RFC Small College Preview: Southern Athletic Association (SAA)

Southern Athletic Association (SAA)

2015 Football Standings--Southern Athletic Association

Editor's Note: Due to circumstances beyond our control, this is the first post since Monday, June 27, 2016. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Looking back: In just their third year of existence, the Hendrix College Warriors won their first-ever Southern Athletic Association (SAA) title. They fell to another first-time postseason participant in Huntingdon, as the Hawks eliminated the Warriors in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Looking ahead: Expect Hendrix to get a challenge, not only from an established program such as the Centre College Colonels from Kentucky, but also from another program that's entering its fourth season of play, in the Berry College Vikings out of Rome, Georgia.

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

1. Centre (8-2): The Colonels hope to notch their third NCAA Division III playoff appearance dating back to 2011.

2. Hendrix (8-3): But coming off a 7-1 mark in SAA play, as well as an SAA title, don't count out the Warriors in the 2016 title race.

3. Berry (7-3): The Vikings hope to finish what they started after ending the 2015 season with back-to-back losses following a program-best 7-1 start.

4. Chicago (6-4): With a move to the Midwest Conference looming by 2017, the Maroons hope to shake up the SAA race in 2016.

5. Washington (Mo.)--(6-4): The Bears will join a new conference as well, as they're slated to join the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) in 2018.

6. Birmingham Southern (5-5): A season-ending upset win over Berry has the Panthers faithful cautiously optimistic heading into 2016.

7. Rhodes (4-6): The Lynx will have a tough row to hoe in 2016, as they'll face at least six teams that finished with a .500 or better record in 2015.

8. Millsaps (3-7): Despite a dismal 2015 campaign, a season-ending two-game winning streak has the Majors shooting for a much-better 2016 season.

9. Sewanee (1-9): It's back to "square one" for the Tigers after finishing winless in the SAA at 0-8 last year.

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