MVFC Preview 2015.2

MVFC Week 2 Preview

Chad Lenz & JT Nutt, MVFC  Contributors | September 11, 2015

 

Chad says-

 

WIU @ ILLINOIS

Lance Lenoir Jr leads the Leathernecks into Memorial Stadium coming of a conference player of the week honor. He’s going to need a fair amount of help to walk out with a win. Illinois looks like a mess from the outside, with Tim Beckman being fired just 2 weeks ago, but it didn’t seem to phase them last week. Based on what I saw from both last week the Leathernecks have a chance, but they are going to get a career day from Lenoir and hope Illinois gives them a couple turnovers to work with.

 

EWU @ UNI

This Eagles team is going to be the best offense to ever take to Stan Sheriff Field inside the UNIDome. UNI has the defense to keep EWU out of the end zone enough to give a normal offense a shot. Based the abomination that took place in Jack Trice last weekend, where 3 quarterbacks saw the field and the special teams looked like they had never seen a football before, I have no reason to believe the defense will get any help. Sadly, I think this gets ugly in a hurry.

 

Weber State @ NDSU

Last season Weber State gave a Bison team with significantly fewer holes than this years edition all they could handle. This years Bison team will be without AGS All American left guard Zack Johnson, who is out with a broken leg, and Carson Wentz, who will be out for a couple weeks with a high ankle sprain. They should get CJ Smith back to sure the secondary up a bit, and I expect a focused Bison team taking the field. I think we see a final similar to last years score of 24-7.

 

Southern Utah @ SDSU

SDSU is going to need to avoid a let down after picking up their first FBS scalp in program history. They may have lost Zach Zenner and Austin Sumner, but Zach Lujan and Issac Wallace looked the part and had numbers almost identical to those we’d have expected from Sumner and Zenner. If Southern Utah’s game against Utah State is a true indicator of what to expect from them moving forward this game could get ugly. The Thunderbirds showed very little signs of life on offense. That could lead to SDSU jumping out big early and never looking back.

 

Morgan State @ Illinois State

What better way for Illinois State to correct issues from last week than having the Bears of Morgan State roll into town. The Bears gave up 6.9 yards per carry to Air Force last week, so look for offensive coordinator Kurt Beathard work to establish Coprich and Roberson early and often. I don’t think this game ends any better for Morgan State than their 63-7 loss last weekend.

 

JT Says-

 

#21 Indiana State @ Purdue

The battle of Indiana will have Purdue vs #21 Indiana State.  Purdue opened the season with  a loss to former FCS school Marshall 41-31.  The Sycamores beat Butler 52-17 with 303 yards of rushing.  Lemonte Booker reminding fans of Shakir Bell with 137 rushing yards, 3 rushing TD’s and a 24 yard TD reception.  Indiana State with the mild upset in West Lafayette

 

Chadron State (D2) @ Missouri State

Chadron State a Div-II school that beat Missouri S & T their opening week are coming to Missouri State.  Chadron State plays the Colorado School of Mines the following week.  Even a good Div II school has no business beating a good FCS school.  Missouri State lost to Memphis 63-7 their opening week but a beat down of a Division 2 school will get the Bears back on track.

 

Robert Morris @ #16 Youngstown State

Bo Pelini nearly knocked off Pittsburgh 45-37.  Pelini will look to notch his first win over Robert Morris who lost to Dayton 27-24.  Robert Morris went 1-10 last season and will not put up much of a fight vs the #16 team in FCS.  Youngstown had over 400 yards of offense against Pittsburgh.  Look for them to get over 500 this week.

 

ORV (31) Southern Illinois @ Southeast Missouri State

Southern Illinois is back.  Southeast Missouri State lost 34-3 to Missouri only managing to put up 201 yards of offense including 56 passing yards.  Southern Illinois certainly didn’t play in a defensive struggle with Indiana but will be too much for the Redhawks to handle.  SIU runs away with it.

 

South Dakota @ UC-Davis

South Dakota looks the right the ship against UC Davis after being shutout 34-0 by K State. mustering only 61 yards of rushing.  South Dakota won 2 games (William & Penn and Northern Arizona) last year, neither team the caliber of UC-Davis.  UC-Davis lost to Nevada 31-17.  UC Davis QB Ben Scott was 32-47 for 238 yards 1 TD, no picks.  The K-State running game beat South Dakota but it will be the UC Davis passing game that beats them this week.

 

TIME (CDT) MATCHUP TV
11:00 AM ORV (26) Western Illinois @ Illinois Big Ten Network
11:00 AM #21 Indiana State @ Purdue ESPNNews
1:00 PM #9 Eastern Washington @ #19 Northern Iowa ESPN3
2:00 PM Chadron State (D2) @ Missouri State ESPN3
2:30 PM Weber State @ #4 North Dakota State ESPN3
6:00 PM Robert Morris @ #16 Youngstown State ESPN3
6:00 PM Southern Utah @ #8 South Dakota State NO TV
6:00 PM ORV (31) Southern Illinois @ Southeast Missouri State NO TV
6:30 PM Morgan State @ #5 Illinois State ESPN3
8:00 PM South Dakota @ UC-Davis NO TV

Big Sky Preview 2015.2

BSC  Week 2 Preview

Kris Kallem & Lance Berndt, BSC  Contributors | September 11, 2015

Kris Says-

Eastern Washington @ Northern Iowa

The Eagles try and get their first victory ever at the UNI Dome against 4 losses. The Panthers have switched to a no-huddle passing attack under new offensive coordinator, Joe Davis, but have not established a clear #1 at quarterback yet and they are inexperienced at wide receiver. This might be good timing for an Eastern defense that gave up over 400 yards on the ground last week against Oregon. The good news for the Eagles is that quarterbacks Jordan West and Reilly Hennessey appear more than capable in replacing Vernon Adams.

 

Weber State @ North Dakota State

The Bison defense struggled against Montana, and Weber State might just be what the doctor ordered. The Wildcats managed just 9 first downs and 178 total yards in their loss against Oregon State last week.

 

Portland State at Idaho State

With the Viking’s upset of Washington State, this has suddenly become a huge matchup. The Bengals have playoff hopes and a slim margin for error as they face two FBS opponents as well as Cal Poly, both Montana’s, and Eastern Washington. Portland State needs to prove their win against lowly Wazzu was not a fluke.

