SLC Review 2015.5

SLC Week 5 Review:

UCABEAR (AnyGivenSaturday.com), SLC Contributor | October 05, 2015

Games played September 1st & 3rd.

Southeastern Louisiana 30 Lamar 27

Lamar’s strong play was almost enough to defeat last year’s co-champion Southeastern Louisiana but a last minute score by the Lions sealed the deal. Leading at halftime 14-13, the Cardinals and the lions went back and forth before the Lions senior running back Kody Sutton rolled over a defender to cross the ball over the goal line with a minute left in the game. Lamar would attempt to drive the ball but 3 incomplete passes and sideline tackle finished it for Southeastern Louisiana.

Southeastern travels to 15/23 McNeese on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Lamar hosts Abilene Christian  on Saturday at 7 p.m.

UIW 45 Northwestern State 31

After falling behind 14-0, the Cardinals of UIW scored on their next 7 possessions to run away from the Demons of Northwestern State.  It was a game of very little defense but enough for the Cardinals. UIW amassed 478 yards of offense while Northwestern State gained 477 yards. The Demons remain one of the four teams in the Southland to not win a game this year while UIW improves to 3-2, 2-1 on the year.

UIW travels to play Sam Houston next Saturday at 6 p.m.
Northwestern State has a bye.

Sam Houston 34 SFA 28

Special teams took the victory for Sam Houston in the annual Battle of the Piney Woods as Stephen F. Austin looked strong in a game where records can be thrown out. Three long punt returns, two of which went for touchdowns, allowed Sam Houston to make a comeback on the winless Lumberjacks. Both teams amassed 909 yards of offense with SFA gaining 336 on the ground and Sam Houston gaining 253 in the air. This marks the fifth year in a row that the Bearkats have defeated the Lumberjacks in this prized game.

SFA hosts Nicholls on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Sam Houston hosts UIW Saturday at 6 p.m.

UCA 42 ACU 14

This game wasn’t close from the kickoff. The Bears of UCA rolled up 469 yards of offense and led 32-7 at halftime while rotating second team players in the second quarter.  The Bears used 5 running backs and a defense that only allowed 91 yards of rushing, 32 of which came on one play in the third quarter. ACU running back De’Andre Brown gained 90 yards rushing while on defense SLC standout Sam Denmark added to his amazing total 21 tackles.

UCA travels to Houston Baptist for a Saturday 2:30 game.
ACU travels to Lamar for a 7 p.m. game.

McNeese State 37 Nicholls 7

A 20 points second quarter propelled the Cowboys of McNeese State to victory on Saturday.  Cowboy QB Daniel Sams rushed for 117 yards and passed for 140 yards in the win. Rushing for 56 plays ate the clock up for 39 minutes and allowed the Cowboys to dominate the game.  The Cowboys also got 6 sacks to throw the Colonels offense off rhythm.

McNeese hosts Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Nicholls travels to SFA for a 3 p.m. game.

ICYMI: Week 5

In Case You Missed It – Week 5

I normally don’t insert myself into the stories I write.

It was never good journalistic practice to use personal pronouns in your work, because it gives the story an narrow-focused and non-objective feel. Sounds more like a freshman English class essay, doesn’t it?

But I feel compelled to show my New Hampshire pride after Saturday’s FCS events. And hey, this is my column. In the words of Eric Cartman: “I’ll do what I want.”

I’m an alumnus of the University of New Hampshire. My dad was a Dartmouth College graduate. I grew up somewhere between the two campuses in the state’s southern region.

And while my alma mater celebrated its annual Homecoming festivities Saturday (which I was unable to attend), I (currently residing in Philadelphia) found myself equally as happy to be able to catch the Dartmouth-Penn Ivy League contest at Franklin Field. Although I didn’t go to Dartmouth, I feel the same pride when I watch the Big Green play as I do when I’m watching my Wildcats. Thanks, dad.

I picked a good game. Dartmouth quarterback Dalyn Williams had a showing for the ages, completing 23-of-25 pass attempts in the cold and rainy conditions for 336 yards and four touchdowns. He added 73 rushing yards and another two scores for six total touchdowns as the Big Green clobbered Penn, 41-20. Williams has impressively not thrown an interception in his last 180 pass attempts, which dates back to last season.

Williams and receiver Victor Williams (unrelated) hooked up 12 times in the contest. Victor gained 213 yards and scored twice. It was the fourth-best receiving performance in a single FCS game this season in terms of yardage.

Meanwhile, in Durham, N.H., the Wildcats were busy taking down Elon, 37-14. Running back Dalton Crossan stated his case for an offensive player of the week nomination with 140 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries. His four rushing scores ties the FCS single-game high this season.

It’s been exceptionally enjoyable to follow and cover FCS football for the past few years, but I think it means so much more to me than the average person because I was raised by it. I was immersed in it for four collegiate years, and prior to that my introduction to the game itself was through Dartmouth football.

That’s my brief story. So now let’s get to the good stuff. In case you missed it, here are some facts and stats you should know from Week 5 of the FCS action:

Did programs across the country get together last week and decide the sport needed more last-minute game winners? Realistically, no. But coincidentally, there were numerous contests that came right down to the wire.

Delaware kicker Frank Raggo drilled a 29-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Blue Hens past Williams & Mary, 24-23. Connor Shennan was responsible for all nine of Robert Morris’s points, including the game-winning 19-yard boot with 24 seconds to play, in the Colonials’ 9-6 victory over Wagner. On Thursday, Kody Sutton’s 1-yard touchdown run with 1:19 left in the contest lifted his Southeastern Louisiana Lions past Lamar, 30-27. Western Illinois kicker Nathan Knuffman sent a 20-yard field goal attempt sailing through the uprights with two seconds left on the clock to give his Leathernecks a 37-36 victory over Southern Illinois. And in overtime, Bucknell back Matt DelMauro broke free for a 23-yard scoring scamper to lift his Bison past VMI, 28-22.

