THE RFC MYC: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA)-(NCAA Division III)

Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA)-(NCAA Division III)

Overview: The Trine University Thunder from Angola, Indiana won their second straight Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) title in 2018, finishing unbeaten in conference play at 7-0. Trine fell in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs to St. Norbert 31-7 to finish the season at 10-1 overall. The Thunder has a combined overall record of 21-2 dating back to the beginning of the 2017 campaign.

Additionally, Trine enters this year trying to extend their 20-game regular-season winning streak which also dates back to the start of the 2017 season. But, just like in multiple other leagues, the Thunder will get more than enough competition trying to dethrone them from the top, as Hope hopes to build on a season-ending six-game winning streak in finishing 2018 at 8-2 overall and 6-1 in MIAA play, good for second place in the conference. Don't forget about Albion, Kalamazoo, and Olivet either, with all three teams finishing in a three-way tie for third place at 4-3 in league action. The Britons and Hornets finished 7-3 overall, while the Comets closed the season at 6-4 overall.

2018 MIAA Football Standings

2019 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 2019 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.

Adrian

Albion

Alma

Finlandia

Hope

Kalamazoo

Olivet

Trine

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THE RFC MYC: Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC)-(NCAA Division III)

Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC)-(NCAA Division III)

Overview: Since the start of the 1990 season, no college football program at any level in the U.S. has been as dominant as the University of Mount Union Purple Raiders. In fact, in the last decade alone, Mount Union has had only one season where they've lost at least two games in a single season, and that was 12-2 overall in 2016. Of course, no one that's reading this post needs to be reminded of all of the NCAA Division III national championships that the Purple Raiders have won since 1993: 13 of them, to be exact.

The then-defending national champions from Alliance, Ohio came very close to claiming the program's 14th national championship to close the 2018 season. However, another team in purple in the form of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders derailed those plans, as the Purple Raiders fell 24-16 to finish the year at 14-1 overall. Prior to that loss, Mount Union's last loss came to that same Mary Hardin-Baylor squad in the 2016 national semifinals. 

Having said that, expect Mount Union to get strong challenges from challengers like John Carroll, whose Blue Streaks were upset by Randolph-Macon in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs to finish at 9-2 overall last fall, a Baldwin-Wallace squad that fell just short of postseason play after finishing 8-2, and a Marietta program that's coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the mid-1990's at 7-3 in 2018. In other words, don't be surprised if one of these aforementioned programs becomes the second team other than the Purple Raiders to claim the automatic bid to the D-III playoffs in a four-year span in 2019.

2018 Ohio Athletic Conference Football Final Standings

2019 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 2019 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.

Baldwin-Wallace

Capital

Heidelberg

John Carroll

Marietta

Mount Union

Muskingum

Ohio Northern

Otterbein

Wilmington

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THE RFC MYC: North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC)-(NCAA Division III)

North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC)-(NCAA Division III)

Overview: Three teams-Denison, Wabash, and Wittenberg-won a three-way share of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championship at 8-1 in conference play, with the Big Red landing the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs after finishing the regular season at 8-2. They fell to then-defending national champion turned eventual national runner-up Mount Union, 60-0, in the first round, to finish the 2018 season at 8-3 overall.

As for Wabash and Wittenberg, both the Little Giants and Tigers found themselves on the outside looking in for postseason play despite finishing the 2018 season at 9-1 overall. Wabash's only loss came to Denison 34-10 on October 6, while Wittenberg fell to the Little Giants three weeks later on October 27. Ironically, the Tigers handed the Big Red their lone loss in NCAC play with a thrilling 68-66 win in four overtimes on September 29. 

Don't be surprised if Denison, Wabash, and Wittenberg are battling each other for the NCAC crown once again in 2019.

2018 NCAC Football Final Standings

2019 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 2019 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.