 

New Mexico Highlands @ Northern Arizona

The Lumberjacks are coming off a big road victory against Stephen F. Austin and look to build more confidence for new quarterback Case Cookus against the Division II Cowboys.

 

South Dakota @ UC Davis

The Yotes are coming off a shut out loss to Kansas State. Davis on the other hand, played reasonably well against Nevada in their opener. These are two teams without much success of late and this will be one of their better opportunities for a win this season.

 

Lance says-

Sacramento State @ FBS Washington

The competition for the Hornets will be a lot tougher against the Huskies. Quarterback Daniel Kniffin will lead the team into Husky Stadium, but should struggle against a very strong Washington defense that held Boise State to just 16 points this past week.

 

Drake @ (ORV) North Dakota

While this should be an easy win for UND, this could be a potential trap game with teams from the Pioneer Football league winning a couple of non-conference FCS games last weekend. Drake is sure to be in the top tier of the PFL this season led by RB Conley Wilkins and senior QB Andy Rice. North Dakota does have the definite advantage in this game and it will be interesting to see how they respond to their big win and with playing their first game in front of their home fans. Look for Will Ratelle and the UND defense to shut down Drake in this game.

 

Southern Utah @ (#8) South Dakota State

The T-Birds nearly picked off Utah State last week, but will face an opponent who was able to pull off their own FBS win. With South Dakota State coming off a very impressive win against Kansas, they will look to move to 2-0 with a win in their home opener against Southern Utah. James Cowser and company may have something different to say though as they look to improve on a very successful defensive performance in their first outing. The Jackrabbits could very well run away with this one, but if the Thunderbirds can step up the defense early, they may have a chance to go toe-to-toe with their highly ranked opponents.

 

Northern Colorado @ Houston Baptist

It’s hard to guess how this game will go with Northern Colorado coming off a D-II win and Houston Baptist beating an NAIA team. Northern Colorado’s defense will need to step it up after allowing nearly 600 yards of offense. The Bears offense will be led by RB Trae Riek and QB Jonathan Newsom.

 

(#10) Cal Poly @ (ORV) FBS Arizona State

In their past 5 seasons, Arizona State has beaten their FCS opponent by an average score of 53-8. The game might be a little bit closer with Cal Poly coming into town, but it should still be a very uphill battle for the Mustangs. Chris Brown and the Cal Poly attack will need to find success on offense for long periods of time to be able to keep the fierce Sun Devil offense at bay.

 

TIME (ET) MATCHUP TV
2:00 PM Eastern Washington @ Northern Iowa
2:00 PM Sacramento State @ Washington Pac-12 Network
3:30 PM Weber State @ North Dakota State
6:00 PM Drake @ North Dakota
6:05 PM Portland State @ Idaho State
7:00 PM Southern Utah @ South Dakota State
7:00 PM New Mexico Highlands @ Northern Arizona
8:00 PM Northern Colorado @ Houston Baptist
9:00 PM South Dakota @ UC Davis
11:00 PM Cal Poly @ #15 Arizona State Pac-12 Network

SWAC Preview 2015.2

SWAC week 2 Preview

Charles Wells, SWAC Contributor | September 10, 2015

Thursday, September 10

SOUTHERN AT MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE
Thursday • September 10 • 6:30 p.m. CST
Rice-Totten Stadium (10,000) • Itta Bena, Miss.
TV: ESPNU/ESPN 3
Series: Southern leads, 36-9
Last Meeting: November 15, 2014
Southern 44, Mississippi Valley State 13

Two teams that got blown out in two different manners that kind of mirror the direction of both teams. Southern will bombarded thru the air by Louisiana Tech, but was able to have a few explosive plays. MVSU never crossed the 50 yard line as New Mexico set a school rushing record. These teams meet in the Delta on Thursday night where strange things can happen. Southern will be led by their offense. QB Austin Howard is in his second year as a starter and he has lots of targets at his disposal. Lenard Tillery leads the running game. Return Specialist Willie Quinn is a threat any time he touches the ball. The defense will be as usual bend but don’t break. Valley comes into this game with questions on both sides of the ball. They have struggled to move the ball on the ground and in the air. Valley’s chances in this game hinge on forcing turnovers and hoping for some Delta Devil magic. Prediction: SU 31 MVSU 14

Saturday, September 12

TENNESSEE STATE AT JACKSON STATE
Saturday • September 12 • 6:00 p.m. CST
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (59,308) • Memphis, Tenn.
26th Annual Southern Heritage Classic presented by FedEx
TV: None
Series: Tennessee State leads, 14-9
Last Meeting: September 13, 2014 – Memphis, Tenn.
Tennessee State 35 Jackson State 7

These two teams clash again in a battle of the Big Cats. Tennessee State is coming in fresh off a victory over Alabama State in which the scored 3 4th quarter TD’s. Jackson State is off of a loss to FBS foe Middle Tennessee State. The Blue Bengals of JSU are led by their passing duo of QB LaMontez Ivy and WR Dan Williams. Tennessee State started RS Freshman QB O’Shay Ackerman-Carter last week against the Hornets, he did a good enough job to help the Big Blue win the game. JSU’s Darkside Defense will try to make the going rough for the young QB. I see the key factor in this game being JSU’s ability to run the ball to keep TSU honest. If they can do that, the JSU Tigers will win. My prediction: JSU 24 TSU 21

 

ALCORN STATE AT ALABAMA STATE
Saturday • September 12• 6:00 p.m. CST
ASU Stadium (26,500) • Montgomery, Ala.
TV: None
Series: Alabama State leads 21-20
Last Meeting: October 2, 2012 – Lorman, Miss.
Alcorn State 33, Alabama State 7

In this Battle of the ASU’s, the early SWAC East Lead is on the line. Last season this was supposed to be the brawl for it all in the East but the Braves boat-raced the Hornets on National Television. This season both teams are coming into this crucial early season game off of losses in different fashions. The Hornets lost a heartbreaker to Tennessee State when they couldn’t hold the football in the fourth quarter. The Braves were ran over by Georgia Tech. There are two keys to this game: #1 is quarterback play, against Georgia Tech, Alcorn’s John Gibbs was ineffective due to his inability to make plays on the ground or through the air due to defensive pressure. Alabama State’s QB Daniel Duhart is dealing with an ankle injury. #2 is Alcorn g continuing to grow after the loss of key coaches on both sides of the ball. I expect this to be an emotional affair, since this is Coach Jenkins’ first home game. I feel Alcorn is still the better team although this may be the SWAC’s best shot to get the Braves. Prediction: Alcorn 38 Alabama State 17
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE AT ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
Saturday • September 12 • 6:00 p.m. CST
Golden Lion Stadium (16,000) • Pine Bluff, Ark.
TV: None
Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: None

