Big South: Week 2 Review

(2-0) Chattanooga 34, (0-2) Presbyterian 0

By this point, Big South watchers have somewhat gotten used to the constant that the Presbyterian defense will be strong and the Presbyterian offense will be, in the kindest terms, less so.  On Saturday, however, it’s not entirely evident that either unit was even present for the game against Chattanooga.

While the PC defense did hold the opponent to 0-9 on third down conversions, the truth was that Chattanooga didn’t always get to third down.  All five of their touchdowns came on drives that were at least 64 yards long without the Mocs offense ever facing a third down.  Two of those touchdowns came on breakdowns in the Blue Hose secondary so bad that the Chattanooga receiver had no one within ten yards of him when he caught the ball.  Presbyterian was outgained by exactly 300 yards on the day by the Mocs, 496-196.  This is all the more alarming in that Chattanooga only ran 52 plays, averaging 9.5 yards per play.

On the other side of the ball, Chattanooga essentially duplicated Central Michigan’s game plan from a week ago:  keep PC’s RB Darrell Bridges corralled and force QB Ben Cheek to beat them with his arm and legs.  It worked.  Presbyterian came out in spread formations in an effort to create space. There’s an old football adage – that I possibly just made up – that says it does no good to spread the field horizontally if you can’t also spread it vertically.  While Bridges got good yardage this time around (18 carries, 89 yards), Cheek couldn’t get anything going.  His longest completion of the day was an 18-yard screen pass and the other nine passes he completed totaled a whopping 34 yards combined giving him a stat line of 10-17-0 for 52 yards.  Presbyterian’s only drive into scoring position on the day came in the 4th quarter when Cheek was finally subbed out and his replacement, Will Brock, drove the Blue Hose the length of the field against Chattanooga’s second team – accumulating more passing yardage on that drive alone than Cheek had the entire game – before fumbling the ball away at the goal line.

What does this loss mean for PC? – The biggest thing that is evident from this game is the gap between Presbyterian and the upper echelon of FCS.  Chattanooga is unquestionably one of the better teams in the nation at the championship level but Presby seemed completely out of their depth.   They looked indecisive on offense and panicky on defense which is a checklist for catastrophe against a team of this caliber.

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(2-0) Florida State 52,  (1-2)   Charleston Southern  8

Ouch.

As most of the college football world knows, CSU went down to Tallahassee for this game minus 14 players, most notably the entire starting offensive line, due to NCAA improprieties.  Regardless of anyone’s feelings on the nature and severity of the infraction or the penalty, it was probably for the best that CSU got some of the sanctions out of the way this week because they were not going to win this one anyway.  Florida State outmanned CSU at every position and then some.

One significant positive for CSU is that they got another quarterback into the game without an injury being directly responsible.  Robert Mitchell finally got on the field for the Bucs after starter London Johnson lost fumbles on back-to-back plays in the first quarter.  Mitchell would go on to lose the handle on three balls himself but completed the game for CSU.

That said, this was a disjointed team from the start and, in light of the roster situation, it’s easy to understand why.  The result was that both Mitchell and Johnson took a beating all game long from the Seminoles defense – at one point, Mitchell was even dumped on his head – and their passing accuracy (7 of 20) reflected it.  Their one touchdown came on a breakdown in the FSU defensive secondary that led to WR Kameron Brown running all by himself down the sideline waiting for the ball to land.  Other than that instance, CSU never threatened.  On defense, the Seminoles scored touchdowns on five of their first six possessions, building a 28-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.

What does this loss mean for CSU? – In the larger view of the season, this game was never going to mean much.  With or without 14 starters, CSU was unlikely to mount a serious challenge to Florida State without the Seminoles giving them some help.  What hurts here is the same thing that hurt after losing against NDSU three weeks ago, the fact that CSU only has seven games against D1 competition remaining on the schedule.  With a bye week this week, the Bucs will head into a road conference game at Monmouth in the fourth week of September with zero D1 wins to their name.

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(1-1)  Liberty 55, (0-1) Jacksonville  7

Liberty did exactly what they needed to do this week and that was dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.  Jacksonville has been a quality program over the last several years but came into this game with underclassmen and true freshmen all over the field and Liberty pushed them around pretty much at will.

Liberty had 300+ yards rushing with two running backs – Todd Macon and Frankie Hickson – topping the century mark and one more – Carrington Mosely – just a few yards shy.  The Flames’ quarterbacks were a combined 20-29 passing for 250 yards with the only blemish on the night being an interception that went through the hands of the intended receiver directly into the lap of the defender behind him.

On defense, Liberty responded extremely well.  Without any game film to study on the new JU coaching staff, all indications had been that Jacksonville was going to run a traditional triple-option offense with the quarterback under center, a fullback four yards behind and two A-backs on the wings.  Yeah, that was in there at some point along with a lot of other stuff.  The Dolphins offense started out running the triple but they also went spread, pro-style, old-school veer and a couple of other things that I’m pretty sure haven’t seen a live football field since the Carter administration.  Still, at the end of the first quarter, the Flames defense had held the visitors to two yards on nine plays while the offense had built a 14-point lead.  JU had marginally better success later on but the tone had already been set.  When Liberty forced two fumbles in the final 90 seconds of the first half and the offense turned that into another 10 points to set a 31-0 halftime lead, the game was essentially over.  After recording only 12 turnovers in all of 2015, the LU defense now has eight in just the first two games of 2016.

What does this win mean for Liberty? – Liberty hasn’t dominated a game like this in some time, especially the ones in which they were supposed to. The fact that they did so while having to make dramatic defensive adjustments is significant. It’s also the first win for Stephon Masha as Liberty’s permanent starter at quarterback and it’s still a D1 win which, given the Flames’ schedule with games against SMU and Jacksonville State coming up, are a precious commodity.

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(2-0) Monmouth 34, (0-2) Delaware State 20

For the second week in a row, Monmouth jumped out to an early lead, let their opponent back into the game at the end of the third quarter, and then came up with a defensive stand and put-away score in the late fourth quarter.

Against Delaware State, Monmouth looked rather lackadaisical.  Early on, the Hawk offensive line provided little space for the running game and starting quarterback looked, at times, like he wasn’t sure where his receivers were.  Williams was pulled late in the first and Kenji Bahar played the rest of the first half.  Whether that substitution was by design or by necessity, it provided enough spark to build a 17-0 halftime advantage.  Fortunately, while the offense was struggling, the Monmouth defense was up to the challenge as Delaware State only drove past the 50-yard line only once in their first 7 possessions.

The second half, however, was a different story.  As anticipated, Delaware State sustaining drives proved difficult but big plays did not.  After Monmouth had pushed the lead out to 27-0 late in the 3rd quarter, DSU scored on explosive plays on back-to-back drives and then returned a blocked Monmouth punt for touchdown to start the 4th quarter, cutting MU’s lead to 27-20.  But, just as they did a week ago against Lehigh, Monmouth intercepted the Hornets on their next possession and Williams led a 17-play drive the length of the field punctuated by a 4-yard run from running back Ed Royds for the final score.

What does this win mean for Monmouth? – A win is a win, so that’s good.  Still, there seemed to be a lack of intensity early on that should be concerning.  Also, the kicking game is still shaky for the Hawks.  Matt White was 2-for-3 on FG’s on the day but had a punt blocked for touchdown and a bad snap doomed another field goal attempt early in the first quarter.  Of special concern, however, is the health of Monmouth running back Lavon Chaney.  Cheney went down under a pile of DSU players early in the second quarter and did not return to the game.  Ed Royds did an admirable job filling in, but Chaney has been the engine that makes that offense go.

