The FCS Wedge

Preview: FCS Kickoff 2018

Football season is almost here and this year we are starting off right with an excellent match-up between the reigning HBCU National Champions, North Carolina A&T, and the four-time defending OVC Champions, Jacksonville State. Like last year’s kickoff match-up, where the Gamecocks beat Chattanooga 27-13, this year’s game will be played in Montgomery, Alabama at the Historic Cramton Bowl as well as feature on Saturday night ESPN prime time television.

The Teams:

#19 North Carolina A&T Aggies

2017 Record: 12-0

Players to Watch:

Lamar Reynard, SR. QB

Elijah Bell, SR. WR

Darryl Johnson, JR. DE

The Aggies are coming off an undefeated season that ended with a win over Grambling State for the Aggies’ second Celebration Bowl victory in the event’s short three-year history. The Aggies enter 2018 looking to repeat their success with new head coach, Sam Washington. Washington is no stranger to Aggie football as he has spent the past seven seasons serving as the Aggie’s defensive coordinator. After two HBCU Championships in three years the Aggies are looking to shrug off the notion that the MEAC’s reputation as a weaker league affects their legitimacy as an elite FCS program.

Redshirt Senior Quaterback Lamar Reynard

The Aggies have play makers on both sides of the ball and on offense feature one of the top offensive trios in the FCS with quarterback Reynard, wide receiver Bell, and running back Cartwright. Despite having a talented group of skill players on offense, the key for the Aggies will be to play well up front. The Aggies’ offensive line’s sole returning starter will have to work well with new faces to open holes for Cartwright and opportunities available for Reynard and Bell against a Jacksonville State front seven that has been one of the best units in the country over the past few seasons.

The Aggies return most of their defensive unit which was ranked top five nationally in 2017 in scoring defense, total defense, and rushing defense. Headlined by junior defensive end Darryl Johnson and Redshirt sophomore defensive back Mac McCain the Aggies are an experienced group that is excellent at stopping the run and forcing turnovers.

#8 Jacksonville State Gamecocks

2017 Record: 10-2

Players to Watch:

Marlon Bridges, JR. FS

Randy Robinson, SR. NT

Whoever Starts at QB

For the past several years Jax State has been on the short list of national contenders. Now after going losing in the second round of the FCS playoffs three of the past four years, JSU must prove that they still have a place in the national arena of FCS football. After losing to Sam Houston State in 2014 (National Semifinalist) and Youngstown State in 2016 (National Runner up) JSU was given the benefit of the doubt due to their 2015 campaign which saw them end the season in Frisco, but the prestige of making the National Championship game officially lost its meaning for JSU after a 7-17 loss to Kennesaw State in another second-round mishap last season.

The main story for the Gamecocks this season has been the battle between Redshirt-Freshman Zion Webb and 4-Star Clemson transfer Zerrick Cooper for the role of starting QB. Head Coach John Grass has stated that the starting quarterback will be revealed as the offense gets onto the field in Montgomery. Whoever the Gamecock’s play at QB will have plenty off assets to help them as the Gamecocks offense features veteran offensive line, talented group of receivers and tight ends, and a deep stable of running backs. Much like the Aggies, offensive line play for the Gamecocks will set the tone for the offense and the Aggie front seven will provide a worthy test.

Defensively the Gamecock’s motto seems to be “Reload.” After losing 5 starters, 4 of which were given NFL opportunities, including 2017 Buchannan Award winner Darius Jackson, the Gamecocks have brought in 4-star SEC transfers Tre Threat and Denzil Ware to supplement the Gamecocks Defensive front. The Gamecocks will also return junior safety and Buchannan candidate, Marlon Bridges, who lead a young group of defensive backs. The defensive backs will be the question mark for JSU’s defense and they will be thrown straight into the fire against Reynard and the Aggie’s strong passing attack.

The Prediction:

Both teams are entering 2018 on a mission to legitimize themselves a staple in the ranks of the FCS elite. This game may not provide the winner the recognition they deserve but a loss for either team could be a very big setback as far as reputation is concerned. Call me a homer, but I’m banking on the Gamecock’s 41-game regular season winning streak against non-FBS competition to extend.

Gamecocks 34

Aggies 24

Patriot League: 2018 Georgetown Preview

Georgetown Hoyas

2017 Record: 1-10 (0-6)

Head Coach: Rob Sgarlata, 5^th season, 11-33 (3-21)

Last Patriot League Title: Never

Last FCS Playoff Appearance: Never

2018 Schedule

9/1 @ Marist

9/8 Campbell

9/15 @ Dartmouth

9/22 Columbia

9/29 @ Brown

10/6 @ Fordham

10/13 @ Lafayette

10/20 Lehigh

10/27 @ Colgate

11/10 Bucknell

11/17 Holy Cross

Overview

Georgetown enters the 2018 season riding a dubious 15 game conference losing streaking. The last time the Hoyas notched a win in Patriot League action was October 24^th 2015. On that fateful autumn day Georgetown outlasted Bucknell 17-9 in Lewisburg. What’s especially troublesome if you’re a Georgetown fan is the fact the Patriot League itself has struggled over that same time period.

Georgetown’s decision to stick with the need-base system while the rest of the Patriot League went to the full-scholarship model 7 years ago was suppose create a major competitive disadvantage. While the Hoyas have clearly fallen further behind it’s not because the other six programs have ascended to the top of FCS. The alarming reality is Georgetown is losing to mostly average to below average teams.

If Coach Sgarlata’s team is going to find success in the Patriot League, even modest success, they must find a way to generate points (12.5 ppg, 120^th in FCS). During the offseason, Sgarlata hired Rob Spence to take over the offensive coordinator position. Spence held the same position at Clemson during Tommy Bowden’s tenure in Death Valley.

