Looking back: The Southern Oregon University Raiders (13-2 overall) defeated the Marian University Knights, 55-31, to claim their first-ever NAIA national championship last season. They defeated perennial Frontier Conference power Carroll (Mont.) in two out of three games along the way; 38-35 in the regular season opener on September 6, and 45-42 in the quarterfinals of the NAIA playoffs. It was also the first double-digit win season in program history for SOU, who had won nine games just three other times ever. Speaking of the Saints, they won 10 straight games in between both losses to SOU in 2014, even holding off the Raiders in a high-scoring 42-40 contest at midseason. At the time of their upset loss to the Raiders, the Saints were ranked No. 1 in the NAIA. Looking ahead: Expect another tight race in the Frontier Conference (FC), with Southern Oregon and Carroll fighting for the top two spots in the league, and Eastern Oregon (8-3 overall in 2014) being thrown in the mix just for good measure. Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses): 1. Southern Oregon (13-2):The Raiders will begin their defense of last year's national championship with a trip to Carroll in the season opener for both teams on September 5. 2. Carroll (Mont.)--(10-2):But the perennial powerhouse Saints aren't going to go away quite so quickly. 3. Eastern Oregon (8-3):With a preseason ranking of No. 13, expect the Mountaineers to mount a challenge to SOU and Carroll this fall. 4. Montana Western (6-5):The Bulldogs will do battle with Carroll on September 26, followed by Southern Oregon on October 10, with both games to played at home. 5. Rocky Mountain (5-6):The Bears hope to bounce back after losing four straight games at the end of the 2014 season. 6. College of Idaho (4-7):The 'Yotes were surprisingly competitive in their first football season since 1977, starting at 4-2 before closing with five straight losses, while also winning three of their four contests by four points or less. Having said that, they hope to build on 2014, in 2015. 7. Montana State-Northern (3-8):The Lights hope to climb out of the darkness that's the bottom of the Frontier Conference standings this season. 8. Montana Tech (1-9):Speaking of the basement, the Orediggers will enter the 2015 season having lost eight straight games. Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
Looking back: After just seven seasons of play, the Colorado State University-Pueblo Thunderwolves reached the top of the NCAA Division II football summit, winning their program's first-ever national championship. They shut out Minnesota State-Mankato, 13-0, to claim the crown for claim the crown for 2014. But CSU-Pueblo wasn't the only team from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) to get a taste of postseason play last fall, with the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers advancing to the D-II quarterfinals before being ousted by Ohio Dominican.
Looking ahead: CSU-Pueblo will enter the 2015 season trying to prove that its sudden rise to the top was no fluke.
Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses):
1. Colorado State-Pueblo (14-1):With 16 starters coming back--including six on defense--expect the Thunderwolves to be the team to beat in the RMAC, as well as one of the nation's best teams, in 2015.
2. Colorado Mines (10-2): Coming off of a share of the RMAC title in 2014, the Orediggers hope to continue their winning ways under first-year head coach Gregg Brandon, who has won 44 games in a six-year career.
3. Chadron State (8-3): The Eagles must replace 14 seniors lost due to graduation if they're to find themselves in the RMAC title and postseason discussion this season.
4. Colorado Mesa (6-5): The Mavericks hope to build on achieving their first winning season since 2008, when they also finished 6-5 overall.
7. Adams State (4-7): Former Washington State quarterback Timm Rosenbach takes over a struggling Grizzlies gridiron program as their new head coach this season.
8. New Mexico Highlands (3-8): The Cowboys will also head into 2015 with a new head coach in Jeff Mills, who served as the defensive line coach at Indiana State. 9. Fort Lewis (3-8): A mid-season upset win over eventual national champion CSU-Pueblo was the major highlight of an otherwise disappointing 2014 season for the Skyhawks, who haven't had a winning season since 2006 (7-4 overall). 10. Black Hills State (3-8): The Yellow Jackets face a long, uphill battle to climb out of the RMAC basement after a 2-7 finish in conference play last year. Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
Looking back: The Texas Lutheran University Bulldogs notched their second straight season of at least eight or more wins in 2014, finishing at 9-2 overall en route to winning their second straight Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) championship. They fell to Mary Hardin-Baylor, 27-20, in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Looking ahead: Don't be surprised if TLU "three-peats" as SCAC champions this fall.
Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses):
1. Texas Lutheran (9-2):While the Bulldogs will play all of their games in the state of Texas this season, the most important date that TLU fans should circle on their calendar should be October 24. That's when the Bulldogs will travel to Belton, Texas to face Mary Hardin-Baylor in a potential playoff preview.
