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Last Week: 17-3 (.850)
This Year: 76-24 (.760)
KEY: Projected winners marked in RED.
We're approaching the second weekend of October, and already, there are games with conference championship and postseason implication. Here we go!
Group of Five (FBS)
1. East Carolina (4-1) at Tulane (4-2)
FCS
2. Villanova (3-2) at Towson (6-0)
3. Prairie View (4-2) at Alabama State (4-2)
4. Tennessee State (5-1) at Jacksonville State (5-1)
NCAA Division II
5. Valdosta State (4-0) at West Alabama (4-1)
6. Stonehill (3-2) at Southern Connecticut State (3-2)
7. West Texas A&M (5-0) at Tarleton State (4-0)
8. Colorado State-Pueblo (5-0) at Chadron State (4-1)
NCAA Division III
9. Bethel (Minn.)--(4-0) at Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.)--(4-0)
10. Randolph-Macon (3-1) at Catholic (3-1)
11. Thomas More (4-0) at Washington and Jefferson (3-2)
12. Bates (2-1) at Wesleyan (3-0)
13. Coast Guard (2-3) at Curry (1-3)
14. Mount St. Joseph (3-1) at Franklin (2-2)
15. St. John Fisher (4-0) at Hartwick (4-0)
NAIA
16. St. Xavier (3-2) at St. Francis (Ind.)--(3-1)
17. Trinity International (4-1) at St. Ambrose (3-1)
18. Campbellsville (3-2) at Georgetown (Ky.)--(2-2)
19. Dakota Wesleyan (3-2) at Doane (3-2)
20. Robert Morris (Ill.)--(4-2) at St. Francis (Ill.)--(3-2)
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Last Week: 15-5 (.750)
This Year: 59-21 (.738)
KEY: Projected winners marked in RED.
Lots of top games this week, but only 20 to feature. So, what are we waiting for? Let's go!
FCS
1. Northern Iowa (4-0) at North Dakota State (4-0)
2. Delaware (4-1) at Maine (4-1)
3. Jacksonville State (4-1) at Tennessee-Martin (3-1)
4. William & Mary (3-1) at Villanova (2-2)
5. Northern Arizona (3-1) at Montana State (3-2)
NCAA Division II
6. St. Cloud State (4-0) at Minnesota-Duluth (3-1)
7. Bloomsburg (4-0) at Gannon (3-1)
8. Delta State (3-1) at West Alabama (3-1)
NCAA Division III
9. Pacific Lutheran (3-0) at Linfield (3-0)
10. Huntingdon (3-0) at Wesley (3-1)
11. Chicago (4-0) at Rhodes (3-1)
12. Trinity (Tex.)--(3-1) at Mary Hardin-Baylor (4-0)
NAIA
13. Lindsey Wilson (5-0) at Cumberlands (Ky.)--(4-0)
14. Grand View (4-0) at St. Xavier (3-1)
15. St. Francis (Ind.)--(2-1) at Siena Heights (3-1)
16. St. Ambrose (2-1) at William Penn (2-2)
17. Doane (3-1) at Nebraska Wesleyan (2-2)
18. Central Methodist (3-1) at Missouri Valley (2-1)
19. Ottawa (Kan.)--(3-1) at McPherson (3-1)
20. Montana State-Northern (4-1) at Rocky Mountain (4-1)
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Last Week: 14-6 (.700)
This Year: 44-16 (.733)
KEY: Projected winners marked in RED.
