SOCON: Week 7 Review and Power Rankings

It was a exciting week in the Southern Conference.  The Conference race became a little clearer, but there is still a lot of football to play and anything can happen still.  The Citadel took the drivers seat for the title by knocking off Chattanooga.  Samford is still rolling with another big win, this time over VMI.  Mercer got another one in the win column in a crazy game in Macon and Furman got its first win of the season in a big way over ETSU.

#7 The Citadel 22   #5 Chattanooga 14 

Please see the AGS Game of the Week recap for a review of this game.

#19 Samford 55  VMI 21

Samford scored four times in the first quarter on Saturday and cruised past VMI easily by 34.  This game showcased two of the SOCON best passers, Samford’s Devlin Hodges and VMI’s Al Cobb.  Hodges had a monster day with 435 yards and 5 TDs.

Samford scored on 5 of its 7 first half possessions and snagged an interception for a pick six as well.  VMI was stymied by two first half turnovers including the pick six interception thrown by Cobb.  The Bulldog defense was pretty effective holding VMI to three, three and outs in the first half as well.  By halftime, Samford had racked up 339 yards, mostly through the air, and a 38-14 lead.

VMI wasn’t about to give up though and they tried to make a game of it in the second half.  After trading three punts to open the second half, VMI went on a quick 4 play 80 yard drive to cut the deficit to 38-21.  Cobb tossed a 50 yarder on this drive.  VMI held the explosive Samford offense again and drove the ball well again.  But the Bulldogs stiffened up and held them on a 4th and 1 from the Samford 26.  After trading punts again, including a bad one by VMI that gave the Bulldogs great field position, VMI held them and Samford was forced to kick a field goal to go up 41-21 at the start of the fourth.

On VMI’s next play, Cobb threw his second interception and gave Samford the ball at the VMI 45. The Bulldogs scored 5 plays later on another Hodges TD toss.  Austin Coulling came in at this point as the Keydet QB, but VMI was done.  Samford scored again on their next possession on pass by back up QB Liam Welch.

Samford rolled up 557 yards total for the day, including 95 on the ground, which is actually above their average.  Hodges went 35/50 for 435 yards, 5 TDs and one interception.  He is very dangerous QB.  Samford’s scoring drives average under two minutes usually.  They only had the ball 26 minute during the game.  Cobb went 23/31 for 247 yards, with no TDs and 2 interceptions.  VMI went a disappointing 80 yards on the ground.

VMI is now 3-3 and 1-2 in SOCON play and travels to faces a deflated, and probably pissed off Chattanooga next week. Samford improves to 5-1 and 3-1 and gets Western Carolina next at home.

Furman 52  ETSU 7

The Furman Paladins were looking for a win and they got it.  The ETSU Bucs were overwhelmed by a very frustrated Furman team who has suffered through their worst start in half a century.  And just as I predicted, they won big.  On both sides of the ball, the Paladins played like they were possessed.

It did not start well for the Bucs. Furman went on a 7 play, 73 yard drive to open the game and scored on a 28 yard pass from Paladin QB Reese Hannon to Andrej Suttles.  After a now healthy again Furman defense held ETSU to a three and out, Hannon connected again on a 9 yard TD pass after a six play drive to make it 14-0.  Furman wanted to make a statement at this point and they opted for an onside kick.  They didn’t recover, but they held the Bucs to another three and out.  It did not take Furman long to score again as they went on a three play 80 yard drive and scored on yet another Hannon to Suttles pass.  This time for 56 yards and it put Furman up 21-0 with about 4 minutes to go in the first quarter.

ETSU got on first down on their next drive, but penalties plagued them and they punted it back to the Paladins for a third time. Furman then went on another systematic drive, this time for 6 plays and 64 yards to score just seconds into the second quarter.  By this point, Furman’s Hannon had gone 12 for 12 for 218 yards and 4 TD passes.

ETSU began there next drive and it looked like a revitalized Furman defense would stop them again after a three and out.  But on a 4/1 at their own 34 the Bucs went for it and got it, barely.  A quick strike pass for 18 yards and a rougher the passer penalty got them 15 more.  Furman’s defense stiffened up and held them at the 21 and the Bucs attempted and missed a field goal to leave it at 28-0 with 8:05 to go in the half.

Furman got their running game going a bit on the next drive which included a 15 yard trot by Hannon. After a pass interference call deep in Bucs territory, Furman ran it in from the 2.  The drive took 10 plays and went 79 yards.  Hannon made his first two incompletions of the game on this drive.  ETSU drove well on their next drive, but they ran out of time before the half with the ball on the Furman 38.

Furman dominated the first half behind the arm of Hannon.   The Paladins totaled 336 yards to ETSU’s 94.  Hannon went 14-16 for 244 yards and 4 TDs.  They also rushed for 92.  But the stat that Furman coach Bruce Fowler probably liked the best was Furman’s zero turnovers.  Turnovers have really been Furman’s bane so far this year.

Already down 35-0, it had to be hard for the ETSU players to face the second half.  Furman’s defense held the Bucs to a three and out on their first possession of the second half and the Paladins went on yet another long scoring drive.  This time the drive was for 53 yards in 7 plays to make it 42-0.  ETSU got a good drive going their next possession, but they were finally held and forced to punt yet again.  Furman made an error at this point and rougher the punter to keep the Bucs drive alive.  But the Paladin defense was not done yet and they held the Bucs again.

Now with about 4 minutes to go in the third, Furman started to rotate players in en masse. This included replacing Hannon with the Paladin’s former starting QB P.J.Blazejowski who had not seen action since Furman played Chattanooga.  But Furman, now with a new sense of confidence, scored quickly as the third quarter was closing.  After Furman tacked on a FG later, ETSU went on its best drive of the day and scored on a 12 play, 76 yard drive with just over two minutes to play to make it 52-7

Furman definitely got the monkey off its back with this win. Hannon had great numbers on the day going 16/18 for 267 yards and 4 TDs.  The Paladins also got 198 on the ground.  Bucs QB Austin Herink only went 8/21 for 65 yards.  The Bucs did get 131 yards on the ground, but most of those were in the late 4th quarter.

Furman gets next week off before traveling to VMI the following week. ETSU gets Div II West Virginia Wesleyan on Thursday.

Mercer 38  WCU 24

Both the Mercer Bears and Western Carolina Catamounts were looking to bounce back after losses last week.  Mercer has been looking for a break out game after a string of losses and close wins.  Western Carolina was hoping to find it defense, absent for most of the year.  It was a wild game, especially in the second half.  But you wouldn’t have known it the way the game started.

It took both teams a while to get going in this game.  On WCU’s first possession they fumbled after driving into Mercer territory.  Mercer drove it right back in 7 plays to the WCU 28, but missed a field goal.  The Cats went three and out though and Mercer again drove it well on a 14 play drive to the WCU 22.  They again missed a field goal after the Cats held them.  Not to be outdone, Western took the ball on a 9 play drive to the Mercer 8 for a field goal try of their own.  They missed it as well.

After teams traded punts, the Bears again drove deep into Cat territory, but were once again held and forced to attempt yet another field goal. They got this time to go up on the Cats 3-0 with 2:39 to go in the half.

After the teams traded punts again, the Cats got a good drive going between some passes by Cats QB Tyrie Adams and a couple good runs by Detrez Newsome.  Western executed a good two minute drill on this drive.  But in a great razzle dazzle play call, the Cats pulled out an obviously planned hook and ladder to score easily from 28 yards out.  Western had to be feeling good going in to the half up 7-3.

As boring as the first half was, minus the last score, the second half was bit crazy.  Mercer took the kickoff and made a little headway before the Cats held them at the Mercer 45 on a 4th and 3.  But Mercer decided to go for a fake punt.  They didn’t get it and they fumbled in any event, but the ball got shot forward and the Cats could not jump on it until it was at their own 39.  It almost looked liked Mercer intentionally tossed it forward because it shot out of his hands without being forced.  In any event, the Cats made the Bears pay for it.  Western went on a 6 play 61 yard drive highlighted by a 40 yard pass by Adams to the Bears 5.  They scored two plays later to go up 14-3.

Mercer finally got going as well on their next possession with a 10 play, 79 yard TD drive.  Bear QB John Russ connected on a 30 yarder on this drive to Marvin Tillman who ran for most of those 30.

Sometimes, there are plays that just change the complexion of games.  The next play did that.  Mercer kicked off from the 50 due to a roughing the passer on the previous Mercer TD play.  Detrez Newsome took the kickoff at the 5 and immediately fumbled it.  Mercer recovered and scored on the next play to go up 17-14.

It went slowly downhill from here for the Cats.  On their next drive, Adams tossed his first interception at the WCU 33 on a tipped ball.  Mercer struck back fast and scored in two plays on a jump ball deflection to Marquise Irvin on a 21 yard TD pass to go up 24-14.

Western answered back on an 8 play 82 yard TD drive capped off by a 43 yard TD pass to close it to 24-21. But Mercer answered back again in just 4 plays including a 55 yard pass to the WCU 6.  A 5 yard TD pass two plays later was the third on the day for Russ.

Just a few seconds into the fourth quarter, and down by 10, Western started a nice drive to find themselves with a first and ten on the Mercer 11. Newsome suffered yet another fumble, this time forced by the Mercer defense.  After Mercer had to punt, the Cats had an 11 play, 70 yard drive but got held at the Mercer 13 and had to settle for a field goal to close the deficit to a TD at 31-24.

Mercer got it back with 5:48 but the Cats did themselves no favors by committing an unsportsmanlike foul on the kickoff return to give Mercer free yards.  The Bears put it out of reach after a 7 play drive to go up 38-24.  With only 1:53 to go Western needed a miracle.  What they got was another turn over as Adams tossed his second interception of the day.

There is no doubt that Tyrie Adams will be a very good QB. He went 24/40 for 384 yards with 2 TDs, but also 2 interceptions.  His line seemed to give him enough time and he looked poised most of the time.  Newsome is a very talented player, but he just had a bad day and it may have cost the Cats a win as a result.  He finished with 85 yards rushing on the day, but had two costly fumbles.  Overall, Western finished with 483 yards.

Mercer finished with 499 yards including 224 by Russ who went 18/32 with 3 TDs and no interceptions.  Mercer also gained 275 on the ground with Alex Lakes leading the way with 112 and 2 TDs.  The thing that has always impressed me about Mercer is that they do not get rattled, even when they are down.  They certainly were not rattled in this game.

Mercer goes on the road next week at Austin Peay.  Western Carolina faces Samford on the road.

Power Rankings

  1. The Citadel
  2. Chattanooga
  3. Samford
  4. Wofford
  5. Mercer
  6. Furman
  7. VMI
  8. Western Carolina
  9. ETSU

AGS Poll: Top 25 Week 7 Results

The headline of the Week 7 AGS Top 25 is a change at the top for the first time this year. The Eastern Washington Eagles climbed up to the #1 spot with the Jacksonville State Gamecocks also leapfrogging previous #1 North Dakota State after their upset loss to South Dakota State. Sam Houston State maintained their #4 ranking and The Citadel Bulldogs make their first appearance ever in the AGS top 5 coming in at #5 after their huge conference win against Chattanooga. Overall 6 teams (the top 5 and James Madison) received first place votes this week.

As for other big risers of the week the South Dakota State Jackrabbits used their win over previously top ranked NDSU to move up 4 spots into a tie with Richmond at #7. Stony Brook moved up 5 spots to get back into the top 25 at #21. South Dakota jumped 6 spots to make their first appearance of the season in the top 25 coming it at #24. Lehigh and Wofford also made their first appearance in the top 25 coming in at #23 and #25, respectively.

