The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: Southern Athletic Association (SAA)-(NCAA Division III)

Southern Athletic Association (SAA) (NCAA Division III)

Overview: The Southern Athletic Association (SAA) sent two teams to postseason play in 2025, with the Berry College Vikings from Mount Berry, Georgia, earning their conference's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III playoffs after finishing unbeaten in SAA action at 7-0, while the Trinity University Tigers from San Antonio, Texas, finished second in the SAA after finishing 6-1 in SAA play.

Once the playoffs arrived, both Berry and Trinity won at least one playoff game, with the Vikings landing victories over LaGrange (Ga.) and Trinity before losing to John Carroll, 21-13, in the quarterfinals to end the 2025 season at 11-2 overall. All three of Berry's postseason contests were decided by a combined 20 points. That came after the Vikings won every regular-season game by 18 or more points.

As for Trinity, the Tigers held off Hardin-Simmons 34-24 in the second round, before seeing their season end on December 6 with the 31-23 loss to Berry on the road. The Tigers ended their 2025 season at 10-2 overall, with both losses coming to the Vikings.

With Trinity and Berry both beginning the 2026 season ranked at #14 and #16, respectively, in the preseason d3football.com poll, expect both squads to battle for the SAA title again this fall, with teams such as Maryville (7-3, 4-3 in 2025), Millsaps (6-4, 4-3), and Centre (5-5, 4-3), being among the potential darkhorses. 

2025 SAA Football Final Standings

2026 Schedules 


365. Berry 

366. Centre

367. Maryville

368. Millsaps

369. Rhodes

370. Sewanee

371. Southwestern (Tex.)

372. Trinity (Tex.)

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The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: USA South Athletic Conference (USAC)-(NCAA Division III)

USA South Athletic Conference (USAC) (NCAA Division III)

Overview: The LaGrange College Panthers from LaGrange, Georgia, made history in 2025, as they not only advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs for just the second time ever, but also dramatically won their first-ever postseason contest. 

After finishing the regular season undefeated at 7-0 to win the USA South Athletic Conference (USAC) title for the first time in program history, and their first conference championship since 2008, the Panthers traveled to Massachusetts to face Framingham State in a first-round playoff game. 

LaGrange outlasted the Rams 24-21 to advance to the second round of the D-III playoffs, with the 2025 season coming to a close after losing to Berry, 18-14. The Panthers finished the season at 10-2 overall after losing to the Vikings on the road.

With the 2026 season just around the corner, LaGrange enters this new campaign hoping to build on last season's success. But the four teams that finished the 2025 season at 6-4 overall- Huntingdon, Belhaven, Brevard, and Southern Virginia- just might give the Panthers a run for their money this fall.

2025 USA South Football Final Standings

2026 Schedules (Teams are listed in alphabetical order; click the links below to find the schedules)

357. Belhaven

358. Brevard 

359. Greensboro

360. Huntingdon

361. LaGrange

362. Methodist

363. North Carolina Wesleyan

364. Southern Virginia

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The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: Conference Carolinas (NCAA Division II)

Conference Carolinas (NCAA Division II)

Overview: The North Greenville University Trailblazers from Tigerville, South Carolina, made history in 2025, finishing unbeaten at 6-0 in the inaugural season of Conference Carolinas football at the NCAA Division II level. NGU defeated UNC Pembroke twice, 20-7 in the regular season contest on October 18, and 34-20 in the first-ever Conference Carolinas Bowl for the league title on November 20. 

The Trailblazers were one of only two teams from Conference Carolinas to have a winning season last fall, with NGU finishing its 2025 campaign with a 43-19 loss at West Florida in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs as the fledgling conference's automatic qualifier. On the other hand, UNCP missed out on postseason play despite finishing 6-1 in conference play and 8-3 overall a year ago. 

Heading into the 2026 season, expect NGU and UNCP to not only contend for the Conference Carolinas title again but also potentially advance to postseason play once November arrives. Also, don't be surprised if any of the other five squads try to make progress towards posting a winning record this fall. 