If ever there was an opportunity for a UAPB win this would be it. The Golden Lions were inconsistent in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge against South Carolina State, playing three QB’s and not having much success with either of them. Their top receiver Willie Young was held to one catch and their defense wore down. Facing the D-II Maroon Tigers could be good for what ails the Golden Lions although they are in no position to overlook any team. Morehouse blew out Edward Waters last week so they will head into Pine Bluff feeling good. I expect UAPB to get a couple early scores and hold on to win. Prediction: UAPB 27 Morehouse 20

 

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT TEXAS STATE
Saturday • September 12 • 6:00 p.m. CST
Bobcat Stadium (30,000) • San Marcos, Texas
TV: ESPN 3 Watch ESPN
Series: Texas State leads, 11-2
Last Meeting: September 7, 2013 – San Marcos, Texas
Texas State 28 Prairie View 3

The Willie Simmons era got off to a great start for the Panthers as they knocked off Texas Southern in the Labor Day Classic. This week they take a step up in competition facing the FBS Bobcats. Texas State is looking to rebound from an opening season loss. The Panthers defense will be tested by the Texas State running game led by QB Tyler Jones. PVU brings an offense led by a two headed RB combo (Courtney Brown and Johnta Hebert) into San Marcos. QB Trey Green was a pleasant surprise for the Panthers as he won the SWAC offensive player of the week in his first start. This should be a high scoring game as both teams should move the ball. In the end the Bobcats will be too much. Prediction: TSU 52 PVU 28

 

TEXAS SOUTHERN VS BACONE COLLEGE
Saturday • September 12 • 7:00 p.m. CST
BBVA Compass Stadium (22,000) • Houston, Texas
TV: None
Series: First Meeting
Last Meeting: None

Where to start, first off who is Bacone you ask? The Warriors are an NAIA school from Muskogee, Oklahoma and the lost their last game to Lamar 66-3. This should be Texas Southern’s first win of the season as the Tigers look to rebound from a disappointing effort against PVU on Saturday. Some believe that coach Asberry is on the hot seat and although it should be a win, games like this don’t quell the flames. The Tigers should have an offensive explosion especially if top receivers Derrick Griffin and Malik Cross can make plays. The defense will be stout in this one for TSU. Bacone will take their second Texas beating in consecutive weeks. Not much else I can say about this one. Prediction: TSU 63 Bacone 7

 

BETHUNE-COOKMAN AT GRAMBLING STATE
Saturday • September 12 • 6:00 p.m. CST
Eddie Robinson Stadium (19,600) • Grambling, La.
TV: None
Series: Grambling State leads 12-2
Last Meeting: September 13, 2014 – Daytona Beach, Fla.
Bethune-Cookman 36 Grambling State 23

Last year this game was sort of coming out party for the G-Men, even though they came up short on the scoreboard. Both teams are coming off of FBS losses, BCU went down to Miami, FL and Cal knocked off Grambling. First year BCU coach Terry Sims will look to make a statement on the road and Grambling’s Brodrick Fobbs is seeking to prove that the Tigers are top in the SWAC. To me this should have been the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. This should be an entertaining game, I feel GSU’s Johnathan Williams will not be plagued by the INT bug as he was against Cal. The key in this game is simple, the run game: BCU will want to run the ball, can Grambling stop them. For Grambling has a running game developed? After a 112 yard effort from Martez Carter, does this mean the Tigers have a new weapon? This could easily be the game of the week. Prediction: GSU 26 BCU 21

TSOTN Week 2

National Notes Week 2

Kevin Marshall, National Contributor | September 10, 2015

 

The Review

The State of the Nation in FCS this week was pretty dynamic, tumultuous, and any other $3 word we can use to describe the unstable nature of thinking you know something about the FCS landscape.

The AnyGivenSaturday.com Top 25 Poll, the most accurate and dependable  poll in all of the Football Championship Subdivision, has a new number  one team after week zero and week one action. The Jacksonville State  Gamecocks, of the Ohio Valley Conference, jumped from #9 to #1 over several other  teams on the strength of the Cocks 23-20 road victory over the defending  Southern Conference Champion Chattanooga Mocs.  Jacksonville State will  face FBS #6 the Auburn Tigers this Saturday. A strong case could have  been made for several other teams to claim the top spot in the poll.  Coastal Carolina, Sam Houston State, and Villanova could have just as  easily been number 1. Early season ranking is TOUGH! Thankfully in the  FCS we have a 24 team playoff and our National Champion will be the last  team to win a football game.

Game Balls go out to Portland State, North Dakota, Fordham, and South  Dakota State for claiming FBS scalps with their upset wins over ‘The Big  Boys’ last week. Let the FBS Schools continue to whine and cry about  not wanting to schedule teams from our Subdivision while they are losing  some of those games!

 

The Preview

Fordham @ Villanova

Fordham is riding high after their victory over West Point at Michie  Stadium last week and Villanova is coming in after a close and hard  fought loss to UConn. Three of the best of the FCS will be on display in  this one. Chase Edmonds of Fordham, last years Jerry Rice Award Winner,  and Villanova’s Qb John Robertson and LB Don Cherry. Robertson won the  Walter Payton Award one season ago and Cherry is a leading candidate for  the Buck Buchanan Award this season. All three are worth price of  admission separately and seeing all three on the same field should be  quite a show.

Eastern Washington @ Northern Iowa

The Eagles of Eastern Washington and the Panthers of Northern Iowa are  two traditional powers in the FCS. The Eagles played with and gave  Oregon, of the FBS, all they wanted plus some last week while the  Panthers were very disappointed in their performance at FBS Iowa State.  Both of these teams know how important this game is as neither wants to  be 0-2 with an uphill sled to a Playoff Berth. It’s difficult to say  that any game, not against a rival that is, is a must win game in week  two but this one is as close as can be for both ball clubs. Eagle WR  Cooper Kupp will again be the best player on the field just as he was  one week ago at Oregon and the Panthers will have a tough time  containing him much less stopping him. Northern Iowa must be much more  fundamentally sound this week to avoid another loss. Their blocking and  tackling was poor against the Cyclones and a repeat of that type of  performance will get them the same result.

