CAA: Week 2 Recap and Power Rankings

We’ve already completed 2 weeks out of the 2017 regular season and look to have another exciting week of matchups in Week 3.  I’ll take a look back at the Colonial Athletic Association results from Week 2 and rank the teams as I see them after 2 weeks of play.

(#8) New Hampshire 22 – Georgia Southern 12

The Wildcats dominated the first half, heading into halftime up 22 – 0, and relied on their defense to hold on and win by 10 for the FBS upset.  QB Trevor Knight went 13 for 22 with 129 yards and 2 TDs, and ran on 9 rushes for 55 yards.  RB Evan Gray also added 77 yards and a TD on the ground.  New Hampshire’s defense shined in the first half, shutting out the vaunted Georgia Southern offense.  They also held on to prevent a Georgia Southern comeback.  UNH will continue to try and remain unbeaten in Week 3 against Patriot League foe Holy Cross.

(#7) Villanova 13 – Temple 16

Down 10-0 at the half, the Wildcats rallied to tied the game at 13 all with 3:29 left in the 4th quarter.  Their bid to claim another FBS scalp fell short, though, as Temple’s Aaron Boumerhi kicked the game winning field goal with a minute left and a Nova fumble ended their attempt to win or tie.  QB Zach Bednarczyk had a strong day completing 27 out of 41 attempts for 382 yards and a TD.  The Wildcats couldn’t get much going with their ground game, however, only rushing for 20 yards.  Villanova will hope to bounce back in Week 3 against regional Patriot League foe Lafayette.

Delaware 0 – (#18 FBS) Virginia Tech 27

The Blue Hens failed to repeat what the Dukes did 7 years ago in defeating a ranked Virginia Tech team, getting shut out in Blacksburg.  The Delaware defense did look promising, holding the Hokies to only 27 points and only 81 yards rushing.  But the offense could not get any traction either through the air or on the ground.  Troy Reeder did recover a fumble for the Blue Hens, but they were unable to turn it into points.  Delaware will have an easier path to victory in Week 3, facing Cornell at the Tub.

(#11) Richmond 20 – (#24) Colgate 17

Despite being down 14 – 7 at the half, Richmond rallied back to win on the strength of a Griffin Trau FG with 1:29 left. DB Daniel Jones’ picked off Colgate’s Grant Breneman on the Raiders’ first play of their final drive.   Spiders’ QB Kyle Lauletta came back down to earth somewhat, going 25 for 38 with 306 yards and an INT.  While RBs Deontez Thompson and Gordon Collins both punched in TD runs, Richmond did not have the same success on the ground as it did against Sam Houston, only rushing for 62 total yards.  The Spiders will look to go 2-1 in their challenging out of conference slate this year as they take on the first of two former head coaches they face this season in Howard’s Mike London.

https://twitter.com/SpiderFootball/status/906577889340116994

Elon 34 – Furman 31

The Phoenix jumped out to an early lead going up 21-0 in the first quarter.  However, the host Paladins came back to take the lead in the 3rd, going up 31-24.  The fourth quarter belonged to Elon, however, as they scored 10 unanswered to come back and win on a Owen Johnson 36 yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining.  Elon’s QB Davis Cheek went 26 for 35 for 301 yards and 3 TDs with one INT, and RB Brelynd Cyphers led the Phoenix with 75 yards rushing and a touchdown.  Elon continues its tough out of conference schedule in Week 3, hosting 2016 playoff team Charleston Southern.

Stony Brook 35 – Rhode Island 16

The Seawolves used a fast start to jump on top of the Rams 21- 0 in the 2nd quarter and held on to win by 17.  Stony Brook RB Stacey Bedell punched in 2 TDs and Donald Liotine punched in another to add to Joe Carbone’s 2 TDs in the air.  Rhode Island’s Tyler Harris averaged 5.8 ypc for 185 yard and a TD, but threw two interceptions that cost the Rams a chance to get back into the game.  The Seawolves will look to continue their success in Week 3 against former NEC foe Sacred Heart while Rhode Island will try to turn things around against Harvard.

Towson 17 – Maryland 63

The Tigers were overmatched from the start, giving up 21 points in both the first and third quarters.  Towson’s defense gave up 367 yards on the ground to the Terrapins, and 163 in the air.  Tigers’ QB Ryan Stover went 21 for 36 with 210 yards and two TDs and two INTs.  He also added on 52 yards rushing on 13 attempts to lead the Tigers on the ground.  Not much to say here other than the Tigers’ got a payday.  They’ll hope to rebound in Week 3 against St. Francis (PA).

William & Mary 20 – Norfolk State 6

Tribe QB Tommy McKee showed he could get it done in the air going 16-27 for 169 yards and 3 TDs, but continued on last week’s performance on the ground at UVA by rushing for 114 yards on 14 carries.  It seems the Ebirt’s entire offense is going through McKee at this point, with no other rushers sticking out through two games.  The Tribe will take on Bucknell in Week 3 while Norfolk State faces an even tougher task at James Madison.

Bryant 12 – Maine 60

Maine bounced back after a tough loss last week to rival UNH to show the rest of the CAA that they have what it takes to compete – especially on the ground.  Josh Mack ran wild for 255 yards on only 13 carries (averaging 19.6 ypc) and 3 TDs, while Joe Fitzpatrick also broke the 100 yard mark by rushing for 103 yards on 17 carries.   Black Bear QB Chris Ferguson matched Mack’s 3 TDs while throwing for 150 yards as well. Maine’s defense held Bryant to only a FG and a TD, and just over 300 yards total offense.  The Black Bears will have two weeks to prepare for #1 James Madison on 9/23, getting their bye week in Week 3.

Albany 26 – Morgan State 0

The Bears were blanked for the second straight week against a CAA opponent as the Great Danes imposed their will on offense and defense at Hughes Stadium.  Albany QB Will Brunson threw for 143 yards and a TD while running back Karl “Motor” Mofor was 2 yards shy of the Hundo mark with 98 yards and 2 TDs.  The Great Dane defense was also great, only allowing 234 total yards and impressing by shutting out the Bears at home.  Albany looks to continue to improve hosting Monmouth in Week 3.

East Tennessee State 10 – (#1) James Madison 52

The National Champs showed they could get it done on both sides of the ball after dominating with the rush in Week 1.  ETSU sold out against the run and forced the Dukes to go to the air, which they did successfully.  QB Bryan Schor threw 25 for 33 for 304 yards and 5 TDs, showing he is well-placed in the group of elite FCS quarterbacks.  The Bucs should be commended for stopping the run, allowing JMU to rush for only 122 on the ground.  However, JMU’s defense continued to impress, allowing only a field goal to the ETSU offense.  Schor’s one mistake, an INT returned for a TD, was the lone highlight for the Bucs’ defense.  JMU’s Ish Hyman led receivers with 93 yards and 2 TDs, while Riley Stapleton also had 64 yards and two TDs.  The Dukes take Division 1’s longest active win streak (14) in to Week 3 as they host Norfolk State.

Week 2 CAA Power Rankings (previous week)

Lots of shake-ups in our power rankings this week as some teams jump ahead. Our biggest jump up was Elon after their impressive win against SOCON power Furman.  The biggest fall was Delaware after failing to put points on the board against FBS Virginia Tech.

1. James Madison (1)
2. New Hampshire (3)
3. Villanova (2)
4. Maine (4)
5. Richmond (5)
6. Stony Brook (9)
7. Albany (10)
8. Elon (12)
9. Rhode Island (6)
10. W&M (8)
11. Delaware (7)
12. Towson (11)

 

 

The FCS Wedge – 2017-0913 – WEEK 2 REVIEW

Kris & Lance give us a recap of the week 2 action with discussions about several games and talk of UNH’s victory over GSU as well as an exciting games between MSU/SDSU and a couple we expected much more of like EWU/NDSU and Monmouth/Lehigh along with several others.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Patriot League: Week 2 Review and Power Rankings

Week 2 of the Patriot League season saw all seven teams in action. The big winner of the weekend was Holy Cross who notched a key league road victory over Bucknell. Georgetown also has to feel good about how the weekend went. The Hoya’s escaped North Carolina with a narrow win over future Big South member Campbell. Fordham overcame several key injuries in a comeback win over Central Connecticut State.  All-American RB Chase Edmonds was one of the Rams that went down in the “W”. Meanwhile, Colgate, Lafayette and Lehigh all came up short in their out of conference games. The Raiders put forth an excellent performance against #10 Richmond before falling by a FG.  The same can’t be said for Lafayette and Lehigh who were run over and around in their double digit defeats.

