THE RFC MYC: Empire 8 Conference (E8)-(NCAA Division III)

Empire 8 Conference (E8)-(NCAA Division III)

Overview: One team was just one win away from an unbeaten regular season, only to stumble in its last two games to find itself "one and done" after the opening weekend of postseason play, while the other team won its' first-ever postseason contest, only to go two and out.

That was the case for the Empire 8 Conference (E8) champion Cortland Red Dragons, as well as the runners-up in the upstart Utica University Pioneers, as both teams represented the league at the 2022 NCAA Division III playoffs.

Despite having clinched another conference title at 6-0 in E8 play, as well as at 9-0 overall, the end of 2022 was one that the Red Dragons and their fans would likely rather forget, as the Red Dragons lost to longtime archrival Ithaca in the "Cortaca Jug Game" at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y. to finish the regular season at 9-1. Cortland's season ended in the first round of the D-III playoffs the following week, as the Red Dragons fell to Randolph-Macon on the road, 35-28, to finish at 9-2 overall.

As for Utica, the Pioneers accomplished a pair of firsts on the same day, as they stunned a previously unbeaten Susquehanna squad in a stunning 17-10 victory in the first round for their first-ever D-III playoff win, as well as first-ever double-digit win season, on November 19. Utica then fell at Mount Union, 45-7, the following week, to finish its' season at 10-2 overall. 

Heading into the 2023 season, expect Cortland to be the favorite to take home another E8 crown, with Utica, with Brockport (7-3, 4-2) and Morrisville State (7-4, 4-3) hoping to disrupt things with a few upset wins along the way during the fall.

2023 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 2023 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 2022 Empire 8 Conference Football Standings

Alfred

Brockport

Cortland 

Hartwick*

Morrisville State 

St. John Fisher

Utica

*-Schedule courtesy of d3football.com.