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(1-1)  Western Carolina 44, (1-1) Gardner-Webb 14

For a minute there – or thirty – it looked like Gardner-Webb had a chance to knock off Western Carolina in Cullowhee.  Each team scored touchdowns on their first possessions of the game and both offenses were in full effect for the first half.  GWU’s combo of RB Khalil Lewis and QB Tyrell Maxwell had 150 yards rushing between them on top of Maxwell’s 57 passing yards.  On the other side of the ball, however, the Runnin’ Bulldog defense had done nothing to slow down WCU and quarterback Tyrie Adams.  It was just a 3-point game at halftime, at 17-14 in Western’s advantage, but the truth is that the Catamounts had already put up 300+ yards of offense in the first half alone and outgained G-W by more than a hundred yards.  What the Gardner-Webb defense had managed to do was take the ball away twice and watch Western’s kicker badly shank his first field goal attempt.

After halftime, however, was a different story.  The Catamount defense adjusted in the second half and began forcing the Bulldogs into 3rd-and-long situations and daring Maxwell to beat them downfield in single coverage.  But, the deep throw is not Maxwell’s strength and his final passing stats were a mere 11 completions on 25 attempts for a paltry 86 total yards as Gardner-Webb’s offense only crossed the 50-yard line twice in the second half and totaled 108 second half yards.  On the other side of the ball, the GWU defense made no adjustments at all at halftime, allowing WCU and Tyrie Adams to pick up right where they left off before the break.  The Catamounts rolled up another 300+ yards of offense in the second half and never looked back.  On the night, Adams enjoyed a career game, throwing touchdowns to five different receivers, passing for over 400+ yards, rushing for another 83 and, otherwise, cheering as WCU did whatever they wanted on offense.  In the end, Gardner-Webb gave up a Division I school-record 690 yards of total offense.

What does this loss mean for Gardner-Webb? – As big as the win over Elon was for G-W is as big a loss as this is.  Defense has been the standard of this team under head coach Carroll McCray and Western Carolina just shredded that standard on Saturday.  Despite the Gardner-Webb running game having actually improved this week, their offense still struggles in passing situations which is exactly what Western forced them into in the second half.  If the Bulldogs can’t force defenders out of the box to defend the pass, it’s going to be a long year in Boiling Springs.

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(1-1)  Kennesaw State 49, (0-3) Point (NAIA)  3

There’s not much to say about this game.  Kennesaw took on a really poor NAIA program Saturday night and destroyed them.  When WR Justin Sumpter hauled in his first touchdown catch of the night with just over five minutes gone in the 1st quarter, the game was effectively over.  This, of course, is exactly what they needed to do coming off the loss to ETSU.

Starting QB Trey White didn’t play due to injury.  Chandler Burks started at the spot instead and led the team to 555 yards of offense on 65 plays so, you know, not a bad first start for that guy.  On defense, Point only mounted one sustained drive and, otherwise, wasted everyone’s time.

That’s pretty much it.

What does this win mean for Kennesaw State? – It’s the first win of the season for KSU.  That’s important because, if you never get that first win, you always end up with a really bad year.  Which, I suppose, is obvious.  Aside from that, it was live game experience for Burks and everyone else who wouldn’t play under more competitive circumstances but not much else.

 

 

Biggest surprise of the week:  That’s still Charleston Southern’s off-the-field issues.  When national outlets are picking up video feeds from local reporters who show up to talk to the head coach as the team boards the bus to the airport, it’s a big story.

Biggest disappointment of the week:  Gardner-Webb’s complete defensive collapse at Western Carolina

Big Sky Conference: Week 2 Review and Power Rankings

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We’re now two weeks into the Big Sky football season. We’re now one week into this column. Sorry, I went on vacation. The college football season is still brand new but there has been plenty of excitement in the league so far this year. The Big Sky started the year off pretty shaky with most of the teams in dog fights they did not anticipate or want. Eastern Washington turn Washington State on its head and beat them on their own turf. After that, Sacramento State had another loss to a division II school.

Now that we’re moving on to week two the Big Sky saw a lot less of their members getting boat raced by FBS schools and the scores looked a little bit more favorable. The big shocker of the week was Montana going on the road and beating the #3 Northern Iowa Panthers in the dome. Eastern Washington nearly accomplished just as an impressive feat by going on the road and taking North Dakota State to overtime in Fargo. The Eagles gave the Bison more than they wanted and then some. Two consecutive games the Bison have gone to overtime.

Northern Colorado got a win I didn’t think they had in them. They went on the road and beat Abilene Christian to move their record to 2-0. Northern Arizona had another difficult test, and another difficult loss, losing to Western Illinois on the road. The Lumberjacks are now 0-2 on the season. The Jacks will finally get a home game against something called New Mexico Highlands. It’s entirely possible that the team picked to win the Big Sky in the preseason could start September with a 1-3 record.

Scores

Montana 20
Northern Iowa 14

Weber State 49
South Dakota 52

North Dakota 26
Bowling Green 27

Eastern Washington 44
North Dakota State 50

Bryant 24
Montana State 27

Northern Arizona 20
Western Illinois 34

Portland State 35
San Jose State 66

Idaho State 7
Colorado 56

Northern Colorado 55
Abilene Christian 52

San Diego 16
Cal Poly 38

Southeastern Louisiana 23
Southern Utah 28

Southern Oregon 35
UC Davis 52

Sacramento State 3
Fresno State 31

Player of the Week

Kyle Sloter, Northern Colorado. In the Bears win over Abilene Christian Sloter was 25/32 for 408 yards and six touchdowns. He also had one interception on the day.

Big Sky MVP Candidates

Gage Gabrud, Eastern Washington. 26/40, 450 yards, four touchdowns, three interceptions.
Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington. Five receptions, 62 yards and two touchdowns.
John Santiago, North Dakota. 18 carries, 119 yards and one touchdown.
Case Cookus, Northern Arizona. 26/33, 263 yards and two touchdowns.
Emmanual Butler, Northern Arizona. Four receptions, 78 yards and one touchdown.

Big Sky Power Rankings

1. Eastern Washington
2. Montana
3. Portland State
4. Southern Utah
5. North Dakota
6. Cal Poly
7. Montana State
8. Northern Arizona
9. Northern Colorado
10. UC-Davis
11. Weber State
12. Idaho State
13. Sacramento State

Looking Ahead to Week 3

A few play up games this week in the Big Sky as UC-Davis, Northern Colorado, Idaho State, and Portland State will all be taking on FBS teams. Northern Arizona and Montana State will be playing division II schools this week. The game of the week in the Big Sky this week will be happening in Cheney, Washington. The Northern Iowa Panthers are hitting the road to take on the Eagles. The Panthers are hurting after last week’s loss to Montana. Eastern Washington is probably equally as disappointed that they couldn’t come away with a win in Fargo. Tough game for both teams.

Final Thoughts and Hot Takes

– Sacramento State, I thought, was a team that was going to turn it around this year. However, this appears to be another year in the cellar of the Big Sky.

– Northern Colorado is 2-0 and fresh off of a road win. I just can’t see how or why they get away with scheduling an NAIA school to play in their opening week. Such a mismatch in physical size and talent.

– Tough start to the year for Northern Arizona, two very tough games to open the season. They’ll need a big October if they’re going to get to the playoffs. If they start September at 1-3 I just don’t see how they run the table to get a playoff berth.

– North Dakota has had two tough losses in a row, and they may experience another tough loss this week as they get to stay home and take on border war rival South Dakota. Trevor Bouma, the South Dakota running back, is a very good back, as is John Santiago. Should be a fun matchup.