Holy Cross 20 Bucknell 0

The Crusaders (1-1, 1-0) got off to a 1-0 start in Patriot League play by using a dominant defensive performance last Saturday against the Bucknell Bison (1-1, 0-1). Overall, Holy Cross’s defense has looked very good to start the year. The Crusaders held FBS UConn in check for most of the game prior to notching their first shutout in nearly two years (10/15 against Lafayette) in the win over the Bison. While Bucknell’s offensive troubles have been well documented, Holy Cross head coach Tom Gilmore and his staff have to be happy with what they’ve seen from the defense so far this season. On the other hand, Bucknell head coach Joe Susan has to be concerned about the offense, espically the offensive line. The O-line must develop some sort of consistency if the Bison want to post a winning season in 2017. Their talented running back duo of DeFloria and Freshnock were held under a 100 combined yards (58 against HC) for the second straight game to start the season.

Bucknell’s troubles started early in their loss to Holy Cross. The Bison fumbled the opening kickoff which led to a Diquan Walker (10 rushes 72 yards 2 TDs) touchdown run a few plays later. The Crusaders extended their lead to 10-0 late in the 1st quarter when A.J. Well knocked through a 26 yard FG. Following another Bison fumble, Wells tacked on 3 more points to extend the lead to 13-0. Diquan Walker’s second TD of the day in the 3rd quarter closed out the scoring for the game.

Bucknell had 8 first half possessions; 3 ended via fumbles, 3 with punts, 1 on downs and 1 on a missed FG. The Bison managed just 214 total yards for the game.

Up Next: Both teams take on opponents from the CAA this week. Holy Cross welcomes New England rival New Hampshire to Worcester while Bucknell heads to Williamsburg, VA to take on William & Mary.

Fordham 38 Central Connecticut State 31

Fordham (1-1, 0-0) might have lost the war of attrition but the Rams managed to escape with the ultimate victory against a game Central Connecticut State (0-2) team Saturday afternoon. The Rams lost All-American running back Chase Edmonds in the 2nd quarter with an ankle injury and his backup Jarred Brevard had to be taken off the field on a stretcher in the 3rd quarter after suffering an apparent broken leg. The Rams were also without starting WR Austin Longi on offense. Given the numerous injuries, Fordham showed tremendous resiliency in the victory over the Blue Devils after putting forth a very lackluster performance against Army the week prior.

The Rams had to battle from the start against Central Connecticut after the Blue Devil’s Tajik Bagley returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a TD. CCSU tacked on a FG and a defensive TD in the opening 5 minutes of the game to take a 17-0 lead before everyone was settled in their seat. Fordham would get on the board late in 1st quarter when Kevin Anderson (17-29 265 yards 3 TD 1 INT, 37 yards rushing 1 TD) scrambled for a 7 yard TD. Anderson added two 2nd quarter touchdown passes to give Fordham a 21-17 lead. However, CCSU would retake the lead 24-21 right before half. The Blue Devils extended their lead to 31-21 following an 8 play 78 yard drive that ended in a Cameron Nash TD run. Now down 10 Fordham would once again pick themselves off of the canvas. Anderson tossed his 3rd pass of the game and Kyle Facibene converted a 40 yard FG to even the score at 31. Then with 1:27 left in regulation Lawrenc Menyah intercepted a Jake Dolegala pass and turned it 29 yards for the game winning score.

Up Next: Fordham welcomes FCS power Eastern Washington to the Bronx for an enticing out conference matchup between the Patriot League and Big Sky.

Monmouth 46 #19 Lehigh 27

For the second straight season Lehigh (0-2, 0-0) opened their season with losses to Villanova and Monmouth (2-0). While the Mountain Hawks were able to reel off 9 straight wins last season on the way to the Patriot League title, the odds of Lehigh duplicating the feat two years in a row are certainly stacked against them. The biggest issue for Lehigh remains their defense, more specifically their rush defense. The Monmouth Hawks were able to rack up 351 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground in the win. Freshman Monmouth RB Peter Guerriero led the way with 189 yards and 2 TDs on 25 carries.

Guerriero got Monmouth off to a blazing start when he returned the opening kickoff 70 yards. The Hawks were able to take advantage of the excellent field position thanks to Devell Jones 6 yard TD run. Monmouth’s defense also rose to the occasion early in in the game. The Hawks “D” was able to turn Lehigh over on downs on the Mountain Hawk’s first possession. Following the change of possession Guerriero struck again. This time the freshman raced untouched up the middle for a 71 yard TD to push the Monmouth lead to 14-0. Lehigh would finally wake up and respond with 2 Brad Mayes (23-38 334 yards 3 TD 1 INT) TD passes to tie the game at 14. The Mountain Hawks would eventually grab a 21-20 half time lead. On the second play from scrimmage in the 3rd quarter Lehigh extended their cushion to 27-20 when Mayes hit slot receiver Luke Christiano for a 54 yard TD. From that point on it would be all Monmouth. The Hawks scored two 3rd quarter touchdowns to take a 33-27 lead heading into the final 15 minutes. They added 2 more scores in the 4th quarter to win going away. It was Monmouth’s 3rd straight win over Lehigh after losing the first 5 games in the series.

Lehigh suffered two key injuries in the loss. Leading WR Luke Christiano (13 rec 247 yards 2 TDs) is likely lost for the year with a broken bone in his hand and starting RB Dominic Bragalone suffered a shoulder injury that will possibly sideline him for a few weeks.

Up Next: Lehigh returns home to face Yale. The Mountain Hawks flew past Yale 63-35 last year in New Haven. The Eli will be playing their first game of the year.

#10 Richmond 20 #21 Colgate 17

Richmond (1-1) needed a late FG to sneak past Colgate(1-1, 0-0) in a battle of ranked teams in Hamilton, NY. The Raiders defense proved once again it was one of the top units in FCS by holding the high flying Spider attack in check for 60 minutes. Colgate’s “D” held Richmond to 62 total rushing yards and stopped the Spiders twice on downs inside the Raider 10 yard line in the 1st half to keep the game within reach. Unfortunately for Colgate, the offense continues to search for a passing attack. Starting QB Carmine Scarfone was replaced by Grant Brenamen early in the game but the results didn’t change much. Despite the lack of balance the Raider ground attack performed well (201 yards).

After a scoreless opening 15 minutes Colgate took a 7-0 lead in the 2nd quarter when Brenamen (10-21 99 yards 1 TD 1 INT) connected with Alex Greenawalt for a 7 yard TD pass. Richmond tied the game on their next possession when Deontez Thompson found paydirt from 5 yards away. Colgate was able to reclaim the lead early in the second half. RB James Holland plunged into the end zone from a yard out to push the Raiders ahead 14-7 with 8:06 left in the 3rd quarter. The Spiders would score the games next 10 points to take a 17-14 lead midway through the 4th quarter. Chris Puzzi’s 25 yard FG tied the game up with 3:58 left in regulation. Richmond’s offense was able to respond on their ensuing possession. Spider QB Kyle Lauletta led a 9 play 64 yard drive that culminated in Trau Griffin’s go-ahead 27 yard FG. The Raiders had one last chance but Grant Breneman was intercepted on 1st down with 1:23 left in the game.

Up Next: Colgate heads to Western New York to face FBS Buffalo. The Raiders defeated the Bulls in 2003 on their to the national title game.

Georgetown 16 Campbell 10

After an opening week bye, the extra wait to start the 2017 season was worth it for Georgetown (1-0, 0-0).  The Hoyas used a strong defensive performance to sneak past Campbell (1-1). Georgetown forced 4 turnovers (including one scoop and score) and 10 Camel punts in the Hoya’s 6 point win. Campbell’s offense was coming off a 70 point effort in their season opener so the Hoya’s have to be feeling good about how the defense performed in game 1. Meanwhile, the veteran offense struggled at times (8 1st downs, 294 yards) in Tim Barnes’s return under center. One positive on offense was the 114 rushing yards. Georgetown struggled mightily to establish any semblance of a ground attack in 2016 so to start the year by going over the century mark has to make Coach Sgarlata pleased.

The 1st half was an uphill battle for both teams on offense. Georgetown’s Brad Hurst booted a 42 yard FG for the only points during the first 30 minutes of play. The Camels took their first lead of the game thanks to a 9 play, 67 yard TD drive on their opening possession of the 2nd half.  The Hoyas would immediately respond with a touchdown march of their own. Tim Barnes (14-28 180 yards 1 TD 2 INT) hit Michael Dereus for a 32 yard strike to put the Hoyas back in front at 10-7. Campbell would tie the game at 10 early in the 4th quarter. Georgetown’s winning TD came on Jelani Williamson’s scoop and score fumble recovery with 1:27 left in the game. The Hoya defense came up with one more big play to secure the win. CB David Akere intercepted Campbell’s Anthony Robbins with 34 seconds left to end the game.

Up next: Georgetown hosts Marist Saturday afternoon. The Hoyas defeated the Red Foxes 20-17 last year.

