Friday, October 18, 2013
In the FCS Huddle: Week 8 Preview
By Brandon Lawrence, FCS Associate
Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - It wasn't exactly the start to the
season Villanova coach Andy Talley had hoped for this year, but a string of wins
has put his team right back into the thick of the conversation in the FCS.
The Wildcats, now ranked No. 12 in the nation, are almost miraculously 4-2
and have a 3-0 record in the Colonial Athletic Association despite starting the
2013 season with losses to Boston College and Fordham. They took down Towson's
perfect record with a 45-35 upset win last Saturday.
Villanova won not because of anything special the team added to its playbook,
but because of a sophomore quarterback who stepped up his leadership skills and
sparked the flame that ignited his team to victory.
John Robertson's 182-yard, two-touchdown passing performance was topped only
by his feet. Last season's Jerry Rice Award winner as the nation's top freshman
reverted back to his former self and scampered for 150 yards and three
touchdowns to bury the Tigers on the road.
Injuries limited the Wildcats early on this season, but that didn't affect
Robertson so much. What did get to him, though, was the way the offense strayed
from what made him so effective last year - how Talley and the offensive
playcalling got away from having him run the football.
"Well, John, of course, is one of those dual-threat quarterbacks as we know,
and we tried to protect him a little early in the season," Talley said. "But he
came back to us and said he needs to run the ball more to feel comfortable.
That's what he did, and we hold our breath all the time.
"But you know, he was a real force on Saturday. I think he was the player of
the week in the CAA, and he ran the ball great and threw the ball well. He was
17-of-18 throwing the ball and just had a great day running the ball. He's a
real force."
Talley has coached plenty of great players over the years, who have all had
plenty of great single-game performances. Although the years become a bit
cloudy, he said, Robertson's performance against a highly touted team like
Towson is up there as one of the best he's seen.
Robertson's spectacular play was the hinge in Saturday's win, but Talley said
he was certainly impressed with his defense and its ability to slow down
Terrance West.
West finished with 61 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Villanova coach
credited early Tigers turnovers and his team's ability to capitalize on them as
the reason the Wildcats jumped so far ahead in the first half. And when a team
gets behind like Towson did, it's usually forced to throw the ball more in order
to catch up.
Towson quarterback Peter Athens attempted 41 passes Saturday - his most in a
single game all season, and eight more than his previous single-game high.
West's 16 carries tied his fewest this season.
"They had to get into a drop-back mode a little more which helped us," Talley
said. "We picked off three passes and our defense stepped up when they had to.
But there was a lot of ebb and flow in the game."
Villanova has won four straight games and looks to make it a fifth straight
win Saturday when the team travels up to New Hampshire for another CAA showdown.
But Talley knows winning in New Hampshire is never easy, regardless of the
other team's record.
"Winning four in a row gives you a certain amount of momentum," Talley said.
"But you come off a win against the number two or three (team) in the country,
and now you've got to go to New Hampshire, which is not a great place to play.
It's very difficult to win up there, and they are one of the best teams in the
country. Then we've got Maine here, and we've still got to go to James Madison.
So we've got a few hurdles to get over, but I think we're in the best position."
As the weeks roll on, Villanova's two losses don't seem as impactful as they
once did earlier in the season. The loss to Boston College is still a loss to an
FBS squad, while unbeaten Fordham continues to win and move up the national
rankings.
For now, Villanova is in the driver's seat of the CAA. But Talley knows the
unpredictability of the conference and knows that the tough matchups won't stop
after New Hampshire. And he knows his sophomore quarterback will keep asking for
the ball.
"You've just got to keep on trucking," he said.
The following is a game-by-game breakdown for The Sports Network FCS Top 25
and other select games (all times ET):
Saturday, Oct. 19
No. 8 Fordham (7-0) at Yale (3-1)
Kickoff: noon
What to know: We've seen Yale pull off a win over previously ranked Cal Poly
this season, so why should the Bulldogs be counted out against No. 8 Fordham?
It's the end of the non-conference schedule for Yale, which recently lost at
Dartmouth, 20-13. Fordham will prove to be the Bulldogs' biggest challenge yet,
as the Rams average 40 points per game, and have outscored their opponents 82-44
in the fourth quarter this season.
The last time these two teams met back in 2010, Yale came away with a 7-6
victory. But no matter how productive quarterback Henry Furman and running back
Tyler Varga are this weekend, it'll be nearly impossible to match the
outstanding play of Walter Payton Award candidate Michael Nebrich.
Nebrich is the nation's leader in completion percentage (74.2 percent) and is
third in passing yards. This Yale team could possibly be the last real test
standing in the way of an undefeated season for the Rams.
Prediction: Fordham 38, Yale 24
No. 12 Villanova (4-2, 3-0 CAA) at No. 25 New Hampshire (2-3, 1-1)
Kickoff: Noon (CSN-PHI)
What to know: Robertson was instrumental in the Wildcats' win over previously
unbeaten Towson last weekend, leading his team in rushing yards with 150 and
adding three rushing touchdowns. Not to mention his 182 passing yards and two
scores in the win. His defense also held Terrance West to 61 rushing yards and
two touchdowns.
Next up for Villanova is a trip to New Hampshire, where the (other) Wildcats
are coming off a convincing win over Rhode Island, 59-19. New Hampshire made a
switch at quarterback against the Rams, with Sean Goldrich getting the exclusive
action under center.
Villanova and New Hampshire didn't meet up last season, but squared off every
season between 2008 and 2011. The last time New Hampshire lost to 'Nova in the
regular season was back in 2008 in Philadelphia, and dropped a 2009 playoff
contest on 'Nova's home turf. But New Hampshire has owned the rest of the
matchups, especially in Durham (Villanova hasn't won at Cowell Stadium since the
2003 season). The all-time series is deadlocked at 11 wins apiece.
New Hampshire's run defense will have a hard time trying to contain
Robertson. Who would've thought after such a slow start Villanova would bounce
back and take charge of a tough CAA?
Prediction: Villanova 30, New Hampshire 24
Georgetown (1-5, 0-0 Patriot) at No. 18 Lehigh (5-1. 0-0)
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m.
What to know: Although last weekend's loss to Fordham didn't count against
the team's Patriot League record, Georgetown must face a ranked conference team
for the second week in a row.
The Hoyas are struggling, to say the least, especially against opponents'
passing attacks. The Hoyas defense allowed 405 yards last weekend to Nebrich,
and fell behind quickly in the contest.
Brandon Bialkowski is no slouch, either. The senior left-hander is tied for
fourth in the country with 17 passing touchdowns this season, and is second
behind only Eastern Illinois signal caller Jimmy Garoppolo in passing yards in
the FCS.
The Mountain Hawks own a 12-game win streak over Georgetown, and have
outscored the Hoyas by an average of 38-10 in that span. And if Lehigh wins, it
will be the sixth straight season the Mountain Hawks have opened their Patriot
League schedule at 1-0.
Prediction: Lehigh 40, Georgetown 18
William & Mary (4-2, 1-1 CAA) at No. 14 Maine (5-1, 2-0)
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m.
What to know: Maine, like many other teams in CAA Football, is just beginning
its slide into conference play, and faces some very difficult opponents that
will test the team's durability and talent going forward.
William & Mary is certainly one of those teams. The Tribe is on the verge
of breaking the Top 25 themselves, but a loss to Villanova a few weeks ago set
them back.
The Tribe control the all-time series, 7-3. They also sport the nation's top
scoring defense, limiting opponents to a mere 11.8 points per game. But Maine's
offense has been stellar this season, averaging 32.2 points per game and 455.2
total yards per game.
In Orono, the Black Bears can be deadly. They've won both games at home this
season, and are already looking to outdo their win total from last season's 5-6
season.
Prediction: Maine 27, William & Mary 21
No. 15 South Dakota State (4-3, 1-2 Missouri Valley) at Missouri State (1-6,
1-2)
Kickoff: 2 p.m. (MediaCom)
What to know: History isn't on the side of the Bears for this one. Missouri
State is 0-5 against South Dakota State all-time, including 0-2 in Springfield,
where the Bears play.
The Jackrabbits suffered through three straight losses before jumping back in
the win column Saturday against Western Illinois, but are still looking to
rebound and help their 1-2 conference record out. And this may be the perfect
matchup to get back to .500 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Bears are tied for 80th in the nation in turnovers lost with 13. That's
not good news for them because the Jackrabbits lead the MVC and the nation with
15 interceptions, and have a second-in-the-nation plus-13 turnover margin.
Though Missouri State ranks fifth nationally in red-zone defense, it's too tough
to stop Zach Zenner from scoring.
Prediction: South Dakota State 41, Missouri State 20
No. 24 Tennessee State (6-1, 3-0 OVC) at UT Martin (4-2, 2-1)
Kickoff: 2 p.m.
