Saturday, August 31, 2013
Jensen rallies No. 1 North Dakota State past K-State
Manhattan, KS (Sports Network) - At some point, when North Dakota State comes
knocking at the door, an FBS school will be smart not to answer it.
The two-time defending FCS national champion Bison stunned Kansas State,
24-21, Friday night - the fourth straight year in which they have defeated an
FBS opponent.
Quarterback Brock Jensen capped an 18-play drive on a 1-yard keeper with 28
seconds left to erase a 21-17 deficit and lift the Bison (1-0) before a sellout
crowd at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and a nationally televised audience.
North Dakota State hasn't lost a road game since the 2010 FCS quarterfinals.
The win was head coach Craig Bohl's 90th in 11 seasons with the Bison, leaving
him one shy of Rocky Hager's school record.
The season-opening loss was the first for Kansas State (0-1) since 1981.
Jensen, who accounted for three touchdowns, ended the game with 13 straight
completions, finishing 20-of-29 for 164 yards.
The redshirt senior engineered the game-winning drive, which went 80 yards
and clipped 8 minutes, 30 seconds off the game clock. On the touchdown, he spun
around after taking the snap and forced his way into the K-State end zone.
On Kansas State's final possession, Bison linebacker Grant Olson intercepted
Wildcats quarterback Jake Waters to put the game away.
The two-time-defending Missouri Valley Football Conference champions, who are
top-ranked in The Sports Network FCS Top 25, truly were purple people eaters in
improving to 7-3 against FCS opponents since 2006.
North Dakota State scored the game's final 17 points in pulling the upset.
The Bison trailed 21-7 in the third quarter before it cut the deficit in half
on Jensen's second touchdown pass, a 9-yarder to tight end Kevin Vaadeland with
3:43 left.
On their next possession, the Bison were seemingly pinned at their 2-yard
line, but Sam Ojuri broke off a 66-yard run on the first play. The long gain set
up Adam Keller's 41-yard field goal, which pulled the Bison within 21-17 with 12
seconds left in the quarter.
NDSU scored the game's opening touchdown after Christian Dudzik's 49-yard
punt return put the Bison at the Kansas State 23. Five plays later, Jensen
connected with Ryan Smith on a 5-yard pass across the front of the Wildcats' end
zone with 56 seconds left in the first quarter.
Walters, who is replacing Collin Klein, the third-place finisher in the
Heisman Trophy voting last December, threw a 45-youchdown pass to Tramaine
Thompson to tie the game at 7-7 with 10:13 left in the second quarter.
Kansas State took a 14-7 lead on Walters' 56-yard touchdown pass to Tyler
Lockett just 1:01 into the third quarter. Lockett got behind Bison All-America
cornerback Marcus Williams along the sideline and beat him for the go-ahead
score.
A Dante Barrett interception of Jensen on the ensuing possession then set up
a short 36-yard Kansas State scoring drive, capped by Daniel Sames' 17-yard
touchdown run with 9:58 left in the third quarter.
North Dakota State held the ball for nearly 12 more minutes than Kansas
State. Ojuri finished with 126 yards on 10 carries, helping the Bison control
the clock with 216 rushing yards.
Waters was 21-of-29 for 280 yards and two touchdowns with two
interceptions.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Stephens named women’s golf coach at Montana
Joni Stephens, who spent 12 years coaching at Eastern Kentucky University, has been named the new women's golf coach at the University of Montana. Stephens replaces Emily Milberger, who took the Fresno State job earlier this month after two years coaching the Grizzlies.
Stephens will begin her duties at Montana on Sept. 3, six days before the Grizzlies open their 2013-14 season with the Grizzly Invitational at the Missoula Country Club."I feel very honored to have this opportunity to become the women's golf coach at Montana," said Stephens, who will spend her Labor Day weekend driving nearly 2,000 miles from Richmond, Ky., to Missoula."I'm looking forward to building on what Coach Milberger did in moving the program forward and working with such a young, talented team. I feel like all the components are there to be able to develop a nationally competitive program."Stephens coached the Colonels from 1998 to 2010 and was co-owner, with her husband Pat, of Stephens Golf from 1990-2008. Pat Stephens has been the men's coach at EKU since 1997-98 and has guided the Colonels to a pair of NCAA regional appearances during his tenure.Eastern Kentucky had back-to-back second-place finishes at the Ohio Valley Conference championship in 2005 and '06 under Stephens, who was named the 2005 OVC coach of the year. EKU also had third-place finishes in 1999 and 2008.Stephens coached Brittany Klein to Ohio Valley Conference medalist honors in 2005 and produced 10 All-Ohio Valley performers and six Ohio Valley all-tournament selections. In Stephens' 12-year career, the Colonels won four tournaments and had five individual tournament champions.Eastern Kentucky won the 2005 Ohio Valley Conference Team Academic Achievement Award and three times had EKU's highest academic-year departmental team GPA.Stephens, who together with her husband has three sons between the ages of 20 and 31, stepped down from her head coaching position following the 2010 season.
"It was a time that helped me realize that I miss what I do best and what I love, which is coaching and teaching golf," she said. "It was a good hiatus for me and made me really excited about getting back."
Stephens has an undergraduate degree in physical education/dance and a master's degree in physical education, both from Eastern Kentucky. She was an instructor and coach at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky., in the early 90s and an instructor and assistant professor during her time at EKU."Teaching just runs in my family. My father, my sister, my brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins," Stephens said."What I've always loved most about teaching are those light-bulb moments when you have a student who suddenly realizes they can do something they didn't think they were capable of accomplishing. And that goes right into coaching golf."I enjoy watching the development as these young ladies come through your college program, from young girls as freshmen when they come in to women by the time they graduate as seniors."At Montana Stephens will inherit more of the former than the latter. The Grizzlies' seven-player roster for 2013-14 will have two true freshmen in Barbora Bakova, of the Czech Republic, and Amanda Kahn, of Carlsbad, Calif., plus redshirt freshman Alexa Schendelman, a transfer from Oregon State.Montana will have just two upperclassmen, senior Lindsey Reeve and junior Tara Green, though Reeve is beginning just her second year in the program after transferring from New Mexico State. Also back are sophomores Hayley Bingham and Phoebe Tan.Green led the Grizzlies last season with a season stroke average of 76.7.Montana finished eighth at the 11-team Big Sky Conference championship last spring. After opening with a round of 322, the Grizzlies improved to 307 on day two and shot a 290 on day three, the second-best round in program history."Although this team is young, it certainly has proved its ability to shoot the kind of scores that will take us to the next level," Stephens said."I've got a senior and a junior who tell me that the team dynamic is excellent and that they're very, very excited about the year ahead. I'm really looking forward to getting to know them and their games and finding out what they are capable of doing this year."