Offense

Best Returning Player: WR Michael Dereus

Freshman to Watch: OL Mac Hollensteiner

Pence’s first order of business will be deciding if Gunther Johnson (1026 yards, 4 TDs 6 INTs) will remain the starting quarterback. Clay Norris opted to leave the team during the offseason which has caused serious depth issues at QB. Sophomore Joseph Brunell (son of Mark Brunell) will likely get a lengthy look in camp. Freshmans Lorenzo Linsey and Jack Elliott come to D.C. with impressive resumes. Odds say Johnson starts the year and his performance will dictate what happens after the first few games.

The running back position is another area of concern. Georgetown’s rushing attack was anemic last year (59.8 ypg) despite having two senior backs in Alex Valles and Isaac Ellsworth. Now it’s Juniors Jay Tolliver and Jackson Saffold turn to see significant time in the backfield. Freshman Herman Moultrie has a chance to be the third RB that gets important carries throughout the season. Given the Hoyas recent struggles running the ball, the lack of depth and experience at RB is a major concern.

If Spence can point to a clear strength on offense it’s the pass catchers. Junior Michael Dereus (46 rec 696 yards 5 TDs) is a bonafide stud at WR. Dereus could be a household name in FCS with improved QB play. Senior Brandon Williams (24 rec 346 yards in 8 games) gives the Hoyas a very solid second option. Junior Max Edwards figures to see significant time as the third WR. Another WR to pay attention to is Skyler Springs (son of former NFL CB Shawn Springs). Freshman Cameron Clayton has a chance to work his way into the rotation. The TE spot seems wide open at this point. Junior Isaac Schley seems to have the inside track to the starting position. 6’6 freshman Liam McHale has a chance to be a serious red zone weapon if he can get comfortable in the offense.

The offensive line has the potential to be pretty solid. Due to numerous injuries last year there’s a lot of returning experience in the trenches. The unit will led by 5^th year senior Dominic Scarangella at center. There’s a good chance the tackle positions are manned by two brothers, sophomore Daniel Horne and senior Jared Horne. Highly touted freshman Mac Hollensteiner will also make a push for playing time at tackle. The guard spots appear to be pretty wide open at this point. Seniors Tower Menning and Randy Crystian could be the week one starters. Junior Justin Wood will also be in the mix.

Defense

Best Returning Player: DT Kristian Tate

Freshman to Watch: LB Justin Fonteneaux

The Hoya defense took a step back last season (27.2 ppg allowed, 5^th in PL) after developing into one of the best units in the Patriot League in recent years. The downfall of the “D” combined with a putrid offense resulted in Georgetown’s fewest wins since 2009. If the Hoya defense is going to turn things around Preseason All-PL DT Kristian Tate will be the one leading the way. Tate continues a Hoya tradition of extremely talented and disruptive front 7 players. Seniors Brennen Sawicki and Mike Taylor along with sophomore Duval Paul will likely join Tate along the defensive line. Sophomore Owen Kessler and freshman Isaiah Byrd are two more names that could find themselves with an increased role as the season progresses.

The linebacker unit will be bolstered by the return (missed 7 games in ’17) of senior J’Von Butler. Butler is one of the more talented linebackers in the Patriot League when healthy. He and Tate give the Hoyas two big time players within the front 7. The sophomore duo of Wesley Bowers and Ahmad Wilson should once again get the starting nod. There’s very little depth at LB so odds are at least one of the five freshmen sees significant time. Texan Justin Fonteneaux comes to Hoyaland off an exceptional high school career.

With plenty of experience and depth returning, the secondary should be the strength of defense. Senior Ramon Lyons, sophomore Cameron Deen and senior Jalen Goldwire will see plenty of time at cornerback. Despite his diminutive size, 5’9 170, Lyons has proven he can make disruptive plays all over the field. Blaise Brown, Jethro Francois and Leon Agee will fight it out for playing time at the two safety positions.

Special Teams

Junior Brad Hurst is expected to handle all facets of the kicking game. Hurst has proven to be a very reliable punter (40.7 avg.) but shaky at best when it comes to field goals (5-9). Given the Hoya’s struggles on offense, a strong kicking game is essential. Blaise Brown and Michael Dereus both have experience returning kicks.

Outlook

Georgetown has some very good pieces sprinkled about their roster. The defense should regain its form as one of the top 2 or 3 units in the Patriot League. However, there remain numerous question marks on offense. The combination of defections and graduation has left the cupboard extremely bare at key positions. Needless to say, Spence has his work cut out for himself.

The non-league portion of Georgetown’s schedule is once again quite negotiable. That doesn’t mean the Hoyas will find victories but at the very least there’s chances for one or more. At Marist, home against Campbell and at Brown appear to be best chances for “Ws”.

It’s hard to see Georgetown finishing higher than 6^th in the final Patriot League standings. Their November 10^th battle with Bucknell in D.C. might be the Hoyas only realistic chance to end the conference losing streak. Overall, anything more than a 2 or 3 wins will be a surprise given the state of the offense heading into the 2018 campaign.

Prediction: 2-9 (1-5)

Patriot League: 2018 Fordham Preview

Fordham Rams

2017 Record: 4-7 (3-3)

Head Coach: Joe Conlin, 1^st year

Last Patriot League Title: 2014

Last FCS Playoff Appearance: 2015

2018 Schedule

9/1 @ Charlotte (FBS)

9/8 @ Richmond

9/15 Stony Brook

9/22 Central Connecticut State

10/6 Georgetown

10/13 @ Lehigh

10/20 Bryant

10/27 Lafayette

11/ 3 Colgate

11/10 @ Holy Cross

11/17 @ Bucknell

Overview

For the second time in three years the Fordham Rams will enter the season with a new head coach. Andrew Breiner left the Big Apple to join former Ram’s head coach Joe Moorhead at Mississippi State last December. Stepping in to replace Breiner is Joe Conlin. Conlin spent the previous 6 seasons as Yale’s offensive coordinator. Prior to his time in New Haven, Conlin had coaching stints at Harvard and New Hampshire. Needless to say, Conlin has been part of winning FCS football programs for over a decade.

Conlin does take over a program that took a serious step back in 2017 after posting 5 straight winning seasons. The Ram’s entered last year with a preseason Top 25 ranking and arguably the best player in FCS, Chase Edmonds. As fate would have it, Edmonds was injured early in the season, the defense struggled and the campaign ended up being a failure relative to expectations.

