American Southwest Conference (ASC)-(NCAA Division III)
Overview: Despite falling short of winning a national championship (2018), the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders (UMHB) have still found a way to continue their domination of the American Southwest Conference (ASC) over the past one-and-a-half seasons, going 17-1 overall during that span.
In 2019, UMHB cruised to another unbeaten regular season at 10-0 in winning another ASC championship, advancing to the NCAA Division III playoffs yet again. The Crusaders cruised to convincing wins over Redlands in the first round, and Huntingdon in the second round, before being crushed by the eventual national runners-up, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks, 42-6, in the quarterfinals, to finish their season at 12-1 overall.
In the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 spring season, the Crusaders once again finished the season undefeated, defeating a familiar foe in Hardin-Simmons, 23-15, in the first-ever ASC championship game on March 27, 2021. The win over the Cowboys gave the UMHB program its 16th overall ASC championship, ending their season at 5-0 overall.
If the preseason polls are any indication, UMHB is expected to be among the top teams in D-III once again, with the Crusaders beginning the traditional fall 2021 season ranked No. 2 in the nation by the College Football America Yearbook, as well as at No. 4 by Lindy's Sports. To make a long story short, don't be surprised if Mary Hardin-Baylor makes yet another deep postseason run once again this year.
However, fans who are hoping for serious challengers to the Crusaders crown this season should consider two squads in the Texas Lutheran University Bulldogs and Hardin-Simmons University Cowboys, respectively. Although both teams finished the 2019 season at 8-2 overall, it was the Bulldogs that pulled off the upset over the then-No. 6 Cowboys, 38-27 on October 5, to send them to a second-place finish in the ASC at 8-1, while HSU had to settle for a third-place finish at 7-2.
Finally, the beginning of a brand-new season will bring a brand-new look to the ASC, as the league lost Louisiana College to the NAIA level while bringing in the Austin College Kangaroos from the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) as an associate member for football only. The addition of Austin College gives the ASC 10 football-playing members for the fall 2021 season.
2019 American Southwest Conference (ASC) Football Final Standings
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 (fall) 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.
2019 American Southwest Conference (ASC) Football Final Standings
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 (fall) 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.
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