What to know: Tennessee State returned all 11 starters from an Ohio Valley
Conference-leading defense in 2012. Has that become evident yet?
It should be, because that same OVC-leading squad in total defense now leads
the nation in 2013, giving up an average of 255 yards per game and a miniscule
4.01 yards per play through seven contests. And for the first time this season,
the Tigers are now part of the nation's Top 25.
They travel to face UT Martin this weekend - a team that once sat in the Top
25 but fell out after a loss to Jacksonville State, the same team TSU defeated
to earn the spot.
Tennessee State holds a 15-7 series lead on UT Martin, and if the Tigers can
get some offense going against the Skyhawks, they shouldn't have much trouble.
UT Martin quarterback Dylan Favre might have some, though, against Stephen
Godbolt III, David Van Dyke and the rest of the Tennessee State defensive
backfield.
Prediction: Tennessee State 27, UT Martin 18
Charleston Southern (7-0) at Colorado (2-3)
Kickoff: 2 p.m.
What to know: Is Charleston Southern possibly the most underrated team in the
FCS? The Buccaneers are certainly the least talked-about unbeaten team in the
country.
The Bucs have been flying under the radar, but could be in danger of
suffering their first loss this weekend against FBS Colorado. CSU opted to
schedule a 13th game during the team's planned bye week after record rainfall
and flooding canceled the Buffaloes' game with Fresno State back in
mid-September. When the opportunity arose to add the game against the FBS
opponent, CSU coach Jamey Chadwell jumped at the chance. He said this game will
provide long- term benefits to the program.
The Buffaloes started the year strong with wins over Colorado State and
Central Arkansas, but have since dropped contests to Oregon State, Oregon and
Arizona State. Aside from a win against Appalachian State (if you want to count
the Mountaineers as a good team despite their record), the Bucs have defeated
teams they should have in the first place.
This test against Colorado will be a measuring stick to weigh Charleston
Southern's ability.
Prediction: Colorado 28, Charleston Southern 20
Southeast Missouri State (1-5, 1-2 OVC) at No. 3 Eastern Illinois (5-1, 2-0)
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m.
What to know: Jimmy Garoppolo was once again fantastic as his Panthers tore
up Austin Peay's defense last Thursday in a 63-7 win. Garoppolo threw for five
touchdowns and 306 yards, and had a touchdown carry as well.
Garoppolo and receiver Erik Lora get most of the (much deserved) attention on
offense, but running back Taylor Duncan was a star against the Governors,
lighting it up for 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Duncan will be looking
to at least duplicate his stats against Southeast Missouri's 110th- ranked
rushing defense, which gives up an average of 248.8 yards per game.
Last season, Eastern Illinois's win over SEMO was the Ohio Valley Conference
clincher for the Panthers. The Redhawks are coming off their first victory of
the season - a triple overtime game against Murray State - but the Panthers
offense will be way too much to handle.
Prediction: Eastern Illinois 50, Southeast Missouri State 17
No. 1 North Dakota State (6-0, 3-0 Missouri Valley) at Southern Illinois
(4-3, 2-1)
Kickoff: 3 p.m. (NBC-ND, ESPN3.com)
What to know: Southern Illinois is playing the role of David pretty well at
the moment, after taking down two straight Goliath teams in the FCS in South
Dakota State (previously ranked seventh) and Northern Iowa (previously ranked
fourth).
For a remarkable third consecutive game, the Salukis will be taking on a Top
10 team. And this is no ordinary Top 10 squad.
The Bison sport the third-best scoring defense and total defense in the
country, while Southern Illinois has enjoyed an efficient passing offense under
the leadership of quarterback Kory Faulkner. Faulkner is tied for fourth in the
nation with 17 passing touchdowns.
But quite possibly the most underrated aspect of this Salukis team is its
defense, which allowed just 235 total yards to Northern Iowa, including holding
Walter Payton Award candidate David Johnson to 19 rushing yards on 11 carries.
Is there a chance the Salukis can pull it off? Sure. But the Bison haven't
lost on the road since the 2010 FCS playoffs, and that streak likely won't come
to an end this weekend.
Prediction: North Dakota State 30, Southern Illinois 20
No. 7 Towson (6-1, 2-1 CAA) at Albany (1-6, 0-3)
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m.
What to know: For the first time this season, Towson is spending its week
figuring out how to cope with a loss. And not just any loss, but one to a team
now ahead of the Tigers in the CAA Football standings.
Next up is a trip to Albany - a team coach Bob Ford said before the season
would likely struggle a bit adjusting to life in the CAA. But the CAA portion of
the team's schedule makes up only half of the team's losses.
In fact, two of Albany's six losses have come against Northeast Conference
teams - Albany's former football home base. The Danes have struggled to put any
sort of winning combination on the field, although they only lost to Delaware by
three points, 33-30, in Newark last weekend.
Towson, with its 23rd-in-the-country rushing attack, can bury the Great
Danes' season by dropping them to 0-4 in the CAA this weekend.
Prediction: Towson 38, Albany 17
No. 13 Wofford (4-2, 3-0 Southern) at Western Carolina (1-6, 0-3)
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN3.com)
What to know: The Terriers have steadily been taking care of their
assignments week in and week out, and find themselves now in control of the
Southern Conference with Samford, which gets a bye this week.
So the Terriers can get a quick leg up on the Bulldogs with a win before
Samford and Wofford meet up on Oct. 26. And this matchup with Western Carolina
should do the trick.
The Catamounts have struggled to stop anyone defensively this season,
allowing an average of 43.9 points per game to opponents - ranked 117th in the
nation. The Terriers have scored 82 points in three games against SoCon
opposition this season while giving up 57 points.
It's hard to think Wofford players and coaches aren't looking just a little
bit down the road to their matchup with Samford. With Samford, Chattanooga,
Appalachian State and Furman to end the season, a win over Western Carolina
could actually go a long way.
Prediction: Wofford 42, Western Carolina 21
No. 6 Coastal Carolina (6-0, 1-0 Big South) at Liberty (3-3, 0-0)
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. (LFSN, ESPN3.com)
What to know: At the beginning of the season, many pundits had this game
pegged as the Big South game of the year between two teams that would arguably
be battling for the conference title.
It can still be that way, as Liberty has yet to play in a Big South game and
Coastal Carolina is 1-0 in conference play. The Flames' three losses this season
came at the hands of very talented opponents in Old Dominion, Richmond and FBS
Kent State.
Although Coastal is still undefeated and ranked No. 6 in the nation, the
Chanticleers have had their fair share of struggles in Lynchburg against Liberty
in the past. They have a 1-4 record at Williams Stadium - that one win being a
triple overtime decision in 2005. The all-time series between the two squads is
tied at five games apiece.
This matchup is pretty enticing regardless. Coastal Carolina has rushed for
over 200 yards as a team 12 times in its last 14 games, and is 11-1 when going
over the 200-yard mark. But Liberty sports the 27th-ranked run defense in the
FCS, only giving up 126 yards per game. But still, Chanticleers quarterback Alex
Ross has made teams pay when Lorenzo Taliaferro isn't his normal superhuman
self.
Prediction: Coastal Carolina 31, Liberty 27
Cal Poly (3-3, 2-0 Big Sky) at No. 10 Montana (5-1, 2-1)
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. (Max Media, KKFX)
What to know: The Mustangs followed up their 24-10 loss at home to Yale with
a beating unleashed against Weber State, 47-0. Apparently the frustration from
the Yale game had been mounting all last week up to the Weber State contest.
Now the Mustangs must travel to Missoula to take on the Grizzlies, who are
coming off a one-sided win of their own, a 42-7 crushing of UC Davis. Between
receiver Ellis Henderson's two-touchdown day and the team's four total rushing
scores, the Grizzlies looked once again as dangerous as their Grizzly mascot.
Cal Poly started quarterback Dano Graves - the third player to start under
center this season - against Weber State, as he helped the team to its first
shutout in seven years. Running back Kristaan Ivory leads the Big Sky in
rushing, averaging 114 yards per game, while as a whole Cal Poly collected 365
rushing yards last weekend versus the Wildcats.
But Montana's stingy run defense won't be intimidated. The Grizzlies rank
20th in the nation, allowing 114.8 rushing yards per game to opponents and just
four rushing touchdowns. Considering the high number of times Cal Poly runs the
football, players like Zack Wagenmann and Alex Bienemann will likely have a
field day stopping the run.
Prediction: Montana 32, Cal Poly 23
Savannah State (1-6, 0-3 MEAC) at No. 17 Bethune-Cookman (5-1, 2-0)
Kickoff: 4 p.m.
What to know: Bethune-Cookman, with such a talented defense and high-flying
offense, has almost quietly had success this season. The Wildcats were picked as
favorites to win the MEAC, but the story out of that conference has been the
recent play of South Carolina State.
