THE RFC MYC: Southern Conference (FCS)

Southern Conference (FCS)

Overview: Thanks to a stunning season-opening win over a Kennesaw State squad that began the season ranked #8 in the Hero Sports preseason poll, the Samford University Bulldogs parlayed that upset victory into an unlikely Southern Conference and FCS playoff run in 2022. 

After finishing the regular season at 10-1 overall, as well as undefeated in SoCon play at 8-0, the Bulldogs needed overtime to outlast Southeastern Louisiana in the second round of the FCS playoffs before falling to eventual national runner-up North Dakota State in the quarterfinals to finish their season at 11-2 overall. Only two weeks before, Samford got by Mercer (7-4 overall, 5-3 in the SoCon in 2022), in double overtime, to not only secure their first-ever outright SoCon crown but also finished unbeaten in conference play in the process.

The other SoCon squad to advance to postseason play was the Furman University Paladins. The Paladins finished second in SoCon play at 7-1 en route to a final regular-season record of 9-2 overall. In FCS playoff action, Furman rolled over Elon, 31-6, in the first round, before falling to UIW in a heartbreaker the following week to finish the 2022 season at 10-3 overall.

Looking ahead to 2023, some of the biggest questions to be answered are these: Can both Furman and Samford repeat 2022's success? Can Chattanooga (7-4, 5-3) and/or Mercer finally break through and advance to the FCS playoffs? Or, can Western Carolina (6-5, 4-4) be the sleeper team that sneaks its way into postseason play? Or, can even East Tennessee State (3-8, 3-5) return to respectability after having a disappointing showing last fall?

All of the aforementioned questions listed above will be answered, in one way or another, this upcoming fall.

2023 Schedules (Teams are 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 2023 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 2022 Southern Conference Football Standings

Chattanooga

East Tennessee State

Furman

Mercer

Samford

The Citadel

VMI

Western Carolina 

Wofford

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.

THE RFC MYC: Pioneer Football League (FCS)

Overview: Imagine being the one team to take your conference's automatic bid to the playoffs, mainly because the team that actually won the conference championship was declared ineligible for postseason play because that school's entire athletics department was in the midst of transitioning from one division to another.

That's exactly what happened to the Davidson University Wildcats in 2022, as they won the Pioneer Football League's (PFL) automatic bid to the FCS playoffs, despite finishing PFL play at 6-2, as well as at 8-3 to finish the regular season. The Wildcats lost to Richmond 41-0 in the first round of the FCS playoffs on November 19 to finish their season at 8-4 overall.

As for the squad that actually won the PFL regular-season title, the University of St. Thomas Tommies capped off their second season of FCS action by winning 10 straight games after suffering a tough season-opening setback to Southern Utah on the road on September 1.  UST finished PFL play undefeated at 8-0, with only one of those wins coming by only one score, as the Tommies outlasted San Diego 49-42 at home on October 29.

With the 2023 season fast approaching, the main goal for St. Thomas this fall will be to win back-to-back PFL titles. That's because the Tommies are still making the transition from the NCAA Division III to the NCAA Division I level, as they approach the third year of their five-year provisional period. Therefore, UST will have to sit out postseason play yet again when November arrives.

As for the other PFL squads, expect a tight race for that lone automatic bid to the FCS playoffs this season. Davidson edged Dayton (8-3 overall in 2022) on the final day of the regular season to advance to the FCS playoffs. The Wildcats will look to fend off the Flyers and other teams in hopes of advancing to postseason play for the fourth straight season.

2023 Schedules (Teams are 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 2023 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 2022 Pioneer Football League Football Standings

Butler

Davidson

Dayton

Drake

Marist

Morehead State

Presbyterian

San Diego

St. Thomas (Minn.)

Stetson

Valparaiso

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.

THE RFC MYC: Patriot League (FCS)

Patriot League (FCS)

Overview: The 2022 football season in the Patriot League saw not only one, but two teams finish it with winning overall records but also advance to postseason play, in the form of the Fordham University Rams and the Holy Cross Crusaders, respectively.

Holy Cross once again made history last fall, as the Crusaders clinched their fourth straight outright Patriot League championship after finishing the regular season undefeated at 11-0. In the second round of the FCS playoffs, Holy Cross outlasted New Hampshire 35-19, before succumbing to eventual national champion South Dakota State 42-21 in the quarterfinals to finish the Crusaders' season at 12-1 overall.

Meanwhile, Fordham fielded one of its best football seasons and teams in quite some time, as the Rams finished their 2022 season at 9-3 overall. Fordham surrendered at least 50 or more points in all three of their losses, losing 59-52 at Ohio on September 24, 53-52 at Holy Cross in overtime on October 29, and 52-42 at New Hampshire in the first round of the FCS playoffs on November 26.

