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| For a reminder of the WIAC's ranking, look not at Tommy Coates's uniform number, or Jackson Chryst's jersey, but the number of fingers he's holding up. Photo by Larry Radloff, d3photography.com |
By Greg Thomas
D3sports.com
Week 6 means Division III football has reached the halfway point of the regular season and conference play is in full swing in all but one conference — the ECFC will start conference play this weekend. There are still a smattering of non-conference games left to play, but most of the out of conference action has been settled which means it’s time for Around The Nation’s annual assessment (re-assessment) of how Division III’s football conferences stack up.
Nobody quite approached the MIAA’s 25-3 non-conference record from one year ago, but two conferences did manage 75% win percentages or better. The Liberty League (19-6) and the ODAC (18-6) had the best non-conference seasons in the Division by win percentage. Those conferences saw their positions improve, as you might expect.
When considering new rankings, Around the Nation leans heavily on the current season’s out of conference results, but also considers meaning out of conference results since the last ranking — so yes, the 2022 playoffs do have some impact.
Non-conference records are not exclusive to games against other D-III opponents, but only games recognized by the NCAA are included (i.e. no contests against club teams are counted).
Without further ado, here is your conference re-rank!
1. Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 1
Non-conference record: 16-8
Signature win: UW-Whitewater 56, St. John’s 28
The WIAC remains the gold standard among Division III football conferences as they’ve been ranked No. 1 in these rankings since 2003. It is worth noting, however, that since we last published these rankings, WIAC teams went 0-2 in the 2022 playoffs, and have lost high profile games to Wheaton (UW-Oshkosh) and Hardin-Simmons (UW-La Crosse). Is the gap quite as wide between the WIAC and everybody else? Maybe not quite as wide. But there still isn’t a league in the Division that can match the quality of teams as you move through the standings to the fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-best teams. The WIAC’s difficulty of schedule is also unrivaled. Posting a 67% win percentage against the caliber of teams the WIAC regularly faces validates their place at the top.
2. Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 2
Non-conference record: 14-6
Signature win: St. John's 34, Trinity (Texas) 31 (OT)
I keep thinking that the MIAC is vulnerable in this position, but every year conferences close enough to get to them aren’t able to capitalize. The Johnnies’ overtime classic against Trinity likely saved their spot at No. 2, but the MIAC also put together a strong 2022 postseason to fortify their position. St. John’s moved to the second round, while Bethel advanced to the quarterfinals. The MIAC’s out of conference record is built on a 8-0 foundation vs. the UMAC. But, they are also 1-3 against the WIAC, which should help measure the gulf between Nos. 1 and 2.
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| The MIAC may not be as strong as it was five years ago, but it's still a step ahead of everyone not named WIAC. Photo by Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com |
3. College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
2022 ATN ranking: 4
Non-conference record: 7-3
Signature win: Wheaton 31, UW-Oshkosh 21
North Central is obviously the tide that raises all of the boats here. The Cardinals have established themselves as the dominant team in the division with three consecutive appearances in the Stagg Bowl netting two wins. The conference boasts a second bona fide playoff team in Wheaton. The Thunder’s Week 2 win against UW-Oshkosh is informative of Wheaton’s quality. Elsewhere, programs at North Park and Elmhurst are experiencing upswings. Washington U. remains a fringe Top 25 team, and Augustana’s experience is manifesting quality results for the Vikings.
4. Ohio Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 5
Non-conference record: 5-5
Signature win: Marietta 31, St. John Fisher 7
There’s really not much to glean from the OAC’s out of conference schedule. With the conferences above and just around them on this list, the OAC’s absence from the big September games we’ve enjoyed over the last two years is noticeable. John Carroll is the exception! The Blue Streaks hosted UW-Whitewater in Week 1, falling inside the final minute of the game. John Carroll might be the second playoff-caliber team that the OAC has been missing for a few years now. Mount Union’s return to the Stagg Bowl — and the return of so many players that were in Annapolis in December boosts the OAC as well as strong starts by Marietta and Wilmington.