Yale was asking itself “Tyler Varga who?” on Saturday. Current Bulldogs running back Deshawn Salter gained 233 yards and scored two touchdowns to help his team past Lehigh, 27-12. Salter’s 233 yards is the fourth-highest single-game rushing total this season.

Coastal Carolina, well, coasted past Alabama A&M Saturday in a 55-0 rout. The Chanticleers only needed their starters for about half the contest, as signal caller Alex Ross was given some time off early in the third quarter after he threw for four first-half TDs – two of them to running back De’Angelo Henderson.

Special teams was the difference maker for Sam Houston State Saturday against Stephen F Austin, as two third-quarter punt returns for touchdowns helped the Bearkats defeat the Lumberjacks, 34-28. Gerald Thomas and Yedidiah Lewis broke 78- and 53-yard punt returns, respectively, to swing the momentum in SHSU’s favor.

Alcorn State’s ground attack ravaged the Arkansas-Pine Bluff defense Saturday in the Braves’ 61-14 thumping of the Golden Lions. Alcorn State gained 418 total rushing yards, which included two 100-plus-yard efforts from Joe Price and Darryan Ragsdale. Quarterback John Gibbs Jr. was responsible for three of Alcorn’s six rushing touchdowns in the win.

Ivy League member Brown and Colonial Athletic Association program Rhode Island faced off Saturday in the 100th playing of the Governor’s Cup, and the winless Rams were again overwhelmed. Brown’s Marcus Fuller threw for four touchdown passes and 438 yards in the win, and receiver Brian Strachan hauled in an FCS single game-high tying 15 receptions for the Bears.

Grambling State quarterback Johnathan Williams is off to the races this season, leading the nation in touchdown passes (19) after tossing another five scores Saturday in his Tigers’ 59-27 victory over Jackson State. He’s tied for the most scoring completions in all of Division I football with TCU’s Trevone Boykin and Baylor’s Seth Russell. Eastern Washington quarterback Jordan West falls in behind Williams in the FCS with 14 passing scores, though West’s Eagles were idle this weekend.

Finally, one of the most anticipated contests of the weekend turned out to yet again be a runaway.

North Dakota State and South Dakota State’s annual rivalry is usually a high-profile one because of the programs’ rankings heading in, but the Bison just seem to have the Jackrabbits’ number on an annual basis.

NDSU held the host Jacks to just 12 first downs and a 2-of-15 third-down conversion rate in the 28-7 Bison win. South Dakota State was in the red running the football, finishing with minus four yards on the ground.

Big Sky Preview 2015.5

BSC  Week 5 Preview

Kris Kallem & Lance Berndt, BSC  Contributors | October 02, 2015

Kris Says-

North Dakota @ Portland State

The two Big Sky teams with an FBS win and the two teams playing the best defense square off in downtown Portland. Each unit is giving up less than 65 yards on the ground so far but the Vikings have generated much more offense, especially out of their rushing attack. Given their excellent start, It would be nice to see the folks in the Rose City come out and support Portland State a little this Saturday.

Northern Colorado @ Sacramento State

Sacramento State showed some fight last week and has some solid wide receivers in Harrison, Hennie, and Agude. Northern Colorado, despite their last two blow out losses, is surprisingly middle of the pack in the BSC for most offensive and defensive stats. Conference wins will be few and far to come by for both of these squads in 2015 and this will be one of their few chances to pick one up.

Players of the Week

On offense, Montana State’s Dakota Prukop threw for 399 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Bobcat win over Cal Poly

Tyrone Holmes of Montana took home the defensive award with a filthy 4 sack and 5 tackles for loss performance. Holmes already has 8 sacks on the season.

North Dakota punter Mitch Meindel gets the special teams nod with a 50.5 yard average against Davis. He now leads the FCS in punting average.

Lance says-

Southern Utah @ ORV Weber State

Sure on the surface this may just look like a game between two middle of the road Big Sky teams, but the winner should be well on their way to establishing their dark horse candidacy in the conference title race. Aside from tough road losses at SDSU and NDSU, both teams have looked quite respectable to start the season. Weber State comes in on a tear with two easy wins over conference opponents, and what has been most impressive for them is how balanced their offense has played in their wins. Southern Utah has flexed their defensive muscle in 3 of their first 4 games and will need that James Cowser led attack to be in full force to take down Weber in Ogden.

#12 Montana @ UC-Davis

UC-Davis has proved to be pretty predictable on the road the last few seasons, but you never know what you’re going to get when they’re playing at home. With veteran Ben Scott at the helm at QB, we could see a potential trap game for Montana in their hopes of going on a run to a conference title. The Grizzlies played very well last weekend on defense, though, and will look to build on their performance against the Aggies average offensive attack. The big question here will be how well UC-Davis can fare against Montana’s fast paced offense. This will be the first solid passing attack the Aggies have faced so far this season.

#11 Montana State @ Northern Arizona

Speaking of trap games, last season Northern Arizona welcomed a high-powered Eastern Washington team to town and came away with a major upset. With Dakota Prukop and the Bobcat offense clicking on all cylinders, they need to stay focused against this sneaky NAU team. We know the Lumberjacks can put up offense through the air, but against Montana State, they will need to prove that they can make big stops on defense. Last weekend, they did pretty well against the Grizzlies in the red zone forcing 3 field goals. They will need that effectiveness once again to hang around with the Cats. I think the key members to focus on will be Montana State’s defensive backs. We know the offense can hang with anyone, but if the defense can shut down Case Cookus and Emmanuel Butler, this will be a very long day for Northern Arizona.

