Whether in Texas, California, Kentucky, Washington, Tennessee, Illinois or elsewhere, there will be plenty of great games involving ASC, SAA and SCAC teams this season. Austin College athletics photo

A new season has arrived and I’m gearing up to tackle a new part of the country when it comes to coverage.

I moved to Florida in the offseason after spending 12 years in Ohio, including the past three as the Great Lakes Region columnist for D3football.com.

I’m now the columnist for the South Region. The change means getting used to a whole new set of teams and conferences. Fortunately, I had an opportunity to learn more about the region while doing my work for Kickoff 2015.

I’m excited about the opportunity in front of me to cover the American Southwest Conference, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and the Southern Athletic Association. I look forward to providing the best coverage possible. But before I get into writing weekly columns, it’s time to take a look at 10 games to watch this season.

Austin at Whittier on Sept. 19: The Kangaroos will make the long trek to California to play a nonconference game that is certainly winnable. Madison Ross is poised for a big year running the ball and will be counted on to deliver in this one. The defense will have to rise to the occasion as well behind Brooks Ward, who led the team in tackles last year. Whittier struggled last year and isn’t expected to do much this year either. Still, beating the Poets in what will be the first road test of the year would give the Kangaroos a huge shot of confidence going forward.

Chicago at Centre on Sept. 26: The Maroons are the new team on the block in the SAA and are coming off an 8-1 campaign. Facing off against the reigning conference champ will provide an opportunity for the Maroons to prove they belong in the conference title discussion. Chicago’s offensive line is experienced and should set Chandler Carroll up for a big day out of the backfield. Getting stops early to steal momentum will be key, especially on the road against a Centre team with a high-powered offense.

Trinity at Pacific Lutheran on Sept. 26: Although it’s a nonconference game, it carries a ton of weight for the Tigers if they want any shot at being in the discussion for a playoff berth. The Lutes come in with a lot to prove as well as they have plenty of new faces after losing 12 of their all-conference selections. They will need to get situated quickly to be ready for Trinity’s visit to the Pacific Northwest in late September. The Tigers certainly have more experience and stability on both sides of the ball and that should go a long way towards their quest to come up with a big win on the road.

Hendrix at Centre on Oct. 3: The Warriors finished third in the league last year, but with 20 starters back, their expectations are much higher, even if it is only their third year as a program. This is a must-win game if the Warriors want to take the next step. Hendrix played Centre tough last year, falling 35-26, and should be able to hang around this time as well. Quarterback Seth Peters threw for nearly 2,500 yards last season and needs a huge game for his team to have a shot at the upset. Centre, of course, will be playing to keep a perfect season intact and will be coming off a big game against league newcomer Chicago.

Texas Lutheran at Mary Hardin-Baylor on Oct. 24: There will be no shortage of hype or energy when the Bulldogs and Crusaders square off in one of the biggest games of the season in the region. A year ago, the Bulldogs were knocked out of the postseason by the Crusaders, falling 27-20, a much closer game than the 72-16 thrashing UMHB unleashed in the regular season meeting. Another blowout isn’t expected this time and there is no question TLU gained a great deal of confidence from its playoff experience. Both teams are strong offensively and the team that makes the big plays on defense will prevail.

Texas Lutheran at Trinity on Oct. 31: This Halloween showdown will decide the outcome of the SCAC title race. The Bulldogs were a playoff team last year for the first time in program history and have the potential to get back to the postseason again. The key to their success hinges on the play of Marquis Barrolle, the nation’s leading rusher in 2014. The game was close last year, with the Bulldogs hanging on for a 34-27 win and this one should follow a similar pattern. The Tigers are solid offensively and feature a pretty good running back of their own in Jeremy Simmons. This one comes down to which team makes the fewest mistakes and comes up with the key defensive stops late in the game.

Mary Hardin-Baylor at Hardin-Simmons on Oct. 31: The Crusaders have an experienced quarterback in Zach Anderson and that bodes well for a team aiming for another conference title and playoff berth. He is one of 15 starters back for the Cru, who ranked in the top 50 last year both offensively and defensively. The Cowboys have a solid offense as well, especially with quarterback Weston Garner and running back Kerry Sloan both coming back. UMHB rolled to a 41-28 win last year but will be tested on the road in this one. If it survives this one, it will all but guarantee a conference title for the Crusaders.

Centre vs. Rhodes on Nov. 7: The SAA title will be on the line when these two teams, not to mention the automatic berth to the playoffs that will come with being the champion. The Colonels were perfect in the regular season a year ago and have the ability to put that type of season together again. The experience of Heath Haden at quarterback and a secondary anchored by Alex Mattingly and Sam Spees will put Centre in a position to take care of business. Rhodes will be seeking its first conference title in two years and its first postseason bid since 1988. The Lynx have a solid signal caller in Blake Box while Austin Henyon will pace the ground game. Rhodes also features a strong defensive line led by Spencer Smith. It was a high-scoring game last year, with Centre winning 47-35, and this one should be just as fun to watch.

Louisiana College at Hardin-Simmons on Nov. 14: The Wildcats closed 2014 with a 42-35 win over the Cowboys, the finishing touch on a season-ending four-game win streak. This year will be more of a challenge, though, especially since LC will be playing seven road games totaling more than 5,000 miles of driving. The runner-up spot in the league will no doubt be on the line and Hardin-Simmons will come in eager to earn that distinction, especially coming off a loss to UMHB a week earlier.

Washington at Chicago on Nov. 14: The Bears are hoping for a winning season and their season finale against the Maroons could very well give them a chance to finish above .500. Washington will rely on an efficient passing attack and special teams play to get the job done. Since both teams are affiliated with UAA still, that title will also be on the line. The Bears would love the chance to knock Chicago from the top and prevent the Maroons from winning back-to-back titles for the first time in program history. This game wasn’t close last year as Chicago rolled to a 44-23 win. It ended Washington’s seven-game win streak in the battle for the Founders Cup. Look for this showdown to go down to the wire.