RFC Small College Preview: Mid-South Conference (MSC)--(NAIA)

Mid-South Conference (MSC)

2014 Football Standings 

Looking back: The Mid-South Conference (MSC) lived up to its reputation as being one of the most competitive NAIA conferences in the nation, as the race for both division titles came down to the final week of the regular season. The Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders won the East Division championship at 6-0 in MSC play, while the Faulkner University Eagles took the West Division at 4-1 in league games, winning a tiebreaker with Campbellsville.

In the NAIA playoffs, the Blue Raiders outlasted the Eagles in a thrilling 20-17 first round contest, before losing to St. Xavier, 30-17, in the quarterfinals the following week. Also, the Campbellsville University gave St. Xavier all it could handle before falling 38-35 in the opening round. If that wasn't enough, the Georgetown College (Ky.) Tigers advanced to the NAIA playoffs as well, only to be crushed by Marian, 34-3, in the first round.

Looking ahead: With four of its teams ranked in the NAIA spring poll, expect the Mid-South Conference to flex its muscles once again this fall. Meanwhile, the MSC will have one less team in its mix for 2015, as Belhaven has left the league to continue its transition to the NCAA Division III ranks. That move has prompted the conference to once again realign its divisions, with Lindsey Wilson moving to the West for this season.

Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses):

East Division

1. Georgetown (Ky.)--(8-3): With Lindsey Wilson now in the West Division, the Tigers are the obvious favorite to win the East Division in 2015, having finished 5-1 in conference play at the end of the 2014 season.

2. Pikeville (5-6):  A three-game winning streak to end 2014 has Bears fans cautiously optimistic for a breakthrough season in 2015.

3. Kentucky Christian (5-6): The Knights face a tough 2015 slate where they'll play five of their first six games on the road, with two of them against NCAA Division I FCS foes in Duquesne and Morehead State within the first three weeks of the season.

4. Cumberlands (Ky.)--(3-7): After falling short of winning a national championship in 2013, the Patriots will try to rebound after a disappointing 2014 campaign, while beginning their second season under head coach Matt Rhymer.  

5. Bluefield (3-8): The Rams will take aim at their first-ever winning season in 2015. Not only that, they'll be one of the first college football teams to take the field for the first time this season, as they'll travel to Pikeville in their season opener on August 27.

6. Union (Ky.)--(1-9): The Bulldogs will look to make the long climb out of the East Division basement after their worst finish since 1999, when they finished winless at 0-11.

West Division

1. Lindsey Wilson (10-3): With a preseason No. 7 ranking in the NAIA spring poll, the Blue Raiders enter the 2015 season as the obvious team to beat in the West.


2. Faulkner (9-3): But with a preseason No. 10 ranking in that same poll, don't count out the defending West Division champion Eagles.

3. Campbellsville (7-4): The Tigers face a tough task ahead if they're to make another postseason run in 2015.

4. Reinhardt (6-4): The Eagles will begin their third season of football under a new head coach, as Drew Cronic replaces Danny Cronic.

5. Cumberland (Tenn.)--(6-5): Head Coach Donnie Suber returns 14 starters, but loses 12, as the Bulldogs face one of their toughest schedules yet, with opponents such as NCAA Division II West Alabama and Valdosta State on the 2015 slate. That's not to mention they also must pay visits to Campbellsville and Lindsey Wilson later in the season.

6. Bethel (Tenn.)--(5-6): The Wildcats overcame an 0-5 start to win five out of their final six games, including a three-game winning streak to end the 2014 season. Still, they'll have their work cut out for them if they're to have their first winning season since 2012. The Wildcats finished that campaign at 9-4 overall, advancing to the NAIA quarterfinals. 

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