We have a shortened show this week due to technical problems. The technical problem here at The FCS Wedge goes by the moniker “Kris”. Lance carries on with it for us and Kris does pop back in for a word or two here and there.
The games all got previewed so listen up!
JSU @ Maine
JMU @ Colgate
Wofford @ Kennesaw
Duquesne @ SDSU
Montana State @ NDSU
SEMO @ Weber
Nicholls @ EWU
UNI @ Davis
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Listen in to what Lance & Kris have going this week for thoughts on the action from last weekend. The Round 1 review skeleton looks like this.
Duquesne 31 Towson 10
Jacksonville State 34 East Tennessee State 27
Wofford 19 Elon 7
SEMO 28 Stony Brook 14
Montana State 35 Incarnate Word 14
James Madison 20 Delaware 6
Nichols 49 San Diego 30
Northern Iowa 16 Lamar 13
Topic 2: Elitism
Was Lamar/SLC better than we expected or did UNI play a bit softer than most FCS fans thought they would against a 3rd place SLC team?
Is Duquesne/NEC improving, have athletes, and enough experience to compete with the CAA rather than the CAA under performing this year?
Topic 3: What did we learn?
The SLC deserved it’s selections.
The CAA was overrated.
ETSU belonged
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AKA: Mistakes were made
(for games directly relevant to MVFC teams)
Lamar – 13
Northern Iowa – 16
Incarnate Word – 14
Montana State – 35
Montana State will play at #1 North Dakota State next weekend
Duquesne – 31
Towson – 10
Duquesne will play at #5 South Dakota State next weekend
The big question from most MVFC fans going into this game was…which UNI team will show up? The team that beat South Dakota State…or the team that got steamrolled by YSU and WIU? Well, it didn’t take long for us to get our answer, when Lamar’s QB Darrel Colbert Jr., on their second play from scrimmage, hit WR Kirkland Banks with a short pass that turned into a 73-yard TD play with the help of a good block and Bank’s ability to turn on the jets once he got a bit of space. The XP snap was awkward though, so they ended up trying to get the ball to the end zone, but failed, making it 6-0 for the Cardinals less than a minute into the game. UNI responded on their next drive using a 59-yard return by WR Deion McShane and a 26-yard run by RB Marcus Weymiller to get close enough for a 21-yard FG by kicker Austin Errthum. The next drive by Lamar took quite a bit longer than the first one (12 plays, 75 yards) but also ended in a TD pass, this time to TE Case Robinson, putting them up 13-3 halfway through the first quarter. Despite WR McShane returning the kickoff 47 yards, UNI was only able to net a total of 2 yards after a TD pass to WR Jaylin James was called back due to pass interference. The Panther defense did step things up at that point, but so did Lamar’s, with the next points not coming until nearly halfway through the 2nd quarter. A couple of solid runs by RB Trevor Allen got them close enough for Errthum to hit a 44-yard FG, making it 13-6. UNI started their next drive at their own 9 (and a false started pushed them back to the 4), but the Panther run game was able to move out to midfield. A couple of passes by UNI’s QB Eli Dunne to WRs Jaylin James and Jalen Rima got them the rest of the way, with the second being a 32-yard TD pass to a wide open Rima to tie things up at 13. Lamar’s final drive of the half ended in a long pass to the end zone that was intercepted by UNI DB Isaiah Nimmers, making the halftime score 13-13.
In the second half, Lamar seemed to have an easier time moving the ball, but both teams had a hard time holding on to the ball. Lamar got down to the UNI 17 on one drive fairly early on, but on a run by RB Myles Wanza, UNI DL Bryce Douglas forced a fumble that was recovered by UNI DB Korby Sander. A few drives later, the Panthers were just outside their own red zone, when a Dunne pass was batted up into the air by Lamar DE Dedrick Garner and caught by LB Chaston Brooks, giving the Cardinals the ball at UNI’s 21. Their drive would only go backwards for a net -4 yards and they missed a 42-yard FG wide right to keep the score tied. A few minutes into the 4th quarter, Northern Iowa was able to get down to the Lamar 17 yard line, and kicker Errthum hit a FG from 35 yards out to take a slim 3-point lead. Lamar stalled out on their next drive, after a sack by LB Rickey Neal Jr. put them at 4th and 15. On the kick, however, Lamar took a gamble, direct snapping the ball to DE Brandon Arnold, catching the Panthers off guard and picking up 23 yards. A 28-yard pass to WR Jawun Ruffin got them into the red zone, but UNI’s Christian Jegen was able to force a second fumble in the red zone, this one also recovered by DB Sander, keeping the Cardinals out of the end zone once again. Lamar’s defense halted the Panther offense just outside of FG range. Despite starting back at their own 14, Lamar moved quickly down the field, using a 47-yard pass to WR Taylor Givens to eventually get them down to the UNI 13, although a sack moved them back to the 19. The 36-yard FG attempt was missed to the right again and despite a solid drive…once again Lamar failed to put points on the board. Nearing the end of the game, UNI spent most of their next drive running the ball, so that by the time the Cardinals got it back, they only had 15 seconds left to go, at their own 26, with no timeouts remaining. Lamar’s QB Colbert was sacked on the first play, eating most of the time and forcing him to spike the ball with what appeared to be about a half second left (close enough that the refs had to review it to make sure time hadn’t expired). The final play was a pass that went about 115 yards and was tossed around to a couple of Lamar players before a lateral hit the ground and was fallen on by a couple of UNI and LU players, ending the game with Northern Iowa coming away with the 16-13 victory.
https://twitter.com/UNIFootball/status/1066499600796794880
UNI QB Eli Dunne had 107 yards passing with 1 TD and 1 interception off the batted pass. The RBs had a solid day, with Marcus Weymiller running for 128 yards and Trevor Allen with 112 yards. WR Jaylin James led the team in receiving yards with 55 on 4 catches, but WR Jalen Rima had the sole Panther TD and picked up 32 yards on that one catch. WR Deion McShane had a couple of short catches in the receiving game, but was instrumental in the kick return game, with two kickoff returns for a total of 109 yards. PK Austin Errthum’s contributions were significant in such a low-scoring affair, hitting FGs from 21, 44, and 35 yards out, successfully kicking the one XP attempt (so, he accounted for 10 of the 16 points for UNI), kicking off 5 times with 4 touchbacks (although one kick went out of bounds) and averaging 63 yards per kickoff. LB Duncan Ferch led the Panthers with 10 tackles (3 solo) and 2 qb hurries. DL Elerson Smith had 2 sacks in the game, while LBs Rickey Neal, Bryce Flater, and Alfonso Lambert had 1 sack each. DB Korby Sander had two fumble recoveries to go along with 5 tackles and DB Isaiah Nimmers had an interception.
Lamar QB Darrel Colbert Jr. threw for 268 yards with 2 TDs and 1 interception including 77 yards and 1 TD to WR Kirkland Banks. WR Case Robinson had the other TD reception and 34 yards. On the ground, RB Myles Wanza led the team with 85 yards. QB Colbert had 50 positive yards on running plays, but lost 37 yards on those 5 UNI sacks which negated much of it. Lamar DB Lane Taylor led the Cardinals with 14 tackles (5 solo). LB Chaston Brooks had 7 tackles and caught the interception, and DE Daniel Crosley had 6 tackles including a sack. Punter Tyler Slaydon had 3 punts that averaged 52 yards per kick and 1 that dropped inside the 20.
Lamar ends their win streak at 6 and their season at 7-5 overall.
Northern Iowa is 7-5 with the win, and they will head out west to take on #6 UC Davis next weekend.
Well, I thought UNI would kinda run away with things in the second half, winning 34-14. They were able to run the ball pretty well, but Lamar kept them out of the end zone in the second half. Luckily for the Panthers, Lamar couldn’t seem to stop shooting themselves in the feet with turnovers and missed FGs costing them the game and their first playoff win. I have to give credit to Lamar for being able to move the ball pretty well against UNI’s defense, but anyone who has watched a bit of UNI this season knows that the UNI team that showed up today was not anything close to as good as we’ve seen the Panthers play (like against SDSU). There were a lot of mistakes from both teams, to the point where it felt like neither team really wanted to win sometimes. The Panthers were able to claw out one more FG, which was just enough to win.
The top 8 seeded teams get into the mix next weekend and there’ll be three MVFC teams in action, with Montana State heading to #1 North Dakota State, Duquesne also making a trip to the Dakotas facing off against #5 South Dakota State, and the previously-mentioned Northern Iowa traveling to #6 UC Davis.
TOPIC 1:
Round 1 previews
Delaware @ James Madison
Incarnate Word @ Montana State
Duquesne @ Towson
Elon @ Wofford
Lamar @ Northern Iowa
Stony Brook @ Southeast Missouri State
East Tennessee State @ Jacksonville State
San Diego @ Nicholls State
TOPIC 2:
Three Big Questions
1. Who’s on upset alert in the opening round? (With the exception of Elon and Wofford these are all 2-3 score spreads by the odds makers.)
2. Which of the teams playing on opening weekend have the best shot to make a deep run?
3. Who’s gonna win? The picks ensue…
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Round 1 of the FCS playoffs starts this weekend and for the first time in quite a while (first time since before the playoffs expanded to 24 teams), only one MVFC team is playing with two more seeded and have a first-round bye this weekend.
Couple of quick things:
All times are listed as Central time zone and the rank numbers are now going to be based on the seed numbers as assigned by the playoff committee (as opposed to using the AGS Poll, which is what I did during the regular season). Here’s the list along with starting times…all playoff games are available on ESPN3. I’ll go ahead and list the games for next week as well, although I’m only previewing the one this week.