Allegheny

Denison

DePauw 

Hiram

Kenyon

Oberlin

Ohio Wesleyan

Wabash

Wittenberg

Wooster

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THE RFC MYC: Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)-(NCAA Division II)

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)-(NCAA Division II)

Overview: The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) sent just two teams to advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2018. However, both teams made the most of their postseason run, with one team in the Ferris State University Bulldogs making its first-ever national championship game appearance. The Bulldogs fell to Valdosta State 49-47 in a hard-fought contest to finish 15-1 overall, falling just one win shy of becoming the first-ever team in D-II history to finish a season at 16-0.

The only other playoff representative from the GLIAC was Grand Valley State. The Lakers finished the regular season at 10-1 but were ousted at home by Northwest Missouri State 42-17 in the first round. The loss brought about an abrupt end to Grand Valley State's season at 10-2 overall. 

As far as what the 2019 season will hold in store for the GLIAC, don't be surprised if either Ferris State or Grand Valley State end up winning the title this fall. Look for the likes of Ashland (6-4 overall, 6-2 in the GLIAC in 2018), Saginaw Valley State (8-3, 5-3), and third-year program Davenport (6-5, 3-5) to be the sleeper teams as well.

2018 GLIAC Football Final Standings

2019 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 2019 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.

Ashland

Davenport

Ferris State

Grand Valley State

Michigan Tech

Northern Michigan

Northwood

Saginaw Valley State

Wayne State (Mich.)

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THE RFC MYC: Gulf South Conference (GSC)-(NCAA Division II)

Gulf South Conference (GSC)-(NCAA Division II)

Overview: For the second straight season, the Gulf South Conference (GSC) proved why it was one of the toughest conferences in all of NCAA Division II, as it sent four teams to the D-II playoffs in 2018. And just like in 2017, the GSC saw at least one of its squads win at least one playoff game, with Valdosta State (14-0 overall in 2018) winning its fourth national championship in program history after holding off Ferris State 49-47. The Blazers other national championships came in 2004, 2007, and 2012.

While Valdosta State all but cruised to another national championship, the GSC's other postseason representatives found themselves in the "one and done" department after being eliminated in the first round. Second place West Georgia (10-2 overall) was upset by Wingate after taking an unbeaten record into their regular season finale against Valdosta State, which the Wolves lost 47-31. West Alabama (8-4) gave Bowie State all it could handle before bowing 41-35, while Florida Tech (8-4) fell to Lenoir-Rhyne on the road 43-21.

With Gary Goff replacing Kerwin Bell as the Blazers head coach, expect Valdosta State to receive stiff challenges from the aforementioned Florida Tech, West Alabama, and West Georgia squads, as well as West Florida in 2019. The Argonauts struggled to a 6-5 overall record in 2018 after an unlikely appearance in the 2017 national championship game, losing to Texas A&M-Commerce.

2018 Gulf South Conference Football Final Standings

2019 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 2019 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.

Delta State

Florida Tech

Mississippi College

North Greenville

Shorter

Valdosta State

West Alabama

West Florida

West Georgia

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THE RFC MYC: Mid-South Conference (MSC)-(NAIA)

Mid-South Conference (MSC)-(NAIA)

Overview: With 21 teams spread across three divisions and multiple states, mostly in the South, the Mid-South Conference proved its prowess as one of the toughest conferences in the NAIA in 2018, as six of its teams finished the season ranked in the final poll. That's not to mention that 10 of those teams also finished last fall with a winning record.

Bethel (Tenn.) finished 2018 as the highest ranked MSC squad, finishing in the Top 10 at No. 10. However, the Wildcats were upset by Baker 44-41 in overtime in the first round of the NAIA playoffs to finish 10-1 overall. Another MSC team in No. 11 Reinhardt (9-2 in 2018) didn't fare much better in postseason play, with the Eagles losing to Concordia (Mich.) 41-31, also in the first round. Yet another MSC squad, Cumberlands (Ky.)-(10-2 in 2018) fell to eventual national runner-up Benedictine (Kan.) in double overtime in the opening round as well.

