With McMurry gone, moving to D-II, fourth-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor is the runaway favorite to win the ASC this year. Louisiana and Hardin-Simmons could give them a challenge, but picking the Cru is a pretty safe bet. It’s likely that the second-place team here will find their way into the D-III playoffs, though. Of course, the important question here goes beyond the conference championship: can Mary Hardin-Baylor get over the hump and break the Whitewater-Mount Union stranglehold on the Division III championship game?
The ACS doesn’t name a pre-season all-conference team, but they do pick three pre-season player of the year selections. UMHB QB LiDarral Bailey was the pick for Offensive Player of the Year, while his teammate LB Javicz Jones was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Year. Special Teams Player of the Year went to Texas Lutheran placekicker Allen Cain.
No team capsules for this preview.