While SCSU continues to make headway into its schedule, Bethune-Cookman can
keep up its steady pace this weekend with a matchup against MEAC basement-
dweller Savannah State. The Tigers have had a particularly rough schedule this
season, losing games to Georgia Southern, FBS Troy and Miami (Fla.), and then
dropping a trio of MEAC games.
Teams aren't doing anything fancy to beat Savannah State - they're just
waiting for the Tigers to make mistakes. Turnovers have been a huge cause for
concern, and Bethune-Cookman this weekend will be waiting to pounce with its 11
turnovers gained this season.
Prediction: Bethune-Cookman 34, Savannah State 17
Western Illinois (3-4, 1-2 Missouri Valley) at No. 16 Youngstown State (6-1,
3-0)
Kickoff: 4 p.m. (ESPN3.com)
What to know: The Penguins easily disposed of Missouri Valley Conference foe
Illinois State, 59-21, last Saturday, and maintain their perfect 3-0 record in
conference play.
The 59 points scored against the Redbirds marks the third time this season
Youngstown State has recorded at least 59 points against an opponent. The
Penguins are now on a four-game winning streak and will host Western Illinois, a
team coming off a loss to South Dakota State.
Leathernecks quarterback Trenton Norvell, a freshman, tossed four
interceptions against the Jackrabbits, who lead the nation with 15 picks on
defense. The Penguins have shown proficiency on defense as well, ranking 20th in
the FCS with 14 turnovers gained.
Senior quarterback Kurt Hess has been nothing short of great this season,
while Youngstown State knows it has a current and future star at running back in
Martin Ruiz. Getting a fourth MVC win would be huge for the Penguins moving
forward.
Prediction: Youngstown State 34, Western Illinois 23
South Dakota (3-3, 2-1 Missouri Valley) at No. 11 Northern Iowa (4-2, 0-2)
Kickoff: 5 p.m.
What to know: Perhaps the thought of letting North Dakota State take a come-
from-behind win two weeks ago crept back into the minds of the Northern Iowa
players last weekend, as the team squared off with apparent giant killer
Southern Illinois.
The Salukis entered the game having just a week earlier upset South Dakota
State, and made it two Top 25 teams in a row by defeating the Panthers -
certainly a more shocking defeat than at the hands of NDSU.
But this week the Panthers host South Dakota, a team that already has two
Missouri Valley Conference wins compared to last year's zero. Mark Farley's
group should be ready to bounce back, though. When the two teams met last
season, Northern Iowa not only came away with a win, but then-sophomore back
David Johnson led the squad with 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Farley
has a career 4-0 mark against the Coyotes, while the Panthers are 4-1 against
them in the UNI-Dome.
Although South Dakota is riding a two-game win streak while Northern Iowa is
experiencing the inverse, the Panthers have too much in the way of offensive
weaponry for the Coyotes to handle safely. South Dakota hasn't scored more than
17 points in a game this season, and will need to do so in order to defeat the
Panthers.
Prediction: Northern Iowa 27, South Dakota 14
No. 5 Montana State (4-2, 2-0 Big Sky) at Weber State (1-6, 0-3)
Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. (ROOT-NW)
What to know: The Wildcats have been hard-pressed to slow any opposing
offense this season, regardless of conference or division level. The most recent
blanking at the hands of Cal Poly is especially troubling, considering the
quality of some opponents coming up for Weber State.
Montana State is coming off a bye week, and travels to Odgen to face the
worst scoring defense in the country. The Wildcats have allowed an average of
48.9 points per game, including 40 in the team's season-opening win over Stephen
F. Austin.
Though it appears this season is heading quickly toward a lost cause, there's
reason for optimism looking ahead. Weber State starts a slew of freshmen, and a
total of 26 freshmen played in last Saturday's contest with Cal Poly.
The Bobcats, however, are anything but out of this season's race. Looking to
improve to 3-0 in the Big Sky, keep an eye on running backs Cody Kirk and Shawn
Johnson once again against Weber State's last-in-conference and 115th-
in-the-nation run defense.
Prediction: Montana State 45, Weber State 16
Princeton (3-1, 1-0 Ivy) at Brown (3-1, 0-1)
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
What to know: Stiff competition is usually what you get when you start your
football season several weeks later than the rest of the country. But it's an
especially competitive season in the Ivy League through the first four weeks,
with six of the eight Ivy teams at or above the .500 mark overall.
Princeton and Brown are two of those six teams, though Brown has lost its
only Ivy League matchup against unbeaten Harvard. Since that loss, the Bears
have been stellar, beating Rhode Island by 17 points and Bryant by 27. Now
Princeton is in town, sporting an identical 3-1 overall record but with a win
over Columbia.
Both the Bears and Tigers enjoy efficient passing attacks, as Patrick
Donnelly led Brown over Bryant with 339 yards and four passing scores, while
Connor Michelson and Quinn Epperly successfully split time under center for the
Tigers.
Should Princeton win, the Tigers would be knotted with the Crimson at 2-0 in
the conference standings. Look for Princeton's 23rd-ranked FCS scoring defense
to keep not only Donnelly but running back John Spooney at bay.
Prediction: Princeton 27, Brown 21
Duquesne (3-2, 1-0 NEC) at Robert Morris (2-3, 0-0)
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
What to know: The Battle for Pittsburgh. the Steel City Showdown. Whatever
you want to call it, this game represents which FCS team located in Pittsburgh
gets city bragging rights, not to mention a Northeast Conference win.
Robert Morris is coming off a bye week, and a much-needed one at that. The
Colonials lost 35-9 to Monmouth prior to their bye week, and needed overtime to
finally quell VMI. It was certainly an underwhelming performance defensively
against Monmouth, as the Colonials allowed Hawks receiver Neal Sterling to score
on three touchdown passes, while running back Kwabena Asante notched two rushing
touchdowns.
Duquesne has been productive offensively and, for the most part, more so
defensively. In their last two contests (both wins), the Dukes surrendered just
14 points to West Liberty and seven to defending NEC champion Wagner.
The all-time series between the two Pittsburgh-based schools stands a draw,
7-7, although Duquesne has won five of the past eight meetings between the
programs.
Prediction: Duquesne 24, Robert Morris 14
No. 21 Central Arkansas (3-3, 0-1 Southland) at Lamar, (3-3, 0-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. (CSN-HOU)
What to know: Unfortunately for Lamar, the program's schedule just so happens
to work out that the Cardinals play back-to-back weeks against two preseason and
current Top 25 squads - two of the best in the Southland Conference.
Central Arkansas has been beat up, losing games to FBS Colorado, UT Martin
and McNeese State. But the Bears used a matchup against Division II Nebraska-
Kearney to get back in the win column.
Although the Cardinals are coming off a 14-3 loss to Sam Houston State, the
team can take some pride in knowing it held the Bearkats to their lowest point
total (by a long shot) in a single game this season. Whether or not that can
translate into an upset win against the Bears is yet to be seen.
But UCA suffered a serious injury bug sometime in the last two weeks. Central
Arkansas will be without senior quarterback Wynrick Smothers for the remainder
of the season. It's as devastating as an injury can get, but the Bears should
still be able to hold off the Cardinals.
Prediction: Central Arkansas 20, Lamar 14
Idaho State (3-3, 1-2 Big Sky) at No. 19 Northern Arizona (4-2, 2-1)
Kickoff: 7:05 p.m. (FSN-AZ+)
What to know: After a very rough outing for Northern Arizona quarterback
Kyren Poe against Montana State a few weeks back, the sophomore wide receiver
convert didn't exactly pick up the pieces against Sacramento State last weekend.
In fact, Poe was replaced in the third quarter after the Hornets jumped out to
an extensive lead.
But once junior Chase Cartwright entered the game for the Lumberjacks, the
team's fortunes and, best of all, the score began to shift. Northern Arizona,
led by Cartwright, completed the comeback.
Now the Lumberjacks return home, where they are 2-0 on the season, to face
Idaho State. The Bengals are 3-3 this year, including 1-2 in the Big Sky
Conference. But two of the team's wins have come against Dixie State and Western
Colorado State - both Division II opponents. The third win was against Northern
Colorado - Idaho State's first win against a Division I team since 2011. The
Bengals had lost 21 consecutive games to D-I programs prior to that game. They
will have to overcome an outstanding defense, especially in the backfield, to
beat the Lumberjacks at home.
Prediction: Northern Arizona 34, Idaho State 20
No. 2 Sam Houston State (5-1, 1-0 Southland) at No. 9 McNeese State (5-1,
1-0)
Kickoff: 8 p.m. (ESPN3.com)
What to know: Not only is this a match made in heaven for those who love
offensive showdowns in college football, but if you're a fan of the Southland
Conference, this is the matchup everyone should be watching.
