Joe Callahan is following up on an up-and-down year that ended on an incredibly high note. Wesley athletics photo

The 2013 season had several success stories, both from traditional powers and upstart contenders. The teams representing this column combined for three playoff wins. Unfortunately, the selection committee forced some Mid-Atlantic cannibalism, as two had first-round matchups pitted Mid-Atlantic teams against one another. Hampden-Sydney fended off Maryville and earned a trip out west. Wesley sent Johns Hopkins home early, and nearly pulled off one of the greatest playoff comebacks in Division III history in what will go down as an all-time thriller. The Wolverines advanced to the quarterfinals but came up short against Mount Union.

The Wolverines, Blue Jays, Tigers, and Scots each return several key starters, but have a long road back to the postseason. There are some exciting non-conference games to kick off the season, followed by what will be an exciting season among three of the most competitive conferences in Division III. The ODAC and USA South remain unpredictable, while the Blue Jays know that they are far from infallible in the Centennial.

There are so many games that we are looking forward to, but here is one from each week of the regular season for all fans of Around the Mid-Atlantic to keep an eye on:

No. 22 Thomas More at No. 5 Wesley, Sept. 6. These programs have set the standard for every new Division III football program over the past 25 years. The Wolverines began play in 1986, while the Saints started up in 1990. Among all Division III programs, these two rank in the top three when it comes to all-time win percentage. The Saints are tops with a .706 winning percentage, while the Wolverines are not far behind at .697. Each comes into this season with realistic national title aspirations. Thomas More’s local rival Mount St. Joseph dropped the Saints from their schedule, leaving a void. The Wolverines struggled to find Division III opponents to fill their last season as an independent. The Saints feature one of the premier offensive players in the nation in running back Dom Hayden. The Wolverines counter with one of the nation’s best defensive players in linebacker Sosthene Kapepula. If you read Kickoff (which you should have – it’s not too late), you know that this is the regular season game I’m most looking forward to this season in all of Division III football.

Methodist at Guilford, Sept. 13. These two programs arrived ahead of schedule last season. The 13 games the Monarchs have won in CJ Goss’ tenure are the most in a two-game span since the program posted 15 wins in 2004-2005. Methodist won a share of the USA South title for the second time in program history (2005), but is still seeking that elusive first playoff berth. Chris Rusiewicz took over a winless Guilford program and has led the Quakers to two winning ODAC seasons in his first three years. After tying for second in the conference in 2013, Guilford has its sights set on earning the program’s first playoff trip. Last year, Methodist held on for a thrilling 41-34 victory in a back-and-forth battle that showcased both squads’ offensive potential. With quarterbacks Max Reber and Matt Pawlowski back for more, this should be another fun non-conference shootout between two programs on the rise.

Susquehanna at Dickinson, Sept. 20. These programs hit what they hope is rock bottom in 2013. The Crusaders managed just one win, while the Red Devils won just three games. Five years ago, each of these programs posted eight-win seasons. That’s a steep decline over one recruiting cycle. Since Susquehanna joined the Centennial in 2010, these teams have met four times and the games have been decided by a total of 12 points. Expect another close, low-scoring affair this year.

Huntingdon at Maryville, Sept. 27. In its first season in the USA South, Huntingdon proved that it can play with the best the conference has to offer. The Hawks prevented Maryville from earning a perfect conference record, but fell one win shy of joining the Scots and Methodist atop the conference standings. Maryville earned the program’s first playoff berth despite dropping the regular season finale in Alabama. The addition of LaGrange and Huntingdon and the rise of Maryville and Methodist makes the USA South one of the most competitive and entertaining conference races. The Hawks face the Monarchs and Scots on the road in consecutive weeks. They may need this win to even be in contention entering October.

Moravian at Ursinus, Oct. 4. Ursinus might be the most perplexing team in the Mid-Atlantic. The Bears consistently post winning records--five in a row and seven of the last eight seasons--yet have not won a conference title since 1996. In four of the past five years, Moravian has won just two games. But, this series is always compelling. The Greyhounds upset the Bears in 2009 and 2010, the Bears dominated in 2011 and 2012, then the teams engaged in a riveting 52-44 contest last season. After being held to 95 yards of offense in 2012, the Greyhounds rolled up 440 yards against the Bears in 2013. That wasn’t enough, as Ursinus outgained and outscored Moravian. For whatever reason, when these two teams meet, the outcome is unpredictable.