The good news for Conlin is the cupboard is far from bare, especially on offense. In order to get Fordham back to its winning ways priority number one must be getting vastly improved play from the defense. It started to show cracks at the end of Moorhead’s tenure and has been on a steady decline since.

Offense

Best Returning Player – WR Austin Longi

Freshman to Watch – OL Austin Glazier

For the first time in 5 years the centerpiece of the Ram offense won’t be record setting running back Chase Edmonds. Taking over for Edmonds will likely be the tandem of junior D’Angelo Palladino (481 yards 4 TDs) and sophomore Zach Davis (391 yards 2 TDs). Freshman Naim Mayfield is worth keeping an eye on as the season goes along. Mayfield enters Fordham following an extremely decorated high school career in New Jersey.

The quarterback position seems up in the air. Seniors Luke Medlock and Austin King (Indiana Transfer) both had chances to start last year due to a revolving door of injuries under center. Between the two, Medlock is more experienced but King is the better overall athlete. Given the weapons at the skill positions, both are more than capable of putting plenty of points on the scoreboard if they protect the ball.

Whomever gets the starting quarterback spot will have a plethora of experienced, talented pass catchers to work with. Preseason 1^st Team All-PL Austin Longi (36 rec 462 yards 3 TDs) and Corey Caddle (33 rec 392 4 TDs) will lead the way at wide receiver. Both battled through injuries last year. Fellow seniors Andrew Prince and Jonathan Lumley give the Rams two big targets out wide in the red zone. Senior Isaiah Searight (33 rec 452 4 TDs, Preseason 1^st Team All-PL) gives the Rams an extremely dangerous weapon at TE.

On paper there should be a decent amount of concern entering the season regarding the offensive line since Fordham lost 3 starters to graduation. The biggest loss of all is LT Anthony Coyle. Coyle was one of, if not the best Fordham linemen in the Patriot League era. Sophomore Nick Zakelj will likely move from RT to LT while junior Dominic Lombard (Preseason 1^st Team All-PL) is a rock at center. After Zakelj and Lombard things get interesting. Sophomore Will Conley, freshman Austin Glazier and sophomore Matt Donovan should battle it out for the other tackle position. The guard positions seem a bit more up in the air. Juniors Marcel Deya and Anthony Solano along with sophomore Jake Troutman and freshman Phil Saleh are names in the mix for the two starting spots.

Defense

Best Returning Player – CB Dylan Mabin

Freshman to Watch – DB Cameron Blair

The Ram’s Patriot League Championship aspirations begin and end with the defense (34.9 ppg allowed, 6^th in PL). Like fellow league contender Lehigh, Fordham MUST get better on “D” (431.5 ypg allowed, 103^rd in FCS) if they’re going to seriously challenge for a league title and postseason consideration. If there’s one particular aspect that needs improvement it’s the run defense (209.5 ypg allowed, 108^th in FCS). In an era that favors passing before the game even begins, stopping the run is paramount.

If Fordham is going to improve along the defensive line it will be up to a very young group to get the job done. There’s not a single senior defensive lineman on the Ram’s roster. Outside of junior DT Michael Ware (started all 11 games) Fordham will rely on a number of sophomores and freshman to contribute during the course of the season. Deondre Carter seems a safe bet at one DE spot while Mike Marinelli will see significant time at DT. After those two it should be wide open race for playing time. Keep any eye on Anthony Diodato. The sophomore was one of the best high school lineman (1^st team All-State 5A OL and DL) in Pennsylvania.

The linebacker unit returns a good amount of game experience. Glenn Cunningham led the team in tackles as a freshman despite missing two games. The Nutmeg State native will vie for postseason league honors. Senior Lawrence Menyah will likely join Cunningham as a starter. James Biggs-Frazier will be in the running for the flex starting spot as well. Jeremy Imperati gives the defense a solid rush end. There’s not a lot of size at the linebacker which remains a concern given the Ram’s struggles against the run.

The secondary is anchored by Preseason 1^st Team All-PL CB Dylan Mabin (Senior). Junior Jesse Bramble will almost certainly join at Mabin at CB. Safety Antonio Jackson (’17 2^nd Team All-PL) is an excellent safety. The other safety position seems wide open.

Special Teams

There’s plenty of experience returning in the special teams department. Andrew Mevis handled all the kicking duties as a freshman and should do so again this year. Austin Longi and Dylan Mabin have plenty of reps handling returns.

Outlook

If new head coach Joe Conlin can settle on a quarterback and get improved play from the front 7 on defense the Rams have as good a shot as anyone to win the Patriot League. The talent and experience at the skill positions can rival anyone in the league. The offensive line will go from a weakness to a strength this year despite the loss of Coyle.

Conlin’s troops will face a formidable, but not overwhelming out of conference slate. The Rams open up with a winnable FBS game against a downtrodden Charlotte team then head to Virginia to face the rebuilding Richmond Spiders. The toughest test of the season will likely come on September 15^th when Fordham hosts a loaded Stony Brook squad. 2017 NEC Champion Central Connecticut State and fellow NEC’er Bryant round out the non-league portion of the schedule.

Heading into the season everyone is talking about the Colgate-Lehigh clash set for the league’s penultimate weekend. However, it’s the Raider’s trip to the Bronx the week before that may very well decide the league race. If the Rams can split with Lehigh and Colgate while avoiding a potential pitfall against Holy Cross on November 10^th there’s a great chance they end their two year postseason hiatus.

