THE RFC MYC: Southland Conference (FCS)

Southland Conference (FCS)

Overview: Just three years ago, in 2019, the Southland Conference had 11 schools playing football, with Nicholls State sharing the championship with now-former member Central Arkansas while advancing to the FCS playoffs with another longtime member in Southeastern Louisiana.

Now, almost three years later, entering the 2022 season, the SLC is now down to just five members, thanks to the massive conference realignment that's occurring at the FCS level. Only Houston Baptist, McNeese State, Nicholls, Northwestern State, and Southeastern Louisiana will take the field looking to take home a conference title this fall.

That's because the University of Incarnate Word Cardinals decided to join former fellow SLC members in Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston State, and Stephen F. Austin in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) this fall, with Sam Houston being declared ineligible for the WAC crown, as the Bearkats are beginning their transition to the FBS level starting this season. UIW clinched the Southland title after going 7-1 in SLC play en route to advancing to the FCS playoffs in 2021. After getting by future WAC foe SFA, 35-28, in overtime, in the first round, the Cardinals gave the Bearkats all they could handle before losing 49-42, in the second round. UIW finished the season at 10-3 overall after losing to Sam Houston State.

With only five teams taking the field this fall, the Southland Conference has entered into a scheduling alliance with the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, respectively. Additionally, Lamar University will return to the SLC in time for the 2023 season in an effort to have the league to maintain its eligibility for an FCS playoff berth.

Also, Texas A&M University-Commerce will begin its transition from the NCAA Division II to the FCS ranks this fall, with the Lions joining the Southland Conference to play over the next four seasons. TAMUC will not be playoff-eligible until 2026. 

For now, however, the race for the SLC title in 2022 will be anyone's to win in UIW's absence, with Southeastern Louisiana (9-4 overall, 6-2 in the SLC in 2021) being the favorite to finish on top in the five-team league. The Lions from Hammond, Louisiana eliminated Florida A&M from the FCS playoffs with a 38-14 win in the first round, before falling to eventual national semifinalist (and soon-to-be-former FCS member) James Madison in the second round to see their season come to an end.

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. The link (s) will appear in each blog post when the team's schedule is submitted. Also, please visit the RFC blog at realfootballcentral.blogspot.com for schedules, schedule updates, preseason previews, and much more.

Final 2021 (Fall) Southland Conference Football Standings

Houston Baptist

McNeese State

Nicholls 

Northwestern State

Southeastern Louisiana

Texas A&M-Commerce*

*-Ineligible for the conference title, transitioning from the NCAA Division II level.

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