Stephens will begin her duties at Montana on Sept. 3, six days before the Grizzlies open their 2013-14 season with the Grizzly Invitational at the Missoula Country Club."I feel very honored to have this opportunity to become the women's golf coach at Montana," said Stephens, who will spend her Labor Day weekend driving nearly 2,000 miles from Richmond, Ky., to Missoula."I'm looking forward to building on what Coach Milberger did in moving the program forward and working with such a young, talented team. I feel like all the components are there to be able to develop a nationally competitive program."Stephens coached the Colonels from 1998 to 2010 and was co-owner, with her husband Pat, of Stephens Golf from 1990-2008. Pat Stephens has been the men's coach at EKU since 1997-98 and has guided the Colonels to a pair of NCAA regional appearances during his tenure.Eastern Kentucky had back-to-back second-place finishes at the Ohio Valley Conference championship in 2005 and '06 under Stephens, who was named the 2005 OVC coach of the year. EKU also had third-place finishes in 1999 and 2008.Stephens coached Brittany Klein to Ohio Valley Conference medalist honors in 2005 and produced 10 All-Ohio Valley performers and six Ohio Valley all-tournament selections. In Stephens' 12-year career, the Colonels won four tournaments and had five individual tournament champions.Eastern Kentucky won the 2005 Ohio Valley Conference Team Academic Achievement Award and three times had EKU's highest academic-year departmental team GPA.Stephens, who together with her husband has three sons between the ages of 20 and 31, stepped down from her head coaching position following the 2010 season.
 |
"It was a time that helped me realize that I miss what I do best and what I love, which is coaching and teaching golf," she said. "It was a good hiatus for me and made me really excited about getting back."
Stephens has an undergraduate degree in physical education/dance and a master's degree in physical education, both from Eastern Kentucky. She was an instructor and coach at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky., in the early 90s and an instructor and assistant professor during her time at EKU."Teaching just runs in my family. My father, my sister, my brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins," Stephens said."What I've always loved most about teaching are those light-bulb moments when you have a student who suddenly realizes they can do something they didn't think they were capable of accomplishing. And that goes right into coaching golf."I enjoy watching the development as these young ladies come through your college program, from young girls as freshmen when they come in to women by the time they graduate as seniors."At Montana Stephens will inherit more of the former than the latter. The Grizzlies' seven-player roster for 2013-14 will have two true freshmen in Barbora Bakova, of the Czech Republic, and Amanda Kahn, of Carlsbad, Calif., plus redshirt freshman Alexa Schendelman, a transfer from Oregon State.Montana will have just two upperclassmen, senior Lindsey Reeve and junior Tara Green, though Reeve is beginning just her second year in the program after transferring from New Mexico State. Also back are sophomores Hayley Bingham and Phoebe Tan.Green led the Grizzlies last season with a season stroke average of 76.7.Montana finished eighth at the 11-team Big Sky Conference championship last spring. After opening with a round of 322, the Grizzlies improved to 307 on day two and shot a 290 on day three, the second-best round in program history."Although this team is young, it certainly has proved its ability to shoot the kind of scores that will take us to the next level," Stephens said."I've got a senior and a junior who tell me that the team dynamic is excellent and that they're very, very excited about the year ahead. I'm really looking forward to getting to know them and their games and finding out what they are capable of doing this year."
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Montana-App. State Game SOLD OUT
MEDIA ALERT
MISSOULA, MONTANA — The University of Montana’s 2013 season opener against Appalachian State this Saturday, August 31, is OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT, as of early this morning (Thursday, Aug. 29).
The game between the 20th-ranked Grizzlies and 12th-ranked Mountaineers begins at 7:00 p.m. in UM’s Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
The capacity of WGS is 25,217, and the all-time attendance record is 26,210, set in last season’s Grizzly-Bobcat game.
The UM-ASU game will be televised by Max Media of Montana. It can be seen on KTMF-FOX 23 & 42 in Missoula/Kalispell; KULR-NBC 8 in Billings; KFBB-FOX 5 in Great Falls; KHBB-FOX 5 in Helena; KWYB-FOX 18 & 28 in Butte/Bozeman; and KXGN-NBC in Glendive. It is also on ESPN3.
It can be heard on its flagship radio station, KGVO-AM 1290 & 101.5 FM of Missoula, as well as on the 2013 statewide Grizzly Football Radio Network (listed below).
Anaconda/Deer Lodge: KQRV-FM 96.
Lewistown : KXLO-AM 1230/FM 106
Kalispell: KOFI-AM 1180/FM:95.3
Miles City: KMTA-AM 1050
Billings: KBLG 910 AM
Missoula: KGVO-AM 1290 & 101.5 FM
Butte: KQRV-FM 99.3
Plentywood: KATQ-AM 100.1 & 101.1 FM
Glasgow: KTTZ-AM 1240
Polson: KERR-AM 750
Glendive: KXGN-AM 1400
Ronan: KERR-FM 93.9
Great Falls: KXGF-AM 1400/98.3 FM
Shelby: KZIN-FM 96.7
Helena: KCAP-AM 1340
Sidney: KZIN-FM 96.7 & FM 95.9
The game is also available via streaming on UM’s official athletic department web site, gogriz.com.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
What they're saying
Appalachian State: A team in transition
Tommy Bowman/Winston-Salem Journal | Posted: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 9:01 pm
A lot has happened since a blocked extra-point attempt by Illinois State in the FCS playoffs ended Appalachian State’s 2012 season.
An era ended.
Jerry Moore was let go after 24 seasons as the Mountaineers’ head coach, and was replaced by former quarterback and longtime assistant Scott Satterfield.
Soon after, the Mountaineers announced a move to the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference, leaving behind a history of success at the FCS level that included three national championships.
The Mountaineers will bid farewell to the Southern Conference, of which they have been a member since 1972. They will compete in the SoCon for a final season but won’t be eligible for a conference title — which they won or shared seven times in the past eight seasons — and won’t be eligible for the playoffs, in which they competed for eight straight seasons.
But Satterfield said they will make the best of the situation. And he thinks he has a good team to do it with.