Prediction: 7-4 (5-1)

Patriot League: 2018 Colgate Preview

Colgate Raiders

2017 Record: 7-4 (5-1)

Head Coach: Dan Hunt, 26-21 (18-6) through 4 seasons

Last League Title: 2017, Co-Championship

Last FCS Playoff Appearance: 2015

2018 Schedule

9/1 Holy Cross

9/8 @ New Hampshire

9/15 @ Furman

9/22 Lafayette

9/29 @ William & Mary

10/6 @ Bucknell

10/13 Cornell

10/27 Georgetown

11/3 @ Fordham

11/10 @ Lehigh

11/17 @ Army

Overview

Colgate enters the 2018 season fresh off a share of their 9^th Patriot League Championship. In addition to their co-championship, Colgate was the only team in the league to post a winning record in 2017. Unfortunately for the Raiders, those two accomplishments weren’t good enough to earn a berth in the FCS Playoffs. Lehigh’s 41-38 win over Colgate in Hamilton proved to be the difference in the race for the automatic bid. Due to Colgate’s struggles in non-conference play and the league’s overall weakness in 2017 they weren’t seriously considered for an at-large bid.

The good news for Colgate is they return a roster loaded with talent at every level. QB Grant Brenenan (’17 PL Freshman of the year) showed tremendous growth as the 2017 season went on. He will lead a very experienced offense. On the other side of the ball Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Chris Wheeler will anchor the most talented unit in the league.

Offense

Best Returning Player: T Jovaun Woolford

Freshman to Watch: OL Michael Griggs

Heading into the season it’s hard to find a weakness on the Colgate offense. Brenenan (132-233 1,594 yards, 18 TDs 5 INTs; 401 yards rushing 6 TDs), RB James Holland (722 yards 6 TDs) and WR Thomas Ives (23 rec 353 yards 7 TDs) a 3 headed monster at the skill positions that can rival anyone in the league. Getting Holland back for a 5^th year is a huge boost for the offense. Holland led the FCS in rushing TDs in 2015 before suffering a season ending injury early in the 2016 campaign. Ives (6’5) gives Brenenan a big target in the redzone. WR Owen Rockett (29 rec 333 yards 2 TDs) and TE Nick Martinsen (23 rec 254 yards 1 TD) will likely see increased productivity this year with a more experienced quarterback behind center.

The offensive line figures to be the top unit in the league. Fellow seniors Juvaun Woolford and Max Hartzman were named to the Preseason All-Patriot League team. Guard Scott Hirshman (2017 2^nd Team All-PL) gives the Raiders a third talented, proven commodity in trenches. The other two spots figure to be a battle between sophomores Sam Diehl and Jack Badovinac, juniors Will Varble and Charlie Holstopple and a slew of talented freshman. Keep an eye on freshman Michael Griggs from New Jersey.

Defense

Best Returning Player: DE Nick Wheeler

Freshman to Watch: LB Milton Braasch II

Last year it was DE Pat Afriyie who entered the year as the stud along the defensive front. This season the torch has been passed to senior DE Chris Wheeler. Junior Cam Rohr (6’2 315) gives Colgate the big body at the NT position that teams at this level covet. Senior Caleb Fell is also capable of manning the middle of the defensive line. The other end position in the Raiders 3-4 alignment will likely come down to the experienced Chuck Moore (10^th in tackles in ’17) or sophomores Hunter Gossman and Owen Rosenberger.

The Raiders seem set at linebacker. While the area did suffer some key graduation losses there’s a ton of experience that returns. Senior T.J. Holl earned Preseason 1^st Team All-PL honors. Nick Ioanilli and John Steffen will almost certainly join Holl in the starting rotation. Ioanelli and Steffen could easily vie for postseason league honors. Dillon Deluliis, Matt Carandang, Blane Briggs and Trevor Thompson will also be in the mix.

The Raiders return an embarrassment of riches in the backend of the defense. The secondary will not only be the best in the league, it should be one of the top units in the country. The cornerback combo of Tyler Castillo and Abu Daramy-Swaray were named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. Senior Alec Wiesnewski joins them on the Preseason 1^st team at strong safety. A case could be made that free safety Ben Hunt IV is the top player at his position in the league.

Special Teams

Colgate returns all their specialists from last year. Junior place kicker Chris Puzzi earned Preseason 1^st All-PL 1^st team honors. The punting duties will once again fall on the leg of Josh Cerra (39.8 ypp in ’17). Owen Rockett and Daramy-Swaray figure to once again be in line for punt and kick return duties.

Outlook

On paper, Colgate is the team to beat in the Patriot League. No team enters 2018 with fewer question marks than the Raiders, and it’s not really close. If the offense is off one game they have a defense capable of pulling out a tough “W” and vice versa. Expect to see Grant Brenenan’s name pop up more and more in the national conversation as the season goes along. He’s the most gifted Colgate QB since Ryan Vena.

The one thing that could trip up Colgate is their schedule. They once again face a daunting non-league slate and must travel to Fordham and Lehigh in early November. The Raiders have struggled in non-league play in recent years. They haven’t fared much, if any better against the Mountain Hawks. Colgate is 2-6 against their main nemesis this decade.

Prediction: 7-4 (5-1)

Patriot League: 2018 Bucknell Preview

Bucknell Bison

2017 Record: 5-6 (2-4)

Head Coach: Joe Susan, 37-51 (18-29) through 8 seasons

Last League Title: 1996

Last FCS Playoff Appearance: Never

2018 Schedule

9/1 William & Mary

9/8 Sacred Heart

9/15 @ Penn

9/22 @ Villanova

9/29 @ Holy Cross

10/6 Colgate

10/13 @ Monmouth

10/20 Lafayette

11/3 @ Lehigh

11/10 @ Georgetown

11/17 Fordham

Overview

After posting back-2-back winning seasons in 2013 and 2014, the Bison head into the 2018 campaign on the heels of three straight losing records. The offense once again struggled to generate points (16.8 ppg, 5^th in PL) in 2017. Inconsistent quarterback play and injuries at the running back position were the main reasons for the unit’s lackluster performance.

Perhaps even more concerning, and surprising, last season was the defense’s inconsistent play. The Bison “D” was able to keep lesser offenses firmly in check but when they faced better competition it was extremely leaky despite having Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Abdullah Anderson anchoring the front 7. Bucknell lost by a combined score of 82-24 to Patriot League co-champions Colgate and Lehigh. They yielded 40+ points in both contests.

