ICYMI: Week 6

In Case You Missed It – Week 6

We as football fans have probably seen our fair share of the enigmatic; witnessed things on and off the field relating to the sport that cause us to collectively raise our eyebrows with sheer surprise.

On Saturday, something happened I had never seen before.

Granted I’m not the oldest of fans (I just turned 26 a few days ago. Don’t tell me it isn’t traumatizing to have to diverge from your parents’ health insurance plan), but Portland State’s win over FBS Conference USA member North Texas, and the events that followed, broke some new ground in my eyes.

The Big Sky Conference Vikings simply dismantled the Mean Green to the tune of a 66-7 beat down, in front of the North Texas Homecoming spectators mind you. And oh, about an hour after the last seconds had ticked away, Mean Green head coach Dan McCarney was fired.

Now, McCarney’s job at the helm of the program wasn’t all that safe to begin with. He finishes his North Texas career with a record of 22-32 in four-plus seasons, and North Texas is now 0-5 to start the 2015 campaign.

But Saturday’s destructive loss to Portland State pushed the wrong people over the edge, and for good reason.

Portland State is a solid FCS team that played like a top-10 program on the road Saturday. Alex Kuresa tossed three touchdown passes, and the Vikings scored six rushing touchdowns and gained 368 yards on the ground in the win. The team’s 31 second-quarter points put the visitors up 45-0 at halftime, and held North Texas without a point until there were 62 seconds left in the game.

One week after Portland State was edged by Big Sky foe North Dakota (that counted as a non-conference matchup), the Vikings rocketed back into everyone’s focus.

Cross “See FBS coach get fired after humiliating loss to FCS team” off the football bucket list.

In case you missed the Week 6 action from around the FCS, here are some of the more muted stats and headlines you should know:

I don’t know about you all, but I’m thoroughly enjoying the Ivy League action this season.

Harvard took down Cornell Saturday by a 40-3 margin for the Crimson’s 18th consecutive victory dating back to the 2013 campaign. Harvard has won in 13 consecutive Ivy League matchups, and has defeated Cornell 10 straight times dating back to 2006. The Big Red were held to just eight first downs in the loss.

Dartmouth quarterback Dalyn Williams somehow managed to one-up himself after a standout performance last Saturday against Penn. The Big Green signal caller threw for a career-high 435 yards which included four scoring passes as Dartmouth easily escaped Yale, 45-3.

Also in Ivy competition, Columbia put a stop to its rampant 24-game skid over the weekend when the Lions took down Wagner, 26-3. It’s the first victory for Columbia since a 34-17 win over Cornell back on Nov. 10, 2012.

Speaking of losing streaks ending, Rhode Island picked up its first win of the season with a 20-0 shutout of Delaware (which just beat William & Mary a week ago. What’s happening in the CAA?) Saturday. It was the program’s first shutout of another team since a 3-0 decision over Maine back in 2006. It was also Rhode Island’s first victory over Delaware since 2011.

Paging John Robertson. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, SOMEONE PLEASE CALL JOHN ROBERTSON! The Villanova Wildcats could really use their prized quarterback under center after another loss, this time to William & Mary, 38-16. Robertson’s injury helped cost the Wildcats their second straight game – the first back-to-back losses suffered by ‘Nova since three consecutive defeats in 2013 (to New Hampshire, Maine and James Madison, respectively).

Princeton running back John Lovett and Fordham ball carrier Chase Edmonds each rushed for four scores this weekend in their respective outings, which ties UNH’s Dalton Crossan and Sam Houston State’s Donavan Williams for the season’s single-game high.

Edmonds racked up 230 yards on the ground and also caught another score to give him five total, but was somehow overshadowed in Fordham’s 48-45 victory over Penn. Kicker Makay Redd played the role of hero by drilling a 31-yard field goal with eight seconds left to provide the Rams with a scary victory.

Sure, 230 yards and four touchdowns sounds great, right? Well try this on for size. Lamar running back Kade Harrington galloped for a cool 347 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in his Cardinals’ 44-28 win over Abilene Christian. His 347 rushing yards sets a Southland Conference record and falls 90 yards shy of the all-time FCS single-game mark of 437 yards, set by North Carolina A&T’s Maurice Hicks back in 2001. Harrington is second in the FCS behind Edmonds in terms of total rushing yards, 884 to 833. He’s also played in five games, while Edmonds has played six so far.

Southern Illinois made a splash in a 73-26 Saturday victory over Missouri State after racking up 673 total yards of offense. The 73 points scored for the Salukis sets the 2015 FCS single-game high, just narrowly edging out UT Martin and North Carolina Central, who each dropped 72 points in contests this season. SIU quarterback Mark Iannotti threw for three scores and rushed for another to help his squad.

Finally, it’s not typically the unsung heroes that get the job done for Coastal Carolina. Usually the Chanticleers are a dominant force led by quarterback Alex Ross and running back De’Angelo Henderson, rounded out with a tough defensive effort. But it was kicker Ryan Granger who made Presbyterian pay Saturday in the Chants’ 24-17 victory. Granger scored on a 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter on a fake field goal attempt to give CCU a 6-3 advantage, then proceeded to bang through three field goals (with a long of 47 yards) to power the win and keep Coastal Carolina in the unbeaten column.

TSOTN Week 6

National Notes Week 6

Kevin Marshall, National Contributor | October 08, 2015

The State of the Nation

The Reviews

Last week was full of big games with lots of hype. Some of these contests lived up to their billing and others did not. Let’s focus on those that did first. In perhaps the most exciting game of the week the Blue Hens of Delaware overcame a 9 point 4th quarter deficit and defeated the William and Mary Tribe with a field goal on the last play of the game. A Southeastern Conference team, of the FBS, again needed the extra session to defeat an Ohio Valley School. Eastern Kentucky held a two touchdown advantage over the Kentucky Wildcats with only 7:39 remaining in regulation but couldn’t hold it and lost 34-27 in overtime. A great effort without the reward for the Colonels.