ORV Cal Poly @ Idaho State

Contrary to what Dennis Green is so famous for exclaiming, these two teams lately have not been who we thought they were. Idaho State looks like the circus joke they were before last season giving up endless points on defense and turning the ball over excessively on offense. Cal Poly made a statement win at Montana, but has reeled off 3 straight losses since then, all by double digit margins. The Mustangs defense seems to get worse each game, while the Bengals offense has been in a very similar decline. This is a must win game for both teams, but I don’t think Idaho State can get out of their slump. The offseason loss of QB Justin Arias and the preseason injury of star LB Mario Jenkins has proven to negatively effect their success much more than originally thought. I think Cal Poly’s option attack runs all over the Bengals defense to continue Idaho State’s embarrassing start to the season.

SWAC Preview 2015.5

SWAC week 5 Preview

Charles Wells, SWAC Contributor | October 02, 2015

ALABAMA STATE AT TEXAS SOUTHERN
Thursday October 1 6:30 p.m. CST
BBVA Compass Stadium (22,039) Houston, Texas
TV: ESPNU
Series: Alabama State leads, 16-12-2
Last Meeting: September 27, 2014 – Montgomery, Ala.
Alabama State 38, Texas Southern 3

To put it plain and simple this is an elimination game, the loser will have 3 conference losses and will have too much ground to make up. For Alabama State this season so far has to be somewhat of a disappointment. Injuries at the QB position and the lack of a dominate running game has stymied the offense. (9th in the league in total offense). Only a victory over hapless Valley separates the Hornets from a winless start. Even though this is a road game, this game is sort of a trap for the Hornets as Southern comes to town next week. This team isn’t made to look ahead. LB Kourtney Berry is a stud and should cause headache for the TSU offense. Texas Southern is bringing the #2 defense in the SWAC into this contest although that number is buoyed by a game against Bacone. Although they don’t have anyone in the top 10 rushing category the Tigers run the ball well, passing gets a bit dicey. They do have a potential weapon in Derrick Griffin. With the West race being a three team fight, the Tigers will be out if they lose. A win will help them keep pace with games still left against Grambling and Southern. This is a total toss up, plus it’s a short week for both teams. Prediction: ASU 27 TSU 21

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M VS. UNIVERSITY OF FAITH
Saturday October 3 1:00 p.m. CST
Waller ISD Stadium (10,000) Waller, Texas
TV: None
Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: N/A

Gonna keep this one short and sweet, PVU will have a field day on offense and the defense will look great against the Glory Eagles. I don’t think anybody knows what the University of Faith has but it will not be enough. This is a scrimmage for the Panthers, their first of two tune ups before they face Southern in a crucial West Division matchup. This game doesn’t count officially in the stats or standing so any numbers PVU puts up will vanish after the game. Trey Green, Johnta Hebert, Courtney Brown, and Nick Pitre will put on a show. The Glory Eagles get a trip to Texas. Prediction: PVU 70 University of Faith 3

JACKSONVILLE STATE VS. MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE
Saturday October 3 1:00 p.m. CST
Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium (24,000) Jacksonville, Ala.
TV: None
Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: N/A

Valley’s march of death start of the season continues as they face the Gamecocks of Jacksonville State. Valley has had a tough go of it ranking last or next to last in almost every offensive category. They simply cannot move the ball either through the air or on the ground. Thomas Stokes and Booker Chambers are emerging as potential weapons in the future. But right now this team is just too young and can’t make plays. The defense isn’t all bad considering the play of the offense(5th in total defense). They play the run horribly which means teams don’t have to pass much. That plays directly into what JSU likes to do they want to and will run at will on Valley. Expect lots of big plays for their offense. The defense will contain anything that Valley will want to accomplish. Look for Troymain Pope and Eli Jenkins to both have big games. Last week was the first time Valley held an opponent under 50 points, that should change this week. This is a tough season for Valley, they don’t have an off week until November 14. Prediction: JSU 56 Valley 6

JACKSON STATE VS GRAMBLING STATE
Saturday October 3 6:00 p.m. CST
Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium (60,492)  Jackson,
Miss.
TV: None
Series: Grambling State leads, 42-23-1
Last Meeting: September 20, 2014 – Jackson, Miss.
Grambling State 40, Jackson State 35

The battle of the I-20 Tigers, these teams appear to be heading in different directions. Grambling has found their offense and have won 2 straight. Jackson State got their first win last week, their defense is still a question mark. Both teams pass the ball really well, so expect to see footballs flying thru the air all night. The key in this one is who can run the ball, Grambling is 6th in rushing and Jackson is 9th. For Jackson to have any chance they have to commit and stay with the running game. If they get one dimensional they will lose for certain. Grambling put 70 points on PVU last week although they game up more than 50. The Ivy/Williams/Moll combo could be an issue for the G-Men. JSU’s defense is allowing 46 points a game. Look for the Williams(Johnathan and Chad) and Rogers trio to make plays. They are 7th and 8th respectively in total defense, so the team that allows the fewest big plays will win. This will be a high scoring game, that either team can afford to lose. Grambling has to keep pace in the West so a loss will knock them out of first but it won’t kill them. For JSU this could be their second SWAC loss and they can’t afford to take more losses with their coach on the hot seat. Prediction: GSU 49 JSU 38

ALCORN STATE VS. ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
Saturday October 3 4:00 p.m. CST
War Memorial Stadium (54,120) Little Rock, Ark.
TV: None
Series: Arkansas-Pine Bluff leads, 20-16-4
Last Meeting: November 15, 2014 – Lorman, Miss.
Alcorn State 56, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 6