Looking ahead to 2023, Holy Cross hopes to make it five straight outright Patriot League titles this fall, with the Crusaders going into this season ranked fifth in the Athlon Sports preseason poll, as well as well as fourth in the Hero Sports poll. However, don't be surprised if Fordham or another Patriot League squad tries to foil the Crusaders plans for another conference championship.

2023 Schedules (Teams are 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 2023 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 2022 Patriot League Football Standings

Bucknell

Colgate

Fordham

Georgetown (D.C.)

Holy Cross

Lafayette

Lehigh

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.

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

Northeast Conference (NEC)-(FCS)

Overview: The Saint Francis University Red Flash was one of only two teams from the Northeast Conference (NEC) to post an overall winning record at the end of the 2022 football season. After starting the season with back-to-back losses at Akron and Richmond, respectively, the Red Flash reeled off nine straight wins, including a perfect 7-0 mark in NEC play, to win their program's first-ever outright conference championship. SFU fell to Delaware, 56-17, in the first round of the FCS playoffs, to finish its season at 9-3 overall.

The only other NEC team to post a winning record in 2022 was the Merrimack College Warriors. Despite being declared ineligible for postseason play last season, the Warriors still managed to finish second in the NEC at 6-1 in conference play, while also finishing at 8-3 overall. Two of Merrimack's three losses came by two touchdowns or less, with the Warriors losing to eventual FCS playoff participant Holy Cross 31-17 on September 2, as well as to Harvard 31-28 in overtime on September 16.

So, what's in store for the NEC in 2023? While St. Francis will try to win back-to-back NEC titles for the first time this ever this season, Merrimack also hopes to earn its first-ever FCS playoff appearance this fall, with the Warriors becoming full members of the NCAA Division I ranks. As far as any potential dark horse candidates to win the NEC crown are concerned, look to LIU. The Sharks finished the 2022 season with four straight wins at 4-7 overall after an 0-7 start. 

2023 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 2023 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 2022 Northeast Conference Football Standings


Central Connecticut State

Duquesne

LIU

Merrimack

Sacred Heart

St. Francis (Pa.)

Stonehill*

Wagner

*-Transitioning from the NCAA Division II level.

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.

THE RFC MYC: Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)-(FCS)

Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)-(FCS)

Overview: It was a two-horse race for the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) championship in 2022, as the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits knocked off the then-defending national champion North Dakota State University Bison not once but twice, with the second win leading to the former program's first-ever national championship.

After losing a low-scoring defensive struggle to Iowa, 7-3, in their season opener on September 2, SDSU wouldn't lose another game for the rest of its 2022 season, with the Jackrabbits reeling off 14 straight wins to close out their campaign at 14-1 overall. During their dominant postseason run, South Dakota State outscored its opponents by a combined final score of 168-66, while scoring at least 40 or more points in three of their four playoff wins.

As for NDSU, the Bison saw its hopes for a 10th national title in 12 seasons fall by the wayside, with two of their three losses coming to SDSU, as well as at Arizona on September 17. North Dakota State finished the season at 12-3 overall, losing all three of its contests by a combined 29 points, while also losing its two regular season games by just five points combined.

Only one other MVFC squad advanced to postseason play last season, as the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks finishing 5-3 in conference play en route to a final regular season record of 7-4 overall. UND gave Weber State all it could handle in a first-round FCS playoff contest, before falling 38-31 to finish the season at 7-5 overall.

Expect an MVFC squad aside from North Dakota State to have the target on its back, as South Dakota State will start the 2023 season as the #1-ranked team in both the Athlon Sports and Hero Sports preseason polls, with NDSU not far behind at #2.

2023 Schedules (Teams are 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 2023 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 2022 MVFC Football Standings

Illinois State

Indiana State

Missouri State

North Dakota

North Dakota State

Northern Iowa

South Dakota 

South Dakota State

Southern Illinois

Western Illinois

Youngstown State

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.

THE RFC MYC: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)-(FCS)

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)-(FCS)

Overview: Despite having just one of its' six teams post an overall winning record, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) still managed to produce the "mythical" HBCU national champion for 2022 in the form of the North Carolina Central University Eagles.

NCCU compiled a final overall mark of 10-2, while also posting a 5-1 mark in MEAC play last fall. The Eagles lone losses of last season came to Campbell, 48-18, on October 1, as well as to South Carolina State, 26-24, on October 22. 

However, NCCU claimed the MEAC's berth to the Celebration Bowl with a 50-21 rout of Howard on November 5. The Eagles finished their storybook season with a 41-34 upset win in overtime over the SWAC champion Jackson State University Tigers in that aforementioned contest on December 17. 

As the 2023 season approaches, it'll be interesting to see if North Carolina Central can not only repeat as MEAC champions, but also as Celebration Bowl champions. Still, expect the likes of South Carolina State and Howard to give the Eagles a run for this money this fall.

