FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Thunder44]

According to Nick Driskill's twitter post, Lindy's has Mount Union preseason #1. With Franklin #8.

https://mobile.twitter.com/#!/NDriskill21/status/214015452073037824?photo=1

Hanover starts off the season with 2 Top 25 teams - @ Illinois College and home against Wabash, and then closes out against the Griz.  Looks like we will see early how good the Panthers are going to be.

[gofor7pitt]

Go Griz



Lindy's Sports Magazine Division III Preseason Football Poll
1. Mount Union
2. Wesley
3. Wisconsin-Whitewater
4. St. Thomas
5. Delaware Valley
6. Widener
7. Redlands
8. Franklin
9. St. John Fisher
10. Mary Hardin-Baylor
11. North Central (IL)
12. Centre
13. Illinois College
14. St. John's (MN)
15. Bethel
16. Cal Lutheran
17. Linfield
18. Salisbury
19. Thomas More
20. Wittenberg
21. Wabash
22. RPI
23. Birmingham-Southern
24. Trinity (TX)
25. Monmouth (IL)

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

The HCAC Poll is out and shockingly #13 ranked Franklin is at the top

Franklin: 79 (7)
Mount St. Joseph: 67 (2)
Hanover: 62
Bluffton: 48
Defiance: 41
Rose-Hulman: 38
Manchester: 34
Anderson: 21
Earlham: 15

I wonder who the other coach was that picked MSJ. And for my first bold prediction of the season... I think Earlham will finally win a game as a member of the HCAC.

Less than a month till kickoff

[dc_has_been]

I am not shocked about Franklin's preseason ranking in the top 25.  They have built a program that is respected through DIII and they do not shy away from tough competition.  It is time for one or two more HCAC programs to build more consistent programs to give the HCAC more respect and stronger showings in the playoffs. 
I am excited to see what DC will do under a new coach.  Plus, they will have two early test playing against MIAA schools Adrain and Albion who did receive top 25 consideration. 

[SaintsFAN]

An update on the 2000 and 2001 HCAC Champs:

TMC has 76 freshman reporting for camp today with kids coming from OH, KY, IN, TN, GA, FL and NJ.  They had a great offseason of recruiting in Crestview Hills.  They have nothing to be ashamed of, losing on the road to a good team in Franklin last year while having a QB making his first career start.  He's a sophomore now and will lead an offense that lost only Kendall Owens but gets back two WR's who weren't on the field last year.  All 5 lineman who started against Franklin are back. 

Defensively, TMC returns 9 starters from 2011 +a 1st team PAC Defensive End who missed last year. 

Should be a great year for Thomas More. 

[dlippiel]

What are your thoughts on the match up with Fisher SF? Dlip thinks this is going to be a TOUGH game for the Cardinals.

[70_dc_alum]

SaintsFan -but you loose you OC!  New era in DC

[panthersfan]

SaintsFan -but you loose you OC!  New era in DC

Will be a lot of new coaching faces this year...  Think we have four new HCs?!  Hard to believe it's football time again but I'm looking forward to it.

[SaintsFAN]

What are your thoughts on the match up with Fisher SF? Dlip thinks this is going to be a TOUGH game for the Cardinals.

dlip -- SF thinks it will be a helluva game.  SF believes TMC needs to be completely focused because of the trip and it being game #1.  If they do that, I think the speed of TMC will really help.  Not sure what offense they are going to run this year.  There were changes coming -- regardless of losing that OC (DC70). 

If SJF wants to focus on an ISO running game, TMC could have some issues getting off the field.  If they run an offense featuring stretch plays, TMC will be ok.  The team speed at Thomas More is tremendous.  Offensively, there will be big plays.  They are explosive on offense.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Last year as a conference we went a disappointing 3-15 in non-conference games. Can we improve on that this year? Personally I think it could be another painful start to the season.

Anderson vs Taylor (NAIA) and @ Grove City (PAC)
Bluffton vs Kenyon (NCAC) and @ Baldwin-Wallace (OAC)
Defiance vs Albion (MIAA) and @ Adrian (MIAA)
Earlham vs Oberlin (NCAC) and @ Kenyon (NCAC)
Franklin vs Mount Union (OAC) and @ Butler (FCS)
Hanover @ Illinois College (MWC) and vs Wabash (NCAC)
Manchester @ Trine (MIAA) and @ Kalamazoo (MIAA)
Mount St. Joseph vs Wilmington (OAC) and @ Thomas More (PAC)
Rose-Hulman vs Kalamazoo (MIAA) and @ Centre (SAA)

MIAA: 5 (K'zoo x2); NCAC: 4 (Kenyon x2); OAC: 3; PAC: 2; MWC: 1; SAA: 1; NAIA: 1; FCS: 1

[70_dc_alum]

There are some real tough ones on that schedule.  Mount, butler (good but not that good) Albion and Adrian are pretty loaded this year, TMC, centre, BW, Trine, and wabash are always loaded.  We will know quickly where teams stack up

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

I've looked through the non-conference games... week 1 isn't great but not a total loss. I see two likely wins, two who have a chance, and five big underdogs. Week 2 is frightening though. I think Earlham is one of the better chances for a win there... and that's never a good sign.

Can't we get some magic pixie dust around here so one offseason we can suddenly become a power conference?

[panthersfan]

I've looked through the non-conference games... week 1 isn't great but not a total loss. I see two likely wins, two who have a chance, and five big underdogs. Week 2 is frightening though. I think Earlham is one of the better chances for a win there... and that's never a good sign.

Can't we get some magic pixie dust around here so one offseason we can suddenly become a power conference?

If nothing else let's just hope we take a step in the right direction.

[dc_has_been]

I think scheduling tougher teams around DIII are steps in the right direction.  I only hope that all the HCAC schools will play each game tough and continue to close the gap against teams from so called "better conferences." 
For me I would really like to see DC take a step in the right direction under new management.  Considering Albion and Adrian both received top 25 votes, DC will be underdogs in those contests.  As long as they play mistake free football and force mistakes on the other end they could pull those off.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

I think it would be neat to have a preseason fan poll to compare to the coaches poll. Anyone who wants to send in a ballot just send it to me in a PM and assuming there's more than just a couple people I'll post the results next weekend.