RFC Summer Semester--Centennial Conference Preview (NCAA Division III)

Centennial Conference

Website

2012 Final Standings 

Looking back: Johns Hopkins turned out to be the class of an ultra-competitive Centennial Conference in 2012, finishing first at 8-1 in league play, with their lone loss during the regular season coming at the hands of Franklin & Marshall.  The Blue Jays advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs, where their season ended with a 55-13 loss to eventual national champion Mount Union.

Looking ahead: Don't be surprised if the race for the CC crown in 2013 comes down to the final week of the regular season.

Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)

1. Johns Hopkins (10-2):  The Blue Jays have won at least eight games in each of the last five years.  In the three years they've advanced to the D-III playoffs (2009, 2011, 2012), Johns Hopkins has won at least 10 games.  Hopefully, 2013 will be the year the Blue Jays not only notch another 10-win season, but also make a deeper postseason run, maybe.

2. Muhlenberg (8-3):  If there's any team in the CC that could challenge Johns Hopkins for the conference crown, it's the Mules.  They ended 2012, though, on a losing note, as they fell to Delaware Valley, 24-21, in the ECAC South Atlantic Bowl. In 2013, they must make the trip to Baltimore to face the Blue Jays on September 28.

3. Franklin & Marshall (7-4):  Despite the upset win over Johns Hopkins, the 2012 season ended on a sour note for the Diplomats, as they lost a 38-31 heartbreaker to Gettysburg to end the regular season, before blowing a 14-point lead late in losing to Albright in the ECAC Southeast Bowl the following week.  The Dips open their 2013 schedule with a trip south to Virginia to face Washington and Lee, before opening conference play at home against Muhlenberg.

4. Gettysburg (7-3):  Despite defeating the Dips in their final game of 2012, the Bullets found themselves on the outside looking in when the postseason rolled around.  In starting 5-0 last season, the Bullets held their opponents to seven points or less in four of those first five games.  Additionally, they've lost all three games by 10 points or less.

5. Ursinus (6-4):  The Bears will look to improve on last year's 5-4 mark in CC play last season.  But road trips to Gettysburg, Susquehanna, and Johns Hopkins might make that effort to finish 2013 above .500 very tough.

6. Susquehanna (6-4):  A season-ending three game winning streak helped the Crusaders gain their third winning season in four years.  They open the 2013 campaign with four road games in their first five weeks, including visits to Johns Hopkins, Muhlenberg, and Gettysburg. Not easy at all.

7. Dickinson (4-6):  The Red Devils will try to get back on track after suffering their third straight losing season in 2012.

8. Juniata (3-7):  The Eagles hope to soar higher after their first three win season since 2003.

9. Moravian (2-8):  The Greyhounds enter the 2013 season having lost six games in a row after starting 2-2. 

10. McDaniel (0-10):  Speaking of losing streaks, the Green Terror will look to win their first game since October 29, 2011, when they outlasted Juniata, 23-19.

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.