Week 6 Preview

By Brandon Lawrence, FCS Assoc.

Towson running back Terrance West ranks first in the FCS with 12 rushing touchdowns, and sixth in rushing yards with 658.

Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Acting as an outside force, how exactly does one stop a moving train dead in its tracks? Have you seen the movie "Hancock" with Will Smith? You know that scene when there's a train coming and Smith (some sort of other-worldly being, but let's not call him a superhero) just stands on the tracks, letting the train slam into him? Being the non-Earthly entity that he is with apparent super strength, the train stops dead in a matter of milliseconds. That sort of thing doesn't happen in real life. Shocking, isn't it? The short answer to the above question is this: Aside from a mountain acting as a road block, very, very little is capable of stopping a moving train. Towson running back Terrance West is a moving train. His 12 rushing touchdowns lead the FCS, and the junior is sixth in the country with 658 rushing yards. Delaware State seemingly did the best to limit the powerful back to 82 yards on the ground in Week 3 - his lowest yardage total this season. But look again. West rushed for five touchdowns in his team's 49-7 win over the Hornets. On Saturday, the Tigers host New Hampshire - a team that has nine consecutive FCS playoff appearances, good for the longest active streak in the nation. But the Wildcats are off to a slow start, currently sitting at 1-2 after a loss to the Patriot League's Lehigh. West has dominated New Hampshire in his two years as a member of the CAA rivalry. As a freshman (West's best statistical year to date), he carried the ball 23 times for 261 yards and four touchdowns in 2011. Last year, West scampered for 236 yards and two scores against the Wildcats. Both contests resulted in Towson wins. "This guy has had a field day against the University of New Hampshire over the last two years," UNH coach Sean McDonnell said. "He's a guy who has a forward pad level, gets downhill. Doesn't matter if it's Connecticut, Holy Cross, Stony Brook, the guy finds a seam and busts it and goes. He's done it to us a number of times." With this third matchup between McDonnell and West looming, the 15-year Wildcat head coach knows exactly what needs to happen for his team to get its season back on track after a loss at Lehigh. But it's no easy task limiting West's production. "We've got to be gap-conscious," McDonnell said. "We can't try to cheat, try to go make plays that we're not supposed to go make because he has great vision in what he does. I think we've got to stay low on the defensive line and get penetration because these guys roll off the football." Easier said than done. McDonnell knows that. But an upset win for the Wildcats this weekend would give them their first in the conference which, at this point, is crucial. Non-conference games have come and gone, and the team's sub-.500 non-CAA record isn't going to impress the national playoff selection committee. There are numerous teams in the FCS landscape that will be vying for at-large playoff bids, including (in all likelihood) about five in the Colonial Athletic Association. So what would be the best way for New Hampshire to ensure it gets a spot in the 2013 FCS playoffs for a 10th consecutive time? Earn the CAA's automatic bid, of course. With a conference schedule that starts at Towson and includes stops at Stony Brook and William & Mary (a team McDonnell has only defeated once in his career as the Wildcats coach), and home contests with Villanova, James Madison and Maine, it will be a steep climb for the Wildcats toward that playoff spot. BY THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH Since the start of the 2010 season, the Mountain Hawks are 16-1 in games decided by seven points or less, and 11-0 in games decided by a field goal or less. In coach Andy Coen's first four seasons, Lehigh was just 4-14 in games decided by seven points or less. Half of Lehigh's 10 wins in 2012 were by a field goal or less. The following is a game-by-game breakdown for The Sports Network FCS Top 25 and other select games (all times ET): Saturday, Oct. 5 No. 19 New Hampshire (1-2, 0-0 CAA) at No. 3 Towson (5-0, 1-0) Kickoff: noon (CSN-NE) What to know: Towson had to battle back from a 21-10 Stony Brook halftime lead. No problem, the Tigers went on to score 25 unanswered points in the second half for the 35-21 win. It's the second straight week the Tigers have seemingly let their opponent hang around until eventually disposing of them. The Towson running game is as strong as ever, featuring West and now freshman Darius Victor, who has scored at least one rushing touchdown in the last two games. New Hampshire is a bit of a different story than North Carolina Central and Stony Brook. Despite losing to Lehigh a week ago, the Wildcats won't stop their pursuit of a 10th straight playoff appearance. McDonnell is very aware of West and the Towson running game, but whether or not his young defense can do anything to stop it is going to be the question. Prediction: Towson 38, New Hampshire 27 No. 25 Gardner-Webb (4-1) at Charlotte (3-2) Kickoff: Noon (WCCB) What to know: Did Charlotte impress with a decisive 45-21 win over Presbyterian? It's possible. After losing back-to-back games against N.C. Central and James Madison, a win is what the new program needed to get back on track. But Gardner-Webb is the hot team entering this contest Saturday, having taken three in a row (including two against Top 25 opponents), and, most recently, a one-sided victory over Point University, 55-7. The Runnin' Bulldogs offense, which had been stagnant for several weeks, returned to form with seven touchdowns. And against Charlotte, a team that's allowed 40, 34 and 21 points to opponents in consecutive weeks, the 'Dogs should keep up the offensive trend. Prediction: Gardner-Webb 28, Charlotte 17 No. 13 Lehigh (4-0) at No. 12 Fordham (5-0) Kickoff: Noon (CBSSN) What to know: As we've seen this season, Fordham is up to the challenge of facing an FCS Top 25 team or even an FBS team. The Rams have battled their way to a 5-0 start and have yet another challenge awaiting them. Lehigh, after starting the season with three close wins over an easy schedule, finally proved it belongs with the nation's elite with a 34-27 win over New Hampshire. And for the second straight week, the Mountain Hawks will be tested here. Lehigh owns a 24-2 record over