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| Tyler Echeverry was thrust into a featured role in the backfield in last year's Stagg Bowl and continues to be a big part of the Mount Union running game. Photo by Thomas Nettleton, d3photography.com |
5. American Southwest Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 3
Non-conference record: 12-14
Signature win: Hardin-Simmons 28, UW-La Crosse 21
No conference has experienced more tumult than the ASC since last year’s rankings. The long term future of the conference remains murky and the conference’s 2023 start has also been a little muddy. UMHB and Hardin-Simmons took on huge challenges in September. Both teams traveled to Wisconsin for games against ranked opponents from the Division’s top conference, UMHB hosted UW-Whitewater and lost by a field goal. Hardin-Simmons then traveled all the way out to Massachusetts for a game against defending CCC champion Endicott and was defeated soundly. There aren’t a lot of positive results from the rest of the ASC as well — only Hardin-Simmons and Howard Payne currently have winning records.
6. Liberty League
2022 ATN ranking: 8
Non-conference record: 19-6
Signature win: Ithaca 20, Endicott 17
The Liberty League has posted the best non-conference record by win percentage in Division III (so far), The difficulty of schedule isn’t quite as strong as some of the top conferences on this list- the Liberty League is 10-0 combined against the ECFC, NEWMAC, and Landmark. Say what we might about that bit of the LIberty League schedule, Ithaca did defeat E8 champion Cortland in the Cortaca Jug game last year on their way to the national quarterfinals. Ithaca has also notched a win over Endicott. Union has a dominant win over NEWMAC favorite Springfield. Five teams in the Liberty League currently have zero or one loss.
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| Ithaca stretched itself with a nice non-conference schedule this season. Photo by Caleb Williams, d3photography.com |
7. Empire 8
2022 ATN ranking: 7
Non-conference record: 17-10
Signature win: Cortland 42, Delaware Valley 13
After placing two teams in the postseason in 2022 and starting this season off with a win over 10th-ranked (at the time) Delaware Valley, the E8 was in a very good position to move up in these rankings, but then Susquehanna came through and stole two key victories away from Cortland and Brockport. The E8 partnership with the Landmark conference, Susquehanna games notwithstanding, has been very beneficial for the E8 as they hold an 11-4 advantage in that series. They are 2-3 against their in-state Liberty League rivals. Utica seems to have waned a bit from their 2022 postseason form, but Brockport has exhibited improvement, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. The Golden Eagles might well be the top challenger to Cortland in this year’s E8 race.
8. Centennial Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 6
Non-conference record: 16-6
Signature win: Johns Hopkins 27, Ithaca 17
The Centennial Conference has posted a strong record out of conference and like the E8, has turned their new non-conference partnership with the NJAC into a pile of wins. The Centennial is 11-4 vs. the NJAC with six games still to play. Johns Hopkins has looked great this season. Muhlenberg has returned to form. So why did the Centennial slide? Because Susquehanna moved out and moved on to the Landmark Conference. If we were to add Susquehanna to this group — and let’s not forget Ursinus who just had a nine-game win streak snapped by Muhlenberg — this would be a top 5 conference.
9. American Rivers Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 12
Non-conference record: 10-7
Signature win: Wartburg 16, Bethel 2
In 2022, Wartburg broke new ground by advancing to the national semifinals before ultimately falling just short to Mount Union. Along the way, Wartburg knocked out UW-La Crosse, the tournament’s top seed St. John’s, and Aurora. Coe, Central, and Nebraska Wesleyan are off to 4-1 starts and each also swept their pair of out of conference games. Coe has already defeated Central and will be heavy favorites throughout the back half of their schedule. A 9-1 record and the tight result with Wartburg will likely have Coe in the conversation for an at-large bid.
10. Southern Athletic Association
2022 ATN ranking: 9
Non-conference record: 7-11
Signature win: Trinity (Texas) 35, Mary Hardin-Baylor 16
Trinity took out Hardin-Simmons in the 2022 postseason before losing to UMHB in the second round. The Tigers have since avenged that loss with the signature win noted above and were one play from winning at St. John’s. Berry has been resurgent and wouldn’t look at all out of place in tournament. Some of the depth of the SAA has waned with Centre and Birmingham-Southern currently having down cycles — but we’re happy to still have Birmingham-Southern no matter what their record is. Sewanee is off to a 3-1 start which is the best first four games from Sewanee since 2001.