Western Carolina @ The Citadel

The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, will host the  Western Carolina Catamounts at General Johnson Hagood Stadium in the  first Southern Conference Game of the 2015 Season. Both teams are coming  off impressive games against lesser competition last week. The  Catamounts defeated Mars Hill, a Division II team, and the Bulldogs  whipped former Southern Conference member Davidson 69-0. In last years  game at Cullowhee, NC the Catamounts rolled up over 600 yards of total  offense and won the game by two scores. The Citadel turned the ball over  4 times inside the Catamount 30 including a strip at the one yard line  after a 53 yard run. Two opposing styles will be on display. The  Catamount spread offense passing attack and The Citadel’s triple option.  Whomever plays the most defense will win this one in beautiful  Charleston, South Carolina.

 

South Carolina State @ Coastal Carolina

SC  State Head Coach Buddy Pough has one of his better teams in the last  several years in 2015. Coastal Carolina has become a yearly playoff  participant and this one will be a match-up where SC State’s strength,  rushing the football, is Coastal’s weakness. The Furman Paladins ran the  ball exceptionally well against the Chanticleers last week in a 38-35  victory for Coastal. State is better defensively than the Paladins and  should be able to control the ball on offense and keep Coastal from  turning the game into a shootout. Looking forward to a hard fought game  in Conway, SC.

 

The Interview

The FCS Wedge is very happy  to welcome East Tennessee State University Head Coach Carl Torbush to  the program this week. I had the chance to speak with Coach Torbush  last week and discuss the Buccaneers restarting their football program  after a 12 year hiatus. Y’all will want to tune in to hear what this  veteran coach has to say.

 

The Purview

Fordham @ Villanova

Fordham will be tough but I’ll take the Villanova Wildcats at home 28-17.

Eastern Washington @ Northern Iowa

All Eagles in this one as their offense is too much for the Panthers. EWU 34-24.

Western Carolina @ The Citadel

The  football playing members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets will use  their ball control triple option offense and an improved defense to  stifle the Catamounts and win the first Southern Conference game of the  2015 season. The Citadel 31 WCU 20.

South Carolina State @ Coastal Carolina

I like SC  State in this one on the strength of their running game and defense.  Coastal will be very tough but I think SC State will be a bit tougher.  SC State 24 CCU 21.

Big Sky Review 2015.1

BSC  Week 1 Review

Lance Berndt & Kris Kallem, BSC  Contributors | September 8, 2015

Lance says-

#23 Portland State 24, FBS Washington State 17

The Vikings were picked to finish in the bottom fourth of the conference, but they may be turning a lot of heads in the Big Sky with this win. Anytime a team can hold a Mike Leach offense under 20 points, praise deserves to be handed out. The final game winning drive showcased PSU’s desire to run the ball with David Jones, Alex Kuresa, Paris Penn, and Steven Long all having significant carries. Aaron Sibley stamped the win for Portland State with an interception ending Wazzu’s final drive.

(ORV) North Dakota 24, FBS Wyoming 13

Many of us in the Big Sky knew North Dakota had a strong defense, but we didn’t know it was that good. UND shut out Wyoming for 3 quarters and held the Cowboys to just 41 rushing yards. When Bubba Schweigert took the head coaching job last season, he promised he would reignite UND’s rushing attack. They made that clear rushing for 276 yards, which helped them control the time of possession holding the ball for over 37 minutes. Freshman John Santiago led the rushing attack with 148 yards and 2 touchdowns on 24 carries.

(ORV) Northern Arizona 34, Stephen F. Austin 28

Now I’ll have to admit, this game surprised me just a little bit. Not necessarily with NAU winning, but rather them winning with very strong offensive numbers. Casey Jahn led a strong rushing attack with 157 yards on 21 carries, but the real story was the connection that developed between true freshman QB Case Cookus and sophomore receiver Emmanuel Butler. Cookus finished the game with 267 yards through the air, while Butler caught 7 passes for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns.

#10 Cal Poly 20, #8 Montana 19

The week of surprise performances in the Big Sky was capped off by Cal Poly’s impressive win at Washington-Grizzly stadium. The Mustangs held Brady Gustafson and the Montana offense in check by simple containment. The Griz were able to pick up short gains and the occasional 15+ yard reception, but anytime they slipped up just slightly, the Cal Poly D was there to capitalize hauling in 3 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery. Chris Brown and the Cal Poly option attack helped control the time of possession throughout the game and utilized patience in gaining the yards they needed on their key final drive which resulted in Alex Vega kicking an impressive game-winning 49 yard field goal. Mustang defensive back B.J. Nard came away with all 3 interceptions, while Griz linebacker Kendrick Van Ackeren led the team with 20 total tackles.

 

Kris Says-

Northern Colorado 42 Western State 34

Northern Colorado gave up 587 yards to the Division II Mountaineers including 285 on the ground but managed to avoid the embarrassing loss.

# 22 Idaho State 55 Black Hills State 0

Transfer quarterback Michael Sanders had a very efficient debut for the Bengals going 15-18 for 278 yards and five touchdowns. Junior running back Jakori Ford out-shined last season’s big sky rushing champion Xavier Finney with 201 yards on the ground. Idaho state was also solid on defense giving up just 155 yards.

Oregon 61 #9 Eastern Washington 42

Eastern lost the turnover battle and the defense got gashed as expected but 42 points were the most put on Oregon in Autzen Stadium since USC’s 51 back in 2012. The Eagles kept things respectable with quarterbacks Jordan West and Reilly Hennessey combining for 438 yards and 5 touchdowns. Wide Receiver Cooper Kupp was outstanding, setting stadium records for receptions with 15 and yards with 246.

Sacramento State 41 Eastern Oregon 20

The Hornets played solid on both sides of the ball led by Darnell Sankey’s 11 tackles, and a two touchdown, 296 yard throwing performance by new quarterback Daniel Kniffin.

 

Big Sky Conference Players of the Week

Offensive Player Of The Week – Cooper Kupp & Emmanuel Butler 

Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp and Northern Arizona wide receiver Emmanuel Butler shared the honors. Kupp set personal and Autzen Stadium records of 15 receptions for 246 yards to go along with 2 touchdowns. Butler caught 7 balls for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns against Stephen F. Austin.