Sacred Heart 38 Lafayette 24

The Lafayette (0-2, 0-0) defense could not slow down the Pioneers rushing attack (287 yards) Saturday evening as the Leopards failed get John Garrett his first career win. In total, Sacred Heart (2-0) rolled up 504 yards in the 14 point win over Lafayette in Easton.  Not only couldn’t Lafayette stop the Pioneers rushing attack, they couldn’t establish one of their own. The Leopards tallied a scant 40 rushing yards against the Pioneer defense. This is after posting -1 yards rushing against Monmouth to open the year. One bright spot for Lafayette in the loss was the performance of freshman quarterback Sean O’Malley (25-44 287 yards 3 TD 1 INT). Until the Leopards have some semblance of a rushing attack O’Malley will be forced to carry the offense.

Lafayette got off to strong start in their home opener. The Leopard’s tallied a FG on their second possession of the game and a touchdown the next time they touched the ball to take a 10-0 lead with 9:09 remaining in the opening quarter. Sacred Heart would even the score at 10 in the second quarter with a FG and touched of their own. The Pioneers put together two 9 play touchdown drives in the 3rd quarter to take 24-10 lead into the final stanza. Ose Imeokpari’s 2 yard touchdown plunge with 10:44 left in the game effectively put the game out of reach at 31-10. The Leopards would tack on 2 late touchdowns while the Pioneers added 1 to close out the scoring.

Up Next: Lafayette heads to suburban Philadelphia to take on #7 Villanova. The Wildcats defeated the Leopads 31-14 last year in Easton.

Power Rankings

  1. Colgate – The Raiders defense has been spectacular to start the year. If the offense can get it going they’re the league favorite.
  2. Holy Cross – Like Colgate, the Crusader’s defense has been impressive to start the year. They still need to take some of the pressure off of Pujals on offense.
  3. Lehigh – The defense is incapable of stopping the run and the offense is battling injuries. Their backs are against the wall against Yale this week.
  4. Fordham – The status of Chase Edmonds has to be the primary concern. After Edmonds health the defense remains a major issue moving forward.
  5. Georgetown – It wasn’t pretty but the Hoyas are 1-0. Sgarlate has to hope the offense improves quite a bit from game 1 to game 2.
  6. Bucknell – Without an effective offensive line the “O” will be a no go. The defense can only hang in for so long
  7. Lafayette – 39 total rushing yards in 2 games won’t win many games. Garrett has to figure out a way to get some production on the ground if the Leopards want to win more than a game or two.

MVFC – Week 2 in Review

MVFC LogoNine Missouri Valley Football Conference games this week, with Illinois State taking an early bye week.

Robert Morris at #8 Youngstown State

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
RMU 0 0 0 0 0
YSU 6 7 3 14 30

Quick Hits:

  • YSU – SO QB Nathan Mays threw for 149 yards and 1 TD and ran for 63 yards and a TD
  • YSU – Put up 429 total yards of offense vs RMU’s 147
  • YSU – First shutout for the Penguins since 2012
  • YSU – Starting SR QB Hunter Wells injured on 5th play from scrimmage, was out the rest of the game.
  • YSU – JR DE Justus Reed had 5 tackles including 3 sacks and 3 QB hurries and earned the MVFC Newcomer of the Week award.
  • RMU – JR LB Adam Wollet tied his career high of 12 tackles

Pretty much as expected. Robert Morris only put up 13 points a week ago in their win against Dayton. It was probably a credit to their defense that they held the Penguins to only 30 points.

Next week, Youngstown State hosts Central Connecticut State (0-2, NEC) for their “Hall of Fame Game”. Robert Morris will head back home to take on the VMI Keydets.

My Pick in Review:

I said – Penguins by 32
It was – Penguins by 30

Pretty close pick, I’d say.

Indiana State at AP #25 Tennessee

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
INSU 0 0 7 0 7
TENN 14 14 7 7 42

Quick Hits:

  • ISU – JR DT Rex Mosley had 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
  • ISU – FR QB Cade Sparks had his first start and threw his first collegiate TD pass, a 23-yard toss to SR TE Jacquet McClendon.
  • ISU – Defense had 7 TFL for the second-straight game, allowed no 100+ yard rushers or receivers.
  • ISU – Led TOP by 1:46

Pretty much “as expected” when a Top 25 FBS team takes on a team picked to finish last in their FCS conference. I think ISU did about as well as they could hope for in this game…there were some flashes of solid play at times, but not enough to overcome what the Vols were bringing to the field.

Indiana State will have another tough game next week when they head down to Virginia to take on a team transitioning to the FBS…Liberty.

Tennessee will take on the Gators of Florida in The Swamp next weekend.

My Pick in Review:

I said – Tennessee by 35
It was – Tennessee by 35

I don’t see how you get much closer than that pick.

#2 North Dakota State at #7 Eastern Washington

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
NDSU 9 10 7 14 40
EWU 7 3 3 0 13

Quick Hits:

  • NDSU – JR RB Bruce Anderson led the Bison with 167 rushing yards and 1 TD
  • NDSU – JR RB Lance Dunn also had a great game with 148 yards and 3 TDs, plus 1 6-yard catch
  • NDSU – Defense held the Eagles to 204 total offensive yards
  • NDSU – Bison had the ball for 42:40…over 71% of game time.
  • NDSU – JR SS Robbie Grimsley had 2 INTs, 2 pass breakups, and 4 tackles, earning him the MVFC Co-Defensive Player of the Week award.
  • EWU – SO LB Jack Sendelbach recovered fumbles on back to back Bison drives in the 2nd quarter

Bison started off the first quarter a little slow, going into the 2nd with only a 9-7 lead and then turned the ball over twice early in the 2nd Quarter. From there it was all NDSU though, as they held Eastern Washington to 2 FGs over the rest of the game, and put up 31 points themselves.

NDSU will now take a week off to clear the smoke out of their lungs (from the nearby wildfires) and will host the currently 1-1 Robert Morris Colonials the following weekend in their “Trees Bowl” game.

EWU will head to NY and take on the 1-1 Fordham Rams next weekend.

My Pick in Review:

I said – 3 point Bison win
It was – 27 point Bison win

Ok…so I kinda underestimated the Bison defense or overestimated the Eagles offense (probably a bit of both). Margin quite a bit more than I expected, but I did get the pick right.

Cal Poly at #21 Northern Iowa

1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Final
CP 7 14 3 14 0 38
UNI 0 28 7 3 7 45

Quick Hits:

  • UNI – SR WR Daurice Fountain has 5 catches for 75 yards and 3 TDs
  • UNI – JR QB Eli Dunne throws for 325 yards and 4 TDs (1 INT)
  • UNI – SR LB Jared Farley gets 11 tackles, and a 48-yard fumble recovery->TD, earning a MVFC Co-Defensive Player of the Week award.
  • UNI – JR LB Duncan Ferch leads the team with 15 tackles, 1 for loss.
  • CP – JR QB Khaleel Jenkins passes for 238 yards and 4 TDs and runs for 102 (net) and 1 TD
  • CP – SR FB Jared Mohamed runs for 112 yards
  • CP – SR SB Kyle Lewis and SO WR J.J. Koski each has over 100 yards receiving and 2 TDs.

I don’t really know if UNI just had more trouble than they expected with the Cal Poly Triple Option, or if the Panther defense is not quite as good “as advertised”. The Mustangs rolled up 543 yards of offense on UNI, and if it weren’t for a couple of false start penalties on the part of Cal Poly during the overtime period, this game could very well have had a different result.

Next week, 1-1 Northern Iowa heads out to Cedar City, Utah, for another Big Sky matchup…this time with 1-1 Southern Utah.

Cal Poly meanwhile, drops to 0-3 and will head home to face fellow Big Sky member, 0-2 Northern Arizona.

My Pick in Review:

I said – 14 point UNI win
It was – 7 point UNI win

I guess I overestimated the Panther defense…still, got the pick right, and within 1 score on the margin.

Missouri State at #11 North Dakota

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
MSU 0 0 0 0 0
UND 3 21 0 10 34

Quick Hits:

  • UND – JR RB Brady Oliveira ran for 164 yards (10.2 yards per carry).
  • UND – SO WR Noah Wanzek caught 117 yards and 2 TDs on 7 receptions.
  • MSU – SO QB Peyton Huslig threw for 132 yards and 1 INT.
  • MSU – FR CB Zack Sanders had 4 tackles, 1 pass breakup, and an interception.

Back in 2014, Missouri State shut out North Dakota, 38-0. Three years later and the Fighting Hawks flipped the script, shutting out the Bears. Is UND’s defense just that good?…is Mizzou’s defense just that bad?…Are the Bears just a fairly young team who are probably going to have a very “up and down” season?…I don’t know for sure, but my guess is a “yes” to all three.

