Dec 6-13, 2:00 PM UTC

Pop Warner Football Super Bowl

Dec 6, 6:00 PM UTC

West Texas A&M vs Arkansas Tech

2025 Lenoir-Rhyne vs West Florida

A Look At The South Atlantic Conference Ahead Of The 2025 Football Season

A Look At The South Atlantic Conference Ahead Of The 2025 Football Season

For the second time this decade, the SAC is undergoing a significant structural change, now away from a two-division format for the first time since 2021.

Aug 27, 2025 by Matt Cannizzaro
null

For the second time this decade, the South Atlantic Conference is undergoing a significant structural change, though even a new format didn’t affect which team the coaches around the league thought would be the strongest in 2025.

Lenoir-Rhyne again got the nod to top the conference standings as the SAC moves away from a two-division format for the first time since 2021. The shift also eliminates the need for a championship game – which the Bears missed out on in 2024, despite being picked to win the title.

The final season of two-division play, featuring the Mountain Division and Piedmont Division, saw Carson-Newman (Mountain) and Wingate (Piedmont) earn the chance to play for the 2024 SAC title by winning their respective divisions. 

In the title tilt, Wingate prevailed 28-13 for the Bulldogs’ third SAC championship overall and first since 2017. 

Both teams, plus Lenoir-Rhyne, ended up advancing to the NCAA Division II Football Championship. 

Lenoir-Rhyne picked up a first-round win over West Alabama (37-34), before being bounced from the bracket by Virginia Union (44-12), which downed Wingate in the opening round (34-31). 

Carson-Newman also failed to make it out of Round 1, falling to Miles College (14-13).

Heading into the 2025 campaign, Lenoir-Rhyne is ranked No. 17 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll and No. 18 in the first FloCollege Division II Football Rankings.

Wingate and Carson-Newman received votes in both polls but did not make the top 25 in either. 

2024 South Atlantic Conference Standings

Mountain Division

  • Carson-Newman 9-3 (7-1 conference)
  • Emory & Henry 9-2 (6-2 conference)
  • Mars Hill 5-4 (5-2 conference)
  • UVA Wise 4-6 (2-5 conference)
  • Anderson 3-8 (1-7 conference)
  • Tusculum 1-9 (1-7 conference)

Piedmont Division

  • Wingate 9-2 (6-1 conference)
  • Lenoir-Rhyne 10-3 (6-2 conference)
  • Limestone 8-3 (6-2 conference)
  • Newberry 3-7 (3-4 conference)
  • Barton 3-8 (2-6 conference)
  • Catawba 3-8 (1-7 conference)

As the winners in their respective divisions, Carson-Newman and Wingate advanced to the SAC Football Championship.

The game marked the third title game since the conference went to two divisions, and it was the third different matchup.

Wingate defeated Carson-Newman 28-13 to win the 2024 SAC title, the third in program history and first since 2017.

Carson-Newman, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Wingate all made the Division II Playoffs.

2025 SAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll

  1. Lenoir-Rhyne
  2. Wingate
  3. Carson-Newman
  4. Emory & Henry
  5. Mars Hill
  6. Catawba
  7. Newberry
  8. Anderson
  9. UVA Wise
  10. Tusculum

About The Teams Of The SAC

Fast facts about each team in the SAC:

Lenoir-Rhyne Football

Lenoir-Rhyne has enjoyed six 10-win seasons in the last 11 years, including a 10-3 performance under first-year head coach Doug Socha in 2024.

The Bears were coming off an appearance in the national semifinals, where they lost to the eventual national champion, Harding. Expectations were high for Socha and his squad, which was picked to win the SAC title in 2024.

Though Lenoir-Rhyne didn’t claim the conference crown, the Bears did make the postseason and advance farther into the Division II Playoffs than any of the three SAC teams, upsetting West Alabama in the first round before bowing out with a loss to Virginia Union. 

Socha is back in charge in 2025, and expectations are high once again. 

Wingate Football

Wingate has been on a memorable run, appearing in five of the last seven editions of the NCAA Division II Football Championship.

The streak included a playoff appearance in 2024, though the Bulldogs made a quick exit with a heartbreaking 34-31 first-round loss to Virginia Union. 

On the way, Wingate won the SAC’s Piedmont Division title and then defeated Mountain Division winner Carson-Newman in the championship game, 28-13. It was the third SAC title for the Bulldogs overall, and their first since 2017.

When the curtain finally fell on the 2024, first-year Wingate head coach Rashaan Jordan was named SAC Coach of the Year, while Marquise Fleming was selected as the SAC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. In all, 16 players earned All-SAC and All-Piedmont honors.

Following the 9-2 campaign (6-1 in SAC contests), Wingate was ranked No. 21 in the final AFCA poll of the 2024 season. 