Fordham in the series between these two Patriot League rivals. Although Fordham isn't eligible for the league title, it can win an at-large bid if the selection committee sees fit. A win over Lehigh, which the Rams haven't had in the past six meetings, would go a long way to proving Fordham is in fact a playoff team. Prediction: Fordham 28, Lehigh 24 William & Mary (3-1, 1-0 CAA) at No. 20 Villanova (2-2, 1-0) Kickoff: 1 p.m. What to know: This is a potentially huge matchup for William & Mary, as the Tribe currently sit just outside of the Top 25 nationally. But in terms of continuing on with the CAA schedule, this could be a huge confidence boost going forward. Villanova is a team trying to get things back on track after suffering back- to-back losses to start the season and experiencing early season injuries like never before. The Wildcats are rolling with two straight 35-6 wins. The Tribe hold a 16-13-1 series advantage and have won each of the past two meetings. It's a historic game, marking just the 35th time in Division I college football history that two coaches with 200 or more wins have faced each other. But in the short term, the winner of this game gets a leg up in the CAA standings. Prediction: Villanova 28, William & Mary 21 Wagner (1-4, 0-1 NEC) at Sacred Heart (5-0, 0-0) Kickoff: 1 p.m. What to know: Who would've thought the defending Northeast Conference champion would be this far in a hole to start the season? Wagner is 1-4 overall, but can still recover with a strong showing in conference play. But taking a look down the road, things don't exactly look to be in the Seahawks' favor. It starts this weekend with a matchup against Sacred Heart, an almost-shocking 5-0 team to start the season. The Pioneers are recently coming off their first shutout win since the 2002 season. If Bryant was allowed to post 47 points on Wagner last weekend, Sacred Heart and other programs with successful offenses in the NEC have to be licking their chops. And Sacred Heart has nothing lose in its first conference game. Who knows, the Pioneers may even make a playoff push. Prediction: Sacred Heart 29, Wagner 21 Presbyterian (1-3) at No. 17 Wofford (2-2) Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. What to know: Wofford has been somewhat of a streaky team this season, and a 30-20 win over Georgia Southern followed by a 3-0 loss to Gardner-Webb is the proof. The Terriers return to action on Saturday after getting a week off. They can only hope they won't have to play in a pulsating rainstorm (that's never good for offense) at home again. Enter a Presbyterian team that just dropped its third contest of the season, this time to Charlotte. The Blue Hose didn't exactly find themselves short of offense last weekend, but rather short of defense. Presbyterian let Charlotte run up 505 yards of offense, which must have caught the Terriers' collective eye. It's the last matchup for the Terriers before they get into the meat of their Southern Conference schedule. Prediction: Wofford 32, Presbyterian 18 No. 21 Bethune-Cookman (3-1, 0-0 MEAC) at Delaware State (1-3, 1-0) Kickoff: 2 p.m. What to know: Why does it feel as though Bethune-Cookman hasn't played a game in ages? When you think about it, the Wildcats are coming off a bye week, and got trampled by Florida State two weeks ago. So in a way this should be the first competitive weekend for the Wildcats in three weeks. Bethune-Cookman travels to Delaware State Saturday as the Hornets come off their first win of the season - a 24-22 escape of Savannah State. It's not overly impressive, though, considering Savannah State held the Hornets to 24 points and still retains the worst-in-the-nation scoring defense, giving up an average of 52.8 points per game. It's the first MEAC contest for B-CU, a team that still managed to put up some good numbers against the FBS' eighth-ranked team. The Wildcats converted nine of 18 third-down attempts, only turned the ball over once (while forcing a Florida State turnover), and managed to get three players with double-digit carries against the Seminoles. After an extra week to prepare and get healthy and rested, the Wildcats should roll in this one. Prediction: Bethune-Cookman 40, Delaware State 17 No. 16 Georgia Southern (3-1, 1-1 SoCon) at Samford (3-2, 1-0) Kickoff: 3 p.m. What to know: Southern Conference teams this season, including Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, have already gone up and down so many times, it's like they're riding the carousel over and over and over. The Eagles are the most consistent, entering this contest at 3-1 having dropped a game to Wofford three weeks back and winning at home versus Chattanooga, although not by much. The most eye-catching stat from the game with the Mocs is the big fat zero in the passing yards column. The Eagles are absolutely a run-first offense, but two pass attempts all game? There needs to be some form of balance offensively in order to string together wins. Samford is coming off a one-sided victory over Western Carolina, in which quarterback Andy Summerlin passed for 327 yards and four touchdowns. At 1-0, the Bulldogs are sitting pretty early in the Southern Conference season with Wofford (2-0) and Furman (1-0). That could change because Samford's run defense allows an average of 191 yards per game to opponents - ranked 77th in the FCS. Even if the Bulldogs know it's coming, can the defense step up to stop it? Prediction: Georgia Southern 27, Samford 21 Jacksonville State (4-1, 0-1 OVC) at No. 22 UT Martin (3-1, 1-0) Kickoff: 3 p.m. (ESPN3.com) What to know: If you look at the numbers, this is actually a pretty lopsided series. And it's all in Jacksonville State's favor. The Gamecocks lead the all-time series with UT Martin, 27-7, and have posted numbers this year that vastly outdo what the Skyhawks have offered. Yet UT Martin is ranked after huge wins at Chattanooga and at home against Central Arkansas. In fact, the Skyhawks only lost to Boise State. This season, Jacksonville State has been able to sustain a 32.4-points-per- game average, along with an offense that posts 471.6 yards per game. But UT Martin is pretty adept at playing up to the level of its opponent, and this has the makings of an intriguing Ohio Valley Conference matchup. Prediction: Jacksonville State 31, UT Martin 27 Southern Illinois (2-3, 0-1 MVC) at No. 7 South Dakota State (3-2, 0-1) Kickoff: 3 p.m. (ESPN3.com) What to know: It's not like losing back-to-back games