Offense

Best Returning Player: RB Chad Freshnock

Freshman to Watch: QB Tarrin Earle

There’s no denying Bucknell’s struggles on offense the last few years. Even when they were posting winning season’s the offense was a step away from being at a league championship level. As the 2018 season begins the Bison must find a way to generate more explosive plays on “O”. The ability to do so starts and stops at the quarterback position. Junior John Chiarolanzio (109-200 6 TDs 6 INTs 118 ypg in ’17) is the only returning QB with any meaningful playing time. Chiarolanzio has shown some promise but must elevate his game if he wants to hold on to the starting position and elevate the Bison offense. Sophomore Logan Bitikofer seems like the most likely candidate to unseat Chiarolanzio at this time. The QB with the most upside on the roster is freshman Tarrin Earle. Don’t be surprised if Earle is seeing significant time if the more experienced quarterbacks on the roster aren’t getting the job done.

The “O” will look upon RB Chad Freshnock (525 yards 6 TDs in ’17) to carry much of the load now that his stablemate Joey DeFloria graduated. Junior Marques Carter will likely start the season as the #2 back but don’t be shocked if one of the freshmen get meaningful carries during the season. Former WR and current special teams ace Stefone Moore-Green could also be in line for a more impactful role at RB given his quickness in space.

WR Alan Butler (27 rec 237 yards 1 TD) and TE Marcus Ademilola (32 rec 233 yards 2 TDs) return as the Bison’s top two pass catchers. While it’s nice to have Butler and Ademilola back in the fold, their productivity must increase if the Bison offense is to improve. In addition to those two, the Bison will need at least one other WR to step up and have an impact in the passing game.

The strength of the Bison should be the offensive line. The only member from last year’s unit that is gone is Chase Watkins. Stephenson, Sanders, Finn, Barr, Peppers, Luckner and Krizack figure to be in the mix for the starting 5 in the trenches to start the season. Finn is the most talented of the group.

Defense

Best Returning Player: DE Simeon Page

Freshman to Watch: LB Max Bunzel

Generally speaking, the one constant under Coach Susan has been a stout defense. While the Bison led the league in yards allowed per game last year (294.6) they struggled to contain the better teams. Losing Anderson and the 1^st Team All-PL linebacker duo of Pyles and Richard won’t be easy to overcome. Anderson leaves Lewisburg as one of the most decorated defensive players in Bucknell and Patriot League history.

The strength of defense this year will likely shift from the front 7 to the defensive backfield. There’s experience at safety with Drew Newcomb and Aaron Brown returning. Sophomore Brandon Benson returns to man the WHIP position. Senior Bryan Marine (2016 1^st Team All-PL) is a proven commodity at the CB position. At this point, Fisayo Oluleye seems to have the inside track to other CB spot.

The most disruptive player on the Bison “D” heading into the year is sophomore DE Simeon Page. Page garnered 2^nd Team All-PL honors as a freshman. The Utah native seems destined to be the next great Bucknell defender. Susan will need Page be a major factor early in the season as the rest of what will be a green defensive front 7 settles in. Matt Robins and Sam Chitty should be in line for the starting LB positions. John Hunt and Sean Naiman figure to join Page along the defensive front. Despite being a bit undersized, freshman LB Max Bunzel was a beast in high school. Given the lack of depth at LB Bunzel could find himself on the field early in the season.

Special Teams

Alex Pechin is not only the best punter in the Patriot League he’s arguably the best punter in all of FCS. The junior is the type of secret weapon that can win a team game or two during the course of the season. Bucknell does need to replace reliable place kicker Josh Burdick. Ethan Torres or Jack Chambers will it battle it out in camp for the starting gig. Stefone Moore-Green and Alan Butler will likely continue kickoff and punt return duties.

Outlook

There’s some good pieces dotting the roster. The freshman class seems especially strong. Unfortunately, the 2-deep is filled with big questions at several key positions. Quarterback play must improve if Bucknell has any chance to challenge for a winning record and league title. With the defense being hit hard by graduation the offense will have to win a few games this year instead of their recent roll of “just don’t lose it”.

Given the numerous question marks on both sides of the ball and a tricky schedule, it’s hard to see Bucknell pulling themselves out of their recent rut. If recruiting continues on the uptick brighter days will be ahead. Until then, 2018 is shaping up to be Susan’s toughest since his first season in Lewisburg.

Prediction: 2-9 (1-5)

AGS Poll: Preseason 2018 Results

With fall camps opening up this week all around the Football Championship Subdivision comes the preseason edition of AnyGivenSaturday.com’s FCS top 25 poll. Defending champion North Dakota State and 2017 runner-up James Madison take up the same positions at #1 and #2, respectively, that they finished 2017 at. South Dakota State also maintained their #3 position in this season’s inaugural ranking that they finished at last year. Coming in at #4 is a new face in Kennesaw State, earning it’s first top 5 ranking in the AGS poll in only the 4th season of the program’s existence. Rounding out the top 5 is Sam Houston State who starts the year in the same #5 position that they finished 2017 in.

As is the norm in preseason rankings there was a lot of volatility amongst teams that the AGS community felt would improve or regress greatly from the end of 2017 into 2018. Amongst the headliners in the former group is Eastern Washington who shot up 15 spots from the final 2017 poll all the way to #6. Delaware also climbed the rankings in the offseason moving up 12 spots to #12 to reach their highest AGS ranking since the 2011 season. Another familiar program that failed to reach the playoffs in 2017 that AGS expects to bounce back this year is Illinois State who moved up 16 spots to #15. The last double digit riser was their MVFC conference mate Youngstown State who moved up 14 spots to #24. Villanova moved into the top 25 at #22 after failing to receive any votes in the final 2017 poll.

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Wofford who moved down 6 spots from the final 2017 ranking to #13 following their losses to graduation and the retirement of their iconic head coach Mike Ayers. Another team dealing with a head coaching change and subsequent drop in the rankings is Central Arkansas who lost 7 spots to come in at #16 to start 2018. Coming in back to back at #20 and #21 were Stony Brook, who dropped 9 spots, and Western Illinois, who dropped 6 spots. The biggest fall for a top 25 team to start 2018 was Southern Utah who plummeted 13 spots to #23. South Dakota, San Diego, and Grambling all start 2018 in the ORV category after finishing 2017 ranked amongst the top 25.

