UCABEAR (AnyGivenSaturday.com), SLC Contributor | October 15, 2015
Southland Preview for games on Oct. 17, 2015
Lamar (2-1) at NWST (0-3)
Can anyone say “Run, Kade Run!”? Lamar runningback Kade Harrington has been unstoppable this year amassing over 800 yards rushing in just 5 games. The Demons defense is second to last in stopping teams in the conference. That combination is deadly for Northwestern State.
Let’s look at how these two teams compare:
Offense: Lamar is getting 479 total YPG, 301 rushing, 178 passing.
Offense: NWST is getting 360 total YPG, 139 rushing, 221 passing.
Advantage: Lamar
Defense: Lamar is allowing 35 PPG, 325 passing YPG, and 158 rushing YPG.
Defense: NWST is allowing 43 PPG, 176 passing YPG, and 308 rushing YPG.
Advantage: Lamar
Weapons: Lamar: Kade Harrington. NWST: Ed Eagan
*If there are no injuries.
Thoughts: Lamar’s run game has been trouble for every team they’ve played. With the Demon defense having trouble stopping anyone this year, I predict a high scoring game for both teams.
Prediction: Lamar by 14.
SFA (1-3) at SLU (2-1)
Coach Conque and Lumberjack fans didn’t see this 1-5 record coming..neither did most of the Southland. Now they have to travel to play a stout Lions defense at Strawberry stadium. This doesn’t look good for Lumberjack fans.
Let’s look at how they compare:
Offense: SFA is getting 477 YPG, 201 passing and 276 rushing.
Offense: SLU is getting 407 YPG, 156 passing and 251 rushing.
Advantage: Slight edge SFA
Defense: SFA is allowing 30 PPG, 210 passing YPG, 198 rushing YPG.
Defense: SLU is allowing 23 PPG, 157 passing YPG, 174 rushing YPG.
Advantage. SLU
Thoughts: SLU’s rushing defense may be the key to victory in this game. Unless the Lumberjacks choose to air it out and are successful at it.
Prediction: SLU by 7
SHSU (3-1) at ACU (2-2)
ACU has been a team that has underachieved this year in conference games but no they have a hot Bearkat team coming to their house looking for a win. Sam Houston is a team on a roll and racking up monster yards on offense.
Let’s look at how these two teams compare:
Offense: SHSU is getting 578 YPG, 346 passing, and 231 rushing.
Offense: ACU is getting 368 YPG, 249 passing and 118 rushing.
Advantage: SHSU
Defense: SHSU is allowing 25 PPG, 140 passing and 230 rushing.
Defense: ACU is allowing 35 PPG, 171 passing and 293 rushing.
Advantage: SHSU
Thoughts: Looking at the stats above it appears SHSU has a big advantage over ACU in this game.
Prediction: Sam Houston overwhelms the Wildcats by scoring in bunches. SHSU by 21.
HBU (0-3) at Nicholls (0-3)
Battle of the defeateds part 2. Neither of these teams have shown serious contention in this conference this year. HBU in its second year of football has struggled the most but has come up with 2 wins this year while the defenseless Nicholls Colonels are 0-5.
Let’s compare the two teams:
Offense: Points per game: Nicholls 14 HBU 14. TIE
Defense: Points allowed per game: Nicholls 28, HBU 52. Advantage Nicholls.
Thoughts: Nicholls should have no problem scoring on a struggling HBU defense.
Prediction: Nicholls by 35.
McNeese (4-0) at UCA (3-0)
Battle of the UNDEFEATEDS! Game of the week in the SLC. Winner gets sole possession of first place in the Southland.
Both teams are playing great defense and scoring points in bunches.
Let’s look at the stats for these two teams.
Offense: UCA is scoring 45 PPG while McNeese is only allowing 9 PPG.
Offense: McNeese is scoring 32 PPG while UCA is only allowing 14 PPG.
Offense: Both passing and rushing offenses are about equal when totaled.
Advantage: Unknown. UCA has played many back up players in its first three games allowing other teams to score on the Bears a few times. IF the same is true for McNeese this could be a low scoring game.
Defense: UCA is allowing 307 YPG while McNeese is allowing 275 YPG.
Defense: UCA has allowed 1 sack while McNeese has allowed 4.
Defense: UCA has 14 sacks in 3 games while McNeese has 18 sacks in 4 games.
Advantage: TIE.
Thoughts: This will be a battle of two evenly matched teams. I believe the team with the most confidence in themselves will win this one. It’s a home game for UCA so only 1 game is lost on the stripes average per year. Will this be the one?
Prediction: McNeese by 3.