to Nebraska and North Dakota State is shocking by any means, but maybe the Jackrabbits need a Missouri Valley Conference game like this to steady the ship before moving forward. That's not to take anything away from Southern Illinois, a team coming off a one-point loss to MVC foe Youngstown State. Quarterback Kory Faulkner was sensational, tossing four touchdown passes and 348 yards against a team looking to be in the Top 25 nationally. He also led the ground game with 71 yards Saturday. But South Dakota State is still a Top 10 team despite losing two in a row. It was a tough-enough task to hold Zach Zenner down for the Bison last week, but to limit him to two straight weeks of irrelevance is darn near impossible. He should return to form this weekend, despite the fact that Southern Illinois is eighth in the nation in rushing defense. The Salukis have yet to encounter a back as talented as Zenner. Prediction: South Dakota State 37, Southern Illinois 21 Western Illinois (3-2, 1-0 MVC) at Illinois State (1-3, 0-1) Kickoff: 3 p.m. What to know: After starting the season ranked in the nation's Top 25, the Redbirds have taken a serious fall from grace and ended up two games under .500 early on. Illinois State began the season 0-2 after two hefty, yet predictable losses to Ball State and Eastern Illinois. A win at Abilene Christian could have turned the season back on course, but the Redbirds suffered another setback last weekend against previously winless Missouri State. Part of the reason for the loss was because the defense couldn't get off the field, allowing Missouri State to convert 10 of its 18 third-down attempts. Returning to Normal (the town) for just the second time this season, the Redbirds welcome in Western Illinois. The Leathernecks don't boast any star position players or any impressive wins, but they do have a winning record and a 1-0 Missouri Valley Conference record. This could be a good tide-turner for the Redbirds, who have to face Youngstown State in a week and have some tough MVC opponents on the horizon. Prediction: Illinois State 28, Western Illinois 20 Youngstown State (4-1, 1-0 MVC) at Indiana State (1-3, 0-0) Kickoff: 3:05 p.m. What to know: The Penguins are once again right there. They're so close to breaking into the Top 25, and this may be the game to put them over the edge. Senior quarterback Kurt Hess is having a standout season, having already thrown for 1,026 yards and 10 touchdowns with just two interceptions. The Penguins' only loss also comes to FBS power Michigan State. Indiana State will trot out Shakir Bell against the Penguins, who ran for 201 yards and a touchdown last weekend in a loss to Tennessee Tech. Youngstown State believes it can counter, though, with Martin Ruiz, who has eight touchdowns this season. YSU leads the all-time series between the teams, 19-3. With a win, Youngstown State can make an early jump up to 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference before the schedule starts to cloud up with Top 25 opponents. Prediction: Youngstown State 30, Indiana State 22 No. 24 Delaware (4-1, 1-0 CAA) at No. 23 Maine (4-1, 1-0) Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. What to know: No. 24 Delaware and No. 23 Maine both moved into the Top 25 this week after their first Colonial Athletic Association wins over James Madison and Richmond, respectively. At 4-1 overall, both teams have only dropped a contest to FBS programs - Delaware to Navy and Maine to Northwestern. Now they square off in Orono. Black Bears quarterback Marcus Wasilewski has been the heart of the offense this season, but has thrown a pair of interceptions in each of his last two games. While Delaware quarterback Trent Hurley has put up more significant numbers than Wasilewski, the argument can be made that the Blue Hens have had a relatively light schedule. This game will be a showdown as both defenses try and slow down the opposing offense and, in particular, its signal caller. Maine, for just the second time in six weeks, will be playing in front of a home crowd. That will provide a boost, but probably not enough to slow down Hurley, Michael Johnson and the slew of running backs the Blue Hens typically use. Prediction: Delaware 30, Maine 24 No. 4 Northern Iowa (4-0, 0-0 MVC) at No. 1 North Dakota State (4-0, 1-0) Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. (FCS Pacific, FSN-N) What to know: Let's see if Northern Iowa can provide some better competition than South Dakota State did last Saturday. History was on the NDSU's side, as the Bison haven't lost a road game since the 2010 season. This week they're at the Fargodome, and UNI actually owns the history in this series. The Panthers have a 25-20 series advantage with the Bison, and are 20-8 all- time in Missouri Valley Football Conference openers. The Bison will be looking to limit David Johnson like they did Zach Zenner a week ago, but will Sawyer Kollmorgen be able to make them pay through the air? Prediction: North Dakota State 27, Northern Iowa 21 Portland State (3-2, 0-1 Big Sky) at No. 10 Montana (3-1, 0-1) Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. (ROOT-NW, RM) What to know: OK, so Portland State didn't exactly start off conference play the way it may have wanted to. No worries, the Vikings and their high-powered offense will get another chance to prove they belong Saturday against Montana. The Vikings still managed to drop 34 points on Cal Poly last Thursday, but couldn't keep the Mustangs out of the end zone. They'll have their hands full against a stout Montana defense. Isn't there a saying that states you "shouldn't poke the bear?" Well, sorry, Portland State. That's exactly what the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks did last weekend before they darted off with a win and left you standing in the way. The last time Montana lost back-to-back games was a little less than a year ago during the Grizzlies' down year. Now they're back in Missoula this week, and they're angry. Prediction: Montana 45, Portland State 25 No. 11 McNeese State (4-1, 0-0 Southland) at No. 14 Central Arkansas (2-2, 0-0) Kickoff: 4 p.m. (Southland TV, ESPN3.com) What to know: Despite only scoring six points in the Cowboys' loss last Saturday to Northern Iowa, McNeese State is still averaging over 40 points per game (40.8). The first and latest setback for the Cowboys may be somewhat telling about the team's ability to keep pace with the elite FCS teams. We'll find out a bit more