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Football

Randolph-Macon Tops ODAC Football Preseason Poll

FOREST, Va. --- Randolph-Macon College has now spent a half-dozen years atop the ODAC Football Preseason Poll with the league's coaches selecting the two-time defending conference champions as the favorite entering the 2024 campaign.

The Yellow Jackets garnered six first place votes on the way to a chart-topping 48 points. Washington and Lee University earned one top nod to power its #2 showing with 43 markers. Bridgewater College sits third with 33 tallies, while Hampden-Sydney College secured the remaining first place vote on the way to a 31-point haul.

In the sections below, we look back to the 2023 season to set the tone for this year and then dive into some features of ODAC football for the upcoming 2024 campaign.

2024 ODAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
(#) denotes first place votes received

1.Randolph-Macon College (6)48 pts.
2.Washington and Lee University (1)43 pts.
3.Bridgewater College33 pts.
4.Hampden-Sydney College (1)31 pts.
5.Shenandoah University26 pts.
6.Averett University22 pts.
7.Guilford College11 pts.
8.Ferrum College10 pts.
    • Six the ODAC's eight football playing members posted .500 or better overall records in 2023
      • Those programs posted a 44-22 (.667) combined record
    • Randolph-Macon topped the chart at 13-1 overall and 7-0 in league play, the Yellow Jackets second straight unbeaten conference slate
      • RMC has not lost more than one ODAC game since going 4-2 in 2017
      • RMC owns a 36-3 (.923) record in ODAC games over the last six seasons (including the shortened campaign during the COVID pandemic)
    • The 2023 season marked the first iteration of the ODAC's bowl series with the Landmark Conference – the Chesapeake Challenge
      • In the first Cape Charles Bowl, Washington and Lee hosted Lycoming College and fell to the Warriors, 20-17
      • In the first Cape Henry Bowl, Bridgewater traveled to Wilkes University and dropped a 35-17 result to the Colonels
    • Randolph-Macon, ranked 8th in the country by D3football.com entering the bracket, put together a 3-1 run to reach the semifinals of the 2023 Division III Football Championship, just one win shy of advancing to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl
      • Last year's Stagg Bowl was the 50th edition of the Division III title contest, which was competed in Salem, Va., in commemoration of Virginia's “Championship City” hosting 25 straight Stagg Bowls from 1993 through 2017
      • RMC's run to the semifinals marked the ODAC's best showing in the Division III football playoffs since Bridgewater College advanced to the semifinals in 2003 and finished as the national runner-up in 2001
    • Randolph-Macon's 2023 NCAA slate included:
      • a tight 28-20 triumph at home over Christopher Newport University in the first round
      • a dominant 46-0 shutout at home of 19th-ranked Ithaca College in the second round
      • a thrilling 39-36 last-second victory at 7th-ranked Johns Hopkins University where kicker Kyle Ihle booted a 34-yard field goal with 0:04 to play in their quarterfinal tilt
      • awarded semifinal hosting privileges against 11th-ranked Cortland before falling to the eventual national champions, 49-14
    • ODAC teams are now 19-33 (.365) all-time in the Division III football playoffs
    • D3football.com Top-25 Poll
      • Randolph-Macon opens the season as the lone ODAC team represented in the D3football.com Preseason Top-25 Poll
      • The Yellow Jackets are 10th in the opening survey, having received 360 total points
      • The 2024 Stagg Bowl participants – Cortland and North Central (Ill.) – are the top-two teams in the country, but the 2023 runner-up NCC (614) tops the chart over the defending national champions (605)
    • D3football.com Preseason All-Americans
      • Just one ODAC player is listed among the three-teams of Preseason All-Americans published by D3football.com on August 8
      • RMC defensive tackle Wade Grubbs earned a Second Team position as he prepares to anchor the Yellow Jackets defensive front

  • ODAC fans will recognize 33 stars (covering 34 positions) returning to league rosters in 2024 after earning All-ODAC plaudits last season. Ten of those honorees are back from the All-ODAC First Team with 13 more coming from the 2023 All-ODAC Second Team. The remaining 10 featured on the All-ODAC Third Team.

    Two special individual award winners also return. RMC mentor Pedro Arruza has won three of the past five ODAC Coach of the Year awards including last season's plaque. Washington and Lee running back Anthony Crawford collected ODAC Rookie of the Year laurels in 2023, the first season a Generals player earned that distinction since former ball-carrier Josh Breece earned top rookie recognition in 2017.

    • OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD, RECEIVERS, TIGHT ENDS (8)
      • Mason Cunningham – WR, Hampden-Sydney (1st Team)
      • Jacob Romero – RB, Washington and Lee (2nd Team)
      • Shawn Watlington – WR, Averett (2nd Team)
      • Evan Novak – TE, Washington and Lee (2nd Team)
      • Steven Hugney – QB, Shenandoah (3rd Team)
      • Brendan Robinson – APB, Bridgewater (3rd Team)
      • Marcus Payne – APB, Washington and Lee (3rd Team)
      • Broden Domenico – WR, Shenandoah (3rd Team)
    • OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (7)
      • Storm James – Randolph-Macon (1st Team)
      • David Munoz – Shenandoah (1st Team)
      • Tucker Jacobsen – Washington and Lee (1st Team)
      • Glory Nseka – Bridgewater (2nd Team)
      • Harrison Donovan – Washington and Lee (2nd Team)
      • Matthew Isom – Averett (3rd Team)
      • Dominic Gulli – Shenandoah (3rd Team)
    • DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (6)
      • Wade Grubbs – Randolph-Macon (1st Team)
      • Eli Rucker – Bridgewater (2nd Team)
      • Ethan Brown – Shenandoah (2nd Team)
      • Will Knight – Washington and Lee (2nd Team)
      • Tony Totten, Jr. – Averett (3rd Team)
      • Corey Kidwell – Shenandoah (3rd Team)
    • LINEBACKERS (4)
      • Tony Skinner – Randolph-Macon (1st Team)
      • Matt Conroy – Shenandoah (1st Team)
      • Will Mahmud – Washington and Lee (1st Team)
      • Jackson Deaver – Randolph-Macon (2nd Team)
    • DEFENSIVE BACKS (6)
      • Aaron Moore – Bridgewater (1st Team)
      • Noah Hines – Bridgewater (2nd Team)
      • Coleton Payne – Randolph-Macon (2nd Team)
      • Jack Johnson – Washington and Lee (2nd Team)
      • Sean Perry – Shenandoah (3rd Team)
      • Charlie Fleming – Washington and Lee (3rd Team)
    • SPECIALISTS (2)
      • Kyle Ihle – PK, Randolph-Macon (1st Team)
      • Seth Deaton – PK/P, Ferrum (2nd Team at Both Positions)

  • The athletes listed below represent the top-three returning statistical leaders for major statistical categories from the 2023 season.

     PLAYER #1PLAYER #2PLAYER #3
    PASSING (min. 15 attempts/game for completion %)
    Yards2280Steven Hugney, SU710Jaicere Bateman, BC  
    Comp. %55.3Steven Hugney, SU    
    TDs15Steven Hugney, SU    
    Eff. Rtg.117.8Steven Hugney, SU95.7Jaicere Bateman, BC  
    RUSHING (min. 5 rushes/game for yards per rush)
    Yards1093Jacob Romero, WLU761Mitchell Johnson, RMC670Cameron Chatmon, RMC
    Yards/Rush6.7Mitchell Johnson, RMC6.7Kwesi Clarke, RMC5.7Dreylan Martin, AU
    Long94Brendan Robinson, BC81Mitchell Johnson, RMC67Dreylan Martin, AU
    TDs15Kwesi Clarke, RMC12Mitchell Johnson, RMC10Anthony Crawford, WLU
    RECEIVING (min. 3 receptions/game for yards per reception)
    Receptions79Mason Cunningham, HSC58Domenico Broden, SU45Shawn Watlington, AU
    Yards794Mason Cunningham, HSC771Shawn Watlington, AU669Domenico Broden, sU
    Yards/Rec.17,1Shawn Watlington, AU13.9Austin Fernandez, HSC11.5Domenico Broden, SU
    Long80Jamahrie Owens, AU75JuJu Rice, GC70Trevor Testerman, AU
    TDs14Shawn Watlington, AU7Broden Domenico, SU7Mason Cunningham, HSC
    ALL-PURPOSE/SCORING
    All-Purpose Yds.1190Jacob Romero, WLU1182Brendan Robinson, BC858Mason Cunningham, HSC
    Points108Kwesi Clarke, RMC100Kyle Ihle, RMC84Shawn Watlington, AU
    TDs18Kwesi Clarke, RMC14Shawn Watlington, AU12Mitchell Johnson, RMC
    DEFENSE
    Tackles115Matt Conroy, SU109Nick Iannone, GC78Jackson Deaver, RMC
    Solo57Matt Conroy, SU57Nick Iannone, GC41Jackson Deaver, RMC
    TFLs12.0Wade Grubbs, RMC11.0Will Mahmud, WLU7.5Nick Iannone, GC
    Corey Kidwell, SU
    Sacks5.5Jameson Hacket, FC5.5Will Mahmud, WLU4.0Corey Kidwell, SU
    INTs5Tony Skinner, RMC3Tristan Bailey, GC3Brandon Evans, RMC
    Aaron Moore, BC
    PBUs17Noah Hines, BC9Coleton Payne, RMC8Xavier Edelen, BC
    SPECIAL TEAMS | Minimum: 3.0 punts/game (yard/punt) / 1.2 kick returns/game (kick return avg.) / 1.2 punt returns/game (punt return avg.)
    PAT Made76Kyle Ihle, RMC37Jack Hendren, BC36Elijah Swett, HSC
    FG Made10Seth Deaton, FC10Jack Hendren, BC9Elijah Swett, HSC
    FG Long48Jack Hendren, BC45Kyle Ihle, RMC44Seth Deaton, FC
    Punts62Seth Deaton, FC35Alex Solorzano, BC30Cody Crawford, SU
    Yards/Punt37.2Seth Deaton, FC35.0Alex Solorzano, BC34.5Cody Crawford, SU
    Inside 2018Seth Deaton, FC8Cody Crawford, SU7Alex Solorzano, BC
    KR Yards855Brendan Robinson, BC570Jay Daniels, GC455Joseph Gonzalez, HSC
    KR Avg.27.6Brendan Robinson, BC23.9Joseph Gonzalez, HSC22.0Jason Moore, RMC
    PR Yards56Peja Brent, FC56Mason Cunningham, HSC  
    PR Avg.N/AN/A    
    Return TDs2Brendan Robinson, BC1Joseph Gonzalez, HSC  