– Montana State escaped against Bryant in their home opener. Lots of learning to do for the Cats and Jeff Choate.

CAA: Week 2 Review and Power Rankings

In week two the CAA continues to show itself as one of the premier FCS conferences. Going 8-3 over the weekend with two of the losses coming from FBS opponents, and the last one from an inter-conference game.

Temple 38 Stony Brook 0

Stony Brook put up 133 total yards of offense, and gave the ball over 4 times in their shutout loss to FBS Temple. Stony Brook Quarterback Joe Carbone went 8/17 for a total of 84 yards, and RB Jordan Gowins had the most yards on the ground for Stony Brook with 36 total yards coming from 11 carries. In the end, Temples 301 total yards of offense, proved too much for Stony Brook to overcome.

Albany 35 Rhode Island 7

In the CAA’s first conference matchup of the year, Albany’s ground game proved too much for the Rhode Island Rams to overcome. Most impressive for Albany was RB Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks. Who rushed for 178 yards on 27 carries and ran in for 3 touchdowns. In the end, Rhode Island’s 4 turnovers and lack of production at QB proved too much for them to overcome.

James Madison 56 Central Connecticut State 21

James Madison continued making a statement during week 2 with their lopsided win over the Blue Devils of CCSU. The Dukes of James Madison hit the Blue devils from all sides posting 517 total yards of offensive. 205 of those yards came in the air, while 312 came on the ground. The Dukes QB Bryan Schor went 17/21 with a total of 205 yards. While Running Backs Cordon Johnson got it down on the ground posting a combined 234 yards on a combined 35 carries.

Delaware 24 Lafayette 6

The Lafayette Leopards of the Patriot League gave the Delaware Blue Hens quite a scare as they led 6-3 late in the third quarter. But it would be the 21 unanswered points from Delaware that would put them over and win them the game. Delaware relied on backs Thomas Jefferson and Jalen Randolph to put up most of their offense. Both backs went for a combined 229 yards off of 35 carries.

Charlotte 47 Elon 14

Elon continues to struggle as it dropped its second straight game of the season to 1st year FBS Charlotte. Charlotte easily bested Elon during their 506 yards’ offensive performance, and 4 forced turnovers from the defense.

Towson 35 St Francis (PA) 28

Towson put their week 1 loss behind them when they put away the Red Flash of St Francis (PA). The Red Flash took the lead early in the first half, but a second half rally by the Towson Tigers would prove to much for the Red Flash to overcome.  QB Ellis Knudson proved crucial for Towson going 10/22, and leading to 305 yards in the air, and 2 touchdowns.

Villanova 26 Lehigh 21

The Villanova Wildcats found themselves locked into a tight battle on Saturday against the Mountain Hawks of Lehigh before finally pulling ahead for the win. RB Javon White led the Wildcats on the ground with 23 carries for 155 yards, while QB Zack Bednarczyk was right behind him with 92 yards on 13 carries, while also completing 6 out of 13 pass attempts for 63 yards.

William & Mary 24 Hampton 14

Steve Cluley went 19/33 for 294 yards passing in the Tribes 24-14 win against Hampton Saturday. William and Mary relied on their passing game with WR DeVonte Dedmon catching 7 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown. On Defense, the tribe was also successful forcing two interceptions from Hampton’s QB Jaylian Williamson.

Richmond 34 Norfolk State 0

Richmond repeated their lights out football performance of last week when they blanked Norfolk State 34-0. QB Kyle Lauletta threw 216 yards completing 15 of his 27 pass attempts for 2 touchdowns. Receivers Tyler Wilkins and Brian Brown both had 4 receptions each for 76, and 71 yards respectively. Each had a touchdown on the night.

Toledo 45 Maine 3

The Black Bears of Maine had about all they could handle when they fell to the Rockets of Toledo on Saturday night. Toledo’s QB Logan Woodside completed 13/25 passes totaling 329 yards through the air. Maine was unable to answer and found themselves unable to overcome the defense of Toledo with Maine totaling 235 yards of total offense to Toledo’s 516.

New Hampshire 38 Holy Cross 28

The Crusaders from Holy Cross gave the Wildcats of New Hampshire quite the scare as they opened up their brand new Wildcat Stadium on Saturday night. Crusaders QB Peter Pujals was surgical as he completed 42 of his 64 passes, totaling 427 yards and 3 touchdowns. For UNH, it would end up being RB Dalton Crossan who would save the day for them on his 24 carry, 199 yard, two touchdown performance.

Power Rankings:

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

 

 

 

 

 

AGS Poll: Top 25 Week 2 Results

Rank Team: Total Points First Place Votes Previous Wk.
1 North Dakota State Bison 2082 68 1
2 Richmond Spiders 2049 16 2
3 Jacksonville State Gamecocks 1696 4
4 Sam Houston State Bearkats 1677 5
5 South Dakota State Jackrabbits 1658 6
6 Illinois State Redbirds 1626 11
7 Montana Grizzlies 1606 13
8 Eastern Washington Eagles 1513 9
9 Chattanooga Mocs 1496 8
10 James Madison Dukes 1439 10
11 Northern Iowa Panthers 1413 3
12 Western Illinois Leathernecks 1082 16
13 The Citadel Bulldogs 1060 14
14 Charleston Southern Buccaneers 1003 7
15 William & Mary Tribe 985 12
16 McNeese State Cowboys 781 15
17 Youngstown State Penguins 596 18
18 Portland State Vikings 488 17
19 Albany Great Danes 449 22
20 Villanova Wildcats 445 20
21 Samford Bulldogs 444 23
22 Colgate Raiders 274 21
23 North Carolina A&T Aggies 265 37
24 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 215 19
25 Towson Tigers 161 24
ORV:
26 Southern Utah Thunderbirds 142 28
27 Cal Poly Mustangs 123 26
28T New Hampshire Wildcats 108 29
28T Eastern Illinois Panthers 108 NR
30 Harvard Crimson 94 27
31 Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens 58 39
32 Fordham Rams 57 32
33 North Dakota Fighting Hawks 50 34
34 Eastern Kentucky Colonels 48 33
35 Liberty Flames 44 35
36 Furman Paladins 42 30
37 Pennsylvania Quakers 36 40
38 Nicholls State Colonels 34 NR
39T Mercer Bears 26 36
39T Southern Illinois Salukis 26 NR

 

Week 2 AGS GOTW | Eastern Washington at North Dakota State

This week’s Game of the Week has been six years in the making. North Dakota State’s faithful fans have been waiting for revenge ever since the Bison’s quarterfinal loss involving a controversial call on the road in 2010. Despite five FCS championships in a row starting in 2o11, this game has been circled on their calendars since it was announced.

The AGS community overwhelmingly voted this as the Game of the Week (75% of the votes) and the teams did not fail to deliver. It was a back and forth game with the largest lead of the game being held by the Bison at 21 to 7 in the 2nd quarter. The teams traded scores for most of the 2nd half before heading to a brief overtime period that featured only 3 total plays. On the second play of overtime EWU quarterback Gage Gubrud overthrew a crossing route and was intercepted by Tre Dempsey. The Bison finished the game off with a 25 yard scamper by Lance Dunn on their first offensive play to seal the 6 point victory.