Defensive Player Of The Week – Aaron Sibley

Portland State’s corner Aaron Sibley tallied 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, a broke up pass, a blocked field goal, and the game clinching interception.

Special Teams Player of the Week – Alex Vega

Cal Poly’s Alex Vega who’s 49 yard field goal was the game winner against the Griz.

MVFC Review 2015.1

MVFC Week 1 Review

Chad Lenz & JT Nutt, MVFC  Contributors | September 8, 2015

Chad says-

(ORV) Western Illinois 33, #25 Eastern Illinois 5

I mentioned last week that if the Leathernecks back 7 could get production they would have success, and they did just that as Brett Taylor nabbed a pick 6 and was joined by Eddy Holtschlag and Timothy Smith as Leathernecks picking off EIU QB Jalen Whitlow. Lance Lenoir Jr. continued to show that last season was just the tip of the iceberg for him. He racked up 280 all purpose yards, 124 receiving and 156 on kick returns, to pace the Western Illinois offense. He was clearly the main target for quarterback, Trenton Norvell, as Lenoir caught 10 of Norvell’s 18 completes for 124 of the 189 passing yards. For success to be sustained on offense the Leathernecks are going to need to find a consistent #2 wide receiver, and running back replacement for J.C. Baker. Freshman Steve McShane paced the Leathernecks with 52 yards on 14 carries, while junior Devon Moore managed just 33 yards on 23 carries, though he did have 2 touchdowns.

#2 Illinois State 14, Iowa 31

Last week J.T., and myself, agreed that the key for the Redbirds was winning the line of scrimmage against a program known for big hosses up front. They failed to do so and were punished for it. At one point in the second quarter over 30% Illinois State’s plays had been for negative yards. AGS All American running back Marshaun Coprich was held to just 32 yards on 13 carries (2.5 ypc) and a long of just 7. That is unlike the Redbird rushing game, as-a-matter-of-fact, the Redbirds averaged just 1.3 yards per carry as a team and surrendered 5 sacks. The defense wasn’t much more successful. The Hawkeyes piled up 210 yards rushing, on 4.8 yards per carry, and managed 221 yard through the air. The lone bright spot for the Redbirds might be back up Jake Kolbe’s performance in the 4th quarter. He went 11-15 for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns. While that did take place against Iowa’s second and third teamers, it showed the potential for explosiveness from last year remains.

#19 Indiana State 52, Butler 17

Indiana State is looking to replace one of the best quarterbacks in program history, Mike Perish, and their plan to do so might be a potent run game. Last season the Indiana State struggled to get anything going on the ground, but a semi-new look offense piled up 303 yards on the ground at 8.9 yards per carry and 5 rushing touchdowns. LeMonte Booker made a case for being the man in the backfield rushing for 137 yards on 11 carries and scoring 3 touchdowns. The rushing numbers likely needs to be taken with a grain, or a tablespoon, of salt as Butler isn’t known as a powerhouse program. Potentially concerning for the Sycamores is the defense giving up nearly 4 yards per carry, 4.5 yards per play, and 33 minutes of possession, up to the Bulldogs. Look for a renewed focus on defense from Indiana State this coming week.

Missouri State 7, Memphis 63

The Dave Steckel era in Springfield is off to a rough start as the Bears fell behind 49-0 just 5 minutes into the second quarter. Offensively the bears managed just 18 yards rushing and 105 yards passing. I wish I had more to say about this game, but the score and first 20 minutes of the game say it all. On the plus side for the Bears, things can only get better as they break in the new coaching staff.

South Dakota – 0, Kansas State – 34

Kansas State senior Morgan Burns ran the opening kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown to set the tone early. The South Dakota defense did step up and hold Kansas State off the board the remainder of the first quarter. Just 1:30 into the second quarter Kansas State broke the seal and never looked back. South Dakota QB Ryan Saeger had a better night passing than I would have predicted, throwing for 205 yards, but got no help from his running game as they averaged just 1.7 yards per carry and had none of the 5 players who registered a carry break 20 yards rushing. The plus side of the Yotes is the defense. They may have given up up 34 points for the game, but they looked the part. Had the offense given them a bit of support the score could have been significantly closer.

 

JT Says-

#8  South Dakota State Jackrabbits (1-0) 41, Kansas Jayhawks (0-1) 38

South Dakota State wins their first FBS game over Kansas.  3 years in a row that a Missouri Valley Conference team opens its season with a win over the Big 12.  Zach Lujan lead the Jackrabbits with 3 TD’s on 293 yards passing.  Jake Wieneke had 160 receiving yards and 2 TD’s and he’s only a sophomore.  The Jackrabbits lead wire to wire jumping out to a 10-0 lead before giving up a kick return in the first quarter.  They never trailed, Kansas made it interesting late.

#16  Youngstown State Penguins (0-1) 37, Pittsburgh Panthers (1-0) 45

It took Youngstown State almost a half to score a TD.  They settled for field goals early, got a defensive TD just before halftime and fell 45-37 to Pittsburgh.  If you want to win on the road over an FBS team, you have to get 7, not 3.  Jody Webb was a bright spot rushing for 2 TD’s and 127 yards and 2 receptions for 21 yards.  They gave up 458 yards in a losing effort.

ORV  Southern Illinois Salukis (0-1) 47, Indiana Hoosiers (1-0) 48

Southern Illinois.  The abbreviation is So Ill and they were SO CLOSE.  Late in the game they let Jordan Howard waltz in for an untouched rushing TD with 58 seconds left.  They drove down the field with a beautiful 25 yard strike from Mark Iannotti to Jimmy Jones with 18 seconds left.  The 2 point conversion failed and the Hoosiers escape 48-47 in a game SIU really should have won.  The Salukis are BACK and will make noise in the Missouri Valley.  Mark Iannotti 411 yards and 4 TD’s in an inspired effort.

#19 UNI Panthers (0-1) 7, Iowa State Cyclones (1-0) 31

As good as Southern Illinois looked, UNI did not.  UNI’s defense showed up but the offense sputtered and the special teams was a no show.  The Special Teams left the defense in a short field.  The D never gave up for UNI and looks just as strong as last year.  The offense…well…it looked like the offense from 2 years ago when UNI missed the playoffs.  UNI’s first play of the game was a delay of game.  That’s how the night went.  Too many mistakes, too undisciplined, too many penalties.  Aaron Bailey transferred from Illinois and started but lacked the consistency needed for a starting QB getting sacked 5 times.  UNI has more questions after the game than they did coming into it.  Who’s the starting QB?  We’ll find out next week.