this weekend when McNeese travels to Central Arkansas for a Southland Conference matchup - the first for either team. While the Cowboys average 40.8 points per game, the Bears rank in the top 25 in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to 20.5 points per game. The Bears have something to prove as well, after slipping to a 2-2 start. The defense will have its hands full with Cody Stroud and the Cowboys, and we'll soon find out if Wynrick Smothers can correct his tendency to turn the ball over. Prediction: McNeese State 31, Central Arkansas 25 North Carolina A&T (3-0, 1-0 MEAC) vs. South Carolina State (3-2, 1-0) at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta Kickoff: 4 p.m. What to know: Since starting the season 0-2 with back-to-back losses at home against Coastal Carolina and on the road at FBS Clemson, South Carolina State has settled down nicely and strung together three straight wins. The same can be said for the Aggies, who have only played three games this year and haven't exactly blown anyone away, but are 3-0 nonetheless. North Carolina A&T is getting solid performances from its return game and defense, mostly notably against Appalachian State. Both teams are 1-0 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and are looking to unseat Bethune-Cookman as the conference power. The Bulldogs will roll out the duo of the Dondres, running backs Dondre Brown and Dondre Lewis-Freeman, who both registered at least 86 yards rushing and a touchdown against Hampton. Prediction: South Carolina State 27, North Carolina A&T 18 Mercer (4-0, 1-0 Pioneer) at San Diego (2-2, 1-0) Kickoff: 4 p.m. What to know: Mercer is surprisingly at the top of the Pioneer Football League standings with a 1-0 league standing and an unblemished 4-0 overall record. Props to anyone who saw that coming. But San Diego is a different beast than any other team Mercer has faced this season. The Toreros are coming off a huge win over the other new PFL program Stetson, 59-0, in which they racked up 624 yards of total offense, including 345 rushing. Quarterback Mason Mills continues to be one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the PFL, completing 18 of his 20 pass attempts last Saturday. Mercer's run defense better be ready as well, considering San Diego rushed for six touchdowns last Saturday. The winner of this contest gets the driver's seat of the Pioneer League vehicle. Prediction: San Diego 32, Mercer 20 No. 15 Northern Arizona (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky) at No. 8 Montana State (3-2, 1-0) Kickoff: 4:35 p.m. (MAX Media) What to know: This is certainly one of the more interesting matchups of the still relatively young season. Northern Arizona is coming off a big 34-16 win over Montana, while Montana State returned starting quarterback DeNarius McGhee sooner than expected in the team's win over North Dakota. Lumberjacks running back Zach Bauman strung together his second consecutive strong performance with a 118-yard, two-touchdown showing against the Grizzlies. More importantly, they were able to create turnovers. Northern Arizona forced Montana into giving the ball away three times, one more than the Grizzlies had all season combined. If McGhee (or Jake Bleskin, whoever gets the start) turns the ball over, the Lumberjacks will be front runners in this one. But at home, it's hard to count on the Bobcats playing anything but superb. We'll see if newly added Buck Buchanan Award candidate Brad Daly can disrupt Bauman and the running game. Prediction: Montana State 27, Northern Arizona 20 Yale (2-0) at No. 18 Cal Poly (2-2) Kickoff: 5:05 p.m. What to know: There was some doubt about the validity of Cal Poly entering Thursday night's contest with Portland State - one of the hottest offenses in the country. But those doubts were laid to rest, as the Mustangs, fresh off a bye week, outscored the Vikings, 38-34, not allowing Portland State over to score 40 points for just the second time all season. Mustangs running back Kristaan Ivory was once again impressive, leading the charge with 184 rushing yards and a touchdown. Since the Ivy League's mid-September start, Yale has been hot. The Bulldogs boast a pretty nifty running game of their own, led by Tyler Varga, who after two games is second in the nation in rushing yards per game with 170.5. This game will be a measuring stick for the nation to see if the Ivy League is for real. Prediction: Cal Poly 35, Yale 17 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-4, 0-2 SWAC) at Jackson State (3-2, 3-0) Kickoff: 7 p.m. What to know: Arkansas-Pine Bluff has underperformed immensely this season, just one year removed from a SWAC title. The 0-4 start wouldn't be so ominous if the Golden Lions weren't already 0-2 in conference play. The most glaring downside to this year's team is its defense. Pine Bluff is tied for the third-worst scoring defense in the nation, giving up an average of 45.3 points per game. The first two games of the season - a 62-11 loss to Arkansas State and a 58-14 loss to McNeese State - really set the Lions back. They can turn it all around this weekend against Jackson State, but the Tigers have been playing well and are on a two-game win streak. Jackson State took down Southern on Saturday - one of the other previously unbeaten-in-conference SWAC teams. The Tigers run game should be able to put up some points against the spotty Golden Lions' defense. Prediction: Jackson State 25, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 19 Weber State (1-4, 0-1 Big Sky) at No. 6 Eastern Washington (2-2, 0-0) Kickoff: 7:05 p.m. (SWX) What to know: Weber State hasn't exactly been the best in terms of limiting teams to minimal scoring this season. In fact, the Wildcats have allowed the second-most points to their opposition in 2013. Weber State's only win this season came in the first week at home against Stephen F. Austin. Then the Wildcats went on the road. In three road contests this year, Weber State has been outscored, 183-19. Enter Eastern Washington, the sixth-ranked team in the country and averaging 36.8 points per game. After a loss to Sam Houston State a week ago, the Eagles are looking to get back on track and have their eyes set on a second consecutive Big Sky title. Prediction: Eastern Washington 47, Weber State 19 Idle Teams: No. 2 Sam Houston State (4-1) No. 5 Eastern Illinois (4-1) No. 9 Coastal Carolina (5-0) Last Week's Record: 15-7 (.682) Season Record: 84-35 (.706)