Saturday, November 24th
4:00 PM – Lamar (7-4) at Northern Iowa (6-5)
Saturday, December 1st
2:00 PM – Montana State/Incarnate Word at #1 North Dakota State
2:00 PM – Towson/Duquesne at #5 South Dakota State
6:00 PM – Northern Iowa/Lamar at #6 UC Davis
The Series: Lamar and Northern Iowa have faced off exactly once before…a 1964 matchup in the Pecan Bowl (College Division regional finals for the midwest region). Back then, the State College of Iowa (coached by Stan Sheriff) faced off against Lamar Tech in front of ~7,500 people at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene, TX. The Panthers won that meeting, 19-17.
Location: Lamar is in Beaumont, Texas…866 miles almost directly south of the Northern Iowa’s UNIDome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The UNIDome was opened in 1976 and currently holds 16,324 for football games. For a Thanksgiving weekend, it’ll be slightly above-average temperature with a high projected up into the low 40’s. Although as UNI fans like to say, it’s always 72 degrees inside.
LU’s Record: The Cardinals finished the regular season at 7-4 overall and 6-3 in the Southland Conference. They opened their season with two games who’s point totals equaled 77…a 70-7 win over NAIA Kentucky Christian, then a 77-0 loss at FBS Texas Tech. They then headed into the conference schedule starting with a 1-point loss to Northwestern State, a 6-point loss to Southeastern Louisiana, and a 23-point loss to then #18-ranked Nicholls. At this point, the 1-4 Cardinals had to be thinking that the playoffs were a long-shot, but then they rifled off 6-straight wins to close out the season, beating conference foes Incarnate Word (by 6), then #14 Sam Houston State (by 18), Stephen F. Austin (by 7), Central Arkansas (by 14), Houston Baptist (by 29) and McNeese (by 3). The winning streak to end the season earned them an at-large spot and their first ever appearance in the FCS playoffs and put them at 3rd in the Southland.
UNI’s Record: The Panthers’ route to the playoffs started with a couple of losses…at then #24 Montana by 3, then at FBS Iowa by 24, before heading home and shutting out Hampton by 44. In the MVFC, they shut out Indiana State (by 33), lost against #1 North Dakota State (by 25), won at then #24 South Dakota (by 14), beat then #2 South Dakota State (by 15), lost at Western Illinois (by 20), beat then #13 Illinois State (by 10), lost at Youngstown State (by 21) and completely shut down Missouri State, winning 37-0. They finished at 6-5 overall and 5-3 in the MVFC, tied for third, with Indiana State. This will be their 20th appearance in the I-AA/FCS playoffs.
About Lamar: In the FCS, Lamar’s offense is ranked 25th in scoring (32.5 ppg) and 30th in total offense (433 ypg). Their run game is 12th in the FCS (250 ypg), but the passing offense is 87th (183 ypg). QB Darrel Colbert Jr. was the starter for the first 7 games and the last game of the season, throwing for 122 ypg with 12 TDs to 7 INTs (and an efficiency rating of 130.01) and rushing for 53 ypg with 10 TDs. QB Jordan Hoy was the starter for three of the later-season games, but had at least some playing time in 5 other games. He threw for 176 ypg with 6 TDs in the three he started and he has an overall efficiency rating of 165.28. Hoy has also run for 64.5 ypg with 7 TDs. The other runner to watch out for is RB Myles Wanza, who has a 75 ypg average with 3 TDs and ran for a high of 168 yards w/ 2 TDs against Sam Houston State. None of the Cardinal receivers average more than 30 ypg catching the ball, but WRs Isaiah Howard and Kirkland Banks get the most catches. Howard averages 25 ypg with 2 TDs. TE Case Robinson only has a 26 ypg average, but has a 26.11 yards per catch average with 4 receiving TDs. All 5 of their regular starting O-linemen (Hayden Kaaiohelo, Tamatoa Neher, Stephon Cooper, Garrett Bowery, and Aires Gilmore-Gardner) are listed as Juniors or above. Kaaiohelo started his collegiate career with Lamar, and Bowery transferred in before the 2017 season, but everyone else transferred to Lamar between the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
On defense, Lamar is 72nd in the FCS in points allowed (29.5 ppg) and 98th in total defense (451 ypg). Their run defense is decent, 33rd in the FCS, allowing 140 ypg, but their pass defense is last (out of 124 teams) at giving up yardage through the air (311 ypg). They do, however, have 16 interceptions, which is 8th in the FCS this season. DB Davon Jernigan leads the team with 9.4 tackles per game and is #6 in the FCS (#1 in the conference) at defending passes with 1.4 per game. Jernigan has 4 interceptions returned for a total of 99 yards in 11 games this season. DE Daniel Crosley has 8 sacks in 11 games with a total of 15 tackles for loss to go along with a 4.7 tackles per game average and 6 qb hurries.
Overall, Lamar is 6th in the FCS in turnovers gained (26) and are 6th for red zone offense, scoring 91.7% of the time. On the other hand, their kick return game is suspect, averaging 16.5 yards per return (117th in FCS) on kickoffs and 5.94 yards per return (86th) on punts. They are also 122nd in tackles for loss allowed with 9 per game.
About Northern Iowa: The Panthers’ offense is 63rd in scoring (27.4 ppg) and 90th in total offense (346 ypg). They’re 88th in the ground game (128 ypg) and 57th through the air (218 ypg). QB Eli Dunne averages just over 200 ypg with 17 TDs and 5 interceptions, but is not considered a running threat generally (-38 yards total). Their top receiver is TE Briley Moore, but after a scary hit a couple of weeks ago, it’s hard to say if he’ll play this weekend. Otherwise, UNI has quite a few very fast receivers, with true freshman Deion McShane probably the fastest. None of them have over 38 ypg, but they have 3 receivers who have 29+ catches and 2+ TDs. WRs Jaylin James, Jalen Rima, and Nick Fossey are all targets for the passing game. On the ground, RB Marcus Weymiller handles things pretty well, averaging 72 ypg with 7 TDs, and in the last 5 games of the season, averaged just barely under 100 ypg. PK Austin Errthum is pretty solid at FGs, making 18 out of 21 including 4 from the 40+ range (long of 46) and is 4th in the FCS in FGs per game.
On the other side of the ball, UNI gives up 21.9 ppg (24th in the FCS) and 354 ypg (33rd). They’re 28th against the run (133 ypg) but 73rd against the pass (221.5). They’re also 5th in the FCS in defensive TDs, scoring 4 this season. LB Duncan Ferch leads the team with 8.36 tackles per game and has 4 interceptions, 8 pass breakups, and 3 QB hurries. LB Rickey Neal Jr. gets a lot of pressure behind the line of scrimmage, with 7.5 sacks this season and 7 QB hurries as well as 3 forced fumbles. DB Korby Sander has also had a solid season, with 7.36 tackles per game, 3 interceptions and a forced fumble. Because of the defenses’ ability to intercept passes, UNI is 9th in the FCS in overall turnover margin, averaging nearly +1 per game.
One thing I often look at for FCS stats is where teams are in the top 20 and the bottom 20 (they’re fairly easy to scan through and look for. Other things UNI is good at (top 20) is 4th down conversion (14th), kickoff return defense (13th), and red zone offense (19th). On the other side…they’re actually not ranked in the triple digits in any category that the NCAA generally tracks. They’re not great at punt returns (90th) but in general, they don’t have any huge glaring weaknesses.
My Take: Northern Iowa is 6-5 against the #1 toughest SoS in the FCS (according to Massey). Lamar is 7-4, but against the 71st toughest schedule. The big question for me is if UNI will be able to get motivated for this game or if they will get caught looking ahead to a possible game at UC Davis. Lamar will absolutely be motivated in this game and will be out to prove the doubters wrong. I think if UNI plays on the high end of what they’re capable of, they should run away with this game. If the UNI team that faced off against WIU or YSU shows up, or if UNI is looking past this game, it could be a close game. My guess, though, is that UNI will be wanting to prove that “sneaking” into the playoffs was not a fluke and they’ll be ok. UNI is good against the run, which is Lamar’s strength. Lamar is also good against the run, but UNI is a pretty solid passing team. I think that means we’ll see lots of airing things out to receivers on UNI’s part with some quick scoring opportunities. The game might be kinda close at halftime, but I think UNI will run away with it in the second half…probably around 34-14 for the Panthers.
TOPIC 1 The pain is real and the source of that pain for 1/2 of us out there in the final regular season weekend of FCS Football.
Kennesaw State 60 Jacksonville State 52
Montana State 29 Montana 25
Maine 27 Elon 26
Duquesne 38 Central Conn State 31
James Madison 38 Towson 17
Lamar 21 McNeese State 17
Topic 2 The AGS Poll
Topic 3: What did we learn?
1. The committee loved the Southland.
2. Montana is not a 4th quarter team.
3. Strength of schedule apparently isn’t all that important.
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For more than half of the MVFC teams, the 2018 season is now over. For a few, they get to continue on and play at least one more. Now that some of the teams are done, I’ll add a little something new to the end of the recaps, highlighting a few of the seniors who (barring the odd medical redshirt or something) are on to the next phases of their lives…whether that includes professional football, grad school, or some other career. I won’t do everyone, but I’ll try to pick out a few seniors who’s names we’ve seen at least a few times over the course of the season. I’m sure I’ll miss at least a few major contributors, but I’ll try to get most of them, and they all deserve a salute for the hard work and effort they’ve put in over their college football careers.
