CARSON-NEWMAN
Jefferson City, Tenn.; NCAA Div. II
Rearview: 7-3 in 2014, 5-2 in SAC
Route ’15: Ken Sparks begins his 36th year as head coach of his alma mater with a second-place projection behind Lenoir-Rhyne in the South Atlantic Conference and nine preseason all-league players, including senior right tackle Tyler Scott, from Ringgold, and dual-threat quarterback De’Andre Thomas, from Milledgville, Ga., among five first-teamers. The Eagles are the third team among “others receiving votes” in the AFCA preseason Top 25.
On the horizon:
Sep. 3;Cumberlands (Ky.), 7 p.m.
Sep. 12;Shorter, noon
Sep. 19;Catawba, 1 p.m.*
Sep. 26;at Mars Hill, 1 p.m.*
Oct. 3;at Lenoir-Rhyne, 2 p.m.*
Oct. 10;Brevard, 1 p.m.*
Oct. 17;Newberry, 3 p.m.*
Oct. 24;at Wingate, 1:30 p.m.*
Oct. 31;at Limestone, 2 p.m.
Nov. 7;North Greenville, 1 p.m.
Nov. 14;Tusculum, 1 p.m.*
* conference game
TUSCULUM COLLEGE
Greeneville, Tenn.; NCAA Div. II
Rearview: 6-5 in 2014, 4-3 in SAC
Route ’15: Senior Justin Houston, from Bradley Central High School, is a first-team All-SAC preseason choice at receiver and a second-team choice as a kick returner, after making two long touchdown runbacks and leading the league in pass receptions last year. Former Bradley teammate Patrick Benson, a junior, has become a stalwart in the offensive line for coach Frankie DeBusk. The Pioneers were picked to finish fifth in the conference.
On the horizon:
Sep. 5;at Virginia-Wise, 7 p.m.
Sep. 12;Virginia State, 1 p.m.
Sep. 19;Lenoir-Rhyne, 2:30 p.m.*
Sep. 26;at Newberry, 4 p.m.*
Oct. 3;at Brevard, 4 p.m.*
Oct. 10;Wingate, 2:30 p.m.*
Oct. 17;at North Greenville, 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 24;at Limestone, 7 p.m.
Oct. 31;Mars Hill, 1:30 p.m.*
Nov. 7;Catawba, 1:30 p.m.*
Nov. 14;at Carson-Newman, 1 p.m.*
* conference game
SHORTER UNIVERSITY
Rome, Ga.; NCAA Div. II
Rearview: 3-8 in 2014, 1-6 in GSC
Route ’15: Coach Phil Jones’ Hawks still are adjusting to NCAA competition after moving up from the NAIA, and they were picked to finish last in the Gulf South. But they return All-America senior safety Jordan Shaw, who was the 2014 GSC defensive player of the year, and four fellow 2014 all-conference players: defensive end Trevaris Horton, long snapper Luke Wilson, linebacker Zach Butts and guard Chris Beno. Shorter has a killer early schedule after its Sept. 5 opener with consecutive trips to longtime Division II power Carson-Newman, Division I schools Kennesaw State and Southeast Missouri State and conference-opening Mississippi College.
On the horizon:
Sep. 5;University of Faith, 1:30 p.m.
Sep. 12;at Carson-Newman, noon
Sep. 19;at Kennesaw State, 1 p.m.
Sep. 26;at Southeast Missouri St., 2 p.m.