SWAC Review 2015.1

SWAC Week 1 Review:

Charles Wells, SWAC Contributor | September 8, 2015

 

SWAC football got off to a rough but predictable start as teams stepped up to play FBS competition. Here are the recaps of the week’s action:

 

Thursday, September 3

Georgia Tech 69, Alcorn State 6

The Braves headed to the ATL to face the ACC favorite Yellow Jackets, things got off to a rough start immediately for the Braves as they surrendered 34 points in the first quarter and 48 in the half while also struggling to generate anything offensively. John Gibbs Jr. completed 8-of-22 passes for 106 and an interception. He also led the team in rushing carrying the ball seven times for 51 yards. Darryan Ragsdale was held to 50 yards on 11 attempts. The Tech Defense kept the Braves off balance all night, in their first game without Offensive Coordinator Willie Simmons.

Alcorn gave up 553 yards of total offense with 476 coming on the ground. Tech scored on its first seven possessions. Defensively, Alcorn was led by Damon Watkins who finished with 12 tackles. Darien Anderson totaled 12 while Darien McNair registered the only sack. On the plus side this will be the best team Alcorn faces this season and they will be able to work the kinks out during SWAC play.

 

Saturday, September 5

California 73, Grambling State 14

The Tigers went west to Cali to face the Golden Bears, things did not go well for them. Grambling State threw two interceptions for scores and surrendered three first half touchdowns. Last year lack of pass rush and inconsistent coverage in the secondary were issues for the Tigers, on Saturday the Bears exploited those weaknesses. Cal’s Jared Goff connected with Kenny Lawler three times for scores as the Tigers found themselves trailing 52-0 at halftime

Johnathan Williams threw four interceptions in the first half but there were a couple bright spots: Martez Carter scored on a 90-yard run in the fourth quarter and Nicholas Peoples added two interceptions for the Tigers. GSU forced two turnovers on the Golden Bears first three drives with a deflected pass by thrown by Goff and a fumble near the goal line by Vic Enwere.

Williams threw as many interceptions as completed passes in the first quarter. GSU’s Guy Stallworth led both teams in tackles with 10. Nicholas Peoples finished with nine stops and a pair of interceptions for the Tigers.

Middle Tennessee State 70, Jackson State 14

Jackson State came out firing but didn’t have enough as the Blue Riders took care of business. LaMontiez Ivy threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns but Jackson State still dropped it season opener at Middle Tennessee State 70-14 Saturday night.

JSU’s Dan Williams, continues to be Ivy’s go to guy, leading all receivers with 7 receptions for 130 yards. Stacy Noble totaled 13 tackles with 11 of them solo stops. Brent Stockstill threw four touchdowns for Middle Tennessee, he was 23 of 29 for 336 yards. Jeremiah Bryson rushed for two scores and Jordan Parker and Ruben Garnett each ran for a touchdown. A 75 yard interception return by D.J. Sanders closed out the scoring for Middle Tennessee. The Tigers trailed by 21 and with no time remaining before the break, Howard returned a blocked JSU field goal 63 yards for another score and the Blue Raiders had a 42-14 halftime advantage.

New Mexico 66, Mississippi Valley State 0

The Delta Devils traveled to Albuquerque to face the Lobos and the outcome was not pretty. Mississippi Valley State allowed New Mexico to tie a school and Mountain West Conference record for rushing touchdowns with eight in a season-opening 66-0 defeat Saturday night.

The Delta Devils struggled offensively finishing the game with only 74 yards of total offense. MVSU never crossed midfield on the night. They didn’t get past their own 40 in the first half and the deepest penetration came on its final possession when it reached their own 42.

Lobos quarterback Lamar Jordan completed all seven of his passes for 103 yards and added 62 rushing yards and the game’s first touchdown. Thomas Stokes Jr. led the Delta Devils with 40 yards on 13 carries, but overall they finished with 26 rushing yards on 40 carries. Of all the blowouts on Saturday this was easily the worst.

Cincinnati 52, Alabama A&M 10

Alabama A&M fell at Cincinnati in front of an on-campus record crowd of the newly renovated Nippert Stadium 52-10 Saturday night. The Bulldogs were competitive early. Gunner Kiel led the Bearcats on an 8-play, 58-yard touchdown drive that began with a 20-yard pass to Shaq Washington and ended with Johnny Holton catching a 6-yard TD pass. The Bulldogs would respond with a forced fumble and blocked punt which led to a a five play drive with DeWayne Ballard hitting Tevin McKenzie on a 12-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 7-7 with 5:55 to play in the first quarter.

Kiel and the Bearcats were too much as they pulled ahead 35-7 at halftime. He went 18 of 22 for 233 yards. AAMU  didn’t score again until the 5:15 mark of the fourth quarter when Cesar Diaz-Ramon kicked a 28-yard field goal. By then, UC had scored 45 unanswered points. Bryan Bower rushed the ball 19 times for 61 yards for AAMU.

Louisiana Tech 62 Southern 15

After a 12 minute delay, the Bulldogs only needed less than 10 minutes to score the first 17 points and had touchdowns covering 55, 45, 22, 27, 58 and 65 yards in rolling to a 44-point halftime lead.

Jeff Driskel made his first start after transferring from Florida; he threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score. Kenny Dixon scored on a 55-yard pass play and a 65-yard run; he finished with 171 total yards.

Southern’s only points came on a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from Willie Quinn and a 1-yard TD run by Lenard Tillery. Danny Johnson had two interceptions for the Jags. Austin Howard completed 9 of 17 passes for just 66 yards as the Bulldogs swarmed Jaguars receivers. The Jaguars’ best sequence was an 85-yard drive that ended with Tillery’s touchdown in the third quarter. The Jags are considered a contender in the West, they will have to rebound from this game and continue to develop.

Prairie View 38, Texas Southern 11

The Tigers and Panthers faced off in the Labor Day Classic, the Panthers gave the SWAC their only win of the weekend. Trey Green ran for two touchdowns and threw for a third. The victory made Willie Simmons a winner in his debut as head coach of the Panthers. Simmons served as Alcorn State’s offensive coordinator last season.