2. Trinity (Tex.)--(4-6): The Tigers will face the likes of Pacific Lutheran at home and Willamette at home, as well as facing Southwestern twice in 2015.
3. Austin (5-5): The 'Roos lost all five games by double digits in 2014. That's something they hope to change in 2015.
Looking back: The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders added yet another American Southwest Conference (ASC) championship to their trophy case in 2014, winning their fifth straight outright conference crown, and their ninth dating back to 2005. The "Cru" advanced to the national quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III, losing to Linfield in a 31-28 heartbreaker. Looking ahead: The ASC will grow by at least two members for 2015 and beyond. Well, sort of. The Belhaven University Blazers from Jackson, Mississippi will join the conference as a provisional member from the NAIA, while McMurry University out of Abilene, Texas rejoins the D-III after abandoning plans to move up to the NCAA Division II ranks. Neither team will be eligible for the ASC title.
Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses):
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor (11-1):The Crusaders will go into 2015 trying to extend their 54-game regular season winning streak, as well as a streak of 37 straight ASC wins dating back to 2009.
3. Louisiana College (6-4):The Wildcats will open the 2015 season with three straight road games, as well as pay a visit to NCAA Division II Kentucky Wesleyan in a last-minute addition to this year's schedule.
4. East Texas Baptist (4-6):While the Tigers found themselves on the winning side of several high-scoring games in 2014, they also gave up 50 or more points in five or their six losses; including 98 to D-II Texas A&M-Commerce in the season opener, as well as 83 points to Mary Hardin-Baylor in the season finale. It's a situation that head coach Joshua Eargle hopes will be corrected in 2015.
Belhaven (2-9):The 2015 schedule for the Blazers includes a home game against two-time defending D-III national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater on September 12, as well as a home contest against Mary Hardin-Baylor on October 3, and a road game against future ASC member McMurry on October 31.
McMurry (2-8):The Warhawks will try to improve on a miserable showing in which they surrendered 40 or more points in all eight losses last season.
Looking back: The Lone Star Conference (LSC) crowned two different champions for football in 2014, with Texas A&M-Commerce (9-3 overall) winning the regular season title at 6-1 in the LSC, while Angelo State (9-3) won the inaugural playoff crown. The Rams then advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs as the No. 6 seed out of Super Region 4. In the first round, they upset Michigan Tech, 42-41, on the road, before losing to eventual national champion Colorado State-Pueblo, 52-14, in the second round.
Looking ahead: There will be tremendous changes for the LSC for 2015 and beyond, with McMurry leaving the league to return to the NCAA Division III ranks, while Oklahoma Panhandle State will join as an affiliate member. Additionally, the University of Texas-Permian Basin will start football in 2016, while Western New Mexico will jump on the LSC bandwagon next season as well. That gives the league 10 football-playing schools by then.
Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses):
1. Texas A&M-Commerce (9-3):The Lions must lean on the contributions of Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Toni Pulu if they're to win their 22nd LSC championship this fall.
2. Angelo State (9-3): Head Coach Will Wagner welcomes back seven starters apiece on both sides of the ball, as the Rams enter the 2015 season as a serious contender for the LSC title.
3. Eastern New Mexico (7-4): After back-to-back seven-win seasons, the Greyhounds hope to get over that hump this season.
Quick Analysis: Coming off yet another undefeated season, the Harvard Crimson enter the 2015 campaign as the team to beat in the Ivy League yet again. They'll try to add their fourth crown in the last five years--as well as three in a row--this fall. Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
Quick Analysis: The University of San Diego Toreros were selected as the favorites to win the 2015 Pioneer Football League (PFL) title, receiving seven out of 11 first place votes. Still, expect Dayton and Drake to give San Diego a run for its money this fall. One team that won't be in the hunt for a conference crown will be Jacksonville. The Dolphins 2014 season was vacated due to a violation of conference rules, despite finishing 7-1 in PFL play. If that wasn't enough, JU was also declared ineligible for this year's conference crown because of such penalties. Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
Quick Analysis: In what was perhaps one of the closest preseason prediction votes in the history of college football, Fordham edged Bucknell by three points to land the favorite's role in the Patriot League for 2015. The Rams finished undefeated in conference play en route to a double-digit win effort in 2014. They stomped Sacred Heart, 44-22, in the first round, before falling to eventual national semifinalist New Hampshire, 44-19, in the second round of the FCS playoffs. As for the one game that Patriot League should mark on their calendars, November 7 should be that date. That's when Fordham does battle with Bucknell in the Bronx. That contest could very well decide not only the conference championship, but also the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs that goes with it. Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
2014 Standings 2015 Media Guide 2015 Predictions/Preseason All-Americans Quick Analysis: After ending up in a five-way tie for first place at the end of regular season, the Morgan State University Bears ended up being likely the last-ever automatic qualifier for the MEAC to the FCS playoffs in 2014. The Bears fell to Richmond, 46-24, in the first round last season. As for the reason why the MEAC has chosen to give up its automatic bid to the FCS playoffs, here are two words: Celebration Bowl. In March, the MEAC and the SWAC agreed to a six-year deal to hold the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, starting with the 2015 contest on December 19. It's probably just as well, though. The last playoff win from a current MEAC member came in 1999, when Florida A&M knocked off Troy State (now Troy) in the quarterfinals.