Since the Southland Conference's inception 50 years ago, McNeese State has
been the winningest football program in the league's history. The Cowboys have
won 13 conference titles, and own a 11-2 record against Sam Houston State at
Cowboy Stadium since the Bearkats joined the conference in 1988.
When it comes to the national leaders in scoring offense, Sam Houston State
barely edges out McNeese State for second-best in the FCS behind just Eastern
Illinois. The Bearkats average 45.3 points per game, while McNeese registers a
43.8 clip.
Most of Sam Houston's production comes from the running game and Timothy
Flanders. The Bearkats are first in the country in rushing offense, averaging
319 yards per game. Despite the rough history for Sam Houston State at Cowboy
Stadium, containing its unbelievably impressive offense is one tall order for
the Cowboys defense.
Prediction: Sam Houston State 45, McNeese State 38
Southern Utah (5-2, 2-1 Big Sky) at No. 4 Eastern Washington (4-2, 2-0 Big
Sky)
Kickoff: 8:05 p.m. (SWX)
What to know: With a 2-0 Big Sky record, the Eagles are tied atop the
conference standings with Montana State and Cal Poly. And with a Homecoming
matchup this weekend against Southern Utah, Eastern Washington looks to keep
pace.
Sophomore quarterback Vernon Adams is ranked first in the nation in passing
efficiency with a 188.3 mark, especially after his 307-yard, two-touchdown
performance against North Dakota last weekend. Southern Utah enters the game
ranked 62nd in the country in passing yards allowed per game at 226.7, including
10.58 per completion.
But the Thunderbirds rank eighth in the FCS in turnover margin with a
plus-1.3 per game ratio. And the best way to limit Adams and the Eagles offense
is to keep them off the field. Southern Utah ranks eighth in the nation in time
of possession.
But with the fifth-ranked total offense and the 17th-ranked scoring offense,
the Eagles are going to be a hard team to slow down, especially in front of a
very red crowd on a very red field.
Prediction: Eastern Washington 42, Southern Utah 21
Idle teams:
No. 20 James Madison
No. 22 Samford
No. 23 Georgia Southern
Last Week's Record: 20-3 (.870)
Season Record: 120-44 (.732)
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Juniors could boost FCS draft class
Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - One of the more
interesting possibilities with the 2014 NFL Draft class of FCS prospects is how
the juniors can try to change the outlook.
There will be a good class of FCS seniors, but it's probably not as deep as recent years. Some of the junior-eligible prospects, who can request the NFL Draft Advisory Board to give them a sense of where they could be selected if they enter the draft early, fit in well at positions in which the senior class is thin on headliners.
Among the junior-eligible prospects, Tennessee State's A.C. Leonard could be the top tight end from the FCS level. His teammate, cornerback Stephen Godbolt III, would improve a position that's often deep on the FCS level but is not this year.
Harvard's Zach Hodges could be the top defensive end and Samford's Jaquiski Tartt could be the top safety from the FCS draft prospects.
Towson's Terrance West, Alabama State's Isaiah Crowell and South Dakota State's Zach Zenner could turn running back into a deeper position. Stony Brook's Marcus Coker would be in that mix as well, but he is expected to receive a medical hardship for this year's season-ending injury and return for another season at the CAA Football school.
Granted, none of these juniors is a first-round draft selection - there hasn't been one from the FCS level since 2008. But they can turn the upcoming FCS draft class into something more substantial.
It's not common for a junior in the FCS ranks to enter the NFL Draft. Even the higher-profile players who do it, such as running back Taiwan Jones and wide receiver Brandon Kaufman from Eastern Washington in recent years, usually don't become household names on Sundays.
But there's a bigger opportunity for the juniors to gain a foothold in this FCS draft class, whose seniors are led by Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, one of the favorites for the Walter Payton Award, and Princeton's mauler at defensive tackle, Caraun Reid. Both of those players could be chosen in the top three rounds.
"I will say this, there is a little more fanfare on Garoppolo from the media than what the NFL has," a scout said. "Now the NFL teams do like Garoppolo, he's probably going to go third (round) or late second.
The FCS first selection is "going to be between him and Reid," the scout continued. "It kind of depends on what Reid does the rest of the year. Some people are saying, well, he's not quite 6-2, and blah, blah, blah. But everybody who sees him says he's probably the best player they've seen at the small school level. If he was 6-4, he'd be going early second round."
Cornerback Todd Washington could follow the path of his former teammate in the Southeastern Louisiana secondary, Robert Alford. You may not have heard a lot about Washington because, like Alford at this point in time last year, he doesn't have glaring statistics or accolades. But Alford wound up being the first FCS selection in the 2013 NFL Draft - taken by the Atlanta Falcons late in the second round.
NFL scouts don't necessarily look at players in the same way as many of us. Teams want the players who can get better and translate athletically to their level, and that can mean they will hit their potential more in the NFL than in college for various reasons.
Other seniors on the NFL radar include Montana linebacker Jordan Tripp, North Dakota wide receiver Greg Hardin, Murray State wide receiver Walter Powell, Cornell quarterback Jeff Mathews, North Dakota State left tackle Billy Turner, Delaware defensive tackle Zach Kerr, and Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders.
But the scouts surely are keeping an eye on a select few juniors while they attend games and practices, and break down game film. While playing a senior season will mostly boost the stock of such FCS prospects, the opportunity will be tempting to some juniors.
THE FIRST HALF
The 14-week FCS regular season hits Week 8 on Saturday.
Some thoughts on the first half:
Best team: North Dakota State (6-0)
Biggest surprise (positive): Fordham (7-0), beating Temple, Villanova and Lehigh
Biggest surprise (negative): Appalachian State (1-5)
Best game: North Dakota State 24, Northern Iowa 23
Best offensive player: Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo
Best defensive player: James Madison linebacker Stephon Robertson
Best freshman: Appalachian State running back Marcus Cox or Stetson safety Donald Payne - both are worthy
Best coaching performance: Charleston Southern's Jamey Chadwell, whose team is 7-0
Best individual performance: Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams with 518 total yards and six total touchdowns in a 49-46 win over Oregon State
Best team performance: Eastern Washington over Oregon State, 49-46 - the Beavers' only loss to date
AROUND THE NATION
After ranked teams dominated to a 19-3 record last weekend, there are plenty of games this weekend in which ranked teams face unranked teams that have a strong chance for an upset. One is Southern Illinois, the first team outside The Sports Network FCS Top 25. The Salukis (4-3) won't be denied the rankings if they knock off a Top 10 opponent for the third straight Saturday. This time, the Salukis will try to take down top-ranked North Dakota State (6-0), which hasn't lost a road game since the 2010 FCS playoffs. It will be Homecoming Day at what should be a raucous Salukis Stadium. ... Fittingly, No. 6 Coastal Carolina (6-0, 1-0) and Liberty (3-3, 0-0) are tied in the series at five games apiece as they square off Saturday for possible Big South Conference supremacy. In the previous 10 meetings, the winner has gone on to win at least a share of the conference title eight times. ... The Sam Houston State-McNeese State showdown underscores that Southland Conference teams lead the FCS in points per game (34.4) and total offense per game (443.8). Sam Houston (45.3) is ranked No. 2 nationally in scoring offense and McNeese (43.8) is No. 3. ... Transitioning Southland members Incarnate Word (3-3) and Abilene Christian (4-3), who were rivals in the Division II Lone Star Conference, will play the first of two meetings this season on Saturday in Abilene, Texas. They meet again Nov. 9 at Incarnate Word. ... In a pivotal Big Sky matchup, Cal Poly (3-3, 2-0) visits No. 10 Montana (5-1, 2-1). Cal Poly, Eastern Washington and Montana State are all tied for first place in the conference - just as that same trio finished last season. ... Montana State senior Brad Daly leads the FCS with 1.5 sacks per game, but the next three are from the MEAC: Norfolk State's Deon King, North Carolina A&T's Daniel Pinnix and South Carolina State's Andrew Carter. ... Defensive end Blake Oliaro is back at it at San Diego this season. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound redshirt senior leads the Pioneer Football League in tackles for loss (nine). ... In giving Alabama State over 200 rushing yards per game, juniors Isaiah Crowell and Malcom Cyrus have combined to average over 6.8 yards per carry. ... Buck Buchanan Award nominee Jestin Love of No. 21 Central Arkansas hopes to return on Saturday at Lamar after the senior safety sat out last weekend's game with a hamstring injury. ... Speaking of injuries, Bryant's terrific wide receiver Jordan Harris, last year's Northeast Conference offensive player of the year, is still battling knee tendinitis. His production has decreased this season. ... Only four of the seven NEC teams are in action, but the two matchups are excellent. Duquesne visits rival Robert Morris under the lights in the Steel City Showdown - the last one for RMU coach Joe Walton - and high-scoring Sacred Heart (6-1) visits Bryant, the early season co-leader with Duquesne. ... Bethune-Cookman running back Isidore Jackson was the MEAC's preseason co-offensive player of the year, but he has carried the ball only 38 times for 220 yards and one touchdown. Jackson is not injured, the Wildcats have four capable running backs and three quarterbacks in their read-option system, which spreads out the touches. It's definitely unique. ... In a breakout season, Samford senior linebacker Justin Shade leads the Southern Conference in tackles (75), tackles for loss (12) and sacks (seven). ... Look to the northern reaches of the CAA to find the conference's biggest matchups on Saturday: conference-leading Villanova (4-2, 3-0) at New Hampshire (2-3, 1-1) and William & Mary (4-2, 1-1) at Maine (5-1, 2-0). ... In the Patriot League, Lafayette's Mark Ross (158 career receptions) is just four receptions from the school record and Holy Cross' Mike Fess (178) needs 13 for his school's record. ... Georgetown is getting no breaks with quarterback injuries the last two seasons. The Hoyas have utilized six different signal callers with four getting starts. Tim Barnes made his collegiate debut over the final three quarters of last week's game. ... Jacksonville State senior Griffin Thomas has kicked an FCS-high 16 field goals through seven games. The FCS single-season record is 26, set by Nevada's Tony Zendejas in 1982 and matched by Northern Iowa's Brian Mitchell in 1990.