Oct. 3;at Mississippi College, 8 p.m.*
Oct. 10;Delta State, 1:30 p.m.*
Oct. 17;at West Alabama, 3 p.m.*
Oct. 22;Valdosta State, 7:30 p.m.*
Oct. 31;at Florida Tech, 7 p.m.*
Nov. 7;North Alabama, 1:30 p.m.*
Nov. 14;at West Georgia, 2 p.m.*
* conference game
SEWANEE
Sewanee, Tenn.; NCAA Div. III
Rearview: 2-8 in 2014, 1-5 in SAA
Route ’15: The 7-11 combination was not a lucky one for coach Tommy Laurendine’s Tigers last year, when their two wins were by a total of seven points and their closest loss was 11. But returning quarterback Cody Daniel and fellow senior Devante Jones at running back accounted for 13 and nine touchdowns, respectively, in the triple-option offense. Kicker Callum Wishart, from Ooltewah, senior fullback Andy Moots and sophomore receiver Stephen Hearn are other proven offensive performers. Sophomore Glenn Ireland, from Baylor, leads a young secondary, but the rest of the defense is experienced and solid, led by senior rover Alex Krops and linebackers Grant Fuller and Tony Dykes.
On the horizon (times Eastern):
Sep. 5;Kenyon, 2 p.m.
Sep. 12;at Washington & Lee, 1 p.m.
Sep. 19;at Birm’ham-Southern, 2 p.m.*
Sep. 26;Berry, 2 p.m.*
Oct. 3;at Rhodes, 2 p.m.*
Oct. 17;Washington (Mo.), 2 p.m.*
Oct. 24;Centre, 2 p.m.*
Oct. 31;at Chicago, 1 p.m.*
Nov. 7;at Millsaps, 2 p.m.*
Nov. 14;Hendrix, 2:30 p.m.*
* conference game
BERRY COLLEGE
Mount Berry, Ga.; NCAA Div. III
Rearview: 2-8 in 2014, 1-5 in SAA
Route ’15: The big excitement for the Vikings is having home games on their gorgeous campus in the program’s third season of existence – in the newly constructed Valhalla stadium. Even without it, they were second in the Southern Athletic Association in home attendance last year. Coach Tony Kunczewski has two All-SAA first-team selections back in junior receiver Chris Lilly and junior linebacker Preston Stewart, plus second-teamers in junior offensive lineman Jack Morgan, junior punter Mitchell Blanchard and sophomore defenders Mamado Soumahoro and Jackson Putnam.
On the horizon:
Sep. 5;at Maryville, 1:30 p.m.
Sep. 12;LaGrange, 6 p.m.
Sep. 19;Rhodes, 1 p.m.*
Sep. 26;at Sewanee, 2 p.m.*
Oct. 3;Washington, Mo., 6 p.m.*
Oct. 10;at Chicago, 1 p.m.*
Oct. 17;Hendrix, 1 p.m.*
Oct. 24;at Millsaps, 2 p.m.*
Nov. 7;at Birm’ham-Southern, 2 p.m.*
Nov. 14;Centre, 1 p.m.*
* conference game
MARYVILLE COLLEGE
Maryville, Tenn.; NCAA Div. III
Rearview: 7-3 in 2014, 6-2 in USA South
Route ’15: The Fighting Scots, under new head coach Shaun Hayes (promoted after six years as an assistant at his alma mater), were projected by the league coaches to finish second in the USA South behind Huntingdon, with whom they tied for second last year. Junior running back Trenton Shuler averaged 104.6 yards rushing per game and scored 13 touchdowns last year, and senior quarterback Evan Pittenger scored 11 TDs and passed for seven. Zach Capehart, from Silverdale Baptist Academy, is among the defensive stalwarts returning, along with classmates Kent Minor, Gabe Johnson and Jonathan Clark and sophomore Jordan McCullough.
On the horizon:
Sep. 5;Berry, 1:30 p.m.
Sep. 10;at East Tenn. State, 7:30 p.m.
Sep. 19;at Emory & Henry, 6 p.m.
Oct. 3;Methodist, 1:30 p.m.*
Oct. 10;at N.C. Wesleyan, 1 p.m.*
Oct. 17;Ferrum, 2 p.m.*
Oct. 24;at Averett, 1 p.m.*
Oct. 31;LaGrange, 1:30 p.m.*
Nov. 7;at Huntingdon, 2 p.m.*
Nov. 14;Greensboro, 1:30 p.m.*
* conference game