Carson-Newman Football

Carson-Newman has won more SAC titles than any other school in the conference, including a divisional championship in 2024. The Eagles have 22 victories, while the next-closest team in the record book is Lenoir-Rhyne with 11.

After a few down years following the break for COVID-19, Carson-Newman saw a resurgence in 2024, winning nine games overall and topping the Mountain Division standings (7-1).

The success earned the Eagles a spot in the SAC championship game, where they unfortunately fell to Wingate, 28-13. 

Despite the loss, Carson-Newman was able to join Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne in the Division II Playoffs, advancing for the first time in five years. 

Unfortunately, again, the run was short, with the Eagles falling to Miles in the opening round, 14-13.

Emory & Henry Football

Emory & Henry also endured the 2024 season with a new head coach, but it didn’t take long for Quintin Hunter to prove himself to the team, school, and fans.

Hunter, whose collegiate coaching career spans just over a decade, including multiple stints and roles at Emory & Henry, started the 2024 campaign as the interim head coach, but leading the Wasps to their best season since 1998 helped him officially lock down the main job.

The team finished the year 9-2 overall and 6-2 in SAC games, with the nine wins being the most since a 10-0 run and Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship in 1998.

In 2023, the Wasps were 5-6, which led to them being picked to finish 10th in the conference last season. Their epic turnaround saw them finish one game behind Carson-Newman at the top of the SAC’s Mountain Division standings. 

Mars Hill Football

After back-to-back Mountain Division titles in conference play in 2022 and 2023, Mars Hill suffered a bit of a down season in 2024, going 5-4 overall and 5-3 in SAC games to slip down to the middle of the division standings.

As the Lions look to rebound in 2025, they’ll be doing so with a new head coach. 

After 32 seasons at the helm, the school announced Aug. 11 that Tim Clifton will be leaving the team he’s been with since 1993 to spend more time with his family.

Over the last four seasons, Clifton led the Lions to an overall record of 28-12 and the two Mountain Division titles. He is second among SAC coaches with more than 170 career wins. 

The day after Clifton’s retirement was reported, Mars Hill announced that Kevin Barnette, the team’s defensive coordinator for the past 31 years, would be the Lions’ new head coach. Barnette also played for Mars Hill in the 1980s. 

Catawba Football

If any team in the SAC is going to be excited about the elimination of the divisional structure, it’s going to be Catawba, which finished at the bottom of the Piedmont Division standings each of the three years the format was used. 

In 2022, the Indians went 0-9 in conference play. In 2023, they were 2-6. In 2024, they were 1-7 in SAC games and 3-8 overall. 

Injury-plagued Catawba didn’t get blown out in 2024, however. Four of the team’s losses were by six points or less. 

The Indians were able to finish their 2024 campaign with some momentum, topping Tusculum 47-15 to close things out.

Newberry Football

Newberry won the last SAC title before the conference moved to two divisions for the 2022 season. The Wolves were 7-1 in conference play in 2021 and finished the season 10-3 overall.

The momentum continued in the new format in 2022, with Newberry tying for the top spot in the Piedmont Division and then beating Mars Hill in the inaugural SAC Championship, 27-24.

Now, the Wolves are coming off two down seasons, where they combined for just seven wins overall.

Despite the skid, Newberry has decided that longtime head coach Todd Knight is the man who will lead them into the new era of SAC football. 

In July, the school announced that Knight signed a contract extension through the 2031 season, so his 17th year in charge will offer him a fresh start, too. 

Entering the 2025 campaign, he has 96 wins. He has led Newberry to three SAC titles and four playoff appearances since becoming the head coach in 2009.

Anderson Football

Last season, Anderson and Tusculum tied for last place in the SAC’s Mountain Division (1-7), marking a fall from grace for Tusculum, which tied for the top spot the previous season, and a less-than-stellar debut for newcomer Anderson.

And by newcomer, we don’t mean just a move to the SAC. We mean the first year of the program’s existence, which was set into motion in 2019. Bobby Lamb was hired as the head coach in 2021. The team’s stadium was constructed in 2023. 

The Trojans opened their inaugural campaign with a pair of wins, outscoring their opponents 95-28, but that was about the end of the excitement for the year, though the squad did pick up its first – and only – conference win against UVA Wise in October (20-13).

Anderson finished the season at 3-8 overall, but there’s good news. The team consisted mostly of underclassmen in 2024, so much of the group will be back in 2025. They’ll still be young, but they’ve had a year to gel, and they’re going to have one or more ahead of them while building experience and depth. 

UVA Wise Football

UVA Wise also got on the new-coach bandwagon in 2024, welcoming in Gary Bass to lead a team that went 2-9 overall and 1-7 in conference play in 2023, finishing fifth among the six teams in the Mountain Division. 