Youngstown State – 28
Illinois State – 35
Indiana State – 15
Western Illinois – 13
South Dakota – 27
South Dakota State – 49
Southern Illinois – 17
North Dakota State – 65
Missouri State – 0
Northern Iowa – 37
The Redbirds started off the game with the ball and took it 81 yards down the field and into the end zone on a 37-yard run by RB James Robinson to get things rolling in this game. About halfway through the 1st quarter, the Penguins got their first points on a 41-yard FG from kicker Zak Kennedy. ISU missed a 34-yard FG attempt a little bit later keeping their lead at 4. Early in the 2nd, YSU QB Montgomery VanGorder was sacked and fumbled the ball. It was recovered by ISU DL John Ridgeway and taken down to the YSU 3 yard line, and then on the next play, in for a TD on a 3-yard pass to TE Tylor Petkovich. On YSU’s next drive, they made it to the ISU 24 yard line but settled for a 41-yard FG, making the score 14-6 for the Redbirds. On the kickoff however, YSU DB Alec Burzynski forced a fumble that was recovered by S Donovan McWilson, which gave the Penguins good field position. They took that into the end zone 6 plays later on a 1-yard run by RB Tevin McCaster to pull within 1. Later in the first half, ISU DB Luther Kirk picked up an interception, and the score would remain 14-13 going into halftime.
About 6 minutes into the second half, ISU scored on a 7-yard TD run by the RB Robinson and a few drives later, YSU got their next one on a 10-yard TD catch by WR Ryan Emans. The 2-point conversion was good, tying the game up at 21 with about 90 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. In the first few minutes of the 4th, YSU took their first lead of the game when TE Miles Joiner caught a 58-yard TD pass, but ISU responded on the next drive, using a 54-yard run by RB Robinson to get close and then a 5-yard run by RB Kevin Brown to get it into the end zone, tying it up at 28. YSU was held to a 3-and-out and ISU moved the ball downfield again, with RB Brown again taking it in for a score on a 16-yard TD run to put the score at 35-28 for the Redbirds. ISU’s defense stepped up from that point forward, holding YSU to only 1 first down and with ISU S Mitchell Brees picking up an interception, making 35-28 the final score.
ISU QB Brady Davis had 88 passing yards with 1 TD and ran for 21 yards. RB James Robinson had an incredible day, running for 256 yards and 2 TDs (with an 11.1 yards per attempt average) and earned a MVFC Offensive Player of the Week award, while RB Kevin Brown also picked up 2 TDs and 41 yards. LB Zackary Mathews led the Redbirds with 9 tackles (5 solo) and 2 QB hurries. DB Luther Kirk and Mitchell Brees each had interceptions, and LB Jason Harris had 2 forced fumbles. YSU played two QBs in the game with Nathan Mays throwing for 99 yards and 2 TDs with 1 interception and ran for 61 yards, while Montgomery VanGorder had 23 yards and 1 INT. RB Tevin McCaster ran for 142 yards and 1 TD and TE Miles Joiner and WR Ryan Emons each had a TD reception. LB Armand Dellovade had 11 tackles (7 solo) with 4 for loss. Kicker Zak Kennedy hit two 41-yard FGs and averaged 59 yards on 6 kickoffs with 2 touchbacks.
Youngstown State finishes out the 2018 season with a 4-7 overall record and 3-5 against the conference. YSU says goodbye to QB Montgomery VanGorder, RB Tevin McCaster, LB Armand Dellovade, DT Savon Smith, and PK Zak Kennedy.
Illinois State ends up 6-5 and 3-5 in the MVFC. A few of the Redbirds seniors who are done include Safety Mitchell Brees, WR Spencer Schnell, QB Jake Kolbe, LB Zackary Mathews, and TE Tylor Petkovich.
REDBIRDS WIN!!!@Robinson_jamess rushes for 256 yards and 2 TDs as the Redbirds finish the season 6-5 overall #REDBIRDfootball pic.twitter.com/2zBbNunOjl
— Illinois State Football (@RedbirdFB) November 17, 2018
The Leathernecks got the scoring started a bit over 5 minutes into the game on a 44-yard FG from kicker Sam Crosa. Later in the first, ISU forced a turnover on a fumble by WIU QB Sean McGuire that was forced by DB Denzel Bonner and recovered by DL Rex Mosley at the WIU 11. They didn’t really get anywhere with it though, as WIU held them to a 26-yard FG by kicker Jerry Nunez to tie the game at 3. Early in the 2nd, a WIU punt was downed at the INSU 1, but after 12 plays got them 98 yards, the 13th got them 1 more into the end zone on a run by QB Ryan Boyle. The 2-point conversion failed, putting the score at 9-3. Late in the 2nd, WIU missed on a 42-yard FG attempt, preserving that score through halftime.
On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, WIU RB Steve McShane ran 65 yards into the end zone, giving the Leathernecks a 10-9 lead. ISU picked up 83 yards on their next drive all the way to the WIU 1 yard line, but had to settle for an 18-yard FG to pull ahead by 2. On WIU’s next drive, they took back the lead with a 35-yard FG and 2 plays into ISU’s drive, WIU DB Xavier Rowe picked off an interception. There was quite a bit of defense in the 4th quarter, but eventually, with about 3 ½ minutes to go in the game, ISU started a drive that moved 71 yards downfield and ended with a 27-yard FG as time expired to win 15-13.
ISU QB Ryan Boyle threw for 149 yards with 1 interception and ran for 6 yards and 1 TD. RB Peterson Kerlegrand ran for 102 yards. LB Jonas Griffith finished with 9 tackles (8 solo) and had 4.5 tackles for loss (1 sack). Kicker Jerry Nunez was 3-3 on FGs from 18, 26, and 27 yards out and earned the MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. WIU QB Sean McGuire had 202 yards passing and 18 yards running (0 TDs or INTs). RB Steve McShane had 129 rushing yards with 1 TD and 33 receiving yards, while RB Clint Ratkovich had 79 receiving yards and 7 rushing yards. LB Quentin Moon picked up 13 tackles (5 solo) with 1 sack, DL Khalen Saunders finished with 11 tackles including 2 sacks, and the FCS leader in sacks (tied, prior to results of this weekend) LB Pete Swenson picked up 7 tackles including ½ sack.
Indiana State finishes the regular season at 7-4 and 5-3 in the conference, which is an incredible turnaround considering they were winless last year. They were, somehow (despite winning their last 5 straight) not selected to participate in the playoffs and so Sycamores fans have to say goodbye to seniors like RB Ja’Quan Keys, LB Katrell Moss, DB Jamal Jones, DB Rondell Green, DL Pishon Powell, and O-Lineman Tate Leavitt.
Western Illinois ends up 5-6 overall with a 4-4 MVFC record. Seniors that have finished their Leatherneck Football careers include WR Isiah LeSure, RB Steve McShane, DB Xavier Rowe, DB Justin Fitzpatrick, LB Quentin Moon, LB Pete Swenson, DL Khalen Saunders, O-Lineman Drew Wagner, and QB Sean McGuire. McGuire ends his career as the #1 QB in WIU history for Career Yards, Yards per Game, Completions, Attempts, and TDs, and in the top 5 in Completion Percentage, as well as numerous game and season records.
Indiana State wins it with a 26-yard field goal from Jerry Nunez. Sycamores move to 7-4 on the season and have won five-straight @ValleyFootball games!#ALLIN pic.twitter.com/rYPCEacL46
— Indiana State Football (@IndStFB) November 17, 2018
The Jackrabbits got things rolling early in Brookings on a 30-yard TD run by RB Pierre Strong Jr. The Coyotes used a couple of big runs early on their next drive to set up a 3-yard TD pass to TE Brett Samson to tie things up. Around halfway through the 1st quarter, SDSU needed only 1 play…a 73-yard TD run by RB Strong to take a 14-7 lead. On USD’s next drive, a pass by QB Austin Simmons was intercepted by CB Marshon Harris giving SD State the ball at the USD 34 and a few plays later, QB Taryn Christion hit WR Cade Johnson with a 20-yard TD pass. USD was then held to a 3-and-out before SDSU TE Blake Kunz caught a 59-yard TD pass to put the Jackrabbits up 28-7 after 1 quarter. There wasn’t a lot of scoring in the 2nd until late in the quarter when USD QB Simmons was sacked and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by SDSU DE Ryan Earith at the USD 36. Shortly thereafter, QB Christion ran the ball 16 yards into the end zone to take a 35-7 lead going into halftime.
In the first drive of the second half, USD got some more points on the board when QB Simmons ran the ball 8 yards for a TD to pull within 21. Later in the quarter, SDSU started a drive at midfield on an out-of-bounds punt and drove down the half-field taking it in on a 10-yard TD pass to WR Cade Johnson to go up 42-14. Into the 4th quarter, USD took 12 plays to cover 80 yards and score on a 16-yard run by QB Simmons, cutting the lead to 22 and then on their next drive, they used a 13-play drive going 78 yards finishing with a 17-yard TD pass to TE Connor Herrmann, making it 42-27 at that point. The Jackrabbits responded fairly quickly with a 46-yard TD run by RB Strong and USD was held out of the end zone for the remainder of the game, with the final score of 49-27 for South Dakota State.
USD QB Austin Simmons threw for 295 yards and 2 TDs with 1 interception and ran for 79 yards with 2 TDs. WR Shamar Jackson caught 11 passes for 111 yards. DB Elijah Reed led the Coyotes with 7 tackles (4 solo). SDSU QB Taryn Christion finished with 172 yards and 3 TDs passing plus 26 yards and 1 TD rushing. RB Pierre Strong Jr. had 253 yards and 3 TDs and earned the MVFC Newcomer of the Week award. TE Blake Kunz led the Jackrabbits with 68 receiving yards and 1 TD and WR Cade Johnson had 58 yards with 2 TDs. LB Christian Rozeboom racked up 13 tackles (8 solo) with 1.5 for loss. CB Marshon Harris had 5 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 interception, and DE Ryan Earith picked up 4 tackles including 1 sack, with 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.
South Dakota finishes their season at 4-7 with a 3-5 conference record. Some of the Coyotes who have finished up their collegiate playing careers include the Gray brothers, DB Andrew and LB Alex, WR Shamar Jackson, CB Michael Frederick, LB Alex Coker, and O-linemen Cody Jennings and Nick Jenson.
