The Javs were back in 2009 as TAMUK returned to the post season and had a successful 9-3 campaign.  They started the season strong against the reigning Gulf South Conference champion, Delta State and marched off seven consecutive wins until an abrupt and decisive loss to Midwestern State.  The Javs would finish the last part of the season 2-3.  Fourth-year Coach Bo Atterberry has Texas A&M-Kingsville back on the football map as reigning LSC Champions, but there are doubters and tough competition.

The offense will be led by All-LSC selection Fred Winborn, who led the LSC in total rushing yards and yards per game, having four 100-yard performances including a school-record 263 yards vs. Eastern New Mexico.  Also returning is two-time All-LSC second team wide-receiver Ryan Lincoln.  He led the team in catches and had three 100-yard receiving games last season.  The defense will be anchored by the two All-LSC second team safeties Delra Glover and Corey Robertson.  The kicking game returns All-LSC honorable mention Christian Brom.

TAMUK starts the years off with the defending national champion – Northwest Missouri State in Maryville.  This will be quit a large task, but will certainly let the Javelinas know what level of talent it takes to be back on top.  This game is a great match-up and will set the tone for both teams.  With a challenging LSC South schedule there are key home games with Abilene Christian and West Texas A&M, before traveling to avenge the heartbreaking overtime loss to Tarleton in the playoffs.

D2 Sports Network predicts the TAMUK Javelinas to finish 9-2 yet stumble in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs.

The Vulcans return 18 starters this season including CDS second-team All-American Dan Jordan.  The senior offensive lineman anchors one of the most veteran lines in the nation.  Running the offense will be graduate student quarterback Josh Portis.  He set new school records last season with 3,421 yards and 36 touchdown passes.  The defense will be led by two-year starting junior linebacker Brett Diamond.

They start the season as they travel to GLIAC conference member, Saginaw Valley State.  The Cardinals won this battle last year and it will again set the tone of the season for both teams.  CUP then travels to CW Post as their conference schedule begins.  Key contests will include Clarion, IUP and Edinboro.

D2 Sports Network predicts the CUP Vulcans will win the PSAC race and finish the season with a record of 11-3 in the semifinals of the NCAA playoffs.

The Tiger offense will be a talented group coached by OC and former Harlon Hill winner, Will Hall.  They are anchored by All-GSC returning wide receiver/return specialist Terry Allen along with All-GSC tackle Jarod Porter and the returning starter at quarterback Deon Williams.  He was 197-355-12 for a 58.8 completion percentage, 2804 yards and 25 touchdowns.  He also ran for over 350 net yards on the season with rushing touchdowns.  The West Alabama defense will be led by Shontral Ford, the Gulf South Conference Defensive Freshmen of the Year.

UWA starts the season vs. NAIA Shorter College before starting their ten-game GSC schedule at UAM.  They will have a chance the next week to avenge one of last season’s losses when NAIA Lambuth visits town before being tested on the road against Delta State just two weeks later.  The season wraps up with key contests vs. in-state rival North Alabama and tough GSC foe Valdosta State.

D2 Sports Network predicts the UWA Tigers will finish the season with a record of 11-2 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA playoffs.

The Ichabod Defense will be led by All-MIAA DB Pierre Desir, who led the conference with seven interceptions, and All-MIAA second team selection safety Casey Curran. Quarterback Dane Simoneau, who set school single-season records for passing yards (2,955), passing completions (186), total offense (2,923) and passing percentage (60.4), was named to All-MIAA second team along with offensive tackle Brian Folkerts and center Ty Lewis with all returning as key starters for the Washburn Offense.

WU will start the season again with Colorado – Mines from the RMAC before hosting Abilene Christian from the LSC. That contest, along with with hosting MoWest the next week with a chance to avenge one of the last season’s losses will set the tone for the season. The Ichabods will also have a tough homecoming opponent as the National Champion Bearcats visit town.

D2 Sports Network predicts that the WU Ichabods will finish the season with a 10-2 record in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs.

The offense will be anchored by returning running back Ronnye Nelson and GSC Offensive Freshmen of the Year wide receiver Gerald Ford.  Named as a All-GSC second team selection, he had 41 receptions for 526 yards last year.  The defense will be captained by first team All-GSC linebacker Larry Dean.  He led the Blazers for a second consecutive year in tackles finishing 2009 with 80 including 7.5 for a loss and broke up four passes.  Sophomore punter Jack Fulford was also named All-GSC second team and will be back on special teams for the Blazers.

The 2010 schedule is again front-loaded with several key contests in the first few weeks of play.  VSU starts with two SAC foes in Wingate and Newberry and both have been in the playoffs in recent seasons.  The contest with Newberry will give the Blazers a chance to avenge their open-season loss last year.  They will then host arch-rival Delta State a couple of week prior to hosting Ouachita Baptist, who shocked the Blazers and GSC for several weeks last year, for Homecoming.  The Blazers close out the year against 2009 second round playoff participant West Alabama.

D2 Sports Network predicts the VSU Blazers to finish the season 9-3 in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs.

That will be the reality that new Head Coach Tim Beck has to face, but this program has resiliency.  Coach Beck is a long-time Broyles assistant and the new but familiar blood may be just the shot in that arm that Gorillas need to get back in control of the MIAA and into the national title game.  It will be a tough task, but there will be a turnaround in town this year.  Pitt State will be led by junior quarterback Jeff Smith, who started three games last year.  The defense will be anchored by All-MIAA second team selection senior safely Alex Kuhlman.  He started eleven games last year snagging 71 tackles (27 solo) with two interceptions and four pass breakups.

