ahead to 2021, look for more fun in the Sun Belt this fall, as Coastal Carolina and Louisiana will both look to defend their respective division championships, while Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, et. al. look to mount serious challenges on both sides of the SBC.

2021 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 2021 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 2020 Sun Belt Conference Football Standings

East Division

Appalachian State

Coastal Carolina

Georgia Southern 

Georgia State

Troy

West Division

Arkansas State

Louisiana

South Alabama

Texas State

ULM 

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THE RFC MYC: Mountain West Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Mountain West Conference (FBS Group Of Five)

Overview: Just like the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference (MW) chose to cancel/postpone its 2020 season due to COVID-19, only to have a change of heart at midseason, with the opening week of play being on October 24. After ten weeks of regular-season action, including Air Force's two games against their fellow service academies (a 40-7 win over Navy on October 3, as well as a 10-7 loss to Army on December 19), the San Jose State University Spartans emerged as the unlikely conference champions with a 34-20 win over Boise State on December 19. However, San Jose State's quest for an undefeated season fell short, as the MAC champion Ball State University Cardinals stunned the Spartans 34-13 in the Arizona Bowl on New Year's Eve (December 31). The loss to Ball State gave San Jose State a final overall record of 7-1 for the 2020 season. 

Meanwhile, the other two Mountain West teams that moved on to bowl games won their bowl games, with the University of Nevada Wolfpack (7-2 overall in 2020) knocking off Tulane 38-27 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on December 22, while the University of Hawai'i Rainbows (5-40 defeated Houston 28-14 to claim the New Mexico Bowl crown on Christmas Eve (December 24). The wins by both teams gave the MW a 2-1 overall record for postseason play.

Looking ahead to 2021, San Jose State will look to defend its Mountain West Conference championship, while Boise State (5-2 in 2020) will look to get back into the bowl and championship conversation after "opting out" of postseason play due to the pandemic. Speaking of the Broncos, they'll hope to open the traditional fall season at UCF on September 4, in a contest that has potential early-season bowl-eligibility implications. They'll also play host to Oklahoma State just two weeks later in another contest that could decide bowl eligibility.

2021 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 2021 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 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 2020 Mountain West Conference Football Standings

2021 Mountain West Conference Composite Schedule

Mountain Division

Air Force

Boise State 

Colorado State

New Mexico

Utah State

Wyoming

West Division

Fresno State

Hawai'i

Nevada

San Diego State

San Jose State

UNLV

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