Looking ahead to 2019, an already-tough MSC could get even tougher with the addition of first-year program St. Thomas University of Miami, Florida, as well as former NCAA Division III powerhouse Thomas More College of Crestview Hills, Kentucky. Meanwhile, Edward Waters College (4-7 in 2018) of Jacksonville, Florida has left the MSC and NAIA as an associate member to begin the transition to the NCAA Division II ranks and the SIAC. The Tigers will play against eight D-II squads this season.

2018 Mid-South Conference Football Final Standings

2019 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 2019 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.

Appalachian Division

Bluefield

Cincinnati Christian

Kentucky Christian

Point

Reinhardt

St. Andrews

Union (Ky.) 

Bluegrass Division

Bethel (Tenn.)

Campbellsville

Cumberland (Tenn.)

Cumberlands (Ky.)

Georgetown (Ky.)

Lindsey Wilson

Pikeville

Thomas More

Sun Division

Ave Maria

Faulkner

Keiser

Southeastern

St. Thomas (Fla.)

Warner

Webber International

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THE RFC MYC: Southern Athletic Association (SAA)-(NCAA Division III)

Southern Athletic Association (SAA)-(NCAA Division III)

Overview: The battle for the 2018 Southern Athletic Association (SAA) championship came down to the Berry College Vikings from Georgia, and the Centre College Colonels from Kentucky on September 22. When the smoke finally cleared, it was the visiting Vikings from the Peach State that emerged victorious, winning 38-35 in overtime. The victory over Centre helped propel Berry to its second straight NCAA Division III playoff as the automatic qualifier from the SAA. On the other hand, the tough loss to the Vikings not only proved to be the lone loss of the regular season for the Colonels but also sparked a six-game winning streak to close out the year, good enough for an at-large berth to the D-III playoffs. 

In the NCAA playoffs, both SAA representatives advanced to the second round with convincing wins in the first round. Berry shut out Maryville 31-0, while Centre crushed Washington & Jefferson 54-13. However, the season for both teams would come to an end on the second weekend of D-III playoff action, as the Vikings fell to eventual national champion Mary Hardin-Baylor, while the Colonels gave then-defending national champion turned eventual national runner-up Mount Union all it could handle before falling 51-35. Both teams finished the 2018 season at 10-2 overall.

So what does 2019 hold in store for the SAA? Well, expect Centre and Berry to be the teams to beat once again this fall, while third-place Trinity (Tex.)-(7-3 overall, 6-2 in the SAA) hopes that a season-ending four-game winning streak, which included an upset win over the Vikings to end 2018, will carry over into this season.

2018 SAA Football Final Standings

2019 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 2019 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.

Austin

Berry 

Birmingham-Southern

Centre

Hendrix

Millsaps

Rhodes

Sewanee

Trinity (Tex.)

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THE RFC MYC: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)-(NCAA Division II)

Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)-(NCAA Division II)

Overview: For the second straight season, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) found itself on the outside looking in when the 28-team NCAA Division II playoff field was announced last fall. Albany State (Ga.) was the lone SIAC team to finish conference play undefeated at 6-0 in the winning the East Division title, only to be crushed by Miles 50-23 in the SIAC championship game on November 10. 

The win over the Golden Rams gave the Golden Bears the conference title despite finishing the 2018 season with a losing record at 5-6 overall, while ASU finished 7-4 after the loss to Miles. Expect both teams to be mentioned in the conversation among SIAC championship contenders for the 2019 season. Also, Tuskegee will look to bounce back after a disappointing campaign where the Golden Tigers finished 5-5 overall and 3-3 in the SIAC last fall. Don't count out Morehouse either, as the Maroon Tigers are coming off a season where they finished 7-3 overall and 3-3 in the SIAC after starting 5-0.

Finally, the SIAC welcomes back Savannah State as a member after the Tigers spent almost two decades at the NCAA Division I level, with most of those years being a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) within the FCS ranks. The addition of Savannah State gives the SIAC 11 teams for football, with six teams playing in the Eastern Division, and five in the Western Division.

2018 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Football Final Standings

2019 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 2019 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.

