THE RFC MYC: Northeast Conference (NEC)-(FCS)

Northeast Conference (NEC)-(FCS)

Overview: In a tight race for the fall 2021 Northeast Conference (NEC) championship, it was a team of "Pioneers", from Sacred Heart University, that finished on top. The Pioneers finished NEC play at 6-1, with their lone loss in league action coming to soon-to-be-former member Bryant, 17-6, on September 11. However, SHU did manage to win seven of their final nine games, which included a six-game winning streak to close out the regular season, to finish at 8-3. In the first round of the FCS playoffs, the Pioneers gave the Patriot League champion Holy Cross Crusaders all they could handle before falling 13-10, to end their season at 8-4 overall.

As mentioned above, the Bryant University Bulldogs will soon become a former member of the NEC as this post was written, as the Rhode Island-based institution will send its football program into the Big South Conference this season. Taking Bryant's place will be the Stonehill University Skyhawks from North Easton, Massachusetts, who will make the transition from the NCAA Division II Northeast-10 Conference to the NCAA Division I (FCS) Northeast Conference for a four-year transition period that starts this fall.

Going into the 2022 season, the main question is this: Can Sacred Heart take home another NEC title? Or can the likes of Duquesne (7-3, 5-2), St. Francis (Pa.)-(5-6, 4-3), and Central Connecticut State (4-7, 4-3) step up and dethrone the Pioneers? Those questions could be answered during the course of this upcoming season.

2022 Schedules (Teams listed in alphabetical order, click the links below to access to find the schedules)

NOTE: If the link to the team's schedule is not highlighted, it means that the team has not submitted its schedule for the 2022 season. When the team's schedule is submitted, the link (s) will appear in each blog post. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.

Final 2021 (Fall) Northeast Conference Football Standings


Central Connecticut State

Duquesne

LIU

Merrimack*

Sacred Heart

St. Francis (Pa.)

Stonehill*

Wagner

*-Transitioning from the NCAA Division II level.

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