The biggest drops of the week belonged to Chattanooga, who dropped 5 spots to #10, Villanova, who also dropped 5 spots to #18, and Albany, who dropped 6 spots to #22. Harvard, Northern Iowa, New Hampshire, and Southern Utah all fell out of the top 25.

The CAA and MVFC led the way each placing 5 teams into the top 25. They were followed by the Big Sky and the SOCON who each had 4.

Full results below:

Rank Team: Total Points First Place Votes Previous Wk.
1 Eastern Washington Eagles 1998 33 3
2 Jacksonville State Gamecocks 1973 27 2
3 North Dakota State Bison 1906 11 1
4 Sam Houston State Bearkats 1836 8 4
5 The Citadel Bulldogs 1719 1 7
6 James Madison Dukes 1671 4 6
7T Richmond Spiders 1561 8
7T South Dakota State Jackrabbits 1561 11
9 Montana Grizzlies 1442 9
10 Chattanooga Mocs 1297 5
11 Youngstown State Penguins 1243 12
12 Charleston Southern Buccaneers 1215 10
13 Western Illinois Leathernecks 1077 14
14 Cal Poly Mustangs 1039 15
15 Central Arkansas Bears 897 17
16 North Dakota Fighting Hawks 828 18
17 Samford Bulldogs 759 19
18 Villanova Wildcats 648 13
19 Eastern Illinois Panthers 555 21
20 North Carolina A&T Aggies 457 22
21 Stony Brook Seawolves 340 26
22 Albany Great Danes 334 16
23 Lehigh Mountain Hawks 227 27
24 South Dakota Coyotes 123 31
25 Wofford Terriers 110 28
ORV:
26 Tennessee State Tigers 92 30
27 New Hampshire Wildcats 87 24
28 Harvard Crimson 64 20
29T Grambling State Tigers 44 29
29T Maine Black Bears 44 NR
31 Sacred Heart Pioneers 41 34
32 Weber State Wildcats 38 NR
33 Southern Utah Thunderbirds 19 25
34 North Carolina Central Eagles 15 NR
35T Illinois State Redbirds 9 33
35T Northern Iowa Panthers 9 23
37T Liberty Flames 6 NR
37T Missouri State Bears 6 36
39T Fordham Rams 4 40
39T William & Mary Tribe 4 39
41 Monmouth Hawks 2 37
Fell Out Of Poll:
Indiana State Sycamores
McNeese State Cowboys
Sacramento State Hornets

 

Most Significant Win: South Dakota State Jackrabbits
Most Significant Loss: North Dakota State Bison

AGS GOTW: Week 7 (Part 2) | The Dakota Marker: South Dakota State at North Dakota State

(In a unique turn of events, we decided to highlight two different games in Week 7. Marc provides the backstory in Part 1, a summary of Chattanooga at The Citadel.)

Late in the 4th quarter North Dakota State held a 17-13 lead with South Dakota State driving. SDSU QB Taryn Christion could not connect with any receivers after a miscommunication on 4th and 15 with 4:00 left in the 4th quarter from the NDSU 31. It felt like the Bison had dodged another bullet, something they have done quite a bit in 2016.  It seemed like the Jackrabbits had run out of time with the Bison offense back on the field and only 2 timeouts in their pocket.

Unfortunately for the Bison faithful, Easton Stick and the NDSU offense gained 4 yards and went 3 and out before punting back to the Jackrabbits.

South Dakota State went to work. Christion would go 6 for 10 and would connect with WR Jake Wieneke on a 2 yard pass with :01 left on the clock to give the Jackrabbits the win.

With a 19-17 lead the Jackrabbits took a knee on the 2 point conversion to prevent the Bison from having a chance to return any attempts for a game tying safety. They squibbed the ensuing kickoff and the Bison returner did not fall to the ground fast enough and the game was over.

On the day Christion was 24-42 for 303 yards. He connected on 2 touchdowns, including the game winner, and threw only 1 interception. He added a lot on the ground as well, 20 attempts for 140 yards including a long run of  39.  Dallas Goedert and Jake Wieneke were big factors for the Jackrabbit offense. Goedert was the leading receiever with 11 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown. Wieneke added 6 catches for 108 yards and the game winning touchdown.

For the Bison, it was a quiet day for quarterback Easton Stick through the air. He went 14-20 for 143 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. On the ground he was NDSU’s leading rusher adding 86 yards on 12 carries and scored both Bison touchdowns. Darrius Shepherd was his top target with 6 catches for 74 yards.

Moving Forward:

All of the sudden South Dakota State finds themselves in the driver’s seat for the MVFC championship. I’m sure they welcome the idea of their playoff road not going through Fargo (now if they can also avoid Missoula). The Jackrabbits face Youngstown State in their next game and the Penguins are injury riddled and did not look good against a downtrodden Northern Iowa squad. SDSU also faced the task of playing Northern Iowa in the UNI-Dome, but given their win in the Fargodome and the aforementioned woes of the Panthers, things are looking very good for the Jackrabbits.

For the Bison, everything is okay. The sky hasn’t fallen. During their recent dynasty NDSU has dropped games against worse opponents. The Bison head to Macomb to take on a Western Illinois squad that has lost a lot of its shine. The Bison are still in prime shape to spend a lot of the playoffs at home if they can bounce back. They should be able to win out with the schedule in front of them.

Patriot League: Week 7 Review and Power Rankings

Week seven in the Patriot League was highlighted by Holy Cross’s non-conference win over 20th ranked Harvard. It was the Crimson’s first loss outside of the Ivy League since 2011. Fordham also took care of an Ancient 8 opponent, Yale, on their way to a 4-2 record. Ram quarterback Kevin Anderson had a big day in the victory over the Eli. The third out of conference game of the weekend did not go nearly as well for the Patriot League. Lafayette was blown out by an Army team that seems destined to reach their first bowl in 20 years.

In league action, Colgate rebounded from their loss to Lehigh with an impressive 27-7 road win over Bucknell. The Colgate defense had their best game of the year in the win. Finally, Lehigh continued their dominance of Georgetown with a 35-3 win over the Hoyas in Washington D.C. Sophomore QB Brad Mayes once again saw significant playing time in relief for an injured Nick Shafnisky.

Army 62 Lafayette 7

Army (4-2) outrushed Lafayette (1-5) 537 yards to 10 on their way to a dominating 55 point win Saturday afternoon. This was the second straight game in which the Leopards gave up over 500 yards (516 to Fordham) on the ground. Not surprisingly both games resulted in blowout losses for Lafayette. Army racked up 671 total yards of offense which is the second highest total in school history (record came against Montana in 1984). The Black Knights have now won two straight games against the Patriot League since opening the 2015 season with a loss to Fordham.

The loss was the Leopards 5th straight since their season opening win over Central Connecticut State. Going back to the start of last season Lafayette is 2-16 overall. To say they’re stuck in a funk would be a drastic understatement at this point. Thankfully for Lafayette there won’t be another FBS opponent for two more years. The bad news is, it’s against Army again.

It did not take long for the Black Knights to get rolling on offense. Following a punt on Lafayette’s opening possession, Army briskly marched 88 yards in 4 plays to take a 7-0 lead on QB Ahmad Bradshaw’s (6 carries 109 yards 1 TD) 60 yard TD with a little over 12 minutes left in the 1st quarter. After the Leopards were forced to punt for the second straight drive the Black Knights put together a time consuming 8 play 50 yard drive that ended with Jordan Asberry’s 20 yards TD run.

Lafayette’s offensive struggles continued on their next drive with a 3 and out. The Black Knights offense on the other hand kept humming along. Army used a 7 play, 64 yard drive to push their lead to 21-0. The Leopards went 3 and out again on their next drive. The weary Lafayette defense would prove to be no match for the now rolling Army “O”. Ahmad Bradshaw’s touchdown pass to Jeff Ejakem from 7 yards out with 2:02 left in the first half made it 28-0. The first half fireworks weren’t over. Following Lafayette’s 5th punt of the first half, Jordan Asberry ripped off a 59 yard TD on first down to really blow the game open. Now down 35, QB Drew Reed (21-36 205 yards 2 INTs) and the Leopards offense would finally get things going. The senior would go 3-5 throwing the ball and finish off the drive with a 7 yard TD scramble to get Lafayette on the board late in the first half.

Unfortunately for the Leopards, they would not be able to carry the momentum from the late drive over to the second half. The Black Knights received the second half kickoff and proceeded to go on a grueling 12 play 75 yard TD drive that took nearly 6 minutes off the clock. Sophomore RB Cole Macek capped the drive with a short 4 yard TD run to push the lead back to 35. Army would tack on threee more second half touchdown drives to put the exclamation point on the route.

Up Next: Lafayette hits the road for a Patriot League battle with Bucknell in Lewisburg. The Leopards fell to the Bison 35-24 last year.

Fordham 44 Yale 37

Fordham (4-2, 1-0) learned this weekend they can win a game when Chase Edmonds (18 carries 121 yards) fails to hit his per game average (188 ypg) for yards and doesn’t reach reach the end zone. QB Kevin Anderson (18-27 270 yards 5 TDs) picked up the slack by tossing 5 touchdown passes to propel the Rams to victory over Yale (1-4) on a beautiful afternoon for football in the Bronx. It was the third time this season the Yale defense gave up five or more touchdown passes to a Patriot League quarterback. Not surprisingly Yale went 0-3 in those contests.

Anderson and Co. got things going for Fordham early on. Jihaad Pretlow returned the opening kickoff 62 yards to set the Rams offense up at Eli 33 yard line. Four plays later Anderson hit senior WR Robbie Contelli (3 rec 91 yards 2 TDs) from 15 yards out to give the Rams an early 7-0 lead. The Yale offense would immediately respond on their next drive. Eli QB Tre Moore’s (13-34 103 yards 1 INT) QB sneak finished off an 8 play 55 yard TD drive. Yale’s successfully converted a 2 point conversion gave them an 8-7 lead with 9:49 left in the 1st quarter. After the early fireworks both defenses would settle in and force each team to punt on consecutive drives. Following Yale’s second punt of the day the Ram offense got things rolling again. After Edmonds went 16 yards on first down, Anderson found Corey Caddle downfield for a 55 yard TD connection to put Fordham back in the lead with 1:12 left in the opening quarter.

The Eli would retake the lead 15-14 on their first possession of the second quarter when Yale RB Dale Harris (24 carries 136 yards 4 TDs) found pay dirt from 4 yards out. Fordham’s offense would once again have an answer. Anderson notched his third TD pass of the game when he found the diminutive Austin Longi for a 15 yard TD with 5:32 left in the 2nd quarter. The Ram “O” would get another opportunity to put up points before half after a quick Yale 3 in out. Like good teams do, they did not waste their chance to tack on points before intermission. Anderson connected with Caddle (4 rec 74 yards 2 TDs) for their second TD connection of day to extend the Ram lead to 27-15 (2pt attempt failed) after 30 minutes of play.

After a lot of offense in the first half, both defenses would set the tone early on in the second half. The highlight for the Ram defense during that time came on Caleb Ham’s 63 yard pick six to extend the lead to 34-15. However, the Yale offense would not be deterred by their early second half mistake. On their next possession the Eli put together their most impressive scoring drive (12 play, 64 yards) of the day. Dale Harris finished it off with a 1 yard TD plunge and a 2 point conversion to cut the Fordham lead to 11 (34-23) with 1:48 left in the 3rd quarter. The Yale momentum would turn out to be very short lived. 17 seconds later Anderson found Cantelli behind the Eli secondary for an electric 69 yard TD strike to push the Fordham lead to 18 points.