2023 Schedules (Teams are 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 2023 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 2022 MEAC Football Standings

Delaware State

Howard

Morgan State

Norfolk State

North Carolina Central

South Carolina State

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.

THE RFC MYC: Ivy League (FCS)

Ivy League-(FCS)

Overview: The Ivy League is one of the few conferences at any level to experience sustained stability in its membership due to conference realignment, as no new members have entered the league, nor have any current members left it during its' almost seven decades of existence, with the inaugural season occurring in 1956.

Still, the 2022 season saw a change at the top of the standings, as the Yale University Bulldogs were one of three teams to finish the regular season at 8-2 overall after struggling to a 5-5 mark in 2021. However, Yale finished 6-1 in Ivy League play to win the outright conference championship, while the other two teams to finish with 8-2 overall records in Penn and Princeton, both settled for a second place tie in league action at 5-2. 

The look ahead to 2023 promises have more of the same in terms of competitive balance in the Ivy League, with all eight teams hoping to be in the conversation for a championship in a conference that has never sent any of its teams to postseason play (and it's not going to happen this year either, by the way).

2023 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 2023 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 2022 Ivy League Football Standings

Brown

Columbia 

Cornell (N.Y.)

Dartmouth

Harvard

Penn

Princeton 

Yale


Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.

THE RFC MYC: Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)-(FCS)

Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)-(FCS)

Overview: The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) had yet another competitive campaign in 2022, as eight of the conference's 13 teams finished last fall with at least six or more wins.

Of those eight squads, five of them-Delaware (8-5 overall in 2022), Elon (8-4), New Hampshire (9-4, 7-1), Richmond (9-4, 6-2), and William & Mary (11-2, 7-1)-advanced to the FCS playoffs. Out of that quintet, four of those aforementioned teams won at least one playoff game, with only Elon failing to win their lone postseason contest, after the Phoenix fell to Furman in the first round.

After outlasting Richmond to win a share of the CAA crown on November 19, W&M crushed Gardner-Webb in the second round of the FCS playoffs before falling to Montana State in the quarterfinals to close out their season with double-digit wins. 

The other CAA co-champion in New Hampshire (7-1 in the CAA in 2022) downed Fordham in the first round of the FCS playoffs, only to see its' season end at the hands of Holy Cross in the second round. Also, Richmond took down Davidson before succumbing to Sacramento State, while Delaware stomped Saint Francis (Pa.) before the Blue Hens were stopped by eventual national champion South Dakota State to come to a close during the second weekend of playoff action.

With multiple teams ranked in the two primary preseason polls, Athlon Sports and Hero Sports, respectively, expect another intense competition for the CAA crown again this fall.

Oh, and don't forget that both Campbell and North Carolina A&T are joining the CAA mix this season as well. The addition of the two North Carolina schools brings the total membership to 15 schools in all.

2023 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 2023 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 2022 Colonial Athletic Association Football Standings

Albany (N.Y.)

Campbell

Delaware

Elon

Hampton

Maine

Monmouth (N.J.)

New Hampshire

North Carolina A&T

Rhode Island

Richmond

Stony Brook

Towson

Villanova

William & Mary

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.

THE RFC MYC: Big Sky Conference (FCS)

Big Sky Conference (FCS) 

Overview: How strong was the Big Sky Conference on the football field last fall?

Strong, as in six of its 12 squads finishing the 2022 season with a winning record, or at least six wins. Of the six teams that won six or more games last season, five of those teams advanced to the FCS playoffs.

Two of those teams, in Sacramento State (12-1 overall in 2022) and Montana State (12-2 overall), shared by the Big Sky Conference championship after both teams finished conference play undefeated at 8-0. Neither team played each other during the regular season.

Once the postseason started, both Montana State and Sacramento State managed to win at least one FCS playoff game. The Bobcats held off Weber State in the second round, then crushed William & Mary in the quarterfinals before succumbing to eventual national champion South Dakota State in the semifinals, while the Hornets outlasted Richmond 38-31 for their program's first-ever playoff win, only to be knocked off by Incarnate Word to see Sacramento State's season come to a close with their lone loss of 2022. 

As for the other three teams to advance to postseason play, Weber State (10-3 in 2022) outlasted North Dakota in the opening round, before losing to Montana State in the second round, Montana (8-5) rallied in the second half to eliminate Southeast Missouri State, only to be eliminated at eventual national runner-up North Dakota State the following week, while Idaho (7-5) gave Southeastern Louisiana all it could handle before falling in the first round, 45-42.