Bass arrived at UVA Wise in December 2023 with three years of collegiate playing experience and nearly two decades of coaching experience, including 14 years at the NCAA Division II level. 

He helped the Highland Cavaliers to a 4-6 season that included a 2-5 mark in SAC games, which was good enough for a fourth-place finish in the Mountain Division. 

This year, Bass and his squad will get to play six games at home, though they’ll hit the road Sept. 13 to face Bass’ alma mater, Catawba. In his first chance to face the team he once played for, Bass led UVA Wise to a 31-28 win against the Indians. 

Tusculum Football

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of faith in the Tusculum football program, at least from the outside, as the squad was picked to finish last in the conference in 2025.

Sure, the Pioneers had an off year in 2024, going 1-9 overall and 1-7 in conference play, while finishing tied for last place in the SAC’s Mountain Division, but the year prior, Tusculum tied for FIRST place. That should count for something, right?

The Pioneers again will be led by Billy Taylor, who was hired after the 2023 season. 

His squad started his inaugural campaign with six consecutive losses before picking up a 30-28 win over newcomer Anderson. The season ended with another three losses. 

So, maybe the No. 10 prediction makes sense, but that likely only will be motivation for a team that knows it’s better than that.

How To Stream South Atlantic Conference Football Games In 2025

Every SAC football game will stream live on FloCollege and the FloSports app. 

Game replays, highlights and breaking news will also be available on both platforms.

FloCollege Division II Football Rankings 2025: Preseason

  1. Ferris State
  2. Harding
  3. Grand Valley State
  4. Slippery Rock
  5. Valdosta State
  6. Central Oklahoma
  7. West Florida
  8. Kutztown
  9. Virginia Union
  10. Minnesota State
  11. Angelo State
  12. Charleston (WV)
  13. CSU Pueblo
  14. Western Colorado
  15. Indianapolis
  16. Bemidji State
  17. Pittsburg State
  18. Lenoir–Rhyne
  19. Ouachita Baptist
  20. Central Missouri
  21. West Alabama
  22. Truman
  23. Miles
  24. Southern Arkansas
  25. UNC Pembroke

Others receiving votes: 26. Central Washington, 27. California (PA), 28. UT Permian Basin, 29. Ashland, 30. Colorado Mines, 31. Carson–Newman, 32. Wingate, 33. East Stroudsburg

College Football Preseason Rankings 2025 – AFCA Division II Coaches Poll

August 2025

  1. Ferris State (30) 14-1
  2. Harding 12-2
  3. Grand Valley State 11-2
  4. Slippery Rock (1) 12-2
  5. Central Oklahoma 11-2
  6. Colorado State-Pueblo 10-2
  7. Kutztown 11-1
  8. West Florida 7-3
  9. Pittsburg State 8-3
  10. Western Colorado 11-2
  11. Minnesota State 11-4
  12. Valdosta State 13-1
  13. Angelo State 9-3
  14. Charleston 11-1
  15. California (Pa.) 10-3
  16. Bemidji State 10-4
  17. Lenoir-Rhyne 10-3
  18. Ouachita Baptist 10-2
  19. Virginia Union 10-4
  20. UIndy 10-2
  21. Central Washington 8-4
  22. Central Missouri 9-3
  23. Augustana (S.D.) 8-4
  24. Ashland 9-4
  25. Miles 10-3

Others Receiving Votes: West Alabama, 113; Carson-Newman, 100; Wingate, 74; Fort Hays St., 66; Colorado School of Mines, 42; Saginaw Valley St., 35; Minnesota-Duluth, 29; Albany St., 26; Northwest Missouri St., 21; Indiana (Pa.), 16; UT-Permian Basin, 16; Delta St., 13; Findlay, 12; UNC-Pembroke, 12; Davenport, 10; Johnson C. Smith, 9; East Stroudsburg, 7; Fairmont St., 7; Southern Arkansas, 6; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 5; Colorado Mesa, 1; Truman St., 1.

When Do The 2025 NCAA Division II College Football Playoffs Start?

The first round of the 2025 NCAA Division II Playoffs will be Nov. 22.

The 2025 Division II Football Championship title game will be played Dec. 20, 2025, at McKinney ISD Stadium in McKinney, Texas

Five Hours Of Division II Football Highlights | 2024 College Football Touchdowns

Watch five hours of college football highlights, featuring touchdowns from Ferris State, GVSU, Central Missouri and more across Division II football.


Archived Footage On FloCollege

Video footage from all games will be archived and stored in a video library for FloCollege subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

Watch The 2025 College Football Season On FloCollege

FloCollege is the home of the best FCS, Division II and Division III football action all season long. 

Don't miss the latest college football action by bookmarking the FloCollege schedule page for the latest games. 

Join The College Football Conversation