In just over a week, nearly 250 football programs will kick off the 2026 NCAA Division III football season. From September through January, these teams will engage in intense competition, shaping the conference playoff picture with every pass, punt and down.
The Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), an NCAA Division III organization, has eight teams competing for the conference title this season.Azusa Pacific will begin its inaugural season in NCAA D3 and the SCIAC. The Cougars return to the gridiron after the program’s 2020 hiatus. Whittier College returns to the conference in football following a three-season hiatus from the sport. The two newbies face off on Saturday, September 19, in Azusa, Calif.
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With eight schools in the SCIAC, there are plenty of players to watch this upcoming season. We’ve narrowed it down to one player per school:
Aaron Mitchell - Jr., RB (Azusa Pacific)
Expectations are high for junior running back Aaron Mitchell. During his sophomore season, he played in all 13 games for the 12-1 Rustlers and led the team with 623 rushing yards on 107 rushes. In his two seasons at Golden West College, the Tustin, Calif. native rushed for 879 yards on 159 carries with 10 touchdowns. He will team with Demarion Wright and CJ Zackery this season to lead the ground game for Azusa Pacific.
Joe Farley - Jr., QB (California Lutheran)
Cal Lutheran’s Joe Farley started all 10 games at quarterback last season, throwing for 1,759 yards and 9 touchdowns. The then-sophomore led the SCIAC in passing (126-254) and was ranked second in yards, averaging 175.9 per game. With the help of a dominant offensive line, Farley led the Kingsmen to the second-ranked offense in the SCIAC.
Andrew Buck - Sr., LB (Chapman)
Chapman, the reigning conference champion, has countless picks for “Player to Watch,” so why Andrew Buck? The senior linebacker tallied 46 solo tackles with 35 assists last season to lead the Panthers with 81 tackles and rank second in TFL (9.0-29). Buck added 1.5 sacks for a loss of nine yards and an interception to his stat line in 2025 as well. Before playing for the Panthers, Buck helped lead the College of San Mateo Bulldogs to a CCCAA state championship in the 2025 season. Should he stay consistent, Chapman’s leading linebacker is a very likely contender for SCIAC Defensive Athlete of the Year.
George Kruger - Sr., LB (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps)
Dual-sport athlete George Kruger is Claremont-Mudd-Scripps’s Player to Watch for the 2026 season. The senior linebacker and javelin thrower led the SCIAC in tackles last season, totaling 112 for an average of 11.2 per game. He was the first Stag to cross the threshold of 100 tackles since the NCAA began keeping tackles as an official Division III statistic in 2008. His final tackle of the year was a safety, sealing a 5-0 win over SCIAC rival La Verne to end the season. The First Team All-SCIAC honoree was a strong contender for 2025 SCIAC Defensive Player of the Year; the Washington native is bound to make a case again in 2026.
Jomar Brown - Sr., CB (La Verne)
La Verne’s Jomar Brown was named First Team All-SCIAC following a breakout performance his junior year. During the 2025 season, Brown ranked second on defense among the Leopards juniors, tallying 30 solo tackles on 41 total stops. He led the squad with eight breakups and ranked second with two interceptions, adding a fumble recovery to boost his stat line. Brown had a breakout junior season, and we’d be shocked if that didn’t translate directly into his performance this year.
Alden Kling - Sr., DL (Pomona-Pitzer)
Pomona-Pitzer’s Alden Kling is going to be a massive presence on the field this season - no pun intended. The 6’6 defensive lineman led the SCIAC in tackles for loss this season, totaling 19.5 for 72 yards. Through 10 games, Kling recorded 6.5 sacks for a loss of 46 yards. In the final game of the season, the Sagehens shut out Redlands 12-0. The defense stepped up in the win, especially Kling, who recorded a game-high 2 sacks for a loss of 16 yards. In his junior season, the First Team All-SCIAC selection had 51 tackles, seven QB hurries and one blocked kick, forced fumble and fumble recovery.
Mark Mitchell III - So., RB (Redlands)
It would be wrong not to mention the SCIAC Newcomer of the Year as a must-watch player this season. Mark Mitchell III earned the honor after taking control of the backfield for the Bulldogs in the 2025 season. The Second Team All-SCIAC honoree led the conference in rushing with 527 yards on 134 carries, averaging around 4 yards per play. He racked up a season-high 114 on just 10 carries against CMS, finding the end zone once. The running back also caught 17 passes for a total of 54 yards in his debut season.
Jayden McKey - Jr., QB (Whittier)
Former Redlands quarterback Jayden McKey is ready to lead the Whittier Poets in their first season since 2022. While commanding the offense at Redlands, McKey started seven of nine games for the Bulldogs, throwing for 681 yards and three touchdowns. With 24 freshmen and just two transfers on the Poets roster, McKey will bring immense leadership and knowledge to an otherwise fresh team, ultimately providing the leadership that the team needs on and off the field.
2025 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Standings
Sun Division
- California Lutheran (6-4, 4-4)
- Redlands (6-4, 4-4)
- Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (5-5, 3-5)
Surf Division
- Chapman (9-3, 8-0)
- Pomona-Pitzer (5-5, 4-4)
- La Verne (1-8, 1-7)
Final Standings
- Chapman
- Cal Lutheran
- Pomona-Pitzer
- Redlands
- CMS
- La Verne
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