Central College
8-2 2025 finalThe Dutch of Pella, Iowa, who won the 1974 NCAA Division III national championship under legendary coach Ron Schipper and stacked Iowa Conference titles at Schipper Stadium — one of the Midwest's proudest small-college programs.
The Dutch are patient.
The Dutch of Pella, Iowa, who won the 1974 NCAA Division III national championship under legendary coach Ron Schipper and stacked Iowa Conference titles at Schipper Stadium — one of the Midwest's proudest small-college programs.
Carry the championship pedigree of the Schipper era back into national contention and win Division III again.
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
Central College sits 3rd in the American Rivers Conference and 32nd of 240 in the CFB Zeitgeist — inside the projected 40-team field on the at-large math.
| Team | Conf | Overall | Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wartburg | 8-0 | 10-1 | 71.1 |
| 2 | Coe College | 7-1 | 9-3 | 66.3 |
| 3 | Central College | 6-2 | 8-2 | 63.5 |
| 4 | Simpson College (IA) | 5-3 | 6-4 | 55.8 |
| 5 | Dubuque | 4-4 | 4-6 | 47.6 |
| 6 | Loras College | 3-5 | 3-7 | 44.5 |
| 7 | Buena Vista | 2-6 | 3-7 | 42.0 |
| 8 | Nebraska Wesleyan | 1-7 | 1-9 | 36.2 |
Win the American Rivers 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.
Signature win 63-26 over Luther; toughest day 13-28 against Wartburg.
The Pulse on Central College
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Central College
The baseline for a successful season.
The primary goal and national bracket path.
One of 32 national tournament entries.
The Division III national championship game.
Central College · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
Home-Field Advantage · Central College · 2018-present
Above-Average
75% home win rate vs 77% on the road. margin runs +7.0 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Mixed
Three of five. Trending up, not yet hot.
Schedule Strength · Central College · 2025
Balanced
Average opponent win rate 45% across 10 finalized games. Balanced slate across the conference slate.
Moment of the Year · Central College · 2025
Won 63-26 at Luther
Week 4 of 2025. A statement margin. Recruiting boards re-rendered overnight.
From the Archive — Central College
2024: Won 56-3 vs Luther
In 2024, the program won 56-3 vs Luther — a blowout home result that left the 53-point margin on the books.
Go Dutch.