WHAT WE KNOW, WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW
The Sports Network FCS Top 25 can be found here.
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 here.
WEEK 8 PICKS
Week 7 Record: 46-11 (.807)
Season Record: 364-113 (.763)
Saturday, Oct. 19
X-No. 8 Fordham (7-0) at Yale (3-1), noon
Colgate (1-5, 0-0) at X-Holy Cross (3-4, 1-0), noon
X-No. 12 Villanova (4-2, 3-0 CAA) at No. 25 New Hampshire (2-3, 1-1), noon
Georgetown (1-5, 0-0 Patriot) at X-No. 18 Lehigh (5-1. 0-0), 12:30 p.m.
William & Mary (4-2, 1-1 CAA) at X-No. 14 Maine (5-1, 2-0), 12:30 p.m.
Cornell (1-3) at X-Monmouth (3-4), 1 p.m.
Lafayette (1-4) at X-Harvard (4-0), 1 p.m.
X-Hampton (1-5, 1-1 MEAC) at Norfolk State (2-4, 2-1), 1 p.m.
Delaware State (2-4, 2-1 MEAC) at X-North Carolina A&T (3-2, 1-2), 1 p.m.
X-Richmond (2-4, 0-2 CAA) at Rhode Island (2-5, 1-3), 1 p.m.
Sacred Heart (6-1, 1-1 NEC) at X-Bryant (3-3, 1-0), 1 p.m.
X-Marist (3-3, 2-1 Pioneer) at Davidson (0-6, 0-3), 1 p.m.
Carnegie Mellon (2-2) at X-Mercer (5-1), 1 p.m.
X-Jacksonville (2-4, 1-2 Pioneer) at Campbell (1-5, 0-3), 1 p.m.
Drake (3-3, 2-1 Pioneer) at X-Butler (5-2, 3-0), 1 p.m.
Bucknell (1-4) at X-Dartmouth (2-2), 1:30 p.m.
X-Chattanooga (4-2, 2-1 Southern) at Elon (2-5, 1-2), 1:30 p.m.
X-Appalachian State (1-5, 1-2 Southern) at Furman (2-4, 1-2), 1:30 p.m.
X-Penn (2-2, 1-0 Ivy) at Columbia (0-4, 0-1), 1:30 p.m.
X-No. 15 South Dakota State (4-3, 1-2 Missouri Valley) at Missouri State (1-6, 1-2), 2 p.m.
No. 24 Tennessee State (6-1, 3-0 OVC) at X-UT Martin (4-2, 2-1), 2 p.m.
Charleston Southern (7-0) at X-Colorado (2-3), 2 p.m.
Morgan State (1-5, 1-1 MEAC) at X-North Carolina Central (3-3, 1-1), 2 p.m.
X-VMI (1-5, 0-1 Big South) at Presbyterian (1-4, 0-0), 2 p.m.
X-Indiana State (1-5, 0-2 Missouri Valley) at Illinois State (2-4, 1-2), 2 p.m.
X-Morehead State (2-4, 2-1 Pioneer) at Valparaiso (1-5, 1-2), 2 p.m.
Howard (1-5, 0-3 MEAC) at X-Florida A&M (2-4, 1-1), 2 p.m.
Southeast Missouri State (1-5, 1-2 OVC) at X-No. 3 Eastern Illinois (5-1, 2-0), 2:30 p.m.
X-No. 1 North Dakota State (6-0, 3-0 Missouri Valley) at Southern Illinois (4-3, 2-1), 3 p.m.
X-Alcorn State (5-2, 3-1 SWAC) at Texas Southern (1-5, 1-4), 3 p.m.
Grambling State (0-7, 0-4 SWAC) at X-Jackson State (5-2, 5-0), 3 p.m.
Tennessee Tech (3-4, 0-3 OVC) at X-Eastern Kentucky (3-3, 1-1), 3 p.m.
Incarnate Word (3-3) at X-Abilene Christian (4-3), 3 p.m.
Mississippi Valley State (1-5, 1-3 SWAC) at X-Prairie View A&M (4-3, 3-2), 3 p.m.
X-No. 7 Towson (6-1, 2-1 CAA) at Albany (1-6, 0-3), 3:30 p.m.
X-Southern (3-3, 3-1 SWAC) at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-6, 0-4), 3:30 p.m.
Sacramento State (3-4, 2-1 Big Sky) at X-North Dakota (2-4, 1-2), 3:30 p.m.
X-No. 13 Wofford (4-2, 3-0 Southern) at Western Carolina (1-6, 0-3), 3:30 p.m.
Game of the Week: No. 6 Coastal Carolina (6-0, 1-0 Big South) at X-Liberty (3-3, 0-0), 3:30 p.m. The winner figures to earn the Big South Conference's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. Liberty has won 18 straight Big South home games.
Cal Poly (3-3, 2-0 Big Sky) at X-No. 10 Montana (5-1, 2-1), 3:30 p.m.
X-UC Davis (2-5, 2-1 Big Sky) at Northern Colorado (1-6, 0-3), 3:35 p.m.
Austin Peay (0-6, 0-2 OVC) at X-Murray State (4-3, 2-1), 4 p.m.
Nicholls (4-2, 1-0 Southland) at X-Stephen F. Austin (2-4, 0-1), 4 p.m.
Savannah State (1-6, 0-3 MEAC) at X-No. 17 Bethune-Cookman (5-1, 2-0), 4 p.m.
Western Illinois (3-4, 1-2 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 16 Youngstown State (6-1, 3-0), 4 p.m.
South Dakota (3-3, 2-1 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 11 Northern Iowa (4-2, 0-2), 5 p.m.
X-No. 5 Montana State (4-2, 2-0 Big Sky) at Weber State (1-6, 0-3), 5:30 p.m.
X-Princeton (3-1, 1-0 Ivy) at Brown (3-1, 0-1), 6 p.m.
X-Duquesne (3-2, 1-0 NEC) at Robert Morris (2-3, 0-0), 6 p.m.
X-San Diego (4-2, 3-0 Pioneer) at Dayton (4-2, 2-1), 6 p.m.
X-Southeastern Louisiana (4-2, 1-0 Southland) at Northwestern State (3-3, 0-1), 7 p.m.
No. 21 Central Arkansas (3-3, 0-1 Southland) at X-Lamar (3-3, 0-1), 7 p.m.
Old Dominion (4-2) at X-Pittsburgh (3-2), 7 p.m.
Idaho State (3-3, 1-2 Big Sky) at X-No. 19 Northern Arizona (4-2, 2-1), 7:05 p.m.
No. 2 Sam Houston State (5-1, 1-0 Southland) at X-No. 9 McNeese State (5-1, 1-0), 8 p.m.
Southern Utah (5-2, 2-1 Big Sky) at X-No. 4 Eastern Washington (4-2, 2-0 Big Sky), 8:05 p.m.
There will be a good class of FCS seniors, but it's probably not as deep as recent years. Some of the junior-eligible prospects, who can request the NFL Draft Advisory Board to give them a sense of where they could be selected if they enter the draft early, fit in well at positions in which the senior class is thin on headliners.
Among the junior-eligible prospects, Tennessee State's A.C. Leonard could be the top tight end from the FCS level. His teammate, cornerback Stephen Godbolt III, would improve a position that's often deep on the FCS level but is not this year.