Ten starters return on offense from an 8-4 team, although top receiver Sean Price will begin the season serving a suspension for violation of team rules. And the Mountaineers will attempt to improve defensively with a switch to a 3-4 set under new coordinator Nate Woody, who joined the staff from Wofford.
"I think we have a lot of really good playmakers on offense,” Satterfield said. “I think the key for us is on defense…. We’ll be playing a lot of young players on that side of the ball. I think one of the keys is how quickly can our young players understand what we’re trying to get done on defense and understand the speed of the game that college football is played at.”
Offensively, the Mountaineers have a key returnee in senior quarterback Jamal Londry-Jackson, a Walter Payton Award candidate who passed for 3,278 yards — just 13 yards short of a program record — and 21 touchdowns last season.
Jackson feels he has perhaps the top receiving corps in the FCS with Price — when he returns — along with proven seniors Andrew Peacock and Tony Washington.
The offensive line is a veteran unit, and the lone question mark on offense is at running back with the loss of 1,300-yard rusher Steven Miller. Ricky Fergerson, who had five carries as a freshman, and freshman Marcus Cox are front-runners to fill that void.
Staff addition Frank Ponce will reunite with Satterfield, with whom he coached at Florida International, and will share offensive-coordinator duties in the fast-paced Spread offense with line coach Dwayne Ledford. Ponce will be pass-game coordinator and Ledford will oversee the running game. Satterfield will call the plays.
On defense, a veteran three-man front will be headlined by junior end Ronald Blair, and the Mountaineers’ staff believes there is much young talent in the secondary. The key might be the four-man linebacker corps, a relatively new group and one without last season’s top tacklers Jeremy Kimbrough and Brandon Grier.
The Mountaineers do feel they have the personnel to fit a 3-4 alignment, something the program experimented with in 2011 before returning to the 4-3.
"I think the versatility of a 3-4 defense will match up well against some option schemes — we play four teams that run a lot of option — but also we’ll play teams that will spread it out with no backs in the backfield and throw it all over the place and you can defend that with a 3-4,” Woody said. “What we want to have are some outside linebackers that can get pressure on the quarterback or they can drop in coverage. I think we have that.”
The Mountaineers will have to replace punter Sam Martin, a fifth-round NFL draft pick who led the SoCon with an average of 45.9 per kick — the second-highest in school history.
Tommy Bowman/Winston-Salem Journal | Posted: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 9:01 pm
A lot has happened since a blocked extra-point attempt by Illinois State in the FCS playoffs ended Appalachian State’s 2012 season.
An era ended.
Jerry Moore was let go after 24 seasons as the Mountaineers’ head coach, and was replaced by former quarterback and longtime assistant Scott Satterfield.
Soon after, the Mountaineers announced a move to the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference, leaving behind a history of success at the FCS level that included three national championships.
The Mountaineers will bid farewell to the Southern Conference, of which they have been a member since 1972. They will compete in the SoCon for a final season but won’t be eligible for a conference title — which they won or shared seven times in the past eight seasons — and won’t be eligible for the playoffs, in which they competed for eight straight seasons.
But Satterfield said they will make the best of the situation. And he thinks he has a good team to do it with.
Ten starters return on offense from an 8-4 team, although top receiver Sean Price will begin the season serving a suspension for violation of team rules. And the Mountaineers will attempt to improve defensively with a switch to a 3-4 set under new coordinator Nate Woody, who joined the staff from Wofford.
"I think we have a lot of really good playmakers on offense,” Satterfield said. “I think the key for us is on defense…. We’ll be playing a lot of young players on that side of the ball. I think one of the keys is how quickly can our young players understand what we’re trying to get done on defense and understand the speed of the game that college football is played at.”
Offensively, the Mountaineers have a key returnee in senior quarterback Jamal Londry-Jackson, a Walter Payton Award candidate who passed for 3,278 yards — just 13 yards short of a program record — and 21 touchdowns last season.
Jackson feels he has perhaps the top receiving corps in the FCS with Price — when he returns — along with proven seniors Andrew Peacock and Tony Washington.
The offensive line is a veteran unit, and the lone question mark on offense is at running back with the loss of 1,300-yard rusher Steven Miller. Ricky Fergerson, who had five carries as a freshman, and freshman Marcus Cox are front-runners to fill that void.
Staff addition Frank Ponce will reunite with Satterfield, with whom he coached at Florida International, and will share offensive-coordinator duties in the fast-paced Spread offense with line coach Dwayne Ledford. Ponce will be pass-game coordinator and Ledford will oversee the running game. Satterfield will call the plays.
On defense, a veteran three-man front will be headlined by junior end Ronald Blair, and the Mountaineers’ staff believes there is much young talent in the secondary. The key might be the four-man linebacker corps, a relatively new group and one without last season’s top tacklers Jeremy Kimbrough and Brandon Grier.
The Mountaineers do feel they have the personnel to fit a 3-4 alignment, something the program experimented with in 2011 before returning to the 4-3.
"I think the versatility of a 3-4 defense will match up well against some option schemes — we play four teams that run a lot of option — but also we’ll play teams that will spread it out with no backs in the backfield and throw it all over the place and you can defend that with a 3-4,” Woody said. “What we want to have are some outside linebackers that can get pressure on the quarterback or they can drop in coverage. I think we have that.”
The Mountaineers will have to replace punter Sam Martin, a fifth-round NFL draft pick who led the SoCon with an average of 45.9 per kick — the second-highest in school history.