North Dakota and Portland State, which in the preseason most prognosticators including your humble narrator expected little from, played a great game in the Rose City. North Dakota used a strong running game to defeat the previously undefeated Vikings 19-17 and move to 2-0 in the Big Sky. Southeastern Louisiana outlasted a very tough Lamar Cardinals team 30-27. The South Dakota State Jackrabbits ran into a North Dakota State Bison team that has really seemed to hit their stride. Nothing the Jackrabbits attempted to do worked very well and the Bison held them to -4 yards rushing. The NDSU offense possessed the ball for almost 40 minutes en route to a 28-7 victory. Illinois State, who was without their fine Quarterback Tre Roberson, beat Northern Iowa 21-13 in front of a record crowd in Normal. Marshaun Coprich broke the school record for career rushing yards with his 169 yards. Congratulations to Mr. Coprich.

In flood ravaged South Carolina the Furman Paladins paddled their way to a 17-3 victory over South Carolina State. The Paladin defense was again impressive. James Madison tallied over 500 yards of total offense for the 5th consecutive game and beat a pretty good Stony Brook team 38-20. Game balls go to all those winning teams.

The Interviews

This week on The FCS Wedge the Commissioner of the Southern Conference, Mr. John Iamarino , was nice enough to make the time to join us. Jacksonville State Gamecocks Head Coach John Grass is our Coach interview. You will want to tune in to the show this week to hear what these two gentlemen have to say. Thanks again to both for making the time to appear with us.

The Previews

Furman @ Chattanooga
The Paladin defense could decide this one but unless they can score a couple of defensive touchdowns I like the Mocs at home. Chattanooga 24-21

Wofford @ The Citadel
This one is always interesting because both teams run the triple option offense. The clock will run and this one will be over before you can get good and settled in. Wofford has won 16 in a row in this series and I see no reason why that streak will not continue. Terriers 24-20.

William and Mary @ Villanova
The Tribe will have to rebound quickly from last weeks heartbreaking loss to Delaware. Coach Jimmye Laycock is one of the best motivators around and he will pick up the pieces and have William and Mary ready to play. Villanova just is not the same team without Quarterback John Robertson. Tribe 24-10.

James Madison @ Towson
All Dukes in this one. Vad Lee is putting up great numbers and more importantly has his team winning. JMU 38-17.

Yale @ Dartmouth
Yale has a potent running attack behind Deshawn Salter and Dartmouth will not be able to stop them. Yale 27-20.

Northern Iowa @ North Dakota State
The Panthers have to get better offensively to get where they feel they should this season. The Bison defense is not the group to attempt to get well against. NDSU 31-17.

Indiana State @ South Dakota State
The Jackrabbits find themselves in a similar situation as William and Mary. Luckily they have an experienced hand at the helm as well in Head Coach John Stiegelmeier.  I believe  SDSU will not let the Bison beat them twice. SDSU 27-17.

Illinois State @ Youngstown State
The health of Redbird Quarterback Tre Roberson is the big question in this one. If he can play and be effective Illinois State should win. If he can’t then the Penguins have a huge advantage. I think Coach Bo Pelini will have the Penguins ready to play regardless. Penguins in the upset 21-20.

Southeastern Louisiana @ McNeese State
The Lions have played pretty well offensively and dominated the Time of possession last week against Lamar. I look for more of the same from them this week. The Cowboys are tough at home but I like the Lions in this one. Southeastern Louisiana 31-27.

Cal Poly @ Eastern Washington
A huge contrast in styles in this one. Cal Poly is really going to need multiple 8 or 9 minute scoring drives out of their Flexbone attack just to stay in this one. The Mustangs will have a few but not nearly enough. Eagles 42-28.

Sacramento State @ Montana State
The Bobcats have to play some defense. Poor tackling and bad positioning got them whipped at Northern Arizona last week. They will be better this week. Montana State 42-31.

Weber State @ Montana
The Griz defense has kept Montana afloat so far this season. Weber State has huge problems on offense. This will be ugly. Montana 38-3.

SWAC Preview 2015.6

SWAC Week 6 Preview

Charles Wells, SWAC Contributor | October 08, 2015

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M

Saturday October 10 2:00 p.m. CST
Waller ISD Stadium (10,000) Waller, Texas
TV: None
Series: Mississippi Valley State leads, 29-21
Last Meeting: October 18, 2014 – Itta Bena, Miss.
Prairie View 52, Mississippi Valley State 19

Next up for the Valley tour of doom is Prairie View and the Delta Devils are Homecoming bait. The Panthers come in off of a “victory” over University of Faith. Valley was blown out by Jacksonville State. The Panthers are known for their offense as they lead the league in total offense. They are dangerous both running (3rd) and passing (2nd). Quarterback Trey Green makes the offense go and his top threat is Nick Pitre. On the ground the combo of Johnta Hebert and Courtney Brown should gash the Delta Devils league worst rushing defense. Prairie View has their issues on defense (9th in total defense) but Valley has yet to prove that they can do anything with the football (221 ypg). For Valley to have any chance they need to find a consistent way to move the ball (138 yards passing, 83 yards rushing). Ruben Thurston appears to have taken hold of the QB position. Thomas Stokes is the leading rusher for Valley. Most teams score against PVU (48 points allowed per game) but Valley won’t be one of them. Prediction: PVU 56 Valley 8

ALABAMA A&M AT GRAMBLING STATE

Saturday October 10 3:00 p.m. CST
Eddie Robinson Stadium (19,600)  Grambling, La.
TV: None
Series: Grambling State leads, 18-6
Last Meeting: October 4, 2014 – Huntsville, Ala.
Grambling State 38, Alabama A&M 28

Grambling is looking very good on offense this season, their passing game is led by QB Johnathan Williams. He has multiple targets at his disposal. Chad Williams and Chester Rogers both rank in the top 10 in the SWAC in receiving stats. One key difference in this season’s offense is that Grambling has a threat running the ball, they have a two headed monster at RB with Jestin Kelly and Martez Carter. Carter is the home run hitter, a change of pace that has made this offense even better. That only means more problems for the AAMU defense who is coming off of a throttling against Coastal Carolina. To put it lightly the Bulldogs have struggled on defense, ranking 10th in the league in total defense. If there is a bright side for AAMU that would be the fact that Grambling has struggled on defense. The Tigers rank 8th in total defense and 7th in scoring defense, that means all of their games have been high scoring shootouts. The Bulldogs will have opportunities to score, it’s up to  QB De’Angelo Ballard and RB Harvey Harris to keep the Tigers off balance. Tevin McKenzie has become Ballard’s top target. Grambling needs this game to keep pace in the West battle with Southern and PVU. AAMU can’t fall any farther behind Alcorn. I expect lots of points to be placed on the scoreboard but I think Grambling will score most of them. Prediction: GSU 49 AAMU 28