Leading the way in terms of conference representation were the CAA and MVFC who made up nearly half of the top 25 by themselves each placing 6 teams amongst the top 25. They were followed by the Southland who had 4 top 25 teams and the Big Sky and SOCON who each had 3. The Big South, OVC, and MEAC rounded out the field each with a single team ranked amongst the top 25.

Full results below:

Rank	Change	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	–	North Dakota State Bison	2247	88
2	–	James Madison Dukes	2150	2
3	–	South Dakota State Jackrabbits	1893
4	2	Kennessaw State Owls	1870
5	–	Sam Houston State Bearkats	1726
6	15	Eastern Washington Eagles	1571
7	6	New Hampshire Wildcats	1545
8	–	Jacksonville State Gamecocks	1539
9	-5	Weber State Wildcats	1492
10	9	Samford Bulldogs	1234
11	1	Northern Iowa Panthers	1099
12	12	Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens	989
13	-6	Wofford Terriers	964
14	4	Elon Phoenix	859
15	16	Illinois State Redbirds	717
16	-7	Central Arkansas Bears	701
17	5	Nicholls State Colonels	679
18	-1	Furman Paladins	658
19	-3	North Carolina A&T Aggies	656
20	-9	Stony Brook Seawolves	624
21	-6	Western Illinois Leathernecks	540
22	NR	Villanova Wildcats	529
23	-13	Southern Utah Thunderbirds	442
24	14	Youngstown State Penguins	420
25	-2	McNeese State Cowboys	327
ORV:
26	3	Austin Peay Governors	251
27	-1	Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	230
28	2	Montana Grizzlies	215
29	-15	South Dakota Coyotes	212
30	NR	Idaho Vandals	207
31	-11	San Diego Toreros	136
32T	3	Richmond Spiders	84
32T	-6	Yale Bulldogs	84
32T	-1	Sac State Hornets	84
35	-10	Grambling State Tigers	43
36	1	Colgate Raiders	27
37	-9	Monmouth Hawks	26
38	NR	Maine Black Bears	22
39	NR	Montana State Bobcats	19
40	NR	UC Davis Aggies	14

Dropped out of the poll:
Central Connecticut State Blue Devils
Lehigh Mountain Hawks
Western Carolina Catamounts

Join the discussion here: http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?209343-AGS-Poll-Results-PRESEASON-POLL-2018-SEASON

2018 Preseason Conference Polls

***Updated (7/26) with Patriot League, (7/30) with MEAC and MVFC., and (8/20) with Ivy League

With the 2018 season just around the corner and FCS conferences around the country holding their media days here’s a rundown of the preseason conference polls as they are released.

Big Sky (media)

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	Eastern Washington	651	27
2	Weber State	636	19
3	Northern Arizona	535	1
4	Montana	496	2
5	Idaho	483	3
6	Southern Utah	449	1
7	Sacramento State	415
8	Montana State	391	1
9	UC Davis	331
10	Idaho State	170
11	Cal Poly	169
12	Northern Colorado	166
13	Portland State	103

Big Sky (coaches)

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	Eastern Washington	134	6
2	Weber State	124	3
3	Northern Arizona	121	3
4	Idaho	101	1
5	Sacramento State	94
6	Southern Utah	91
7	Montana	82
8	Montana State	73
9	UC Davis	64
10	Cal Poly	40
11	Northern Colorado	30
12	Idaho State	29
13	Portland State	21

Big South

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	Kennesaw State	107	17
2	Monmouth	82	1
3	Charleston Southern	75
4	Gardner-Webb	52
5	Campbell	36
6	Presbyterian	26

CAA

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	James Madison	241	21
2	New Hampshire	206	2
3	Delaware	182
4	Stony Brook	169
5	Elon	168	1
6	Villanova	164
7	Richmond	127
8	Maine	81
9	Albany	78
10	Towson	74
11	William & Mary	55
12	Rhode Island	39

Ivy League

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	Yale	129	11
2	Princeton	104	3
3	Harvard	99	1
4T	Columbia	76	1
4T	Penn	76	1
6	Dartmouth	65
7	Cornell	37
8	Brown	26

MEAC

Rank	Team	First Place Votes
1	North Carolina A&T	19
2	Howard
3	N.C. Central
4	Bethune-Cookman
5	Florida A&M	1
6	Norfolk State
7	S.C. State
8	Savannah State
9	Morgan State
10	Delaware State

MVFC

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	North Dakota State	390	39
2	South Dakota State	340
3	UNI	270
4	Youngstown State	258
5	Illinois State	248
6	South Dakota	206
7	Western Illinois	163
8	Southern Illinois	139
9	Missouri State	90
10	Indiana State	41

NEC

Rank	Team	First Place Votes
1	Central Connecticut State	5
2	Duquesne	1
3	Bryant	1
4	Saint Francis
5	Wagner
6	Sacred Heart
7	Robert Morris

OVC

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	Jacksonville State	126	14
2	Austin Peay	112	4
3	Tennessee-Martin	95
4	Eastern Illinois	73
5	EKU	69
6	Tennessee State	64
7	Southeast Missouri	62
8	Murray State	24
9	Tennessee Tech	23

Patriot League

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	Colgate	71	11
2	Lehigh	63	3
3	Fordham	45
4	Holy Cross	40
T5	Bucknell	31
T5	Lafayette	31
7	Georgetown	13

SOCON (media)

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	Samford	204	20
2	Furman	174	2
3	Wofford	163	1
4	Mercer	133
5	Western Carolina	114
6	Chattanooga	88
7	The Citadel	83
8	ETSU	53
9	VMI	23

SOCON (coaches)

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	Samford	63	7
2	Wofford	53	1
3	Furman	52	1
4	Western Carolina	39
5	Chattanooga	34
6	Mercer	32
7	The Citadel	28
8	ETSU	15
9	VMI	8