In the FCS Huddle: Seasons that may be changing

By Craig Haley, FCS Executive Director/Senior Editor  Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - You are what your record says it is.  Actually, that may not be totally true. Indeed, the results on the scoreboard total up the wins and losses, but with so many teams across the FCS, there's bound to be some whose season won't be the same in October, and then November, as it was through September. Maybe the schedule is about to get tougher, maybe it will lighten up for some. Maybe the talent is there, maybe some teams are overachieving. But what their records are today just may not reflect what they will be soon. Better Than the Record Appalachian State (1-3) - All that talent just didn't get up and leave when veteran coach Jerry Moore was shown the door. New coach Scott Satterfield may not be taking solace in the fact his team's losses are against opponents with a combined 11-1 record, but it's true nevertheless. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-4) - The winless record doesn't make a lot of sense for a veteran squad that won the SWAC title last season. Saturday's trip to Jackson State, last year's conference runner-up, doesn't help the cause. Or is it exactly what the Golden Lion need to get the rest of their season headed in the right direction? Central Arkansas (2-2) - Unbeaten at home since adding the gray-and-purple stripes in 2011, the 14th-ranked Bears play five of their final eight games on the Estes Stadium turf. Their three final road games are against Southland teams perceived to be in the lower tier of the conference. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (2-2) - The Mocs' two losses are to teams that are in the Top 25 (UT Martin and Georgia Southern). But for the Mocs to be thinking FCS playoffs, they need a four-game winning streak in October because they will be facing perhaps the toughest November schedule of any FCS team. Eastern Washington (2-2) - Few would doubt a team with a No. 6 national ranking, and the Eagles have performed admirably against a non-conference schedule that offered the prospect of a 1-3 start. The first three Big Sky Conference games are manageable, but defensive coordinator John Graham's unit has to put it together more (a pass rush, anybody?). Florida A&M (1-3) - At least the Rattlers haven't played a MEAC game yet. The difficult three-game run of Tennessee State, Samford and Ohio State is over, so the next three-game run of Morgan State, Savannah State and Howard must sound inviting to quarterback Damien Fleming, who hasn't been nearly as good as a year ago. Southeastern Louisiana (2-2) - After getting its doors blown off in non- conference action a year ago, the Lions are doing quite well in their buildup to Southland Conference play, including a win at Samford. One of the problems, though, is their conference is quite strong this season. Southern Illinois (2-3) - Having had tight losses to Illinois, Eastern Illinois and Youngstown State, the Salukis may be primed for an upset of a Top 10 team (South Dakota State, Northern Iowa and North Dakota State) over the next three weeks. Unfortunately, that 2-3 record might mean quarterback Korey Faulkner and Co. will need two upsets to make something out of the season. Wofford (2-2) - Look, a third Southern Conference team - surely a trend. True, the blowout at Baylor was worse than expected, but a rainstorm could be blamed for the 3-0 hiccup versus defensively strong Gardner-Webb. With a 2-0 start in SoCon games, the Terriers are the team to beat for the automatic bid to the playoffs. Tougher Days Ahead? Coastal Carolina (5-0) - The ninth-ranked Chanticleers have benefited from playing "name" opponents who are having mostly down seasons. It's not to say they won't win the Big South title behind their terrific offense, but they will want to sweep Gardner-Webb and Liberty after their bye this weekend. Mercer (4-0) - There will be some leaks to a defense ranking No. 1 in the FCS in yards allowed (241.5 ypg) when the schedule toughens (San Diego and Jacksonville). But give credit to coach Bobby Lamb and his team for getting in position to have a possible winning season. Sacred Heart (5-0) - What helps the upstart Pioneers is the Northeast Conference is down this season. But they can't expect their FCS-best plus-14 turnover margin to continue at the same rate. South Dakota State (3-2) - They may be No. 7 in the national rankings, but the last two weeks make the close wins over North Dakota and Southeastern Louisiana - decent, but not great teams - a little more noticeable. The Jackrabbits better hope other Missouri Valley Conference coaches don't figure out what North Dakota State does to halt running back Zach Zenner. Southern Utah (4-1) - Three road wins have boosted the Thunderbirds to their first 4-1 start since 1997. But the schedule has been manageable - they don't face Cal Poly and Montana in Big Sky play - so let's not jump on the bandwagon just yet. William & Mary (3-1) - It's fortunate the Tribe have been efficient and defensively strong because the rest of their CAA Football schedule is brutal - seven opponents who have been ranked in the Top 25 in at least one of the last two weeks. Yale (2-0) - The quick start after last year's 2-8 campaign has been impressive, but the Bulldogs are up against it in the coming weeks with games against nationally ranked Cal Poly and Fordham, and a visit to Penn. Youngstown State (4-1) - The Penguins are right where they need to be because there's a tough stretch ahead over the final three weeks of the regular season (Northern Iowa, North Dakota State and South Dakota State). But you have to wonder if a non-conference schedule that included Dayton, Morehead State and Duquense challenged them enough as the Penguins chase their first playoff berth since 2006. POINTS AT A PREMIUM Top-ranked North Dakota State has had the best defense in the FCS for three seasons running now, but fourth-ranked Northern Iowa is certainly flexing its muscles as well this season. The two 4-0 Missouri Valley powers, who square off Saturday at NDSU's Fargodome, rank No. 1 and 3 in the nation in scoring defense, with the Bison allowing just 7.8 points per game (and zero to two FCS opponents) and Northern Iowa 11.8 ppg. Each team has allowed just one rushing touchdown. It's an assignment that UNI coach Mark Farley embraces. "I love the challenge," he said. "The better the team, the more bigger the challenge. So you try to find a way. You try to do the best you can and prepare your players to try to overcome odds. So that's the challenge, that's fun, that's why I do this. "Now the stress of this. Shoot, you've got to go play 'em." AROUND THE NATION Besides Northern Iowa-North Dakota State, the other FCS game matching unbeaten teams is No. 13 Lehigh (4-0) at No. 12 Fordham (5-0). The game doesn't count toward the Patriot League standings, but the winner will take a big step toward earning an at-large playoff bid ... A week after Eastern Illinois senior Jimmy Garoppolo became the 30th quarterback in FCS history to surpass 10,000 career passing yards, Montana State's DeNarius McGhee (9,768) and Davidson's Jonathan Carkhuff (9,718) have a chance to reach the milestone on Saturday. Montana State