SOUTHERN AT ALABAMA STATE

Saturday October 10 6:00 p.m. CST
The New ASU Stadium (26,500) Montgomery, Ala.
TV: None
Series: Southern leads, 26-9
Last Meeting: November 1, 2014 – Baton Rouge, La.
Southern 28, Alabama State 21

This is an interesting game, although some of the luster is lost due to the Hornet’s getting off to a slow start. The matchup that interests me the most in this game is Southern’s offense against ASU’s defense. The Jags have shown they are able to score points against their first two league opponents. And even though they only generated 6 points against Georgia they were able to move the ball a bit. Southern likes to run and the Hornets are great against the run (2nd in the SWAC rushing defense). The Jags rushing attack is led by the conference’s leading rusher Lenard Tillery. Kourtney Berry is the leader of the Hornets defense and I expect another huge game for him. The key to this matchup is can Southern QB Austin Howard move the ball thru the air, with targets such as Willie Quinn, Randall Menard, and Mike Jones, the Jags could test the ASU secondary if they focus on the run. On the other side of the ball, ASU seems to have found their QB, the Hornets were stung by injury at that position. Ellis Richardson has stepped up to become a dual threat. He is the team’s leading rusher and passer. It’s important for the Jags to be able to get pressure to lighten the load on their young secondary. The X-Factor in this game will be special teams, Shawan Parks of ASU and Willie Quinn of Southern are both capable of breaking a big return. Both teams are careful with the ball, with each team being +1 in turnover margin. I expect a close game as this series is known for competitive games the last few years. Southern has won the last 2 in Montgomery. I think the streak will continue. Prediction: SU 31 ASU 27

Big Sky Preview 2015.6

BSC  Week 6 Preview

Kris Kallem & Lance Berndt, BSC  Contributors | October 08, 2015

Lance says-

Weber State @ #10 Montana

With Weber State’s struggles the last few seasons, it’s crazy to think that just 7 years ago, these two faced in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.  After a stumble against Liberty, the veteran laden Montana defense has looked very strong the last two weeks.  Weber had been looking strong against the bottom teams of the conference, but they laid an egg last week turning the ball over 6 times.  They will need to hold on to the ball to have any hope for success playing on the road at Montana.  The question heading into this one will be if the Wildcats will hang on to their two QB system after Justin Shaw threw 3 interceptions on 4 attempts.  If the Grizzlies can take a quick lead, look for them to start establishing a better footing for their running game going forward this season.

#19 Portland State @ FBS North Texas

Now, by comparison, North Texas has been much worse this season than Washington State.  So, Portland State should be the favorite, but with FBS games, you never know.  The North Texas Mean Green has been outscored or gained in nearly every statistic this season, so it’s hard to predict where they will excel.  For the Vikings, they need to establish some sort of offensive efficiency.  Yes their defense has been tough all season, but if their offense can’t do anything, they’ll continue to get stuck in low scoring games where in the fourth quarter, anyone can still win.  With the great unknown on North Texas, this one is hard to predict, but I think Portland State will at least make this one close, and has a great chance at winning their second FBS game on the season.

Sacramento State @ #23 Montana State

This game was an offensive showcase last season with the two teams combining to score 115 points, but I don’t think the Hornets have enough firepower to put up those numbers again this time.  Also, with the Bobcats having come off a tough road loss and yet another embarrassing defensive performance on the road, they are going to want to flex their muscles against the Hornets.  Sacramento State has done pretty well against the run this season, so Dakota Prukop may look to air it out early.  Key player for the Hornets will once again be linebacker Darnell Sankey who is averaging 14.2 tackles per game.  I think MSU wins this one by at least 3 TDs.

​Players of the week:

The offensive player of the week is RB Casey Jahn of Northern Arizona. As mentioned before, he tallied 175 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the Lumberjacks big win over Montana State.

For the second week in a row, the defensive player of the week is a Grizzly. This time it is defensive tackle Caleb Kidder who racked up a fumble recovery, an interception, five solo tackles, and one sack.

North Dakota also goes back to back with the special teams award. Kicker Reid Taubenheim takes the honor after nailing four field goals in the road upset over Portland State.

Kris Says-

Idaho State @ North Dakota

This has turned into a rebuilding year for the Bengals before the season is even half way over. Idaho State did show some offensive life last week with Michael Sanders having a solid day passing the ball. That gives them some hope as North Dakota has been susceptible at times against the pass. Speaking of defense, Idaho State ranks last in the conference in points allowed giving up a whopping 44.8 points per game. This should help a sluggish North Dakota offense which only averages a conference low 293.8 yards per game.

Cal Poly @ Eastern Washington

Poly is a little bit beat up and their pass defense has shown it over the last couple of games. Meanwhile, Eastern should be returning four starters and a couple of important backups to the lineup this week. Both of these teams have faced high powered offenses on their schedule and are ranked at the bottom of the conference in total defense. Expect a track meet.

Northern Arizona @ UC Davis

Davis has defended the pass well this season but the Lumberjacks have some balance with Casey Jahn rushing the ball. With this game, Weber, and Northern Colorado coming up the next three weeks, Northern Arizona is another one of those teams that could have some momentum heading down the home stretch of the conference schedule. Could be a trap game for NAU, but I think they come out of Davis with the win.

SLC Preview 2015.6

UCABEAR (AnyGivenSaturday.com), SLC Contributor | October 08, 2015

SLC Preview
GAMES for 10/10

SLC Standings:
McNeese 3-0
Southeastern La. 2-0
UCA 2-0
UIW 2-1
ACU 2-1
Sam Houston 2-1
Lamar 1-1
Houston Baptist 0-2
Nicholls 0-2
Northwestern State 0-3
Stephen F. Austin 0-3

This week’s games:
UCA at HBU
Nicholls at SFA
UIW at Sam Houston
ACU at Lamar
SLU at McNeese

Let’s look at these games carefully:

Southeastern Louisiana (2-0) at McNeese (3-0)

Whoever wins this game gets to keep the conference lead.  This is the game of the week for the Southland conference fans. Will it be the tricky offense of the Lions beating out the potent defense  of the Cowboys? Let’s look at how these two teams stack up in the statistics.