Yale would show great character by responding with a 9 play 73 yard TD drive to once again close the deficit to 11 with 12:21 left in the 4th quarter. The Eli would get the ball back again and had things going before the Ram defense would finally stiffen on 4th down to end drive at the 36 yard line with a little over 5 minutes left in the game. The 4th down stop effectively ended Yale’s chances at a comeback. Fordham would tack on a late FG while Yale would get a TD with 21 seconds left to close out the scoring.

Up Next: Fordham welcomes Georgetown to the Bronx for a key league contest Saturday. The Rams have won 4 straight over the Hoyas.

Colgate 27 Bucknell 7

Colgate (2-4, 1-1) ended their three game losing streak with an impressive 20 point road win over league foe Bucknell (2-4, 1-1). The Raiders used a stifling rushing defense (27 yards) to make life miserable for the Bison offense. Colgate held the second leading rusher in the PL, RB Joey DeFloria, to a mere 40 yards on 11 carries. To make matters worse, Bucknell QB Matt Muh had to leave the due to injury in second half with the game still in reach. He was replaced by freshman John Chiarolanzio (11-19 139 yards 1 TD) who made his varsity debut in the loss. The Bison have been without usual starter R.J. Nitti since the second game of the year.

Both defenses would control play for most of the first 20 plus minutes of the game. Bucknell’s first four possessions of the contest resulted in punts. Three of those drives resulted ended with 3 and outs. Colgate was able to move the ball slightly better over that time. Their second possession of the game showed promise but fizzled out when Jonah Bowman missed a 45 yard FG. Bowman would redeem himself on the next drive with a 36 yard FG to give the Raiders a 3-0 lead with 1:33 left in the 1st quarter. The senior kicker extended the Colgate lead to 6-0 when he knocked through a 22 yard chippy at the 4:35 mark of the 2nd quarter. On the ensuing Bucknell possession Matt Muh was picked off by Colgate’s Tyler Castillo. Castillo returned the interception 31 yards to the Bison 18. Two plays later Jake Melville hit Owen Rockett for a 16 yard touchdown to give Colgate a 13-0 lead with 1:27 left in the first half.

Bucknell opened the second half with their best drive of the game but it would be all for not as Jack Chambers doinked a 30 yard FG off the upright. The Bison finally got on the board on their next drive. Bucknell backup QB John Chiarolanzio found Andrew Owers for a short 2 yard TD pass to cap an impressive 11 play 71 yard drive that 5:44 off the clock.

With Colgate clinging to a 13-7 lead early in the 4th quarter, the Raiders offense put together a much needed scoring drive. Melville finished off an 11 play 57 drive that took nearly 6 minutes off the clock with an 8 yard quarterback keeper to give Colgate a two score lead with 5:08 left in the game. Bucknell’s last ditch attempt to comeback ended on downs. Following the defensive stop, Melville added his second 8 yard TD to close out the scoring.

Colgate RB James Holland missed his second straight game due to injury. Kenyon Washington had his second straight 100 yard game (25 carries 159 yards) filling in.

Up Next: Bucknell will look to get back over .500 in league play when Lafayette invades Christy Mathewson Stadium next week. After hitting the road 5 times in 6 weeks to start the year, Colgate gets to enjoy a much needed bye week.

Holy Cross 27 #20 Harvard 17

Holy Cross (3-4, 1-1) shocked their rivals from Cambridge 27-17 Saturday afternoon for a head turning non-conference win. Harvard (4-1) entered the game having won their previous 16 out of conference games. Their last loss outside of the Ivy League ironically came at the hands of the Crusaders (2011). The Crimson were also riding a 16 game road winning streak before suffering the 10 point setback. With a huge game against Lehigh looming next week, this is the type of victory that could propel the Crusaders the rest of the season. Their defense should enter next week’s game confident after holding Harvard to 245 total yards.

It didn’t start out particularly well for the Holy Cross “D”. After punting on their opening possession of the game, the Crimson put together a 7 play 44 yard TD drive the second time they touched the ball. Noah Reimers finished the drive with a 14 yard TD run to give Harvard an early 7-0 lead. Holy Cross would then awaken for the rest of the quarter. All League WR Brandon Flaherty (8 rec 96 yards 1 TD) got things started with a 32 yard TD catch to conclude an 8 play 51 yard drive. The Crusaders would take a 14-7 lead on their next possession thanks to Geoff Wade’s second TD pass of the game. This time Wade (23-35 244 yards 2 TDs) connected with WR Jake Wieczorek (3 rec 69 yards 1 TD) for a short 3 yard TD. The Crusader defense got in on the points blitz when Kyle Young strip sacked Tom Stewart in the end zone and Brett Laurie fell on the ball for a TD to extend the lead to 21-7 lead with 1:22 left in the opening quarter. The 14 point deficit was Harvard’s largest of the year. The Crimson made sure the 14 point hole did not last long. The Crimson immediately responded with a 7 play 84 yard TD drive. Tom Stewart redeemed himself with a 12 yard TD pass to Brian Dunlap to draw Harvard within 7 points early in the 2nd quarter. Harvard would add a 37 yard FG in the final seconds of the first half to cut the Holy Cross lead to 21-17.

Holy Cross would match Harvard’s 3 points on their opening possession of the second half. Zane Wasp drilled a 44 yard FG to push the Crusader lead back to a 7 early in the 3rd quarter. From that point on Holy Cross’s defense took over. Harvard managed a dismal 21 total yards in the second half. The Crusaders forced three 3 and outs and created two turnovers in five of the six Harvard second half possessions. The other Crimson drive netted 0 yards on 9 plays due to penalties and sacks.

It’s rumored that senior Holy Cross QB Peter Pujals will sit out the rest of the year and apply for a 5th year via a medical redshirt. The first team all-Patriot League QB was injured in first half of the third game of the season (Dartmouth).

Harvard played without several starters due to injury/precautionary reasons. Those players that sat out include starting QB Joe Viviano, RB Semar Smith and WR Justice Shelton-Mosley.

Up Next: Holy Cross will be at home for the third straight week. This time Lehigh visits Worcester for a pivotal game in the race for the league championship. Holy Cross trailed 41-10 at half to Lehigh last season before ultimately losing 51-38.

Lehigh 35 Georgetown 3

Death, taxes and Lehigh beating Georgetown? It sure has to feel that way if you’re a fan of either team. Lehigh’s Brad Mayes (19-26 247 yards 2 TDs 1 INT) once again put forth an impressive performance in relief of starting QB Nick Shafnisky as the Mountain Hawks beat the Hoyas for the 16th straight time. Lehigh (5-2, 2-0) remains the only Patriot League school Georgetown (3-3, 0-1) has not defeated since joining the league for the 2001 season. The 3 points given up by the Lehigh defense were the fewest allowed since the Mountain Hawks shutout Georgetown 27-0 in 2009.

The Lehigh defense did their job early on by stopping the Hoya’s opening possession after one first down. Lehigh’s offense rewarded the defense’s effort by putting together an efficient 5 play 80 yard TD drive in just over 2 minutes. The score came on a 42 yard Shafnisky (7-12 101 yards 1 TD 1 INT) to Gatlin Casey TD pass. The Lehigh defense would force two more Georgetown punts to close out the first quarter. On Lehigh’s fourth possession of the game Shafnisky injured his ankle and left the game. Mayes entered and proceeded to march the Lehigh “O” down the field for their second TD of the day. The sophomore QB connected with Troy Pelletier (7 rec 68 yards 1 TD) from 11 yards out to give Lehigh a 14-0 lead with 9:07 left in the 2nd quarter.

The Hoya’s biggest offensive threat came late in the first half. Michael Dareus’s 27 yard punt return set Georgetown’s offense up at the Lehigh 25 yard line with 3:05 left in the half. The Hoya’s would get the ball down inside the 10 yard line but couldn’t find the end zone and had to settle for a 24 yard FG with 1:41 to go in the 2nd quarter. Lehigh drove the ball the down to the Georgetown 14 yard line but Hunter Kiselick intercepted a tipped Mayes pass to thwart the scoring opportunity.

Georgetown put together an impressive drive to start the second half. Unfortunately for the Hoya’s it would be all for not as Henry Darmstadter missed a 42 yard FG. The Mountain Hawks offense would once against get things going. Mayes directed his second TD drive (9 plays 75 yards) of the day. This time he handed off to RB Dominic Bragalone (19 carries 61 yards 2 TDs) for a 1 yard TD plunge with 7:52 remaining in the 3rd quarter. The Lehigh offense would strike again the next time they saw the ball. This time Mayes hit a streaking Gatlin Casey (6 rec 164 yards 2 TDs) down the middle for a 57 yard TD to push the Lehigh lead to 28-3 with 5:16 on the clock in the 3rd quarter. Dominic Bragalone added one more short TD run to close out the scoring.

Georgetown QB Clay Norris (15-25 79 yards) made his second straight start for the injured Tim Barnes. The Hoya offense continued to struggle (177 total yards) against better competition without Barnes under center. The lack of a running game (74 yards) has been an issue all year.

Up Next: Lehigh puts their 5 game winning streak on the line against Holy Cross in Worcester. The Mountain Hawks lost the last time (2012) they played at Fitton Field. Georgetown travels to the Bronx to face Fordham. The Hoyas most recent win over the Rams came in 2011.

Power Rankings

  1. Lehigh
  2. Fordham
  3. Colgate
  4. Holy Cross
  5. Bucknell
  6. Georgetown
  7. Lafayette

AGS GOTW: Week 7 (Part 1) Chattanooga at The Citadel

That’s right, we have a two part installment this week for the AGS Game of the Week.  In what was a hard fought battle on the Any Given Saturday web site, the members made it a battle royal for which game would come out on top as the Game of the Week.  With much lobbying, many lead changes, and voting strategies, it made for a great competition.  In the end The SOCON game came out on top, but barely.  As a result, both games will be highlighted on The FCS Wedge as Games of the Week.  After the voting ended, it could only be hoped that the games themselves lived up to their billing.

Both of the games had all the makings of great FCS football.  The #5 Chattanooga Mocs, with their FCS leading defense, traveled to Charleston, SC to face the leading FCS rushing team, the #7 Bulldogs of The Citadel.  And while there is still a lot of season left to play, this game will have big implications for the Southern Conference title and seeding in the FCS playoffs.  The other game that vied for Game of the Week was a classic rivalry game pitting the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State against the current and 5 time FCS Champions, the North Dakota State Bison.  Up for the taking was the coveted Dakota Marker trophy.  That game could also have big repercussions on the Missouri Valley Conference race and seeding as well.

In the last battle of unbeatens in FCS football this year, The Citadel returned home to Charleston for only the third time in its last 10 games in a face off with the 2015 SOCON co-champions Chattanooga.  The Mocs won the head to head last year, but both finished 6-1 in the conference to claim a share of the title.