South Dakota State completes the regular season at 8-2 and 6-2 in the MVFC. They earned the #5 seed in the FCS playoffs and will host the winner of the Duquesne @ Towson game in two weeks. For playoff teams, I won’t do my “seniors spotlight” until they are eliminated from the playoffs.
Never gets old! Way to go Jacks! On to bigger and better things now…FCS Playoffs! pic.twitter.com/xXR0gnfHhv
— Dan Dykhouse (@DanDykhouse) November 18, 2018
SIU WR/CB Ja’Quan Burton must have figured that the Salukis would need to get points early if they had any chance at beating NDSU, so he went and ran the kickoff 100 yards back for a TD. NDSU didn’t quite do the same thing, but it did only take them 4 plays to cover 79 yards for their first TD on a 36-yard run by RB Ty Brooks to tie things up. The Bison’s next drive was only 3 plays (they started at midfield) with QB Easton Stick running the final yard into the end zone. SIU responded with a 59-yard TD pass from QB Matt DeSomer to WR Raphael Leonard, but NDSU went right back and regained the lead on a 60-yard TD pass from QB Easton Stick to TE Nate Jenson. On SIU’s first play following the kickoff LB Dan Marlette forced a fumble by WR Burton that was recovered by DE Greg Menard and QB Stick would only need one play, a 22-yard pass to TE Ben Ellefson to double up the score, 28-14. NDSU Safety Robbie Grimsley had an interception a few plays later, but NDSU would end up getting stopped at the SIU 3 with no gain on a 4th and 1. Early in the second quarter, NDSU picked up another TD with a 31-yard pass to WR Darrius Shepherd. The next two drives ended in interceptions, with NDSU’s Grimsley getting his second of the game, then SIU Safety Joe Patterson getting one off of QB Stick. There was no further scoring in the half, so the halftime score was 35-14.
In the second half, the Bison got points off an 18-yard run by RB Bruce Anderson, a safety against SIU, and a 30-yard run by RB Anderson to put them up 51-14 before SIU had their next chance to score, with kicker Griffin Cerra hitting a 25-yard FG. At this point, NDSU put in mostly their second-string players, and freshman RB Saybien Clark was able to pick up a TD on a 19-yard run. SIU QB Sam Straub had a pass intercepted by SS Michael Tutsie and a few plays later, RB Adam Cofield ran 20-yards back into the end zone making it 65-17 for the Bison. SIU used up nearly 6 minutes on their next drive, with 13 plays covering 73 yards but turned the ball over on downs at the NDSU 2 and the Bison would hold on to win.
SIU QB Matt DeSomer threw 144 yards with 1 TD and 2 interceptions and QB Sam Straub also had an interception. DeSomer, typically a running QB, was held to -5 yards. WR Raphael Leonard caught 2 passes for 68 yards and 1 TD. Safety Joe Patterson and LB Withney Simon finished with 7 tackles each, with Patterson picking up an interception. NDSU QB Easton Stick had 302 yards passing with 3 TDs and 1 interception and ran for a TD. RB Ty Brooks ran for 113 yards with 1 TD, RB Bruce Anderson had 68 and 2 TDs, RB Adam Cofield had 84 and 1 TD, and RB Saybien Clark had 66 with 1 TD. WR Darrius Shepherd caught 5 passes for 99 yards and 1 TD and TEs Nate Jenson and Ben Ellefson each had TD catches as well. LB Dan Marlette and DE Derrek Tuszka each had 7 tackles, with Marlette picking up a forced fumble. DE Caleb Butler had 5 tackles and 1 sack, and Safety Robbie Grimsley had 3 tackles with 2 interceptions.
Southern Illinois finishes a disappointing season at 2-9 with a 1-7 conference record. Seniors on the Salukis team include QBs Sam Straub and Matt DeSomer, WRs Darrell James and Raphael Leonard, RB Jonathan Mixon, LB Withney Simon, and O-Linemen Josh Podzielinski, Bryce Wagner, Aaron Harris, and Ben Bailey.
North Dakota State ends their season at a perfect 11-0 and 8-0 in the MVFC. Not surprisingly, as the MVFC champion and #1 seed in the playoffs, they have the next weekend off before hosting the winner of the Incarnate Word at Montana State game (IWU’s first postseason appearance).
Final: North Dakota State 65, Southern Illinois 17. Bison complete their undefeated regular season. #FCS pic.twitter.com/cVfCQHPBcg
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) November 17, 2018
Missouri State started off with the ball…and immediately fumbled it (forced by UNI DB Korby Sander) to UNI DB A.J. Allen. A few plays later, the Panthers had their first points on a 34-yard FG. A bit later in the quarter, UNI QB Eli Dunne threw a 16-yard TD pass to WR Jaylin James to take a 10-0 lead. A defensive stalemate broke out for much of the 2nd quarter until UNI QB Dunne threw a 27-yard TD pass to WR Jalen Rima, moving the Panthers up 17-0. Two plays into their next drive, MSU QB Peyton Huslig threw a pass to UNI DB Korby Sander. UNI were able to turn it into 3 more points on a 43-yard FG by kicker Austin Errthum making the score 20-0 going into halftime.
In the second half, the Panthers started with the ball and took 9 plays to move 76 yards down the field, topping it off with a 1-yard TD run by RB Marcus Weymiller. No more scoring in the 3rd quarter, but in the first play of the 4th, after a UNI drive had stalled out at the MSU 10, a 27-yard FG put them up 30-0 on the Bears. MSU QB Huslig had a pass intercepted on the next drive by LB Duncan Ferch that was returned 62 yards to the MSU 13. 4 running plays by RB Weymiller got them the rest of the way in and UNI was up 37-0. Missouri State would get as close as the UNI 6 yard line, but they’d turn the ball over on downs on a sack when they were going for 4th and 5. The UNI defense would hold the rest of the way, preserving the 37-0 shutout.
MSU QB Peyton Huslig had 72 passing yards with 2 interceptions, with 41 yards of that going to WR Damoriea Vick. RB Jason Randall had 55 rushing yards. As is fitting in the final game of the season for the Bears, three names that have been heard most from the Bears defense, LBs Angelo Garbutt and McNeece Egbim, and Safety Jared Beshore finished with 11 tackles each. Garbutt also had ½ sack. Punter Brendan Withrow averaged 44 yards on 7 punts with 1 inside the 20. UNI QB Eli Dunne threw for 227 yards and 2 TDs, 1 to WR Jalen Rima (who had 73 yards) and 1 to WR Jaylin James (who had 70 yards). RB Marcus Weymiller ran for 91 yards and 2 TDs. DB Korby Sander finished with 13 tackles (1 solo), 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, and a MVFC Defensive Player of the Week award. LB Alfonzo Lambert picked up 12 tackles and LB Duncan Ferch had 5 tackles and an interception returned 62 yards. PK Austin Errthum hit FGs from 34, 43, and 27 yards out.
Missouri State finishes their season at 4-7 overall with a 2-6 MVFC record. Some of the Senior Bears this season include CBs Jamario McClendon and Matt Rush, RB Jason Randall, S Jared Beshore, and O-linemen Marquis Prophete, Brad Pryor, Jordan Turner, and Aaron Clardy.
Northern Iowa finishes the regular season at 6-5 with a 5-3 conference record and (somewhat surprisingly…including to many UNI fans) will continue their season into the playoffs, hosting Lamar University next weekend.
Final from the Dome. The Panthers shutout the Bears 37-0. For the first time since 1971, UNI has shut out three opponents in one season. #UNIFight pic.twitter.com/jWN6H7TjDi
— UNI Football (@UNIFootball) November 18, 2018
Team, MVFC Record (Overall Record)
North Dakota State, 8-0 (11-0)
South Dakota State, 6-2 (8-2)
Northern Iowa, 5-3 (6-5)
Indiana State, 5-3 (7-4)
Western Illinois, 4-4 (5-6)
Illinois State, 3-5 (6-5)
Youngstown State, 3-5 (4-7)
South Dakota, 3-5 (4-7)
Missouri State, 2-6 (4-7)
Southern Illinois, 1-7 (2-9)
YSU at ILSU – I thought 24-17 ILSU. It was 35-28 ILSU. So, a little off on the total points, but got the margin right, so that counts.
INSU at WIU – I thought 33-27 WIU. It was 15-13 INSU. Heartbreaking finish to my Leathernecks’ season. Not what I wanted to see, not what I hoped I’d see.
USD at SDSU – I thought 37-23 SDSU. It was 49-27 SDSU. The Jackrabbits outperformed my expectations a bit, but it wasn’t too far off how I thought it’d go down.
SIU at NDSU – I thought 45-10 NDSU. It was 65-17 NDSU. Didn’t really account for the second string NDSU guys getting so many points, but this was pretty close to expectations, I think.
MSU at UNI – I thought 34-20 UNI. It was 37-0 UNI. Wow…UNI defense really stepped things up. Shutting out any MVFC opponent is no easy task, and it was the 2nd one this season (third total shutout). And because I need the points, I’ll call it a win…I mean, I got pretty close on UNI’s points, right?
Previously I was 16-14 in my picks. I went 4-1 this week, so at the end of the regular season, my record is a thoroughly mediocre 20-15.
Well, the regular season is now over, and only 3 MVFC teams made it into the playoffs. I was expecting NDSU and SDSU…but UNI was something of a surprise. For the 2 of you who maybe haven’t seen the full bracket yet, you can check that out here. I mentioned it earlier, but NDSU is the #1 seed and takes the weekend off, hosting the winner of Incarnate Word at Montana State. SDSU is the #5 seed and also have next weekend off and will host the winner of Duquesne at Towson. UNI makes it in as an at-large and hosts Lamar with the winner heading to play at #6 UC Davis. At this point, I plan on continuing my previews and reviews for as long as any MVFC are still playing, so you can check back later this week for my preview of Lamar at Northern Iowa.