Green ran 80 yards for his first score in the opening minutes of the game and the Panthers held a 10-3 lead at halftime. He scored from the two yard line early in the third quarter and Johnta Hebert added an 11-yard run for a score to give PVAMU a 24-3 lead after three quarters.

After Green threw 11 yards to Nick Pitre for a 7-yard score to make it 31-3. The Tigers struggled to get offense going all game long. Averion Hurts got Texas Southern into the end zone with a 5-yard toss to Larry Clark III. Malik Cross hauled eight passes totaling 65 yards for TSU. Courtney Brown (returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss all 2014), Green and Hebert combined for 224 yards on the ground for the Panthers.

 

Sunday, September 6

South Carolina State 35, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 7

UAPB  was plagued with turnovers and a sluggish third quarter Sunday evening at the 11th Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge falling to South Carolina State 35-7 at the Florida Citrus Bowl. The MEAC has owned this game winning 9 out of 11 meetings. Both teams combined for eight turnovers with UAPB throwing three interceptions in a game that started two hours late due to lightning delays.

The Golden Lions struggled on offense with the team playing three different quarterbacks. Collectively, they were 6-of-29 for 38 yards passing. Last season’s leading receiver in Willie Young has held to one catch and nine yards receiving. Brian Handley, who carried the ball 11 times for 51 yards was named MVP for the Golden Lions. Javon Hargraves earned MVP honors for the Bulldogs. He ended the game with 7 tackles including three sacks.

S.C. State, who led 7-0 at halftime rushed for one score, returned an interception for a touchdown along with an 18-yard scamper all in the third quarter opening up a 28-7 lead heading into the fourth. The Golden Lions only score came on a Draylon Willis 20 yard run in the third.UAPB surrendered 336 yards of total offense and was held to 191 yards.

Tennessee State 24, Alabama State 14

The Brian Jenkins era got off to a rough start as Alabama State gave up three fourth quarter touchdowns to squander away 14-3 lead falling to Tennessee State 24-14 in Nashville Sunday evening at Nissan Stadium. Patrick Smith, Tom Smith and Telvin Hooks scored fourth-quarter touchdowns for TSU The Tigers trailed by 11 going into the fourth quarter before Patrick Smith caught Oshay Ackerman-Carter’s 19-yard TD pass with 14:22 to go.

Latrelle Lee forced an Alabama State fumble three plays later and Javon Brandon recovered for the Tigers on the Hornets 36. Tom Smith’s 12-yard TD run gave TSU a 17-14 lead with 12:01 left. The Hornets fumbled again on the very next drive, and Hooks scored an insurance touchdown on a 5-yard run with 6:15 to play.

Daniel Duhart was 20-of-25 passing for 225 yards for the Hornets including an 82-yard TD pass to Josh Davis in the first quarter. Duhart ran for another score midway through the third that gave Alabama State a 14-3 lead.

 

Football Players of the Week: September 7

Offensive Player of the Week – Trey Green

Green accounted for three total touchdowns and 248 yards of offense in the Panthers’ 38-11 win over Texas Southern. The redshirt junior threw for 167 yards and a score, and he added 81 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground. Green’s week 1 output surpassed all of his offensive production from the 2014 season.

Defensive Player of the Week – Ahkeem Barton

Barton was a large part of Prairie View’s defensive play versus Texas Southern, as the sophomore notched five tackles (2.5 TFL) and also collected two sacks for the Panthers defense, which held Texas Southern to 291 total yards of offense in a winning effort. With his efforts, Barton has already tied his 2014 total output in the sack department.

Special Teams Player of the Week – Willie Quinn

Quinn racked up 197 return yards, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, in Southern’s loss versus Louisiana Tech. For Quinn, it was second kick return score of his career, and fifth overall return for a touchdown. It is also the longest return for Quinn in his career, surpassing a 98-yard return touchdown he notched in the 2013 season.

Newcomer of the Week –Derrick Bobo

Bobo made six stops – all solo – in Jackson State’s loss to Middle Tennessee State. For the redshirt junior, it was his first in-game action of his collegiate career after missing last year due to injury.

AGS Poll Results – WEEK 1 – 2015

After some very interesting developments over the last two weeks the AGS Poll voters showed just how dynamic the early season voting can be.  I believe this to be Jacksonville State’s first time topping the AGS Poll.  This is going to be one heck of a season.

 

This Week’s Ranking: Team: Total Points First Place Votes
1 Jacksonville State Gamecocks 1844 14
2 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 1839 17
3 Sam Houston State Bearkats 1792 20
4 North Dakota State Bison 1780 12
5 Illinois State Redbirds 1649 6
6 Villanova Wildcats 1575 3
7 Montana Grizzlies 1529
8 South Dakota State Jackrabbits 1494 2
9 Eastern Washington Eagles 1462 7
10 Cal Poly Mustangs 1136 3
11 Montana State Bobcats 1114
12 James Madison Dukes 1033
13 Liberty Flames 1025
14 Chattanooga Mocs 1017
15 New Hampshire Wildcats 865
16 Youngstown State Penguins 751
17 Fordham Rams 741
18 Southeastern Louisiana Lions 739
19 Northern Iowa Panthers 727
20 Eastern Kentucky Colonels 521
21 Indiana State Sycamores 418
22 Idaho State Bengals 335
23 Portland State Vikings 332 1
24 William & Mary Tribe 270
25 Samford Bulldogs 265
ORV:
26 Western Illinois Leathernecks 241
27 North Dakota 208
28 Harvard Crimson 155
29 Richmond Spiders 154
30 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 149
31 Southern Illinois Salukis 131
32 McNeese State Cowboys 77
33 Western Carolina Catamounts 47
34 Furman Paladins 43
35 Towson Tigers 21
36 Jacksonville Dolphins 20
37 Wofford Terriers 13
38 Holy Cross Crusaders 12
39 Tennessee State Tigers 11
40 Bryant Bulldogs 10

ICYMI – Week 1

By Brandon Lawrence

It didn’t take long for the brand new 2015-16 college football season to turn upside down and give fans a good shake-up, forcing any preconceived knowledge and logic out the window.

In fact, it all went away in the solo contest on Aug. 29 – the ground-shaking Montana upset over top-ranked North Dakota State in Missoula. It was North Dakota State’s second loss since its 2012 campaign.

Saturday’s schedule – college football’s first full slate of games – provided more storylines that suggest this FCS season will be one littered with breakout performances by both individual players and teams as a whole.