Eastern Washington only held one lead in the game when Tamarick Pierce scored a 1 yard rushing TD with 4:32 left in the 4th quarter. This gave their defense the chance to hold on and secure the victory, but Easton Stick led the Bison on a 71 yard drive that ended with a 28 yard game tying FG with under one minute left. EWU would have one last chance. The Eagles kicker, Jordan Descalo attempted a 49 yard FG with six seconds left, but the errant kick never had a chance as it went short and wide to the left forcing the teams to head to overtime.

Key Stats:
The Eagles offense performed well in Fargo: Three time All-American, Cooper Kupp, had five catches for 62 yards and two first half touchdowns before a shoulder injury led him to miss most of the second half. Gubrud was 26-40 for 450 yards and 4 TDs, but his 3 interceptions were the big story of the day with one being returned for a touchdown with 9:29 left in the 4th quarter and the other ending their chance to score during their overtime possession.

For the Bison, Dunn amassed 128 yards and 2 TDs on the ground. Easton Stick threw for 2 touchdowns, no interceptions, and hit 8 different targets for 257 yards through the air and picked up 60 yards on 10 carries. The Bison offense converted 71% of their 3rd downs.

The season opener was the first overtime game the FargoDome had seen and now the Bison have had back to back overtime games at home. Luckily for the NDSU fan base, both games ended up going their way.

Moving Forward:
The Bison continue their momentum as the 5-time champions who have not lost a game since week 6 of the 2015 season. They head to Iowa City at 2-0 to take on the 13th ranked team in FBS, the Iowa Hawkeyes. NDSU is not quite in post season form yet, but Iowa has a tendency to be overrated. I think the Bison have a chance to escape Kinnick Stadium with a win. Even if they do lose, NDSU would still be in control of their own destiny for a top 2 seed come playoff time.

Eastern Washington has to bounce back with another tough game. The Eagles head back home to Cheney, WA to host the UNI Panthers. Northern Iowa is bouncing back from a tough loss to the Montana Griz. Both EWU and UNI have FBS wins over an in-state rival and both will be looking to build some momentum for the conference season. I’d call it a toss up.

SOCON: Week 2 Review and Power Rankings

In the second week of the season the SOCON saw 2 FBS games,  4 FCS OOC games, and one conference game.  Both Wofford and Mercer had respectable outings in their FBS games.  The SOCON went 4-0 in the FCS OOC games including wins against the Southland, Pioneer, and two wins against the Big South.  In the conference standings, The Citadel is out to an early lead going 2-0 in SOCON play to start the season.

#8 Chattanooga 34 – Presbyterian 0 (box score)
The Blue Hose of Presbyterian College slipped into the Chattanooga Mocs Finley Stadium for a Big South – SOCON match up. Presbyterian struggled the week prior gaining just 126 yards against a Central Michigan squad now in the spotlight. Any hope PC had was dashed by a stout Chattanooga defense that allowed them only 196 total yards and a meager 2.1 yards per rush on the day. After crushing Div II Shorter last week the Mocs hoped to get a better test for their new starting QB Alejandro Bennifield. The defense did their part for the Mocs forcing PC to punt 6 straight times and forcing a turnover on downs to account for PCs 7 first half possessions. But it took a while to get the Chattanooga offense in gear as they had to punt on their first 2 possessions. While the Blue Hose allowed the Mocs 496 total yards they also exposed an apparent weakness in the Mocs offensive play calling or execution in that they prevented Chattanooga from converted any 3rd downs. The Mocs went 0-9. They obviously did not need them gaining 16 first downs, but that is a poor statistic nonetheless. The Mocs offensive output was fairly balanced with 217 rushing and 279 through the air. Bennifield went a respectable 11/15 and hurled 4 TDs. Mocs running back Derrick Craine had 118 yards on 9 attempts for an impressive 13 yards per carry. The Mocs will get their stiffest test to date next week as they make their first road trip of the year to face the Furman Paladins in Greenville.

Georgia Tech 35 – Mercer 10 (box score)
In their first game against an FBS opponent since restarting their program, the Mercer Bears struck first on a John Russ to Avery Ward TD pass for 32 yards. Mercer played the kind of game they needed to in order to give themselves a chance in this game. They had zero turnovers and a moderate 45 yards in penalties. TOP was even. They racked up 320 yards of total offense and went 10-18 on third down conversions. QB John Russ went 24-38 for 225 yards. They averaged nearly 46 yards on their 4 punts and their special team coverage did not give up any long returns. The one thing they could not do is contain the Ga Tech rushing attack. The Yellow Jackets ran for 364 yards and averaged 7 yards a carry. After fumbling on their open possession, Ga Tech scored on 3 of their next 4 first half possessions to go up 21-7 at the half. Mercer came out in the second half determined and achieved a 17 play, 61 yard drive. The drive ate up over 8 minutes and even though they were held to a FG to make it 21-10, they kept it within striking distance. Although Ga Tech only had 3 possessions in the entire 2nd half, they scored on two of them for a comfortable win of 35-10. Mercer returns home next week as they host Tenn Tech where they hope to avenge last year’s loss at the hands of the Golden Eagles.

#19 Ole Miss 38 – Wofford 13 (box score)
The Terriers traveled to Oxford, Mississippi to face the expected wrath of #19 Ole Miss after they melted down at Florida State last Monday. To sum up, Wofford did pretty good. Wofford used its option attack to keep the ball out the hands of the Rebels and recorded of TOP advantage of 11 minutes over the Rebels. The Terriers racked up an impressive 233 yards on the ground while holding Ole Miss to just 174 yards rushing. The Terriers also recorded eighteen 1st downs and went 2-3 on 4th downs. FBS games are clearly a time to get your players some experience and the Terriers took full advantage of this by having 11 players rush the ball. Although the game was never in doubt, and down 24-3 at the half, Wofford had an impressive, short drive in the second half led by QB Brad Butler ending with his 17 yard TD run to make it 31-10 mid way through the fourth quarter. Wofford hosts Div II JC Smith next week and opens its SOCON schedule, also at home, with ETSU on 24 Sept.

#14 The Citadel 19 – Furman 14 (box score)
In its home opener, and for the second week in row, The Citadel faced a SOCON opponent. After sticking with Michigan St into the fourth quarter the previous week, Furman was poised to make a statement early in the SOCON race. Always a hard fought game between these South Carolina rivals, special teams, penalties, and turnovers would mostly likely play a pivotal role in the outcome. The Citadel took the opening kickoff and proceeded to fumble it deep in their own territory on the return. Furman went to work behind QB P.J. Blazejowki and quickly scored in 5 plays to go up 7-0. But The Citadel methodically answered back with a long 17 play, 75 yards drive that ate up half the 1st quarter where they converted 4 third downs. On the next drive Furman appeared to move the ball well although the Bulldog defense was keeping Furman’s rushing game in check. Forced to keep it in the air, Blazejowski tossed his first of three interceptions on the day. Both defenses settled in for the next few possessions and the teams traded punts and Furman missed a 51 yard FG attempt. Late in the second, after stalling out again in the teeth a determined Furman D which held the Citadel’s option in check most of the night, The Citadel punted yet again only to recover a muffed, ill-advised punt reception by Furman at its 4 yard line. Although The Citadel scored fairly quickly, it suffered an uncharacteristic missed PAT by graduate student and FBS transfer Cody Clark to make it 13-7. Furman missed another long 47 yard FG attempt and the Bulldogs went into the break with a one score lead.