Missouri State is now 0-2 and will head back down to Springfield to take on the (possible future MVC member) Murray State Racers, who sit at 1-1.

North Dakota picks up their first win to go to 1-1 and will take on a likely much tougher MVFC opponent next week when they head down to take on the 2-0 South Dakota Coyotes.

My Pick in Review:

I said – UND by 7 points
It was – UND by 34 points

Not really what I was anticipating following last week’s offensive performance, but I did figure UND would win the game.

South Dakota at FBS Bowling Green

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
USD 21 0 7 7 35
BGSU 3 6 7 11 27

Quick Hits:

  • USD – One-Man-Offensive-Powerhouse SR QB Chris Streveler threw for 306 yards and a TD and ran for 119 yards and 3 TDs and earned the MVFC Offensive Player of the Week award.
  • USD – FR WR Kody Case caught for 130 yards and 1 TD
  • USD – JR DB Danny Rambo led the team with 9 tackles, 2 for loss
  • USD – SR DB Doug Lewis had 5 tackles as well as a 25-yard interception return
  • BGSU – QB Morgan James threw for 311 yards 2 TDs plus 1 INT.
  • BGSU – WR Datrin Guyton caught for 158 yards.

The Coyotes blew open a 21-3 lead in the 1st Quarter. Eventually, the Falcons regained their composure and started to claw their way back into the game, but USD had enough offensive capabilities to stay ahead of them until the end. I think this one kinda surprised me…not so much that USD ended up winning, but more that the game was essentially dominated by the Coyotes.

USD is now 2-0 will head back home and welcome past (and future) conference rivals UND (1-1) to the DakotaDome next weekend.

Bowling Green is 0-2 and will head to Chicago to take on the 1-1 Northwestern Wildcats.

My Pick in Review:

I said: BGSU by 3
It was: USD by 8

Missed this one. To be fair, I did say that “it would not at all surprise me to see South Dakota win a close game in Ohio”, but I didn’t think they’d come away with the win.

#22 Western Illinois at Northern Arizona

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
WIU 7 10 14 7 38
NAU 0 7 6 7 20

Quick Hits:

  • WIU – SO RB Max Norris runs for 103 yards and 1 TD
  • WIU – SR WR Jaelon Acklin has 101 yards and 1 TD receiving and 65 yards and 1 TD rushing (second straight game with 1 TD each receiving and rushing)
  • WIU – SR LB Brett Taylor leads the team with 12 tackles
  • WIU – JR DL/FB Khalen Saunders has 4 tackles, 1 for loss, ½ of a sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass break up, and 1 QB hurry.
  • NAU – SO QB Case Cookus throws for 221 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT
  • NAU – True-FR QB Stone Smartt goes in later in the game and rushes for a TD

I know it’s still early, but the Leathernecks have looked strong in their first two games, allowing a total of 57 rushing yards in two games (28.5 per game). They are 4th in the FCS in that stat, but guess what…they’re also 4th in the MVFC in that stat, because 1, 2, and 3 are SIU, IL State, and NDSU. They went into NAU’s home stadium…sitting at 7,000 ft above sea level…and took on a strong offensive team, and came away with a larger margin of victory than they did last year in Macomb.

The Leathernecks are now 2-0 and have next weekend off before heading down to take on the newly-FBS team Coastal Carolina.

Northern Arizona falls to 0-2 and will head out to Cali and take on 0-3 Cal Poly.

My Pick in Review:

I said – Leathernecks by 6
It was – Leathernecks by 18

I gotta say, I was hoping for a big win, but trying to be conservative in my prediction. So far, Western has exceeded my expectations, especially considering our starting RB has been out for all but the first bit of the first game.

Mississippi Valley State at Southern Illinois

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
MVSU 3 0 0 0 3
SIU 21 20 14 0 55

Quick Hits:

  • SIU – JR QB Sam Straub threw for 191 yards and 2 TDs.
  • SIU – SO RB D.J. Davis ran for 58 yards and 2 TDs on 4 attempts.
  • SIU – R-FR DL Anthony Knighton had 4 solo tackles including 3 for loss (2 sacks).
  • MVSU – SO PK Ruben Piraquive hit a 33-yard FG for the Delta Devils’ only score of the game.

MVSU was back for more from the MVFC after getting rolled by NDSU. Pretty much as expected, SIU also had a field day with the MVSU defense, putting up all 55 points in the first 3 quarters. There’s not too much else to say, I think…Mississippi Valley State was pretty well overmatched by the Salukis in SIU’s season and home opening game.

SIU is now 1-0 and will head just under an hour down the road to take on 0-2 Southeast Missouri State next week.

MVSU is 0-2 and, while they have completed the MVFC portion of their schedule, the road doesn’t get much easier. They have a weekend off and then their home opener with current #24 Grambling State followed by #16 Charleston Southern.

My Pick in Review:

I said – 50 point SIU win
It was – 52 point SIU win

So…there we are then.

#4 South Dakota State at Montana State

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
SDSU 10 7 7 7 31
MSU 0 7 14 6 27

Quick Hits:

  • SDSU – JR QB Taryn Christion threw for 267 yards and ran for 57 net yards and 2 TDs.
  • SDSU – SR TE Dallas Goedert had 11 catches for 132 yards.
  • SDSU – SO PK Chase Vinatieri hit a career-long 47-yard FG, was perfect 4 for 4 on XPs, and took a handoff from the holder (planned fake kick) for a 31-yard TD run to put SDSU up for good. He earned the MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.
  • SDSU – SO LB Christian Rozeboom led the team with 10 tackles, 1 blocked pass, and 1 QB hurry.
  • MSU – SO QB Chris Murray threw for 311 yards, 4 TDs, and 1 INT, and was the team’s leading rusher with 107 net yards
  • MSU – JR WR Jabarri Johnson and SR WR Mitchell Herbert had over 110 yards receiving and 2 TDs each.
  • MSU – SR LB Mac Bignell had 9 tackles, including 2 for loss and a forced fumble.

The Jackrabbits got ahead early, taking a 17-0 lead midway through the 2nd quarter, but the Bobcats fought back, eventually being down by only 3, 24-21, at the end of the 3rd quarter. SDSU was able to stay ahead of MSU by the use of a fake FG->TD and held on to win the game. MSU actually had more offensive yards than SDSU, 491 to 426.

South Dakota State is now 2-0 and will head back home to become the second SD team to play Drake (1-1) this season after the Bulldogs lost to USD 77-7 in week 1.

Montana State drops to 0-2 and takes a week off before heading up to North Dakota for a matchup with the (currently 1-1) UND Fighting Hawks to open Big Sky play.

My Pick in Review:

I said – SDSU by 17
It was – SDSU by 4

A much closer game than I thought it was going to be with the Bobcats staying close a large part of it.

So, the MVFC went 7-2 overall this week, and 4-1 in the MVFC/Big Sky “Challenge Series”. Next weekend we’ll have NDSU and WIU taking their bye weeks, two more MVFC vs Big Sky matchups, and something of an OOC “Rivalry Week” for a few of the teams. I picked 8 out of the 9 right, missing on USD over Bowling Green, which, added to my 8-1 from last week, puts me at 16-2 so far (this is the “easy” time for picks…gets A LOT harder once conference games start up).

AGS Poll: Top 25 Week 2 Results

The AGS top 25 poll stayed pretty calm at the top after week 2 but saw some significant shifting towards the bottom. The top 5 remained unchanged with James Madison, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Sam Houston State, and Jacksonville State maintaining that top 5 order for the 2nd straight week.

The New Hampshire Wildcats jumped 4 spots up to #8 following their win over FBS Georgia Southern. Western Illinois also jumped 4 spots to #14 following their win at Northern Arizona. South Dakota leaped up 10 spots to get into the rankings at #17 following their win over FBS Bowling Green. Despite significant movement in the bottom half of the poll there were no other new teams in the top 25 this week.

Eastern Washington dropped 7 spots down to #16 following their blowout home loss to North Dakota State. Despite losing to a top 25 FBS team in LSU this week the Chattanooga Mocs dropped 4 spots to #19 following their 0-2 start. Wofford also dropped 3 spots to #9 following their lackluster 1 point win over Mercer and Colgate dropped 3 spots to #24 after a close loss to #11 Richmond. Lehigh dropped out of the top 25 after their loss to Monmouth dropped them to 0-2.

The MVFC led the way again placing 7 of their 10 teams into the top 25. They were followed by the CAA and SOCON with 4 each and the Big Sky with 3. The Southland and the MEAC each placed 2 teams into the top 25.