The Sports Network FCS Top 25 College Football Poll
| Team (First-place votes) | 2012 Record | Points | Previous Rank | |
| 1. | North Dakota State Bison (127) | 14-1 | 3340 | 1 |
| 2. | Montana State Bobcats (1) | 11-2 | 3079 | 5 |
| 3. | Sam Houston State Bearkats (5) | 11-4 | 2941 | 2 |
| 4. | Eastern Washington Eagles | 11-3 | 2873 | 4 |
| 5. | Villanova Wildcats | 8-4 | 2334 | 15 |
| 6. | South Dakota State Jackrabbits | 9-4 | 2268 | 14 |
| 7. | Central Arkansas Bears | 9-3 | 2244 | 10 |
| 8. | Wofford Terriers | 9-4 | 2089 | 7 |
| 9. | Georgia Southern Eagles (1) | 10-4 | 2002 | 3 |
| 10. | New Hampshire Wildcats | 8-4 | 1920 | 13 |
| 11. | Towson Tigers | 7-4 | 1871 | 17 |
| 12. | Appalachian State Mountaineers | 8-4 | 1696 | 9 |
| 13. | Illinois State Redbirds | 9-4 | 1657 | 8 |
| 14. | Cal Poly Mustangs | 9-3 | 1646 | 12 |
| 15. | Richmond Spiders | 8-3 | 1384 | 18 |
| 16. | Stony Brook Seawolves | 10-3 | 1178 | 11 |
| 17. | Northern Iowa Panthers | 5-6 | 1106 | NR |
| 18. | Northern Arizona Lumberjacks | 8-3 | 988 | 20 |
| 19. | James Madison Dukes | 7-4 | 964 | 19 |
| 20. | Montana Grizzlies | 5-6 | 813 | NR |
| 21. | Eastern Illinois Panthers | 7-5 | 686 | NR |
| 22. | Lehigh Mountain Hawks | 10-1 | 587 | 16 |
| 23. | Bethune-Cookman Wildcats | 9-3 | 514 | 22 |
| 24. | Chattanooga Mocs | 6-5 | 505 | NR |
| 25. | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | 8-5 | 489 | 24 |
| Others receiving votes: Eastern Kentucky 468, Youngstown State 463, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 174, Colgate 174, Tennessee State 151, Wagner 140, Delaware 130, The Citadel 100, Indiana State 90, Penn 57, McNeese State 46, Sacramento State 44, Samford 39, Southern Illinois 39, Harvard 35, South Carolina State 32, Southeastern Louisiana 30, Tennessee-Martin 29, Stephen F. Austin 17, San Diego 15, Albany 13, Liberty 12, Bucknell 11, Grambling State 8, North Carolina Central 8, Tennessee Tech 6, Jackson State 6, Furman 4, Alabama A&M 4, Alabama State 4, Alcorn State 4, William & Mary 4, Jacksonville State 3, Missouri State 3, Weber State 2, Murray State 2, Butler 2, Elon 2, Florida A&M 2, Northwestern State 1, Duquesne 1, Drake 1. The Sports Network FCS Top 25 Voters - The Sports Network: Aaron Corrill; Craig Haley; Brandon Lawrence; Phil Sokol; Kevin Spiegel. Big Sky Conference: Brian Berger; Brad Bugger; Eric Burdick; Dave Cook; Neil Gardner; Paul Grua; Jeremy Hoeck; Mick Holien; Jon Kasper; Doug Kelly; Heather Kennedy; Bill Lamberty; Mike Lund; Fritz Neighbor; Ryan Powell; Mike Robles; Steve Schaack; Randy Scovil; Mitch Strohman; Denise Thompson. Big South: Zeke Beam; Wade Branner; Mike Cawood; Matt Hogue; Chris Lang; Marc Rabb; Mark Simpson; Eric Thacker; Todd Wetmore; Alan York. CAA Football: Lizzie Barlow; Scott Burns; Zach Burrus; Pete Clawson; Glenn Frazer; Adam Gutes; Dean Kenefick; Allen Lessels; John Martin; Tyson McHatten; Scott Meyer; Mike Murphy; Dan O'Connell; Andrew Santillo; Scott Selheimer; Mike Stoss; Kevin Tresolini. FCS Independents: Lance Fleming; Matt Harmon; Shane Meling; Greg Viscomi. Ivy League: Rick Bender; Eric Dolan; Jeremy Hartigan; Chris Humm; Craig Larson; Dan Loney; Craig Sachson; Kurt Svoboda; Ron Vaccaro. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Thomas Grant; Bill Hamilton; Bryan Harvey; Ed Hill Jr.; Brian Holloway; Chris Hooks; Ronnie Johnson; Dennis Jones; Kendrick Lewis; Matt Michalec; Patricia Porter; Dan Ryan; Maurice Williams; Brent Woronoff. Missouri Valley Football Conference: Bryan Boettcher, John Bohnenkamp; Scott Gierman; Todd Golden; Jeremy Hoeck; Jason Hove; Todd Hefferman; Ace Hunt; Mike Kern; Rick Kindhart; Jeff Kolpack; Colin McDonough; Patrick Osterman; Trevor Parks; Randy Reinhardt; Jeff Schwartz; Mike Williams; Terry Vandrovec. Northeast Conference: Barry Beal; John Beisser; Brian Cleary; Spencer Kowitz; Tad Maurey; Ralph Ventre. Ohio Valley Conference: Neal Bradley; John Brush; Michael Clark; Wallace Dooley; Jeff Honza; Brad Kirtley; Rich Moser: Brian Nielsen: Karl Park: Mike Parris: Ryne Rickman; Rob Schabert: Kyle Schwartz: Greg Seitz. Patriot League: Charles Bare; Joe DiBari; Matt Dougherty; Keith Groller; Phil LaBella; Steve Lomangino; Eric Malanowski; Matt Markus; John Painter. Pioneer Football League: Ty Patton; Mark Brumbaugh; Cody Bush; Jack Cronin; Mike Ferraro; Ted Gosen; Doug Hauschild; Ricky Hazel; Paul Oren; Ty Patton; Matt Schabert; Jason Williams; Ryan Wronkowicz. Southern Conference: Jay Blackman; Tommy Bowman; Rose Carter; Mike Flynn; Brian Gargone; Don Heath; David Jackson; Keith Jarrett; Joey Mullins; Chris Rash; Hunter Reid; Todd Shanesy; Adam Smith; Brent Williamson. Southland Conference: Jason Barfield; Louis Bonnette; Matthew Bonnette; Jamie Bustos; Erik Cox; James Dixon; Kevin Gore; Alex Hickey; Doug Ireland; Todd Lamb; David McCollum; Teddy Renois; Gene Shallenberg. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Santoria Black; Rodney Bush; Natalie Hicks; Chris Jones; Duane Lewis; Zena Lewis; Leonard Moon; Edrin Nicholson; Wesley Peterson; Je'Kel Smith; Brandon Willis. Other Representatives: Rolf Bertulies; Brian Brennan; Josh Buchanan; Jim Seman. | ||||
Week 1 Preview
By Brandon Lawrence
| Week 1 Preview | ||||
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| Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - For weather fanatics addicted to being out in the hot sun, laying on a sand-filled beach as ocean waves crash around, the transition into fall can be, at times, deplorable. The days become shorter, while temperatures during the day drop from hot to mild and at night from cool to cold. Beach days are not only limited, they're restricted. If you stop and take in your surroundings when the fall season sets in, you can feel a noticeably cooler sensation in the air. It feels crisp. It feels refreshing. If you love summer so much, it feels like the end of an era. But if you're a sports fan, it feels like the start of football season. There's no mistaking it. There's excitement abound for the first kickoff since January (well, technically the Super Bowl was the first weekend in February, but you get the point), and it's a tangible excitement. For months, fans have been waiting to host viewing parties to support their team, or hungered for a chance to grill up some food at a tailgate while tossing a football around. What we've all been waiting for starts Thursday night. The last FCS season ended like the exciting finale of a fireworks show, with North Dakota State defeating Sam Houston State for the second consecutive year to earn the national crown. As the Bison get set to take on Big 12 co-champion Kansas State on Friday, it will be hard for coach Craig Bohl's team not to think about the possibility of becoming the second program in FCS history to win three straight national titles. The title game is a ways down the road, though. For now, players, coaches and fans alike can bask in the enjoyment of seeing teams take the field for the first