Despite 8 losses amongst teams previously ranked in the AGS top 25 week 12 wasn’t as tumultuous as last week was. However some teams did see their playoff hopes dashed on the eve of Selection Sunday. The top of the poll stayed the same once again with North Dakota State as the unanimous #1 team and Eastern Washington remaining at #2. Behind them Weber State and Kennesaw State switched spots to come in at #3 and #4, respectively, and South Dakota State rounded out the top 5 maintaining their #5 spot from last week.
As for other teams moving up Wofford and Nicholls each moved up 4 and 5 spots to #11 and #12, respectively, after claiming each of their respective conference’s autobids. Montana State moved up 4 spots to #21 after winning their annual “Brawl of the Wild” tilt against in-state rival Montana in dramatic fashion. Southeast Missouri State moved back into the top 25 after a one week absence moving up 4 spots to #23. Northern Iowa also climbed back into the top 25 after a one week absence moving up 5 spots to #25.
The teams going in the opposite direction were headlined by Stony Brook who fell 6 spots to #15 after being upset by unranked Albany with a walk-off FG. CAA league-mates Delaware and Elon each feel 5 spots to #18 and #19, respectively, after dropping games yesterday. East Tennessee State took a 6 spot tumble after dropping their game against Samford and lost the SOCON autobid in the process. Incarnate Word, despite being idle, and Idaho State both dropped out of the top 25.
In terms of conference representation the CAA once again led the way placing 6 teams into the top 25. They were followed by the Big Sky and MVFC with 4 teams each, the SOCON with 3 teams, and the Ivy League and OVC with 2 teams each in the top 25. Once again 10 conference were represented in the top 25.
Full results below:
| Rank | Change | Team | Total Points | First Place Votes |
| 1 | – | North Dakota State Bison | 2075 | 83 |
| 2 | – | Eastern Washington Eagles | 1929 | |
| 3 | 1 | Weber State Wildcats | 1834 | |
| 4 | -1 | Kennesaw State Owls | 1807 | |
| 5 | – | South Dakota State Jackrabbits | 1782 | |
| 6 | 1 | UC Davis Aggies | 1594 | |
| 7 | 1 | James Madison Dukes | 1576 | |
| 8 | -2 | Colgate Raiders | 1502 | |
| 9 | 1 | Maine Black Bears | 1446 | |
| 10 | 2 | Princeton Tigers | 1263 | |
| 11 | 4 | Wofford Terriers | 1122 | |
| 12 | 5 | Nicholls State Colonels | 1104 | |
| 13 | -2 | Towson Tigers | 985 | |
| 14 | 2 | Jacksonville State Gamecocks | 893 | |
| 15 | -6 | Stony Brook Seawolves | 823 | |
| 16 | 3 | Dartmouth Big Green | 785 | |
| 17 | 3 | North Carolina A&T Aggies | 725 | |
| 18 | -5 | Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens | 555 | |
| 19 | -5 | Elon Phoenix | 552 | |
| 20 | 2 | Indiana State Sycamores | 496 | |
| 21 | 4 | Montana State Bobcats | 457 | |
| 22 | 1 | Furman Paladins | 331 | |
| 23 | 4 | Southeast Missouri State Redhawks | 300 | |
| 24 | -6 | East Tennessee State Buccaneers | 266 | |
| 25 | 5 | Northern Iowa Panthers | 178 | |
| ORV: | ||||
| 26 | -2 | Incarnate Word Cardinals | 144 | |
| 27 | 1 | Lamar Cardinals | 138 | |
| 28 | 1 | San Diego Toreros | 123 | |
| 29 | -8 | Idaho State Bengals | 88 | |
| 30 | 3 | Monmouth Hawks | 34 | |
| 31 | 6 | Rhode Island Rams | 18 | |
| 32 | NR | Duquesne Dukes | 17 | |
| 33 | 6 | Samford Bulldogs | 11 | |
| 34 | 2 | Illinois State Redbirds | 6 | |
| 35T | 4 | Alcorn State Braves | 4 | |
| 35T | 3 | Chattanooga Mocs | 4 | |
| 35T | NR | Eastern Kentucky Colonels | 4 | |
| 38 | NR | Harvard Crimson | 3 | |
| 39 | NR | Northern Arizona Lumberjacks | 1 | |
Dropped out of the poll:
North Dakota Fighting Hawks
Western Illinois Leathernecks
Montana Grizzlies
Abilene Christian Wildcats
McNeese State Cowboys
New Hampshire Wildcats
Join the discussion here: http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?218483-AGS-Poll-Results-WEEK-12-SELECTION-SUNDAY-POLL-2018-SEASON
NOTE: The FCS Championship Selection Show will air at 12:30PM ET/9:30AM PT on ESPNU.
Is there another 12 week span during the course of the year that goes by as fast as football season? It’s hard to believe but as Jim Morrison once said “This is the End; My only Friend, The End”. Well, it’s the end for everyone not named Colgate. Following their regular season finale against Army, the Raiders can focus on the FCS playoff bracket that’s set to be released Sunday morning. For everyone else in the Patriot League, once Saturday evening arrives it will be about reflecting upon what went right and what went wrong in 2018 (a whole lot for most) and then looking towards the 2019 season.
Here’s three storylines to follow as the regular season comes to an end.
1. Can Colgate make a deep playoff run?
There’s no escaping the fact that Colgate has dominated an easy schedule. The Army game will be a solid indication of where the Raider’s chips stack up relative to elite FCS competition. A seed/bye and avoiding a trip to North Dakota State would be a good start to a potential long playoff run. The last time Colgate garnered a seed and home playoff game they ended up in the National Title Game.
2. Georgetown’s joy of six
The second best story of 2018, perhaps best if you ask those in our nation’s capital, is Georgetown’s run to respectability. Can they beat Holy Cross to notch only their second winning season in the Patriot League era? It would also secure the program’s first ever solo second place finish in the league standings. The Patriot League as a whole would benefit by having a second team finish with a winning record. Although, those in Worcester, MA would vehemently disagree.
3. Will the “coaching carousel” make a stop?
Following the 2017 season it made two stops, Worcester (Holy Cross) and The Bronx (Fordham). As the 2018 season is set to conclude there’s a chance for at least one shakeup. Lehigh’s Andy Coen is only a few wins shy of becoming the school’s all-time winningest coach yet his program his really struggled to gain traction nationally in recent years. The Mountain Hawk defense has been among the worst in FCS since the start of the 2013 season. Bucknell’s Joe Susan might be sweating too as the 2018 season nears its conclusion. Since Susan led the Bison to 3 winning seasons in a 4 years stretch (’11, ’13, ’14) it’s been a steady decline. The prospects heading into 2019 don’t seem too encouraging either. Colgate’s Dan Hunt will certainly have some “feelers” sent his way after leading the Raiders to back-2-back Patriot League Titles. His stock may never be higher than it is right now.
Fordham (1-9, 1-4) at Bucknell (1-9, 1-4) 1:30 P.M. Christy Matthewson Stadium Lewisburg, PA
Live Streaming: Patriot League Network
The Pick: In the rare, and some would say unfortunate event a pair of one win teams meet in the final week the most either fan base can hope for is a committed effort from all involed. This will be the first time since 1995 (1-9 Holy Cross vs 0-10 Colgate) that two PL teams with less than 3 combined wins face off in the season finale. For the traveling Rams, this is fairly uncharted territory. While Fordham clearly suffered through a disappointing 2017 campaign in Chase Edmond’s senior season, injuries (including Edmonds) really put a limit on the team’s ceiling. While the Rams entered 2018 with a new coaching staff, they possessed a 2-deep loaded with experience. On paper, the offense had the potential to be one of the most explosive units in the league. Then the season started and the “O” turned out to be among of the very worst in FCS (260.5 ypg, 120th out of 124). That will not sit well during the offseason with the offensive minded Coach Conlin. Bucknell’s struggles were a little easier to see coming the moment RB Chad Freshnock went down with an injury in fall camp. The bruising RB was going to be the focal point of the Bison offense given the inexperience at the other skill positions. The defense (29.4 ppg allowed, 5th in PL) hasn’t been able to overcome the loss of several key players from the 2017 which has created the perfect storm. Win or lose the 11th game, Bucknell will head into the offseason with a ton of questions. Many of which may be difficult to answer. Overall, the Bison program could really use a healthy dose of mojo to turn the tide.
Despite the identical records, Fordham has the more talented team. The Rams have the wide receivers in Longi and Caddle capable of making big plays against the Patriot League’s worst pass defense, (227.1 ypg allowed). Bucknell will need to get pressure on Ram quarterback Tim DeMorat (168 ypg, 11 TD 6 INT) in order to slow down the Fordham offense. Outside of the Lehigh game, Fordham hasn’t been able to run all season (50 ypg, 7th in PL). The Bison’s fate on offense rests in the hands of freshman QB Tarrin Earle (113 ypg 2 TD 2 INT) for the third straight week. Bucknell will need to create some turnovers and win the field position battle to come out on top.
Fordham 24 Bucknell 13
#6 Colgate (9-0, 6-0) at Army (8-2) 12 P.M. Michie Stadium West Point, NY
Live Television: CBS Sportsnetwork
The Pick: Colgate looks to put one final exclamation point on what has been a historic 2018 regular season when they take on the formidable 8 win Black Knights Saturday afternoon. A Colgate win would finish off the program’s first undefeated regular season since 2003. That year, Colgate opened the season with a win against FBS (like Army) Buffalo and ended it in the National Title game. The 2003 victory against the Bulls remains Colgate’s most recent FBS scalp. Army’s last lost loss against a Patriot League opponent came against Fordham in 2014. In order for ‘Gate to defeat Army in their own trench the defense must remain a constant. QB Kelvin Hopkins Jr. and the Black Knight triple-option offense (307.2 2nd in FBS) will be the stiffest test the great Raider “D” (3.2 ppg allowed & 56.7 rush ypg allowed, both 1st in FCS) has faced all season. The stats indicate that Colgate has feasted on a plethora of anemic FCS offenses. Now they get their opportunity to face one of the most efficient, and difficult to defend, offenses in all of Division 1. The ‘Gate “O” will need a big game from the OL and James Holland Jr. (899 yards 11 TD) in order to grind out yards and limit the amount of time Army possesses the ball. A win would be a HUGE feather in the Raider’s cap with the FCS Playoff Selection Show set for Sunday morning.