FCS
1. North Dakota State (3-0) at South Dakota State (3-1)
2. Eastern Washington (2-1) at Sam Houston State (3-1)
3. Montana (3-0) at Northern Arizona (2-1)
4. New Hampshire (1-1) at Lehigh (3-0)
NCAA Division II
5. California (Pa.)--(3-0) at Indiana (Pa.)--(3-0)
6. Grand Valley State (3-0) at Ohio Dominican (3-0)
7. West Texas A&M (3-0) at Texas A&M-Kingsville (3-0)
NCAA Division III
8. Wesley (2-1) at Birmingham-Southern (3-0)
9. Framingham State (2-1) at Western Connecticut State (2-0)
10. Stevenson (3-0) at Delaware Valley (3-0)
11. Hope (3-0) at Illinois Wesleyan (2-0)
12. Muhlenberg (2-1) at Johns Hopkins (3-0)
13. Bluffton (1-2) at Mount St. Joseph (1-1)
NAIA
14. St. Francis (Ind.)--(2-0) at Grand View (3-0)
15. Benedictine (Kan.)--(3-0) at Peru State (3-0)
16. St. Xavier (2-1) at St. Francis (Ill.)--(2-1)
17. Rocky Mountain (3-1) at Montana Tech (1-2)
18. Faulkner (3-1) at Lindsey Wilson (4-0)
19. Montana State-Northern (3-1) at Montana-Western (3-0)
20. Trinity International (3-0) at Robert Morris (Ill.)--(3-1)
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Last Week: 13-7 (.650)
This Year: 30-10 (.750)
KEY: Projected winners marked in RED.
Group of Five (FBS)
1. Houston (2-0) at Rice (1-1)
FCS vs. Group of Five (FBS)
2. Eastern Illinois (3-0) at Northern Illinois (2-0)
FCS
3. Stony Brook (1-1) at Villanova (0-2)
4. Tennessee State (2-1) at Tennesse Tech (2-1)
NCAA Division II
5. Minnesota State-Mankato (2-0) at Minnesota-Duluth (2-0)
6. Tuskegee (2-0) at Winston-Salem State (1-1)
NCAA Division III
7. Wesley (2-0) at Mary Hardin-Baylor (2-0)
8. St. John's (2-0) at St. Thomas (2-0)
9. Cal Lutheran (0-1) at Linfield (1-0)
10. Wisconsin-Whitewater (1-0) at Buffalo State (2-0)
11. Western Connecticut (1-0) at Plymouth State (1-1)
12. Utica (2-0) at Hobart (1-0)
NAIA
13. St. Ambrose (1-0) at St. Francis (Ind.)--(1-0)
14. Carroll (Mont.)--(3-0) at Rocky Mountain (3-0)
15. Robert Morris (Ill.)--(3-0) at St. Xavier (1-1)
16. Baker (2-0) at Benedictine (Kan.)--(2-0)
17. Grand View (2-0) at Marian (1-2)
18. MidAmerica Nazarene (0-1) at Missouri Valley (0-1)
19. Montana Western (2-0) at Montana Tech (1-1)
20. Dakota Wesleyan (1-1) at Northwestern (Iowa)--(1-1)
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Last Week: 17-3 (.850)
This Year: 17-3 (.850)
KEY: Projected winners marked in RED.
(D-II): NCAA Division II
(D-III): NCAA Division III
(FCS): Football Championship Subdivision (NCAA Division I)
(GO5): Group of Five (NCAA Division I--Football Bowl Subdivision)
(NAIA): NAIA
1. Eastern Washington (FCS) at Toledo (GO5)
2. Delaware (FCS) at Navy (GO5)
3. Illinois State (FCS) at Eastern Illinois (FCS)
4. Tennessee State (FCS) vs. Jackson State (FCS)
(at Memphis, Tenn.)