With the top spot in the SOCON at stake, a beautiful fall day in Charleston, and Parents Day festivities going on at The Citadel, 14,590 fans came out to watch.  With at least 8000 seats currently condemned at Johnson Hagood Stadium, this was a pretty good turnout.  The Mocs took the opening kickoff and went to work.  They had been averaging 464 yards a game behind a very capable QB Alejandro Bennifield and running back Derrick Craine.  On the first play from scrimmage, the Mocs connected for 18 yard pass and it looked like their offense was in gear.  But they lost yards on the next two rushing plays and it was clear a slugfest was on.  The drive ended on a 4th and 7 on the Dogs 17 and the Mocs opted for as field goal, which they missed wide left.

The Citadel, averaging 389 yards a game on the ground coming into the contest, also got a great first play. Dominique Allen rushed for 15 yards.  In a typical Bulldog drive, they drove the field methodically and patiently.  They converted three third downs on the 80 yard, 13 play drive.  Allen punched it in from the Mocs one yard line.  The drive took over 6 and a half minutes.

The Dogs did not have much success with its fullback, Tyler Renew, up the middle on this drive, but it was finding room on the edges with Cam Jackson’s speed.  This continued for most of the game as well.  At this point, it was clear the Dogs could move the ball against the stout Mocs defense, but whether the Bulldog defense could hold against the Mocs powerful offense had still yet to be answered.  It was answered quickly on the next play from scrimmage as Bennifield connected with C.J. Board for a 75 yard TD pass after Board gained some space on the Bulldogs cornerback.  The UTC possession took 11 seconds.

Starting from its own 12 after a holding penalty on the ensuing kickoff return, the Dogs went to work again. The Bulldogs executed a carbon copy of the first drive, only it was longer.  The 19 play, 88 yard drive took 9:27.  The Dogs called a pretty good play mix to keep the Chattanooga defense working hard.  Allen again scored on a 1 yd TD run to make it 14-7, The Citadel.  Now with 10:10 to go in the second quarter, each team had only had the ball twice.

Chattanooga’s first play on their next drive again went for big yards as Craine took it 24 yards to near midfield.  But the Bulldogs defense began to stiffen up and made it harder the Mocs.  They drove all the way to the 5 yard line before Bennifield looked to score on a second down, but he fumbled.  Luckily for the Mocs, they recovered on the 1 and Craine punched it in on the next play.  The 13 play, 76 yard drive took 6 and a half minutes. Only 3:32 remained in the half with the score tied at 14.  Both defenses were making it harder for the teams to score, but they were simply slowing them down and not getting stops.

While the Dogs have scored quickly here and there during the season, it would be tough against the Mocs with so little time left before half.  They did get great field position on a good kickoff return to start from their 38 yard line.  They stuck to what they knew best, although they did toss a couple passes to try and speed things up and to keep the Mocs defense honest.  Taking their timeouts as well, the Dogs ended up on the Mocs 20 after a 13 play drive.  With three seconds on the clock they kicked the go ahead field goal to take the 17-13 lead into half.

There had only been a total of 6 possessions in the first half, combined, and the difference was one missed field goal.  It was clear that the first team to get a stop was going to get a big advantage.  The Dogs took the kickoff to start the third quarter and they got their first third down conversion.  But the Mocs defense got the first stop on the next set of downs and the Dogs made the first punt of the day.  Not to be outdone, The Citadel defense delivered the first three and out of the day on the next Chattanooga possession.  Matching it, the Mocs answered right back with a three and out defensive performance of their own.  The defensive adjustments made by each team appeared to be working.  In fact neither team scored another TD in the game.

The Bulldogs had better success on their next drive going 11 plays for 49 yards, but gave it up on downs on a fourth and one from the UTC 10.  It was a calculated risk to not go for the field goal at this point.  I am sure that the armchair coaches were all screaming at this point, but being up by 6 doesn’t give you much and the potential benefit of being up by 10 surely outweighed the risk.

The Bulldogs defense has been lights out in the fourth quarter all year.  As the Mocs took over at their 10, with 1:18 to go in the third, the Dogs defense started a little early this game.  After connecting for an 11 yard pass, Bennifield was sacked for a 12 yard loss.  On the next play, the last of the third quarter, he was going down again, this time in the end zone and in the tackle box, but he got a wild pass off at the last moment.  It might be argued that it was in the direction of a receiver, but it was just throw out of bounds 10-15 yards from his receiver, and the refs agreed and the Dogs went up 5 on the safety.  Just as important as the 2 points, the Dogs got the ball back on the free kick.

Unfortunately for the Dogs, they stalled after gaining a couple first downs and punted it back to the Mocs. With 10:51 to go in the game, the Mocs needed to score on their next drive.  Craine had gone out with a knee injury earlier in the third quarter.  Losing such a versatile and productive player really hurt the Mocs effectiveness on offensive, but Bennifield still moved the ball well.  They drove all the way to the Citadel 37 before being stopped on a 4th and 7.  With just 5:18 to go in the game, The Citadel looked to score one more time and put it out of reach for the Mocs.

The Dogs made a 12 play 48 yard drive that took almost five minutes off the clock.  They ended up settling for a 32 yard field goal to make it 22-14 with 24 seconds left.  After a touchback on the kickoff, UTC made it to midfield on a couple passes underneath, but the Dogs secondary held and the Bulldogs broke their skid against the Chattanooga Mocs to take the lead in the SOCON race.

If there was a key stat to the game, it had to be the time of possession.  The Bulldogs held the ball 39:31.  Very few teams can win holding the ball for only 20 minutes.  On the day, the Dogs rolled up 354 yards on the ground.  They kept their drives going and made 13/20 third down conversions.  Dominique Allen made some outstanding option reads.  He pitched it sometimes at the last possible millisecond.  Some of the fake shoulder movements he made froze the Chattanooga defenders just long enough to get an extra step.  Allen finished with a career high 135 yards rushing and two TDs.  He only went 1/4 for 7 yards through the air.  But the Dogs did not need to pass with their running game so effective.  Neither team committed a turnover in the game.  The Citadel was flagged 5 times and the Mocs twice, they were both very disciplined teams.

Alejandro Bennifield went 17/28 for 240 yards and 1 TD.  Craine had 8 rushes for 35 yards and two receptions for 55 yards, but he went out midway in the third.  He is a bruising, crafty, and a fast runner.  Get him in space and he will burn you.  The Mocs can ill afford to lose him.  As it was, the Bulldog defense was able to limit the Mocs to their lowest offensive output on the year at 295 yards.  I say the defense, but the offense had a hand in that as well with the ridiculously high TOP they maintained.

The Citadel, now 6-0, 4-0, travels to Wofford to continue their quest for the SOCON title. Chattanooga, 6-1, 4-1, gets VMI at home to try and stay close in case The Citadel stumbles.

If you were looking for a flashy game and a track meet for a Game of the Week, this wasn’t it.  It was an old fashion defensive slugfest, especially in the second half, and a hard fought battle the entire game.

AGS Top 25 – How They Fared Week 7 2016

This is the incomparable tool put together each week by our friend on AGS for use by the voters in our poll.  It is a very useful tool we all utilize.  Even if you are not a voter it will provide a quick and concise review of the weekend’s happenings.  This is a very truncated version of the full sheet available on anygivensaturday.com each Saturday night.

superman7515, we tip our caps to you again this week.

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Rank Team Week 7 Result Total Points First Place Votes Overall Record Conference Record
#1 North Dakota State Bison Lost vs #11 South Dakota State Jackrabbits 17-19 1999 79 5-1 2-1
#2 Jacksonville State Gamecocks Won vs Austin Peay Governors 34-14 1849 5-1 2-0
#3 Eastern Washington Eagles BYE 1835 1 5-1 3-0
#4 Sam Houston State Bearkats Won vs Abilene Christian Wildcats 48-21 1735 6-0 5-0
#5 Chattanooga Mocs Lost at #7 The Citadel Bulldogs 14-22 1708 6-1 4-1
#6 James Madison Dukes Won at #24 New Hampshire Wildcats 42-39 1558 6-1 4-0
#7 The Citadel Bulldogs Won vs #5 Chattanooga Mocs 22-14 1423 6-0 4-0
#8 Richmond Spiders Won vs #13 Villanova Wildcats 23-0 1396 6-1 3-1
#9 Montana Grizzlies Won vs #36 Sacramento State Hornets 68-7 1386 5-1 2-1
#10 Charleston Southern Buccaneers BYE 1199 3-2 2-0
#11 South Dakota State Jackrabbits Won at #1 North Dakota State Bison 19-17 1165 4-2 3-0
#12 Youngstown State Penguins Won vs #23 Northern Iowa Panthers 14-10 1095 5-1 3-0
#13 Villanova Wildcats Lost at #8 Richmond Spiders 0-23 1058 5-2 3-1
#14 Western Illinois Leathernecks Won at #36 Missouri State Bears 38-35 963 5-1 2-1
#15 Cal Poly Mustangs Won vs Portland State Vikings 55-35 843 4-2 2-1
#16 Albany Great Danes Lost at Maine Black Bears 16-20 813 4-2 1-2
#17 Central Arkansas Bears Won at #32 McNeese State Cowboys 35-0 650 5-1 4-0
#18 North Dakota Fighting Hawks Won vs #25 Southern Utah Thunderbirds 45-23 584 5-2 4-0
#19 Samford Bulldogs Won vs Virginia Military Institute Keydets 55-21 575 5-1 3-1
#20 Harvard Crimson Lost at Holy Cross Crusaders 17-27 411 4-1 2-0
#21 Eastern Illinois Panthers Won at Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles 30-24 377 5-2 3-1
#22 North Carolina A&T Aggies Won at Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 52-35 344 5-1 3-0
#23 Northern Iowa Panthers Lost at #12 Youngstown State Penguins 10-14 268 2-4 1-2
#24 New Hampshire Wildcats Lost vs #6 James Madison Dukes 39-42 238 4-3 3-1
#25 Southern Utah Thunderbirds Lost at #18 North Dakota Fighting Hawks 23-45 170 3-3 2-2
Next 15
#26 Stony Brook Seawolves Won vs Rhode Island Rams 14-3 130 4-2 3-0
#27 Lehigh Mountain Hawks Won at Georgetown Hoyas 35-3 49 5-2 2-0
#28 Wofford Terriers BYE 44 4-2 2-1
#29 Grambling State Tigers BYE 28 4-1 3-0
#30 (t) South Dakota Coyotes Won at #35 Indiana State Sycamores 33-30 (2OT) 19 3-3 2-1
#30 (t) Tennessee State Tigers Won vs Eastern Kentucky Colonels 35-28 19 5-1 2-1
#32 McNeese State Cowboys Lost vs #17 Central Arkansas Bears 0-35 14 3-4 2-3
#33 Illinois State Redbirds Won vs Southern Illinois Salukis 31-28 13 3-4 1-3
#34 Sacred Heart Pioneers Won at Cornell Bears 31-24 10 5-1 0-1
#35 Indiana State Sycamores Lost vs #30 South Dakota Coyotes 30-33 (2OT) 9 3-4 1-3
#36 (t) Missouri State Bears Lost at #14 Western Illinois Leathernecks 35-38 5 3-3 1-2
#36 (t) Monmouth Hawks Lost at Presbyterian Blue Hose 13-17 5 4-3 0-2
#36 (t) Sacramento State Hornets Lost at #9 Montana Grizzlies 7-68 5 1-6 1-3
#39 William & Mary Tribe Won vs Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens 24-17 4 3-4 1-3
#40 (t) Fordham Rams Won vs Yale Bulldogs 44-37 1 4-2 1-0
#40 (t) Liberty Flames Won at Kennesaw State Owls 36-21 1 3-3 1-0
#40 (t) Northern Colorado Bears Lost at UC Davis Aggies 21-34 1 3-3 1-2
#40 (t) San Deigo Toreros Won at Drake Bulldogs 38-7 1 5-1 4-0

Perfection: Boy did this one take a hit this week, with three of the five undefeated teams tripping along the path. #1 North Dakota State loses to #11 South Dakota State, giving NDSU their first loss in a year (October 17, 2015), perhaps it’s this week that does it for them. I have it on good authority that as you’re reading this, David Harris (Northern Iowa’s Director of Athletics) is furiously typing an email to try and get the Panthers and Bison scheduled for October 14th next year.