time this season. And there are some perfectly intriguing matchups to open the season. On Thursday night, Towson travels to Storrs, Conn., to take on the Connecticut Huskies. Sure, UConn is a model for Northeast FBS college football, and Towson enters the game as one of the premiere FCS teams. In the past few seasons, Towson has shown it can play up to the level of its competitors. Although the Tigers never came away with a victory against an FBS team, they hung tough with both Kent State in the 2012 season opener and with No. 3-ranked LSU just a few weeks later. It never hurts to return an All-American runner in junior Terrance West, and a solid defense will complement the explosive offense nicely. Don't count out the Tigers just because of the FCS-to-FBS jump. But perhaps the most eye-catching matchup of the first weekend is on Saturday night in Missoula, Mont. Twelfth-ranked Appalachian State travels to face the No. 20-ranked Grizzlies, who suffered their first losing season in years in 2012. The contest has the potential to be one of the best non-conference games not just in Week 1, but for the season. Montana returns starting quarterback Jordan Johnson (who was suspended for the 2012 season) and a stingy defense led by senior linebacker Jordan Tripp. The fact the Grizzlies had to suffer through a disappointing 2012 campaign under then-first year coach Mick Delaney will leave them hungry to return to relevance. Appalachian State gets set to move upward into the FBS come the start of the 2014 season, but will still look to spoil a few FCS teams' playoff hopes this year. The Mountaineers are led by senior quarterback Jamal Londry-Jackson, a Walter Payton Award candidate, but will be without the services of top receiver Sean Price, who is serving a team suspension after his recent arrest. Keep a close watch on App State and Montana Saturday as well as Bethune-Cookman at Tennessee State in the Sunday nightcap. There's a rivalry there featuring these two historically black colleges, and both teams are looking to make a serious playoff push in their respective conferences. Bask in it, football fans, the season is finally here.
The following is a game-by-game breakdown for The Sports Network FCS Top 25 and other select games (all times ET): Thursday, Aug. 29 No. 13 Illinois State (0-0) at Ball State (0-0) Kickoff: 7 p.m. (ESPN3.com) What to know: Ball State and Illinois State used to have something of a rivalry back in the day. The last time the two squads met was in 1993 - a 45-30 Ball State victory. The Cardinals, though, are coming off a 2012 trip to the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl (the what?) and a 9-4 overall campaign. The trouble for Illinois State this season will be matching the production of departed quarterback Matt Brown, although the Redbirds think they have something in Iowa State transfer Jared Barnett. There will be some pressure on Colton Underwood and the defense to try to keep Ball State's Keith Wenning (Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award watch list) and Jahwan Edwards (Doak Walker Award watch list) at bay. Ball State coach Pete Lembo knows a thing or two about FCS play as well, having won the Eddie Robinson Award in 2001 while coaching Lehigh. Prediction: Ball State 30, Illinois State 20 UT Martin (0-0) at No. 24 Chattanooga (0-0) Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (Charter/CSN Sports Southeast) What to know: The Mocs return an impressive 20 starters (10 on both sides of the ball) from a 6-5 overall campaign. Where the success starts for Chattanooga is on the defensive side, especially with defensive end Davis Tull. The junior recorded 12.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss when earning co-Southern Conference defensive player of the year honors last year. His defensive teammates are hardly a "supporting cast," but rather standouts themselves. Wes Dothard commands the middle linebacker role while D.J. Key scouts the backfield at strong safety. UT Martin is coming off a very successful season, going 8-3 and ranking 10th in the FCS in passing offense. But quarterback Derek Carr is gone, and so goes his 31 touchdown tosses with him. That's the tough part for the Skyhawks. It may take them a few games to get their feet under them. Prediction: Chattanooga 31, UT Martin 17 No. 11 Towson (0-0) at Connecticut (0-0) Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (ESPN3.com) What to know: Towson has done a great job of scheduling tough FBS contests over the past few years, and this season is no exception. Opening against UConn is going to be a near insurmountable task for the Tigers, but if history is any indicator, they (almost) play up to the level of their competitors. Last season, the Tigers opened on the road in Ohio at Kent State, which historically hasn't had much of a successful football program, though the Golden Flash defied that label and went 11-2 with a loss in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. Towson dropped the opening contest by 20 points, but still managed to put up three scores in Week 1 against an FBS opponent. Let's not forget the trip to LSU three weeks later. Then-No. 3 in the country, LSU let Towson hang around before eventually pulling away for a 38-22 victory. The point is: Towson can hang around and put a bit of a scare into considerably better opponents. Terrance West returns to the Tigers' backfield, while Peter Athens, a fifth- year senior, brings plenty of experience to the quarterback position. Just because Towson will likely drop this game to the Huskies doesn't mean it's an indicator of how the program will fare in 2013. Prediction: UConn 34, Towson 21 Jacksonville (0-0) at Delaware (0-0) Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. What to know: Delaware is looking to bounce back after a losing season that led to the firing of K.C. Keeler, a national championship-winning coach. Now Dave Brock, the former offensive coordinator at Rutgers, takes the helm with what he hopes will be healthy players capable of doing damage. Andrew Pierce is back to full strength, which is the biggest positive for the Blue Hens. Jacksonville defensive lineman Juan Pimienta will be the greatest threat to Pierce, but the senior running back may be too much for the Dolphins to handle. The Dolphins defense gave up an average of 129.9 rushing yards per game to opponents in 2012 and didn't face a feature back nearly as talented as Pierce. Sophomore quarterback Kade Bell now has a year's worth of playing time under his belt for Jacksonville, but hasn't faced a CAA Football opponent in his career. The greatest opposition the Dolphins faced last season was Georgia Southern - a 58-0 trouncing the Eagles laid on Jacksonville in Week 1. Prediction: Delaware 34, Jacksonville 13 Incarnate Word (0-0) at No. 7 Central Arkansas (0-0) Kickoff: 8 p.m. What to know: If you're superstitious, then I apologize for what comes next. Central Arkansas