Full results below:

Rank Team Total Points First Place Votes
1 James Madison Dukes 2095 79
2 North Dakota State Bison 2016 5
3 South Dakota State Jackrabbits 1896
4 Sam Houston State Bearkats 1790
5 Jacksonville State Gamecocks 1590
6 Youngstown State Penguins 1515
7 Villanova Wildcats 1494
8 New Hampshire Wildcats 1487
9 Wofford Terriers 1473
10 North Dakota Fighting Hawks 1319
11 Richmond Spiders 1312
12 The Citadel Bulldogs 1141
13 Illinois State Redbirds 927
14 Western Illinois Leathernecks 924
15 Central Arkansas Bears 899
16 Eastern Washington Eagles 839
17 South Dakota Coyotes 683
18 Samford Bulldogs 618
19 Chattanooga Mocs 615
20 Charleston Southern Buccaneers 392
21 Northern Iowa Panthers 377
22 North Carolina A&T Aggies 283
23 Weber State Wildcats 244
24 Colgate Raiders 212
25 Howard Bison 193
ORV:
26 Tennessee State Tigers 171
27 Maine Black Bears 133
28 Nicholls State Colonels 130
29 Albany Great Danes 100
30 Saint Francis Red Flash 50
31 Stony Brook Seawolves 42
32 Portland State Vikings 38
33 Montana Grizzlies 37
34 Monmouth Hawks 29
35 Sacred Heart Pioneers 25
36 William & Mary Tribe 24
37t Lehigh Mountain Hawks 21
37t Southern Utah Thunderbirds 21
39 Southern Illinois Salukis 19
40 Grambling State Tigers 18

Most Significant Win: New Hampshire Wildcats
Most Significant Loss: Eastern Washington Eagles

Ohio Valley: Week 2 Preview

 

This weekend in the Ohio Valley features some great FCS match ups like Tennessee Tech at Kennesaw State, Southeast Missouri State at Dayton, and a chance for Murray State to test themselves with one of the best the Southland has to offer when #16 Central Arkansas comes to visit.

 

 

#28 Tennessee State (1-0) vs. Jackson State (0-1) @ Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, TN

When: Saturday 6PM Central

Where to Watch/ Listen: Fox Sports South/ http://www.1021theville.com/

Tennessee State will meet Jackson State on Saturday night in Memphis for the 28th Annual Southern Heritage Classic.  Tennessee State currently leads the series 16-9 with the last year’s meeting resulting in a 40-26 win for the Tennessee State Tigers.

This match up looks like another favorable one for Tennessee State.  It’s hard to tell what Jackson State will be able to do offensively after their beatdown at TCU last week but I’m willing to bet that Tennessee State’s defense is about to have a field day. Jackson State was held to .6 yards per rush last week and only completed half of their 14 pass attempts for 41 yards.

Treon Harris will look to pick up right where he left off last week and likely thrive against a weaker defense than what we saw TSU play last week.  Look for Harris to improve on his passing efficiency from last week.  Harris completed less than half his passes against Georgia State, if he can show improvement it should be a good sign for the TSU offense as they move forward with their season.  I also expect we will see a heavier dose of TSU’s rushing attack.   The Jackson State defense gave up nearly 7 yards per rush against TCU last weekend and I expect Rod Reed will want to keep the ball on the ground if he can.  After all, running the ball was a big part of their success against Georgia State.

Stick with your strengths. Don’t be the Falcons.

Prediction:  Tennessee State 48  Jackson State 7

 

 

Eastern Kentucky (0-1) @ Kentucky (1-0)

When: Saturday 11AM Central

Where to Watch: SEC Network/ WatchESPN

Last time this game happened Eastern Kentucky almost pulled off one of the largest upsets the SEC has seen in years when the Wildcats had to rally in the 4th quarter to force overtime and eventually win the game.

It’s hard to say whether we will learn much more about the defense from this game than we did last week.  Even if the defense improves Kentucky is still a better team than WKU… maybe.  The key here for EKU is to hold onto the ball and force some turnovers.  Southern Miss almost took down the Wildcats last week after giving the ball away 3 times.  If EKU can stifle the run like the did against WKU this game might look a whole lot like last time.

Offensively the Colonels need to establish a rushing attack.  25 rushing yards ain’t beatin’ no one.  EKU had 180 rushing yards in their last meetup with the Wildcats.  This game WILL come down to which team can run the ball better and if EKU can run the ball with some degree of consistency they have a shot at doing what they should have done in 2015.

Prediction:  Kentucky 28 EKU 17

 

 

UT-Martin (1-0) vs Ole Miss (1-0)

When: Saturday 11AM Central

Where to Watch:  SEC Network/ WatchESPN

UT- Martin is going to have their hands full this weekend in Oxford.  With any luck this won’t look like the 76-3 beatdown the Skyhawks received in Oxford two years ago.  With all the happenings going on in athletic offices in Oxford this past year the Skyhawks may have a chance to keep this game respectable.

Based on the Rebel’s performance in week 1, the loss of QB Chad Kelly isn’t a big deal.  Shea Patterson threw for 429 yards and 4TDs in his 47-27 debut over South Alabama.  Ole Miss did have issues running the ball against USA and it will be worth watching to see how UTM’s defense can capitalize on those issues and whether they will be able to slow down Patterson.  Offensively the key is to be able to hold onto the football, control the clock, and keep the defense off the field.  If UT-Martin can run the ball against non-DII opponents we will find out this week and Troy Cook will need some help if the Skyhawk’s don’t want to get run out of Mississippi again.

Prediction:  Ole Miss 42  UT-Martin 13

 

 

Southeast Missouri State (0-1) @ Dayton (0-1)

When: Saturday 12PM Central

Where to Watch: Youtube 

With SEMO coming off a beating in Kansas and Dayton losing a close one to RMU on the road both teams will be looking to bounce back in week 2.  SEMO still has a lot to prove this season if they want to show they can stay competitive in the conference this year.

Offensively the Redhawks need to find a rushing game to replace the production of Will Young and Tremane McCollough.  Marquis Terry showed a little flash against KU but he will need some help from the boys up front if he wants to have sustained success. Jesse Hosket look serviceable in the passing game last week and I expect we will see him have a great game this weekend against a non-Power 5 defense.

Defensively the Redhawks need to just keep doing what they’re doing and stop the run.  They held Kansas to just 2.9 yards per rush last weekend and if they can keep Dayton in front of them and don’t get beat over the top this could be a long day for the Flyers.

Prediction:  SEMO 27 Dayton 17

 

 

Austin Peay (0-1) @ Miami (OH) (0-1)

When:  Saturday 2:30PM Central

Where to Watch:  ESPN3

Call me crazy but I think Austin Peay can take this game.  I didn’t say they will, I said I think they can.  This is a team that Eastern Illinois beat last year and they didn’t look all that great in their season opener at Marshall.  Miami has a weak rushing attack and will likely try to air it out on the Govs.

Austin Peay’s rushing defense looked stout against Cincinnati and if they can have a repeat performance they may have a shot at pulling the upset.  The problem is they will have to limit Miami’s passing attack that put up nearly 300 yards of offense on Marshall.  If Austin Peay can get pressure and get off the field on third down the effort will liekly keep them in it with Miami.

Offensively I’d like to see the same game plan we saw last weekend. Run the ball.  Peay managed 224 rushing yards against Cincinnati and will need the run game to keep Miami’s offense off the field.  One thing the Govs must fix is their 3rd down conversion percentage.  The Govs only completed 3 of their 16 third downs last week and if they can increase that number and extend drives I see no reason they can’t hang with the RedHawks.

Prediction: Austin Peay 24 Miami (OH) 27

 

 

Eastern Illinois (1-0) @ Northern Illinois (0-1)

When: Saturday 2:30 Central

Where to Watch: ESPN3

Last time these two teams met the Panthers had Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback and NIU was a 12-2 MAC West Champion.  While I don’t think EIU will have quite as good a chance to beat NIU as they did back in 2013 when they were edged out 43-39, I do think if the defense can hold up for 60 minutes they may stay competitive.  NIU opened up their season last weekend with a loss at Boston College and looked anything but impressive.  NIU’s punter had nearly as many yards as the offense did in part because the offense was only 2 of 15 on third down.  I don’t think Eastern Illinois will be able to do much to slow down the Huskies run game but if Mitch Kimble can get some help from his offensive line he may be enough to keep them in the game.

Prediction:  Eastern Illinois 10 Northern Illinois 34

 

 

Tennessee Tech (0-1) @ Kennesaw State (0-1)

When: Saturday 6PM Central

Where to Watch: Big South Network 

Kennesaw State looked solid in their opener at Samford last week as they racked up 545 yards of offense. That said, the key here for Tennessee Tech is to slow down the rushing attack of Kennesaw State.  After giving up 298 yards rushing to Western Illinois last week that may be easier said than done.

