Overview: Imagine being the one team to take your conference's automatic bid to the playoffs, mainly because the team that actually won the conference championship was declared ineligible for postseason play because that school's entire athletics department was in the midst of transitioning from one division to another.
That's exactly what happened to the Davidson University Wildcats in 2022, as they won the Pioneer Football League's (PFL) automatic bid to the FCS playoffs, despite finishing PFL play at 6-2, as well as at 8-3 to finish the regular season. The Wildcats lost to Richmond 41-0 in the first round of the FCS playoffs on November 19 to finish their season at 8-4 overall.
As for the squad that actually won the PFL regular-season title, the University of St. Thomas Tommies capped off their second season of FCS action by winning 10 straight games after suffering a tough season-opening setback to Southern Utah on the road on September 1. UST finished PFL play undefeated at 8-0, with only one of those wins coming by only one score, as the Tommies outlasted San Diego 49-42 at home on October 29.
With the 2023 season fast approaching, the main goal for St. Thomas this fall will be to win back-to-back PFL titles. That's because the Tommies are still making the transition from the NCAA Division III to the NCAA Division I level, as they approach the third year of their five-year provisional period. Therefore, UST will have to sit out postseason play yet again when November arrives.
As for the other PFL squads, expect a tight race for that lone automatic bid to the FCS playoffs this season. Davidson edged Dayton (8-3 overall in 2022) on the final day of the regular season to advance to the FCS playoffs. The Wildcats will look to fend off the Flyers and other teams in hopes of advancing to postseason play for the fourth straight season.
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 Pioneer Football League Football Standings
Butler
Davidson
Dayton
Drake
Marist
Morehead State
No comments:
Post a Comment