is 12-0 since laying down purple and gray turf on its football field in Conway, and that interesting yet ultimately meaningless statistic is on the line here against Incarnate Word. Rest assured, the Bears retain Wynrick Smothers at quarterback, who led Central Arkansas to the second round of the FCS playoffs last season. But UCA coach Clint Conque also suspended two starters, running back Willie Matthews and offensive lineman C.J. Simon, for the game. It's the first season UIW is playing Division I football at the FCS level. The Cardinals will transition into Southland Conference play before the 2014 season starts, but for now have a jumbled schedule as an independent. The Cardinals recently hired former NFL standout Ricky Williams to help coach their running backs. That's a positive. But it will be a steep learning curve. Prediction: Central Arkansas 45, Incarnate Word 10 Monmouth (0-0) at No. 2 Montana State (0-0) Kickoff: 9:05 p.m. What to know: This game will mark the first meeting between the two programs, and Monmouth will soon find out there's a reason Rob Ash's team continues to get better. Montana State, for the first time in program history, has recorded back-to- back 10-plus win seasons (the Bobcats went 11-2 in 2012), but the chance to play for a national title eluded them both times. Both playoff defeats came at the hands of Sam Houston State - the national runner-up two years running. The Bobcats enter this season with guns blazing, as DeNarius McGhee, Cody Kirk and Tanner Bleskin anchor the high-powered Bobcats offense. Monmouth, with returning star wideout Neal Sterling, will look to try and cancel out some of Montana State's production. It's a pretty daunting task. Prediction: Montana State 41, Monmouth 17 Friday, Aug. 30 No. 1 North Dakota State (0-0) at Kansas State (0-0) Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. (FOX Sports 1) What to know: Stating the obvious: North Dakota State is coming off back-to- back national championship seasons, and returns 18 starters from last year's team. They're good. Really, really good. Here's another one for you: Kansas State won a share of the Big 12 championship last season. The fact of the matter is, no matter how good North Dakota State will be this season, it'll take much more than what the Bison have to bring down an FBS powerhouse. Heisman Trophy finalist Collin Klein is no longer with the Wildcats, but they return receivers Tyler Lockett and Tremaine Thompson - their top two scoring pass catchers from last season. North Dakota's top-ranked FCS defense will have its hands full this first week, but the Bison have a downhill ride the rest of the way if you look past Kansas State. Prediction: Kansas State 34, North Dakota State 21 No. 18 Northern Arizona (0-0) at Arizona (0-0) Kickoff: 10 p.m. (PAC-12 Network) What to know: Northern Arizona doesn't have a nice history when it comes to playing instrastate FBS foe Arizona. The Lumberjacks are a dismal 1-11 all- time against the Wildcats, though you can't expect a whole lot better when playing a Pac-12 team. The most intriguing aspect of this game will be the running back matchup. NAU's Zach Bauman is a Walter Payton Award candidate, while Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey notched several All-America honors in 2012. The last time these two backs went head-to-head, Bauman outrushed Carey, 99 yards to 59. Northern Arizona will make a strong push for the Big Sky Conference crown this season, and a blip on the radar against a strong FBS opponent shouldn't mess up the Lumberjacks' title plans. Prediction: Arizona 41, Northern Arizona 20 Saturday, Aug. 31 No. 5 Villanova (0-0) at Boston College (0-0) Kickoff: noon (ESPNews) What to know: These two teams haven't met since the 1980 season - a 20-9 Villanova victory. The Wildcats return a slew of talent from last year's roster, including Jerry Rice Award winner John Robertson under center and junior running back Kevin Monangai, both of whom were 1,000-yard rushers. It's never an easy task for an FCS program to take on an FBS counterpart, especially considering Boston College recently had national acclaim and still boasts strong athletes. Chase Rettig threw for 3,065 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Eagles last season and will be looking to get his team back in the bowl hunt in 2013. Opponents outscored the Eagles by nearly 10 points per game last season. Stopping the ground attack was their kryptonite, as teams rushed for an average of 215.3 yards per game. Running the ball is what Villanova does best, so expect a very run-heavy playbook from coach Andy Talley. Prediction: Villanova 24, Boston College 21 Albany (0-0) at Duquesne (0-0) Kickoff: 12:10 p.m. What to know: Albany split from the Northeast Conference after last season to join the CAA, but finds itself right back on a familiar field in Pittsburgh against the Dukes in Week 1. Albany split the conference title last season with Wagner, but lost out in a tiebreaker when it came time for the NCAA selection committee to map out the playoff field. Things don't get easier for the Great Danes as they get ready to play some of the most talented teams in the nation in the CAA, but a matchup with Duquesne will ease the transition. Dukes linebacker Dorian Bell has heard his name called in a fair number of preseason accolades, and will be hunting Danes quarterback Will Fiacchi this weekend. However, since it's the first week and no CAA teams have had the opportunity to feast on the newcomer Albany, the Danes should be healthy and ready to pick up where they left off against NEC teams from a year ago. Prediction: Albany 31, Duquesne 27 Jacksonville State (0-0) at Alabama State (0-0) Kickoff: 6 p.m. What to know: Everything Alabama State does offensively starts with Isaiah Crowell, the junior running back who transferred in from Georgia several years back. He dominated his sophomore campaign with 842 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. He is the go-to playmaker for the Hornets. The intriguing part of the matchup is that Jacksonville State returns its top seven tacklers to an experienced defense, and will likely be the focal point in first-year coach Bill Clark's scheme. The Gamecocks offense may be the anchor that weighs the team down, despite the return of DeMarcus James. Inexperience at the quarterback position contributes to that weight. What it comes down to is this: Even if Jacksonville State's defense limits Crowell and the Hornets offense, can the Gamecocks offense do enough damage to scrape out a win between these two above-average teams? The answer is likely no. Prediction: Alabama State 24, Jacksonville State 14 Savannah State (0-0) at No. 8 Georgia Southern (0-0) Kickoff: 6 p.m. What to know: There's every chance in the world that if Georgia Southern were eligible for the FCS playoffs this season, it would have a top-five preseason ranking. But the Eagles are, in fact, not eligible for