The game remained mired in a defensive struggle in the third until Furman engineered a 7 play 67 yard drive behind the arm of Blazejowski to go up 14-13. After a missed 42 yard FG by The Citadel early in the fourth, it appeared that the momentum had shifted to Furman. But on the next possession, Furman tossed its second INT and the Dogs were well positioned to score again. But the Furman D held fast on a 4th and 1 at their 24 yard line. Not to be outdone, The Citadel D answered and forced a punt and the Dogs started a drive at their own 22. For the second week in a row, The Citadel O ran off a long 4th quarter drive to earn a winning score. This one was led by the Bulldog QB Dominique Allen who had sporadic playing time throughout the game after being out with an injury for 4 weeks of camp and serving a one game suspension last week. The drive went for 11 plays and 78 yards and was highlighted by a 29 yard pass on a 3rd and 7. Up 19-14 after the TD, the Bulldogs opted to go for 2 only to be stuffed by a still determined Furman D with 2:07 to go. On the next possession, Furman got a quick 1st down, but on a 3rd and 15 The Citadel D recorded its 3rd interception on the day to seal the win. Both defenses played extremely well with Furman holding The Citadel to just 191 yards on the ground while the Bulldogs held Furman to a meager 70 yards on the ground and got 3 interceptions and a fumble from the Paladins.  Pre-Season All American Junior Cornerback Dee Delaney snagged 2 of the INTs. There is no let up for the Paladins as they face UTC at home and CCU on the road to finish their brutal September schedule. The Bulldogs travel to Boiling Springs, N.C. to face Gardner-Webb next week.

VMI 17 – Morehead State 13 (box score)
VMI’s QB Al Cobb came up short in becoming VMI’s all time passing leader but his 148 yards through the air were enough to lead the Keydets to their first victory of 2016. VMI aerial attack has been productive when Cobb keeps his interceptions in check. He didn’t throw any INTs but the Morehead State Eagles defense was effective enough to dampen his productivity. A steady rain most of the game and a lightning delay didn’t help either. The opponents traded punts or gave it up on downs for the first 7 possessions of the game. Then they traded fumbles with VMI capitalizing on their take away with a 94 yard, ten play drive to get on the scoreboard first. Mixing up runs and passes, the VMI score came on a 43 yard strike to start the 2nd quarter. After forcing a 3 and out the VMI offense again drove for TD. The drive consisted of 4 straight runs until Cobb connected again for 12 yards and the score. After trading a few more punts, it was Morehead’s turn to score following a 49 yards drive. The score remained 14-7 at the half.

VMI pieced together a 62 yard drive to start the 3rd which included a 45 yard scamper by running back Daz Palmer. Unfortunately on a 3rd and goal from the one yard line a muffed snap resulted in a loss of 5 yards and the Keydets had to settle for a FG to make it 17-7. Once again the defenses held and the teams traded punts the next 5 possessions until VMI gave it up on downs at the Eagles 38. Morehead then went on a 62 yard, 12 play drive to score with about 9 minutes remaining to make it 17-14. Neither team did much else on offense with VMI missing a 34 yard FG with a bounce off the upright and Morehead fumbling in VMI territory. After a couple more punts, VMI ran out the last 2 and half minutes to gain the victory. On the day, VMI was fairly balanced and gained 186 on the ground including 95 by Daz Palmer. Cobb went a disappointing 17/37 and 148 yards. Morehead actually out gained VMI with 368 total yards but 2 fumbles erased their efforts. VMI takes next week off, but the week after they make make yet another road trip when they travel to Bucknell.

Western Carolina 44 – Gardner-Webb 14 (box score)
Western Carolina hosted the Runnin’ Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb for its home opener. WCU hoped to find its defense after it was beat up last week 52-7 by a pretty good ECU team who just handled NC St this Saturday. On the road yet again, Gardner-Webb was hoping to repeat its performance of the previous week when it smashed Elon. Western Carolina went right to work driving 75 yards in 5 plays including 67 yards by running back Detrez Newsmen. His 52 yard TD run exceeded his entire output of the prior week. G-W answered right back with 9 play 83 yards scoring drive of its own to tie it up. The Catamounts answered right back with 83 yard scoring drive to make it 14-7 with 6:17 to go in the 1st. The Runnin’ Bulldogs then drove all the way to the WCU 7 only to suffer a forced fumble and it looked like WCU would take advantage driving all the way to the G-W 5. But the Dogs forced a fumble of their own.  Although the G-W drive stalled and they were forced to punt, WCU QB Tyrie Adams quickly gave it back via an interception deep in his own territory. With the short field, G-W scored quickly to tie it up at 14. Another long drive by WCU of 64 yards featuring a long ball by Adams ended in disappointment on a missed 28 yard FG. After forcing a 3 and out, WCU put together yet another drive with another long ball thrown by Adams for 45 yards. This time it paid off with a 38 yard FG and a halftime lead for WCU of 17-14.

The adjustments made by the Catamount defense paid off as G-W had three punts on their first three possessions following the half. WCU scored on their second possession following a 14 play 95 yard drive where their RSF QB Tyrie Adams went 7/8 and tossed a 17 yard TD. A missed XP made it 23-14. After another G-W punt, Western went on another scoring drive, this time for 65 yards, again behind the arm of Adams who went 4/5 and tossed another TD to make it 30-14. Western would score two more times in the fourth in this convincing OOC win. On the day, WCU chalked up 690 yards of offense including 263 on the ground and 427 passing. WCU running back Deter Newsmen lived up to his preseason billing by gaining 148 yards on 19 rushes. Adams accounted for all of WCU’s passing yards going an impressive 36/43 and tossing 5 TDs. The only blights on the day were his 2 INTs and a fumble. G-W totaled 271 yards on the ground and only 86 through the air but the Runnin’ Bulldogs could find no answer on D to stop the WCU offensive output. Looks like WCU may have a stud QB again.  Western Carolina faces ETSU at Bristol Motor Speedway next week in a SOCON opener for both teams.

#23 Samford 35 – Central Arkansas 29 (box score)
The Samford Bulldogs met the Bears of Central Arkansas in what can only be described as a tale of two games. Samford led 28-10 at the half. Two of their 1st half scoring drives lasted only 1 minute and the other 37 seconds. This somewhat explains their meager 23 minutes of TOP for the game. In addition to Samford being able to score quickly, they benefited from 3 turnovers which included a fumble scoop and score in the second. By the end of the 1st half it appeared as though they would run away with it even if they could not move the ball on the ground. Samford totaled a negative 25 yards on the ground for the day. Samford QB Devlin Hodges went a respectable 23/35 for 282 yards and three TDs for the day.

But the Bears were not going to make it easy. After trading punts to open the second half, and then trading interceptions, Samford again scored defensively when they returned a pick six 57 yards to make it 35-10 near the end of the third. Unfortunately for Central Arkansas, they faltered more than once after long, time consuming drives. But the fourth quarter would be theirs. After a 75 Yard, 17 play drive the Bears made it 35-16 after missing a 2 point conversion. After holding Samford to a 3 and out, they again scored on an 8 play, 85 yard drive that took only 2 minutes. They again failed in scoring a 2 point conversion to make it 35-22. After yet another 3 and out for Samford, the teams traded 4 and outs around the Central Arkansas 30. With 4:10 to play, the Bears would yet again go on a 8 play 73 yard drive to score and make it 35-29 with 2:11 remaining. Forcing yet another Samford 3 and out they had one last chance to accomplish an amazing comeback. But with only 28 seconds remaining, Samford finally held them to stop the rally. Gaining 577 total yards (346 passing and 231 on the ground) Central Arkansas’ loss had to be heartbreaking. Samford took advantage of the their errors and it proved enough even if they appear to have serious issues on defense. Samford gets a bye week to work on their defensive weaknesses and their running game before they meet Chattanooga 24 Sept in what could prove to be a key conference game.