Points allowed per game: McNeese 6 SLU 25. Advantage McNeese.
Points scored per game: McNeese 36 SLU 26. Advantage McNeese.
Rushing per game: McNeese 247 SLU 252. TIE
Rushing allowed per game: McNeese 76 SLU 102. Slight edge McNeese.
Passing yards per game: McNeese 200 SLU 135. Advantage McNeese
Passing yards allowed per game: McNeese 170 SLU 276. Advantage McNeese.

Observation: Looking at the stats above McNeese appears to have the edge in many aspects of this game. Plus it’s a home game for the Cowboys. However the schedule has been easier for McNeese comparatively for the Lions. Three wins by the Cowboys come to teams that have only won a grand total combined 25% of their games with two of the teams being completely defeated on the season.

Prediction: Cowboys finally get to play some competition this week but not enough to ruin tailgating.
McNeese 35 SLU 21

Central Arkansas (2-0) at Houston Baptist (0-2)

While Houston Baptist is much improved from last year, sometimes it’s about matchups. After defeating the Huskies 70-0 last year at Estes Stadium in Conway, the Bears look to improve on their conference record for a first ever game at the Huskies home field.  UCA has come alive the last two games holding opponents to small yardage and low scores while getting to play second string guys early in those games.

Let’s look at how the two teams compare: YEAR TO DATE CONFERENCE ONLY

Points per game: UCA 46 HBU 17. Advantage UCA
Points per game allowed: UCA 17 HBU 56. Advantage UCA
Passing yards per game: UCA 232 HBU 81. Advantage UCA
Passing Defense per game: UCA 228 HBU 353. Advantage UCA.
Rushing yards per game: UCA 263 HBU 208. Advantage UCA
Rushing yards allowed per game: UCA 81 HBU 215. Advantage UCA

Observation:  HBU is simply giving up too many points per game and only getting 81 passing yards per game. UCA’s defense will have a field day in this one.

Prediction: UCA 56 HBU 7

Nicholls (0-2) at SFA (0-3)

Battle of the defeated. But this should be a day that Lumberjack fans rejoice. This is their best shot at a victory this year as being 0-5 is the last thing fans expected. Expect a massive running game to propel the Lumberjacks to victory.

Let’s look at the conference only season stats for this matchup:

Points per game: SFA 24 Nicholls 8. Advantage SFA
Points per game allowed: SFA 32 Nicholls 28. Slight advantage Nicholls
Passing yards per game: SFA 214 Nicholls 170. Advantage SFA
Passing yards allowed per game: SFA 214 Nicholls 178. Advantage Nicholls
Rushing YPG: SFA 269 Nicholls 83. Advantage SFA
Rushing YPG Allowed: SFA 210 Nicholls 209. TIE

Observation: Looking at the above stats SFA’s rushing game should allow them to outscore the Colonels in this matchup easily minus any fumbles or loss of possessions. Plus the Lumberjacks are VERY hungry for a win.

Prediction: SFA 42 Nicholls 10

UIW (2-1) at Sam Houston (2-1)

One team will keep its conference title hopes alive while the other will fall into the middle of the pack.
This should be a game of passing and passing defense as Sam Houston leads the conference in both statistical areas.

Points per game: Sam 48 UIW 24. Advantage Sam
Points allowed per game. Sam 30 UIW 28. TIE
Rushing YPG: Sam 211 UIW 131. Advantage SAM
Rushing defense per game: Sam 290 UIW 197. Advantage UIW
Passing YPG: Sam 361 UIW 202. Advantage Sam
Passing YPG defense: Sam 145 UIW 185. Advantage Sam

Observation: While UIW is able to hold opponents under 200 yards rushing Sam Houston is able to carve out nearly 400 yards passing on any team so far. Plus their defense is held together by great CB play.

Prediction: Sam Houston 48 UIW 28

ACU(2-1)  at Lamar (1-1)

Same scenario falls to the victor of this game as does the winner of the Sam Houston and UIW game. The winner remains in the title hunt while the defeated falls back in this tight conference race. This is the closest game of the week between two pretty even teams.

Let’s look at these conference only team stats:

Points per game: Lamar 38 ACU 33. Slight advantage Lamar
Points per game allowed: Lamar 38 ACU 31. Slight advantage ACU
Passing YPG: Lamar 201 ACU 224. Slight advantage ACU
Passing YPG allowed:  Lamar 324 ACU 185. Advantage ACU
Rushing YPG: Lamar 256 ACU 150. Advantage Lamar
Rushing YPG allowed: Lamar 225 ACU 259. Advantage Lamar

Observation: Lamar may run the clock out on the Wildcats defense as they run wild on opponents however they lack a passing defense allowing too many yards per game. This may come down to who makes the least mistakes.

Prediction: Lamar 35 ACU 31

MVFC Preview 2015.6

MVFC Week 6 Preview

Chad Lenz & JT Nutt, MVFC  Contributors | October 08, 2015

JT Says-
# 9 Northern Iowa @ #1 North Dakota State

North Dakota State and UNI. They meet again. Dome sweet dome up in the Fargo Dome this time. UNI knocked off NDSU last year in the UNI Dome in arguably the best defensive performance by a UNI team in a decade, certainly the most aggressive. The defense has been the only consistent bright spot for UN and they will need every bit of swagger if they want to knock off the Bizon on the road. Carson Wentz will look to follow his fantastic offensive line to be the cats on the ground and through the air. If he has as easy of a time as he did against SDSU, then it will make for an easy win against UNI and an easy road to the top of the Missouri Valley Title. The Panther Pass defense will keep him in check but they can not allow the big plays in the rushing game. The only UNI scoring chances came from turnovers forced by their defense. The offense needs to get it going but NDSU is the last team you want to face when trying to accomplish much of anything. NDSU is too much for the Panthers this week, they win easy.