An undermanned Lafayette team gave Army a headache last weekend by unleashing a spirited effort on defense. It also helped that Army made several uncharacteristic mistakes during the course of the game. Black Knight Head Coach Jeff Monken should have no issue getting his squad focused and prepared with the Patriot League’s best team on tap. Colgate needs Grant Breneman (shoulder) to play if they’re going to have a legitimate chance to win. Senior backup Sage Attwood made things work against Lehigh last week but lacks Breneman’s passing ability that will be needed against a team of Army’s caliber. The Raiders defense will hang tough but the “O” won’t be able to score enough to seriously threaten.
Army 30 Colgate 10
Lehigh (2-8, 1-4) at Lafayette (3-7, 1-4) 12:30 P.M. Fisher Field Easton, PA
Live Streaming: Patriot League Network
The Pick: The 154th version of “College Football’s Most Played Rivalry” is admittedly lacking its traditional zest. Both teams enter their annual grudge match assured of losing records for the second time in the last five seasons (2014). The 2014 contest (3-7 Lehigh vs 4-6 Lafayette) just so happened to be played at Yankee Stadium. As a result, it was far easier to toss both team’s records out the window and look at the “bright side” of things. For Lehigh, 2018 has been especially disappointing. The Mountain Hawks entered 2018 off back-2-back Patriot League Championships and seemed well positioned to battle Colgate for a third straight. As things have played out, the defense continues to be among the worst in the country (38.3 ppg allowed, 109th in FCS) while the offense (14.9 ppg, 116th in FCS) has regressed significantly despite returning an All-American RB (Dom Bragalone) and All-PL QB (Brad Mayes). As the second season of the John Garrett era comes to an end, the 2018 campaign went about as expected on College Hill. The Leopard offense (14 ppg, 120th in FCS) is still searching for the next gear while the defense has been pretty solid (352 ypg allowed, 3rd in PL). If Garrett and company want to end Lafayette’s ugly streak of losing seasons in 2019, getting be production for the quarterback position needs to be high on the priority list. Sophomore Sean O’Malley (157 ypg, 4 TD 11 INT) continues to struggle despite having two full seasons worth of experience as the starter.
A lack of emotion and motivation should not be an issue despite the ugly records. Given Lafayette’s run of losing records and Lehigh’s rapid fall from grace, the cliché’ “a win will save the season” likely doesn’t apply in 2018. But it would certainly ease some of the pain for the winning side. Lehigh still possesses the more explosive skill players which gives them the chance to score from anywhere on the field. Outside of that, Lafayette would seem to have advantage in all other phases. The one area where the Leopard’s seem significantly better is in the trenches. That, combined with home field advantage means Lafayette notches their first win over Lehigh since 2014.
Lafayette 31 Lehigh 17
Holy Cross (4-6, 3-2) at Georgetown (5-5, 4-1) 12:30 P.M. Cooper Field Washington D.C.
Live Streaming: Patriot League Network
The Pick: Fresh off their late season bye, Georgetown hosts Holy Cross with visions of a winning season dancing in their head. The Hoyas have managed just one winning record (8-3) since joining the Patriot League prior to the 2001 season. A Georgetown “W” would also secure the Hoya’s first ever solo second place finish. Given Georgetown’s lack of scholarships and facility deficiencies, Coach Sgarlata has done an amazing job. Win or lose Saturday, Sgarlata will give Colgate’s Dan Hunt a run for Patriot League Coach of the Year honors. Like Georgetown, Holy Cross is also searching for a second place finish in the league standings. In the Crusader’s case it would be considered a tie for second but all involved would acknowledge who lays claims to the bragging rights. As an added bonus, a victory could cement Holy Cross’s place as the early 2019 favorite. Bob Chesney has certainly experienced his share of ups (win over Yale) and downs (loss to Bucknell) in his first year at the helm of the Crusader program but they’ve stayed on course. A big reason for that is Holy Cross’s ability to develop a physical identity on offense (152 rushing ypg, 2nd in PL) that Chesney desired. It’s allowed senior QB Geoff Wade (158 ypg 15 TD 8 INT) to get more comfortable as the season’s moved along. Georgetown signal caller Gunther Johnson (161 ypg 8 TD 5 INT, 3 rushing TD) has put together a respectable season in his own right despite having virtually no ground attack (90 ypg, 115th in FCS) to lean on. Last weekend, Johnson accounted for both touchdowns in the Hoya’s hard fought 14-3 win over Bucknell.
In order for Georgetown to make history they’ll need to follow the same recipe that’s gotten them to this point; stout defense and Gunther Johnson’s clutch play. The Hoyas will have to withstand a steady dose of Crusader RB Domenic Crozier (642 yards 8 TD) and Wade’s timely passing if they want to come out victorious. Kristian Tate (14.5 TFL) and the rest of the defense will do everything in their power to give Georgetown a chance. The question is, will it be enough? Holy Cross is the more complete team but the Hoyas are at home with a chance to conclude arguably their most successful season this millennium.
Georgetown 23 Holy Cross 21
And here we are, already to the end of the regular season, or as Bison fans call it…the ¾ mark. At this point, it’s looking quite likely that the MVFC will only get 3 teams into the playoffs…the fewest since 2013 when only 2 teams made it in. The North/South Dakota States are both in pretty much regardless of what happens this weekend. Western Illinois vs Indiana State has been described by many as something of a “play-in” game, with the winner having a pretty decent chance of making the playoffs. Otherwise…UNI technically has a slim chance if a LOT of things happen to go their way, but it seems pretty unlikely. For everyone else, this is it…try to send your seniors out with one more win, then go eat some turkey and start planning for next year.
Couple of quick things:
All times are listed as Central time zone and ranking numbers based on the AGS Poll. Here’s the full list along with starting times and places you can find them on TV/streaming video:
Saturday, November 10th
12:00 PM – Youngstown State at Illinois State, ESPN+ and NBC Sports Chicago (if you’re in the region)
1:00 PM – Indiana State at Western Illinois, ESPN3
2:00 PM – South Dakota at South Dakota State, ESPN+
2:30 PM – Southern Illinois at North Dakota State, ESPN+
4:00 PM – Missouri State at Northern Iowa, ESPN+
The Series: The Penguins and Redbirds have met up 27 times starting in 1979, with Illinois State holding a 14-13 series lead. The last 5 matchups went 3-2 for ISU and last year’s game was a 35-0 win by the Redbirds at Youngstown, OH.
YSU’s Record: Youngstown State is 4-6 with a 3-4 conference record. They lost to Butler and FBS West Virginia and beat Valparaiso for non-conference games. In the MVFC, they beat SIU, USD, and UNI, with losses to WIU, SDSU, INSU, and NDSU.
ILSU’s Record: Illinois State has a 5-5 record and is 2-5 against MVFC teams. The opened the season with a lot of promise, winning their first three games against NAIA St. Xavier, non-conference rival Eastern Illinois, and at FBS Colorado State. In the MVFC, they have wins over WIU and SIU and losses at MSU and NDSU, against SDSU, and at UNI and INSU.
About Youngstown State: YSU ranks 9th in the conference in scoring offense (20.6 ppg) and 8th in total offense (381 ypg). Their ground game ranks a little higher (6th at 163 ypg) than their passing game (7th at 218 ypg). QB Montgomery VanGorder has been throwing for 188 ypg with 7 TDs, but has struggled with turnovers, throwing 8 interceptions. VanGorder had his second-most productive passing game of the season last weekend against UNI with 209 yards and 1 TD. WR Jermiah Braswell is the top receiver for the Penguins, picking up 52 ypg and 2 TDs, although he didn’t play last week and I can’t seem to find any injury info about him, so I don’t know if he’ll be a factor in this game. Outside of him, the top WR is Christian Turner, who only averages 26 ypg and has 1 TD, but is also the top kick return guy in the MVFC with a 27 yards per return average. The focus of the offense is RB Tevin McCaster, who currently leads the conference with 102 ypg and 8 TDs in MVFC games. YSU’s defense is giving up 26 ppg (5th) and 336 ypg (4th). Against the run, they’re 5th (153 ypg) but they have the top pass defense in the MVFC (183.7 ypg). LB Armand Dellovade leads the team in tackles with 9.6/game and DT Savon Smith sits at #4 for tackles for loss with 1.14/game.
About Illinois State: Offensively, ILSU sits right about the middle of the conference, coming in at 5th in scoring (26.6 ppg) and 7th in total yards (384 ypg) with a 5th ranked run game (165 ypg) and 6th ranked passing game (219 ypg). QB Brady Davis has had the majority of the snaps this season (although former starter Jake Kolbe has also received significant playing time). Davis has a 191 ypg average with 11 TDs and 5 INTs, throwing mostly to WRs Spencer Schnell (81 ypg w/ 7 TDs) and Andrew Edgar (70 ypg w/ 3 TDs). RB James Robinson is second only to YSU’s McCaster for rushing yards per game at 93 with 5 TDs. When the other team has the ball, ISU generally does much better, giving up only 23.3 ppg (2nd) and 331 ypg (2nd). They’re in the top 3 in both run defense (129 ypg) and passing defense (202 ypg). LB Zackary Mathews has 8.3 tackles per game, and DE Romeo McKnight has 6 tackles for loss in 7 MVFC games. DBs Devin Taylor (7 pass breakups, 2 INTs) and Luther Kirk (3 pass breakups, 3 INTs) handle things in the backfield.