11. Michigan Intercollegiate Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 13
Non-conference record: 19-8
Signature win: Hope 40, Mount St. Joseph 35
The MIAA has regressed from last year’s nearly flawless non-conference season, but only a little. The conference has still won 70% of their non-conference games. The MIAA is 10-4 against the HCAC and 3-1 against the NCAC. While half of the conference’s games are against the HCAC, the MIAA does have contact with enough other conferences to validate their quality — see big wins over the OAC’s Ohio Northern and the WIAC’s UW-Stevens Point. Alma advanced to the second round of last year’s postseason and has looked impeccable so far in the 2023.
12. Presidents' Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 11
Non-conference record: None.
Signature win: Grove City 31, Washington & Jefferson 24
The PAC has become a very difficult conference to rank because they won’t play anybody outside of their own league until the playoffs. With that said, last year’s champion, Carnegie Mellon routed their first round playoff opponent before giving eventual champion North Central fits in the second round. The Tartans are chasing an at-large bid to return to the playoffs after losing at Grove City in Week 4. The Wolverines doubled down with a win against W&J in Week 5, which puts Grove City at 5-0 and holding head-to-head wins over all of their main PAC rivals.
13. Northwest Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 10
Non-conference record: 9-11
Signature win: Whitworth 24, Chapman 17
There’s not a lot of opportunity to gauge the NWC in out of conference play this year. Linfield won, but did not dominate road games at Denison and Redlands. We noted Whitworth’s win at Chapman as a signature win because the Pirates are off to a strong start and could be returning to provide added competition for the NWC crown. The NWC is 4-4 vs. the SCIAC. Linfield did handle business against the 2022 SCIAC champion in round 1 of the playoffs before falling to Bethel in round 2. Linfield and Whitworth are both 3-0, but they are the only two teams in the NWC with winning records currently.
14. Old Dominion Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 16
Non-conference record: 18-6
Signature win: Randolph-Macon 59, Catholic 14
The ODAC has posted the second best non-conference record by win percentage in the Division, however further inspection tells us that there isn’t a whole lot of meat on that bone. The ODAC is a whopping 14-2 against the USA South Conference, but those matchups have been missing the top teams in the USA South. Eleven of the ODAC’s wins have come against Greensboro, Southern Virginia, Methodist, and N.C. Wesleyan, who have a combined record of 2-17. Randolph-Macon did advance to the second round of the 2022 tournament. In the only notable game against ranked competition, Bridgewater (9-1 one year ago) was handled pretty easily by Susquehanna.
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| The Old Dominion Athletic Conference has gone 14-2 against the USA South, and 4-4 against everyone else. Photo by Mike Atherton, d3photography.com |
15. Middle Atlantic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 14
Non-conference record: 4-6
Signature win: FDU-Florham 33, William Paterson 29
There just aren’t a lot of opportunities for the MAC to impress with just one week of non-conference games. William Paterson’s 2-2 record is the best record of any of the four teams that MAC members have won against. Delaware Valley hosting a quarterfinal in the 2022 postseason prevents a further dip for the MAC, but if Week 1’s result against Cortland is a foretell, the MAC might be on a downswing soon unless Delaware Valley can get more help from the middle and bottom of the conference.
16. Commonwealth Coast Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 17
Non-conference record: 18-10
Signature win: Endicott 37, Hardin-Simmons 10
The CCC continues their upward trend with another solid non-conference season that is underscored by Endicott’s 37-10 win over fifth-ranked (at the time) Hardin-Simmons. It’s not hyperbole to say that Endicott’s Friday night stunner was the most significant win for a team from New England in the D3football.com era. The next benchmark for the CCC will be to become a conference that can consistently produce a playoff winner — something that is clearly within reach for Endicott. Endicott is not the only success story in the CCC. Three teams are currently 4-1 while only Curry has a losing record. The only conference that the CCC has a losing record against this season is the Landmark, where Susquehanna defeated Western New England in the lone CCC-Landmark game.