hosts Northern Arizona in Big Sky Conference and Davidson visits Dayton in the Pioneer Football League ... Speaking of No. 5 Eastern Illinois, its early season results may be the most impressive in the FCS. But the Panthers are tied for last in the FCS in committing 11.2 penalties per game. That needs to change ... The frequent flyer mileage game of the week is Yale at Cal Poly ... The depth of CAA Football always gives it intriguing conference matchups. On Saturday, New Hampshire-Towson, William & Mary-Villanova and Delaware-Maine provide a nice menu ... The annual Governor's Cup meeting between Rhode Island and Brown is the 1,000th game in the visiting Rams' history ... Start-up program Charlotte (3-2) is in the midst of a four-in-five-game stretch against Big South Conference opponents. It started with a 45-21 win at Presbyterian last Saturday ... Charleston Southern (5-0) will play 13 games in the regular season after adding a trip to Colorado on Oct. 19. On Saturday, first-year coach Jamey Chadwell is set to play the Division II North Greenville program that he guided from 2009-11 ... The youngest player in Division I football is Columbia offensive lineman Kendall Pace (17 years, one month old) ... Having played only three games, unbeaten North Carolina A&T is a bit overlooked this season, but Saturday's game against surging South Carolina State in the Georgia Dome will help shape the direction of the MEAC race ... Georgia Southern center Manrey Saint-Amour had 14 knockdowns in last Saturday's win against Chattanooga ... The other FBS-bound program from the Southern Conference, Appalachian State, has freshmen leading the conference in scoring (Marcus Cox, 12 points per game), tackles per game (John Law, 12.5) and punting average (Bentlee Critcher, 45.4) ... New Walter Payton Award nominee Kyle Harbridge of Saint Francis (Pa.) needs 155 rushing yards to set a new Red Flash career record. They visit Central Connecticut State on Saturday ... Since losing by one point to Division II Merrimack, defending Northeast Conference champion Wagner (1-4) has lost its last three games by a combined 113 points ... Only three of the eight Southland Conference teams are in action Saturday. No. 11 McNeese State visits No. 14 Central Arkansas and Southeastern Louisiana hosts Incarnate Word, which will be playing a Southland schedule next season ... Murray State isn't actually the hotbed for defense, but the Racers (3-2) have forced 12 turnovers this season and have a chance to be at least an early season contender in the Ohio Valley Conference race ... Grambling State is averaging a whopping 119 penalty yards per game through five losses. WHAT WE KNOW, WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW The Sports Network FCS Top 25 can be found at http://tinyurl.com/88q2k7t. Also, once again this season, In the FCS Huddle is projecting the potential FCS playoff field. The projections, updated most Sundays, are a long-range look at the season - not based off current records or rankings - and can be found at http://www.sportsnetwork.com/fcs/FCS_Bracket.pdf. WEEK 6 PICKS Week 5 Record: 39-21 (.650) Season Record: 277-84 (.767) Saturday, Oct. 5 North Greenville (4-0) at X-Charleston Southern (5-0), 11 a.m. Valparaiso (1-3, 1-0 Pioneer) at X-Marist (2-2, 1-0), noon No. 19 New Hampshire (1-2, 0-0 CAA) at X-No. 3 Towson (5-0, 1-0), noon X-No. 25 Gardner-Webb (4-1) at Charlotte (3-2), noon No. 13 Lehigh (4-0) at X-No. 12 Fordham (5-0), noon West Liberty (2-2) at X-Duquesne (1-2), 12:10 p.m. Colgate (0-4) at X-Cornell (1-1), 12:30 p.m. Columbia (0-2, 0-0 Ivy) at X-Princeton (1-1, 0-0), 1 p.m. X-Florida A&M (1-3, 0-0 MEAC) at Morgan State (0-5, 0-1), 1 p.m. X-Morehead State (1-4, 1-1 Pioneer) at Campbell (1-3, 0-1), 1 p.m. Savannah State (1-4, 0-1 MEAC) at X-Norfolk State (1-3, 1-0), 1 p.m. William & Mary (3-1, 1-0 CAA) at X-No. 20 Villanova (2-2, 1-0), 1 p.m. Davidson (0-4, 0-1 Pioneer) at X-Dayton (2-2, 0-1), 1 p.m. X-Saint Francis (Pa.) (1-3, 0-0 NEC) at Central Connecticut State (1-4, 0-0), 1 p.m. Wagner (1-4, 0-1 NEC) at X-Sacred Heart (5-0, 0-0), 1 p.m. Robert Morris (2-2) at X-Monmouth (2-3), 1 p.m. X-North Carolina Central (2-2, 0-0 MEAC) at Howard (1-3, 0-1), 1 p.m. Dartmouth (1-1, 0-0 Ivy) at X-Penn (1-1, 0-0), 1 p.m. X-Harvard (2-0) at Holy Cross (2-3), 1 p.m. Stetson (1-3, 0-1 Pioneer) at X-Butler (3-2, 1-0), 1 p.m. Elon (1-4, 0-1 SoCon) at X-Furman (2-2, 1-0), 1:30 p.m. Albany (1-4, 0-1 CAA) at X-James Madison (3-2, 0-1), 1:30 p.m. Presbyterian (1-3) at X-No. 17 Wofford (2-2), 1:30 p.m. X-Appalachian State (1-3, 1-0 SoCon) at The Citadel (1-4, 1-2), 2 p.m. X-No. 21 Bethune-Cookman (3-1, 0-0 MEAC) at Delaware State (1-3, 1-0), 2 p.m. X-Jacksonville (2-3, 0-1 Pioneer) at Drake (1-3, 0-1), 2 p.m. Mississippi Valley State (0-4, 0-2 SWAC) at X-Alabama A&M (2-3, 2-1), 2 p.m. Abilene Christian (3-2) at X-Pittsburg State (4-0), 3 p.m. Missouri State (1-4, 1-0 Missouri Valley) at X-South Dakota (1-3, 0-1), 3 p.m. Warner (0-5) at X-Alcorn State (3-2), 3 p.m. No. 16 Georgia Southern (3-1, 1-1 SoCon) at X-Samford (3-2, 1-0), 3 p.m. Jacksonville State (4-1, 0-1 OVC) at X-No. 22 UT Martin (3-1, 1-0), 3 p.m. Southern Illinois (2-3, 0-1 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 7 South Dakota State (3-2, 0-1), 3 p.m. X-Western Illinois (3-2, 1-0 Missouri Valley) at Illinois State (1-3, 0-1), 3 p.m. X-Youngstown State (4-1, 1-0 Missouri Valley) at Indiana State (1-3, 0-0), 3:05 p.m. UC Davis (1-4, 1-0 Big Sky) at X-Southern Utah (4-1, 1-0), 3:05 p.m. X-No. 24 Delaware (4-1, 1-0 CAA) at No. 23 Maine (4-1, 1-0), 3:30 p.m. Game of the Week: No. 4 Northern Iowa (4-0, 0-0 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 1 North Dakota State (4-0, 1-0), 3:30 p.m. A Bison win here and it just might be smooth sailing toward the No. 1 seed in the FCS playoffs. Bucknell (1-2, 0-0 Patriot) at X-Lafayette (0-3, 0-0), 3:30 p.m. Portland State (3-2, 0-1 Big Sky) at X-No. 10 Montana (3-1, 0-1), 3:30 p.m. No. 11 McNeese State (4-1, 0-0 Southland) at X-No. 14 Central Arkansas (2-2, 0-0), 4 p.m. X-North Carolina A&T (3-0, 1-0 MEAC) vs. South Carolina State (3-2, 1-0) at Georgia Dome in Atlanta, 4 p.m. Mercer (4-0, 1-0 Pioneer) at X-San Diego (2-2, 1-0), 4 p.m. North Dakota (1-3, 0-1 Big Sky) at X-Idaho State (2-2, 0-1), 4 p.m. Tennessee Tech (3-2, 0-1 OVC) at X-Murray State (3-2, 1-0), 4 p.m. No. 15 Northern Arizona (3-1, 1-0 Big Sky) at X-No. 8 Montana State (3-2, 1-0), 4:35 p.m. Yale (2-0) at X-No. 18 Cal Poly (2-2), 5:05 p.m. Western Carolina (1-4, 0-2 SoCon) at X-Chattanooga (2-2, 0-1), 6 p.m. Liberty (3-2) at X-Old Dominion (3-2), 6 p.m. Austin Peay (0-4, 0-0 OVC) at X-Eastern Kentucky (2-3, 0-1), 6 p.m. Bryant (3-1) at X-Stony Brook (1-3), 6 p.m. X-Rhode Island (2-3) at Brown (1-1), 6 p.m. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-4, 0-2 SWAC) at X-Jackson State (3-2, 3-0), 7 p.m. X-Alabama State (3-2, 3-1 SWAC) at Texas Southern (0-4, 0-3), 7 p.m. Southeast Missouri State (0-4, 0-1 OVC) at X-Tennessee State (4-1, 1-0), 7 p.m. Grambling State (0-5, 0-2 SWAC) vs. X-Prairie View A&M (3-2, 2-1) at Cotton Bowl at Fair Park in Dallas, 7 p.m. Weber State (1-4, 0-1 Big Sky) at X-No. 6 Eastern Washington (2-2, 0-0), 7:05 p.m. Incarnate Word (3-2) at X-Southeastern Louisiana (2-2), 8 p.m.