This is a business trip for Alcorn these are the kinds of games that can cause issues for contenders. This is not to say that UAPB will win the game but it’s a game that requires focus as the Braves head into their off week before facing Grambling on October 17. The SWAC has a way of producing strange results especially on the road. But the reality of this game is that Alcorn is the better team and they should get the job done. John Gibbs continues to lead the Braves as a dual threat, his legs are more deadly, but if you fall asleep he’ll hit you over the top for a big pass. The Braves love to run and have multiple threats to carry the ball. Their top receiving target is Jordan Payne. Against a Pine Bluff defense that ranks in the top half of the league this could be an interesting matchup. But the offense has to play too and that’s where the problems will come for the Golden Lions. With an offense that ranks 8th in almost every category UAPB will struggle to move the ball. Turnovers have been the issue for both teams although Alcorn has the fire power to overcome these issues. Alcorn’s secondary has to be eager to get their first interception on the season against an offense that has thrown 10 in 4 games. Braves should get through this game. Prediction: ASU 41 UAPB 17

COASTAL CAROLINA vs. ALABAMA A&M
Saturday October 3 5:00 p.m. CST
Brooks Stadium (9,214) Conway, S.C.
TV: None
Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: N/A

After splitting their last two games the Bulldogs take a big step up in competition as they head to Conway to take on CCU. After having early questions the Bulldogs have found their answer at QB, De’Angelo Ballard is the back to back SWAC newcomer of the week. He’s fueled the Bulldogs Pistol attack. Harvey Harris and Bryan Brower are the two headed running back combo. Tevin McKenzie is the top receiving threat. The defense has been average, which is a huge issue facing a QB like Alex Ross. I feel like the Chanticleers will get whatever they want on offense. The defense will most likely be up to the Bulldogs’ challenge. Bulldogs should put up a fight but I don’t think they have enough to do damage. Prediction: CCU 45 AAMU 14

TSOTN Week 5

National Notes Week 5

Kevin Marshall, National Contributor | October 01, 2015

The State of the Nation

The Reviews

What an intriguing week in the FCS! James Madison went through the defense of FBS Southern Methodist like Sherman went through Georgia. The Dukes piled up 34 first downs and 729 yards of total offense. QB Vad Lee was tremendous in claiming another FBS scalp for our Subdivision.

The Penn Quakers jumped all over an injury riddled Villanova and never looked back. Princeton crushed Lehigh. Those two victories out of conference by the Ivy League were impressive and make me wish that the Ivy League would schedule more non league games against quality opponents and participate in the playoffs.

Jacksonville State almost stubbed their toe against Tennessee-Martin but the Cocks were able to hold on and win by 7 after a furious comeback by the Skyhawks cut a 28 point fourth quarter lead to the final margin.

William and Mary held Stacy Bedell, who entered the game as the nations leading rusher, to 25 yards on 7 carries and the Tribe defense shutout Stony Brook.

Coastal Carolina had trouble early on with the Bryant Bulldogs, of the Northeast Conference, but the Chanticleers came clucking back and won.

In the Southern Conference the Chattanooga Mocs and Furman Paladins won defensive battles against Presbyterian and the Virginia Military Institute.

The two Montana schools both won Big Sky games. The Grizzly continue to have big problems in the red zone and the Bobcats continue to have no problems scoring and their defense looked better than it has so far this season. Game balls to all of those who emerged victorious.

The Interviews

In the Voices of the FCS segment we will be joined by a good friend of the program Scott Miller. Scott is the radio voice of the North Dakota State Bison. Coach Withers, of the James Madison Dukes, is our coach interview. Thanks to both of those gentlemen for being with us this week!

The Previews

NDSU @ SDSU – AGS Game Of The Week

The Bison prove that they are once again the class of the Missouri Valley. NDSU 34-31.

Northern Iowa @ Illinois State

The Panthers have looked great lately. That trend continues. UNI 27-24.

Southern Illinois State @ Western Illinois

A matchup of two Jekyll and Hyde football teams. Both have looked great and terrible this season. Salukis 38-24.

S.C. State @ Furman

Paladin defense is stout and wins another one for the home team. Furman 24-10.

Wofford @ Mercer

The Bears had a week off to prepare for the Terrier option offense. It won’t be enough time. Wofford 24-17.

Lamar @ Southeastern Louisiana

SELA wants to play fast and Lamar will slow them down for a while.
Lions 31-27.

Dartmouth @ Penn

Quakers had a great win last week but Dartmouth keeps it from being a streak. Dartmouth 28-20.

William and Mary @ Delaware

The Tribe defense dominates another CAA opponent. Tribe 24-10.

Montana State @ Northern Arizona

Bobcats have an explosive offense and the Lumberjacks can’t keep up. ‘Cats 38-17.

Montana @ UC-Davis

All Griz in this one. Montana 34-14.

SLC Preview 2015.5

SLC PREVIEW for games 10-1 and 10-3.

UCABEAR (AnyGivenSaturday.com), SLC Contributor | September 30, 2015

10/1 – Game

Lamar (1-0) at Southeastern Louisiana (1-0)

One team will be undefeated in conference Thursday night as Lamar, who beat conference favorite Sam Houston, travels to take on the Lions of Southeastern. Let’s look at how the two teams compare:
Points per game: Lamar 49 SELA 25. Advantage Lamar.
Passing yards per game: Lamar 217 SELA 88. Advantage Lamar
Rushing yards per game: Lamar 255 SELA 251. TIE
Defense PPG: Lamar 39 SELA 24. Advantage SELA

Thoughts: Lamar appears to have a potent offense averaging 7 TDs per game but SELA has been strong on defense getting 13 sacks and 8 INTs so far this year. If Lamar can control the clock with the run game and avoid turning it over to the strong Lion defense they could come away with a win in Hammond. But a defense putting up those stats might be disruptive enough to do the damage they need for the win. Lamar seems balanced on offense in the run game and the O-line has given the QB enough time to pass the ball.

