Evan Pittenger and Maryville are looking to return to the playoffs after a one-year absence.  Maryville athletics photo by Brandon Shinn

Perennial playoff teams Wesley and Christopher Newport are off to the NJAC, and no longer part of Around the Mid-Atlantic coverage. The Captains’ departure opens up opportunity in the USA South. Will Huntingdon claim its first USA South conference title? Will Maryville, led by first-year head coach Shaun Hayes, earn its second postseason berth in three years?

Susquehanna’s Tom Perkovich joins Hayes as the region’s only two new head coaches in 2015. Can either of them lead their programs to the kind of success that Curt Newsome brought to Emory & Henry in his first season last year? Will any team separate itself and avoid another wild tiebreaker in the ODAC? After last season’s playoff berth, can Muhlenberg – or anyone – unseat Johns Hopkins in the Centennial?

Those are just a few of the many questions to be answered in the Centennial, ODAC, and USA South this season. We’ve got all season to dig deeper into those storylines and more. Now, let’s take a look at one intriguing matchup for each week of the regular season.

Sept. 3, Franklin and Marshall at Lebanon Valley: The offseason is a slog, so let’s shorten it as much as possible. There hasn’t been a Division III football game played since the Stagg Bowl on Dec. 19, 2014, and there hasn’t been a regular season game since Nov. 15. Franklin and Marshall is the first Mid-Atlantic team given an opportunity to play in 2015 (Ursinus also kicks off on Sept. 3, but against Division II opponent Millersville). The Diplomats open the season against another team that regressed in 2014. Both the Dips and Flying Dutchmen are looking for a non-conference victory to boost momentum and wash away the disappointing taste left by their 2014 seasons.

Sept. 12, Hampden-Sydney at Christopher Newport: These teams have met early in each of the past three seasons, with the Tigers holding a 2-1 advantage. This is always one of the region’s top non-conference games and should continue to be, even with the Captains no longer playing in a Mid-Atlantic conference. The Tigers have major holes to fill after losing their top offensive weapons and several leaders on defense. This will be a great barometer for the rebuilding units as they gear up for ODAC play.

Sept. 19, Maryville at Emory & Henry: We close out the non-conference slate with a purely Mid-Atlantic non-conference tilt. Two years ago, the Scots were the region’s upstart, winning the USA South and earning the program’s first playoff berth. Last year, the Wasps were the surprise of the region, earning a share of the ODAC title in Newsome’s first season. Now it’s the Scots who have a new head coach with close ties to the program, similar to last year’s Emory & Henry squad. Neither the ODAC nor USA South are historically in the mix for a Pool C bid, but if either of these teams wants to bolster its playoff resume this is the game to make a case.

Sept. 26, No. 25 Muhlenberg at No. 13 Johns Hopkins: This game is always circled on the Centennial Conference calendar. This year, it features two preseason Top 25 teams coming off of playoff berths. The Mules return an explosive offense led by junior quarterback Nick Palladino (last year’s leading passer in the Centennial) and sophomore running back Max Cepeda (1,401 all-purpose yards as a freshman). The Blue Jays are breaking in a new quarterback, but have an otherwise experienced offense. Whichever defense steps up and prevents big plays while making some of its own will put its team in the Centennial’s driver’s seat.

Oct. 3, Ursinus at Moravian: The preseason buzz around the Centennial centers around the darkhorse Greyhounds. Moravian increased its win total from two to five last year and returns 16 starters, led by running back Chris Negron. The Bears shutout the Greyhounds last season and again boast a formidable defense led by end Steve Ambs. If Moravian is to make the leap this season, they will have to find a way to put up points on the Bears.

Oct. 10, Maryville at N.C. Wesleyan: This will be a crucial matchup at a critical juncture for these two aspiring USA South contenders. Maryville has its leading rushers back, led by Trenton Shuler, but will hope that the green offensive line has jelled by midseason. The Battling Bishops have more experience up front, but are hoping someone has emerged by this point to fill the large shoes left by graduated running back Jacques Alston. It’s still early, but a loss here could be devastating to the playoff hopes of either team.

Oct. 17, Juniata at Ursinus: Ursinus has only lost six conference games the past two seasons, losing all of its meetings with Johns Hopkins, Muhlenberg, and Juniata. For some reason, the Eagles just have the Bears’ number, dominating the last two meetings 28-7 and 38-10. Both teams must replace starting quarterbacks, but the Eagles lost much of their offense when Ward Udinski graduated. To avoid taking a step back in 2015, the Eagles will need to continue their taming of the Bears.

Oct. 24, Methodist at Huntingdon: Jordan Vann was the USA South’s 2010 offensive rookie of the year, three years before Huntingdon joined the conference. After transferring from N.C. Wesleyan, Vann waited his turn at Methodist and exercised his extra year of eligibility to compete for the starting spot this season. Five years since he burst on the scene for the Battling Bishops, he will once again have a chance to impact the conference race. The Hawks secondary, led by Brendon Brown and Anthony White, will pose a challenge.

Oct. 31, Bridgewater at Hampden-Sydney: The Eagles and Tigers were two of the ODAC’s four co-champions last season. Bridgewater’s 34-9 win over Hampden-Sydney was one of the more surprising scores of the year and led to the wild #ODACtion four-way tie. Bridgewater’s only two losses last season were to Emory & Henry by 13 and to Guilford by seven. The Eagles return their two-headed monster at quarterback, while the Tigers are breaking in a new starter. Hampden-Sydney will be eager to avenge last year’s humbling defeat and will have the homefield advantage this year. A road win by Bridgewater would be an impressive statement that last year’s rout was no fluke.

Nov. 7, Maryville at Huntingdon: With Christopher Newport no longer in the picture, this game should decide the USA South championship. The Hawks are seeking the relatively young program’s first playoff berth. This game also features a contrast in styles, which could play to Maryville’s advantage. If the Scots can slow things down with their running game, they can keep the ball out of Huntingdon quarterback Luke Bailey’s hands. The Hawks junior passed for 261 yards and four touchdowns in last season’s 35-21 win at Maryville.

Nov. 14, Emory & Henry at Guilford: It’s the last week of the regular season, and The Game is not deciding the ODAC title. Strange days in 2015. Of course, knowing the ODAC, who knows what could happen. If the nation’s most unpredictable conference stays true to expectations this year, the Wasps and Quakers will again meet up with a playoff berth on the line. Last year, Guilford scored the final 21 points of the game to pull away for a 52-28 win that kept Emory & Henry from earning the ODAC title outright. The quarterback matchup between Matt Pawlowski and Kevin Saxton is tantalizing.

There are plenty of other games I’m sure we are all looking forward to. While it will be hard to top last year’s exciting conferences races and five Mid-Atlantic playoff teams, new stories will be written on and off the field this season. If you know of a unique player or coach, upcoming milestone, or other intriguing story, please feel free to reach out to me at adam.turer@d3sports.com or on Twitter at @adamturer. Also, be sure to check out the other Around the Region columns and the Around the Nation column all season long. You’re all invited to join us in beautiful Salem, Va. in December for Stagg Bowl XLIII.