Eastern Division

Albany State (Ga.)

Benedict

Clark Atlanta

Fort Valley State

Morehouse

Savannah State

Western Division

Central State

Kentucky State

Lane

Miles

Tuskegee

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THE RFC MYC: South Atlantic Conference (SAC)-(NCAA Division II)

South Atlantic Conference (SAC)-(NCAA Division II)

Overview: Of the eight teams that took the field in the South Atlantic Conference in 2018, only three of them posted a winning record. Two of those teams in eventual SAC champion Lenoir-Rhyne (12-2 overall, 7-0 in the SAC) and runner-up Wingate (9-4, 5-2) not only advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs but also won at least one playoff game.

The Bears rolled past Florida Tech in the first round, then outlasted fellow SAC rival Wingate in the second round before falling to eventual national champion Valdosta State in the quarterfinals. As for the Bulldogs, they upset West Georgia on the road in the first round before losing the heartbreaker to Lenoir-Rhyne.

The 2019 season brings Virginia-Wise (4-6 in 2018) to the mix as the newest member of the SAC, with Limestone College (0-10) of Gaffney, South Carolina to follow suit as a full-time member in 2020. The addition of UVa.Wise brings the total number of football-playing schools in the SAC to nine. 

In the meantime, expect Lenoir-Rhyne and Wingate to once again contend for the SAC crown, while Carson Newman (7-4, 4-3) to have a say in the conference championship conversation this fall.

2018 South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Football Final Standings

2019 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 2019 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.

Carson-Newman

Catawba

Lenoir-Rhyne

Limestone

Mars Hill

Newberry

Tusculum

Virginia-Wise

Wingate

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THE RFC MYC: USA South Athletic Conference (USAC)-(NCAA Division III)

USA South Athletic Conference (USAC)-(NCAA Division III)

Overview: Only two teams in the USA South Athletic Conference (USAC) finished the 2018 season with a winning record, with Averett holding the best overall record at 8-2, followed by Maryville at 7-3. However, it was the home-standing Scots that won the all-important game for the USAC title on October 27, pitching a 14-0 shutout over the Cougars to finish conference play unbeaten at 7-0 after starting the season with back-to-back losses to eventual NCAA Division III playoff representatives Berry and Centre respectively.

Maryville's season ended in the first round of the Division III playoffs, as Berry shut out the Scots 31-0. As for Averett, both of the Cougars losses came at the hands of two eventual playoffs in Maryville, as well as Randolph-Macon. With Averett hosting Maryville hosting on November 2, don't be surprised if that game decides the 2019 USAC championship.  

2018 USA South Football Standings

Averett

Brevard *

Greensboro

Huntingdon

LaGrange

Maryville

Methodist

North Central Wesleyan

*-Not eligible for NCAA Division III playoffs (Transitioning from NCAA Division II)

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THE RFC MYC: Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)-(NCAA Division II)

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)-(NCAA Division II)

Overview: The Bowie State University Bulldogs (10-3 overall in 2018) defeated the Fayetteville State University Broncos (6-3) in convincing fashion, 30-10, to claim the CIAA championship last fall. In the NCAA Division II playoffs, the Bulldogs held off a late challenge from West Alabama to win 41-35 in the first round before being crushed at eventual national champion Valdosta State 66-16 in the second round. 

With the 2019 season looming for the CIAA, expect Bowie State to the team to beat this fall. But with just eight starters coming back on offense, and only five on defense, just returning to the CIAA title game, let alone the playoffs, just might prove to be a serious challenge for the Bulldogs. Also, don't be surprised if Fayetteville State and Virginia Union (8-2 in 2018) among others, find themselves in the championship conversation throughout the year.

2018 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Football Final Standings

2019 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 2019 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.

Northern Division

Bowie State

Chowan

Elizabeth City State

Lincoln (Pa.)

Virginia State

Virginia Union

Southern Division

Fayetteville State

Johnson C. Smith

Livingstone

Shaw 

St. Augustine's

Winston Salem State

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