UPDATED #2 - 9:00 am 3 Oct, Tailgate #3 – October 5, 2013, Opponent Portland State

Hello Griz fans!!!
The only comment I have about last week's game is ouch!!!!
Remember the first rule in Italian driving is:
"What is ever behind does not matter!"
So with that in mind it is HOMECOMING! Lets go out and cheer the Griz to another victory against Postland State!

Game Time: 1:30pm

Game day Weather:
Partly sunny
Game time temperature: 62 degrees with winds out of the southwest a 4 mph

This weekend's main course is Italian!

Here is a list of items that are needed for this week's tailgate:

2) Italian Dishes
4) Anti Pasta Plate

5) Caesar Salad

6) Chips

7) Desserts

8) Paper Plates, Plastic ware, and napkins

10) PIZZA!!!!!!

Post a comment below this post or email me (mtmotorstables@gmail.com) and we'll update this list.


Thank you and Go Griz!!!!
Doug

Familiar ring: NDSU is No. 1, Sam Houston State No. 2

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - It's all so familiar. The Sports Network FCS Top 25 returned on Monday to the way it finished in each of the past two seasons - with North Dakota State at No. 1 and Sam Houston State at No. 2. They played each other in the 2011 and 2012 FCS national championship games, with North Dakota State winning both times. Here the two dance partners are in the same order again, with North Dakota State remaining atop the poll as it has been since the preseason and Sam Houston State moving up two spots to No. 2. It was a result of the two teams winning the most anticipated games of this past weekend's schedule. North Dakota State handled then-No. 6 South Dakota State, 20-0, and Sam Houston State raced past then-No. 2 Eastern Washington, 49-34. The top-ranked Bison (4-0) received all but one of the 158 first-place votes and 3,949 points. The Bearkats (4-1), whose only loss is to Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M, gained the other first-place vote and had 3,673 points, jumping over No. 3 Towson to gain the second spot. Towson (5-0) remained unbeaten after staging a second-half rally to beat Stony Brook, 35-21. Northern Iowa (4-0) won the weekend's other matchup within the Top 10, routing then-No. 9 McNeese State, 43-6, and moved up one spot to No. 4. The Panthers will play in Saturday's biggest matchup by visiting North Dakota State for a Missouri Valley Football Conference matchup. Eastern Illinois (4-1) was next in the rankings at No. 5, followed by No. 6 Eastern Washington (2-2), No. 7 South Dakota State (3-2), No. 8 Montana State (3-2), No. 9 Coastal Carolina (5-0) and No. 10 Montana (3-1). The next 10 were No. 11 McNeese State (4-1); No. 12 Fordham (5-0); No. 13 Lehigh (4-0); No. 14 Central Arkansas (2-2); No. 15 Northern Arizona (3-1), which moved up nine spots after posting a win over Montana; No. 16 Georgia Southern (3-1); No. 17 Wofford (2-2); No. 18 Cal Poly (2-2); No. 19 New Hampshire (1-2); and No. 20 Villanova (2-2). Rounding out the Top 25 were No. 21 Bethune-Cookman (3-1), No. 22 UT Martin (3-1), No. 23 Maine (4-1), No. 24 Delaware (4-1); and No. 25 Gardner-Webb (4-1). Maine and Delaware had the formula for joining the Top 25 for the first time this season. They knocked teams out of the rankings, with Maine beating Richmond, 28-21, and Delaware topping James Madison, 29-22, in a pair of CAA Football matchups. The CAA and Big Sky Conference had the most teams in the Top 25 with five each. Nine FCS conferences were represented in the rankings. A panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries selects the national poll. In the Top 25 voting, a first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote. During the regular season, the Top 25 will be released every Monday afternoon, except for the final weekend, when it will be released Sunday morning, Nov. 24, prior to the selection of the FCS playoff field. The final Top 25 will be released on the Monday after the FCS championship game Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.

Team (First-place votes)		2013 Record	Points	Previous Rank
1.	North Dakota State Bison (157)	4-0	3949	1
2.	Sam Houston State Bearkats (1)	4-1	3673	4
3.	Towson Tigers	5-0	3645	3
4.	Northern Iowa Panthers	4-0	3492	5
5.	Eastern Illinois Panthers	4-1	3156	8
6.	Eastern Washington Eagles	2-2	3050	2
7.	South Dakota State Jackrabbits	3-2	2581	6
8.	Montana State Bobcats	3-2	2561	11
9.	Coastal Carolina Chanticleers	5-0	2478	12
10.	Montana Grizzlies	3-1	1964	7
11.	McNeese State Cowboys	4-1	1836	9
12.	Fordham Rams	5-0	1832	16
13.	Lehigh Mountain Hawks	4-0	1764	21
14.	Central Arkansas Bears	2-2	1763	13
15.	Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	3-1	1711	24
16.	Georgia Southern Eagles	3-1	1635	15
17.	Wofford Terriers	2-2	1203	17
18.	Cal Poly Mustangs	2-2	1195	18
19.	New Hampshire Wildcats	1-2	1162	10
20.	Villanova Wildcats	2-2	1002	19
21.	Bethune-Cookman Wildcats	3-1	947	20
22.	Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks	3-1	724	23
23.	Maine Black Bears	4-1	702	NR
24.	Delaware Blue Hens	4-1	671	NR
25.	Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs	4-1	570	25
Others receiving votes: Youngstown State 555, James Madison 544, William & Mary 235, Southern Utah 180, North Carolina A&T 126, Richmond 83, Tennessee State 59, Samford 46, Illinois State 45, Charleston Southern 41, Southeastern Louisiana 33, Harvard 31, Jacksonville State 27, Chattanooga 27, Stony Brook 17, Western Illinois 9, South Carolina State 7, Murray State 6, Portland State 6, Liberty 4, Sacred Heart 3. ...