# 5 Illinois State @ #11 Youngstown State

Youngstown State looks to move towards the top of the Missouri Valley. Illinois State travels to Youngstown as the #5 team in the nation. Although they beat UNI last week, the looked beatable. Youngstown has had some inconsistencies this season but look better than ever after their relatively easy win over South Dakota. Illinois State will ride their horse Marshaun Coprich who scored 2 touchdowns on 33 carries for 169 yards. He out gained UNI himself by 65 yards. The Penguin defense has allowed 174 yards per game this season and if they don’t find a way to stop Coprich, then they will have a long day. Youngstown is improving but they are not to Illinois State’s level yet. The Redbirds run the ball, control the clock, and win it going away.

Missouri State @ Southern Illinois

Southern Illinois will be looking for revenge after a last second loss to Western Illinois. Missouri State…looks to show up for more than one quarter this week. A 56-23 bloodletting last week shows that the Bears still have some work to do. Southern Illinois should win this, and easy. They may not be the caliber of an NDSU or Illinois State but they can still make it to the second tier in the Valley. An upper echelon Valley team will have a good argument for the playoffs. Losing home games is a surefire way to take yourself out of the playoff picture. This game is not on TV, it will not be pretty, but SIU wins and might be finally figuring things out.

Chad says-

South Dakota @ Western Illinois

USD looked to be gaining momentum through the non-conference slate, and had people on AGS thinking this might be a year that USD could challenge to stay out of the bottom 2 in the conference. Turns out UC-Davis and Drake aren’t quite MVFC level, and YSU made them look like the same USD we’ve known since they joined the conference. Western Illinois, in terms of talent, is pretty close to the Penguins. South Dakota might be improved, but I don’t see how this game turns out a whole lot different than last week. Statistically the game might look close, but I think Trenton Norvell and Lance Lenoir Jr. hook up for a couple big plays to break the score open.

#16 Indiana State @ #8 South Dakota State

Had you asked me preseason if I thought this game would be as interesting as turned out to be and I would have said no. I might have said no just one week ago. I want to see how the Jackrabbits respond to their showing last week. It could be one of those things that NDSU just has SDSU’s number, physically and mentally. If that’s the case it will be interesting to see if there is a hangover from it. I think it has the opposite effect. SDSU is 5-2 their last 7 games following an NDSU game, including beating Indiana State last season one week after losing to NDSU. I think we see a concerted effort to get Wieneke and Lujan going early with a strong dose of Mengarelli and Wallace out of the backfield to chew clock. Indiana State has a chance if they get their ground game going again, though. SDSU is giving up over 5 yards per rush as a defense. The Sycamores best chance is to control the clock and keep Wieneke off the field.

 

1:00 # 9 Northern Iowa @ #1 North Dakota State NBC North Dakota/ESPN3
3:00 South Dakota @ Western Illinois ESPN3
6:00 # 5 Illinois State @ #11 Youngstown State ESPN3
6:00 #16 Indiana State @ #8 South Dakota State Midco Sports Net/ESPN3
6:00 Missouri State @ Southern Illinois No TV

The FCSTV Guide For Week 6

Once again our friends  FargoBison & RootinFerDukes at AnyGivenSaturday.com bring us a list of televised FCS games.
AGS Top 25 Watch Guide – Week 6
Thursday, October 8th

Tennessee Tech at (18) Eastern Kentucky 7pm OVC Video

After a disappointing loss/almost win vs Kentucky, EKU will look to take out their frustrations against TN Tech.

Saturday, October 10th

(9) Northern Iowa at (1) North Dakota State 2pm CSNC/ESPN3/NBC ND

NDSU continues to show they’re still the top team in the land and will be tested for the second straight week vs a Top 10 opponent.

(3) James Madison at Towson 3pm SNY/CSCA/CSN (cable)/CAA Video

JMU is 5-0 for the first time in program history. They look for an easy road win at Towson.

Presbyterian at (4) Coastal Carolina 2pm ESPN3

Coastal looks to remain undefeated in an easy game against PC.

(5) Illinois State at (11) Youngstown State 7pm ESPN3

In what may end up being the AGS GOTW, IL State beat UNI last week and wants another statement win against Bo Pelini’s Penguins.

(ORV-26) Furman at (6) Chattanooga 1pm ESPN3

Chattanooga is slowly creeping back up to the top and wants a win against a quality opponent in Furman. FU wants to enter the Top 25 and this game will do that for them.

(ORV-29) Cal Poly at (7) Eastern Washington 4pm FSAZ/SWX TV

Cal Poly wants to avoid fading away against a top opponent in EWU.

(16) Indiana State at (8) South Dakota State 7pm ESPN3

A top matchup for the week in this MVFC game. SDSU had a disappointing 8th consecutive loss to NDSU. They look to prove they’re a top 10 team by beating IN State.

Weber State at (10) Montana 4pm Cowles Media (cable)/(ABC/FOX) MT/Big Sky Video

Montana is in the top 10 and should have an easy Big Sky opponent this week in Weber State.

(12) Fordham at Pennsylvania 1pm

Fordham lurks near the top 10, but look out Penn beat Villanova and wants to take down Fordham too.

(13) Liberty at Gardner-Webb 7pm ASN

Liberty beat “FBS in name only” Georgia State last week, whom they were favored to beat. They now begin Big South play against bottom dweller GW.

(14) Southeastern Louisiana at (17) McNeese State 7pm ESPN Extra/ESPN3/CST

This may be the biggest SL conference game of the season so far. Both teams want to secure their spots in the top 15 nationally with a statement win.

Incarnate Word at (15) Sam Houston State 7pm FCS (cable)

SHSU is slowly rebuilding after the Lamar upset. They shouldn’t have too much of a test against IWU.

(19) Portland State at North Texas 5pm  http://www.conferenceusa.com/college…/?media=500422

Portland State could and just might go into Denton TX and come out with a win. This is a very bad UNT team that is just a glorified FCS team.

(24) William & Mary at (20) Villanova 12pm SNY/CSCA/CSN (cable)/CAA Video

After losing to a last second Blue Hens field goal, WM needs a statement win badly against VU. Meanwhile, VU wants to remain undefeated in CAA play and prove they’re a capable team without Robertson for the rest of the season.

Elon at (21) Richmond 3:30pm

Richmond looked impressive against Maine, but Maine also didn’t look very good. The Spiders will roll easily against bottom-third CAA team Elon.