  • Below are the win-loss records for each coach entering the 2024 season.

    COACHSCHOOLSEASON (AT SCHOOL)OVERALL (PCT.)AT SCHOOL (PCT.)
    Patrick HenryAverett5th (5th)14-20 (.412)14-20 (.412)
    Scott LemnBridgewater4th (4th)20-12 (.625)20-12 (.625)
    Kevin ShermanFerrum1st (1st)1st Season1st Season
    Brad DavisGuilford5th (5th)5-27 (.156)5-27 (.156)
    Vince LuvaraHampden-Sydney1st (1st)1st Season1st Season
    Pedro ArruzaRandolph-Macon21st (21st)137-69 (.665)137-69 (.665)
    Scott YoderShenandoah12th (12th)56-49 (.533)56-49 (.533)
    Garrett LeRoseWashington and Lee6th (6th)32-19 (.627)32-19 (.627)
    • The Division III Football Championship bracket is expanding in 2024 with 40 teams now featuring in the tournament field
      • Football had been previously legislated at a cap of 32 teams since permanently increasing from 24 teams in 2013 to 32 programs in 2014
    • The expansion of the bracket means the tournament window increases by one week:
      • First Round: November 23 (8 games)
      • Second Round: November 30 (16 games)
      • Third Round: December 7 (8 games)
      • Quarterfinals: December 14
      • Semifinals December 21
      • Stagg Bowl: January 4 (Turner Stadium in Humble, Texas)
    • In addition to the bracket expansion, the NCAA is moving to a new process to determine at-large bids to most Division III team-based tournaments
      • The NCAA Power Index (NPI) closely follows a model used by all divisions of ice hockey called Pairwise
      • A computer ranking will be generated for each team sponsoring the sport in Division III using criteria established by each sport's championship committee and confirmed by the overall Division III Championships Committee
      • After all automatic qualifiers have been determined, the NPI rankings will be used to select the remaining teams at-large to fill out tournament fields
      • Pool B, previously reserved for independent schools or those from conferences that do not have automatic qualifiers, has been eliminated, so all teams not receiving automatic bids will be included in the at-large pool
      • NPI rankings will likely be published 3-4 weeks out from NCAA tournament field selections to allow for enough games to be played for proper representation before public display
    • ODAC teams kickoff the 2024 slate with all eight in action the weekend of Friday-Saturday, September 6-7
      • Bridgewater and Randolph-Macon are both on road Friday evening in Pennsylvania
      • All other teams play Saturday with Guilford, Shenandoah and Washington and Lee on the road for afternoon contests, Ferrum and Hampden-Sydney hosting afternoon kicks, and Averett hosting a night game
    • In week three (9/21/24) of the schedule, most ODAC teams will compete against a program from the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) in a one-year scheduling agreement
    • All but one teams (Shenandoah) is idle on scheduled byes during week four (9/28/24)
    • ODAC play begins in week five (10/5/24) and continues through week 11 (11/16/24)
    • The second edition of the Chesapeake Challenge in association with the Landmark Conference will be conducted the same weekend as the NCAA Tournament opening round (11/23/24)
      • The top-two non-NCAA Tournament qualifiers from both leagues will meet in the Cape Charles Bowl and Cape Henry Bowl
      • Locations for those games have not been announced with the possibility of a neutral site venue hosting both contests being discussed