Quote from: Ron Boerger on October 04, 2026, 08:30:10 AMAs to who wins a TLU-Hendrix final, it depends on which Warrior team shows up - the one that lost to Huntingdon and fell badly behind Schreiner yesterday, or the one that beat Millsaps on the road or outscored Schreiner 42-13 in the comeback win, also on the road. 

This turned out to be an excellent preview of Game One of the assumed two-game series: TLU 34 Hendrix 0. A shocking result that puts TLU firmly in the driver's seat.

Quote from: jknezek on July 03, 2026, 02:10:33 PM

Quote from: MCScots2013 on July 03, 2026, 01:11:25 PM...That's why I still think my original idea scrapping the mission and values SAA for better geographic fits is the right idea. Especially as schools start facing even more revenue challenges. Paying a fortune for athletic travel is a highlighter line item if you can find a cheaper home.

I deeply valued my personal experience as an SAA football player -- there was a genuine respect for your opponent when you knew they were immersed in a challenging environment on top of their preparation for the game that week; however, I think jknezek's point is right: the health of the institution, league, and (to a lesser degree) D3 athletics in the South are going to require some difficult decisions on conference affiliation. if the UAA presidents are willing to put their football programs in less-academically "prestigious" regional conferences then some of the SAA presidents may have to face that music, too.

If you remove the Big $$$, television networks, and private equity from the equation, the troubles facing the Frankensteined conferences of Division 1 start to look the same. Losing the regional identities/rivalries and health of realistically-sized conferences has been a net loss for college athletics at every level.

Hanberry Strikes Back. Has had a couple of shrewd moves this year to rally from the Great Payoff and give the league a puncher's chance.

Quote from: Ron Boerger on April 17, 2026, 04:57:39 PM

Quote from: Ralph Turner on April 17, 2026, 04:06:16 PMWill the travel budget for Southwestern be the deterrent to continuing in the SAA?

This is just me spitballing, but if they do leave it would be the combination of travel cost and time, along with the fact that it's now virtually impossible for students, staff, and local fans to support their teams at championships with the great majority being east of the Mississippi.  I know that there are some huge SAA supporters at Trinity in both administration and athletics; not sure that's the case at Southwestern. 

And, quite frankly, the SCAC front office IMO seems to do a better job organizing and supporting their sports and teams.

Austin/Southwestern/Hendrix definitely seem to often be in this dilemma: join like-minded, academically prestigious schools in the SAA or stay closer to home and have a better administrative/fan experience in the SCAC. Southwestern returning to the conference would provide more long-term stability as a solid "South Central" league with a better academic standing as opposed to the hard work of joining one more "Southeastern."

Quote from: Hawks88 on April 02, 2026, 03:30:09 PMHuntingdon released their 2026 schedule today. Same as last season with the home and aways reversed. First time that's happened here.
https://www.d3football.com/teams/Huntingdon/2026/index

In the words of college basketball's Jon Rothstein: consult your nearest cardiologist before consuming Huntingdon-McMurry or Huntingdon-Hendrix...

Quote from: Ralph Turner on January 02, 2026, 10:03:05 AMWhile doing some random internet searches on the history of the Sun Bowl, I found this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943_Southwestern_Pirates_football_team

On October 2, 1943, Southwestern 14, University of Texas Longhorns 7.

1. One should always be doing internet searches on the history of the Sun Bowl

2. I've been very happy to see a mild resurgence in D3 bowl games in recent seasons. It would be nice to have one in our neck of the woods if a couple of the 5 conferences could think creatively. It's a shame that the D3 and D1 football calendars are not more aligned -- excited to see how the D2 and D3 basketball national championships fare at the D1 Final Four site this weekend...

According to Cory Hogue's tweet and article at the time, it seems as though the actual game itself will determine the champion.

You are right that the website does not list the criteria or tiebreaker. With only Lyon on the horizon, it seems as though TLU has booked its spot regardless. Hendrix v McMurry is for the second seed.

Since I am a bit out of practice with the new at-large bid system, what is the likelihood the SCAC champ actually gets in? Let's say that champion is a 7-3 TLU or Hendrix...

What is the name of the trophy Rhodes and Sewanee currently play for?

Quote from: Ralph Turner on October 30, 2025, 03:20:52 PMI got to thinking...

There ought to be a Governor's Cup for D-3, especially now that all three schools are in the same conference.

Quote from: Ralph Turner on October 11, 2025, 10:35:49 AMMcM has 3 losses by 1 score.
Altho' I don't gamble, my projection of the odds to win the SCAC looks like this.

McM. +120
TLU. +140
HX.  +180
AC   +350
Cent +400
Lyon +500

(I hope that doesn't trigger some law!!!)

scoreboard in the SCAC today puts these odds about spot on, it seems!

Hendrix splits their SAA OOC slate 1-1, saving more of their firepower for the 47-28 rivalry game win versus Rhodes under the lights. Interested to see how the middle tier stands up to Trinity/Berry/Maryville this season. The ones wearing purple may cause some folks to sweat for a few quarters!

Quote from: Ron Boerger on September 07, 2025, 09:43:09 AMThe SCAC went 0-5, 0-3 against SAA opponents, in week 1.  Ouch. 

Hendrix W against Huntingdon and McMurry keeping it close at HSU somewhat redeemed the SCAC OOC slate. Hendrix will still have a shot at both Millsaps and Rhodes in the coming weeks...

Quote from: Ralph Turner on August 18, 2025, 10:35:00 PMLet's have a pre-season poll. Let's rank the Top 7 teams

For those who feel the perpetual conference realignment stirring in their brain cells... Region 3 still consists of:

ASC
ODAC
SAA
SCAC
USAC

...right? Need a little confirmation these days!

Quote from: awadelewis on September 09, 2023, 11:19:19 PM
Hendrix-ETBU turned into a nail biter with ETBU holding off Hendrix after a late Hendrix TD, successful on-side kick, and missed field goal by Hendrix.

Brutal way for the Warriors to go down after dominating the first half. Gutsy calls by Coach Buchanan to try to give them the win (2 pt conversion was wide open but came up short), just couldn't be executed. Solid signs of life from this very young team -- just need to put a complete game together.

Quote from: Ron Boerger on June 17, 2023, 09:15:51 AM
I'm interested in seeing if Southwestern regains the competitiveness it had developed before it headed to the Wild Wild West of the ASC...

Have any renderings been released for the new on-campus stadium complex in Georgetown?

Feeling pretty good about the direction of Hendrix these days, given all the uncertainty surrounding small liberal arts colleges lately. Hendrix recently completed a $150 million fundraising campaign a year ahead of schedule (after surpassing an original goal ahead of schedule the year before). Add that to the largest incoming class in 7 years after 3 straight years of growth and I feel like I can breathe a little easier. The newly announced incoming president comes from MTSU and Tulsa and is the parent of student-athlete at a liberal arts college, so I think this new era will continue that healthy respect for athletics, too (I hope).