Prediction: Lamar 31 SELA 21

10/3- Games

Northwestern State (0-2) at UIW (1-1)

The Demons can get back into the conference race by defeating a UIW team that hung with a tough FBS UTEP team.
Team comparison:

Points per game: NWST 18 UIW 15. TIE
Passing YPG: NWST 169 UIW 200. TIE
Rushing YPG: NWST 139 UIW 128. TIE
Defense PPG: NWST 47 UIW 24. Advantage UIW

Thoughts: These teams seem eerily similar in their stats with the exception of defensive points per game allowed. The Demons are giving up way too many per game and have very little run defense and really no pass defense. UIW isn’t scoring many points per game but isn’t allowing opponents to score too much either. Because of this I’m going with:

Prediction: UIW 28 NWST 14

College of Faith (club team or D2/D3) at HBU (0-2)

I’ll make this one easy. Everyone is scoring on College of Faith. Stats don’t need to be put up for this one…but I will.

HBU rushing 212 per game. 142 passing YPG.

Thoughts: It won’t be a matter of WHO will win but rather the scoring margin.  HBU in a route.

Prediction: HBU 49 CoF 7

McNeese (2-0) at Nicholls (0-1)

The undefeated Cowboys travel to play the Colonels who are struggling to get a win this year. Let’s look at the team stats for both. Keep in mind the Cowboys game vs. FBS LSU was rained out.

Points per game: McNeese 36 Nicholls 3. Advantage McNeese
Passing YPG: McNeese 193 Nicholls 92. Advantage McNeese
Rushing YPG:  McNeese 244 Nicholls 138. Advantage McNeese
Defense PPG: McNeese 6 Nicholls 38. Advantage McNeese

Thoughts: Looking at the stats above this game should be a one sided event. Nicholls appears to have NO offense and can’t stop a team from scoring over 5 TDs a game. McNeese goes into beast mode on defense and scores at least 35 a game. This is a lopsided win for the Cowboys so I’m going with:

Prediction: McNeese 52 Nicholls 7

SFA (0-2) v. Sam Houston (1-1) – Neutral Site game. Battle of the Piney Woods.

Talk about one of those games where stats don’t matter and previous games don’t matter. However Sam Houston has won the last 4 games against the Lumberjacks. But again, the Lumberjacks are 0-4 and have absolutely NOTHING to lose and would love to ruin the Bearkats year.

Let’s look at team stats to compare them anyway.

Points per game: Sam 51 SFA 20. Advantage Sam
Passing YPG: Sam 383 SFA 209. Advantage Sam
Rushing YPG: Sam 252 SFA 193. Advantage Sam.
Defense PPG: Sam 41 SFA 42. TIE

Thoughts: Both teams are allowing over 40 points per game. Sam Houston however is scoring over 50 per game while SFA is having trouble scoring over 20. Even with those facts, this game is always a battle so I’ll go with:

Prediction: Sam Houston 42 SFA 28

ACU (2-0) at UCA (1-0)

Two undefeated teams will go toe to toe in Conway next Saturday. Last year UCA went down to the Wildcats easily to the surprise of everyone in the conference. UCA wins 85% of its games at home plus this one is the first home game of the year and the stadium should be packed!

Let’s look at how the two teams stack up against each other:

Points per game: ACU 32 UCA 24. Advantage ACU
Passing YPG: ACU 235 UCA 241. TIE
Rushing YPG: ACU 131 UCA 159. TIE
Defense PPG: ACU 29 UCA 32. TIE

Thoughts: UCA has played a top 25 FCS and top 25 FBS team and has had NO home games yet. ACU starts killer row with upcoming games against UCA, Lamar, and Sam Houston. Watching the Bears play the other night the defense has stepped up and the offense has found its rhythm. Both teams appear to be equal stat wise. This is one tough game to call but I’ll go with:

Prediction: UCA 28 ACU 24

Conference thoughts: McNeese appears to be rolling. UCA, if they finally have it together, can be conference spoilers for the top teams. SFA has really under-impressed and underachieved. Sam Houston may have problems winning the conference with two games on the road toward the end of the season. Lamar is making some serious noise. SLU is winning but doesn’t look as strong as last year. The conference is up for grabs this early in the year with 9 conference games that have to be played this year.

MVFC Preview 2015.5

MVFC Week 5 Preview

Chad Lenz & JT Nutt, MVFC  Contributors | September , 2015

JT Says-

Northern Iowa @ Illinois State

UNI beat Illinois State soundly in the regular season last year in the UNI Dome 42-28. UNI traveled to Normal in the playoffs and lost 41-21 in a game that was not even close. Ill State went on to nearly win a FCS title but falling to NDSU. UNI and Illinois State looked lost against Iowa State and Iowa to start the season but have things figured out. Both teams have their eye on a Valley title and this is a huge game for both. UNI QB Aaron Bailey will need to continue to improve if UNI has a shot at winning. UNI needs to contain dual threat QB Tre Roberson or it will be a long day for the Panthers. This one comes down to the wire or goes OT like it did in 2011. Redbirds win a tight one.

Youngstown State @ South Dakota

South Dakota has played 3 teams, won 2 and lost the first. The jury is still out as to how they will fair in the MVFC. They were spanked by K-State 34-0 then beat Drake 55-0 in their last game. SD QB Ryan Seager has got it done by land and by air throwing for 499 yards and 3 touchdowns while rushing for 112 yards. That being said, Youngstown will contain him and the Yotes. Youngstown looks to stay as an upper echelon team in the Missouri Valley using a balance of run and pass. They lock down defense of the Penguins is only allowing 53 passing yards per game. They ride the defense to a road win.

