Widener University
4-6 2025 finalWidener is the historic Pride, a two-time Division III national champion (1977, 1981 under Bill Manlove), fighting to prove that 50 years of history means more than recent seasons of struggle.
The Pride bide their time.
Widener is the historic Pride, a two-time Division III national champion (1977, 1981 under Bill Manlove), fighting to prove that 50 years of history means more than recent seasons of struggle.
Widener entered the 2025-2026 season with Mike Barainyak (6th season, 31-32 record) as head coach, after being ranked 4th in the MAC Commonwealth Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Pride organization continues to reference the champions…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
Widener University sits 7th in the Mid Atlantic Conference and 156th of 240 in the CFB Zeitgeist — outside the at-large picture — the path runs through the conference title.
| Team | Conf | Overall | Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern University | 8-1 | 10-2 | 67.7 |
| 2 | Delaware Valley | 7-2 | 8-3 | 58.5 |
| 3 | Misericordia | 7-2 | 7-4 | 56.4 |
| 4 | Lebanon Valley | 6-3 | 6-5 | 52.9 |
| 5 | Stevenson | 5-4 | 6-4 | 53.8 |
| 6 | Kings College (PA) | 5-4 | 5-5 | 50.3 |
| 7 | Widener | 3-6 | 4-6 | 45.3 |
| 8 | Albright | 3-6 | 4-6 | 45.0 |
Win the Mid Atlantic 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 44-18 over Geneva; toughest day 0-35 against Eastern University.
The Pulse on Widener University
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Widener University
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.
Widener University · 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 · Widener University · 2018-present
Above-Average
52% home win rate vs 38% on the road. margin runs +4.5 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Cooling
Two of five. Schedule has caught up.
Schedule Strength · Widener University · 2025
Balanced
Average opponent win rate 48% across 10 finalized games. Balanced slate across the conference slate.
Moment of the Year · Widener University · 2025
Won 44-18 vs Geneva
Week 2 of 2025. A statement margin. Recruiting boards re-rendered overnight.
From the Archive — Widener University
2024: Won 34-24 vs Reading
In 2024, the program won 34-24 vs Reading — a tight home result that left the 10-point margin on the books.
Go Pride.