Harvard's Zach Hodges could be the top defensive end and Samford's Jaquiski Tartt could be the top safety from the FCS draft prospects.
Towson's Terrance West, Alabama State's Isaiah Crowell and South Dakota State's Zach Zenner could turn running back into a deeper position. Stony Brook's Marcus Coker would be in that mix as well, but he is expected to receive a medical hardship for this year's season-ending injury and return for another season at the CAA Football school.
Granted, none of these juniors is a first-round draft selection - there hasn't been one from the FCS level since 2008. But they can turn the upcoming FCS draft class into something more substantial.
It's not common for a junior in the FCS ranks to enter the NFL Draft. Even the higher-profile players who do it, such as running back Taiwan Jones and wide receiver Brandon Kaufman from Eastern Washington in recent years, usually don't become household names on Sundays.
But there's a bigger opportunity for the juniors to gain a foothold in this FCS draft class, whose seniors are led by Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, one of the favorites for the Walter Payton Award, and Princeton's mauler at defensive tackle, Caraun Reid. Both of those players could be chosen in the top three rounds.
"I will say this, there is a little more fanfare on Garoppolo from the media than what the NFL has," a scout said. "Now the NFL teams do like Garoppolo, he's probably going to go third (round) or late second.
The FCS first selection is "going to be between him and Reid," the scout continued. "It kind of depends on what Reid does the rest of the year. Some people are saying, well, he's not quite 6-2, and blah, blah, blah. But everybody who sees him says he's probably the best player they've seen at the small school level. If he was 6-4, he'd be going early second round."
| FCS AWARDS WATCH | |
|
Cornerback Todd Washington could follow the path of his former teammate in the Southeastern Louisiana secondary, Robert Alford. You may not have heard a lot about Washington because, like Alford at this point in time last year, he doesn't have glaring statistics or accolades. But Alford wound up being the first FCS selection in the 2013 NFL Draft - taken by the Atlanta Falcons late in the second round.
NFL scouts don't necessarily look at players in the same way as many of us. Teams want the players who can get better and translate athletically to their level, and that can mean they will hit their potential more in the NFL than in college for various reasons.
Other seniors on the NFL radar include Montana linebacker Jordan Tripp, North Dakota wide receiver Greg Hardin, Murray State wide receiver Walter Powell, Cornell quarterback Jeff Mathews, North Dakota State left tackle Billy Turner, Delaware defensive tackle Zach Kerr, and Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders.
But the scouts surely are keeping an eye on a select few juniors while they attend games and practices, and break down game film. While playing a senior season will mostly boost the stock of such FCS prospects, the opportunity will be tempting to some juniors.
THE FIRST HALF
The 14-week FCS regular season hits Week 8 on Saturday.
Some thoughts on the first half:
Best team: North Dakota State (6-0)
Biggest surprise (positive): Fordham (7-0), beating Temple, Villanova and Lehigh
Biggest surprise (negative): Appalachian State (1-5)
Best game: North Dakota State 24, Northern Iowa 23
Best offensive player: Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo
Best defensive player: James Madison linebacker Stephon Robertson
Best freshman: Appalachian State running back Marcus Cox or Stetson safety Donald Payne - both are worthy
Best coaching performance: Charleston Southern's Jamey Chadwell, whose team is 7-0
Best individual performance: Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams with 518 total yards and six total touchdowns in a 49-46 win over Oregon State
Best team performance: Eastern Washington over Oregon State, 49-46 - the Beavers' only loss to date
AROUND THE NATION
After ranked teams dominated to a 19-3 record last weekend, there are plenty of games this weekend in which ranked teams face unranked teams that have a strong chance for an upset. One is Southern Illinois, the first team outside The Sports Network FCS Top 25. The Salukis (4-3) won't be denied the rankings if they knock off a Top 10 opponent for the third straight Saturday. This time, the Salukis will try to take down top-ranked North Dakota State (6-0), which hasn't lost a road game since the 2010 FCS playoffs. It will be Homecoming Day at what should be a raucous Salukis Stadium. ... Fittingly, No. 6 Coastal Carolina (6-0, 1-0) and Liberty (3-3, 0-0) are tied in the series at five games apiece as they square off Saturday for possible Big South Conference supremacy. In the previous 10 meetings, the winner has gone on to win at least a share of the conference title eight times. ... The Sam Houston State-McNeese State showdown underscores that Southland Conference teams lead the FCS in points per game (34.4) and total offense per game (443.8). Sam Houston (45.3) is ranked No. 2 nationally in scoring offense and McNeese (43.8) is No. 3. ... Transitioning Southland members Incarnate Word (3-3) and Abilene Christian (4-3), who were rivals in the Division II Lone Star Conference, will play the first of two meetings this season on Saturday in Abilene, Texas. They meet again Nov. 9 at Incarnate Word. ... In a pivotal Big Sky matchup, Cal Poly (3-3, 2-0) visits No. 10 Montana (5-1, 2-1). Cal Poly, Eastern Washington and Montana State are all tied for first place in the conference - just as that same trio finished last season. ... Montana State senior Brad Daly leads the FCS with 1.5 sacks per game, but the next three are from the MEAC: Norfolk State's Deon King, North Carolina A&T's Daniel Pinnix and South Carolina State's Andrew Carter. ... Defensive end Blake Oliaro is back at it at San Diego this season. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound redshirt senior leads the Pioneer Football League in tackles for loss (nine). ... In giving Alabama State over 200 rushing yards per game, juniors Isaiah Crowell and Malcom Cyrus have combined to average over 6.8 yards per carry. ... Buck Buchanan Award nominee Jestin Love of No. 21 Central Arkansas hopes to return on Saturday at Lamar after the senior safety sat out last weekend's game with a hamstring injury. ... Speaking of injuries, Bryant's terrific wide receiver Jordan Harris, last year's Northeast Conference offensive player of the year, is still battling knee tendinitis. His production has decreased this season. ... Only four of the seven NEC teams are in action, but the two matchups are excellent. Duquesne visits rival Robert Morris under the lights in the Steel City Showdown - the last one for RMU coach Joe Walton - and high-scoring Sacred Heart (6-1) visits Bryant, the early season co-leader with Duquesne. ... Bethune-Cookman running back Isidore Jackson was the MEAC's preseason co-offensive player of the year, but he has carried the ball only 38 times for 220 yards and one touchdown. Jackson is not injured, the Wildcats have four capable running backs and three quarterbacks in their read-option system, which spreads out the touches. It's definitely unique. ... In a breakout season, Samford senior linebacker Justin Shade leads the Southern Conference in tackles (75), tackles for loss (12) and sacks (seven). ... Look to the northern reaches of the CAA to find the conference's biggest matchups on Saturday: conference-leading Villanova (4-2, 3-0) at New Hampshire (2-3, 1-1) and William & Mary (4-2, 1-1) at Maine (5-1, 2-0). ... In the Patriot League, Lafayette's Mark Ross (158 career receptions) is just four receptions from the school record and Holy Cross' Mike Fess (178) needs 13 for his school's record. ... Georgetown is getting no breaks with quarterback injuries the last two seasons. The Hoyas have utilized six different signal callers with four getting starts. Tim Barnes made his collegiate debut over the final three quarters of last week's game. ... Jacksonville State senior Griffin Thomas has kicked an FCS-high 16 field goals through seven games. The FCS single-season record is 26, set by Nevada's Tony Zendejas in 1982 and matched by Northern Iowa's Brian Mitchell in 1990.
WHAT WE KNOW, WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW
The Sports Network FCS Top 25 can be found here.
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 here.
WEEK 8 PICKS
Week 7 Record: 46-11 (.807)
Season Record: 364-113 (.763)
Saturday, Oct. 19
X-No. 8 Fordham (7-0) at Yale (3-1), noon
Colgate (1-5, 0-0) at X-Holy Cross (3-4, 1-0), noon
X-No. 12 Villanova (4-2, 3-0 CAA) at No. 25 New Hampshire (2-3, 1-1), noon
Georgetown (1-5, 0-0 Patriot) at X-No. 18 Lehigh (5-1. 0-0), 12:30 p.m.
William & Mary (4-2, 1-1 CAA) at X-No. 14 Maine (5-1, 2-0), 12:30 p.m.
Cornell (1-3) at X-Monmouth (3-4), 1 p.m.
Lafayette (1-4) at X-Harvard (4-0), 1 p.m.
X-Hampton (1-5, 1-1 MEAC) at Norfolk State (2-4, 2-1), 1 p.m.
Delaware State (2-4, 2-1 MEAC) at X-North Carolina A&T (3-2, 1-2), 1 p.m.
X-Richmond (2-4, 0-2 CAA) at Rhode Island (2-5, 1-3), 1 p.m.
