RFC Small College Preview: Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC)

Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC)

2015 Football Standings - Middle Atlantic Conference

Looking back: Three teams from the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) advanced to postseason play in 2015. The league's eventual automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III playoffs, the Albright Lions, advanced to the second round before falling to eventual national champion Mount Union. That loss followed a 49-0 rout of Norwich in the first round.

On the other hand, two other MAC teams ended their seasons with wins in two different bowl games, as Delaware Valley defeated Moravian, 20-16, to win  one Centennial-MAC Bowl Series game, while Stevenson outlasted Muhlenberg, 14-9, in a similar contest.

Looking ahead: With the 2015 MAC championship not being decided until the final week of the regular season, don't be surprised if a similar scenario unfolds for the 2016 race.

Predicted order of finish (2015 overall record in parentheses):

1. Albright (10-2): Can the Lions make a return trip to the D-III dance in November? With the return of 16 starters from last year, as well as a preseason ranking of No. 12 from The Sporting News, the answer just might be: "yes, they could".  

2. Delaware Valley (9-2): But with one of their wins coming against this aforementioned Albright team, a 28-23 stunner on October 24, don't count out the Aggies a serious contender for the conference championship this fall.

3. Stevenson (9-2): With the return of multiple All-MAC players-including defensive back Austin Tennessee (yes, that's his real name)-expect the Mustangs to figure prominently in the league title discussion in 2016 as well.

4. Widener (6-4): After making a deep D-III playoff run in 2014, losing to Linfield in the national quarterfinals, the Pride took a tremendous step backwards in 2015, finishing 6-3 in MAC action. They hope to get back on the road to respectability in 2016.

5. Lebanon Valley (5-5): The Dutchmen struggled to finish the close games in 2015, losing four games by 10 points or less. That's something they must learn to do if they hope to contend in 2016.

6. Lycoming (4-6): The Warriors will play one of the toughest schedules in all of Division III, as they'll play against six teams that finished the 2015 season at .500 or better in 2016.

7. King's (3-7): The Monarchs struggled yet again in 2015, finishing 3-6 in MAC play. They hope that 2016 will see their first winning season since 2013, when they finished 6-4 overall.

8. Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham (3-7): The Devils also had a rough 2015 season, finishing in a two-way tie for eighth at 2-7 in conference contests.

9. Wilkes (2-8): The Colonels had a tough season as well, losing six by double digits last year.

10. Misericordia (1-9): But one of Wilkes' losses came to a Cougars program that won only its third game ever, in 2015. It'll be interesting to see if 2016 will be the year that they win at least two games in a single season.

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