(22) Harvard at Cornell 12pm CSNE/CSBA/ALT2/ASN

Harvard continues to win and win and win. Their SOS isn’t anything to write home about, but win they will continue to do.

Sacramento State at (23) Montana State 7pm RSRM/RSNW/RSSW

MSU was upset by NAU last week and badly needs to get back to winning or they can say goodbye to the Top 25.

Bye Week:
(2) Jacksonville State
(25) New Hampshire

Others Receiving Votes (26-30):
Idaho State at (27) North Dakota 2pm Midco
South Dakota at (28) Western Illinois 4pm ESPN3/MVFC TV
(30) Northern Arizona at California-Davis 7pm

Some additional information on TV:
Another big week in the FCS, lots of great games available on TV and streaming platforms….As usual check back for future updates and as always all games are in central time.

TV Guide
10/8
SC State at Bethune-Cookman 6:30 p.m. ESPNU
10/10
Harvard at Cornell 11:00 a.m. Comcast NE/BA, Altitude 2, ASN Affiliates
William and Mary at Villanova 11:00 a.m. SNY, Comcast CA/Mid-Atlantic
Yale at Dartmouth 12:30 p.m. Fox College Sports
UNI at NDSU 1:00 p.m. Comcast Chicago, NBC ND
Idaho State at North Dakota 1:00 p.m. Midco
JMU at Towson 2:00 p.m. SNY, Comcast CA/Mid-Atlantic
UCA at Houston Baptist 2:30 p.m. Altitude 2(not confirmed), ASN Affiliates
Tenn State at UT Martin MASN, ASN Affiliates
Incarnate Word at SHSU 6:00 p.m Fox College Sports
Indiana State at SDSU 6:00 p.m. Midco
Sac State at Montana State 6:00 p.m. Root Sports RM/NW/SW, Direct TV 101

FCS on ESPN3
10/10
Sacred Heart at Robert Morris 11:00 a.m.
Furman at Chattanooga noon
Samford at VMI 12:30 p.m.
Wofford at The Citadel 1:00 p.m.
SEMO at EIU 1:00 p.m.
UNI at NDSU 1:00 p.m.
Nicholls State at SFA 3:00 p.m.
USD at WIU 3:00 p.m.
Stetson at Jacksonville 5:00 p.m.
Illinois State at YSU 6:00 p.m.
Indiana State at SDSU 6:00 p.m.
Southeastern LA at McNeese State 6:00 p.m.
Abilene Christian at Lamar 7:00 p.m.

FCS on ESPN College Extra
10/10 TBA

Where to find other FCS games(FREE) online….

OVC Conference

Big Sky Conference

Big South Conference

Northeast Conference

Patriot League

SoCon Digital Network

SWAC Review 2015.5

SWAC Week 5 Review:

Charles Wells, SWAC Contributor | October 06, 2015

Thursday, October 1
Alabama State 41, Texas Southern 23

The Hornets got another much needed win over the reeling TSU Tigers. Ellis Richardson threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead Alabama State to a 41-23 victory. TSU took a 23-20 lead late in the third quarter when Averion Hurts found Derrick Griffin in the back of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. Alex Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards to give ASU a 27-23 lead. In the fourth quarter, Richardson had a short touchdown pass to a wide open Brandon Barnes and, less than three minutes later, Khalid Thomas broke a short screen pass for a 46 yard score.

Richardson finished with 162 yards passing and 135 yards rushing for the Hornets (2-3, 2-2). Alex Anderson rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown, and Thomas also notched 73 yards receiving and a pair of scores. Brad Woodard rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown for TSU.  Hurts completed 16 of his 23 passing attempts for 147 yards and one touchdown.
After another TSU touchdown ASU went into the second quarter trailing 14-7, but on the first play of the second quarter, Richardson hit Khalid Thomas  who tip-toed down the sideline for 21 yards and evened the score at 14. ASU took the lead with less than four minutes left before halftime as Stanley Robinson scored from a yard out.  The extra point was missed, but the Hornets had their 20-17 halftime lead. Kourtney Berry was able to reach the double digit mark for the fifth time this season finishing with 11 stops for ASU. TSU’s Zacch Bamijoko finished with a game high 14 tackles.

Saturday,  October 3

Grambling State 59, Jackson State 27

The JSU hot seat continues to grow as the Tigers lost to Grambling at home in back to back seasons. Jonathan Williams passed for 327 yards and five touchdowns as Grambling State defeated Jackson State 59-27 on Saturday night at Veteran Stadium. GSU led 28-20 at halftime, but scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter after JSU closed to 38-27.
Williams threw scoring passes to Brandon Byrdsong, Chris Bazile, Ka’Jandre Domino and Chester Rogers. Martez Carter rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown. Jestin Kelly and Dre’ Fusilier also scored. Marc Orozco added a 29-yard field goal for Grambling. La Montiez Ivy completed 40-of-58 passes for 490 yards and three touchdowns for Jackson State (1-4, 1-2), which stayed close into the third quarter. Ivy also rushed for 93 yards and one touchdown on the ground.  JSU’s three drives ended in a punt, a missed field goal, and an interception.

Alcorn State 61, Arkansas Pine Bluff 14

The Braves continue to roll as they won their 4th straight game by double digits. Joe Price and Darryan Ragsdale spearheaded a dominant rushing attack, leading Alcorn State to a 61-14 neutral site win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Little Rock. Price and Ragsdale each went over the 100-yard mark and scored on runs of 50 and 65 yards, respectively. Both touchdowns came in the first quarter as the Braves (4-1, 3-0) built a 28-7 lead. John Gibbs, Jr. rushed for three scores and passed for two more, hitting 7 of 10 passes for 103 yards. The Braves rushed 50 times for 418 yards and six scores.

The Golden Lions (1-4, 0-3) tied the game at 7-7 when Marcus Terrell found Kyle Coleman for a 10-yard touchdown. But it was all Alcorn from there, with the Braves scoring 53 of the game’s next 60 points. Terrell finished 8 of 15 for 74 yards and two interceptions.