#5 Chattanooga gets their first loss to #7 The Citadel, who remains undefeated and moves to 6-0. #20 Harvard has the most surprising loss of the three teams, losing to a subpar Holy Cross team that looks to be middle of the pack in the Patriot League. #4 Sam Houston State easily handles Abilene Christian, so Sam Houston State and The Citadel are the final two undefeated teams in the FCS.

Of course, Abilene Christian is one of the teams trying to run the table in reverse, they fall to 0-7. Joining them at the kids table is Austin Peay (0-6), Bethune-Cookman (0-5), Delaware State (0-6), and Mississippi Valley State (0-7). Furman gets themselves off the schneid though, with a win over East Tennessee State.

Under The Radar: Last year, Portland State was the surprise team who enjoyed a better than expected season, and while things aren’t working out quite as well, there are a few teams that aren’t on the HTF sheet with records suggesting they may be worthy of you taking a few seconds to examine.

  • Weber State (4-2, 3-0) has won four straight games, their only losses this year are to FBS Utah State and #30 South Dakota, on the road, in double-overtime.
  • Maine (3-3, 2-1) has won three straight games, their record is hurt by two losses to FBS opponents, but they are 3-1 against FCS competition with their only loss to #6 James Madison.
  • North Carolina Central (5-2, 4-0) isn’t getting the attention that #22 North Carolina A&T is because A&T has an FBS win that Central doesn’t, but NCCU has won 5 straight games and their only losses were to FBS teams, #24 Western Michigan and Duke.

Read the full post here:

superman7515 AGS Top 25 – How They Fared Week 7 2016

Apathy: Where do we (UNI fans) go from here?

groundhog-dayIt’s been a while since I’ve written anything for The Wedge. Part of that is due to how busy I’ve been with work. Part of it is the amount of work I’m putting towards grad school – somehow more than I thought it would be. Maybe just as much as the other two is, to put it bluntly, apathy. I love football. I love UNI. At this point I hate watching UNI football, and I’m not alone. To get me to this point takes some doing. For reference, outside of UNI the list of teams I follow is just a checklist of teams that are bad and/or find a way to let fans down every year – Twins, Vikings, T’wolves, Wild and Tottenham. Yes, I realize 99% of you won’t understand Tottenham, but those that do will truly understand where I’m coming from. Soul crushing losses are all I know, but UNI football has always been the place I can hang my hope. The one thing I was always looking at the positive side of things.At this point I’m not sure it’s worth the effort.

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Some outside of the UNI fan base may not get it. It’s easy from the outside to look at UNI and see a team that is coming off of back to back 9 win seasons, back to back playoff appearances (losses to the national runner up and national champion), 3 playoff appearances in 5 years, nearly every week ranked in the top 25, etc… and never “feel bad” or get where UNI fans are at this point. I don’t blame you. Mark Farley may have fallen victim to himself much like Les Miles at LSU – 95% of the subdivision would kill for the success that UNI has had but it’s not up to what we, UNI fans, expect. I would argue that the standards that UNI fans expect isn’t over the top given the talent and resources UNI has in comparison to 95% of the FCS. I think most would agree that truly challenging for the title every year, winning the title every 2 or 3 years, at-least quarterfinals yearly and maybe actually winning a damn title for once should be the standard. That was the standard. That was what UNI was, sans winning the national championship, until 2009. Since the 2008 semi-final loss to Richmond nearly every single game, especially the losses, is like Groundhog Day.

If you read AGS on a regular basis, and if you’re reading this chances are you do, there is no need for me to go through the laundry list of issues regarding UNI. I, and other UNI fans, have done enough of that on AGS, Twitter, Facebook, PantherNation, and I’m sure there are still a couple of UNI fans that use things like ICQ, AOL, MSN and MySpace. The problem, from an off-field stand point, is the fan base has finally hit it’s breaking point. This year’s team had the most hype since the 2008 team and we are back to “back against the wall”  by midpoint of the season. How, why, does this keep happening? Given the hype and the massive let down we’ve seen on the field so far I think it’s fair to say we’ve hit our breaking point as a fan base. This is the 8th season of this in a row we’ve watched this story play out, so it’s seems like apathy is the natural defense mechanism for soul stealing one score loss after one score less.

It’s not often I read PantherNation but I ventured over there a few times over the last couple weeks to get the temperature of the site and fan base. It’s not good, and it matches where I am. It’s gone from excitement to anger to complete apathy in 5 games. It’s easy to see why when you look at what has happened since ’08. This year UNI has 3 losses, all by 1 score. The 3 losses were a game UNI dominated statistically, had a massive lead and lack of adjustments led to a blown 17 point lead, and a game that UNI shouldn’t lose (on paper). Hey UNI fans, sound familiar to the last decade? Since 2008 UNI is 25-36 in one score games. That’s not good. In games decided by a field goal, or less, UNI is 5-11. That’s ugly. This is where the Groundhog’s Day theme comes in. Every game plays out the same. Every year has played out the same. There are some programs that have a tight game in the second half and the fans go “We got this” and then there are some programs that go “Can’t wait to see how this goes wrong”. UNI falls into the second category and to counter the letdown we are seeing a large number of fans disengaging from the team.tumblr_nhvfs2vvpy1s2wio8o1_500

That’s not to say we aren’t still pulling for the team to win. We aren’t giving up on being fans. We care too damn much to quit. The problem is we’ve lashed out because of how much we care. I’ve had fellow UNI fans unfollow me on Twitter, tell me to take all references to UNI off my profile, etc… because of what I’ve said. I can’t speak for all UNI fans in the same mindset I am, however, I will never not cheer for UNI. It is fair to say I’ve become disengaged from the results of games because I already know what’s going to happen. A win is nice and a loss sucks but at this point doesn’t shock me.

It’s a Friday afternoon the day before UNI plays at Youngstown State, a game I’d normally be jacked up for and I just can’t bring myself to truly being excited. I don’t know that I’ve seen more than a handful of tweets about the game from UNI fans all week. I looked at PantherNation and last time I looked there wasn’t even a game thread started. I’ve had in-depth discussions of the basketball team pretty much all week though.

I won’t get into the politics regarding my feelings of the coaching situation because it’s far too nuanced to be as simple as “Fire Farley” or “Retain Farley”. There are times that’s the case, but I don’t see UNI’s situation that way. It’s safe to say something needs to change or apathy is going to turn into something worse. I’m  it sure what the right answer is though.

Those of you with experience in situations like this, yes I’m looking square at you Delaware fans, where do we as UNI fans go from here? What do we hope for?  Are we supposed to hope to fall so low that massive changes are made? Are we supposed to pressure for change? Are we supposed to continue to ride the train of being a 8-9 win team and be happy with it because most programs aren’t that? Is change simply for the sake of changing even a good thing? What’s the best drink to not feel sad after losses anymore?

I’m not about to pull a stool up to the bar inside of Crapsville Bar & Lounge, but I’m not sure I’m far off. If we happen to meet at the bar, stop over and grab a drink. I’m good for throwing out Super Trooper, Anchorman and Step Brothers quotes to make life fun. Like any good German, I am a master at self deprication and loathing. If you’re fortunate enough to avoid a reservation please call the bartender and tell him to send all of your drinks my direction – I prefer Coors Banquet and Jägermeister . Thanks.norm3

OVC: Week 7 Preview

Only 6 more weeks until the end of the season and the OVC is starting to take shape as we see who each team really is. This weekend of matchups should give us an even better idea of how the conference standings will look by the end of November.  Southeast Missouri State will take the week off as the rest of the OVC plays on Saturday afternoon.  #2 Jacksonville State will host conference cupcake Austin Peay. #21 Eastern Illinois is still seeking a playoff bid and Tennessee Tech is the next team standing in their way.  Tennessee State is also looking for a playoff bid and hosts Eastern Kentucky in Nissan Stadium on ESPN3 and two offenses collide as UT-Martin heads to Murray, Kentucky to take on pre-season All-American KD Humphries and the Racers.

Austin Peay (0-5, 0-4 OVC) @ #2 Jacksonville State (4-1, 1-0 OVC) 2PM EST (OVCDN)

I think we all know how this game is going to go, but my boss says I have to talk about it anyway so here we go…

The only thing longer than JSU’s OVC win streak is Austin Peay’s overall losing streak. The Gov’s have lost 21 in a row compared to the Cocks’ 18 OVC wins in a row.  So if that doesn’t tell you enough about this game is going to go I don’t know what will.  

So let’s talk about something more positive. Austin Peay’s future perhaps?

Well, believe it or not, since Will Healy has taken over Austin Peay has looked like a football team much improved from years past. Their main problem is inconsistency, primarily on the offensive side of the ball.  For example, they dropped 35 points on EIU in week 4, more than Illinois State and Miami (OH), however they only mustered 7 against Tennessee Tech. That said, the Gov’s have a very young core of talented players and as Healy develops his talent and builds consistency we should see the Gov’s start to improve their record year to year.  Despite the 0-5 record I’m still a fan and hope they can continue to improve.  It may not show on the record yet, but the progression is there.

Prediction:  Cocks by 6 touchdowns. Austin Peay has less than 50 yards of offense at halftime.

Tennessee-Martin (3-3, 2-1 OVC) @ Murray State (1-4, 1-1 OVC) 7PM EST (OVCDN)

As has been proved all season it doesn’t take much to move the ball on UT-Martin’s defense, they have only held one opponent under 31 points all season (No, Bacone College doesn’t count) and have given up over 350 yards of offense in all of their games this year.  This could be a problem as KD Humphries is one of the best quarterbacks in the FCS and can single-handedly torch a defense. This game has the makings of an old fashioned shootout. Both teams are capable of moving the ball and neither knows what a defense is. However, Murray State’s offense has looked suspect at times and inconsistency could ruin Murray State’s chance at an upset. Also, If UT-Martin can win 5 of their next 6 games they would be a strong contender for an at-large bid because they would have 8 wins either an FBS (Georgia State) win or Jacksonville State’s scalp on their resume and both of those wins would look good to the selection committee.  That makes this weekend’s matchup a game that UT-Martin can’t afford to lose if they want an invitation to the big dance in November.

Prediction: A high scoring affair, however, Humphries isn’t able to carry the Racers by himself.  Both teams put up at least 30 and UT-Martin still wins by at least 14.

#21 Eastern Illinois (4-2, 2-1 OVC) @ Tennessee Tech (2-4, 2-2 OVC) 7PM EST(OVCDN)

At times last weekend in Jacksonville, Tennessee Tech showed a great ability to move the ball and put points on the board.  For example, their touchdown drive before half.  On that drive, quarterback Michael Birdsong was able to string together a 10 play 65 yard drive.  If they can bring that type of offense against EIU they could pose a lot of problems for the Panther’s defense. However, Tennessee Tech needs to be able to run the ball and not turn the ball over.  Tech had 5 turnovers in Jacksonville last weekend.  Just ask Illinois State what happens when you turn the ball over to the Panthers.

