FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ron Boerger]

In their first year in the league, McMurry is the unanimous pre-season pick to win the renewal of the SCAC championship.   TLU is next (nearly unanimous pick for 2nd), followed Centenary, Austin, and Lyon who are within a few points.

https://scacsports.com/sports/fball/2024-25/releases/preseason_poll

[BSCpanthers]

Does the SCAC have an autobid to the playoffs this season?

[Ron Boerger]

Nope.  First year playing football in decades (I still have one of the "LAST GAME" coins from the prior season) and only five teams. 

[Ralph Turner]

We need Schreiner!

[TLU02SA]

We need Schreiner!

Yes and no! Doesn't the Hendrix move shore up the numbers for an automatic bid? I guess it is delayed a little longer since Lyons is an affiliate, while Schreiner would give the league six full members with football programs and a quicker automatic bid. I could be wrong on that assumption though.   

[Ron Boerger]

I think you're right.  The SCAC won't get an autobid until 2026 at the earliest, if Schreiner meets its announced schedule to play varsity that season. 

BTW according to the SCAC press release, over 50% of Hendrix' ~1000 students are athletes.

[TLU02SA]

BTW according to the SCAC press release, over 50% of Hendrix' ~1000 students are athletes.

I don't doubt that.  TLU is similar. I think the number of student-athletes at TLU is in the range of 40-50% of enrollment.  15% of the enrollment is the football team alone.

[BSCpanthers]

The last couple years of BSC, I'd have thought nearly 80% of the student body was athletes.  Especially the last year, I think all the freshman were athletes. 

[jekelish]

Austin College is similar. I don't know the overall numbers but I think it's around 40%, and this year's freshman class is about 50% student-athletes.

[Ron Boerger]

Let's look at SCAC rosters.  First up, TLU - slightly up to 160 after last season's 157.  4 of 16 seniors return, as do 8 of 14 juniors, 18 of 29 sophomores, and only 26 of 78 freshmen.  This year's freshman class numbers 83.  Transfers/other newcomers include sophomores Ke'Shawn Butler (6'1" DB, College of the Desert CC (CA)); Treyden Scott (5'11" OL, Southwestern); Dominic Castellanos (5'10" WR, SRSU); Isaac Ponce (5'11" QB, UMHB); Mason Phillips (6'2" QB, DNP); and Shayne Moss (5'10" WR, Tarleton State).  Junior transfers include Ryker Rurdy (6'0" RB, Hamilton College); Beau Hill (6'1" OL, ETBU); Cam Ross (6'5" OL, returns after a year off); Chris Taylor (6'3" TE, Texas State/Trinity Valley CC); and Javin Logan (5'4" RB, returns after a year off).  Senior Patrick Montegrande (5'9" LS) also joins the team for the first time. 

[Ron Boerger]

Next up:  preseason favorite McMurry, who has seen their roster blossom from 118 last year to 139 in 2024.  Four of 13 seniors returned for their COVID year; 16 of 18 juniors, 15 of 24 sophomores, and 29 of 62 freshmen are back.  This year's freshman class numbers 63.  Transfers include two redshirt freshmen, 5'11" DB Noah Hatcher (Midwestern State) and 5'10" DB Kevion Williams (Angelo State); sophomores 5'8" RB Tedrick Williams, 6'2" OL Jeremiah Hayes and 6'5" Kevin Avila (both SRSU), 5'9" LB Jakyre Brown (Arkansas Baptist), 5'11" Jacob DeAx (redshirt, HSU) and 6'0" DL Kendrick Vanderbilt (Wayland Baptist); juniors 5'10" DL Dylon Davis (Midwestern St), 5'6" RB Jordan Braud (Cornell IA), and 6'0" WR Travis Alonge (redshirt, back after a season out).  Redshirt senior 6'0" OL Zha'Destian Griffin also returns after missing last season. 

[crufootball]

For anyone interested, Ralph Turner and I are running the ASC Pick'ems again this year and decided to fully include all SCAC games this year. I would love for anyone who roots for a SCAC team to be a part if you are interested, just note we will start this week on Friday as ETBU plays LaGrange under the lights.

[Ron Boerger]

D3football.com feature by Brian Lester:  https://www.d3football.com/columns/features/2024/centenary-football-is-back

and with that, let's look at their roster, though with it being their first real season it's hard to draw a lot of conclusions.  This year, 89 players are listed, up from 68 in 2023.  The two seniors are back, as are 7 of 12 sophomores and 28 of 54 freshmen.  41 freshmen join the squad, along with transfers LB Cynsere Richard (Texas College), juniors WR Kobe Chambers and RB Bobby Shanklin Jr (both Mississippi Valley State University), QB Zin'Tavious Smith (Robert Morris), DL Demetrus Gladney Jr. (UL-Lafayette), WR Carter Lemen (William Jewell), and two others, RB Obadiah Butler and LB Tyrone Charlot; seniors DB Brad Batiste Jr. (St. John's), K Enrique Hernandez (Campbellsville University) and DL Rhema Getter (Ark-Monticello).

[Ron Boerger]

Who's left?  Austin College, for one.  This year's roster numbers exactly 100, up from last year's 86.  One fifth-year left; one of 15 seniors returned for a fifth season; 11 of 15 juniors, 23 of 29 sophomores, and 16 of 26 freshmen also return.  The incoming class of 2028 numbers 46.  Other additions are sophomore OL Art Clayton (Morehead State), sophomore DL Garrison Hefner who did not play anywhere last season, and junior DL Ryan Mark who returns after a year away. 

[Ron Boerger]

Well, it was a surprising night in the SCAC.

Southwestern 24, McMurry 20 - the Pirates surprised pre-season SCAC favorite McMurry thanks to a 70-yard TD pass from Jaxon Sims to Aiden Huerta with 3:32 remaining.  The War Hawks drove to the Southwestern 19 on their ensuing drive, but a pass from there by Joel Hess to Tedrick Williams on fourth and five fell one yard short of a first down and Southwestern ran out the remaining 35 seconds.

Texas Lutheran 35, Trinity 20 - the second-place pick in the conference fared much better, dominating the formerly nationally ranked Tigers in San Antonio.  Bulldog QB Caden Bozanko was especially strong in the first half of this one, completing 16 of 18 as TLU built a 21-7 lead.  The new look Tigers, lacking most of last year's skill players on both sides of the ball, repeatedly self-destructed with penalties and turnovers despite a strong running game that the team couldn't fully take advantage of trailing the entire game.

Lyon 48, Grinnell 26 - the Scots opened their season with a comeback road win at Grinnell thanks in no small part to not one but two pick sixes.  Trailing 14-12 at half despite two Joe Galay TD passes, Lyon would then score five straight times, including the two interception returns, to put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter.  Jaylin Babers was the day's leading gainer; the Scot RB had 163 yards and two second-half TDs in his 32 carries.

Kalamazoo 26, Austin 20 - Jaylon Talton (15-23, 264 yards, 2 TDs) had a strong opening night for the 'Roos, but the defense struggled to contain their opponents' passing attack in the narrow loss.  AC scored their final points on an 11-yard pass from Talton to Jacob Brewer with 46 seconds left, but could not recover the onside kick to complete the comeback.

Hendrix 43, Centenary 20 - The Gents couldn't win their first game since the 1950's in the opener between the soon-to-be SCAC duo, as the Warriors rolled out to a 43-6 lead after three quarters.  Gent QB Kody Fuentes had a successful debut, completing 30 of 46 for 299 yards, one score and an interception, but the Centenary rushing game struggled all night with a net -9 yards as Fuentes was sacked five times.