North Dakota State @ South Dakota State

Biggest game in the MVFC this weekend, maybe all year. North Dakota State has owned the Valley for 4 years but there time is up, the Jackrabbits time is now. Zach Lujan already has 1002 yards passing 8 touchdowns and 2 picks. He’s averaging 334 yards per game passing. NDSU lost several linebackers from last year’s squad and Zach will exploit this. SDSU is averaging 43 points per game but NDSU will cut that in half. NDSU will rely on QB Carson Wentz efficient throwing. Carson is 53-84 for 741 yards 9 td’s and no pics to go with 3 rushing TD’s and 150 yards. It will be a battle of the quarterbacks but SDSU uses it’s home field advantage and front runner Player of the Year candidate Lujan to win a close one, 34-31.

Chad says-

ISUB/MSU

Typically when a new staff comes in there are some growing pains. I’m not sure I’d call what MSU is going through “growing pains”. The Bears are last in the conference in every single offense category. They are scoring just 11 points per game and giving up 49. Indiana State appears to be close to figuring things out to be competitive for a playoff spot, but they need to find a running game other than quarterback Matt Adam. This could be a game to experiment with that as the Bears are giving up 292 yards rushing per game. If the Sycamores struggle to get a ground game going this week I’m really going to question their ability to do so at any point.

SIU/WIU

. I’ve long referred to Western Illinois as the most Jeckyll and Hyde team in the conference. The Salukis may be making a push for that crown. Both teams have the ability to be a top 15 team but both lack the consistency getting production from all areas of the game at once. The Salukis lead the conference in total offense, second in passing offense, and average 35 points per game. The Leatherneck’s have similar talent top to bottom but have struggled to put much together for even an entire game, let a long multiple games in a row. Because of that I don’t know that I can trust WIU to get a win. I’m going with the Salukis in this one.

Big Sky Review 2015.4

BSC  Week 4 Review

Lance Berndt & Kris Kallem, BSC  Contributors | September 29, 2015

Kris Says-

North Dakota 31 UC Davis 24

Both defenses played well holding the opposing team to under 300 yards. Davis quarterback Ben Scott had another efficient performance managing 3 touchdowns on just 14-20 passing and 174 yards. North Dakota’s rushing attack was the difference with freshman John Santiago chipping in 152 of the 240 total yards gained on the ground against the Aggies.

Weber State 38 Northern Colorado 17

The game was never close as the Wildcats led 31-0 halfway through the third quarter. Weber racked up 254 yards rushing led by sophomore running back Eric Wilkes with 122.

Portland State 31 Western Oregon 0

The Viking defense dominated the Division II Wolves holding Western Oregon to just 27 yards rushing and 10 first downs. Portland State junior Xavier Coleman led the way with two interceptions. It’s early but the Viking’s are currently ranked 15th in FCS in total defense giving up just 293 yards on average and only 4 touchdowns this season through 3 games.

UNLV 80 Idaho State 8

The Rebels had 5 different players rush for touchdowns and scored a total of 11 on the night as UNLV blows the doors off any chance of Idaho State recovering last season’s success. Very disappointing performance by the Bengals.

Lance says-

Montana State 45 Cal Poly 28

The Bobcats dominated this highly anticipated game by jumping out to an early 21-0 lead and never letting Cal Poly diminish the lead to less than double digits. Dakota Prukop was once again lights out for the Cats, but this time mainly through the air. Beau Sandland caught the largest portion hauling in 5 receptions for 156 yards and 2 TDs. Chad Newell also had a solid game on the ground with 111 yards and 3 TDs on just 19 carries. Montana State’s defense was also able to shut down QB Chris Brown’s rushing effort, forcing Cal Poly to giving the option to Protheroe and Garcia. The two did combine 265 yards and 3 TDs on 45 carries, but holding Brown intact proved to be very effective.

Montana 23 Northern Arizona 14

The Grizzlies controlled both sides of the ball in the first half, but were once again ineffective in the red zone settling for 3 first half field goals. The usual suspects Case Cookus and Emmanuel Butler fueled a Lumberjack comeback in the second half with back to back touchdowns, but Montana’s defense toughened up and shut out NAU the rest of the way. The Grizzly defense combined for 8 sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery, and 12 tackles for loss. Chad Chalich filled in pretty well at QB passing for 279 yards and a TD. Jamaal Jones led the receiving corps with yet another 100+ yard receiving day.

Southern Utah 55 D-II Brevard 7

Brevard’s defense kept Southern Utah scoreless through 14 minutes, but the Thunderbirds ran away with the game from that point on. Most impressively for Southern Utah was their rushing attack with 365 yards and 5 TDs.

SWAC Review 2015.4

SWAC Week 4 Review:

Charles Wells, SWAC Contributor | September 29, 2015

Saturday, September 26

Georgia 48, Southern 6

Southern University dropped its second game of the season falling to No. 7 Georgia 48-6 Saturday afternoon at Sanford Stadium.  It was the first ever meeting between the two schools and only the fifth time that a Southeastern Conference opponent has faced a school from the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Jags were competitive for a half but couldn’t generate points.

Lenard Tillery’s 16-yard scoring run for the Jaguars (2-2) would be Southern’s only score of the day. He went on to lead the team’s ground attack with 82 yards on 19 carries. The Bulldogs’ only points in the second quarter came on a field goal.  Georgia quickly stretched the 20-6 halftime lead with four third-quarter touchdowns.

Roshaud Turner led Southern on defense with eight tackles. Daniel Brown and Mikale Jenkins each earned a sack each.  Southern play makers Austin Howard and Willie Quinn were both held in check.  Howard was 8-of-19 for 68 yards while Quinn caught only three passes for 20 yards.

