By Ryan Tipps
D3sports.com

It seems in all facets of our lives that things change.

We have ushered out such veteran stars as Eric Dube, Drew Smith and Tom Sturges. In turn we will give greater heed to the younger generation, whose leadership will become ever more crucial. More will be expected out of the Evin O'Sullivans, Torrey Lowes and Sean Matthewses of the mid-Atlantic.

And things are even changing for me. Last year, the MAC was part of my rotation. But this season, I will be covering the ACFC instead. And I've got some changes to my column format in store.

Overall, the evolutions in coaching, team play and roster hierarchies leave a lot of ground to cover. But my years in small-college football have taught me that there's a behind-the-scenes element to the season that is constant: the fans.

Last year, I got more than 260 messages from readers. About a dozen people were regulars who wrote to me almost weekly, but most were unique readers. And -- feel free to call me out on this if I'm wrong -- I responded to every one of them.

Sure, I had to defend myself on occasion (Muhlenberg was a late addition to my High Five, wasn't it?), but all messages brought about a spirited discussion of perspective, ambition and expectations. Most feedback was complimentary in nature and gave me a wealth of insight that connected me to the far corners of the region. Most people know I live in Virginia, and I make a sincere effort to diversify my scope. However, my realm often remains in Virginia, and for that reason, I count on people to suggest ideas from Dickinson or themes from Salisbury or players from Johns Hopkins.

That kind of feedback is crucial to me, and it's something I appreciate fully.

Thanks to my own obsessiveness, I set up the majority of my travel schedule before the start of the season. I have a wife to answer to, after all, and she wouldn't be thrilled for me to announce on a Friday afternoon that I'm going to be gone all day Saturday. Something about the lawn not cutting itself -- I forget, really. But this forces me to try to guess at some of the most interesting games of the year. Not a far stretch since I'll be doing a whole lot of that further down in this column. 

Eric Santagato kept Muhlenberg in control of the football, throwing just five interceptions.

This season, my goal is to see at least five teams and a couple of stadiums for the first time. I have two long trips in store, including one that will again send me north of Virginia. For Week 1, I plan to be in Newport News, Va., to see Wesley take on Christopher Newport.

I'm looking forward to it all. I've been as eager as anyone for this season to start. Want to know the truth? I started writing this season-opening column in February. That was six months ago -- a long time compiling, cutting and editing.

And that work has come down to these 10 choices for the must-note games of the year:

Wesley at Christopher Newport on Sept. 6
The Captains sat home in the postseason last year for just the second time in the program's young history. Think they're wondering how they might stack up this season? Well, opening day is going to usher them into possibly their toughest matchup of 2008. Wesley, laden with half a dozen preseason All-Americans, is a team that has been build around quickness on both sides of the ball. But CNU is a team that has been the cunning David in many Goliath challenges. This matchup will be good for both teams, and I hope it becomes a long-running series.

Greensboro at Guilford on Sept. 6
This annual North Carolina clash has been within six points each of the past three years, helping to make it one of the most intriguing “young” rivalries out there. But this year's Souper Bowl -- named for the canned-good donations fans are encouraged to bring -- has a twist: the Pride and Quakers will meet on opening day. This fresh-out-of-the-gate game will also mark the beginning of the end of the exciting collegiate career of quarterback Josh Vogelbach (did ya catch the story about him and another record-eyeing player in Kickoff 2008?).

Dickinson at Hobart on Sept. 13
The Red Devils will travel to last year's Liberty League playoff team in what will be Dickinson's toughest challenge prior to conference play -- and will truly test how the 2008 Dickinson squad measures up. The loss of All-American linebacker Eric Dube is going to sting, but a good showing here will propel the team's confidence and provide proof that the Red Devils again deserve to be vying for the Centennial title. Quarterback Ian Mitchell will be as crucial to the team's success as ever.

Guilford at Hampden-Sydney on Sept. 27
92. 89. 105. Those are the point totals this matchup has spawned each of the past three seasons. If shootouts like those aren't enough of a draw, consider this: This year's game may also be the de facto conference title game. The Tigers and Quakers will be at their prime after a few weeks of nonconference play. And with both teams loaded on offense and stronger than last year on defense, this should wind up being the losing team's only conference defeat of 2008.

Salisbury at St. John Fisher on Oct. 11
St. John Fisher has adopted a bold new nonconference schedule for 2008, which not only involves powerhouse Mount Union, but also mid-Atlantic threat Salisbury. In nearly all categories, SFJ led the Empire 8. Over the past two years, the Gulls have averaged well over 5 yards per carry. Fisher, on the other hand, typically holds opponents to less than half that. To win, Salisbury will need to harness what it will have learned in its games against Albright, Christopher Newport and Delaware Valley.

Wesley at Salisbury on Nov. 1
The past two years, this conference rivalry has been separated by no more than seven points and has proven one of the toughest tests for these perennial playoff candidates. Both will have endured grueling schedules to this point, and both will expect to be vying for a coveted playoff spot -- with the victor having a better chance at securing a Pool B bid. The Gulls' offensive backfield, though somewhat depleted compared with last year, should provide a nice juxtaposition for Sean Matthews and the rest of the Wolverines' linebacker corps.

Johns Hopkins at Franklin and Marshall on Nov. 8 
This is going out on a limb, but both the Blue Jays and the Diplomats have the depth and talent to surprise people this season -- even to the point where they could be jockeying to be among the Centennial's top two with this game. This is undoubtedly a new year, and JHU has returned several key players, not least of which is 2007 All-American kicker Alex Lachman. F&M will come armed with running back Ryan Murray and wideout George Eager, two juniors who will be shouldering the heaviest loads for this team's offense.

Randolph-Macon at Hampden-Sydney on Nov. 15
In 2007, for the first time in years, this game meant more than a rivalry -- it was for the ODAC crown and a trip to the playoffs. Could this end-of-the-season matchup again be fated for a repeat of such notoriety? It's possible. But no matter what, it oozes anticipation. The teams feature stud running backs (H-SC's Josh Simpson; R-MC's Zak Thornton) and a healthy bit of animosity for each other. It is Virginia's best rivalry.

Muhlenburg at Moravian on Nov. 15
Mules fans got their first-ever taste of an undefeated regular season last year -- and the safe money is that they'll have an equally good shot of repeating that feat again this season. However, that means crossing paths with nearby rival Moravian to close out the season, a game in which the Muhlenberg can't afford to play on autopilot. The '07 matchup was lopsided, but expect the Greyhounds to offer stiffer competition this round.

Ferrum at Christopher Newport on Nov. 15
Two and three years ago, the Captains were grinding out 48- and 37-point margins of victory against the Panthers. A change, though, came last season when the margin tightened up significantly under a young Ferrum squad. As other teams in the conference look for ways to rebuild or simply gain their footing, Ferrum is poised to capitalize on a shot at the conference title. With CNU also returning a nice veteran slate, the USA South's automatic qualifier could play out at this game in Newport News.