Prediction: EIU stuffs the run and Birdsong is unable to carry Tech to a win.  EIU by 7.

Eastern Kentucky (2-3,1-1 OVC) @ Tennessee State (4-1, 1-1 OVC) 7PM EST (ESPN3)

This is my unofficial OVC Game of the Week.  This matchup features playoff implications for both teams as this is a must-win for both teams. For Eastern Kentucky this is a must win because they still have EIU and JSU on the schedule, if they can’t beat the Tigers here they likely won’t get past either the Gamecocks or the Panthers and that would spell a 6-5 end to their season.  This is also a must-win for Tennessee State because of their strength of schedule.  Outside of Vanderbilt, EIU is arguably the strongest team on the Tiger’s schedule this year and they brought home an L after that matchup.  Assuming the Tigers take a loss at Vandy and one other OVC team that leaves them at 8-3 and their best win would likely end up being UT-Martin.  That’s not exactly a playoff caliber resume given that they even got to miss a matchup with JSU.  I could be wrong, it’s just my opinion.  

I expect the defenses to be the story of this game.  Ebenezer Ogundeko has been terrorizing quarterbacks all season and if the Tiger’s defensive line can stuff the run and make Coney uncomfortable it could be a long day for the Colonel’s offense.  If they don’t make Coney uncomfortable he could possibly have another game like he did against SEMO last week.  

Prediction: The Tiger’s defense keeps EKU’s offense contained in Nissan Stadium and the Tigers get a solid 2 score win.

Southeast Missouri State will have a bye before traveling to Tennessee Tech on the 22nd.

MVFC: Week 7 Preview

MVFC LogoNow that we’re a few games into the conference season, I thought it might be useful to start listing the conference standings for each team so that we can see where everyone is at a bit more easily. So, most teams have played 2 conference games, the ISU’s have played 3, and here’s how the conference looks right now.

  1. North Dakota State – 2-0, 5-0
  2. Youngstown State – 2-0, 4-1
  3. South Dakota State – 2-0, 3-2
  4. Western Illinois – 1-1, 4-1
  5. Missouri State – 1-1, 3-2
  6. Northern Iowa – 1-1, 2-3
  7. South Dakota – 1-1, 2-3
  8. Indiana State – 1-2, 3-3
  9. Southern Illinois – 0-2, 2-3
  10. Illinois State – 0-3, 2-4

The matchups for this Saturday are (all time listed in Central and all rankings from the AGS Weekly Poll):

#30 South Dakota at #35 Indiana State – 2 PM
#14 Western Illinois at #36 Missouri State – 2 PM
#11 South Dakota State at #1 North Dakota State – 2:30 PM
#23 Northern Iowa at #12 Youngstown State – 6 PM
Southern Illinois at #33 Illinois State – 6 PM

All games available on ESPN3/WatchESPN.com

#30 South Dakota at #35 Indiana State

South Dakota is now 1-1 in the conference and 2-3 overall after their victory last week against Northern Iowa. Indiana State is 1-2 in the MVFC and 3-3 on the season after their narrow 1-point loss at Western Illinois last Saturday. Both teams are now pretty much at the point in their seasons where they need to record some solid wins if they want a shot at the playoffs, due to them each having at least a couple of highly ranked teams still on their schedules (USD has WIU, SDSU, and NDSU; ISU has YSU and NDSU). While a loss doesn’t technically eliminate any of them from post-season possibility, you can pretty much assume that in all likelihood, whoever loses this game will not be playing after Thanksgiving.

South Dakota made a few waves last weekend, beating UNI in large part due to the strength of their quarterback, Chris Streveler, who (between throwing and running the ball) accounted for 310 yards of offense and 3 TDs against a fairly solid UNI defense. Streveler and RB Trevor Bouma are currently 2nd and 3rd in the conference in rushing yards per game (with 97.8 and 86.2, respectively). In their passing game, they spread the ball around a decent amount, although nobody has over 34 yards per game receiving, so their focus is really the running game. DL Colin Mertlik is currently 9th in the FCS in sacks, but the team’s tackle leader is Jet Moreland with 45 on the season. The Coyotes have probably the best kicker in the FCS this year, with Miles Bergner handling both punting and kicking duties. He currently leads the FCS with a 46.9 yard per punt average and a long of 64. He is also a perfect 6-6 on field goals, including a 50-yarder.

Indiana State put up 3 TDs in the span of ~3 minutes during the 3rd quarter against Western Illinois due to a couple of offensive TDs and an interception returned for TD. They weren’t able to finish out the game, but that doesn’t mean that Indiana State isn’t able to put up some points if they catch the right breaks. QB Isaac Harker is much more of a traditional pocket passing QB, putting up decent numbers through the air (279.3 yards per game), having a couple of primary targets in WRs Robert Tonyan (74.7 yards per game) and Bob Pugh (61.5 yards per game). Pugh is a multi-dimensional threat, handling kick/punt return duties usually and accounting for a total of 120.5 yards per game. He has been limited however, having not played in the last couple of games due to (I believe) an ankle injury, but it sounds like he’ll be back on the field for this weekend’s game. LB Jameer Thurman currently leads the team in tackles with 49 (8.2 per game) and has 9 tackles for loss, an interception, and a couple of fumble recoveries.

Overall, I think that South Dakota has a slight advantage in this game, but it’s really a coin flip. ISU has a better passing game (especially with Pugh back), USD has a better running game. Neither’s defenses are really all that great…the game is at ISU…but USD has a better kicking game. Honestly, my thoughts on who wins this one changes pretty much every time I review the numbers and stuff. At this point, I think I have to go with the Coyotes, riding momentum from their win last weekend, in a fairly high scoring game, by about a field goal.

TL:DR – South Dakota by 3

#14 Western Illinois at #36 Missouri State

Ah, the hapless Bears of Missouri State…doormat of the Missouri Valley Football Confe…..wait…what? The Bears have a winning record?….and a conference win? Well ok then. Western comes into this game at 1-1 in the conference and 4-1 overall, and coming off the previously mentioned 1-point Homecoming victory over Indiana State. Missouri State is also 1-1 in the conference, 3-2 overall (although 1 win was a lower division school) and last week received a beat down by North Dakota State (although significantly less of a “beat down” than they received at the Fargodome last year).

Western Illinois’ “vaunted” offense has dropped off a bit over the last couple of weeks, but they still have weapons that can put up some big numbers at times. QB Sean McGuire had a career day last weekend, accounting for a combined (passing + rushing) 391 yards of offense and 3 TDs. McGuire is currently averaging 247.2 yards per game and has 9 passing and 3 rushing TDs. WR Lance Lenoir is sitting at 4th in the FCS and 1st in the conference in receiving yards per game (123.4), bolstered by his 204 yard, 2 TD performance last weekend. On the ground, RB Steve McShane has dropped some from his gaudy numbers at the start of the season (at one time leading the FCS in yards per game) and is currently at #12 in the FCS and #1 in the conference with 117.4 yards per game. LB Brett Taylor leads the team in tackles with 50 (10/game, 22nd in the FCS) and has 2.5 sacks and an interception. In general, the offense is very good (although McGuire has been prone to throwing pick-6’s the last couple of games…3 in the last 2 games). The defense, however, while still very strong on the front line and LBs, is still vulnerable to long passing plays, as highlighted by a 65-yard TD pass by Indiana State last weekend and…well…pretty much all except for the 1st quarter of the previous week’s game at SDSU. If the Leathernecks are unable to fix this aspect, any team with a quality QB/WR combo will have a field day against the Western defense.

Missouri State still probably won’t be competing for the conference championship anytime soon, but they’ve definitely stepped up from their dismal 1-win season last year, with their best win being going on the road to defeat Indiana State two weekends ago. The Bears offense isn’t all that great, averaging 326.8 yards and 26.6 points per game (97th and 66th in the FCS respectively), with a slight emphasis on their running game being a little better than their passing game. Their defense, however, is pretty decent, allowing an average of 115 yards per game on the ground (19th in the FCS) and 209.8 through the air (52nd). QB Brodie Lambert  puts up an average of 115.2 yards per game, mostly to WR Malik Earl (68.2 yards per game). WR Deion Holliman is also a threat, catching 27.8 yards per game as well as averaging 25.9 yards per kick return (and has a kick return for TD). LB Dylan Cole is the “headliner” of the Bears defense, with 50 tackles, 4 for loss, and 2 interceptions. Cole is also 3rd in the FCS in forced fumbles, averaging .6 per game (roughly 2 for every 3 games). Also providing help on the defensive side is DL Colby Isbell, who is currently 9th in the FCS in sacks, averaging 1 per game.

Comparing the two teams, I think that the defenses are actually fairly similar…both not too bad against the run, but struggle somewhat against the pass. Offensively though, the Leathernecks have a distinct advantage with some of the best offensive weapons on the conference outside of Brookings, SD. I think that the Bears may be able to put up a few points, but I don’t think they’ll be able to keep up with the WIU offense, and Western should be able to win by about a TD or so.

TL:DR – Western Illinois by 7

#11 South Dakota State at #1 North Dakota State

This is a pretty huge game for both of these teams. Both are undefeated in conference play and both are highly ranked, which means that this game could very well end up being a conference championship decider. This is a battle between an offensive juggernaut and a defensive powerhouse. It’s also a rivalry game for the two teams, playing for the “Dakota Marker” trophy, in a series that has met 104 times so far starting back in 1903. The Jackrabbits are coming off of a high-scoring win at Southern Illinois and are 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the MVFC. The Bison are undefeated at 5-0 and 2-0 in the conference, and head back to Fargo after “trampling” the MSU Bears.

SDSU is a very pass-heavy team, with the 5th ranked passing offense in the FCS, but only 91st ranked rushing offense. The “stars” of the show are QB Taryn Christion, who has been passing for 327.2 yards per game and has 20 TDs so far (2nd in the FCS), and WR Jake Wieneke, who leads the FCS in receiving TDs and is 6th in receiving yards per game. Right behind him is TE Dallas Goedert, who, in large part due to his 4-TD performance against Western Illinois two weeks ago, is #2 in the FCS in receiving TDs and is 9th in receiving yards per game. The SDSU defense, however, is porous. They are giving up an average of 487 yards and 35.6 points per game. LB Christian Rozeboom leads the defense with 54 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a 37-yard pick-6 against Western Illinois.

The Bison have more of a running offense headlined by RB King Frazier with 83.8 yards per game and 5 rushing TDs. RB Lance Dunn  also gets in on the action with 66.4 yards per game and 2 rushing TDs. QB Easton Stick has been throwing for 198 yards per game and has 9 passing TDs (and 1 rushing TD), throwing primarily to WRs RJ Urzendowski (56 yards per game and 2 TDs) and Darrius Shepherd (46 yards per game and 3 TDs). Defensively, NDSU does great against the run (4th in the FCS) but is 79th in passing yards allowed, so they’re vulnerable to some passing plays. Actually, it seems like a common problem among many of the MVFC teams lately…only one team in the conference is in the top 30 in passing yards allowed (Illinois State, and they have plenty of other problems going on right now) and 4 teams in the conference are 100th or worse (did we suddenly switch places with the Big Sky or something?). I’m actually wondering if maybe a lot of teams have really focused heavily on stopping the run to slow down teams like NDSU and Illinois State (in previous years) and have let the pass defense drop somewhat…I don’t really know if that’s what’s going on, but whatever is going on does seem odd. Anyway, some of their big-time playmakers on defense are SS Robbie Grimsley (33 tackles, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble), LB MJ Stumpf (30 tackles, 5 for loss, 1 interception), and DE Greg Menard (20 tackles, 4.5 sacks). Preseason All-Conference LB selection Nick DeLuca has been sidelined for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury (I believe he can medical redshirt this year and come back next year, but don’t quote me on that, I haven’t been following his status real recently). NDSU has also had some issues with their punting game…the kicking part if it, not the defensive part of it (they’re #1 in the FCS in punt return defense)…with a kicker who’s averaging 35.1 yards per punt, 98th in the FCS and 9th in the conference.