Nick Chubb ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns and also caught a TD pass for Georgia.  His 12 consecutive 100-yard rushing games tied him with Herschel Walker. Southern surrendered scores to Chubb from runs of nine and 49 yards in the third quarter. He scored on a 24-yard pass from Greyson Lambert in the first quarter. Even with this result the Jags will remain a contender in the SWAC West.

Alabama A&M 28, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 9

Tevin McKenzie scored three touchdowns and Alabama A&M beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 28-9 on Saturday at Louis Crews Stadium. The Bulldogs got off to a sluggish start, trailing 9-0, McKenzie scored on a 29-yard run in the second quarter and caught third-quarter scoring passes of 14 and 34 yards from De’Angelo Ballard.

Ballard’s third touchdown pass, a nine yarder to O’Darius Williams, capped the scoring. Ballard completed 20 of 30 attempts for 353 yards. McKenzie hauled in six catches for 91 yards, plus his one rushing attempt for a score. Harvey Harris led the Bulldogs with 131 yards rushing on 14 carries while DeVon Johnson finished with 105 yards receiving on two catches.

The Golden Lions took their early lead on Marcus Terrell’s 16-yard pass to Brian Handley and a 23-yard field goal by Jamie Gillan. The two teams combined for 947 yards offense, 545 by AAMU. The Golden Lions continue to struggle to find their way, meanwhile the Bulldogs are shaping up to be a dark horse challenger in the SWAC East.

Alcorn State 47, Concordia 7

John Gibbs, Jr. threw two touchdowns as Alcorn State defeated Concordia-Selma 40-7 on Saturday at Jack Spinks Stadium. The Braves got the easy victory they were looking for and now can head into the full SWAC schedule with a 3 game winning streak.

Gibbs threw for 198 yards for the Braves (3-1). Darryan Ragsdale rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown and Jordan Payne caught a pair of scoring passes. Marquis Warford ran for a touchdown in the first quarter and caught a 62-yard pass from Gibbs for another score just before the break and the Braves led 13-0 at halftime.

Ragsdale’s score came on the Brave’s first possession of the second half on an 85-yard run. Then Gibbs hit Payne from 69 yards for another touchdown and the Braves led 26-0 with 8:45 left in the third quarter. Alcorn State posted eight sacks during the game and kept Concordia, of the USCAA, from scoring until late in the fourth quarter when Jarvis Chambers threw a 32-yard touchdown.

Grambling State 70, Prairie View 54

Even though I predicted a high scoring affair, even I was surprised at the point total. Defense was nowhere to be found in the Big D. Johnathan Williams threw six touchdown passes and ran in another to lead Grambling State to a 70-54 win over Prairie View at the Cotton Bowl in the annual State Fair Classic.

Martez Carter returned two kicks for touchdowns and had a 10-yard TD run in the fourth quarter to cement the win for Grambling State (2-2, 2-0). Williams completed 20 of 33 passes for 429 yards and had two interceptions. Chad Williams racked up 193 yards on seven catches and two touchdowns, including an 83-yard grab in the first quarter. Chester Rogers had 114 yards with three catches – two for touchdowns. Lovett Gibson also hauled in a touchdown pass.

Prairie View (2-2, 2-1) tied the game early in the first quarter at 7-7 when Nick Pitre snagged an 8-yard touchdown throw from Trey Green, who completed 29 of 55 passes for 414 yards, four TDs and an interception. But the Tigers quickly retook control with 21 unanswered points. PVU slips behind Southern and Grambling in the standings but the Panthers will be dangerous for any SWAC team this season. The G-Men have found their offensive stride but the D will have to improve.

Alabama State 45, Mississippi Valley State 15

As I stated in my preview, Valley is the cure for what ails ya, and the Hornets got the easy victory. Ellis Richardson rushed for three touchdowns and passed for two more to lead Alabama State to its first victory, 45-15 over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday night at Rice-Totten Stadium.

The Hornets (1-3, 1-2) rolled up 444 yards offense in picking up their sixth consecutive victory over the Delta Devils (0-4, 0-3). Richardson was 11-of-18 passing for 127 yards with touchdown throws to Joshua Davis and Wyndell Archie. He was intercepted twice. Richardson rushed for 98 yards on 17 carries, including a 41-yard score early in the fourth quarter for a 38-9 lead.

Richardson scored on a three yard run then threw a nine yard scoring pass to Davis in the first quarter. David Albert added a field goal for a 17-3 halftime lead. The Hornets’ Alex Anderson rushed for a nine yard score in the third quarter. Booker Chambers reached the endzone twice with a touchdown run and reception for the Delta Devils. This will be a long season for the Delta Devils as they have yet to get into a flow on either side of the ball.

Jackson State 34, Texas Southern 30

This was a do or die Tiger battle, neither team could afford to come up short. Jackson State faced the possibility of a long losing streak if they didn’t get the win. TSU’s schedule would get tougher after this one. La Montiez Ivy completed 22 of 27 passes for 370 yards and three touchdowns, and Teddrick Terrell had a sack in the closing seconds to help Jackson State beat Texas Southern 34-30 on Saturday night.

Devin Fosselman and Dan Williams each had six receptions and a touchdown. Fosselman finished with 129 yards receiving and Williams added 124 for Jackson State. Ivy connected with Fosselman on a 30-yard touchdown pass, on third-and-10, to give JSU a 34-24 lead with 4:17 left.

Texas Southern (2-2, 1-2) answered with a five-play, 57-yard drive during which Averion Hurts either passed or ran on every play – that was capped by a 10-yard scoring pass to Derrick Griffin with 2:40 to play, but the PAT attempt by Eric Medina was blocked by Brandon Maiden. JSU went three-and-out, but TSU had just 32 seconds and no time outs and Terrell’s sack sealed it.