Griz BB practice starts today

TWO-TIME DEFENDING LEAGUE CHAMP GRIZZLIES S BEGIN PRACTICE TODAY

MISSOULA, MONTANA (10/1/13) – The two-time defending Big Sky Conference champion University of Montana Grizzly basketball team begins practice for the 2013-14 season today (Tuesday, Oct. 1) .

The Griz are coming off back-to-back 25-7 regular-season records, and have gone 34-2 in Big Sky games the past two years. Montana has had four straight 20-win seasons and two NCAA tournament berths in a row. UM is 93-35 overall and 56-12 in Big Sky games the past four seasons.

Eighth-year head coach Wayne Tinkle, the league’s coach of the year the past two seasons, returns two-plus starters and nine letterman from his record-setting squad of last season.

Leading the way is 6-5 senior guard-forward Kareem Jamar (32 starts), the Big Sky MVP a year ago and anAssociated Press honorable mention selection. Other returning starters are 6-9 senior center Eric Hutchison (27 starts), and 6-2 junior guard Jordan Gregory (21 starts).

Also back are 6-2 junior guard Keron DeShields, 6-5 sophomore forward Nick Emerson, 7-0 sophomore center Andy Martin, 6-7 junior forward Mike Weisner, 6-7 sophomore forward Jake Wiley, and 6-0 sophomore guard Morgan Young.

The Griz must replace senior veteran starters in guard Will Cherry and forward Mathias Ward. Forward Spencer Coleman will not be returning for his senior season, and he had 18 starts a year ago. Ward (24 starts), who was lost for the season due to an injury, led UM in scoring (14.8 ppg), while Cherry (21 starts) was third (13.3 ppg), and Coleman was fifth (7.6 ppg).

UM’s high school additions are 6-0 guard Mario Dunn Jr. (Salesian HS, Oakland, Calif.), 6-4 guard Brandon Gfeller (Colfax HS, Wash.), 6-5 guard-forward Jack Lopez (Jannali HS, Bankstown Australia), and 6-4 guard-forward Daine Muller (Billings Skyview HS, Mont.).

Chris Kemp, a 6-7, 238-pound JC transfer from Baltimore, who played at West Texas College, should compete for a starting berth. Also back is 6-2 guard Riley Bradshaw (Corvallis HS, Mont.), who redshirted last year after transferring from Utah State.

Also new to the program is 6-8 junior center Martin Breunig from the University of Washington, who will not be able to play until the 2014-15 season due to NCAA transfer rules.

The Griz are schedule to practice from approximately 3:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. in Dahlberg Arena, Tuesday through Friday (Oct. 1-4).

THE GRIZ POSITION-BY-POSITION

GUARDS:

Riley Bradshaw, 6-2, 180, Fr., RS, 24.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg (prep averages)

Keron DeShields, 6-2, 182, Jr., 2V: 6.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 79.4 FT%

Mario Dunn Jr., 6-0, 170, Fr., HS (his high school did not keep individual stats)

Brandon Gfeller, 6-4, 180, Fr., HS, (prep stats NA)

Jordan Gregory, 6-2, 185, Jr., 2V, 8.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 88.1 FT%

Daine Muller, 6-4, 200, Fr., HS, 22.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg (prep stats)

Morgan Young, 6-0, 180, So., 1V, 0.4 ppg, 0.0 rpg (8 games)

FORWARDS:

Kareem Jamar, (G-F), 6-5, 210, Sr., 3V: 14.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.0 apg, 49.4 FG%

Chris Kemp, 6-7, 238, Jr., JC, 7.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg (JC stats)

Nick Emerson, 6-5, 206, So., 1V, 0.0 ppg, 0.3 rpg (12 games)

Jack Lopez (G-F), 6-5, 210, Fr., HS, (prep stats NA)

Mike Weisner, 6-7, 185, Jr. 2V, 6.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 90.0 FT%

Jake Wiley, 6-7, 190, So., 1V, 1.0 ppg, 0.6 rpg (20 games)

CENTERS

Eric Hutchison, 6-9, 230, Sr., 3V, 3.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg

Andy Martin, 7-0, 223, So., 1V, 2.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, .75 blk pg (28 games)

Martin Breunig, 6-8, 210, Jr. (Will not play until the 2014-15 season due to NCAA transfer rules)

Griz Planner (9-30)

9-30.pdf171K View Download

COMPLIANCE TIP OF THE WEEK

National Letter of Intent (NLI) Recruiting Ban

· Once a prospective student-athlete signs an NLI, all NLI member institutions and conferences must cease contact with the NLI signee and his or her family members. Any contact in excess of an exchange of a greeting would result in an NLI Recruiting Ban Violation regardless of the conversation. The conversation does not have to result in a recruiting discussion for a violation to occur. It is understandable that a coach from another institution, due to the relationship established during the recruiting process, may want to call or send a note to congratulate the prospective student-athlete for signing his or her NLI. This exchange is permissible but must be timely following the date of signing and must not be more than the congratulatory dialogue.

· If communication is initiated by the NLI signee, the coach is obligated to ask if the student has signed an NLI and proceed to inquire with the compliance office to see if an NLI has been signed. The coach should cease communication until it is determined by the compliance office the student’s NLI status.

· If a sibling of an NLI signee is also a prospective student-athlete, all communication by other coaches recruiting the sibling must be specific to the sibling and not the NLI signee.

· The NLI Recruiting Ban remains in effect until the prospective student-athlete enrolls at the signing institution or if the prospective student-athlete does not enroll at the signing institution, the recruiting ban will be lifted after the signing institution's next academic year has elapsed. For example, the prospective student-athlete signs during the 2013-14 academic year and does not enroll at that institution for the 2014-15 academic year, the recruiting ban would be lifted at the end of the institution’s 2014-15 academic year. Thus, the prospective student-athlete is under the NLI recruiting ban during the academic year he or she should have been attending the signing institution.

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Laurel Hanson, Director of Compliance

The University of Montana