17. New Jersey Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 15
Non-conference record: 7-15
Signature win: Salisbury 28, Washington & Lee 7
The NJAC yo-yo continues. After an 8-16 nonconference campaign in 2021, the league bounced back to have a winning record last year, only to slide back to 7-15 in 2023. We should note that the NJAC’s degree of difficulty has been high. As a schedule partner with the Centennial Conference, the NJAC has found themselves on the bad end of a 4-11 record in that particular series. There are six more opportunities for the NJAC to try and balance that ledger and only one of those future contests will come against either Johns Hopkins or Muhlenberg. Christopher Newport is currently the only NJAC team with a winning record.
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| Christopher Newport is carrying the standard for the New Jersey Athletic Conference these days. Photo by Mike Atherton, d3photography.com |
18. Landmark Conference
2022 ATN ranking: N/A
Non-conference record: 9-19
Signature win: Susquehanna 38, Cortland 35
When the Landmark Conference formed, Susquehanna looked like an obvious favorite, but we didn’t expect the gap to be as large as it now appears. Susquehanna is the only team in the Landmark to have a winning record. The River Hawks are the only team in the conference with a winning record, and two teams that most expected to be top challengers to Susquehanna, Wilkes and Lycoming, both finished 0-4 in their non-conference seasons. In competition with conferences that sit in the same geographic area as the Landmark, the first-year conference has posted records of 4-11 against the E8, 0-2 against the Liberty League, and 0-2 against the MAC. Better days are likely ahead for this conference, but it’s been a tough start overall. The narrative for the Landmark was very close to being quite different had Susquehanna not managed a pair of incredible last minute wins against Brockport and Cortland.
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| The Landmark's record against the Empire 8 has not helped the conference in its inaugural ranking. Photo by Mike Atherton, d3photography.com |
19. North Coast Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 19
Non-conference record: 8-10
Signature win: Wabash 29, Hampden-Sydney 28
There are some signs pointing up for the NCAC. Wabash and Wittenberg, NCAC playoff staples for much of the 2000s and 2010s appear to be improved in 2023, though both still have a ways to go to approach program peaks from a decade or so ago. The conference’s defending champion, DePauw, got blown out of the playoffs in the first round and while the NCAC has had opportunities to play very good teams in the division (UW-River Falls and Alma, for example) the results have not been good for NCAC teams.
20. Southern California Intercollegiate Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 18
Non-conference record: 6-5
Signature win: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 24, Chicago 15
While we were disheartened to see Whittier shutter their football program, the SCIAC had an opportunity in these rankings to add by subtraction. Unfortunately, the SCIAC hasn’t quite produced results that could push them back toward their 2019 heights. Chapman’s 0-3 start is not the kind of surprising record the SCIAC likes to see. C-M-S has been consistent is the conference’s lone unbeaten team. After a disappointing 2022, Redlands appears to have found some of the form that produced playoff teams. The SCIAC finished 4-4 with their NWC rivals in non-conference play, however it’s the win against an NWC champion in the postseason that eludes the SCIAC more often than not. That is the win the SCIAC needs to start getting to move way up in the rankings.
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| Pomona-Pitzer missed an opportunity to help the SCIAC's ranking when it lost at Carleton in September. Photo by Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com |
21. Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 21
Non-conference record: 8-9
Signature win: Aurora 38, Hope 17
Aurora turned around last year’s loss to Hope and are now well on their way to an undefeated regular season one year after notching the first two playoff wins for the NACC. While Aurora continues to rise, the remainder of the league lacks a result that can go along with the success that the Spartans have found against team in the higher strata of the division. Eureka had started 4-0 for the first time since 2018 and the Le’Anthony Reasnover era before falling to Aurora in Week 5.
22. New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference
2022 ranking: 22
Non-conference record: 14-8
Signature win: Merchant Marine 52, Western Connecticut 35
The NEWMAC has undergone some renovations with Catholic leaving for the Landmark while Salve Regina and SUNY-Maritime joining in 2023. The NEWMAC’s results in non-conference play are a bit of a mixed bag. They are 6-0 against the MASCAC, 3-0 vs. the ECFC, 4-4 against the CCC, and 0-4 against the Liberty League. USMMA’s win over Western Connecticut became notable in the wake of the Wolves’ lopsided win over MASCAC favorite Mass-Dartmouth. Springfield did advance to the second round last year after knocking off Endicott in the playoffs, however the Pride did struggle against Union in their most recent game against higher quality opposition.
