Lenoir-Rhyne
6-5 2025 finalLenoir-Rhyne won an NAIA national title in 1960 and almost won the Division II championship in 2013 — two different eras, both halted at the glass ceiling, with the Bears wondering when they'll finally get their moment.
The Bears are in the woods.
Lenoir-Rhyne won an NAIA national title in 1960 and almost won the Division II championship in 2013 — two different eras, both halted at the glass ceiling, with the Bears wondering when they'll finally get their moment.
Lenoir-Rhyne competes in the South Atlantic Conference as a Division II program. The Bears have not returned to the D2 playoff summit since the 2013 National Championship game loss. The program remains competitive in the SAC but i…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
The Pulse on Lenoir-Rhyne
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Lenoir-Rhyne
The baseline for a successful season.
Earns a Super Region playoff qualifier bid.
Entry into the 32-team national bracket.
The Division II national championship game.
Lenoir-Rhyne · 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
Fanbase Health Index · Lenoir-Rhyne · low confidence
Growing (60)
Home-Field Advantage · Lenoir-Rhyne · 2018-present
Above-Average
80% home win rate vs 67% on the road. margin runs +6.2 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.
South Atlantic Standing · 2025
6th in the South Atlantic
Lenoir-Rhyne sits 6th of 12 in the South Atlantic at 6-5. Mid-conference — moves up or down depend on rivalry results and the late-season closing run.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newberry | 12-2 |
| 2 | Wingate | 9-3 |
| 3 | Emory & Henry College | 8-3 |
| 4 | Carson-Newman College | 7-3 |
| 5 | Catawba | 7-4 |
| 6 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 6-5 |
| 7 | Anderson (Sc) | 5-6 |
| 8 | Mars Hill | 5-6 |
| 9 | Wilson | 3-8 |
| 10 | Greeneville | 1-9 |
| 11 | UVA Wise | 1-9 |
| 12 | Limestone | 0-0 |
Schedule Strength · Lenoir-Rhyne · 2025
Hard
Average opponent win rate 55% across 11 finalized games. Strong conference slate — wins here carry full weight in Super Region selection.
D2 → NFL Pipeline
2022–2022Emerging
1 picks last 5 cycles. The draft path from D2 exists; this program is on it.
Moment of the Year · Lenoir-Rhyne · 2025
Won 28-7 at Greeneville
Week 2 of 2025. A statement margin. Recruiting boards re-rendered overnight.
Postseason History
Recent postseason (2023): 3-1
Most recent: 2023 — loss 55-14 (away). Last 5 postseason: 3-1.
From the Archive — Lenoir-Rhyne
2021: Won 56-3 vs Catawba
In 2021, the program won 56-3 vs Catawba — a blowout home result that left the 53-point margin on the books.
The Bears eat tonight.