Week 4 Football Players of the Week

Offensive Player of the Week
Johnathan Williams
Grambling State
Quarterback
It was a banner day for Grambling’s senior quarterback, as he tossed for 429 yards on 20-of-33 passing and six touchdowns in leading the Tigers to a 70-54 shootout victory over Prairie View A&M during the Southwest Airlines State Fair Classic. Williams also ran for another score, accounting for seven total touchdowns in the contest.

Defensive Player of the Week
Teddrick Terrell
Jackson State
Defensive End
Terrell stuffed the stat sheet for Jackson State, racking up seven stops, including two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss in Jackson State’s 34-30 win over Texas Southern. Terrell’s second sack came on the last play of the game, snuffing out Texas Southern’s comeback attempt in the final seconds.

Special Teams Player of the Week
Nick Carden
Alabama A&M
Punter
Carden averaged 41.3 yards per punt attempt in the Bulldogs’ 28-9 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Carden twice pinned the Golden Lions’ offense inside the 20-yard line, also unleashing a 54-yard punt during the contest.

Newcomer of the Week
De’Angelo Ballard
Alabama A&M
Quarterback
Ballard claims his second-straight SWAC Newcomer of the Week award after another 300-yard, three-touchdown outing. Ballard threw for 353 yards on 20-of-30 passing to lead the Bulldogs to victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He also chipped in 30 yards rushing in the contest.

SLC Review 2015.4

SLC Week 4 Review:

UCABEAR (AnyGivenSaturday.com), SLC Contributor | September 28, 2015

Saturday’s scores:
Abilene Christian 35, Stephen F. Austin 32
Central Arkansas 49, Northwestern State 21
Sam Houston State 63, Houston Baptist 14
McNeese State 37, Mississippi College 0
Texas- El Paso 27, UIW 17
Colorado 48, Nicholls 0

Abilene Christian 35
SFA 32

It took a fourth quarter rally and some impressive running by ACU running back De’Andre Brown (132 yards and 3 TDs) for ACU to top SFA at home Saturday. SFA was very effective on offense racking up 577 yards of offense. ACU also amassed 425 yards of offense. ACU went 2 for 3 on fourth down conversions showing the Wildcats weren’t afraid to gamble. A blocked kick by the Wildcats in the first quarter proved to be the difference in the score and in the end the game.

SFA plays Sam Houston in the annual Battle of the Piney Woods on Saturday at 3 p.m.

ACU travels to UCA to take on the Bears at 6 p.m. in Conway.

UCA 49
NWST 21

For the fourth week in a row and its third road game without a home game UCA traveled to Natchitoches, LA to take on the Demons of Northwestern State. UCA is 2-2 at Turpin stadium since joining the Southland. UCA racked up 521 yards of offense and didn’t punt until 6 minutes left in the second quarter but even that was muffed and UCA recovered it. The game proved to be one sided throughout as UCA coach Campbell gave second team players game time early in the second quarter. The Demons were led by wide receiver Ed Eagan (108 yards 2 touchdowns) who caught a great pass at the UCA 6 yard line, faked right and cruised left to the end zone leaving the Bear defender falling backwards. The Demons racked up 346 yards of offense with 275 coming in the air.

UCA finally gets a home game on Saturday at 6 p.m. as the ACU Wildcats come to Estes Stadium.

NWST travels to UIW to take on the Cardinals at 2 p.m.

Sam Houston 63
HBU 14

This game was close until the half (28-14) when starting the third quarter the Bearkats of SHSU scored 4 quick touchdowns aided by 3 picks from their defense to put the game away. They also assaulted the record book with 727 yards of total offense, went 5-5 in the red zone, threw for 472 yards passing, completed 15.2 yards per pass and amassed 32 first downs. HBU’s offense got 296 yards net with 208 rushing and 88 passing. SHSU also got 21 points off turnovers.

Sam Houston plays SFA in the Battle of the Piney Woods on Saturday at 3 p.m.

HBU hosts College of Faith on Saturday at home in Houston at 7 p.m.

McNeese 37
Mississippi College 0

It was a game of defense for the Cowboys of McNeese as they held the visiting team from Mississippi to just 114 yards overall. McNeese amassed 506 yards of offense and fumbled the ball 6 times and lost it four times. Even with those mistakes the Cowboys easily handled Mississippi College by half 20-0. Mississippi College played the run game to keep the ball out of the Cowboys hands but the defense was too much as McNeese went on to win 37-0.

McNeese travels to Nicholls State to take on the Colonels at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

UTEP 27
UIW 17

Three turnovers were the main difference in this game as the Cardinals of UIW played a strong game against their FBS opponent UTEP. The game was back and forth with the Miners finally coming out on top in the fourth quarter. UIW amassed 414 yards of offense with 285 passing yards. UIW QB Brittain threw 18 of 38 passes and ran for another 73 yards giving him 358 yard of offense. The defense also got 7 tackles for loss but it was UTEPs defense that made critical stops to hold off the Cardinals.

UIW hosts Northwestern State Saturday at 2 p.m.

Colorado 48
Nicholls 0

The Buffaloes of Colorado were just too much for the Colonels as this game was never in doubt. Colorado scored on its first 3 possessions to take a 21-0 lead and never looked back. Nicholls QB Figaro threw for just 40 yards and the team ran for 126 yards. The Colonels fall to 0-3 and will hope to rebound this week at home.

Nicholls hosts McNeese State this week for homecoming.

The Good: UIW proved it could hang with an FBS team showing the rest of the SLC they are a team to watch out for this year.

The Bad: Undefeated conference team ACU will not be eligible for a conference championship or post season play… reminds me of what happened to UCA in 2008.

The Ugly: Both NWST an SFA are 0-4 this year and have to win out to possibly make the post season consideration list.