On paper I would expect Tennessee Tech to have a better offensive performance than they did against #18 WIU.  After all, it’s difficult to do worse than zero yards rushing on 21 attempts.  If Tech can find a way to run the ball it will help Sale and Satterfield will be able to open up the offense a little bit.  The defense will have to find a way to contain the run and get off the field on third down.  Samford wasn’t able to get KSU off the field on third down and it almost cost them the game.  If Tech allows KSU to run and hold onto the ball it could be another long game for Golden Eagle fans.  However, I do think Tech will be able to bounce back from a rough week one loss.

Prediction:  Tennessee Tech 23 Kennesaw State 21

 

 

#16 Central Arkansas (0-1) @ Murray State (1-0)

When: Saturday 6PM Central

Where to Watch: OVC Digital Network

The only home game this weekend in the OVC will feature #16 Central Arkansas and the Murray State Racers.  Murray State will have their hands full this weekend as they take on their first DI opponent without KD Humphries at the helm. The Bears feature a great rushing attack that garnered them 223 yards against Kansas State on 55 attempts and an efficient passing attack that saw quarterback Hayden Hildebrand complete over 77% of his passes for 198 yards, a TD, and a pick.

The Racers are coming off a dominating week one win over Kentucky Wesleyan will have their chance to show what they can do against DI competition.  Murray State had an impressive 6.1 yards per carry in their debut and will have to attempt to repeat that success if they want to hang with one of best teams the Southland conference has to offer.  The Racers will also need to work on slowing down the Bears run heavy offense and getting pressure on Hildebrand if they want a chance at pulling the upset.

Prediction:  Central Arkansas 34 Murray State 13

 

 

#5 Jacksonville State (1-0) @ Georgia Tech (0-1)

When:  Saturday 11:30 AM Central

Where to Watch: ACC Network/ WatchESPN

The Jacksonville State Gamecocks will travel to Atlanta this weekend to take on the Ramblin’ Wreck of Georgia Tech in what is setting up to be a potential trap game for the Yellow Jackets.  After a heartbreaking triple-overtime defeat that saw GT amass 655 yards of offense and 535 rushing yards the Wreck has to face the number #5 team in the country in JSU that is coming off a bye week.  The Gamecocks have a history of playing their FBS opponents tough and I expect this game will be no different.  It will take a near perfect game for the Gamecocks to pull the upset but you can be sure they won’t be some pushover.

If Jacksonville State wants to have a shot to stun the Wreck they will have to do 8 things:

-Sustain long drives on offense.

-Score on those drives and make each possession count.

-Control the clock. The less time GT’s offense has the ball the better.

-RUN THE BALL, SHANAHAN.

-Score early and force Tech to play catch up.

-Win on first and third down defensively.

-Create negative plays to get Tech’s offense behind schedule.

-Force turnovers

These may sound like generic things but GT’s clock munching offense amplifies a team’s miscues.  This game will come down to who can run the ball, who can control the clock, and whether JSU’s defense has enough gas in the tank to last 60 minutes.  It’s going to be an uphill battle but it’s not impossible by any means.  Unfortunately, I think GT’s TaQuon Marshall will be the difference maker for the Jackets.  I hope I’m wrong.

Prediction:  Gamecocks 24 Wreck 31

Patriot League: Week 2 Preview

Fordham (0-1, 0-0) at Central Connecticut State (0-1) – Sept. 9th 12 PM Arute Field New Britain, CT

Live Stream: NECFrontRow.com

Fordham will look to get back on track against NEC member Central Connecticut State Saturday afternoon. The Rams head to the Nutmeg State an angry bunch after an embarrassing 58 point loss to Army last Friday night. While giving 64 points is never a good thing, the offense being held to a single Chase Edmond TD should be the main concern for Ram head coach Andrew Breiner. Fordham led the Patriot League in points scored (40 ppg) and figured to be just as strong in 2017. Army was able to control the Ram’s experienced offensive line which grounded Edmonds and Co.  Central Connecticut should provide the Rams an opportunity to get the “O” back on track. At the same time, struggling against the Blue Devils potentially suspect defense (36.6 ppg allowed in last 6 games dating back to last year) should send up huge red flags in the Bronx.

CCSU was picked 4th in the NEC preseason poll after posting a 2-9 season in 2016. They opened their 2017 season with a 50-7 loss to ACC member Syracuse.

The Blue Devils are led by a solid group of skill guys in offense. QB Jacob Dolegala, TE K.J. Smith and West Virginia transfer Cameron Nash at RB will give the Ram D some trouble. One important Blue Devil Fordham won’t have to plan for is senior preseason all-conference selection WR Joey Fields (46 rec 732 yards 6 TDs in ‘16). The issue for CCSU on “O” is a young offensive line (R-Fr, So, Sr, Fr, So).

The oft maligned Ram front 7 will have much more success this week than it did against Army last Friday night. As will the Fordham offense.

Prediction: Fordham 41 Central Connecticut State 17

Holy Cross (0-1, 0-0) at Bucknell (1-0, 0-0) – Sept. 9th 12 PM Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium, Lewisburg, PA

Live Streaming: Patriot League Network

The Bison and Crusaders do battle in a key early season Patriot League contest. Both teams are coming off of strong opening week performances and should feel confident in their chances to start league play 1-0. The Bucknell defense was dominant in their 45-6 win over Marist. The unit will be tested far more this week when QB Peter Pujals and the Crusader offense comes calling. The 5th year senior QB  and his Holy Cross teammates nearly pulled off a program changing win last week against FBS UConn. After leading 20-7 at half, the Crusaders ultimately fell 27-20.  Despite the loss, such a strong showing should still be a confidence builder for Holy Cross.

The key for both teams will be establishing the running game. If the Bucknell offensive line can find some continuity DeFloria and Freshnock could be in a line for a big day against a Holy Cross defensive front that has historically struggled to stop the run. The Bison RB duo (55 combined yards) failed to get gain traction against Marist. Getting it going this week has to be a priority for Coach Susan. Bucknell QB Matt Muh (16-24 205 yards 2 TD 1 INT) played well against Marist but he’s not yet proven the ability to win games with his arm. While Pujals has shown the ability to win a game nearly himself, Holy Cross can’t count on him to be superman for 11 games. The Crusaders offensive line must find room for Guild and Walker to have success on the ground. If Abdullah and the rest of the talented Bucknell front 7 are able to tee off on Pujals it will be a long day for the veteran QB.

Bucknell looked really good against Marist but Holy Cross will be a major step up in competition. This should go down to the wire.

Prediction: Holy Cross 27 Bucknell 24

#19 Lehigh (0-1, 0-0) at Monmouth (0-1) – Sept. 9th 1 PM Kessler Field West Long Branch, NJ

Live Streaming: ESPN3

Lehigh heads to the Jersey Shore looking to exact some revenge on Monmouth after the Hawks went into Goodman Stadium last year and escaped with a surprising 23-21. The key to Monmouth’s win last year was their defense that limited Lehigh’s high flying offense to 239 total yards. It’s hard to imagine Monmouth duplicating that type of performance two years in row. While the Hawks put forth a strong performance in their season opening 31-12 win over Lafayette, Lehigh has established itself as one of the top offenses in FCS since that 23-21 loss to open last season. The Mountain Hawk’s “O” was able to put up 35 points in their hard fought 3 point loss to #9 Villanova last week. Lehigh QB Brad Mayes was named Patriot League Player of the Week for his performance in the defeat.

If Lehigh wants to end their two game losing streak to Monmouth the Mountain Hawk defense much set the tone. Monmouth RB Peter Guerriero rushed for 139 yards and 2 TDs and was named Big South Freshman of the Week for his performance against Lafayette. Given Lehigh’s well known struggles stopping the run, Guerriero has to be a focal point on defense. QB Kenji Bahar, WR Reggie White and TE Jake Powell are also extremely dangerous in the passing game.

Lehigh has to be chomping at the bit to atone for last week’s loss to Villanova and last year’s setback to Monmouth. Monmouth has the weapons to score on the suspect Lehigh defense but not enough to outpace the Lehigh offense.

Prediction: Lehigh 44 Monmouth 27

Sacred Heart (1-0) at Lafayette (0-1, 0-0) – Sept. 9th 6 PM Fisher Stadium Easton, PA

Live Streaming: Patriot League Network

Lafayette welcomes the Sacred Heart Pioneers to College Hill in John Garrett’s home debut as head coach of the Leopards. Lafayette put forth a strong first half performance last week against Monmouth but a sluggish offense and a tired defense led to their demise during the final 30 minutes. Lafayette must be able to get some semblance of a rushing attack going if they want to notch a few “Ws” this season. Starting RB DeSean Brown managed a meager 22 yards on 13 carries against Monmouth. Sacred Heart has two defensive players, DE Dylan Ackerson and LB Kevin Berry, on the preseason All-NEC team. The work-in-progress Leopard offensive line will need to be aware of those two are at all times.