My Take: The teams seem to be fairly equal offensively…both with mediocre passing games and one solid RB. ISU has the advantage on defense, however and I think they’ll be able to make the YSU offense effectively 1-dimensional. The Redbirds get a bit of a boost because they’ll be at home, and I think that adds up to a low-scoring, 7 pt victory for ISU. Probably around 24-17.
The Series: WIU and INSU have matched up 41 times with WIU holding a 26-15 series lead. From 2000 to 2008, WIU won 9-straight games. INSU won in 2009, 2011, and 2012, and WIU won in 2010 and every year from 2013 to today. Last year’s matchup was a 45-0 demolishing at Terre Haute. Of particular note was the 2015 meeting, which was the second-to-last game of the season and was QB Sean McGuire’s first start ever. McGuire threw for 332 yards in that game, leading WIU to a 7-point OT win. If WIU does not make the playoffs, this Saturday will be McGuire’s last game as a Leatherneck.
INSU’s Record: Indiana State is 6-4 this season and has a 4-3 MVFC record. They started the season beating DII Quincy, lost at FBS Louisville, then won at Eastern Illinois. In the conference, they got shut out by UNI, but then took SDSU to OT in Brookings. They lost by 3 at home to MSU, but since then, they’ve rifled off four straight wins, going on the road to beat SIU by 3 and YSU by 26, then heading back home to take down USD by 3 in 3 OTs and ILSU by 5.
WIU’s Record: Western Illinois is 5-5 so far with a 4-3 record in the conference. They started off with a close loss at Montana State, a loss at FBS Illinois, and a narrow win at home against Montana. In the MVFC, they beat YSU, MSU, UNI, and SIU and have lost games against ILSU, NDSU, and USD.
About Indiana State: Overall, the Sycamores offense is #3 in the MVFC in scoring and yardage in conference games, averaging 31.9 ppg and 424 ypg. They rely heavily on their ground game, ranking #2 in rushing offense with 238 ypg but 10th in passing offense with 185 ypg. They’ve been careful though, throwing only 2 INTs (best in the MVFC) and having an offensive efficiency rating of 149.6…#2 in the conference. On the other side of the ball, they’re giving up the 7th most points in conference games (32.1 ppg) and 9th most yards (479 ypg). Their pass defense is a little better (8th, 237 ypg) than their run defense (10th, 242 ypg). Their offense is led by QB Ryan Boyle, a Junior transfer from the U of Iowa, who puts up 125 ypg and 7 TDs in MVFC games, but also is the #4 rusher in the conference, averaging 82 ypg with 4 TDs. RB Titus McCoy has picked up his yardage quite a bit in the last couple of weeks, averaging 127.5 ypg in the last two games with 2 rushing TDs against ILSU. WR Dante Hendrix is the top receiver, with 73.4 receiving yards per game and 4 TDs against conference teams. WRs Dante Jones II and Freshman Dakota Caton are both decent secondary receiving targets as well. The INSU defense has a handful of “tackling machines” with the #1-#3 tacklers in the conference: LB Jonas Griffith (13.3 tackles per game), LB Katrell Moss (12.6), and DB Jamal Jones (9.9). Griffith is, by the sounds of it, a bit banged up, but he’s currently #1 in the entire FCS in solo tackles, averaging 7.3 per game. Jones leads the conference in fumbles recovered with 3 in 7 MVFC games.
About Western Illinois: The Leathernecks are #7 in the MVFC in scoring, putting up 26 ppg, and are #6 in total offense (385 ypg). Their passing game is #1 in the conference, averaging 281 ypg, but the run game is last at 104 ypg. QB Sean McGuire is second in the MVFC in passing ypg with 270 and 14 TDs with 8 INTs. The top WIU receivers are Isaiah Lesure, who has 82 ypg and 4 TDs and RB Clint Ratkovich with 63 ypg and 3 TD. LeSure though, has struggled significantly over the last couple of weeks with dropping fairly easy passes. RB Steve McShane is an all-purpose threat, running for 56 ypg w/ 5 TDs and catching 32 yards worth of passes per game with 2 receiving TDs. McShane is also the #2 punt return guy in the conference, averaging 9.1 yards per return. WIU’s defense allows 26.3 ppg (6th) and 333 ypg (3rd) and are particularly strong against the run, allowing only 115 ypg (2nd) and sitting at #1 in total sacks. They have 217 ypg allowed through the air (4th). LB Quentin Moon is the top tackler with 8.9 per game, but LB Pete Swenson not only leads the conference, but also the entire FCS in both sacks and tackles for loss. Swenson averages 1.71 sacks per game against MVFC teams. DBs Xavier Rowe, Zach Muniz, and Justin Fitzpatrick all average 1+ passes defended per game with Rowe and Fitzpatrick each having 2 interceptions. Moon and Swenson are also #1 and 2 in the MVFC in forcing fumbles, with 4 and 3 respectively in the team’s 7 conference games.
My Take: Despite Indiana State’s winning streak (yes, that sounds weird to me too) and WIU losing last weekend, the Leathernecks are still favored in this game by a little bit. By many accounts, this game is essentially a “play-in” game for an at-large playoff spot. Indiana State has already locked in their first winning season since 2014, but will reach 7-4 and a playoff spot with one more win (all of which is a huge improvement over their 0-11 season last year). WIU stands a decent chance of making it into the playoffs with a win here and a little help around the rest of the FCS. To win this game, the WIU offense will have to be able to put together sustained drives…something they struggled with against USD…and can’t have as many dropped passes. As a Leatherneck fan, I’m hoping that the last-ranked run defense of INSU will allow us to get some kind of ground game going so that we can have a more balanced offense. WIU’s defense also has the ability to put pressure on traditionally “running” QBs. The top few QBs in the conference for rushing yards are INSU’s Ryan Boyle, SIU’s Matt DeSomer, NDSU’s Easton Stick, and MSU’s Peyton Huslig, all of which average 36+ ypg on the ground. Against DeSomer, Stick, and Huslig, WIU’s defense gave up a total of 26 rushing yards. Boyle is a better runner than those other three, but I think they should still be able to contain him fairly well. With both teams essentially fighting for a playoff spot, you can bet Indiana State will bring everything they’ve got. WIU needs a game that is much closer to how they played against UNI to come away with a win. My optimistic prediction is that WIU is able to grind out a 6-point win, 33-27.
The Series: The Coyotes and Jackrabbits have met on the football field…well…a lot, but I’m not sure how much exactly. If you go by what SDSU’s media guide says, 110 matchups with SDSU holding a 53-50-7 advantage. According to USD though, it’s 112 meetings and SDSU has a 54-51-7 series lead beginning back in 1889. I don’t know for sure which is correct, but either way, they’ve played a lot and for a long time. SDSU has won the last 9 straight and last year’s game was a 31-28 win for the Jackrabbits in Vermillion.
USD’s Record: South Dakota is 4-6 with a 3-4 conference record. They opened the season with a 3-point loss to FBS K-State, then a win over Northern Colorado and a loss at Weber State. In the MVFC, they have losses against UNI, YSU, NDSU, and INSU (3 OT) and wins over SIU, MSU, and last week over WIU.
SDSU’s Record: South Dakota State is 7-2 overall and 5-2 against MVFC teams. Their FBS game against Iowa State was cancelled but they beat both Montana State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff at home. In the conference, they beat INSU (OT), YSU, ILSU, MSU, and SIU and have losses against NDSU and UNI.
About South Dakota: The Coyotes have one of the top passing offenses in the MVFC, sitting at #2 in MVFC games with 274 ypg, however their running game is 8th with 136 ypg. They are #4 in both scoring (27.1 ppg) and total yardage (410 ypg). QB Austin Simmons is the top passing QB in the conference with 271 ypg and has thrown 10 TDs and 5 INTs. On the receiving end of things are WRs Dakarai Allen (81 ypg w/ 3 TDs) and Shamar Jackson (41 ypg). The ground game is led by RB Kai Henry with 59 ypg and 6 TDs, but QB Simmons also helps out in that area as well, running for 30 ypg with 1 TD. In total, Simmons accounts for 301 ypg of total offense (27 ypg more than the #2 guy). The defense is in the lower half of the conference in most categories: 8th in points allowed (35 ppg), 7th in total defense (447 ypg), 8th against the run (216 ypg) and 6th against the pass (231 ypg). LB Jack Cochrane leads the team in tackles, averaging 8 per game over 7 MVFC matchups. Twin brothers Andrew (DB) and Alex (LB) average 7.9 and 7.6 tackles per game respectively. DL Darin Greenfield picks up 1.14 tackles for loss per game. Overall, USD struggles at the line of scrimmage on both sides, sitting in last place in both sacks allowed (for O-Line) and sacks by (for their defense).
About South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits offense is the most productive in the conference, putting up the most points per game (38.6) and yards per game (454). Their passing game is 3rd with 248 ypg and their run game is 4th with 206 ypg. QB Taryn Christion has thrown for 247 ypg with 16 TDs and 6 INTs in MVFC games this season and has also run for 27 ypg and 3 TDs. WR Cade Johnson is the top receiver in the conference, picking up 102 ypg with 7 TDs and WR Adam Anderson gets 62 ypg with 5 TDs. Despite the injuries to RBs Isaac Wallace and C.J. Wilson, the Jackrabbits running game is in good shape for this year and into the future, with R-Fr. RB Pierre Strong Jr. running for 324 yards and 5 TDs in the last two games and RB Mikey Daniel averaging 58 ypg with 5 TDs in MVFC games. Wilson is a true freshman and was averaging 54 ypg with 1 rushing and 1 receiving TD. He played in 5 games this season, so is unable to use the new “4-game redshirt” rule to count this year as a redshirt year. Their defense isn’t quite as good as the offense, but is still decent, coming in at #3 in points allowed (25.1 ppg)) and 6th in yards allowed (400 ypg). They’re 6th against the run (179 ypg) and 5th against the pass (220 ypg). LB Christian Rozeboom leads the team with 7.4 tackles per game in MVFC contests, while DE Ryan Earith is in the top 10 of the conference in tackles for loss (7.5 in 7 games) and sacks (4). CB Jordan Brown defends passes at a rate of 1.43 per game (8 breakups, 2 INTs) which ties him at #3 in the MVFC.