ETSU had a bye week where they have been revving up for their return to the SOCON against WCU in a game to be played at the Bristol Motor Speedway. There were 157K spectators there this week to watch Tennessee beat Va Tech. This game will probably not draw that many, but it will still be a unique venue for ETSU’s return to the SOCON.

Power Ranking

  1. UTC
  2. The Citadel
  3. Samford
  4. Wofford
  5. WCU
  6. Mercer
  7. VMI
  8. Furman
  9. ETSU

Patriot League: Week 2 Review and Power Rankings

On a weekend when the Patriot League had an opportunity to cement itself as a top-tier FCS conference it instead struggled mightily. The league posted a very disappointing 0-3 record against the CAA and suffered a double-digit loss to NEC member Duquesne. The two teams (Fordham and Georgetown) that were able to post wins this weekend did so against Division 2 Elizabeth City State and FCS non-scholarship Marist. Weekends like this don’t help the cause of a league that has to scratch and claw for every ounce of respect it gets.

Fordham 83 Elizabeth City State 21

In the Patriot League’s 30 year history no member had broken the 70 point mark in a game. Fordham (1-1) blew right past that figure en-route to an 83-21 destruction of the Vikings (0-2). The 83 outburst by the Rams easily surpassed the old record of 69 points (Lehigh against Georgetown 2002).

Six different Fordham players found pay dirt on a brutally hot day in Bronx. Kevin Anderson was efficient through the air (18/28 225 yards 4 TD 1 INT) while Chase Edmonds 155 yards on a mere 16 carries (9.7 ypr) paced the ground game. The Viking were down 38-0 before getting on the board in the second quarter. ECSU’s Daquan Neal (11-33 101 yards 3 INTs) struggled all game. The Vikings didn’t mount any semblance of an offensive attack until Fordham had the game well in hand. The Rams finished with a whopping 707 total yards while limiting the D2 Vikings to 220.

Up Next: After opening with FBS Navy and Division 2 Elizabeth City State, Fordham is on a bye this week before FCS Penn on 9/24. Fordham snuck pass the Quakers 48-45 last season.

Duquense 30 Bucknell 19

The Bucknell (1-1) offense struggled (87 total yards) in the first half which greatly contributed to a 13-0 halftime deficit. Losing senior quarterback RJ Nitti only added to Bucknell’s offensive woes the first 30 minutes of the game. The defending NEC Champion Duquesne (1-1) didn’t have nearly the struggles moving the ball.

The Dukes were able to get on the board in the first half thanks to the legs of RB A.J. Hines and kicker Austin Crimmins. A.J. Hines scored on a 16 yard TD scamper while Crimmins added two FG’s including a 22 yarder as the first half expired. Junior QB Matt Muh (14/29 154 yards 2 TD’s) and senior RB Joey DeFloria (24 carries 98 yarrds 1 TD) did an admirable job for the Biso but it wasn’t enough to overcome a lackluster start.

Up Next: Bucknell will look to back on track next week when they welcome Cornell to Lewisburg for the home opener. The Bison defeated the Big Red 19-14 last year in Ithaca.

Delaware 24 Lafayette 6

For the second year in a row the Lafayette Leopards (1-1) failed to score a TD against Delaware (1-1). The Blue Hens used a stifling defense and grinding rushing attack on a muggy night in Easton to notch their 13th straight win over Lafayette in the series. The Delaware RB duo of Thomas Jefferson and Jalen Rudolph each rushed for 100 yards as the Blue Hens were able to wear down the Lafayette defense.

The first half featured plenty of field goals and punts but no touchdowns. Finally, with the Hens trailing 6-3 in the third quarter Jefferson found pay dirt from 16 yards out. After capturing the lead the Blue Hen defense shut down Lafayette the rest of the way. Leopard QB Drew Reed struggled to find his groove all night against the aggressive Delaware D. He managed 111 yards passing and 2 picks on the evening. The Lafayette rushing attack was held under 100 yards for the second straight game.

Up Next: Lafayette will play their third straight game under the lights as they make the short bus ride to Central New Jersey to play Princeton. To say Princeton has been a thorn in the Leopards side would be an understatement. Princeton holds 41-4-3 advantage over Lafayette All-Time.

#20 Villanova 26 Lehigh 21

Lehigh (0-2) had the ball at the Villanova (1-1) 30 yard line with 60 seconds left in regulation hoping to make amends for last week’s disappointment. Instead of capturing a quality road win, the Mountain Hawks night ended on sour note when they were turned over on downs after failing to convert a 4th and 10. Villanova was able to run out the final 54 seconds to preserve the hard fought victory.

Villanova jumped out to 6-0 (missed xtra-point) first quarter lead when Jevon White scored on a 3 yard run with 1:46 left in the first quarter. From there, Lehigh would score 14 straight points. RB Dominic Bragalone (17 attempts 90 yards 1 TD) and senior QB Nick Shafnisky each had rushing touchdowns to give Lehigh the lead after 30 minutes. Villanova quickly captured the momentum in the third quarter by unleashing a dominating rushing attack (396 total rushing yards). The road graders up front paved the way for Forbes 20 yard TD run and DaSilva’s go ahead 1 yard plunge that put the Wildcats ahead 20-14 (xtra point blocked). Lehigh retook the lead by putting together an impressive75 yard TD drive that was capped by an 11 yard Shafnisky (29/41 245 Yards 1 TD) pass to Derek Knott. Villanova would not be denied though. The Wildcats retook the lead on Jevon White’s 2 yard touchdown run with 4:03. The Wildcats 2 point try was denied.

Up Next: Lehigh faces their second Big 5 school in a row as they play Penn under the lights at historic Frankli. Lehigh put a 42-21 thumping on the Quakers last year in Bethlehem. This will be the second straight meeting between the two after a 13 year hiatus in the series.

Georgetown 20 Marist 17

The Hoyas improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2012 behind a balanced offensive attack. QB Tim Barned passed for 208 yards while Alex Valles’ 93 yards on 15 carries led a balanced rushing attack (150 total yards rushing) that helped Georgetown get by scrappy Marist (0-2) in Poughkeepsie, NY. Perhaps no play was bigger than Tim Barnes 3 yard TD pass on 4th down with 12 minutes left that gave Georgetown the lead for good.

Marist jumped out to an early first quarter 7-3 lead via a 50 yard TD pass from Mike White to Juston Christian. Marist extended their lead to 10-3 after Maccarone booted a 37 yard FG. Georgetown was able to get those three points back right before half when Hoya FG kicker Henry Darmstadter knocked through a 25 yarder. The score at intermission was 10-6 Marist. The two teams traded 3rd quarter touchdowns which left the Red Foxes ahead 17-13 going into the final 15 minutes. Following Barnes’ 3 yard touchdown pass early in the final stanza the Hoya’s blocked Maccrone’s 46 yard FG attempt that would have tied game. The Red Foxes final threat ended when Georgetown’s David Akere broke up White’s pass on 4th and 16 with 1:28 left in the game.

Up Next: The Hoyas get a week off to enjoy their solid start to the year. They’ll try to make it 3-0 for the first time in 17 years when the Columbia Lions visits Washinton D.C. on 9/24.

New Hampshire 39 Holy Cross 28

New Hampshire (1-1) christened newly renovated Wildcat Stadium with a thrilling 39-28 win over New England rival Holy Cross (1-1). The Wildcats made several key 4th quarter stops including intercepting Peter Pujals (42-64 427 yards 3 TDs 2 INTs) twice on consecutive drives. The second of which was returned 28 yards by Chris DeAndrade for the game clinching score.