PSU starts the year on-the-road vs. LSC opponent Central Oklahoma before hosting RMAC foe Chadron State.   The Gorillas will have the chance to avenge several losses this season starting by hosting Central Missouri to start the MIAA schedule.  Other important games include hosting Washburn for Homecoming and Nebraska-Omaha before closing the regular season with defending national champion Northwest Missouri State.

D2 Sports Network predicts the PSU Gorillas will finish the season 10-3 in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs.

However, the Wildcats will start with the potentially equally-strong MIAA foe when they visit Washburn.  This game will set the tone for the season while two dates stand out on the calendar.  The first is a trip to LSC opponent Texas A&M – Kingsville in week five before taking on rival West Texas A&M in Canyon in the tenth week.

The team will be led on offense by All-Region & All-LCS South selections FB Justin Andrews and OL Royland Tubbs.  The defense will be led by returning All-Region & All-LSC South stand-out DE Aston Whiteside and All-Region second team selections LB Fred Thompson (All-LSC South second team) and Kevin Washington (All-LSC South first team).

D2 Sports Network predicts the ACU Wildcats will finish the season 10-3 in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs.

A major leader and weapon will be All-American (Honorable Mention), All-GSC, and GSC Player of the Week, Trevar Deed.  Any D2 school would be lucky to have him as he gained 1,917 all-purpose yards and scored 15 touchdowns last season.  He will be supported by several returning starts and over 20 transfers from community college or other classification of the NCAA.

The Statesmen open against in-state rival Jackson State from the FCS (formerly I-AA).  That game will be a good opener for bragging rights, but won’t factor into the post-season.  A week later, DSU will attempt to avenge one of last season’s losses by hosting Arkansas Tech before traveling to an always tough opponent in Valdosta State.  Just two weeks later in Cleveland, another GSC playoff team visits as UWA will attempt to make it two-in-a-row.  Other tough games of the season include hosting North Alabama and the final week of the regular season on-the-road against Ouachita Baptist.

D2 Sports Network predicts Delta State will finish 8-4 losing in the second round of the NCAA playoffs.

In 2008, all of Mankato was abuzz with the team’s first playoff bid in 15 years before getting dumped in the first round.  That bittersweet success along with a 10-0 run, NSIC South title and a #4 national ranking last season ushered in much greater expectations as the final regular season game with rival St. Cloud State was on the horizon.  The Mavs came up short on the road as the Huskies pulled ahead with a late score.  Yet, they had a chance for redemption as they were awarded their first home playoff game in history.  The outcome was a heartbreaking over-time loss to Hillsdale from the GLIAC.

MSU started last season by defeating of out-of-conference foe Truman State, a bottom dweller of the MIAA, before a couple of close calls in overtime contests with fellow NSIC rivals Bemidgi State (8-3) and Wayne State (8-3).  They also had the good fortune of not having to play defending National Champ and eventual NSIC North Champion Minnesota-Duluth.  That said, they took care of the NSIC South handily and will hope the third time’s during the 2010 post-season.

The Mavericks will be led on offense by returning All-NSIC South and second-team All-Region running back Jake Aberg, who averaged over 100 yards per game.  He was named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 205 yards in the win over Wayne State.  The defense will be anchored by returning All-NSIC South and All-Region defensive back Jesse Hamilton, who tied the school record with seven interceptions in a season last year.

Minnesota State opens the season on the road against a solid Northern Michigan team from the GLIAC.  This game will prove very important as a barometer for the Mavericks season and how the two conferences compare for regional rankings purposes.  Then, during a full slate of NSIC opponents they will get the chance to avenge one of their losses by hosting St. Cloud State mid-season before the regular season finale with the most formable of the group, the aforementioned Minnesota-Duluth.

D2 Sports Network predicts the Mavericks will defend their NSIC South title, but lose to Duluth before bouncing back and advancing to the second round of the NCAA playoffs finishing 11-2.

The 2009 Huskies could only blame themselves for getting bumped from the playoff field via the Earned Access Rule.  Fayetteville State from the CIAA was ranked #7 in the Super Regional 1 Rankings and took BU’s place in the tournament.  However, this was after three consecutive losses by Bloomsburg.  The regular-season ending loss to Gannon made what was a perfect season just three week prior a season completed.

BU came out strong last year with wins against Ashland from the GLIAC and eventual national semi-finalist and fellow PSAC rival California (PA) before the disappointing outcome.  That will only fuel the fire of the returning players and should prove to be the catalyst for what will be another winning season of Huskies Football.  They return several key and All-PSAC players on offense including junior running back Derrick Price (two-time first team All-PSAC), senior linemen Pat Casey and Justin Walker along with senior tight end, Ben Weaber.  The defense will be led by first-team All-PSAC secondary player, Oscar Rivera and anchored by returning senior captains Todd Givler, Mike Varanavage, and Alex Landis.  The Husky defense was third in the division for points allowed giving up just 13.4 per game.

Bloomsburg will begin the season traveling to Ashland in a game that will serve as a good barometer for the rest of the season.  One large advantage is they won’t face California (PA) in the regular season.  They also won’t have the chance to avenge the loss against Gannon, but do face Shippensburg and West Chester in back-to-back weeks.

D2 Sports Network predicts the Huskies will place second in the PSAC (losing in the championship game) and will finish the season 10-3 in the NCAA Quarter-finals.

(Our site will feature a team each week as we countdown to the NCAA Division II 2010 Football Season.)