June 22, 2026 · Dead Period · Heritage Window · 2026 Outlook

Bluffton

5-5 2025 final

Bluffton is the HCAC program in full rebuild mode — 5-5 in 2025 with a new coaching staff under Chris Hedden, betting on fresh leadership to break through.

The Beavers hold the line.

Record

5-5

win% .500

Conference

3rd of 7

Heartland · 3-3

Index Rating

46.9

D3 #146 of 240

Playoff Path

Win the league

Dead PeriodOffseasonPatientPost-loss — diagnostic

The Long Wait·Offseason

Bluffton is the HCAC program in full rebuild mode — 5-5 in 2025 with a new coaching staff under Chris Hedden, betting on fresh leadership to break through.

Title DroughtSince 1900 · 125 yrs

Bluffton University underwent a complete coaching staff overhaul in March 2025, hiring new Head Coach Chris Hedden, offensive coordinator Elizabeth Winters (known for creative play-calling), and defensive coordinator Michael Jimen…

low signal

Read the full program story ↓

Offseason

69 days

until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC

Act I

The 2026 Outlook

DIVISION III · THE PATH TO THE STAGG BOWL

Bluffton sits 4th in the Heartland Conference and 146th of 240 in the CFB Zeitgeist — outside the at-large picture — the path runs through the conference title.

Heartland · 2025

	Team	Conf	Overall	Index
1	Hanover College	6-0	9-3	66.0
2	Mount St. Joseph	5-1	6-5	52.4
3	Franklin	3-3	5-5	49.7
4	Bluffton	3-3	5-5	46.9
5	Rose-Hulman	3-3	3-7	42.8
6	Anderson (IN)	1-5	2-8	36.2
7	Manchester	0-6	0-10	28.5

46.9 CFB Zeitgeist#146 of 240 D344.4 strength of schedule

Win the Heartland Conference for the automatic berth into the 40-team NCAA Division III bracket. Miss it and the path is an at-large bid, selected by NPI — the metric the CFB Index mirrors. Six wins survive the bracket to the Stagg Bowl.

Source: CFB Zeitgeist — conference records + NPI-style rating from 2025 games · the field is 40 teams, NPI-selected

THE 2025 SEASON · 5-5

Signature win 49-7 over Anderson (IN); toughest day 0-48 against Hanover College.

—

The Beavers hold the line.

What moved it — offseason · last 30 days

June Dead-period quiet — official-visit + heritage window —

Camp Fall camp ~40 days out

"Go Beavers." — Bluffton fanbase · recurring line

0 mentions · awaiting signal

Winning record—

The baseline for a successful season.

Conference title—

The primary goal and national bracket path.

32-team bracket qualifierLocked—

One of 32 national tournament entries.

Stagg BowlLocked—

The Division III national championship game.

Floor 3-9

Base 5-7

Ceiling 8-4

floor3-9Rebuild year. Below .500.

base5-7Mid-table finish.

ceiling8-4Conference title race. Bracket qualifier in range.

Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.

Act II

Who We Are

Home-Field Advantage · Bluffton · 2018-present

Average

35% home win rate vs 35% on the road. margin runs +0.9 better at home.

Home7-13Away7-13

Act III

Last Season Reviewed

2025 season · tap to expand

Recent Form · last 10 games

Cold

One of five. The film room is busy this week.

Streak L3Last 5 · 1-4Last 10 · 5-5

Schedule Strength · Bluffton · 2025

Soft

Average opponent win rate 32% across 10 finalized games. Lighter schedule — the committee weighs wins against strength of field.

Opp Win %0.330

Moment of the Year · Bluffton · 2025

Won 39-23 vs Manchester

Week 6 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.

Decisive Margin

From the Archive — Bluffton

2024: Lost 10-52 vs Rose-Hulman

In 2024, the program lost 10-52 vs Rose-Hulman — a stinging home result, 42 points either way.

Go Beavers.