Led by Peter Pujals’s 2 TD passes (32, 23 yards) and one rushing TD (23 yards), Holy Cross jumped out to a 21-6 lead after 20 minutes of play. But, from that point on New Hampshire would methodically take control of the game. Behind a punishing ground attack that racked up 362 yards, New Hampshire would score 33 of the game’s final 40 points to notch a key out of conference victory. Senior running back Dalton Crossan’s career high 199 yards (2 TDs) spear headed the dominant ground game. Wildcat QB Trevor Knight chipped in with 304 total yards (114 rushing/190 passing 2 TDs 2 INTs).

Despite being without First Team All-PL wr Brendan Flaherty the Crusaders were still able to put up nearly 500 yards of total offense.

Up Next: Holy Cross will make the 2 hour trip west on I-90 to take on Albany. The Danes enter the game 2-0. One of those wins came against FBS Buffalo. Holy Cross shut out Albany 38-0 in Worcester last year.

 

Power Rankings

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

 

 

 

OVC: Week 2 Preview

Missouri State at Murray State – 10 Sept, 6PM CST (OVC Digital Network)

One of two OVC vs MVFC match ups this week.  The Missouri State Bears are looking to snap a 15-game Division-1 losing streak and it’s up to KD Humphries to extend it.  After putting up 163 yards on a Big Ten defense last week at Illinois expect Humphries to increase his production.  The key here for Murray State is the run game, which went for -10 yards on 26 carries last week vs. Illinois.  If the Racers can establish the run it will help Humphries in the passing game and the Racers should be able to send the Bears home with their 16th D1 “L” in a row.

Tennessee Tech at Austin Peay – 10 Sept, 6PM CST (OVC Digital Network)

The first OVC match up of the year will be in Clarksville between the Govs and the Golden Eagles.  After seeing APSU at Troy and TTU against Wofford I think this game has potential to be the best match up involving the OVC this week.  New Austin Peay head coach Will Healy has shown in the Troy game that he brings a passing scheme that can effectively move the ball, something APSU hasn’t been able to do in the past.  If APSU can get a run game established they may be able to give the TTU defense fits.  Will Healy isn’t the only new HC in the OVC this year,  TTU’s Marcus Satterfield is also still looking for his first win after a disappointing start against Wofford. Satterfield was the offensive mind behind the offense in Temple that racked up nearly 400 yards a game in 2013 and also led to their 10-4 record and near upset of Notre Dame in 2015.  However his offensive wizardry doesn’t appear to have made the 700 mile trip from Philly.  Satterfield needs to get his offense up to speed if the Golden Eagles want to win.  With the lack of defense on both teams this game has the potential to turn into a pass happy shootout.

SE Missouri State at Southern Illinois – 10 Sept, 6PM CST

One of the more intriguing matchups of the week in my opinion.  Last year we saw SEMO narrowly defeat SIU in a game where the Salukis had seven turnovers.  This year SEMO looks to repeat last year’s triumph and returning pretty much the entire team will help.  The key here for the Redhawks will be to shut down SIU’s high powered offense.  If SEMO can generate turnovers and keep SIU’s defense on the field the Redhawks have a good chance at extending their 38-36 series lead.

UT- Martin at Hawai’i – 10 Sept, 11PM CST

After being plagued by turnovers at Cincinnati the Skyhawks are still looking for their first win of the season. They will likely have to wait as they have to travel over 4,000 miles to meet Hawai’i.  After Hawai’i was stomped by Michigan I’m interested to see this game as UTM might be able to catch them while they’re down.  UTM on paper really stacked up well against Cincinnati, especially in time of possession, leading 37 minutes to 23 minutes. I’m curious to see whether the Skyhawks can continue that type of production going forward and this game will be a good measuring stick for the Skyhawks.

Jackson State vs. Tennessee State – 10 Sept, 6PM CST (Fox Sports South)

After a dominating performance in their season opener over Arkansas- Pine Bluff, the Tigers of TSU are hungry for their next win.  Tennessee State will travel down to Memphis for the Southern Heritage Classic against Jackson State. TSU had lots of success with their gameplan on both sides of the ball last week and will look to continue the trend.  On offense they will need to continue to run the ball well to set up Ackerman-Carter in the passing game.  On defense the TSU defensive line needs to stay hungry.  After a dominating performance last week, led by Ebenezer Ogundeko, keeping pressure on JSU’s offense will be key to shutting them down.

Eastern Illinois at Miami (OH) – 10 Sept, 2:30PM CST (ESPN 3)

After their season opener against Western Illinois the Panthers are still for their first win of the season.  The key for the Panthers will be to generate turnovers and to keep Miami’s offense off the field. The Panthers defense will have their hands full against a Redhawk’s offense that racked up over 400 yards on #17 Iowa last weekend.  On offense the Panthers will rely heavily on their passing game but if they want to have success at Miami the Panthers must kickstart their ground game and be able to lead a more balanced attack.

Pikeville at Eastern Kentucky – 8 Sept, 6PM CST (OVC Digital Network)

Eastern Kentucky is coming off a tough loss at Purdue and will be looking to make a statement in their home opener vs NAIA Pikeville.  Look for the Colonels to be able to impose their will on the Bears of Pikeville on both defense and offense.  EKU’s offense will have to make due without veteran Bennie Coney.  Look for Mizzou transfer Maty Mauk try to redeem himself after a disappointing performance at Purdue.

#5 Jacksonville State at #5 LSU – 10 Sept, 6:30 PM CST (ESPNU)

This game will be the measuring stick to where JSU is this season.  Look for the Gamecocks to come out swinging trying to get the SEC win they should have had last year over Auburn.  The biggest challenge for the Gamecocks will be slowing down Heisman contender Leonard Fournette.  If the Cocks can slow down Fournette and force Brandon Harris to throw it up the Gamecocks defense will have a much better chance to get a stop.  Look for an interesting matchup between Eli Jenkins in Grass’ high powered spread offense and LSU’s lockdown defense.

Week 2: Patriot League Preview

This week is highlighted by three Patriot League – Colonial Athletic Association matchups. These are the first such games against the CAA since Colgate took down New Hampshire and James Madison in last year’s FCS Playoffs. The other game to really keep an eye on is Bucknell – Duquesne. The Bison make the 3 hour bus ride to Pittsburgh for an intriguing matchup against defending NEC Champ Duquesne. #21 Colgate has the week off before venturing to the Yale next week.

Elizabeth City State @ Fordham – 10 Sept, 1 P.M. (Patriot League Network)

After being ambushed by FBS Navy in Annapolis last weekend, Fordham will try to get their season jump started in their home opener against Division 2 Elizabeth City State. One key to the Rams regaining their swagger will be getting Chase Edmonds going. The third year RB was held to 70 yards on 18 carries by the Navy defense. The Vikings don’t figure to present nearly the resistance Navy did. This will be Elizabeth City State’s second straight FCS opponent. They lost a hard fought 20-12 battle to Norfolk State on Sunday. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday but Hurricane Hermine caused it to be pushed back a day.

This unusual matchup came about when Columbia decided to discontinue the Liberty Cup because their administration felt it was no longer possible to compete with the now scholarship Rams.

Lehigh @ #20 Villanova – 10 Sept, 6 P.M. (Nova Nation All Access)                                           

The Mountain Hawks and Wildcats will be looking to avoid a 0-2 start on what figures to be a hot day in suburban Philadelphia. Villanova returns home to the Main Line after dropping their opener to Pitt 28-6. One major key for the Mountain Hawks will be getting the offense going early and often. A similar performance against a talented Wildcat defense will almost certainly lead to a long night for Lehigh. Containing ultra-talented Wildcat DE Tonah Kpassagnona (6’7 290 DL) and getting the ball in the hands of Troy Pelletier (2 receptions 21 yards against Monmouth) will key to Lehigh’s success Saturday evening.

