FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

My annual post with the ever-lengthening list since the HCAC had a winning record in non-conference games.

Regular season non-conference record
2006: 13-11 (Franklin, Rose 3-0; Defiance, MSJ 2-1; Anderson, Bluffton, Manchester 1-2)
2007: 12-12 (MSJ, Rose 3-0; Franklin, Manchester 2-1; Anderson, Defiance 1-2)
2008: 10-14 (Franklin, Manchester, MSJ, Rose 2-1; Anderson, Bluffton 1-2) Franklin quarterfinals
2009: 7-17 (Franklin, MSJ, Rose 2-1; Defiance 1-2)
Earlham joins HCAC
2010: 6-12 (Bluffton, Franklin, Hanover, Manchester, MSJ, Rose 1-1)
2011: 3-15 (Franklin, Manchester, MSJ 1-1) Franklin 2nd round
2012: 2-16 (Bluffton, MSJ 1-1) Franklin 2nd round
2013: 1-17 (Earlham 1-1) Franklin 2nd round
2014: 4-14 (Rose 2-0; Manchester, MSJ 1-1)
2015: 4-14 (Rose 2-0; Bluffton, MSJ 1-1)
2016: 5-13 (Bluffton 2-0; Defiance, Franklin, Rose 1-1)
2017: 3-15 (Manchester, MSJ, Rose 1-1)
2018: 2-16 (Franklin, MSJ 1-1)
Earlham halts football program
2019: 6-12 (Anderson 2-0; MSJ 1-1; Hanover 2-1; Rose 1-2)
2020/21: 1-2 (Bluffton 1-0)
2021: 6-18 (Franklin 2-1; Bluffton, Hanover, MSJ, Rose 1-2)
2022: 4-20 (MSJ 3-0, Manchester 1-2)
2023: 8-16 (Hanover 3-0; MSJ 2-1; Bluffton, Defiance, Rose 1-2)
Defiance leaves for NAIA
2024: 7-21 (Hanover, MSJ 2-2; Anderson, Franklin, Rose-Hulman 1-3) Hanover bowl win

Week 1
Anderson vs Alfred State (E8)
Bluffton vs Kenyon (NCAC)
Franklin vs Ohio Northern (OAC)
Hanover @ Centre (SAA)
Manchester vs Westminster (MO) (UMAC)
Mount St Joseph @ Muskingum (OAC)
Rose-Hulman vs DePauw (NCAC)

Week 2
Anderson @ SUNY-Maritime (NEWMAC)
Bluffton vs Albion (MIAA)
Franklin vs Hope (MIAA)
Hanover vs Butler (FCS)
Manchester vs Concordia-Chicago (NACC)
Mount St Joseph vs Aurora (NACC)
Rose-Hulman @ Trine (MIAA)

Week 3 (MIAA week)
Anderson @ Kalamazoo
Bluffton @ Olivet
Franklin @ Trine
Hanover @ Alma
Manchester @ Adrian
Mount St Joseph @ Hope
Rose-Hulman @ Albion

Week 4 Off week

Conference play vs OAC
Week 5: Franklin @ Muskingum
Week 6: Manchester vs Capital
Week 7: Rose-Hulman @ Baldwin Wallace
Week 8: Anderson vs Wilmington
Week 9: Mount St Joseph @ Ohio Northern
Week 10: Hanover vs Otterbein
Week 11: Bluffton @ Marietta

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Let's end the non-conference play right now. Anderson won 7-6, Manchester leads 14-9 at halftime, Franklin is up 20-3 at halftime.

Edit: Franklin held on 27-20 while Manchester fell 21-14. The conference is 2-1.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

End of the first week and we've already got more than half the wins of last season and a winning record

The conference outdid the computer expectations.
Franklin with the biggest upset 27-20 over Ohio Northern when Massey had them as 16.5 underdogs and Hansen 24.7
Anderson won 7-6 over Alfred St when Massey had them as 12.5 underdogs and Hansen 16.5
Mount St Joseph beat Muskingum 33-27 as very slight underdogs, Massey 1.5 and Hansen 0.4
Bluffton won 20-17 over Kenyon when Massey had them as 0.5 favorites and Hansen 4.2 point underdogs.
Hanover lost 23-15 bust still covered Massey's 9.5 and Hansen at 13.3
Manchester one of the disappointments losing 21-14 when Massey had them as 7.5 favorites while Hansen had 2.6 underdogs
Rose-Hulman was the flop of the day losing 40-0 to DePauw. Massey had them as 21.5 underdogs and Hansen 28.8

[70_dc_alum]

I was at the Rose game, Depauw may have graduated a lot from their defense but they are just as good as they were last year and that is going to finish as a top 10 defense.  They have an impressive power running game, with a physical OL.  Rose will be fine as the season moves on and the O gets some experience.

I was shocked at the Franklin ONU game.  Does Leonard have them back or did ONU have a bad day letting up a fast start?  will be fun to see over the next few weeks.  Ill be at the ONU vs Hiedelberg game on Sat so will have an in person view.  ONU QB I have know for years and has one of the best arms I have ever seen and he got them back into it before they ran out of time

[GrizFan]

I was shocked at the Franklin ONU game.  Does Leonard have them back or did ONU have a bad day letting up a fast start?  will be fun to see over the next few weeks.  Ill be at the ONU vs Hiedelberg game on Sat so will have an in person view.  ONU QB I have know for years and has one of the best arms I have ever seen and he got them back into it before they ran out of time

Franklin looked much improved, and they played with enthusiasm which has been lacking for 5 years.  I don't think that they can keep up with Hope, but they should be a much more competitive team this season.  The ONU QB may have a strong arm, but he has horrible accuracy.  He missed a lot of open receivers. As a former Springboro Panther coach, I was secretly rooting for him.     

[70_dc_alum]

I was shocked at the Franklin ONU game.  Does Leonard have them back or did ONU have a bad day letting up a fast start?  will be fun to see over the next few weeks.  Ill be at the ONU vs Hiedelberg game on Sat so will have an in person view.  ONU QB I have know for years and has one of the best arms I have ever seen and he got them back into it before they ran out of time

Franklin looked much improved, and they played with enthusiasm which has been lacking for 5 years.  I don't think that they can keep up with Hope, but they should be a much more competitive team this season.  The ONU QB may have a strong arm, but he has horrible accuracy.  He missed a lot of open receivers. As a former Springboro Panther coach, I was secretly rooting for him.     

As a current Springboro coach (7th grade) and my kid is a sr WR  I too was pulling for him 🤣. Crazy first half tonight vs Wayne.