5. Carson-Newman (D-II) at Colorado Mines (D-II)
6. Tarleton State (D-II) at Midwestern State (D-II)
7. Colorado State-Pueblo (D-II) at Angelo State (D-II)
8. Pacific Lutheran (D-III) at Cal Lutheran (D-III)
9. SUNY-Maritime (D-III) at Massachusetts Maritime (D-III)
10. Framingham State (D-III) at Rowan (D-III)
11. Brockport State (D-III) at Buffalo State (D-III)
12. Salisbury (D-III) at Wesley (D-III)
13. Northwestern (Iowa)--(NAIA) at Doane (NAIA)
14. Missouri Valley (NAIA) at Ottawa (NAIA)
15. St. Francis (Ind.)--(NAIA) at William Penn (NAIA)
16. Georgetown (Ky.)--(NAIA) at Bethel (Tenn.)--(NAIA)
17. Cumberlands (Ky.)--(NAIA) at Belhaven (NAIA)
18. Mid-America Nazarene (NAIA) at Tabor (NAIA)
19. Wisconsin-Oshkosh (D-III) at Marian (NAIA)
20. Montana Tech (NAIA) at Carroll (Mont.)--(NAIA)
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Editor's Note: Welcome to the "RFC Rapid Random 20", a brief look at, as well as predictions on 20 games among teams in the Group of Five (FBS), FCS, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and the NAIA. This column replaces "THE LIGHTNING ROUND", which had been on fixture on this blog since being founded in 2006. So, without further ado, let's get started.
Oh, before we get started, for those first-time visitors to RFC that aren't familiar with the so-called "Group of Five", it consists of the American Athletic Conference (the conference formerly known as the Big East), Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, and the Sun Belt Conference.
OK, let's get started.
KEY: Projected winners marked in RED.
(D-II): NCAA Division II
(D-III): NCAA Division III
(FCS): Football Championship Subdivision (NCAA Division I)
(GO5): Group of Five (NCAA Division I--Football Bowl Subdivision)
(NAIA): NAIA
1. New Hampshire (FCS) at Central Michigan (GO5)
2. South Dakota State (FCS) at North Dakota (FCS)
3. Prairie View (FCS) at Texas State (GO5)
4. Fort Valley State (D-II) vs. Valdosta State (D-II)
5. Ashland (D-II) at Indianapolis (D-II)
6. Western Oregon (D-II) at Eastern Washington (FCS)
7. Clark Atlanta (D-II) at West Alabama (D-II)
8. Widener (D-III) at Wesley (D-III)
9. Franklin (D-III) at Mount Union (D-III)
10. Christopher Newport (D-III) at Salisbury (D-III)
11. Shippensburg (D-II) at Shepherd (D-II)
12. Marian (NAIA) at St. Xavier (NAIA)
13. Cumberland (Tenn.)--(NAIA) at Cumberlands (Ky.)--(NAIA)
14. Ottawa (NAIA) at Baker (NAIA)
15. Tennessee State (FCS) at Florida A&M (FCS)
16. North Carolina A&T (FCS) at Appalachian State (FCS)
17. James Madison (FCS) at Akron (GO5)
18. Alabama State (FCS) at Jackson State (FCS)
19. Eastern Illinois (FCS) at Southern Illinois (FCS)
20. Cal Poly (FCS) at Fresno State (GO5)
Website
2012 Final Standings
Looking back: Cal Lutheran (8-2 overall in 2012) emerged unbeaten in Southern Collegiate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play, finishing 7-0 in league games last season. Still, the Kingsmen couldn't get over the hump in the NCAA Division III playoffs, losing to North Central, 41-21, in the first round.
Looking ahead: It appears that everyone will be chasing Cal Lutheran for all of the marbles in the SCIAC again in 2013.
Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)
1. Cal Lutheran (8-2): Barring any serious injuries or other unforeseen circumstances, expect the Kingsmen to be on the throne of the SCIAC when all is said and done in 2013. By the way, the last time CLU didn't win a conference crown came in 2008.
2. Redlands (6-3): All three of the Bulldogs losses in 2012 came by 10 or more points. But that didn't stop them from ending the season on a five-game winning streak.
3. Chapman (6-3): Head Coach Bob Owens and the Panthers will try to build on the program's best finish 1996.
4. LaVerne (4-5): The Leopards look to leap higher in the SCIAC standings after finishing 4-3 in conference play last year.
5. Whittier (4-5): The Poets just can't to seem to get over that four-win hump, can they? Their last winning season came in 1998, when they finished 7-2 overall.
6. Occidental (2-7): The Tigers look to start from scratch under former Yale assistant Doug Semones.
7. Pomona-Pitzer (1-8): Wins have been hard to come by for the Sagehens, who have won just two games over the past three years.
8. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (0-9): Speaking of which, the Stags have gone finishing 7-2 in 2010, to 4-5 in 2011, to winless in 2012. It's a trend that head coach Kyle Sweeney hopes to see reversed in 2013.
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Website
2012 Final Standings
Looking back: Linfield had yet another banner season in 2012, with the Wildcats claiming their fourth straight Northwest Conference (NWC) title. They advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs, losing to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 31-24.
Looking ahead: Expect the rest of the NWC to chase Linfield, as the Wildcats will be shooting for their fifth straight conference title in 2013.
Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)
1. Linfield (11-1): In addition to their "drive for five", as in winning their fifth straight NWC crown, the Wildcats will also look to extend one of the longest running streaks in all of sports: a college football record 58th straight winning season.
2. Willamette (8-2): With two USA Football Network Preseason All-Americans, quarterback Josh Dean, and cornerback Tyson Giza, both returning for their respective senior seasons, expect the Bearcats to have a say who might topple the Wildcats for bragging rights in the NWC this season.
3. Pacific Lutheran (7-3): Coming off of their first postseason appearance since 2001, which ironically, ended with a tough 27-24 loss to NWC rival Linfield in the first round of the D-III playoffs, the Lutes hope to build on the success they achieved in 2012, and allow that to carry over into 2013.
4. Whitworth (7-3): With five teams that posted winning records in 2012 (St. Scholastica [8-3], Chapman [6-3], Willamette [8-2], Linfield [11-1], and Pacific Lutheran [7-3]) on the 2013 schedule, the Pirates have a lot of work to do if they're to post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2006 (11-1), 2007 (8-2), and 2008 (6-3).
5. Lewis and Clark (4-5): After stumbling to a 1-5 mark in NWC action last season, the Pioneers hope to bounce back, and post their second winning season in three years this season.
6. Pacific (Ore.)--(3-6): With 23 returning starters, the Boxers hope to crash the NWC party, and the upper half of the conference standings in 2013.
7. Puget Sound (0-9): Coming off of their third winless season in four years, there's only one way for the Loggers in 2013: up.
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Website
2012 Final Standings
Looking back: Central Washington rose to the top of a competitive championship race in the Great Northwest Athletic (GNAC) last season. The Wildcats finished 7-3 in conference play (7-4 overall).
Looking ahead: The GNAC recently received some good news: news that could bolster any potential postseason hopes in future seasons. Azusa Pacific was granted provisional status by the NCAA. That means the Cougars are on track to become full Division II members by 2014.
If that wasn't enough, South Dakota Mines was also accepted as an affiliate member of the GNAC, with the Hardrockers membership in the league becoming effective in 2014 as well. The additions of Azusa Pacific and South Dakota Mines will give the GNAC seven members for football.
Predicted order of finish (2012 overall record in parentheses)
1. Humboldt State (7-4): Head Coach Rob Smith welcomes back 33 letterwinners (11 starters) from a Lumberjacks team that finished second in the GNAC with a 6-4 mark in conference play last season. Still, with back-to-back losses to end 2012, HSU hopes to use that season-ending setback as motivation in 2013.
2. Central Washington (7-4): If the Wildcats (7-3 GNAC in 2012) are to defend the conference crown they won a year ago, they must do it under interim head coach John Picha. He replaces Blaine Bennett, who was unexpectedly released from his contract.
3. Western Oregon (6-5): The Wolves look to improve on last season's 6-4 GNAC record.
4. Simon Fraser (5-6): The Clan faces a tough row to hoe in trying to clinch their first-ever winning season as an NCAA member.
5. Azusa Pacific (4-7): A four-game winning streak to end the 2012 season following an 0-7 start gives the Cougars and their faithful some cautiously optimistic high hopes going into the 2013 season.
6. Dixie State (3-8): Red Storm face a huge, uphill battle after a disappointing 2012 season.
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