the playoffs or a Southern Conference title as they prepare to move upward into the FBS. That, according to coach Jeff Monken, isn't going to stop them from trying to win every game. And poor Savannah State, standing in the way of an Eagles team still looking to unload on the FCS before moving on for good. The Tigers averaged a mere 13.4 points per game last season - over 20 points per game fewer than Georgia Southern. Jerick McKinnon returns as the starting quarterback for the Eagles, and was the team's leading rusher. That's not good news for the Tigers, who allowed 286.5 rushing yards per game to opponents in 2012. That, however, is good news for McKinnon and the Eagles, who racked up 399.4 rushing yards per game. Prediction: Georgia Southern 49, Savannah State 7 Central Connecticut State (0-0) at No. 19 James Madison (0-0) Kickoff: 6 p.m. What to know: Right now the status of sophomore quarterback Michael Birdsong is still a bit iffy heading into JMU's season opener against Central Connecticut State. The second-year signal caller recently underwent an emergency appendectomy, but returned to practice and took some reps a little over a week ago. That won't affect CCSU's offense, though. Returning tailback and return specialist Rob Hollomon is an All-Northeast Conference selection, but throw him up against Buck Buchanan Award candidate Stephon Robertson and the tide may turn against him. Robertson led all JMU tacklers last year with 101 total stops, while overall the Dukes defense allowed just 122.5 rushing yards per game to opponents. CCSU will have its hands full with a serious CAA title contender to start the season. Prediction: James Madison 30, Central Connecticut State 14 No. 4 Eastern Washington (0-0) at Oregon State (0-0) Kickoff: 6 p.m. (Pac-12 Network) What to know: Eastern Washington is a very impressive football team. It's absolutely worth noting the Eagles reached the FCS national semifinals last year, and won a national championship back in 2010. But the prospect of taking on No. 25-ranked Oregon State is just too much for the Eagles to handle. Although Eastern Washington has fared well against Pac-12 teams in the past few seasons (lost 24-20 to Washington State in 2012, and fell 30-27 to Washington in 2011), Oregon State is a different creature. The Beavers were ranked as high as No. 7 in the nation last Oct. 22. They outscored their opponents by an impressive 423-268 margin last season. And, to make matters worse for EWU, both quarterbacks who started last year for Oregon State are back in Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz. To pile on a superstitious yet oddly foreshadowing stat: The two previous seasons in which OSU played host to the Eagles (2000 and 2006, both Beavers victories), Oregon State went on to win 11 games and 10 games, respectively - the best two seasons in program history. Prediction: Oregon State 42, Eastern Washington 24 VMI (0-0) at No. 16 Richmond (0-0) Kickoff: 6 p.m. What to know: Although the all-time series between the Spiders and Keydets isn't very lopsided (43-40-5 in favor of Richmond), the last 10 meetings between the programs have been as lopsided as it gets. Richmond seeks its 11th straight win over VMI on Saturday. The Spiders last year earned a share of the CAA regular season title, but were denied a playoff berth at season's end. Richmond returns 17 starters, including standout receiver Ben Edwards. If last year's stats count for anything, the Keydets will have to put up more than 12 points (they averaged 12.1 per game in 2012) to match Richmond's 33.2 per game average. That's tough to do against a defense returning eight starters. Prediction: Richmond 38, VMI 10 No. 25 Coastal Carolina (0-0) at South Carolina State (0-0) Kickoff: 6 p.m. What to know: Coastal Carolina is one of two teams that has a very realistic shot at winning the Big South Conference this season, the other being Liberty. Coastal made an appearance in last year's FCS playoffs, and dropped Bethune- Cookman in the first round before bowing out (being embarrassed, actually) to Old Dominion. History is on Coastal's side, as the Chanticleers hold a 14-1 record against MEAC teams since the CCU football program was started 11 years ago. And while Coastal returns key pieces to a very explosive offense, South Carolina State will need to score more than the 18.5 points per game it averaged last season. Controlling the turnover margin will be huge for the Bulldogs. While they lost as many fumbles as their opponents in 2012 (10), they turned the ball over through the air twice as many times as the teams they played (18 interceptions to opponents' nine). It won't get easier for SCSU in Week 2, either, when the Bulldogs travel to face Clemson. Prediction: Coastal Carolina 34, South Carolina State 20 Houston Baptist (0-0) at No. 3 Sam Houston State (0-0) Kickoff: 7 p.m. What to know: Sam Houston State has been to back-to-back national finals and lost both times to North Dakota State. That ought to fuel a fire, right? The Bearkats return a small amount of starters from last season (five on each side of the ball), but those returnees are certainly impact players. It starts in the backfield with Timothy Flanders, who rushed for 1,662 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2012, and quarterback Brian Bell. Both players were instrumental in getting Sam Houston State to the playoffs and past No. 3 Montana State and No. 2 Eastern Washington. Houston Baptist will join Sam Houston in the Southland Conference in 2014, and will be playing a developmental season as a first-year program. Welcome to the world of football, Huskies. Prediction: Sam Houston State 56, Houston Baptist 14 Butler (0-0) at No. 6 South Dakota State (0-0) Kickoff: 7 p.m. What to know: South Dakota State enters this season in an immense shadow of its rival to the north - Missouri Valley Football Conference foe North Dakota State - despite coming into the 2013 campaign as the No. 6-ranked team in the nation. The Jackrabbits will look to prove they can step out into the sun this season behind Zach Zenner, the FCS leader in rushing yards last season. Zenner tallied 2,044 yards as a sophomore, and is one of the front-runners for the Walter Payton Award this time around. The Pioneer Football League's Butler will look to slow Zenner, which will be extremely difficult. The Bulldogs gave up an average of 179.4 rushing yards per game to opponents last season, and having Zenner stand opposite them doesn't bode well for the Bulldogs' season opener. All-PFL quarterback Matt Lancaster can put up some points for Butler in this matchup, but it will be the defense that needs to play above and beyond to have a chance in this one. Prediction: South Dakota State 44, Butler 20 San Diego (0-0) at No. 14 Cal Poly (0-0) Kickoff: 7:05 p.m. What to know: Vince Moraga was named the starting quarterback for Cal Poly a week ago, replacing successful signal caller Andre Broadous in a high-powered