Guilford at Shenandoah, Oct. 11. Matt Yoder will look across the sideline and see a blueprint. The second-year Shenandoah coach will see a program that is setting the bar for an ODAC rebuilding job. His counterpart, Chris Rusiewicz, took over an 0-10 team, led it to two wins in his first season, five in his second, and six in his third year. Yoder led the Hornets to a three-win improvement in his first season. He is hoping to turn the corner and best Rusiewicz by posting a winning record in his second season. Winning this head-to-head matchup will be a crucial step toward reaching that goal. Even if the Hornets lose, they should learn something from playing the Quakers, who routed them in 2013.

Methodist at LaGrange, Oct. 18. This will be the highest-scoring game in the Mid-Atlantic this season. Quarterbacks Max Reber and Graham Craig are expected to light up scoreboards all season. Methodist finished second in the nation in total offense in 2013 (behind conference opponent Huntingdon). Reber led the nation in total offense per game, while Craig led the nation in passing yards per game. The pressure will be on the defenses, led by Bryan Bing and Jordan Chambers, to keep this game under control. LaGrange wants to prove that head coach Matt Mumme’s Air Raid offense is capable of winning a conference title, not just putting up gaudy numbers.

Juniata at Muhlenberg, Oct. 25. The biggest surprise in the Mid-Atlantic last year may have been the turnaround at Juniata. The Eagles won just ten games total from 2004 through 2012, then reeled off seven wins in 2013. Tim Launtz’s squad won six conference games and finished tied for third place in the Centennial. Muhlenberg finished one spot ahead, but two games behind undefeated champion Johns Hopkins. While the Eagles shocked the conference, the Mules remained consistent, posting their fourth straight 7-2 conference record. But, Muhlenberg has not earned a playoff berth since 2010. Now, they have another Centennial contender to fend off. The Mules return 19 starters and the Eagles bring back 17. Both teams will have already faced the Blue Jays and the Diplomats. This could be a battle for third place. With some early-season upsets, this could be a battle for a playoff spot.

LaGrange at Christopher Newport, Nov. 1. The newest USA South team wants to send the old guard off to the NJAC with a not-so-warm goodbye. 2013 saw the Captains miss the playoffs for just the fourth time in the program’s 13 seasons, despite matching the program’s best regular season win total. CNU has lost just 16 conference games over those 13 seasons and is determined to leave the conference on top. The conference’s best defense will look to pressure Craig under the lights in the Captains’ final home game as USA South members.

No. 14 Johns Hopkins at Franklin and Marshall, Nov. 8. The Dips are the only Centennial team to defeat the Blue Jays over the past three seasons, eking out a 14-12 win in 2012. By this point in the season, Franklin and Marshall’s new starting quarterback will have plenty of experience and few excuses. The Blue Jays return an experienced defense that will do everything to disrupt the rookie signal-caller.

Randolph-Macon at No. 21 Hampden-Sydney, Nov. 15. THE GAME needs no introduction. Last year’s was an all-time classic, won when the Tigers defense stuffed a two-point conversion attempt with 95 seconds to play. The Yellow Jackets, like the Diplomats, must replace the focal point of their 2013 offense, but by this point in the season that position should be solidified. It will take a committee of running backs to fill the void left by Will McGhee, but quarterback Zac Naccarato is ready to take his game to another level. If he can somehow outplay Tigers quarterback Nash Nance, Randolph-Macon could pull off the upset and with it an ODAC title. The Tigers want to send their special senior class off with a home win over their rival and a second straight playoff berth.

There are plenty of other great games that I’m looking forward to this year. I’m sure you feel the same way. Please feel free to share them in the comments or via email or Twitter (@adamturer). If you have any column suggestions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me during the season. We try to feature every team in the three conferences and Wesley, but there are too many good stories out there and not enough time to capture them all. I’ll do my best to give you a compelling read each week. If it’s not about your team, maybe you can learn something fascinating about a regional neighbor.

I’m looking forward to another great season of Division III football and I’m sure you are, too. Kick it off.