Sacred Heart (6-1, 1-1 NEC) at X-Bryant (3-3, 1-0), 1 p.m.
X-Marist (3-3, 2-1 Pioneer) at Davidson (0-6, 0-3), 1 p.m.
Carnegie Mellon (2-2) at X-Mercer (5-1), 1 p.m.
X-Jacksonville (2-4, 1-2 Pioneer) at Campbell (1-5, 0-3), 1 p.m.
Drake (3-3, 2-1 Pioneer) at X-Butler (5-2, 3-0), 1 p.m.
Bucknell (1-4) at X-Dartmouth (2-2), 1:30 p.m.
X-Chattanooga (4-2, 2-1 Southern) at Elon (2-5, 1-2), 1:30 p.m.
X-Appalachian State (1-5, 1-2 Southern) at Furman (2-4, 1-2), 1:30 p.m.
X-Penn (2-2, 1-0 Ivy) at Columbia (0-4, 0-1), 1:30 p.m.
X-No. 15 South Dakota State (4-3, 1-2 Missouri Valley) at Missouri State (1-6, 1-2), 2 p.m.
No. 24 Tennessee State (6-1, 3-0 OVC) at X-UT Martin (4-2, 2-1), 2 p.m.
Charleston Southern (7-0) at X-Colorado (2-3), 2 p.m.
Morgan State (1-5, 1-1 MEAC) at X-North Carolina Central (3-3, 1-1), 2 p.m.
X-VMI (1-5, 0-1 Big South) at Presbyterian (1-4, 0-0), 2 p.m.
X-Indiana State (1-5, 0-2 Missouri Valley) at Illinois State (2-4, 1-2), 2 p.m.
X-Morehead State (2-4, 2-1 Pioneer) at Valparaiso (1-5, 1-2), 2 p.m.
Howard (1-5, 0-3 MEAC) at X-Florida A&M (2-4, 1-1), 2 p.m.
Southeast Missouri State (1-5, 1-2 OVC) at X-No. 3 Eastern Illinois (5-1, 2-0), 2:30 p.m.
X-No. 1 North Dakota State (6-0, 3-0 Missouri Valley) at Southern Illinois (4-3, 2-1), 3 p.m.
X-Alcorn State (5-2, 3-1 SWAC) at Texas Southern (1-5, 1-4), 3 p.m.
Grambling State (0-7, 0-4 SWAC) at X-Jackson State (5-2, 5-0), 3 p.m.
Tennessee Tech (3-4, 0-3 OVC) at X-Eastern Kentucky (3-3, 1-1), 3 p.m.
Incarnate Word (3-3) at X-Abilene Christian (4-3), 3 p.m.
Mississippi Valley State (1-5, 1-3 SWAC) at X-Prairie View A&M (4-3, 3-2), 3 p.m.
X-No. 7 Towson (6-1, 2-1 CAA) at Albany (1-6, 0-3), 3:30 p.m.
X-Southern (3-3, 3-1 SWAC) at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-6, 0-4), 3:30 p.m.
Sacramento State (3-4, 2-1 Big Sky) at X-North Dakota (2-4, 1-2), 3:30 p.m.
X-No. 13 Wofford (4-2, 3-0 Southern) at Western Carolina (1-6, 0-3), 3:30 p.m.
Game of the Week: No. 6 Coastal Carolina (6-0, 1-0 Big South) at X-Liberty (3-3, 0-0), 3:30 p.m. The winner figures to earn the Big South Conference's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. Liberty has won 18 straight Big South home games.
Cal Poly (3-3, 2-0 Big Sky) at X-No. 10 Montana (5-1, 2-1), 3:30 p.m.
X-UC Davis (2-5, 2-1 Big Sky) at Northern Colorado (1-6, 0-3), 3:35 p.m.
Austin Peay (0-6, 0-2 OVC) at X-Murray State (4-3, 2-1), 4 p.m.
Nicholls (4-2, 1-0 Southland) at X-Stephen F. Austin (2-4, 0-1), 4 p.m.
Savannah State (1-6, 0-3 MEAC) at X-No. 17 Bethune-Cookman (5-1, 2-0), 4 p.m.
Western Illinois (3-4, 1-2 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 16 Youngstown State (6-1, 3-0), 4 p.m.
South Dakota (3-3, 2-1 Missouri Valley) at X-No. 11 Northern Iowa (4-2, 0-2), 5 p.m.
X-No. 5 Montana State (4-2, 2-0 Big Sky) at Weber State (1-6, 0-3), 5:30 p.m.
X-Princeton (3-1, 1-0 Ivy) at Brown (3-1, 0-1), 6 p.m.
X-Duquesne (3-2, 1-0 NEC) at Robert Morris (2-3, 0-0), 6 p.m.
X-San Diego (4-2, 3-0 Pioneer) at Dayton (4-2, 2-1), 6 p.m.
X-Southeastern Louisiana (4-2, 1-0 Southland) at Northwestern State (3-3, 0-1), 7 p.m.
No. 21 Central Arkansas (3-3, 0-1 Southland) at X-Lamar (3-3, 0-1), 7 p.m.
Old Dominion (4-2) at X-Pittsburgh (3-2), 7 p.m.
Idaho State (3-3, 1-2 Big Sky) at X-No. 19 Northern Arizona (4-2, 2-1), 7:05 p.m.
No. 2 Sam Houston State (5-1, 1-0 Southland) at X-No. 9 McNeese State (5-1, 1-0), 8 p.m.
Southern Utah (5-2, 2-1 Big Sky) at X-No. 4 Eastern Washington (4-2, 2-0 Big Sky), 8:05 p.m.
Join UM in honoring veterans
JOIN THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA AND GRATEFUL NATION MONTANA |
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As we dedicate the Fallen Soldier Monument as Montana's official Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans' Memorial Saturday, October 26, 2013 University of Montana, Memorial Row Ceremony will take place 30 minutes after the Montana Grizzly football game (game scheduled for 1:30 p.m.) (Military Appreciation Day) |
| University of Montana 32 Campus Drive Missoula, MT 59812 406-243-0211 www.umt.edu |
8th Annual Montana Wine and Beer Festival
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The “social event of the year” is coming soon. Summit Beverage and the Grizzly Scholarship Association (GSA) are excited to announce that the 8th Annual Montana Wine & Beer Festival is scheduled for Friday, October 25th, at the Adams Center on the campus of the University of Montana. The event will take place from 7-10 p.m.
The festival consists of fine wine and beer tasting with food samples from some of Missoula’s top restaurants and caterers. In addition, Montana artists will be on site displaying and selling art. A silent auction consisting of limited edition originals and a variety of wine and beer items will be a part of the evening festivities. All proceeds from this event benefit the GSA and their mission of providing scholarships for student-athletes.
Tickets are $60 per person and you must be 21 or older to attend.
Tickets are available at the GSA office in the Adams Center, Worden’s Market or online by clickingHERE.To order by phone call 243-6481.
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Lady Griz picked second in preseason poll
If there was ever a year to ask the Big Sky Conference women’s basketball coaches to hold off voting on the predicted order of finish of the league’s 11 teams, 2013-14 would be it. It won’t be until Christmas until most of the coaches get a feel for their own teams, much less their Big Sky counterparts.
Last year at this time, the top five teams picked atop in the preseason coaches’ poll had 21 of 25 starters back. This season is the year-after corollary. Nine of the 11 first- and second-team All-Big Sky Conference performers from a season ago graduated, and only one of those two returners is playing this season.
Montana coach Robin Selvig, entering his 36th season with the Lady Griz, rightly predicted a year ago that last season was going to be a dog fight, but at least everyone had a pretty good idea which coaches had the biggest dogs in the fight.
He expects the same type of battle this year, but this time around he has no idea what teams will be near the top of the standings once the calendar gets to late February.
“There are not as many established returners as there have been the last couple of years, so there are a lot more unknowns,” Selvig said. “I don’t ever put much credence in the poll, but it’s probably even less this season.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if somebody who was picked eighth or ninth finished near the top.”
So without much to go on for this year’s poll, the coaches picked the one team that met two important criteria: it did well last year and has almost everybody back. And that put Eastern Washington at the top.
The Eagles, who finished third last season, two games behind Montana, picked up six of 11 first-place votes in the coaches’ poll, which was released Wednesday. Second-place Montana collected three and third-place Northern Colorado the other two.
Montana State and Idaho State were picked fourth and fifth.
Eastern Washington junior guard Lexie Nelson, who finished fourth in the league in scoring (14.0/g) last winter, is the only first- or second-team All-Big Sky selection from a year ago who will be in uniform this season.
But it’s not just Nelson that put EWU on the top line. Three other starters return. Nelson’s backcourt running mate, junior Kylie Huerta, who finished first in the league last season in assist-to-turnover ratio, is back, as are senior Aubrey Ashenfelter and 2012-13 Outstanding Freshman Hayley Hodgins.
