RFC Summer Semester: Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Preview (NAIA)

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2012 Final Standings (click the links below)

Mideast League

Midwest League 

Looking back: Here's something out of the "believe it or not" department: Three teams finishing in a three-way tie for first place in both divisions at the end of the regular season. That's what happened in the Mid-States Football Association at the close of 2012, as Marian, St. Francis (Ind.), and St. Xavier shared the Mideast League title, while Grand View, St. Ambrose, and William Penn all grabbed a piece of the Midwest League crown.  The Knights would go on to win their first-ever NAIA national championship in football, defeating Morningside, 30-27, in overtime.


Looking ahead: Expect the title races in both divisions to be very intense in 2013.

Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)

East Division

1. Marian (12-1):  Knights will try to accomplish the rarest of all feats in football, or any sport, for that matter: win back-to-back national championships in 2013.  Still, they have a couple of tough early season contests against the likes of St. Xavier and NCAA Division III playoff participant Wisconsin-Oshkosh.


2. St. Xavier (11-2):  Don't be surprised if the Cougars mount a serious challenge to the Knights in the Mideast League.

3. St. Francis (Ind.)--(9-3):  Another pack of Cougars, the ones from Fort Wayne, Indiana, will play four of their first six games on the road to open 2013.

4. Siena Heights (4-6):  Saints will face six teams that finishing with winning records last year, including NCAA Division II St. Joseph's.  Ouch!  

5. Taylor (4-6):  Trojans will try to improve on last year's 1-4 mark in conference games from a year ago.

6. Concordia (Mich.)--(0-9):  The Cardinals will to try to win their first-ever game on the football field after losing 20 straight games over the last two years.

West Division

1. St. Ambrose (9-2):  Bees look to make a deep postseason run after losing to Southern Oregon in the first round of the NAIA playoffs last year.

2.  William Penn (9-3):  The Statesmen hope to get back to the playoffs as well, after advancing to the quarterfinals, only to fall to St. Xavier in round one last year.

3. Grand View (8-3):  A heartbreaking loss to William Penn on the last day of the regular season cost the Vikings a playoff berth.  It's a goal they hope to achieve in 2013.

4. St. Francis (Ill.)--(6-5):  The Fighting Saints will open the 2013 campaign with three straight road games, before finally facing St. Xavier in their home opener on September 28.

5. Trinity International (4-7):  Trojans lost five games by 10 or more points in 2012.

6. Waldorf (3-8):  Warriors face a tough road to the top in second-year head coach Kent Anderson.  

7. Olivet Nazarene (3-8):  Talk about your tough schedules! The Tigers must face five teams that were nationally ranked in the 2013 NAIA spring poll.

8. Robert Morris (Ill.)--(8-3):  Eagles will try to avoid the "sophomore jinx" in their second season of football.

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