National Notes Week 2
Kevin Marshall, National Contributor | September 10, 2015
The Review
The State of the Nation in FCS this week was pretty dynamic, tumultuous, and any other $3 word we can use to describe the unstable nature of thinking you know something about the FCS landscape.
The AnyGivenSaturday.com Top 25 Poll, the most accurate and dependable poll in all of the Football Championship Subdivision, has a new number one team after week zero and week one action. The Jacksonville State Gamecocks, of the Ohio Valley Conference, jumped from #9 to #1 over several other teams on the strength of the Cocks 23-20 road victory over the defending Southern Conference Champion Chattanooga Mocs. Jacksonville State will face FBS #6 the Auburn Tigers this Saturday. A strong case could have been made for several other teams to claim the top spot in the poll. Coastal Carolina, Sam Houston State, and Villanova could have just as easily been number 1. Early season ranking is TOUGH! Thankfully in the FCS we have a 24 team playoff and our National Champion will be the last team to win a football game.
Game Balls go out to Portland State, North Dakota, Fordham, and South Dakota State for claiming FBS scalps with their upset wins over ‘The Big Boys’ last week. Let the FBS Schools continue to whine and cry about not wanting to schedule teams from our Subdivision while they are losing some of those games!
The Preview
Fordham @ Villanova
Fordham is riding high after their victory over West Point at Michie Stadium last week and Villanova is coming in after a close and hard fought loss to UConn. Three of the best of the FCS will be on display in this one. Chase Edmonds of Fordham, last years Jerry Rice Award Winner, and Villanova’s Qb John Robertson and LB Don Cherry. Robertson won the Walter Payton Award one season ago and Cherry is a leading candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award this season. All three are worth price of admission separately and seeing all three on the same field should be quite a show.
Eastern Washington @ Northern Iowa
The Eagles of Eastern Washington and the Panthers of Northern Iowa are two traditional powers in the FCS. The Eagles played with and gave Oregon, of the FBS, all they wanted plus some last week while the Panthers were very disappointed in their performance at FBS Iowa State. Both of these teams know how important this game is as neither wants to be 0-2 with an uphill sled to a Playoff Berth. It’s difficult to say that any game, not against a rival that is, is a must win game in week two but this one is as close as can be for both ball clubs. Eagle WR Cooper Kupp will again be the best player on the field just as he was one week ago at Oregon and the Panthers will have a tough time containing him much less stopping him. Northern Iowa must be much more fundamentally sound this week to avoid another loss. Their blocking and tackling was poor against the Cyclones and a repeat of that type of performance will get them the same result.
Western Carolina @ The Citadel
The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, will host the Western Carolina Catamounts at General Johnson Hagood Stadium in the first Southern Conference Game of the 2015 Season. Both teams are coming off impressive games against lesser competition last week. The Catamounts defeated Mars Hill, a Division II team, and the Bulldogs whipped former Southern Conference member Davidson 69-0. In last years game at Cullowhee, NC the Catamounts rolled up over 600 yards of total offense and won the game by two scores. The Citadel turned the ball over 4 times inside the Catamount 30 including a strip at the one yard line after a 53 yard run. Two opposing styles will be on display. The Catamount spread offense passing attack and The Citadel’s triple option. Whomever plays the most defense will win this one in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina.
South Carolina State @ Coastal Carolina
SC State Head Coach Buddy Pough has one of his better teams in the last several years in 2015. Coastal Carolina has become a yearly playoff participant and this one will be a match-up where SC State’s strength, rushing the football, is Coastal’s weakness. The Furman Paladins ran the ball exceptionally well against the Chanticleers last week in a 38-35 victory for Coastal. State is better defensively than the Paladins and should be able to control the ball on offense and keep Coastal from turning the game into a shootout. Looking forward to a hard fought game in Conway, SC.
The Interview
The FCS Wedge is very happy to welcome East Tennessee State University Head Coach Carl Torbush to the program this week. I had the chance to speak with Coach Torbush last week and discuss the Buccaneers restarting their football program after a 12 year hiatus. Y’all will want to tune in to hear what this veteran coach has to say.
The Purview
Fordham @ Villanova
Fordham will be tough but I’ll take the Villanova Wildcats at home 28-17.
Eastern Washington @ Northern Iowa
All Eagles in this one as their offense is too much for the Panthers. EWU 34-24.
Western Carolina @ The Citadel
The football playing members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets will use their ball control triple option offense and an improved defense to stifle the Catamounts and win the first Southern Conference game of the 2015 season. The Citadel 31 WCU 20.
South Carolina State @ Coastal Carolina
I like SC State in this one on the strength of their running game and defense. Coastal will be very tough but I think SC State will be a bit tougher. SC State 24 CCU 21.