Jacksonville State 49, Mississippi Valley State 0

Mississippi Valley State lost their 5th straight game by double digits falling to Jacksonville State 49-7.MVSU surrendered rushing touchdowns to Troymaine Pope and Eli Jenkins each and could never overcome JSU’s defense en route to their ninth straight loss dating back to the 2014 season.

The Delta Devils struggled to move the ball, totaling 194 yards and turning it over four times. Ruban Thurston Jr. scored the lone touchdown, a 29-yard run early in the second quarter to make the score 14-7. But the Gamecocks ran off 35 straight points to put the game out of reach.
Pope carried the ball seven times for 100 yards all in the first half. Jenkins had 48 yards and Josh Clemons and Bo Billups each added touchdown runs for the Gamecocks, who totaled 328 yards on the ground. Jenkins also threw for a score, completing 7 of 10 attempts for 127 yards and an interception.

Coastal Carolina 55, Alabama A&M 0

Alabama A&M suffered its third loss of the season at the hands Coastal Carolina 55-0. De’Angelo Henderson scored three touchdowns for CCU and rushed for 100 yards in the first half for the  AAMU gained 311 yards of total offense, while the Coastal’s offense racked up 547 yards of its own.  The bight spot for the Bulldogs was Johnathan Dorsey, who hauled in three catches for 75 yards.  DeAngelo Ballard was held to 160 on 7-of-17 passing.

Bryan Brower and Anthony Lanier led the Bulldogs with 10 tackles apiece.  Justin Brown finished with three stops and an interception. Over half of Coastal’s yardage came on the ground, thanks to Henderson, who set the Big South record for by scoring at least one touchdown in his 19th consecutive game. Henderson’s other pair of scores came through the air as he caught four passes for 44 yards to bring his all purpose yardage on the day to 146.

Coastal’s offense sputtered through the rest of the first quarter but came back to score on each of its first five drives starting with the second quarter into the third. Getting CCU started was a 12-yard run by Ross, Henderson had a 17-yard run, followed by a 25-yard reception for a TD. Ross then connected with Bruce Mapp to convert the two-point try for a 14-0 lead. Ross rolled to his right and completed a pass to Henderson, who made one defender miss before reaching the end zone for his third score of the game. Ryan Granger added the point after for a 21-0 lead. Granger split the uprights from 34 yards out to put Coastal on top 24-0 with 4:44 left. Coastal would score two more times inside the final four minutes.

Prairie View A&M 42, University of Faith 0

Prairie View A&M earned a 42-0 victory over the University of Faith Saturday afternoon at Waller ISD Stadium. The Panthers scored on its first possession as De’Auntre Smiley capped off of a six-play, 49-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to KhaDarel Hodge.  Two drives later, the Panthers went up 14-0 as Johnta’ Hebert rushed in from 49 yards out.
Thanks to a sack and fumble recovery by Steven Guillory on the ensuing defensive possession, PVAMU moved on top 21-0 early in the second quarter as Trey Green found Nick Pitre on a 21-yard touchdown pass.
In the second half,Green found Pitre for the second time on the team’s opening drive growing the lead to 28-0 with 12:38 left.  UOF turned the ball over on downs on its next drive and PVAMU moved ahead 35-0 as Green connected with Hebert for a seven-yard touchdown pass.
Smiley scored from one-yard in to open the fourth quarter to cap off the scoring as the Panthers returned to the winner’s column for the first time in two weeks. PVAMU finished with 500 total yards while only yielding 203 yards.  Green passed for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 15-of-22 attempts while Pitre caught six passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Medina and Jalen Thibodeaux both had eight tackles and a sack.  Thibodeaux  also broke up a pair of passes and forced a fumble.
Due to a summer ruling by the NCAA which defined a varsity intercollegiate team, Saturday’s game was labeled an exhibition and will not count towards the SWAC and NCAA official statistics.

Football Players of the Week: October 5

Offensive Player of the Week  
Ellis Richardson, Alabama State, Quarterback

The dual-threat signal-caller did it with his arms and legs against Texas Southern, accounted for 297 total yards of offense (162 pass, 135 rush) and accounting for four touchdowns in the Hornets’ 41-23 win at Texas Southern. Richardson threw for three scores and rushed for another versus the Tigers, and over the past two contests – both wins for Alabama State – he has been responsible for nine offensive touchdowns.

Defensive Player of the Week
Darien Anderson, Alcorn State, Linebacker

Anderson spear-headed the defensive effort for the Braves, racking up a game-high 11 total stops in Alcorn State’s 61-14 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Anderson was the only player to reach double-digits in tackles from either side, and he also had 1.5 tackles for loss for the Braves.

Special Teams Player of the Week
Haiden McCraney, Alcorn State, Kicker/Punter

The Braves’ junior specialist averaged 44.5 yards per punt (four punts for 178 yards) against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, pinning the Golden Lions’ offense inside its own 20-yard line on three of his attempts. In addition, he converted seven point-after attempts for Alcorn State.

Newcomer of the Week
Alex Anderson, Alabama State, Running back

Anderson was a considerable part of the Hornets’ run game against Texas Southern, as he rushed for 134 of the team’s 374 yards on the ground – in just 14 carries – and a touchdown in Alabama State’s 41-23 win. The freshman nearly averaged a first down per rush, and also caught one pass for four yards. Anderson’s score came on a 75-yard dash that put the Hornets ahead for good in the game, as it kicked off a run of 21 unanswered points for ASU.

Big Sky Review 2015.5

BSC  Week 5 Review

Lance Berndt & Kris Kallem, BSC  Contributors | October 06, 2015

Kris Says-
North Dakota 19 Portland State 17

In a battle of top Big Sky defenses it was North Dakota who came out on top holding Portland State to just 247 yards of total offense. North Dakota running back John Santiago goes over 100 yards for the third time this season and quarterback Keaton Studsrud chipped in with 107 rushing yards of his own. Portland State has three dual threat QB’s who can run but when you get only 13 yards out of the running back position you’re going to have a tough time keeping up with most Big Sky offenses.

Northern Colorado 27 Sacramento State 20

Sacramento State dominated the game in nearly every category, out-gaining Northern Colorado 438-179. So how do you get just 48 yards rushing, 131 passing, and still manage to win the game? The Bears returned two Hornet fumbles for touchdowns in the second half to go along with a game opening kickoff return for a touchdown by Hakeem Deggs.