2025 Conference Carolinas Football Final Standings

2026 Schedules

350. Barton

351. Chowan

352. Erskine

353. Ferrum

354. North Greenville

355. Shorter 

356. UNC Pembroke

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The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: South Atlantic Conference (SAC)-(NCAA Division II)

South Atlantic Conference (SAC) (NCAA Division II)

Overview: In another competitive season for the South Atlantic Conference (SAC), the Newberry College Wolves from Newberry, South Carolina emerged as the conference champions after finishing SAC action at 8-1. The Wolves then won three NCAA Division II playoff games over Kentucky State, West Florida, and Albany State (Ga.), before seeing their 2025 season end with a 49-17 loss to eventual national champion Ferris State to finish at 12-2 overall. 

The only other SAC squad to advance to postseason play in 2025 was the Wingate University Bulldogs from Wingate, North Carolina. After finishing second in the SAC at 7-2 in league games, the Bulldogs built leads of 17-0 at halftime and 24-7 at the end of the third quarter against Benedict, before surrendering 18 unanswered points in a season-ending 25-24 loss to the Tigers. Wingate finished its season at 9-3 overall after the heartbreaking loss to Benedict. 

As for what the 2026 season could hold in store for the SAC, don't be surprised if either Newberry or Wingate battle each other for this year's league title, with Emory and Henry (8-3 overall, 6-3 in the SAC in 2025), Carson-Newman (7-3, 6-3), Catawba (7-4, 5-4), and Lenoir-Rhyne (6-5, 5-4) being among the sleeper teams to possibly get to the top this fall. 

2025 South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Football Final Standings

340. Anderson (S.C.)

341. Carson-Newman

342. Catawba

343. Emory & Henry

344. Lenoir-Rhyne

345. Mars Hill

346. Newberry

347. Tusculum

348. Virginia-Wise

349. Wingate

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The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC)-(NCAA Division III)

Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) (NCAA Division III)

Overview: The Randolph-Macon College Yellow Jackets from Ashland, Virginia, had another incredible campaign in 2025, not only outscoring their opponents 330-81 in going unbeaten in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) action at 8-0 but also outscoring their opponents 378-125 to finish the regular season 9-1.

But postseason success proved to be elusive for Randolph-Macon, as the Yellow Jackets' season ended with a 35-6 setback to John Carroll in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs after receiving a first-round bye. R-M's season ended at 9-2 overall after claiming their fourth-straight ODAC championship. 

As for 2026,  Randolph-Macon will begin the season ranked 25th in the d3football.com preseason poll, as the Yellow Jackets hope to win their fifth-straight ODAC title this fall. But the Yellow Jackets will have more than enough challengers looking to dethrone them, with Shenandoah (8-3, 6-2), Washington and Lee (7-4, 6-2), and Hampden-Sydney (7-3, 5-3) being among the potential contenders. 

2025 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Football Final Standings

2026 Schedules 

332. Averett

333. Bridgewater (Va.)

334. Guilford

335. Hampden-Sydney

336. Randolph-Macon

337. Roanoke

338. Shenandoah

339. Washington & Lee

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The RFC Offseason Schedule Tracker: Empire 8 Conference (E8)-(NCAA Division III)

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

Overview: The Cortland Red Dragons overcame an early-season 31-14 loss to Grove City in their season opener to win eight straight games and their fifth-straight Empire 8 Conference championship. During that eight-game winning streak, the Red Dragons outscored their opponents 354-71, including a combined final score of 324-65 in Empire 8 Conference games.

Still, Cortland's 2025 season ended on a sour note, with the Red Dragons losing their annual "Cortaca Jug" contest to Ithaca, 26-21, in the regular-season finale for both teams, followed by a season-ending loss to Springfield on the road in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. Their season ended at 8-3 overall after that two-game losing streak.

With the focus now turned to 2026, Cortland hopes to make it six straight Empire 8 Conference titles after finishing 7-0 in conference play in 2025. But programs like Utica (8-3 overall, 6-1 in 2025), St. John Fisher (7-4, 5-2), and Brockport (7-4, 4-3) could make it more difficult for the Red Dragons to accomplish that task this fall. 

Final 2025 Empire 8 Conference Football Standings

2026 Schedules

324. Alfred

325. Alfred State

326. Brockport

327. Cortland 

328. Hartwick

329. Morrisville State 

330. St. John Fisher

331. Utica

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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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