Speaking of the Rattlers, FAMU enters the 2015 season as one of three teams that must sit out postseason play because of a poor Academic Progress Rate (APR), with Howard and Savannah State being the other schools. Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
Looking back: The Ouachita Baptist University Tigers cruised to an undefeated regular season in 2014, finishing at 10-0 overall. But in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, their season came to a stunning end, as they fell to Minnesota-Duluth at home, 48-45. The GAC's other playoff representative, Harding, didn't fare much better, with the Bisons falling to Pittsburg State, 59-42, in the first round. A third team, Henderson State, was snubbed for postseason play despite finishing 9-2 overall.
Looking ahead:Expect a three-way battle between Ouachita Baptist, Harding, and Henderson State for the GAC title in 2015. Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses):
The Boise State University Broncos made their mark as a rising star at the NCAA Division II level during the early to mid-1970's. Now sit back and enjoy, as the 1974 squad managed to advance to the playoffs that season, before losing to eventual national champion, Central Michigan, whom ironically, eventually moved up to what is now the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly NCAA Division I-A.
Quick Analysis: After sharing the American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship with Houston and Memphis at 7-1 in 2014, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats are the team to beat going into 2015. With a schedule that doesn't have any teams from a "Power Five" conference, don't be surprised if UC goes undefeated, and at least wins the automatic bid to one of the three host bowls in the College Football Playoff rotation. Also, with the addition of Navy to the mix this season, the AAC will split into East and West Divsions, creating a championship game as a result. Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
Quick Analysis: Despite losing to Liberty in the final week of the regular season, the Coastal Carolina University were named as the preseason favorite to defend their share of the Big South Conference title they shared with the Flames last year. While the Flames managed to upset James Madison in dramatic fashion for their first-ever FCS playoff victory last year, the Chanticleers hope to advance to past the quarterfinals for the first time ever later this year. Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
Looking back: Despite a sluggish start to the 2014 season at 1-3, the Langston University Lions managed to reel off six straight wins en route to winning the Central States Football League (CSFL) championship. The Lions were eliminated in the first round of the NAIA playoffs by Grand View. Looking ahead: Langston looks to defend its CSFL title heading into the 2015 season. Meanwhile, Lyon College out of Batesville, Arkansas begins its inaugural season of football, while second-year program Arizona Christian joins the CSFL as well. Also, Oklahoma Baptist has departed the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II Great American Conference.
Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses):
1. Langston (7-4):The Lions will look to add yet another CSFL title--and then some--to their potential list of accomplishments this fall.
2014 Standings Looking back: The Ottawa University Braves held off nine other teams to claim the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) championship in 2014, finishing 8-1 in KCAC action, as well as at 9-2 overall. Ottawa's season ended in the first round of the NAIA playoffs, falling to Morningside, 42-14. Looking ahead: Dont' be surprised if the race for the 2015 KCAC crown comes down to the final week of the regular season.
Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses):
1. Ottawa (9-3):The Braves are the team to beat in the KCAC this fall, until another team can prove otherwise. Enough said, for now.
2. Friends (8-3): The Falcons will look to build on last year's 7-2 finish in KCAC play.
4. Bethany (Kan.)--(7-4): Coming off of one of their best seasons in quite some time, the Swedes hope to sustain the momentum this season.