Lance says-

Montana 27 UC Davis 13

The Montana offense looked shaky most of the afternoon, and the Aggies capitalized early with 13 points before two minutes had passed in the second quarter. After that point, though, the Griz defense stepped up to play shutting out UC-Davis in the final 43 minutes of the game. The Grizzlies stormed the Aggies backfield for 8 tackles for loss, including 5 sacks. They also posted two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. One positive note for QB Chad Chalich was that he did not throw any interceptions while getting 3 TD passes and 29 completions on 49 attempts. The running game still looked rather poor and will need to improve as the conference schedule will continue to get tougher.

Northern Arizona 49 Montana State 41

The Lumberjacks dominated the running game on both sides of the ball and this game was not as close as the final score considering NAU held a 29 point lead late in the fourth quarter. They ran for 252 yards with Casey Jahn leading the attack with 175 yards and 2 TDs on 24 carries. Case Cookus passed for 4 TDs with Alex Holmes catching two of those TDs, while also passing for a TD of his own. NAU has a pretty favorable conference schedule going forward and could possibly end up playing in a “win and you’re in the playoff discussion” game in the season finale against Southern Utah.

Cal Poly 58 Idaho State 26

Idaho State just cannot catch a break with their very tough schedule to start the season and their defense is falling apart. Cal Poly is the third team to post their season high in points against the Bengals and they did it in a very impressive fashion. The Mustangs ran for 499 yards and 6 TDs on 81 carries. Kori Garcia and Chris Brown combined for 278 of those yards and 5 TDs. One positive note for Idaho State is that QB Michael Sanders seemed to find a little more of a rhythm this game, but it isn’t going to matter if the defense continues their horrendous play. If Cal Poly can finish the season strong with 5-6 wins, they should have a great chance at making the 24 team playoff.

​Players of the week:
The offensive player of the week is RB Casey Jahn of Northern Arizona. As mentioned before, he tallied 175 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the Lumberjacks big win over Montana State.

For the second week in a row, the defensive player of the week is a Grizzly. This time it is defensive tackle Caleb Kidder who racked up a fumble recovery, an interception, five solo tackles, and one sack.

North Dakota also goes back to back with the special teams award. Kicker Reid Taubenheim takes the honor after nailing four field goals in the road upset over Portland State.

 

MATCHUP
Montana 27, UC Davis 13
North Dakota 19, Portland State 17
Montana State 41, Northern Arizona 49
Northern Colorado 27, Sacramento State 20
Idaho State 26, Cal Poly 58

MVFC Review 2015.5

MVFC Week 5 Review

Chad Lenz & JT Nutt, MVFC  Contributors | October 05, 2015

Chad says-

Indiana State 56  Missouri State 23

Missouri State showed signs of life, for about a quarter. Missouri State out-gained ISU 159-28 in the first quarter, and Bear running back Calan Crowder scored his second TD of the day 3 seconds into the second quarter to give MSU a 14-7 lead. At that point the Sycamores woke up and scored 28 unanswered to start the route. Indiana State has wanted to get a run game going all year, but hasn’t other than Matt Adam. They found their stride last week as rushers, other than Adam, totaled 250 yards on 31 carries which is an astonishing 8.1 yards per carry.

Western Illinois 37  Southern Illinois 36

This was one of the rare games that actually lived up to to the hype of two evenly matched teams. The game featured 7 lead changes, 5 of which game in the second half. The Salukis took a 36-34 lead with 5:38 left in the game. Leatherneck QB Trenton Norvell threw a pick, in SIU, territory with 2:43 left. The ‘necks forced a 3 and out and got the ball back with 1:42 left and 69 yards to go. Norvell and Lenoir hooked up for a big 44 yard pass and with 6 seconds left WIU trotted out Nathan Knuffman. Knuffman nailed the 20 yard field goal with just 2 second left. It was the first game winning kick for WIU since 2000.

JT Says-

Illinois State 21  Northern Iowa 13

Last week I mentioned that questions had been answered for both the Redbirds and the Panthers…well…that’s still true of the Redbirds. They won this game from the beginning and never let up. UNI made thinks interesting late but too many mistakes sank their chances of winning. Illinois State won, but did not look as solid as they had last season. Only getting 80 yards of passing will not get it done in the Missouri Valley. UNI might have the best defense in the MVFC certainly one of the best pass defenses but still, a team looking to knock off North Dakota State is going to need to produce more than that. UNI’s passing game is a joke. Far too many dropped passes and bad decisions by the quarterback. Something got to change or UNI will be out of the playoffs yet again.

North Dakota State 28  South Dakota State 7

North Dakota State looked primed to 5 pete in the FCS after a 28-7 beat down of SDSU. The battle of the quarterback was as expected. Both Carson Wentz for NDSU and Zach Lujan for SDSU completed 19 passes for 1 touchdown and no pics. However, Lujan was sack 3 times and completed only 19-38. Wentz far more consistent with 19-27. Sometimes less is more. But this game was won and lost on the ground. SDSU had -4 yards of rushing compared to 202 for the Bizon. Carson Wentz had 54 yards on 7 carries and a sore. The running back by committee is working to perfection for the Bizon. A great defense, a great running game, and a dual threat quarterback who is very efficient makes the Bizon the team to beat in the Valley.

Youngstown State 31  South Dakota 3

Youngstown State continues to improve week-to-week and looks to make noise in the Valley. A 31-3 victory over South Dakota on Saturday helped matters. Youngstown led the entire way and South Dakota avoided the shutout with a FG with about 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter. Penguin QB Hunter Wells threw for 158 yards, 2 scores and 2 pics. Martin Ruiz and Jody Webb split the load in the backfield and combined for 36 carries and 127 yards with 2 touchdowns for Ruiz. The Penguin defense will need to step things up a bit if they want to contend for a Valley title. A better offensive team will push them. 262 yards to a South Dakota team that is not nearly as good is more than you’d like to see as a Penguin supporter.

 

Illinois State 21 Northern Iowa 13
Indiana State 56 Missouri State 23
Youngstown State 31 South Dakota 3
Western Illinois 37 Southern Illinois 36
North Dakota State 28 South Dakota State 7