23. Midwest Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 20
Non-conference record: 3-7
Signature win: Illinois College 20, Monmouth 17
Yes, I colored outside the lines a bit here by not highlighting a non-conference win, but it’s difficult to locate a notable non-conference win for the MWC this season. The Blueboys’ win over Monmouth creates a third challenger for the MWC title, at least temporarily. The non-conference results for the MWC in 2023 may have peaked when Monmouth trailed Wartburg 42-35 with ten minutes to play — a game the Scots would go on to lose 62-35. Two-time defending champion Lake Forest continues to cruise along. The Foresters have already defeated Illinois College and will face their two largest remaining tests- at Monmouth and against Chicago — in Weeks 10 and 11.
24. Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 25
Non-conference record: 8-16
Signature win: Mount St. Joseph 46, Baldwin Wallace 33
The HCAC’s 8-16 record is a four-game improvement over their 2022 non-conference tally. Three of those games have come courtesy of Hanover, who turned around their 0-3 record in non-conference play to 3-0 in 2023. Mount St. Joseph has struggled against the MIAA since last year’s rankings — the Lions were bounced from the playoffs last year at Alma and fell earlier this fall to Hope. They have notched the conference’s best win of 2023, however, with their road victory at Baldwin Wallace. Also notable that Defiance is playing markedly better football in what we now know will be their final season in Division III before joining the NAIA next year.
25. USA South Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 23
Non-conference record: 7-18
Signature win: Maryville (Tenn.) 27, Shenandoah 20
Maryville has turned around a difficult 2022 0-3 start into a perfect non-conference season. The Scots started 4-0 before falling in triple overtime to Brevard to open USA South play. Huntingdon may be the conference’s best team, but were eliminated in a lopsided first round game at UMHB in 2022 and have suffered another lopsided defeat this year to Berry. Belhaven is 4-0 to go along with 3-1 Maryville, and 4-1 Huntingdon, but there are also three winless teams remaining in the conference. The conference did post a 4-2 record against the SAA, but is just 2-14 against the ODAC.
26. Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 24
Non-conference record: 2-14
Signature win: Mass-Dartmouth 57, Nichols 6
Mass-Dartmouth lays claim to the MASCAC’s only non-conference wins in 2023. The Corsairs appeared to be the heavy favorite to repeat as MASCAC champion, until falling at Western Connecticut. They may still be the favorite, but the loss likely ends any hope for a home game in the tournament. The MASCAC’s non-conference record includes going 0-6 against the NEWMAC and 0-5 against the ECFC.
27. Eastern Collegiate Football Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 26
Non-conference record: 7-16
Signature win: Castleton 25, Plymouth State 21
The ECFC started 2023 with a bang, going 4-1 in the season’s opening weekend, but that momentum hasn’t carried through as the conference is just 3-15 since. The ECFC has notably posted a perfect 5-0 record against the MASCAC, but those five games have come against teams that are regularly near the bottom of the conference. With just five teams in the conference, the ECFC is on the clock to either add a new member or risk losing access to the postseason.
28. Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
2022 ATN ranking: 27
Non-conference record: 6-18
Signature win: Northwestern (Minn.) 25, Concordia (Wis.) 10
The UMAC’s geography limits their opportunities to find a more non-conference that would be competitive fits for them. MIAC games are most convenient, but most MIAC teams are overwhelming for UMAC programs, which is reflected in the UMAC’s 0-8 record against the MIAC. Northwestern is responsible for Concordia’s lone loss on the season. Greenville has also notched a good win for the UMAC by knocking off Adrian earlier this season.
We don't rank the NESCAC, because conference members do not play outside of the conference, leaving no basis for comparison with the rest of Division III.
That's how ATN sees the conference landscape in 2023. Let us know what you think, respectfully, in the comments below!