My Take: This is a big game for both teams…not so much because of playoff consideration (SDSU is already in but are hoping to improve their position, USD is already out regardless of what happens on Saturday)…but because this is the most played matchup for either team. It doesn’t seem to get as much publicity as the Dakota Marker game (NDSU and SDSU) but it’s still pretty huge to the two schools involved. Also, according to Wikipedia, it’s the oldest rivalry in college football between two public universities in the same state that are between the University of ___ and ___ State University…so…um…that’s a thing. USD’s defense has generally allowed quite a bit of yardage and points…two things SDSU’s offense can put up in large quantities. USD’s offense isn’t too bad and will be able to put together a few drives, but I think SDSU’s ability to control the game when they have the ball will allow them to get the win. I’m thinking something around a 37-23 victory for the Jackrabbits.
The Series: SIU and NDSU have faced off 10 times, technically starting in 1963, but then not again until 2005. NDSU holds a 7-3 series lead and have won the last 6 matchups. The two teams didn’t play last year or in 2016, but in the last meeting NDSU won 35-29 in Carbondale in 2015.
SIU’s Record: Southern Illinois is 2-8 on the season with a 1-6 conference record. In the non-conference portion of their schedule, they won at Murray State, lost at FBS Ole Miss, and lost a close game against non-conference rival Southeast Missouri State. In the MVFC, they have a win over Missouri State and have lost to USD, YSU, ILSU, INSU, WIU, and SDSU.
NDSU’s Record: North Dakota State has been nearly the exact opposite of SIU, going 10-0 so far and 7-0 in the MVFC. They beat Cal Poly, North Alabama, and Delaware, all at home. In conference they have wins over SDSU (the closest game of the season so far), UNI, WIU, ILSU, USD, YSU, and MSU.
About Southern Illinois: In the MVFC games, SIU’s offense ranks 8th in both scoring (25.7 ppg) and passing yardage (186 ypg). Their ground game is quite a bit better though, averaging 239 ypg and is ranked 3rd, which combined, puts them at 5th for total yards with 405 ypg. QB Matt DeSomer only gets 125 ypg with 7 TDs and 2 INTs through the air, but is also the Salukis’ #2 rusher (59 ypg w/ 6 TDs) behind RB D.J. Davis (92 ypg w/ 4 TDs). Davis also has a few catches and handles kick return duties, which combined puts him at #1 in the conference in All-Purpose yards. RB Jonathan Mixon is something of a short-down/goal-line fullback runner…with 44 ypg and 3 TDs. WR Raphael Leonard gets most of the receiving yards with 74 ypg and 2 TDs. SIU’s defense is in the bottom 3 in the conference in most major defense categories, allowing 35.6 ppg and 458 total ypg with 210 ypg coming on the ground and 247 through the air. LB Bryce Notree leads the team in tackles with 7.7 per game and DE Anthony Knighton is in the top 3 in the conference in both tackles for loss (1.29/game) and sacks (.86/game). DB Jeremy Chinn is #5 at defending passes, averaging 1.33/game with 3 interceptions.
About North Dakota State: NDSU has the #2 offense for scoring (37.6 ppg) and for total yards (425 ypg). They actually have only the 9th most productive passing game (186 ypg), but their offensive efficiency is over 15 points better than the #2 team; they’ve only thrown 3 interceptions; and their running game more than makes up for it, sitting at #1 in the conference with 239 ypg. QB Easton Stick is the one with those 186 passing ypg with 16 TDs and 3 interceptions, quite often passing to WR Darrius Shepherd, who has 90 ypg and 4 TDs. Shepherd is also the best punt returner in the conference averaging 19.7 yards per return (the #2 guy is at 9.1). As I mentioned, though, the strength is in the ground attack, led by RB Lance Dunn with 75 ypg and 5 TDs and RB Bruce Anderson with 54 ypg. QB Stick also is a running threat, picking up 43 ypg with 6 TDs. The punter, Garret Wegner is #1 in the conference, averaging 43.5 yards per punt on 35 punts with 16 inside the red zone. The Bison defense is…by quite a bit…#1 in the conference in most defensive categories: scoring (13.9 ppg…#2 is 23.3), total yards allowed (330 ypg), and rushing yards allowed (113). If there’s a weakness, it’s that they’re “only” 3rd in their pass defense, allowing 217 ypg. LB Jabril Cox leads the team with 7.3 tackles per game, has 4 sacks and 2 interceptions.
My Take: SIU’s run game is decent, but struggled against teams with decent run defenses like YSU, ILSU, and WIU. I don’t think NDSU will have much trouble with that aspect and they really won’t have a problem stopping SIU’s (not much of a) passing game. I mean…it’s the #1 team in the FCS vs the last place team in the conference. Unless the Bison players all forget what day the game is on, we should be seeing the second string by halftime. SIU came into this season with fairly high hopes, but they’ll be going out with a loss. NDSU doesn’t usually run up the score on anyone, but they did beat MSU 48-7 last week and despite SIU beating MSU head to head, they don’t really appear to be any better of a team. I think that’s going to be around the same result this week…I’ll say 45-10 for NDSU.
The Series: The Bears and Panthers have matched up 38 times beginning in 1980 and with UNI holding an impressive 33-5 record in that time. They’ve won the last 12 meetings between the two teams and last year’s game was a 25-10 Panther victory in Springfield, MO.
MSU’s Record: Missouri State is 4-6 overall and 2-5 in the MVFC. They opened with a loss at FBS Oklahoma State, then a home win over DII Lincoln University and a big home win over then-top 25-ranked Northern Arizona. In the conference, they have wins over ILSU and INSU, and losses against USD, WIU, SIU, SDSU, and last week against NDSU.
UNI’s Record: Northern Iowa is 5-5 with a 4-3 conference record. With a win this weekend, they could theoretically have a shot at a spot in the playoffs, although that seems pretty unlikely and they’d need a LOT of help from other teams to be in the conversation. They opened the season with losses at Montana and then at FBS Iowa before heading home for a shutout win over Hampton. In the MVFC, they shut out INSU, beat USD, SDSU, and ILSU, and lost to NDSU, WIU, and YSU.
About Missouri State: The Bears offense is fairly underwhelming, ranking last in the conference in scoring (20.6 ppg) and in total yardage (339 ypg). The passing game isn’t too bad, coming in 5th with 220 ypg, but the ground game is 9th with 118 ypg. QB Peyton Huslig puts up an average of 216 ypg with 9 TDs and 10 INTs. He’s got a few solid receivers that he can throw to, with WRs Tyler Currie (66 ypg w/ 4 TDs) and Lorenzo Thomas (53 ypg w/ 1 TD) topping the list. RB Donovan Daniels is the best rusher on the team, but only gets 32 ypg w/ 3 TDs. QB Huslig can also run the ball some, getting 28 ypg and 4 TDs. MSU’s defense has also struggled, sitting at the bottom of the conference allowing 38.4 ppg and 483 ypg. Their run defense is second to last, allowing 235 ypg, and their pass defense gives up the most yards in the MVFC, allowing 249 ypg. LBs Angelo Garbutt and McNeese Egbim lead the defense with 9.7 and 8.9 tackles per game respectively. DE Matt McClellan is decent at putting pressure on the opposing QB with 6.5 tackles for loss (4 sacks) in 7 games.
About Northern Iowa: The Panthers are sitting around the middle of the conference in scoring, putting up 26.1 ppg, but are down at 9th for total yardage (359 ypg). They have the #7 run game (136 ypg) and #4 passing game (223 ypg). QB Eli Dunne handles the passing and has 10 TDs with 4 INTs. TE Briley Moore had been the top receiver at 51 ypg w/ 3 TDs, but after a scary collision in the game against YSU, Moore was carted off the field. From what I’ve read on other forums, he’ll likely be ok, wanted to walk off the field, but they wouldn’t let him for safety reasons (thanks to “Clenz” for the info). Since it’s unlikely that even a win will extend UNI’s season, I don’t think it likely that Moore will be playing. We’ll probably see some of UNI’s other receivers get a bit more catches and experience in this game. RB Marcus Weymiller (84 ypg w/ 3 TDs) will likely be getting the majority of the carries. PK Austin Errthum has been pretty solid this season, hitting 12 of 14 FG attempts with a long of 46 in MVFC games. The Panther defense is…above average. They’re 4th in the conference for scoring (25.3 ppg allowed) and 5th in yards allowed (368 ypg), and are a little better against the run (4th, 132 ypg) than they are against the pass (7th, 236 ypg). LB Duncan Ferch averages 8.7 tackles per game, and DB Korby Sander and Christian Jegen both get around 7.7 tackles per game. Ferch also is #3 in the conference in defended passes with 1.43/game and 2 interceptions. LB Rickey Neal Jr. is #2 in the conference for tackles for loss, with 1.36/game, and DB Xavior Williams has 3 interceptions, one of which was returned for a TD near the end of the win over SDSU. Williams is also the #2 kick return guy in the conference, averaging 26.9 yards per return.
My Take: I think it’s safe to say that it’s been a disappointing season for both of these teams and they both want to finish out on something of a high note. “Disappointing” for each of these teams is relative though, and MSU would probably like to have had a season a bit closer to what UNI had, which is likely going to end up at 6-5 because I think UNI will take this game by around 34-20.
