Who wins in Division III football? Eric Rueb previews 11 teams so you'll know what to expect

It wasn’t hard to see the favorites in Division III football last fall and it didn’t take long for the teams to show why.

There’s a chance 2024 will play out the same way. As you start to head to the lower divisions, individual talent can help you overcome a lot, and if you’ve got experience, you’re in even better shape.

Realignment took last year’s 14-team, two subdivision Division III and turned it into one 11-team conference. Champ Middletown, runner-up West Warwick, Moses Brown — which might have won the Super Bowl had injuries not struck — and Coventry are up in Division II. A few teams from last season dropped to D-IV, but others came up, creating a division that’s ripe with competition.

Who comes out on top? We’ll find out soon, but here’s what we’re looking at as the season gets ready to begin.

THE FAVORITES

We saw what having the best player in the division can do for a team last year and this season, there’s no question who the best player is in Division III.

Having Jordan Duke, The Providence Journal Division III Preseason Player of the Year , will solve a lot of problems for Classical . There isn’t an athlete in the division with his combination of size, speed and strength. The Purple’s success will come down to the senior, who holds an offer from URI and has other D-I programs sniffing around. Last year, we saw Moses Brown’s Myles Craddock take over games week after week and there’s no doubt Duke can do the same, and he’s even more destructive on the defensive side of the ball.

Classical’s speed is always an asset, but it needs to be tougher between the tackles. The Purple were beat up by bigger, stronger teams last fall and can’t let that happen this season.

More: What will Division I football look like in 2024? Here's Eric Rueb's breakdown of all 10 teams

More: Who are the teams to beat in D-II football? Eric Rueb breaks them all down heading into 2024

They may avoid the problem altogether with their assets at the skill positions on both sides. The secondary should be tough to throw on and with the bounty of shifty, athletic receivers, Kris McCall’s offense should provide plenty of excitement.

Worst case, “Give Jordan Duke the Ball 30 Times” isn’t a bad contingency plan.

Johnston comes into the season off a terrific 2023 season that brought life back to the program.

Offensively, the Panthers should be one of the better teams in D-III. Returning a starting QB will do that and after one year working in offensive coordinator Tom Centore’s offense, Matt Clements is in line for a monster season.

More: Who are the best quarterbacks in Rhode Island high school football? Here are 10 to watch

Surrounding Clements is an impressively young offense, so there may be some bumps and bruises along the way. Senior running back Dean Paris will be key as the Panthers figure things out.

Defensively, Johnston is young. Paris will be crucial in the middle of the field at linebacker, but this team is definitely one that could start slow and really start to roar when games matter most.

Division IV champion North Providence moved up to D-III this season and there’s a chance the Cougars could find themselves back in the Super Bowl.

North Providence dominated up front last fall and, with a good core of its line back, should be in a position to do the same this year. That’s bad news for the rest of D-III, because Mikey Allard is a running back who understands how to get every inch out of every run. Allard is going to be a 1,000-yard rusher this year and there’s a chance he hits 2K.

On defense, he’ll be a centerpiece at linebacker. The defense is going to be tough and, while it might take time to get acclimated to the speed some of these teams have, the Cougars won’t take long to adjust.

THE DARK HORSE

If Ponaganset figures out its identity early, the rest of Division III might be in trouble.

Last year, the Chieftains tried to become a passing team and, needless to say, it did not go well. The second Ponaganset changed direction and focused on a run-based offense, it became a contender.

Country strength is a real thing and the Chieftains have some horses up front. They’re going to be able to move the pile and with a dual-threat quarterback in Robbie Grenga, it’s going to create versatility on offense. They’ll got some interesting skill players — Kaleb Rock is unfairly underrated — who give them balance, but if Ponaganset wants to punch teams in the mouth, there might not be much anyone can do.

The Chieftains’ biggest issue will be going up against more athletic teams, but their ability to slow a game down might eliminate that threat in a hurry.

WATCH OUT FOR …

It doesn’t matter who they have or what they have. Dropping down from the highest level of football in the state to Division III is going to instantly make Cranston East better.

The Thunderbolts have been competing against the best the state has to offer and the game is going to be considerably slower at this level. While new coach James Cook will have to build culture and get his players to buy into his system, a few early wins will only help the process. Expect Cranston East to throw its weight around in some of these games and don’t be shocked to see a postseason run.

East Greenwich is in the same boat. After a terrific run in Division I and II, the Avengers are in a division that fits their school size. Much like Cranston East, the game is going to feel slower and while EG’s roster is filled with underclassmen, it will be considerably more competitive this year than last.

Chariho was young last year and played that way all season. Experiences gained from those games are going to be huge this fall and the Super Chargers may end up being a problem in D-III.

The roster is still on the younger side, but with experience up front, Chariho should be able to run Bill Samiago’s offense, which is based on speed and misdirection. The Chargers could struggle early but expect them to find form later in the fall.

Finally, there’s Mt. Hope . Yes, the team that didn’t win a game last year.

The Huskies took their licks in 2023, but they never quit. You take that attitude into this season and add a large, talented freshman class and this is a team that’s going to catch somebody. Mt. Hope might not be able to match up with some of the veteran teams in Division III, but this team is going to be playing in big games sooner rather than later.

DON’T FORGET

Central Falls struggled in Division IV last year and thanks to the RIIL’s realignment formula, its reward was a spot in Division III. The Warriors always play tough and new coach Brandon Canuto will have to ensure they stay on that grind.

Putting Pilgrim in this portion of the preview might end up being a mistake. Blake Simpson built a strong program last year, but the Patriots graduated a large senior class and replacing those players could prove to be tough. With eight teams making the playoffs, expect Pilgrim to be fighting for one of them — and their home-field advantage might grab them a win or two that prognosticators like myself don’t see coming.

Rogers is in a similar position as Pilgrim. The Vikings had a senior-laden roster last fall, but this year will be about putting down a foundation for the coming years. Rogers traditionally has the talent and athletes to grab wins, but the Vikings will have to learn fast if they want to find themselves in a fight for a playoff spot.

RUEB’S DIVISION III PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

Quarterfinals — No. 1 Classical beats No. 8 Pilgrim; No. 2 Ponaganset beats No. 7 Chariho; No. 3 North Providence beats No. 6 Mt. Hope; No. 4 Johnston beats No. 5 Cranston East.

Semifinals — No. 1 Classical beats No. 4 Johnston; No. 3 North Providence beats No. 2 Ponaganset.

Finals — No. 3 North Providence beats No. 1 Classical.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Who wins in Division III football? Eric Rueb previews 11 teams so you'll know what to expect