Looking ahead to 2023, the Big Sky Conference is expected to flex its muscles on the gridiron yet again, with six of its teams ranked in both the Athlon Sports and Hero Sports preseason polls, respectively. The national media has definitely taken notice of this league's strength from top to bottom, as two of its games are set to air on ESPN2 at midseason. The Montana at Idaho game will be played on October 14, while the Montana State at Sacramento State showdown will air on October 21. Airtime for both contests will be at 10:30 pm EDT/7:30 pm PDT.

Don't be surprised if the Big Sky sends multiple squads to postseason play yet again this season.

2023 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 2023 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 2022 Big Sky Conference Football Standings

Cal Poly

Eastern Washington

Idaho

Idaho State

Montana

Montana State

Northern Arizona

Northern Colorado

Portland State

Sacramento State

UC Davis

Weber State

THE RFC MYC: Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Alliance (FCS)

Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Alliance (FCS) 

Overview: If you're looking for an "oddball" conference to follow in 2023, then the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Alliance is for you.

Thanks to the departures of North Carolina A&T (7-4 overall, 5-1 in the Big South Conference in 2022) and Campbell (5-6, 2-3) to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), respectively, the Big South's football membership to just four schools in Bryant University (Smithfield, Rhode Island), Robert Morris (Moon Township, Pennsylvania), Gardner-Webb University (Boiling Springs, North Carolina), and Charleston Southern University (Charleston, South Carolina).

As a result, the Big South Conference formed that unlikely alliance with the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) for a 10-team football circuit. Three schools from Tennessee (Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, and UT-Martin), as well as two schools from Missouri (Lindenwood and Southeast Missouri State), and one from Illinois (Eastern Illinois), will join the four Big South squads to compete for one automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

Of the 10 teams that will take the field this fall, three of them finished undefeated in conference play within their separate leagues last fall. Gardner-Webb finished 5-0 to win the Big South Conference crown, with the Runnin' Bulldogs knocking off Eastern Kentucky on the road for their first-ever FCS playoff win, before falling at William & Mary in the second round, to finish their 2022 season at 7-6 overall.

As for the OVC side of the equation in 2022, Southeast Missouri State shared their conference crown, with both teams also finishing unbeaten at 5-0 in league play. However, the Redhawks finished their season at 9-3 overall after losing at Montana in the first round of the FCS playoffs, while the Skyhawks had to settle for a final record of 7-4. Neither team played each other last year.

Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond, expect an intense race for the Big South-OVC crown for what will likely be its lone season in this arrangement, as currently Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) members Western Illinois plans to join the latter side of the league in 2024.

In fact, don't be surprised if some of the other current MVFC members located east of the Mississippi River (Illinois State, Murray State, Southern Illinois, Youngstown State, et. al.) consider joining Western Illinois in the OVC in the seasons still to come.

2023 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 2023 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 2022 Big South Conference Football Standings

Final 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Football Standings

Bryant

Charleston Southern

Eastern Illinois

Gardner-Webb

Lindenwood*

Robert Morris

Southeast Missouri State

Tennessee State

Tennessee Tech

UT-Martin

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.

THE RFC MYC: FBS Independents (Plus Kennesaw State)

FBS Independents (FBS Group Of Five)

Overview: Say goodbye to BYU, Liberty, and New Mexico State, and hello to soon-to-be former FCS power Kennesaw State as an FBS independent that's not named Notre Dame. Well, sort of.

As of July 1, 2023, BYU will officially become a member of the Big 12 Conference, while Liberty and New Mexico State, respectively, will relinquish their independent status to join Conference USA on that same date.

That leaves only three teams, all in the northeastern United States, to play as independents at the FBS level in Army (6-6 overall in 2022), UConn (6-7), and UMass (1-11). Out of that trio, only UConn qualified for postseason play, as the Huskies finished their season with a 28-14 to Marshall in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on December 20.

Meanwhile, Army found itself on the outside looking in when bowl season arrived, despite finishing the 2022 season with six wins. That was mainly because two of those wins came against FCS opponents in Villanova (49-10 on September 17) and Colgate (42-17 on October 15), respectively.

Finally, as for Kennesaw State (5-6 in 2022), the eight-year old Georgia-based program will play an independent schedule in 2023, ahead of an anticipated move to Conference USA in 2024. The Owls will be ineligible for postseason play for both of those aforementioned seasons.

By the article is posted and read multiple times on this site, there is a likely possibility that there may be no independent football programs competing at either the FBS or FCS levels in the seasons to come. In fact, various media reports said that UConn, among other institutions, could join BYU in the Big 12 Conference in the coming years.

In the meantime, however, expect Army, UConn, and UMass to try and more forward on the football field this fall.

2023 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 2023 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.

Army 

Kennesaw State*

UConn

UMass

*-Kennesaw State is making the transition from the FCS to the FBS level, and is ineligible for postseason play during the following seasons, 2023 and 2024.

Follow RFC on Twitter @realfootball.