5. Tabor (7-4): The Blue Jays 2015 slate has contests against Northwestern (Iowa) at home, as well as away games against Ottawa, Sterling, and Friends later in the season. 6. McPherson (4-7):The Bulldogs hope to bounce back after suffering their fourth straight losing season. Their last winning season came in 2010, when they finished 10-1 overall, losing to McKendree in the first round of the NAIA playoffs. 7. Saint Mary (4-7): The Spires will look to move up in the KCAC standings this fall after finishing 4-5 in conference play last fall. 8. Bethel (Kan.)--(3-8): The Threshers will be starting over under new head coach Morris Lolar. 9. Kansas Wesleyan (2-9): The Coyotes face a long uphill battle after a dismal 2014 campaign. 10. Southwestern (Kan.)--(1-10): The Moundbuilders continue to rebuilders after a miserable 2014 season.
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) 2014 Standings Looking back: For most of the past 20-25 years, the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats and the Pittsburg State University (Kan.) Gorillas have set the standard for excellence in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), combining for six national championships dating back to 1991. And the 2014 campaign proved to be no different, with both the Bearcats and Gorillas winning a share of the MIAA title. Both teams advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs, with Pitt State falling to eventual national runner-up Minnesota State-Mankato in the second round, while Northwest Missouri's season ended in the first round, losing to Minnesota-Duluth. In other postseason action, the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos lost to Sioux Falls, 42-10, at the 2014 Mineral Water Bowl, while the University of Central Missouri Mules downed Southeastern Oklahoma State, 48-21, at the 2014 Texarkana Bowl. Looking ahead: Will Northwest Missouri and Pitt State continue their dominance of the MIAA? Or will the likes of Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma, or some other team step up and rule the roost this fall?
Predicted order of finish (2014 overall record in parentheses): 1. Pittsburg State (11-2):The Gorillas must depend upon the contributions of up to six team captains if they're to have another banner season. 2. Northwest Missouri State (10-2):Head Coach Adam Dorrel welcomes back 55 letterwinners--including 12 starters--in hopes that the Bearcats can win their 27th MIAA championship overall, while also advancing to postseason play for the 12th straight season. 3. Central Missouri (8-4):Head Coach Jim Svoboda brings back 51 letterwinners and 15 starters for the Mules, as they look to land another trip to postseason play this fall, the only difference being that they hope it's a trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs. 4. Central Oklahoma (8-4):The Bronchos also have their minds set on a D-II playoff berth after their blowout loss to Sioux Falls in the Mineral Water Bowl last season. Their last trip to the playoffs was in 2003, losing to Texas A&M-Kingsville in the second round that season. 5. Missouri Western State (7-4):While the Griffons hope to make it 11 straight winning seasons under 19th year head coach Jerry Partridge, they're also looking to earn their first playoff berth since 2012, when they finished 12-2 overall, losing to Minnesota State-Mankato. 6. Fort Hays State (7-4):Fifth-year head coach Chris Brown and the Tigers hope to build on their first season of seven or more wins in nearly two decades. 7. Emporia State (4-7):The Hornets hope to right their ship after a disappointing 2014 season.That followed a 9-2 campaign in 2013. 8. Missouri Southern State (4-7):The Lions are also looking to move in the right direction after ending their 2014 campaign with three straight losses. 9. Washburn (4-7):Head Coach Craig Schurig hopes that the return of 16 starters will help the Ichabods improve in the MIAA standings this season. They had won at least eight or more games dating back to 2009 prior to last season's struggles. 10. Nebraska-Kearney (3-8):The Lopers are looking to start from scratch under new head coach Josh Lamberson. 11. Lindenwood (2-9):Can anybody say uphill battle for the Lions? 12. Northeastern State (0-11):The River Hawks enter the 2015 season looking for their first win since the end of the 2013 campaign. They knocked off Central Oklahoma, 45-38, on November 16, 2013 to end that season. Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
Quick Analysis: The Sam Houston State University Bearkats overcame a sluggish start to the 2014 season to not only win a share of the Southland Conference, but also make an improbable run to the FCS national semifinals, where they fell to eventual national champion North Dakota State. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that they enter the 2015 season as the team to beat, according to the coaches and sports information directors. Still, the Bearkats won't be able to sneak up on anyone this fall.
Quick Analysis: While it's no surprise that Boise State enters the 2015 season as the favorites in the Mountain Division, the biggest surprise as to who was picked as the team to beat in the West Division, as San Diego State was picked to win that side of the Mountain West Conference this fall. Meanwhile, it'll be interesting to see how Mike Bobo will fare in his rookie season as head coach at Colorado State. Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.
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