Andy Coen is the only active Patriot League coach to notch a win (31-28 ’06) against Andy Talley. The legendary Villanova coach will be retiring at the conclusion of the season.

Georgetown @ Marist 10 Sept, 10 6 P.M. (Red Fox Network)

Georgetown will look to build off their opening season victory over Davidson when they head to the Empire State to face Marist. If the Hoya’s want to start 2-0 for the first time since 2012 senior QB Tim Barnes will need to post another strong game (26-35 215 yards 4 TD 1 INT last week). Marist lost to Patriot League member Bucknell 26-10 to open the 2016 campaign. The Red Foxes will need to limit mistakes (8 penalties, 4 turnovers in opener) if they want to avoid back to back losses.

Georgetown and Marist were once conference mates in the now defunct MAAC. Georgetown left the conference following the 1999 season to join the Patriot League.

Delaware @ Lafayette – 10 Sept, 6 P.M. (Patriot League Network)

Lafayette hosts Delaware for the first time since 1971 in a compelling contest featuring two teams seeking to assert themselves early in the season. The Leopards will need their rushing attack to help our quarterback Drew Reed (31-42 316 yards 3 TD’s last week). The Lafayette ground game managed a meager 22 yards against Central Connecticut State. That type of performance won’t work get it against a Blue Hen team that’s coming off a 56-14 trouncing of instate rival Delaware State. The Blue Hens should enter the game supremely confident.

Delaware began their 2003 national title defense by downing the Lafayette 28-14 on 11/27/04. This would be the first of three straight playoff appearances for the Leopards.

Bucknell @ Duquesne – 10 Sept, 6 P.M. (NEC Front Row)

For the second straight week to begin the 2016 season the Bison hit the road. This time they invade Rooney Field to face the usually dangerous Duquesne Dukes. In order for Bucknell to take down the defending NEC Champs, R.J. Nitti will need to be more efficient passing the ball than he was in the season opener (11/26, 42% againt Marist). Coming off a career 145 yards, Joey DeFloria should be able to find some holes in a Duke defense that surrendered 394 rushing yards to Youngstown State. The Dukes fell 45-10 to the Penguins last Thursday.

Duquesne got their first win in eight visits to Lewisburg last year when they defeated Bucknell 26-7.

Holy Cross @ New Hampshire (UNHWildcats.com)

The University of New Hampshire will showcase their newly renovated Wildcat Stadium under the lights against the Crusaders. Holy Cross has to like their chances to dampen the spirits in the Wildcats new digs if they can pick up where they left off last weekend when they defeated Morgan State 51-24. The 51 point are the most points posted by the Crusader since 10/12/13 when they equaled the total against Bucknell (51-27). Conversely, New Hampshire was blanked by Mountain West Conference favorite San Diego State 31-0. UNH was picked 5th in the preseason CAA Poll. They will be seeking their 13th straight (1-AA/FCS record) playoff this season.

Despite being separated by 100 mile, these two fine New England institutions have “only” met 14 times on the gridiron. New Hampshire is currently riding a three game winning streak in the series that dates back to 1984.

 

 

Week 2 CAA Preview (7/10)

#25 Stony Brook at Temple 1 pm ET, (ESPN 3)

Stony Brook will travel to Financial field in Philadelphia for their first ever meeting between the Stony Brook Seawolves, and Temple Owls. Fresh of their win against North Dakota, the Seawolves will hope to capitalize on their momentum, and earn another FBS scalp in week 2. Last week Temple lost to an Army squad that rushed for 329 yards and four touchdowns in their eventual 28-14 win. Look for Stony Brook RB Stacy Bedell to try and duplicate the success of Armies running game.

#22 Albany at Rhode Island 1 pm ET, (A10 Network)

Both the Albany Great Danes and the Rhode Island Rams began their seasons last week with FBS matchups. Their results were very different. The Great Danes notched their first FBS win in program history beating the Buffalo Bulls 22-16, while the Rams fell to the Kansas Jayhawks 55-6. Albany will be looking to start their season out 0-2, while Rhode Island will be looking to move toward a 1-1 season in week 2.

Central Connecticut state at #10 James Madison 4 pm ET, (MadiZone)

The James Madison Dukes will be entering this game with all of the momentum on their side. After posting a lopsided 80-7 win against Morehead State, the Blue Devils of Central Connecticut State will have their hands full containing the High Powered Dukes offense. The Blue Devils will need to figure out how to contain the run, and not allow the Dukes to repeat their 498-yard rushing performance of week 1.

Delaware at Lafayette 6 pm ET, (Patriot League Network)

In week 1 the Delaware Blue Hens put a drubbing on their in-state rivals Delaware State University. They will hope to carry that momentum into week 2 when they take on the Leopards of Lafayette. The Blue Hens will hope to capitalize on RB Wes Hills 212-yard game against Delaware state, carrying the momentum into week 2. Lafayette will have their hands full containing the ground game from Delaware.

St Francis (PA) at #24 Towson 6 pm ET, (TowsonSportsNetwork)

The Towson Tigers will hope to bounce back after a week 1 loss to FBS squad Southern Florida. Standing in their way is the St Francis (PA) Red Flash. The red Flash played out of conference Montana in week one, and gave the Griz all they could handle before eventually losing 31-41. Towson will have their hands full with the Red Flash, but will hope to put that first week loss behind them.

Lehigh at #20 Villanova 6 pm ET, (NovaNation)

Both the Mountain Hawks of Lehigh and the Wildcats of Villanova are coming off of week 1 losses. Lehigh fell to FCS Monmouth, while Villanova fell to FBS Pitt. Villanova will look to make some adjustments to a defense that gave up 175 passing yards against Pitt in order to bring their season to 1-1. Lehigh will be looking to show the FCS world that their season opening loss against Monmouth was a fluke, and that the 215 yards they gave up on the ground won’t be repeated in week 2.

#12 William and Mary at Hampton 6 pm ET, (Piratetv)

After dropping their season opener, coach Jimmye Laycock and his William and Mary squad are hoping to pull out a road win when they travel to Hampton to take on the Pirates. After being held to only 168 total yards of offense against The Wolfpack of NC State, look for The William and Mary Tribe to turn it up against the Pirates with their high powered offense.

#2 Richmond and Norfolk State 6 pm ET, (CSN)

The Spartans of Norfolk State will have arguably one of the toughest games in the FCS when they travel to Richmond to take on the Spiders. The Spiders are coming off of a convincing 37-20 win against FBS Power 5 University of Virginia. If the Spartans are going to have a chance in this, they will need to contain QB Kyle Lauletta who went 24/35 passing, and had a total of 337 yards of offense.

Maine at Toledo 7PM ET, (ESPN 3)

The Maine Back Bears will have a chance at redemption when they travel too Toledo to take on the Rockets in what will be a back to back FBS series. The Black Bears dropped a close one to FBS UConn, losing by just a field goal.


Holy Cross at New Hampshire, (NESN/ ASN)

After Being Shut out by FBS San Diego State, New Hampshire will hope to come back to their brand new Wildcat stadium and erase their 1-0 deficit. UNH will look to Sophomore Trevor Knight to deliver in his second career collegiate start. Standing in their way will be an impressive Holy Cross team who is coming off of an impressive 51-24 win against Morgan State.