The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)-(NCAA Division II)

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)-(NCAA Division II)

Overview: It was a two-team race for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship in 2025, with the Virginia Union University Panthers from Richmond, Virginia,  finishing the regular season undefeated at 7-0 in conference play, while the Johnson C. Smith University Golden Bulls from Charlotte, North Carolina, came in second place at 6-1. 

However, in the CIAA championship game on November 15, the Golden Bulls avenged a 28-10 regular-season loss to the Panthers on September 20 in a 45-21 blowout win. The victory over VUU gave JCSU its first conference title since 1969, giving the program its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

But both JCSU and VUU saw their postseason dreams get dashed in the first round of the D-II playoffs the following weekend, with visiting Frostburg State pulling off the upset over the Golden Bulls, 21-7, while the Panthers' season ended after losing to California (Pa.), 27-24. Johnson C. Smith's season ended at 10-2 overall, while the Panthers finished their campaign at 9-3 overall.

Looking ahead to 2026, the race for the CIAA could come down to the same two teams that played in the title game in 2025, with Virginia Union picked to finish first and Johnson C. Smith picked to finish second.

2025 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Football Final Standings

2026 CIAA Preseason Predictions (courtesy of the CIAA)

2026 Schedules 

313. Bluefield State

314. Bowie State

315. Elizabeth City State

316. Fayetteville State

317. Johnson C. Smith

318. Lincoln (Pa.)

319. Livingstone

320. Shaw 

321. Virginia State

322. Virginia Union

323. Winston-Salem State

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The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: Liberty League (LL)-(NCAA Division III)

Overview: Three teams in the Liberty League combined for 24 regular-season wins and eight wins each in 2025, with one team finishing third in conference play at 5-2, another in second place at 6-1, and the eventual champion finishing unbeaten at 7-0.

The team that finished in third place in the LL was the RPI Engineers from Troy, New York. After winning seven of their first eight games, the Engineers stumbled in their final two contests of 2025, losing a heartbreaker to Ithaca, 24-23, followed by another close loss to Union (N.Y.), 28-21, in the Dutchmen Shoes Trophy game the following week. RPI ended its season at 8-3 overall after defeating St. John Fisher 35-24 in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl on November 22.

Meanwhile, the team that came in second place in the Liberty League was the aforementioned Ithaca College Bombers from Ithaca, New York. The Bombers' two losses last fall came at the hands of eventual NCAA Division III playoff participant Johns Hopkins, 42-14, in the season opener, and 19-14 to Union on October 25. Despite an 8-2 finish to their 2025 campaign, the Bombers were on the outside looking in once postseason play arrived in mid-November.

But the one team that did come out on top in the LL was the Union College Garnet Chargers from Schenectady, New York. The Garnet Chargers overcame an early 0-2 start to win eight straight games, including the dramatic 28-21 win over RPI to reclaim the Dutchman Shoes Trophy. Union's season came to a close at 8-3 overall after losing to Muhlenberg 34-26 in the opening round of the D-III playoffs.

As the 2026 season rapidly approaches, it'll be interesting to see how this year's race for the Liberty League title will develop. Don't be surprised if either Ithaca, RPI, or Union ends up at or near the top of the standings once again this fall.

Final 2025 Liberty League Football Standings

305. Buffalo State

306. Hilbert

307. Hobart

308. Ithaca

309. RPI

310. Rochester

311. St. Lawrence

312, Union (N.Y.)

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The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC)-(NCAA Division III)

New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC)-(NCAA Division III)

2025 NEWMAC Final Standings

Overview: The Springfield College Pride had another solid season in 2025, as they finished unbeaten in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action at 7-0 en route to a final regular-season record of 8-2. Springfield's closest game last season was a 23-22 loss to Western New England in the season opener on September 6.

In the NCAA Division III playoffs, the Pride defeated and eliminated Cortland 21-7 in the first round before falling to Johns Hopkins in the second round to end its season at 9-3 overall. All nine of Springfield's wins came by 14 or more points, including a 48-6 rout over Norwich on November 1. The Pride then rolled past the Coast Guard 30-10 the following week to clinch their fifth-straight NEWMAC crown.

Springfield will enter the 2026 season looking to extend its 33-game winning streak in NEWMAC play, dating back to the 2021 season. But teams like Merchant Marine (8-2 overall, 5-2 in the NEWMAC in 2025), Coast Guard (7-3 overall in 2025), and the rest of the teams in this relatively young league will try to put an end to the Pride's prowess this fall. 