Southland

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	Sam Houston State	187	10
2	Nicholls	173	6
3	Central Arkansas	170	5
4	McNeese	159	1
5	Southeastern Louisiana	119
6	Stephen F Austin	90
7	Abilene Christian	89
8	Northwestern State	86
9	UIW	53
10	Lamar	52
11	Houston Baptist	32

SWAC

East

Rank	Team	Total Points
1	Alcorn State	97
2	Alabama State	72
3	Jackson State	55
4	Alabama A&M	51
5	Mississippi Valley State	27

West

Rank	Team	Total Points
1	Grambling	96
2	Southern	78
3	Prairie View A&M	65
4	Texas Southern	31
5	Arkansas-Pine Bluff	30

Resources/credits

Big Sky: http://www.bigskyconf.com/news/2018/7/16/football-eastern-washington-picked-to-win-the-big-sky.aspx

Big South: http://bigsouthsports.com/news/2018/7/23/kennesaw-state-voted-2018-preseason-football-favorite.aspx

CAA: http://caasports.com/news/2018/7/20/james-madison-favored-to-win-fourth-straight-caa-football-title-in-2018.aspx

Ivy League: http://www.espn.com/espn/wire/_/section/ncf/id/24427218

MEAC: http://www.meacsports.com/news/2018/7/27/football-north-caro1lina-a-t-state-picked-to-win-2018-meac-championship.aspx

MVFC: http://www.valley-football.org/documents/2018/7/19//2018_MVFC_Preseason_Poll.pdf?id=40

NEC: http://www.northeastconference.org/news/2018/7/24/football-defending-champ-ccsu-tops-preseason-coaches-poll-places-league-high-seven-on-all-nec-team.aspx

OVC: http://www.ovcsports.com/news/2018/7/10/jacksonville-state-picked-as-2018-ohio-valley-conference-football-favorites.aspx

Patriot League: http://www.patriotleague.org/news/2018/7/26/patriot-league-football-preseason-major-awards-poll-and-all-league-announced-7-26-18.aspx

SOCON: http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=21895&SPID=1781&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211735859&DB_OEM_ID=4000

http://www.soconsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=21895&SPID=1781&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211735863&DB_OEM_ID=4000

Southland: http://www.southland.org/news/2018/7/16/sam-houston-state-voted-to-top-spot-in-2018-football-preseason-poll.aspx

SWAC: http://swac.org/news/2018/7/11/swac-football-all-conference-preseason-teams-released.aspx

AGS Poll: Final 2017 Results

With the final installment of the AGS Top 25 for 2017 (even though it’s technically 2018) there was a new #1 for the first time all year as North Dakota State took the top spot garnering all 71 first places after defeating defending champion James Madison in a classic title game. James Madison slipped to #2. South Dakota State moved up 2 spots to #3 after an impressive run to the semifinals and Weber State shot up 6 spots to #4 after nearly knocking off JMU in the quarters. Sam Houston State, the final semifinalist, moved up 1 spot to round out of the top 5 at #5.

Besides Weber State the other big mover was Kennesaw State as the 3rd year program moved up 11 spots all the way up to #6 after a quarterfinal run that included an upset over #3 seed Jacksonville State. New Hampshire was a bubble team in our last poll release but used an improbable quarterfinal run to move up 10 spots to #13 and reinforce the selection committee’s somewhat controversial decision to include them in the field as an at-large team. San Diego made the first appearance in the top 25 by a Pioneer League team this year rising a whopping 16 spots to come in at #20 after dominating previously ranked Northern Arizona in their first playoff game. Despite losing their first round playoff game to South Dakota, Nicholls moved up 9 spots into the top 25 at #22. Grambling State also made the first appearance by a SWAC team in the AGS top 25 this year rising 1 spot to come in at #25 after taking NC A&T to the wire in the Celebration Bowl.

As previously noted Jacksonville State was among those dropping the furthest as they fell 4 spots to #8 after losing their first playoff game for the 3rd time in 4 years as the #3 seed. Central Arkansas tumbled 6 spots to #9 after dropping their first playoff game to unseeded UNH as the #4 seed. Samford also dropped 6 spots to #19 after losing their first round playoff game to Kennesaw State. Northern Arizona and Monmouth dropped out of the top 25 after sustaining blowout losses in each of their respective first round playoff games. Yale also dropped out of the top 25 despite not participating in any postseason games.

In terms of conference representation the CAA and MVFC led the way with 5 teams each in the top 25. They were followed by the Southland 4 and the Big Sky and SOCON with 3 teams each in the top 25.

Full results below:

Rank	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	North Dakota State Bison	1775	71
2	James Madison Dukes	1680
3	South Dakota State Jackrabbits	1589
4	Weber State Wildcats	1541
5	Sam Houston State Bearkats	1486
6	Kennesaw State Owls	1322
7	Wofford Terriers	1301
8	Jacksonville State Gamecocks	1105
9	Central Arkansas Bears	1054
10T	Southern Utah Thunderbirds	993
10T	Stony Brook Seawolves	993
12	Northern Iowa Panthers	960
13	New Hampshire Wildcats	923
14	South Dakota Coyotes	920
15	Western Illinois Leathernecks	892
16	North Carolina A&T Aggies	751
17	Furman Paladins	727
18	Elon Phoenix	564
19	Samford Bulldogs	518
20	San Diego Toreros	372
21	Eastern Washington Eagles	282
22	Nicholls State Colonels	274
23	McNeese State Cowboys	231
24	Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens	165
25	Grambling State Tigers	132
ORV:
26	Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	120
27	Yale Bulldogs	92
28	Monmouth Hawks	85
29	Austin Peay Governors	42
30	Montana Grizzlies	41
31	Illinois State Redbirds	40
32	Central Connecticut State Blue Devils	29
33	Sacramento State Hornets	21
34	Lehigh Mountain Hawks	16
35T	Richmond Spiders	13
35T	Western Carolina Catamounts	13
37	Colgate Raiders	8
38	Youngstown State Penguins	5

FINAL 2017 AGS PLAYOFF RADIAL BRACKET

FCS Championship Preview (the MVFC perspective)

Oh right…there’s still football. There’s one game left…the big one, the showdown in Frisco, the grandaddy of them…wait, sorry, that’s a different one. I’m pretty sure this is the matchup that the playoff committee had in their minds when they set up this year’s bracket. Defending FCS champion and currently undefeated #1 James Madison Dukes taking on the 5-time champions and most dominant FCS program this decade, the #2 North Dakota State Bison.