So, if anyone is going to take down NDSU and end their winning streak, I think it’ll have to be a team that has a stellar passing attack to take advantage of that weakness. They’ll also have to not be intimidated by the crowd at the Fargodome, so it’ll likely be a conference member (often first-time visitors to the dome underestimate the noise level and have problems with it…that’s why they’re so good in the playoffs…most teams visiting the dome have not been there much, if ever), and it’ll probably have to be some type of rivalry game or some game with heightened emotion. All of these signs point to SDSU being the most likely team this season to upset NDSU. The Bison are still too good for me to pick against them, but I think it’ll be a close one (and an upset wouldn’t entirely surprise me either). They’re not unbeatable, but nobody has done it in nearly a year (will be a year exactly this coming Monday), so until something shows me a strong reason to pick otherwise, I gotta go with the Bison.

TL:DR – North Dakota State by 6

#23 Northern Iowa at #12 Youngstown State

Despite many thinking that they would be trending up and be the #2 team in the conference this year, UNI has struggled quite a bit this year. To be fair, two of their losses were against really good teams (currently AGS Top 10 ranked), but then they lost last weekend at South Dakota (a team that was supposed to barely qualify for the application of the adjective “mediocre”). UNI is now 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference, and essentially needing to win probably 5 of their final 6 games to qualify for the playoffs…and with some of those games including tough matches at Youngstown State, at Western Illinois, as well as NDSU and SDSU at home…things aren’t looking so hot for the Panthers right now. Youngstown State, on the other hand, has exceeded most people’s expectations for this year, currently sitting at 4-1 with a 2-0 conference record following their win at Illinois State last weekend. Now, I will say that YSU’s schedule up to this point has been quite a bit easier than UNI’s (two bottom-half NEC conference teams as opposed to two top-ranked Big Sky teams), but they do seem to be playing well right now….then again, it is still October, and YSU has a strong track record of fading on the “back stretch”…so we’ll see.

Statistically, Northern Iowa has a pretty strong run game, both when they have the ball (23rd in the FCS) and when they are defending against the run (11th). A large part of the offensive side of this is due to their QB Aaron Bailey, who is known more for his running ability than his passing (are we sure he’s not just a wildcat RB who throws every now and then?). Bailey has thrown for 167.6 yards per game and 6 TDs, but he also leads the team in rushing with 81.4 yards per game and 6 TDs on the ground. The other major part of the ground game is RB Tyvis Smith, who’s averaging 80.2 yards per game and has 2 rushing TDs and…and…
…
Panthers, you can stop it with the food ads on your athletics site…Pizza Ranch, Hy-Vee…you’re making me hungry.
…
Sorry, anyway, when Bailey does pass, his primary target is WR Daurice Fountain who is averaging 44 yards per game and has 4 TDs. The defensive strength comes in large part from DL Karter Schult and LB Jared Farley. Schult has 35 tackles and is currently #1 in the FCS in both sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (13) and has an interception, and Farley leads the team with 38 tackles…2 for loss…plus an interception.

Like nearly everyone in the MVFC these days, Youngstown State is stronger against the run (13th in the FCS) than they are against the pass (35th). Like UNI, they also focus much more heavily on their own offensive run game (10th in the FCS) than they do on their passing game (79th). The Penguins also have the 5th best scoring defense in the FCS, only giving up 16 points per game so far. Like UNI’s, YSU QB Ricky Davis is a legitimate running threat…he passes for 186.5 yards per game and has 5 TDs, but also has run for 74.8 yards per game. Their top RB is Martin Ruiz who’s putting up 78.8 yards per game and has 6 TDs. Receiving for the Penguins is apparently “by committee”, with 5 different players catching between 27 and 37 yards per game…and that 37-yard-per-game player, WR Damoun Patterson, actually leads the team in ypg. Defensively, YSU is led by DE’s Derek Rivers (16 tackles, 8 for loss w/ 7 sacks, plus 10 QB hurries and a fumble recovery) and Avery Moss (22 tackles, 5.5 for loss w/ 5 sacks, plus 4 QB hurries, and 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recover). Together with the rest of the defensive line, they comprise probably the best D-line in the conference, if not in the entire FCS, with both players in the top 10 in the FCS in sacks (and actually, with UNI’s Karter Schult, this game will have the #1, #2, and #9 best players in that category).

All signs point to a defensive battle for much of the game. Both teams have decent running games, but also have great run defenses…both teams aren’t great at passing, nor are they great against the pass. This is another one of those “coin flip” games for me, but I think the advantage goes to Youngstown…it’s being played there and as I said, they’ve been playing well…plus, it’s not November yet, so the Penguins can still win (aren’t Penguins supposed to like the cold?). I think that we’ll probably see Youngstown pull out a close one.

TL:DR – Youngstown State by 3…additionally, total score…maybe 40.

Southern Illinois at #33 Illinois State

Southern Illinois comes into this game having lost their last two games, sitting at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the conference following their high-scoring loss against South Dakota State last weekend. The Redbirds are rocking a 4-game losing streak, so after the high of their first two games including knocking off Big 10 Northwestern, they are now at 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the MVFC.

SIU’s offense is led by transfer QB Josh Straughan, who’s currently putting up 321.6 passing yards per game (6th in the FCS) and has 11 passing TDs (17th). His primary target is  WR Connor Iwema with 68.6 yards per game and 3 TDs. Also getting in on the action are WRs Billy Reed (56 ypg, 3 TDs) and Jimmy Jones (53.4 ypg and 2 TDs). On the ground, it’s mostly RB Daquan Isom, who accounts for 61 ypg and 1 TD and RB Jonathan Mixon, who, while only accounting for 17 yards per game, has crossed the goal line 4 times, which means he leads the team in TDs (caught or ran). Defensively, LB Chase Allen leads the team in tackles with 35, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble. DE Deondre Barnett leads the team in sacks with 4 (out of his 21 total tackles) as well as 4 QB hurries and 3 forced fumbles.

Illinois State is the odd one in the conference….while it seems like everyone else has good run defense but very little pass defense, ISU is the complete opposite. They’re only giving up 168 passing yards per game, good for 9th in the FCS. The rest of the defense isn’t bad (19th in the FCS for total yards allowed), but it’s the pass defense that is their strength. Unfortunately for the Redbirds, that’s about all they’ve got going for them at this point. Not sure if it’s an issue with QB Jake Kolbe (234.2 passing yards per game and 7 TDs) or more of an O-Line problem (117th in sacks allowed, 113th in tackles for loss allowed, 80th in rushing offense). The O-Line issues seem likely to me (but I admit, I could be wrong) and it’s possible that there have been problems prior to this year, but with two phenomenal rushers (Coprich and Roberson) that they were able to overcome the problems or at least minimize them significantly. Now that those guys are gone, and you’ve got decent but not stellar players in those positions, and the offensive line isn’t offering protection to the QB or opening holes…then you get the rather anemic offense that you see today. They’re a little stronger at the passing game, with WR Anthony Warrum able to haul in 84 yards per game and 2 TDs worth of catches. WR Anthony Fowler also gets in on the scoring action, with 2 TDs in addition to 35.5 yards per game. RB George Moreira is putting up just over 57 yards per game and has 3 rushing TDs. The previously mentioned pass defense is led by S Alec Kocour, who has 49 tackles and 1 interception. LB Alejandro Rivera actually leads the team in tackles with 50, as well as 1 sack and 1 interception. LB B.J. Bello has 40 tackles, including 4 sacks, 6 QB hurries, and 2 forced fumbles.

What this all adds up to is an Illinois State team that can slow down a good passing offense but not do much about a running offense, and has trouble moving the ball on offense. Southern has a great passing offense, a manageable run defense, but not too much else. I think that ISU will be able to pass the ball against SIU fairly well but won’t be able to get much going on the ground, and that SIU will be fairly limited on offense, since their strength on offense matches up with ISU’s strength on defense. I think that both teams are essentially (or nearly) out of the playoff picture, which means that this one is more for bragging rights. I think that ISU will be able to limit SIU just enough to be able to come away with a fairly close win.

TL:DR – Illinois State by 6

Patriot League: Week Seven Preview

The leaves are nearing their peak in the Northeast which means non-conference play is coming to an end and conference play is heating up. The most intriguing league game this week appears to be Colgate at Bucknell. The defending Patriot League Champion Raiders can’t afford to start conference play 0-2 while the Bison would trust themselves into the title race with a win. The other conference game this week features streaking Lehigh traveling to our nation’s capital to face Georgetown. A Hoya win would send a seismic shockwave throughout the conference.

This weekend is also highlighted by the last two games of the year against the Ancient Eight. Fordham hosts a Yale a team that’s coming off an impressive win over Dartmouth last week. The Eli are 0-2 (Colgate, Lehigh) against the Patriot League so far this year. The other Patriot-Ivy battle features Bay State rivals Holy Cross and Harvard. An upset win over a ranked Harvard team could be what Holy Cross needs to jump start their season. The third non-conference game this weekend is Lafayette at Army. This will be the Leopards first FBS opponent (also Army) in nearly two decades.

Lafayette at Army – 15 Oct. 12:00 P.M. Michie Stadium West Point, NY

(CBS Sports Network national broadcast)

(No Live Streaming)

Mid-October is usually a great time of year for a gridiron battle on the banks of the Hudson. The foliage is at its peak and the weather is generally perfect for football. While those things will be true this weekend, there’s a good chance Lafayette (1-5, 0-2) is not looking forward to their game against Army (3-2) Saturday afternoon. The Leopards head to West Point on a four game losing streak. They yielded over 500 yards rushing to Fordham in their most recent loss. That’s not good news against a FBS Army team that ranks 2nd nationally in rushing (332 ypg). The Black Knight’s unique option style offense under Coach Monken will likely find plenty of holes in a Leopard defense that gave up 359 yards to one player (Chase Edmonds) last week.

The Army rushing attack is led by sophomore RB Andy Davidson (106 ypg, 7 TDs) and QB Ahmad Bradshaw (59 ypg 2 TDs. In addition to Davidson and Bradshaw, the Black Knights have four other players that average more than 20 ypg. The Leopard rush defense (245 ypg, 7th in PL) will no doubt have a difficult time stopping the numerous weapons Army’s option offense utilizes. Lafayette’s best hope on defense might be trying sellout on the option in attempt to win the turnover battle and create some negative plays in the backfield. Army has 9 fumbles so far this year but fortunately for them, they’ve only lost 3 of them. If the Leopards can pounce on two or three loose balls they will increase their chances to be competitive for 60 minutes.

Lafayette QB Drew Reed status is still uncertain for the game on Saturday. Fellow senior Blake Searfoss has done a solid job (302 ypg, 5 TDs) filling in for Reed the last two weeks. Whoever starts under center will be facing one of the top pass defenses in the country (150 ypg, 8th nationally). Given the Leopards inability to run the ball (72.5) it could be a very long day for the offense. Lafayette will need to generate some big plays by taking some shots in the passing or a well devised trick play. They’re not likely to have much success grinding out drives against the stout Army “D”.