297. Coast Guard

298. Merchant Marine

299. MIT

300. Norwich

301. Salve Regina

302. Springfield

303. SUNY Maritime

304. WPI

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The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: Conference Of New England (CNE)-(NCAA Division III)

Conference of New England (CNE)-(NCAA Division III)

Overview: Three teams from the Conference of New England (formerly the Commonwealth Coast Conference) won at least eight games in 2025. Of those three teams, Endicott finished unbeaten in CNE play at 7-0, while Curry came in second at 6-2 and the upstart University of New England was in third at 5-2.

As far as the overall records for last season were concerned, Endicott finished at 9-2 overall after losing to Salisbury 35-28 in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs, Curry closed out its 2025 campaign at 8-3 after a 27-24 loss to the United States Merchant Marine Academy in the Fusion Bowl, and UNE was on the outside looking in for postseason play despite an 8-2 finish last fall. 

Looking ahead to the 2026 season, Endicott should be considered the favorite to win the CNE crown again this fall, with Curry likely not far behind. 

Final 2025 Conference of New England Football Standings

289. Curry

290. Endicott

291. Husson

292. Maine Maritime

293. New England College

294. Nichols

295. University of New England

296. Western New England

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20 Years Ago Today...

The first-ever post on the Real Football Central blog was posted here, followed by the first-ever "real" post exactly one month later, on August 9th, 2006. 

There have been obvious changes to the world of "small college" and "minor league" professional football since then, from the creation of the Football Championship Subdivision to the rise of the FCS, from the expansion of the playoff fields in the "lower divisions" of "college football, to the emergence of the "College Football Playoff", from the rise and fall of the original Arena Football League, to the rise of the Indoor Football League, and many more leagues coming and going.

For the past 20 years, RFC has provided coverage of the college and professional football conferences and leagues that often don't receive the media attention that the "power conferences" and the NFL. Who knows what the future holds?

Happy 20th Anniversary, Real Football Central!!!!!

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The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)-(NCAA Division III)

New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)-(NCAA Division III)

Overview: The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) had one of the most competitive football seasons in its 55-year history in 2025, with all 10 teams winning at least two and as many as seven games.

The two teams that came out on top last fall were the Trinity University Bantams and Wesleyan University Cardinals, both from Connecticut. While both squads shared the NESCAC crown at 7-2 overall, the ways they took to get there were different. 

The Bantams lost their opener to Colby 13-6, then reeled off seven straight wins before losing their season finale to the Cardinals. On the flip side, the Cardinals started 4-2 before ending their season with three straight wins, including their dramatic win over the Bantams on November 8.

The 2026 season will take on a different look, as this year's NESCAC champion will earn its first-ever automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Could this year's crown come down to Trinity and Wesleyan again, or will one of the eight teams in the conference step up and claim it? 

With nine straight weeks of regular-season action starting on September 19 and ending on November 14, expect the upcoming season to be among the best yet.      

 

2025 NESCAC Football Final Standings



279. Amherst 

280. Bates 

281. Bowdoin 

282. Colby 

283. Hamilton 

284. Middlebury 

285. Trinity (Conn.) 

286. Tufts 

287. Wesleyan 

288. Williams 

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The RFC Offseason Schedule: Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC)-(NCAA Division III)

Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC)-(NCAA Division III)

Overview: It was a tight race from start to finish in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) in 2025, with three teams, Anna Maria, Framingham State, and Plymouth State, tying for first place at the end of the regular season at 7-2 in conference play. 

But it was Framingham State that emerged as the MASCAC's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III playoffs, thanks primarily to a 31-25 win over Anna Maria on September 13. The Rams' season came to a close in the first round of the tournament at 7-4 overall after losing to LaGrange (Ga.) 24-21.

As for the other two teams who shared the MASCAC crown last season, Anna Maria finished their 2025 campaign at 7-3 overall, while Plymouth State fell short of postseason play despite an 8-2 overall record last fall. The AmCats lost to eventual NCAA playoff participants Eastern and Framingham State in their first two games before winning seven of their last eight contests. Meanwhile, the Panthers lost to Anna Maria and UMass-Dartmouth, with the latter loss costing them a chance to advance to the postseason.

Fast-forwarding to the 2026 season, the MASCAC will have one less team in its lineup, as Anna Maria closed its doors permanently in May 2026. The loss of the now-defunct Paxton, Mass.-based institution gives the MASCAC nine football-playing schools for the upcoming season. 

  

Final 2025 MASCAC Football Standings

2026 Schedules 

270. Bridgewater State

271. Dean

272. Fitchburg State

273. Framingham State

274. Massachusetts Maritime

275. Plymouth State

276. UMass-Dartmouth

277. Westfield State 

278. Worcester State

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