Mustangs offense. The Toreros know a thing or two about high-powered offenses, though, and boast one of their own. Returning quarterback Mason Mills led the FCS last season in completion percentage (.700), connecting on 20 touchdown passes for over 3,100 yards. The new news for PFL teams is that the league champion will receive a first automatic berth into the FCS playoffs, and 2012 tri-champion San Diego is the favorite to be that first team into the postseason. But that doesn't change the fact there is a talent gap between the Big Sky Conference and the Pioneer League. Cal Poly went 9-3 overall last season, and defeated San Diego handedly in Week 1 a year ago. Expect the Mustangs to start strong again. Prediction: Cal Poly 35, San Diego 24 No. 8 Wofford (0-0) at Baylor (0-0) Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (FOX Sports Network) What to know: The toughest part about starting up the 2013 season for Wofford will be not getting to unleash Eric Breitenstein on opponents. The Terriers' all-time leading rusher amassed 5,730 yards in his collegiate career, while accounting for 19 rushing touchdowns in 2012. Baylor isn't going to find out what the wrath of Breitenstein felt like. Lucky Baylor. Though the Terriers have playmakers still on this team, especially on the defensive side in Alvin Scioneaux. Scioneaux will come in handy, as Baylor returns its top two rushers from 2012 in Glasco Martin and Lache Seastrunk, who accounted for 22 rushing touchdowns. Wofford is still a top contender for the SoCon title, but Baylor kicks off a pretty tough schedule for the Terriers in 2013. Prediction: Baylor 30, Wofford 17 No. 17 Northern Iowa (0-0) at Iowa State (0-0) Kickoff: 8 p.m. (Cyclones.TV) What to know: The Panthers are 73-5 in the Mark Farley era when they hold opponents to 20 points or less. Likewise, they are 68-4 under coach Farley when they score 30 or more points. It's tough to hold an FBS offense to fewer then 20 points, so running back David Johnson will have his work cut out for him if Northern Iowa hopes to drop over 30 points on the Cyclones. Johnson's stats against the FBS highlight his ability, though. He's totaled 398 all-purpose yards in UNI's last three meetings with FBS programs. Unfortunately for the Panthers, it will take more than one standout performance to take down the Cyclones, who ranked 38th in scoring defense in the FBS a year ago. Prediction: Iowa State 27, Northern Iowa 20 No. 21 Eastern Illinois (0-0) at San Diego State (0-0) Kickoff: 8 p.m. (Mountain West Network) What to know: The Panthers have possibly the best quarterback-to-receiver duo in the entire FCS in Jimmy Garoppolo to Erik Lora, both of whom appear on the Walter Payton Award watch list. Eastern Illinois ended the 2012 season on a sour note, falling to South Dakota State in the first round of the FCS tournament, 58-10. Lora set the FCS single-season record in 2012 for most receptions with 136, and needs just 23 receptions to become the Ohio Valley Conference career leader. He'll likely accomplish that early next month. But as is the case with any FBS opponent, the disparity in the level of play can be pretty evident. San Diego State took hold of the Mountain West Conference last season with a 7-1 league record and a Poinsettia Bowl berth. The Aztecs are picked to finish second in the Mountain West this year, just behind Fresno State. Tailback Adam Muema helps their cause significantly. As a sophomore in 2012, he rushed for 1,458 yards and 16 touchdowns. And as a defense, Eastern Illinois gave up 170.2 rushing yards per game to opponents. Prediction: San Diego State 35, Eastern Illinois 24 No. 12 Appalachian State (0-0) at No 20 Montana (0-0) Kickoff: 9 p.m. (Max Media) What to know: Appalachian State is not eligible for the SoCon title and a national playoff spot because the team is over the scholarship limit as it transitions into FBS life. But that doesn't mean the Mountaineers are going to roll over and concede this season to its FCS opponents. Jamal Londry-Jackson had a productive game against the Grizzlies last season, throwing for 260 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for a third score. But that was in Boone, N.C.. This year's matchup features a talented Montana squad months removed from a losing season. Defensive stars like Jordan Tripp and Zack Wagenmann will look to shut down Londry-Jackson and the high-flying Mountaineers offense. And this game in Missoula. Expect a close game right down to the finish. It may even come down to which team has the ball last. Prediction: Appalachian State 27, Montana 24 Sunday, Sept. 1 Mississippi Valley State (0-0) vs. Florida A&M (0-0) in MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff: 11:45 a.m. (ESPN) What to know: The MEAC holds a 6-2 advantage in the annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge, including two consecutive victories for Bethune-Cookman in the event that features HBCU schools. Florida A&M has gotten the better of Mississippi Valley State both times the two schools clashed, most recently in 1990. The Rattlers have an arsenal of offensive weaponry returning in 2013, which includes all-conference preseason quarterback Damien Fleming, running back James Owens and receiver Lenworth Lennon. The Rattlers' high-powered offense will battle nicely with MVSU's defense, which was among the national leaders last season. The Delta Devils will look to preseason All-American Robert Simpson on the defensive line to hold up last season's FCS fourth-ranked total defense. MVSU is playing its first game since place-kicker Kevin Monzon died in a car crash in April. Prediction: Florida A&M 24, Mississippi Valley State 17 No. 23 Bethune-Cookman (0-0) at Tennessee State (0-0) Kickoff: 8 p.m. (ESPN3.com) What to know: You'd better believe Bethune-Cookman is looking to avenge its playoff loss last season to Coastal Carolina. And while the Wildcats were probably smiling big on the inside when Old Dominion completely embarrassed CCU in the second round, they likely realize they need to step their game up to reach that next level. Brian Jenkins has his squad ready to go for 2013, which includes a superbly talented defense and an all-conference running back in Isidore Jackson. Don't overlook Tennessee State, either, as it finished 8-3 last season in the Ohio Valley Conference. Led by cornerback Stephen Godbolt III, the Tigers defense can be just as overwhelming as Bethune-Cookman's. If anything, Tennessee State is just as angry about being overlooked when it came to a playoff spot as B-CU was after losing in the first round. It's impossible to overlook the fact Tennessee State quarterback Michael German is suspended for the first two games of the season, though. Redshirt freshman Ronald Butler will get the start. Prediction: Bethune-Cookman 28, Tennessee State 20 |
Towson will follow the lead of junior running back Terrance West.
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