Army enters the game as a 34 or so point favorite. Given the Leopards current 5 game losing streak and overall struggles the last few years this is a really tough spot for them. The best possible outcome for Lafayette might simply be avoiding injuries against Army’s cut blocking and beating the spread.

Of Note: This is the first meeting between Army and Lafayette since 1997. That was also the last time the Leopards played a FBS opponent. The two are scheduled to play again in 2018. Army owns a 17-1 record against Lafayette.

Yale at Fordham – 15 Oct. 1:00 P.M. Jack Coffey Field Bronx, NY

(Patriot League Network)

Yale (1-3) takes the short bus ride from New Haven, CT to the Bronx to battle Chase Edmonds and the Fordham Rams (3-2, 1-0). Both teams enter the game with some momentum. Chase Edmonds record setting day (359 yards rushing) helped propel Fordham to a 58-34 victory over Lafayette in their Patriot League opener.

The Eli were able to take out a stout Dartmouth team at the Yale Bowl. It was a much needed win for Yale who had started the year 0-3 for the first time since 1993. Fordham won their last meeting with Yale 52-31 in 2013.

If Yale wants to pull another upset this week they’ll need to lean on their solid rush defense (128 ypg, 34th nationally) to keep Edmonds from going off. The Eli were able to hold Dartmouth to 68 total yards rushing in last week’s win. Holding the Rams ground attack to less than 100 yards might be a nearly impossible task but it’s not unreasonable to think Yale will present quite a bit of resistance. Their front seven on defense is arguably the strength of the team.

Should Yale limit the damage Fordham does on ground, QB Kevin Anderson (230 ypg 11 TDs 3 INTs) is more than capable of picking apart a suspect secondary. The Eli have not fared well in their first two meetings against Patriot League quarterbacks. Lehigh’s backup had a record setting day two weeks ago at the Yale Bowl and Colgate’s Jake Melville lit the Eli defense up for 5 TD passes in the season opener. Even in defeat, Dartmouth had a lot of success through the air (348 ypg) last week. A major reason for the continued struggles is a rash of injuries that hit the Yale secondary in camp and early in the year.

Should the Yale defense struggle to contain the Patriot League’s highest scoring attack (45 ppg), their offense will have to have their best game of the year to keep up. Eli QB Tre Moore assumed the starting position after the Cornell loss and appears to be finally getting comfortable in the offense. After a rough day throwing the ball against Lehigh, the sophomore showed quite a bit of improvement (20-32 180 Yards 1 TD) in the win over Dartmouth.

Despite the slow start to the year, there’s legitimate reason for Moore and Co. to be optimistic heading into this week. The Ram defense ranks 6th in the Patriot League in points allowed. If Moore can avoid making mistakes and extend some plays with his legs the Eli offense should be able to move the ball against the struggling Ram defense. Yale has a solid stable of running backs to take some of the pressure off Moore. Freshman RB Alan Lamar came out of nowhere last week to run for 180 yards and 2 TDs. Lamar got the start because normal first teamer DeShawn Salter was unable to go. There’s no word if he will be available for this week’s game.

Of Note: Despite Yale’s and Fordham’s close proximity to one another and their historical prowess in the first part of the 20th century the two met once, a 21-14 Eli win in 1950. Fordham would shut down their program 4 years later. As a result the two would not meet again until 1992. Yale owns a 7-2 series lead.  

Colgate at Bucknell – 15 Oct. 1:00 P.M Christy Mathewson Stadium Lewisburg, PA

(Patriot League Network)

Defending Patriot League champion Colgate (1-4, 0-1) will be in desperation mode when they head to Central Pennsylvania to play Bucknell (2-3, 1-0) Saturday afternoon. The Raiders are coming off a disappointing 45-31 loss to Lehigh in the league opener for both teams. Colgate struggled in all three phases in the loss. Overall, the Raiders have lost 3 in row (@ Richmond, Cornell, @ Lehigh) after a dominating win over Yale in mid-September. They’ve allowed 38+ points in all three losses. If they want to have any say in the league race the rest of the way this is a must win.

Bucknell enters the game off an exciting 21-20 road win over league foe Holy Cross. The Bison’s defense shut down the Crusader offense in the second half to secure the victory. Matt Muh earned his first career win as a starting QB. Bucknell will be looking for their first home win of the year on Saturday.

The Bison defense will likely need to lead the way again this week if the Bucknell wants to start league play 2-0 for just the second time (2014) in the last 10 seasons. The unit is tied with Georgetown for allowing the fewest points per game (21.4). They will face their toughest test of the year so far against a Colgate offense that continues to rack up yards and points. The Raider offense figures to receive an added boost this weekend with the return of starting RB James Holland (75 ypg, 2 TDs). While Keyon Washington (82 ypg, 4 TD) did a solid job filling, Holland gives the Raiders more of a presence between the tackles. Getting Melville and Holland in sync on the read option should help to open up other parts of the Raider offense. One of those pieces that need’s to bounce back is WR John Maddaluna (113 ypg 4 TDs). The senior WR had a quiet outing (3 rec. 88 yards) in the loss to Lehigh after going off (11 rec 261 yards) against Cornell the week before.

Bucknell will try to control the clock and take advantage of field position on offense. They’ll look to RB Joey DeFloria to pick up where he left off against Holy Cross when he had his 3rd 100 yard game of the season in the win. For the year DeFloria ranks second (Edmonds 1st at 188 ypg) in the Patriot League in rushing with 113 ypg average. Sledding could be tough however against the league’s #1 rushing defense (98 ypg). The Raiders have allowed only one RB to reach triple digits in yards so far this season.

Matt Muh (59% Comp., 199 ypg 4 TD, 4 INTs) is once again expected to start for the injured R.J. Nitti.

Of Note: Colgate has dominated (13-3) their series against Bucknell this century. It’s been a decade (2006) since theBison defeated the Raiders in Lewisburg. Overall, Colgate owns a commanding 47-17 series advantage.

#20 Harvard at Holy Cross – 15 Oct. 1 P.M. Fitton Field Worcester, MA

(Patriot League Network)

Holy Cross (2-4, 1-1) welcomes their Massachusetts rival Harvard (4-0) to Mount St. James for their final non-conference tilt of the year. The Crusaders are coming off a disappointing loss to Bucknell last week. After jumping out to an early 17-0 lead Holy Cross’s offense struggled the rest of the game against the stout Bison defense. QB Geoff Wade is expected to start again this week. There’s a chance that junior QB Blaise Bell will see at least a few snaps during the course of the game. Wade is the more polished passer while Bell’s strength is his ability to create havoc with his legs.

Twentieth ranked Harvard is once again off to a fast to a season. The Crimson are coming off an impressive 29-13 win over previously unbeaten Cornell. The 16 point victory was Harvard’s fourth straight double-digit win to start the year. The Crimson started last season with 6 straight double-digit victories on their way to a 9-1 campaign. Given Holy Cross’s up and down season, Harvard seems poised to post another comfortable win.

The Peter Pujals injury has really derailed the Crusader’s season the last three weeks. The all-league quarterback’s ability to mask certain Crusader weaknesses is something backups Geoff Wade and Blaise Bell can’t do at this point. As a result, Holy Cross has been plagued with inconsistency on offense (10 pts, 38 pts, 20 pts scored) the last three games. The Purple are 1-2 in those contests.

Against a Harvard “D” that ranks 18th nationally in total defense things don’t figure to get any easier for the Crusaders. The Crimson are allowing 18 ppg and 321 total ypg. Their rush defense is especially stout ( 92 ypg, 9th nationally). Holy Cross will need WR Branden Flaherty to continue to be a multi-dimensional threat on offense. Since he’s returned from an early season injury the senior WR has led the team in rushing in one game and thrown a TD pass in another.

Holy Cross’s defense (32 ppg allowed, 4th in PL) will have to deal with an extremely efficient Harvard offense. Crimson QB Joe Viviano’s passing (65.5% Comp, 233 ypg, 7 TDs, 0 INTs) has been the epitome of that so far. The senior is also second on the team in rushing (45 ypg 3 TDs). Half Back Anthony Firkser (106 ypg, 5 TDs) has been Viviano’s favorite target in the passing game so far this year. Semar Smith (84 ypg, 6 TDs) has been handling most of the RB duties. WR Justice Shelton-Mosley is another skill player the Crusaders will have to keep an eye on. The explosive WR amazingly has not recorded a TD so far this year.

Of Note: Harvard is Holy Cross’s 4th most played opponent. The Crimson lead the all times series against the Crusaders 42-24-2. Holy Cross has lost the last 3 to Harvard by an average score of 44.6-18.6.

Lehigh at Georgetown – 15 Oct. 2:00 P.M. Cooper Field Washington, D.C.

(Patriot League Network)

Lehigh (4-2, 1-0) will look to keep their wave of momentum rolling as they travel to Georgetown (3-2, 0-0) for an important mid-October conference game. The Mountain Hawks are coming off an impressive 45-31 win over defending Patriot League champion Colgate in Bethlehem. Senior QB Nick Shafnisky returned to action after missing the previous game against Yale. After some inconsistent play early on, Shafnisky got it going to finish with 394 yards and 5 TDs. The WR duo of Troy Pelletier (6 rec. 102 yards 1 TD) Gatlin Casey (11 rec. 196 yards 3 TDs) continued to terrorize defensive secondaries.

Georgetown enters their first Patriot League game on a two game losing streak after starting the season 3-0 for the first time since 1999. Ivy Leaguers Harvard and Princeton defeated the Hoyas by the same 31-17 score the last two weeks. The Hoyas struggles on offense (188 total yards) continued last week in the loss to the Tigers. The Hoyas were without starting QB Tim Barnes. Sophomore Clay Norris (13-26 106 yards 1 INT) earned his first career start in the loss. There’s no word on Barnes’s status for the Lehigh game.

The Hoya defense, which has been solid all season, will face their toughest test to date against a Mountain Hawk offense that ranks second in the Patriot League in scoring (40 ppg). The Mountain Hawks have been especially impressive (49, 42, 63 and 45 points scored) during their 4 game winning streak. Georgetown will have to find a way to slow down the Gatlin/Pelletier WR combo that has been devastating lately. The Hoyas will need this week’s PL Defensive Player of the Week winner DB Jelani Williamson to keep his great play going this Saturday against the talented Lehigh WRs.

Georgetown’s offense will have to figure out a way to consistently move the ball on Saturday to have a chance. That task will be even taller if Barnes (56% Comp., 166 ypg, 7 TDs 2 INTs) is unable to go again this week. The rushing attack hasn’t been able to provide much, if any, balance all season. Featured RB Alex Valles is averaging a less than stellar 60 ypg. One positive for Georgetown is Lehigh’s continuing inconsistencies on defense. The Mountain Hawk’s defense has improved considerably since last year but it’s still giving up a few too many points (28 ppg allowed, 3rd in PL) and way too many rushing yards (245 ypg, 6th PL). If the Hoyas want to pull an upset a clock controlling ground game and finishing drives with points, even FGs, are a must.

Of Note: Since Georgetown joined the Patriot League in 2001 they are 0-15 against Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks won the first 11 meetings in dominating fashion but the 3 out of the last 4 meetings have been decided by single digits including last year’s 33-28 Lehigh win. Lehigh leads the all-time series 16-5.