Sacred Heart (picked 5th in NEC preseason poll) opened their season with a dominating 42-3 win over Stetson last week. Pioneer QB Kevin Duke (13-16 155 yards 1 TD, 81 yards rushing 3 TDs) was named the NEC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Hatters. Lafayette’s talented front 7 will need to be aware of Duke’s ability to run if nothings available downfield. Outside of Duke the Pioneers don’t have any weapons that should seriously scare the talented Lafayette D. If the Leopards can contain the Pioneers rushing attack (301 yards last week), Sacred Heart will have a tough time putting points on the board.

Since wins might be tough to come by for Lafayette this is a crucial game for the Leopards psyche. O’Malley and the talented group of receivers must get some help on offense. The Leopard “D” should be able to contain the Pioneers just enough to scrape out a much needed win.

Prediction: Lafayette 20 Sacred 17

Georgetown (0-0, 0-0) at Campbell (1-0) – Sept. 9th 6 PM Barker-Lane Stadium Buies Creek, NC

Live Streaming: Big South Network

Georgetown heads to North Carolina to open their season against the Campbell Camels from the Pioneer League. With an opening week bye the Hoyas got an extra 7 days to prepare for the game against the Camels. Meanwhile, Campbell started their 2017 campaign with a resounding 70-0 win over outclassed Division 3 Methodist.  Campbell will be joining the full-scholarship Big South next year. The Camels have really ramped up recruiting since announcing they would be awarding free rides. Campbell is coached by former NFL safety Mike Minter. Minter spent his entire 9 year career with the Carolina Panthers.

The Hoyas return a veteran team that has to be itching to get the season started. 5th year Senior QB Tim Barnes leads an offense loaded with experience at every position. If the Hoyas were ever to have a breakout season on offense this could be it. Campbell could have their hands full since they don’t have any game film to go off. Plus, Barnes was hurt for most of last year so the Hoya offense was a shell of itself during the course of the season. If the Hoya RB combo of Alex Valles and Isaac Ellsworth can take some of the pressure off of Barnes the Hoyas will have a great chance to get out of the Tar Heel state with a win.

Campbell will find out quickly the Hoya defense is far more formidable than Methodist’s. While Campbell has scholarship players, Georgetown has a ton of experience and several talented players of their own.

Prediction: Georgetown 31 Campbell 21

 

Patriot League Game of the Week: #10 Richmond at #21 Colgate

#10 Richmond at #21 Colgate – Sept. 9th 1 PM, Andy Kerr Stadium Hamilton, NY

Live Stream: Patriot League Network

Colgate will try to make it 2 for 2 against ranked opponents to start the 2017 season as the 10th ranked Richmond Spiders head to Central New York for a highly anticipated out of conference battle between the Patriot League and the Colonial Athletic Association. The Raiders had an extra week to get ready for Richmond since they started their season a week early (August 26th) against Cal Poly. The Spiders were also scheduled to have a bye last week but their game against highly ranked Sam Houston State was postponed until Friday September 1st due to the effects of Hurricane Harvey. In addition to being pushed back 6 days, the game was moved to Baylor’s football stadium in Waco. Richmond got down big early to the Bearkats but made a furious second half comeback. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough as the Spiders lost to SHSU 48-34 in a game that featured video game like stats. In defeat Richmond racked up 652 total yards. Leading the way was star QB Kyle Lauletta and his school record 546 passing yards.

These two met as ranked teams last year when Richmond escaped at home with a 38-31 win. The Spiders controlled the action for much of the game but had to withstand a spirited Colgate comeback. Richmond racked up 465 yards in the win. Current Spider QB Kyle Lauletta accounted for 307 of those yards through the air.  The Spider defense limited the Colgate “O” to 12 first downs and 251 total yards. The Raiders really struggled establishing a pass game (57 yards) against the Spider secondary.

Colgate will need to get the offense going this Saturday if they want to pull the off the upset at home. Sophomore quarterback Carmine Scarfone did just enough (8-15 94 yards 1 INT) to lead Colgate in their 20-14 win over Cal Poly. With an unproven group of receivers and an inexperienced QB, the Colgate coaching staff has their work cut out trying to figure out how to get better production from the passing attack. The Spiders defense has been shaky against the pass dating back to last season so there should some opportunities for Scarfone and company to find their rhythm. Raider running backs James Hollond and Alex Mathews (combined for 169 yards and 2 TDs against Cal Poly) will need to have success early in the game to open up some opportunities for Scarfone to make plays downfield. Richmond will likely sellout against the run at the start of the game and dare the sophomore quarterback to beat them with his arm.

Richmond’s multi-dimensional offense will test the highly touted Colgate defense in a way Cal Poly’s triple option couldn’t. The Raiders defense is built to shut down the run and for the most part they did just that against the Mustangs. Duplicating that feat this week figures to be much more difficult. While Lauletta gets much of the attention, he has a tremendous backfield mate in preseason All-CAA RB Deontez Thompson. The lethal backfield combination of Lauletta and Thompson makes the Spider’s offense one of the very best in FCS. Richmond also has a plethora of talented wide receivers. Cotrelle Simpson (7 rec 204 yards 1 TD) and Dejon Brissett (9 rec 172 yards 1 TD) are coming off monster performances against Sam Houston State. There’s no doubt the Colgate secondary that features 2 (Tony Castillo & Abdu Daramy-Swaray) preseason All-Patriot League cornerbacks will be severely tested on Saturday. The usually stout Raider rush defense will also find life much more difficult without the services of Pat Afriyie. The All-American rush end is expected to miss a few weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain at the end of the Cal Poly game.

Colgate will enter this game with a ton of confidence after their victory over then nationally ranked Cal Poly two weeks ago. Richmond on the other hand heads to beautiful Hamilton, NY rather cranky following their hard fought opening season loss to an elite Sam Houston State team. Colgate always plays tough at home but the Spiders are good enough to negate much of the Andy Kerr advantage.

Until the Raiders prove they have balance on offense it’s hard to see them keeping up with the explosive Spiders. Not having Afriyie is a huge setback for the Raider defense. Coach Hunt and his staff will have their cut out trying to figure out the best way to limit the damage caused by the All-American’s absence.

Prediction: Richmond 41 Colgate 16

The FCS Wedge – 2017-0907 Week 2 Preview Show

Lance & Kris give us the rundown on the upcoming Week 2 games for the 2017 season. Of note, EWU/NDSU tops the list along with several other great games. Give a listen to see what the fellers have to say on the games this week.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Ohio Valley: Week 1 Recap and Power Rankings

While the majority of the OVC opened their seasons with either cupcakes or money games there were still several great games this past week.  Including a few better than expected performances from Austin Peay and Tennessee State.  The Tigers were the first FCS team of the year to get themselves an FBS scalp when they opened up Georgia State’s new stadium by handing them a loss, Jacksonville State showed they have the defensive firepower to make a return trip deep into the playoffs, and Eastern Illinois had a thrilling win as they won their game over Indiana State with no time left on the clock.

 

#5 JSU 27 

#15 UTC 13

Jacksonville State kicked off the FCS season last weekend on ESPN in dominating fashion as they rolled to a 27-13 win over the Chattanooga Mocs.  This marks the fifth consecutive win in the series for JSU and the largest margin of victory during the Gamecocks’ winning streak.

Offensively the headline was Roc Thomas’ 190 yards of offense.  The senior running back went for 122 rushing yards on 19 carries, 68 receiving yards, and a TD against the Mocs defense. Bryant Horn also showed a lot of promise after a rough first half.  He finished the game completing 14 of his 20 attempts for 182 yards, a TD, and two picks.  After settling down in the second half Horn was 6 for 6 for 85 yards and a TD.  If JSU can get steady and quality play out of their offensive line this offense could see a lot of improvement from last year despite not having #7 and #12 on the field.

Defense is where the Gamecocks really shine.  Darius Jackson spent most of his evening in the UTC backfield terrorizing everyone.  Jonathan Hagler had himself a big game topped off by a 52 yard pick six. The defense overall only allowed UTC to muster 6 points, 13 rushing yards, and 153 yards of total offense before the starters were pulled early in the fourth quarter.  The Mocs finished the night with 13 points and 294 yards of total offense.

The Gamecocks travel to Atlanta this Saturday to take on the Ramblin’ Wreck of Georgia Tech.

 

 

#28 TSU 17

Georgia State 10

The Tennessee State Tigers opened the season with an impressive win over FBS Georgia State.  The game was the first to be played in the Panthers’ new home stadium formerly Turner Field.