A handful of familiar names picked up right where they left off from last season in their first action of 2015. Four FCS teams took down FBS opponents on Saturday, and offenses ran wild in a number of contests. In case you missed the action in the first full week of the FCS season, here are some of the more muted headlines and stats to know:

The biggest storyline Saturday was the clash between former Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. and his current Oregon team taking on the very Eagles he left behind. Adams performed well in his debut with the reigning FBS national runners-up, passing for 246 yards and two scores, and adding another 94 yards on 14 carries.

It was clear his former teammates weren’t too keen on Adams leaving the program to play out his final year of eligibility, though, evidenced by EWU linebacker John Kreifels’s late hit to the head of a sliding Adams after a run up the middle. Kreifels was ejected from the game, and Adams was ushered to the locker room for analysis.

The former beneficiary of Adams’s success with the Eagles, receiver Cooper Kupp, showed he doesn’t care which signal caller is throwing him the ball. The junior pass catcher racked up 243 receiving yards and three touchdown snares on 15 receptions – the second most receiving yards in the FCS behind Tennessee Tech’s Brock McCoin (264 yards in Week 1). Adams and his Ducks took down Eastern Washington, 61-42.

Another Big Sky Conference program – the Idaho State Bengals – made waves on Saturday with a resounding 55-0 victory over Black Hills State. The Bengals, under the leadership of new quarterback Michael Sanders, accounted for a whopping 710 total yards of offense. Sanders, replacing 2014 Walter Payton Award finalist Justin Arias under center, was one of three FCS quarterbacks to throw five touchdown passes over the weekend.

It was Jakori Ford who got the bulk of the work running the ball for the Bengals, not senior Xavier Finney. Ford galloped for 201 yards on 24 carries, although Finney did account for a rushing score.

Idaho State was topped only by James Madison’s explosive offensive effort in the Dukes’ 56-7 win over Morehead State. Quarterback Vad Lee accounted for 402 total yards and four touchdowns as JMU amassed 713 yards offensively in the victory (347 passing yards, 366 rushing).

But when it came to running the football, no program had an easier time Saturday than The Citadel. The Bulldogs accounted for an FCS single-game high 535 yards on the ground in their 69-0 thumping of Davidson. The Citadel scored eight times using the ground attack, which included three scores from Isiaha Smith.

Speaking of strong ground games, it was déjà vu all over again for Fordham back Chase Edmonds. In his first collegiate game one year ago, Edmonds notched 300 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.

There must be something about season openers that gets Edmonds’s competitive juices flowing, because he was at the center of the action Saturday in his Rams’ 37-35 victory over FBS opponent Army. Edmonds got loose for 110 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and also led his squad in receiving with 140 yards on six receptions. His 250 all-purpose yards rank fifth among Week 1 players.

It seems like South Dakota State has temporarily put to rest questions about replacing Zach Zenner, one of the best FCS running backs of all-time. In SDSU’s 41-38 victory over Big Ten Conference member Kansas, the Jackrabbits dashed for 170 yards as a unit, led by Isaac Wallace’s 118 yards on 24 carries. He added a rushing score to his stat line.

It was Zach Lujan and Jake Wieneke that stole the show for the Jacks, though. Lujan tossed three touchdowns in the win – two of them to last season’s Jerry Rice Award runner-up for freshman of the year. Wieneke hauled in eight receptions for 160 yards and the two scores to help bury Kansas.

Finally, Central Arkansas was embarrassed by Samford in the Bulldogs’ 45-16 romp of the Southland Conference Bears. Michael Eubank passed for 372 yards and four touchdowns to lead Samford.

The mistakes were numerous for UCA, which was penalized a hefty 12 times for 183 yards, and two fumbles didn’t help the cause. The Bears held possession of the ball for 36 minutes and 30 seconds, exactly 13 minutes longer than Samford, and ran a total of 103 offensive plays – the most by any team in the FCS.

Must See Matchups – Week 1

This is a listing of good games that you need to catch if you can.  This group of must see events are put together on a weekly basis by one of our newer members on AGS.  I don’t know who this fella roots for but I’d like to say thank you to our friend RootinFerDukes for putting this together.

(AGS Poll Rank)

9/3 – (17) Southeastern Louisiana at Northwestern State 7pm (ALT2/ASN/MASN2/SLCTV)
Valparaiso at (18) Eastern Kentucky 7pm (OVC Video)
(24) Eastern Illinois at Western Illinois 7pm (ESPN3)
(4) Villanova at Connecticut 7:30pm (SNY/ESPN3)
Fort Lewis (D2) at (11) Montana State 9pm (ALT/Cowles Media/(ABC/FOX) MT)
(7) New Hampshire at San Jose State 10pm (No TV)

9/4 – (23) Fordham at Army 7pm (CBSSN)

9/5 – (2) Illinois State at Iowa 12pm (Big Ten Network)
(16) South Dakota State at Kansas 12pm (Fox Sports Net/MASN2)
(21) Richmond at Maryland 12pm (ESPNU)
(15) Youngstown State at Pittsburgh 1pm (ESPN3)
Butler at (19) Indiana State 3pm (No TV)
(3) Sam Houston State at Texas Tech 3:30pm (Fox Sports Net/MASN2)
(9) Jacksonville State at (6) Chattanooga 6pm (SoCon Video)
Morehead State at (14) James Madison 6pm (CAA.TV, Madizone Streaming: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/jmu/)
Black Hills State (D2) at (20) Idaho State 6pm (No TV)
(5) Coastal Carolina at Furman 7pm (ESPN3)
Delaware State at (13) Liberty 7pm (LFSN/Big South Video)
(8) Eastern Washington at Oregon 8pm (Pac-12 Network)
(10) Northern Iowa at Iowa State 8pm (Cyclones.tv; $)
(25) Cal Poly at (12) Montana 9pm (ALT/(Cowles Media/KSBY)/(ABC/FOX) MT)

Bye Week:
(1) North Dakota State (9/5)
(22) Harvard

Others Receiving Votes (#26-30):
9/3
Central Arkansas at Samford (29) 7pm (ESPN3)

9/5
William & Mary (28) at Lafayette 6pm (PLN Video)
Northern Arizona at Stephen F. Austin (26) 7pm (ESPN3)
Mars Hill (D2) at Western Carolina (30) 7pm (SoCon Video)
McNeese State (27) at Louisiana State 7:30pm (SEC Network)