For those of you who are unaware, the FCS championship game is held in Frisco, TX (a north suburb of the Dallas/Ft Worth area) in 20,50017k+ seat Toyota Stadium (home of the FC Dallas MLS team). The game is scheduled for 11 AM (Central) on Saturday, January 6th and will be shown on ESPN2.

Here’s the full playoff bracket if you’d like to see how we got here.

It all comes down to this…#FCSChampionship pic.twitter.com/RfkNLOqi93

— FCS Football (@NCAA_FCS) December 17, 2017

#1 James Madison (14-0) vs #2 North Dakota State (13-1)

This Season:

James Madison is undefeated this season and haven’t lost a game since a 9/17/16 matchup with FBS North Carolina. They have wins over fellow playoff teams New Hampshire (21-0) and Elon (31-3) and in the playoffs defeated Stony Brook (26-7), narrowly defeated Weber State on a last second FG, 31-28, and then demolished #5 South Dakota State (51-16).
North Dakota State went 10-1 in the regular season with wins over playoff teams Western Illinois, Northern Iowa, and South Dakota. Their only loss this season was to conference rival and #5 playoff seed South Dakota State. In the playoffs, the Bison hosted San Diego and won by 35, hosted #7 Wofford and won by 32, then hosted #6 Sam Houston State and won by 42.

History:
The Dukes and Bison have met up twice in their histories. The first time was a 26-14 victory by NDSU in Fargo in the second round of the 2011 playoffs en route to their first of five FCS championships. The second was last year’s 27-17 JMU win (also in Fargo) in the semifinal round of the playoffs, which halted NDSU’s string of consecutive championships.

So, a great deal has been said (and repeated) by me about the strength of NDSU (you can go back and read my previous articles here: https://thefcswedge.com/tag/ndsu/. JMU, somewhat less so by myself, but since they did play SDSU in the previous round of the playoffs, they were included in my jurisdiction, so you can go read those articles (and others about JMU) here: https://thefcswedge.com/tag/jmu/

Suffice it to say, this game should be a phenomenally tough and competitive matchup between the two best teams in the FCS over the past few years. My gut feeling on this is that due to the talent level and current injuries, NDSU has a bit of an advantage in the offensive department, especially with their ground game, but JMU has a slightly better defense. NDSU is, I believe, going to be missing at least a couple of their starting CBs, but on the other hand, JMU isn’t really known for having the best passing game.

For a full rundown of key players, statistics, and analysis, check out the FCS Championship Game Preview elsewhere on this site. And if you prefer your info in a more “listenable” format, you can check out the Championship preview podcast.

Anyway, on to my own prediction. Both of these teams have the ability to really throw a team off their usual gameplan and make good teams look uncharacteristically bad. When you see that play out, quite often NDSU or JMU will get ahead by a couple of scores, the other team has to do things they’re not used to, and the point differential just steamrolls (example, both of last round’s playoff games where JMU/NDSU outscored SDSU/SHSU by a combined score of 106-29). Nobody has put up more than 28 points against the Dukes and Weber State was the only team to even get over 16 against them. I think NDSU has a better offense than probably anyone JMU has played this year though, so I’d expect the Bison to probably hit at least 26 points in this. NDSU was only slightly less dominant on defense, allowing 33 points in their loss to South Dakota State and 24 points in an early season OT win at Youngstown State, but otherwise holding all opponents (including in the playoffs) to 14 or fewer points. James Madison has a very good offense, but statistically not substantially better than teams like Sam Houston State or the South Dakota teams. SDSU had success against them, but that was about it. I see JMU probably being held a bit less than their average point total this game…something around the mid-20s for their point total.
So, my prediction…a 26-26 tie going to OT in an epic battle, with NDSU winning in OT on a TD pass to TE Connor Wentz.

Other predictions:
Massey – 23-21 NDSU
Sagarin – 20-18 NDSU
Compughterratings.com – 24-19 NDSU
5Dimes – NDSU -4, O/U 48…which I believe means a prediction of 26-22 NDSU

Because my “beat” is the Missouri Valley Football Conference, there is a bit of other news going on in the conference outside of the title game.

Illinois State has been shaking up their coaching staff a bit, with HC Brock Spack getting rid of 4 of their offensive coaches and one defensive coach. They immediately named a couple of the new offensive coaches and more recently named former ILSU Assistant Coach Harold Etheridge as the O-Line coach (most recently he was the O-Line coach and assistant HC at Georgia State) as well as former ILSU player and assistant coach Travis Niekamp (most recently ST coordinator and LB coach at Montana) as the new defensive coordinator.

At Western Illinois, after a few weeks of swirling rumors HC Charlie Fisher stepped down to take a job as the WR coach under Herm Edwards at Arizona State and then essentially at the same time, the previous Assistant HC and Co-Offensive Coordinator Jared Elliott was named the new head coach. It is expected at this time that the majority of the rest of the staff will remain at WIU.

Also, on Friday evening before the championship game, two MVFC players will be in the running for the Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan awards. South Dakota QB Chris Streveler is a finalist for the Payton (top offensive player in the FCS) and Western Illinois LB Brett Taylor is a finalist for the Buchanan (top defensive player in the FCS).
More info: Payton, Buchanan unveiling highlights FCS Awards banquet

As for my articles, you can expect one more in the next couple of days in review of the championship game, then probably another one in late April talking about any MVFC news that came out of spring practices as well as a rundown of all the MVFC players taken in the NFL draft. For those of you who have kept up with my postings, ramblings, and other random thoughts throughout the season, thanks for reading and we’ll “see” you next football season.