Offensively the headliner was Florida transfer quarterback Treon Harris as he accounted for 236 of TSU’s 383 total yards.  In addition to his 145 passing yards, Harris was also the Tigers’ leading rusher with 91 yards on 11 carries.  However, what impressed me the most about the Tigers’ offensive performance wasn’t Harris, it was the amount of help he was getting.  Patrick Smith showed why he was the Preseason OVC Offensive Player of the Year as he hauled in 6 catches for 70 yards and the offensive line paved the way for a rushing attack that put up 238 yards and averaged 5.7 YPC.  The only complaint I have is the Tigers HAVE to start finishing drives.  Missing two field goals is a good way to get yourself beat. Just ask Georgia Tech.

The defensive side of the ball is where I was REALLY impressed.  Despite Ogundeko being fairly bottled up most of the night the Tiger defense had a fantastic showing in their debut.  The star of the night was senior linebacker Chris Collins who racked up 12 total tackles (9 solo), 3 TFLs, a sack, AND the forced fumble that allowed TSU to get their first points of the night.  Collins also picked up FCS Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance.  I thought the defensive line as a whole played a great game as they held the Panthers to just 1.7 yards per rush on 29 carries.  Those are JSU type numbers and if this team can continue to improve they may be taking home some hardware on November 16th.

 

https://twitter.com/HEROSportsFCS/status/903441482543095810

 

Congratulations to the Tennessee State Tigers on their first ever win over an FBS program. You guys played well and earned it.

 

 

 

UT-Martin 36

Clarion 0

Tennessee-Martin opened their season with the creamiest of creampuffs as they took on DII Clarion.  This game marks the first time UTM has shut out an opponent since 2011 when the Skyhawks dropped 63 on NAIA team Union (KY).

Normally games against lesser opponents don’t really tell us much but there were a couple red flags when examining UTM’s offense.  First off, Troy Cook only completed 13/28 of his passes which was likely because of the downpour that the game was played in, so that’s not something to worry about yet.  Second, it seems like the only consistent thing on the offense is Jr RB Ladarius Galloway and his 9.2 YPC, once again probably because of the monsoon.  Third, the Skyhawks racked up TWELVE penalties for 110 yards and three turnovers.  More often than not that’s a death sentence for teams playing tough competition but thankfully for the Skyhawks Clarion doesn’t fit that description.  As I said at first though, these games often don’t give us much useful info and rain doesn’t help either so I’m really hoping that’s the case here.

Defensive performance was as you would expect against a lower division opponent.  The UTM defense held Clarion to 147 total yards, 0 points, and 2.6 yards per rush.  One stat line that did surprise me was that Clarion’s QB only completed 4 of his 22 pass attempts, unfortunately 2 of those competitions were to guys in Skyhawks jerseys. As said before, maybe it was the rain, or maybe UTMs secondary is good.  We will find out this Saturday as the Skyhawks travel to Oxford, MS to take on the Ole Miss Rebels.  Hopefully it won’t rain.

 

Did I mention the rain?

 

 

Austin Peay 14

Cincinnati 26

Bold Prediction: Austin Peay is going to win some games this year.

Bolder Prediction: The Govs finish .500 or above in OVC play.

Yup. I said it.  Fight me.

 

The Govs were another team that impressed me in their season opener.  On offense, they ran. A lot. Austin Peay’s 60 rushing attempts garnered them 224 rushing yards and 37:41 of the play clock.  Unfortunately for the Govs two turnovers thwarted what could have been a MASSIVE upset.

The Govs offense racked up 313 total yards against Cincy but there were still issues that were apparent. For one, the third down conversion rate needs to be addressed.  3 of 16 on third down isn’t going to win you any games. Second, sophomore quarterback JaVaughn Craig looked unimpressive throwing the football as he completed just half of his 14 attempts for just 63 yards, a TD, and a pick.

The Govs defense was the surprising thing to me.  The Govs only allowed Cincy to get 248 yards of total offense, limited them to 3.3 yards per rush on 29 carries, and held the Bearcats to 3-11 on third down.  That stat line should be very encouraging considering the program has lost 28 games straight.  Healy’s hard work is starting to pay off and we will likely start seeing the fruits of his labor around week 3.

 

https://twitter.com/AustinPeayFB/status/903480945885364228

 

Tennessee Tech 14

#18 Western Illinois 41

I’m not sugar coating it… that was a mess.  I thought coming into the season losing Birdsong would be the biggest issue for Tennessee Tech, turns out it’s just one of several issues.

The Tennessee Tech offense was held to ZERO rushing yards. Zip. Nada. None. On 21 attempts! I get that WIU is a great team but if Austin Peay can put up 224 rushing yards against an FBS team then TTU should have gotten at least a yard.  The passing game, however, did get more than a yard.  252 of them in fact.  Which doesn’t sound bad until you consider only half of the attempts were completions and they matched their 2 TDs with 2 picks.  I’m going to reserve further judgment of the offense until Kennesaw State because I think Tech is better than what we saw this past weekend.

Defensively, it went about as I expected it to go.  They defense wore down in the second half gave up 298 rushing yards but that’s a fairly regular occurrence against Missouri Valley teams.  However, one nugget that can be improved going forward is working to not give up explosive plays.  WIU had multiple runs longer than 20 yards and those were the plays that allowed WIU to pretty much blow the doors off in the second half.  If TTU can have performance like they did in the first half they will be fine, but they have to cut down and limit the big plays.

 

 

Murray State 67

Kentucky Wesleyan 7

Murray State was one screwed up punt attempt away from their first shutout since 2011.  Murray opened their season by playing local Jr. High Kentucky Wesleyan (They aren’t actually a junior high, they were just 3-8 last year in DII).  This game won’t tell us exactly where Murray stands but it tells us a little.

First off, Brently looked solid while filling in KD’s shoes, even in the rain.  He completed 18 of 26 passes for 162 yards, 4 TDs, and 1 pick.  They also ran 40 times for 243 yards, three more TDs, and averaged 6.1 yards a carry.  Murray doesn’t normally run that much but they don’t normally blow teams out either.

Defensively, the Racers seemed solid as they limited KWU to zero first downs, 159 total yards of offense, and 30 rushing yards on 31 carries.  They also got 4 picks.

We will learn a lot more about where this team stands on Saturday when they take on #16 Central Arkansas.

 

 

Eastern Kentucky 17

Western Kentucky 31

And

SEMO 16

Kansas 38

I’m lumping these two together because these were two more money games that went about as you’d expect but I’ll go ahead and highlight some of the standout things from each game.

First off for SEMO, they were able to limit the Jayhawks to just 73 rushing yards on 25 carries and were able to force three turnovers.  If they can continue to stop the run they may see some success in the OVC this year.  I’m sure we will see their offensive numbers pick back up once they start playing FCS competition. They finished with just 253 yards of offense and had 83 rushing yards on 34 carries.

For EKU, playing old time rival WKU was good to see.  However, the Hilltoppers were able to stuff EKUs rushing attack and only allowed 25 yards on 22 carries.  Fortunately for EKU, that didn’t bother senior quarterback Tim Boyle.  Boyle completed 29 of his 46 passes for 320 yards and 2 TDs.  Also, while WKU was able to take away EKUs run game, the Colonels were able to return the favor as they only allowed the Hilltoppers to gain an average 2.5 yards per rush.  Unfortunately, the Colonels had trouble getting off the field on third and fourth down and that allowed the Hilltoppers to wear them down.

 

https://twitter.com/EKUFootball/status/905822306848481280

#32 Eastern Illinois 22

Indiana State 20

Eastern Illinois started their season off in thrilling fashion as Mitch Kimble threw the game winning touchdown pass with no time left on the clock. The Panthers were also able to capitalize on a pick six in the first quarter to jump out to lead they would keep until late in the fourth quarter when a 32 yard return by ISU’s Dimitri Taylor set the Sycamores up on the EIU 14 yard line, which the Sycamores turned into a TD.

Offensively, the Panthers were able to run the ball against the Indiana State front, but 5 sacks for a loss of 35 yards made the final rushing stat line 76 yards and a TD on 33 carries. Mitch Kimble looked solid and should be in for a great senior campaign.  If I had one quibble with the offense it would be I wish they ran more. 15 carriers for Johnson wasn’t enough for me but we will see what happens this weekend with NIU before I make a big deal out of it.

Defensively, holding Indiana State to less than 300 yards of offense and 2 of 11 on third down is impressive. The secondary limited Indiana State to just 7 completions on 19 attempts and 133 yards between ISU’s two quarterbacks and if EIU can continue to work on stopping the run and keep forcing turnovers this could be a stout ballclub in the OVC this season.

 

https://twitter.com/EIUPantherFB/status/903443887250919424

 

Power Rankings

  1. JSU
  2. TSU
  3. UTM
  4. EIU
  5. EKU
  6. APSU  (Deal with it)
  7. TTU
  8. SEMO
  9. Murray State