Defending champs still the team to beat
There was little question who would be picked to win the American Southwest Conference in 2019.
Mary Hardin-Baylor, coming off its second Division III national championship in three seasons, has been the preseason favorite now 17 years running.
Before thinking about going back-to-back, the Crusaders must steer through a strong ASC.
In each of the past four years, Hardin-Simmons has only lost one game in the regular season each year — all to Mary HardinBaylor. The Crusaders doubledipped the Cowboys last season, also knocking off the Cowboys off in the first round of the playoffs to begin their title quest.
Hardin-Simmons has two lethal running backs, Jaquan Hemphill and Bryson Hammonds, but will be playing a first-year starter at quarterback.
Rising contender Texas Lutheran could challenge the conference’s two established powers this season. The Bulldogs are in search of a quarterback, but have three stout running backs and nine returning starters on defense.
East Texas Baptist, Louisiana College and Southwestern are not teams to be overlooked, but likely won’t contend for a conference crown. At the bottom of the conference, Bellhaven, Howard Payne, McMurry and Sul Ross State went a combined 6-34 last season, with none of the four winning more than two games.
Still, all eyes are focused at the top as Mary Hardin-Baylor enters the season as not only the conference favorite, but as a national contender.