“Eastern returns a lot of players from a good team, so you’d expect they’ll be good,” Selvig said.
Of course, if recent history is any sort of guide, being picked No. 1 might be the worst thing that could have happened to the Eagles.
Since the dominant Montana teams -- those led by Mandy Morales, Britney Lohman and Sonya Rogers -- graduated following the 2008-09 season, the polls have been wildly inaccurate and never kind to the preseason favorite.
None of the last four predicted winners has won the regular-season title. In fact the average finish of those four teams has been lower than fifth. And the actual regular-season champions? None has come from the top two picks in the poll, and more than half have come from much farther down than that.
In 2009-10 it was Eastern Washington, picked seventh, that rose up and won the league by two games. In 2010-11, Northern Colorado, picked eighth, shared the title with Portland State, which was predicted third. In 2011-12 it was Idaho State, projected fifth, that won the regular-season title by three games.
Last year Montana was picked third and won by a game over Northern Colorado, which was voted second. Preseason favorite Idaho State finished in a tie for fourth.
The Lady Griz have as many questions as anybody, but when a program has won 23 regular-season championships since the early 80s, been to 20 NCAA tournaments and is led by a 20-time conference coach of the year who is two wins shy of 800 for his career, it tends to get the benefit of the doubt.
Montana has holes to fill for sure. Most notably, 2012-13 Big Sky MVP Katie Baker and first-team All-Big Sky selection Kenzie De Boer are gone, as is more than half of the team’s scoring from a year ago.
Back are two experienced returning starters in seniors Torry Hill and forward Jordan Sullivan, and if a team is only going to have two starters back, point guard is the most optimal position to have locked down.
Northern Colorado received two first-place votes, which begs the question: Would the Bears have gotten those votes if all 11 coaches knew D’shara Strange, like Nelson a first-team All-Big Sky performer a year ago, was redshirting this season? Probably not.
Strange, who would have been a senior, injured her knee in Northern Colorado’s WNIT win at Wyoming last March. She played on it throughout the summer and finally opted to have season-canceling surgery earlier this month.
Northern Colorado’s other two returning starters, Lindsay Mallon and Kim Lockridge, combined to score 8.1 points per game last season.
The next five teams in the poll -- Montana State, Idaho State, Southern Utah, Portland State and North Dakota -- all return either two or three starters, most with names that make the casual fan ask, Who?
Unknowns? From those five teams, only three players return that were even honorable-mention All-Big Sky last year: North Dakota’s Madi Buck, Portland State’s Angela Misa and Southern Utah’s Hailey Mandelko.
Sacramento State was picked ninth by the coaches, and the Hornets put the “wild” in wild card.
Jamie Craighead, who coached Sac State for four seasons and to three Big Sky tournaments, left the team in mid-September to take over at San Jose State. For Craighead’s replacement, Sacramento State went with Bunky Harkleroad, whose team will play like Craighead’s did, just at video-game pace.
Harkleroad spent the last four seasons at Glenville (W.V.) State, and the Pioneers led NCAA Division II in scoring each of those years. Last year Glenville State averaged 95.3 points per game while going 27-4 and took nearly 50 percent (48.6) of its shots for the season from 3-point range.
Harkleroad has three returning guards -- seniors Alle Moreno and Se’nyce Parrish and junior Fantasia Hilliard -- who will have no trouble adapting to Harkleroad’s new system. Moreno and Hilliard were both honorable mention All-Big Sky selections last season.
The final two teams in the poll, Northern Arizona in 10th and Weber State in 11th, are in various modes of rebuilding.
At NAU, second-year coach Sue Darling lost alpha female Amy Patton, plus Patton’s 1,938 points and equal amount of weighty baggage. With only senior guard Amanda Frost on the list of the team’s returning starters, Darling went with Extreme Makeover: Lineup Edition.
Of the Lumberjacks’ 13 players on its preseason roster, 10 are either incoming freshmen (eight) or transfers (two). Frost and junior forwards Erikka Banks and Raven Anderson are the only two players on the roster who have played a game for Northern Arizona.
At Weber State, a Big Sky-high five starters return, but they make up the core group of a team that went 0-29 last season, so that’s not necessarily a good thing. The Wildcats have lost their last 48 games and have gone more than two seasons since winning their last Big Sky Conference game.
In an attempt to end that losing streak, Weber State scheduled NAIA Walla Walls University for its home opener on Nov. 8.
2013-14 Big Sky Conference preseason coaches’ poll
1. Eastern Washington (6 first-place votes) ... 94 points
2. Montana (3) ... 84
3. Northern Colorado (3) ... 81
4. Montana State ... 74
5. Idaho State ... 56
6. Southern Utah ... 52
7. Portland State ... 45
8. North Dakota ... 44
9. Sacramento State ... 41
10. Northern Arizona ... 19
11. Weber State ... 15
2013-14 Big Sky Conference preseason media poll
1. Eastern Washington (20) ... 308
2. Montana (2) ... 280
3. Northern Colorado (4) ... 268
4. Montana State ... 222
5. Idaho State (4) ... 208
6. Sacramento State ... 186
7. Portland State ... 154
8. Southern Utah ... 128
9. North Dakota ... 120
10. Northern Arizona ... 62
11. Weber State ... 44
Last year at this time, the top five teams picked atop in the preseason coaches’ poll had 21 of 25 starters back. This season is the year-after corollary. Nine of the 11 first- and second-team All-Big Sky Conference performers from a season ago graduated, and only one of those two returners is playing this season.
Montana coach Robin Selvig, entering his 36th season with the Lady Griz, rightly predicted a year ago that last season was going to be a dog fight, but at least everyone had a pretty good idea which coaches had the biggest dogs in the fight.
He expects the same type of battle this year, but this time around he has no idea what teams will be near the top of the standings once the calendar gets to late February.
“There are not as many established returners as there have been the last couple of years, so there are a lot more unknowns,” Selvig said. “I don’t ever put much credence in the poll, but it’s probably even less this season.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if somebody who was picked eighth or ninth finished near the top.”
So without much to go on for this year’s poll, the coaches picked the one team that met two important criteria: it did well last year and has almost everybody back. And that put Eastern Washington at the top.
The Eagles, who finished third last season, two games behind Montana, picked up six of 11 first-place votes in the coaches’ poll, which was released Wednesday. Second-place Montana collected three and third-place Northern Colorado the other two.
Montana State and Idaho State were picked fourth and fifth.
Eastern Washington junior guard Lexie Nelson, who finished fourth in the league in scoring (14.0/g) last winter, is the only first- or second-team All-Big Sky selection from a year ago who will be in uniform this season.
But it’s not just Nelson that put EWU on the top line. Three other starters return. Nelson’s backcourt running mate, junior Kylie Huerta, who finished first in the league last season in assist-to-turnover ratio, is back, as are senior Aubrey Ashenfelter and 2012-13 Outstanding Freshman Hayley Hodgins.
“Eastern returns a lot of players from a good team, so you’d expect they’ll be good,” Selvig said.
Of course, if recent history is any sort of guide, being picked No. 1 might be the worst thing that could have happened to the Eagles.
Since the dominant Montana teams -- those led by Mandy Morales, Britney Lohman and Sonya Rogers -- graduated following the 2008-09 season, the polls have been wildly inaccurate and never kind to the preseason favorite.
None of the last four predicted winners has won the regular-season title. In fact the average finish of those four teams has been lower than fifth. And the actual regular-season champions? None has come from the top two picks in the poll, and more than half have come from much farther down than that.
In 2009-10 it was Eastern Washington, picked seventh, that rose up and won the league by two games. In 2010-11, Northern Colorado, picked eighth, shared the title with Portland State, which was predicted third. In 2011-12 it was Idaho State, projected fifth, that won the regular-season title by three games.
Last year Montana was picked third and won by a game over Northern Colorado, which was voted second. Preseason favorite Idaho State finished in a tie for fourth.
The Lady Griz have as many questions as anybody, but when a program has won 23 regular-season championships since the early 80s, been to 20 NCAA tournaments and is led by a 20-time conference coach of the year who is two wins shy of 800 for his career, it tends to get the benefit of the doubt.
Montana has holes to fill for sure. Most notably, 2012-13 Big Sky MVP Katie Baker and first-team All-Big Sky selection Kenzie De Boer are gone, as is more than half of the team’s scoring from a year ago.
Back are two experienced returning starters in seniors Torry Hill and forward Jordan Sullivan, and if a team is only going to have two starters back, point guard is the most optimal position to have locked down.
Northern Colorado received two first-place votes, which begs the question: Would the Bears have gotten those votes if all 11 coaches knew D’shara Strange, like Nelson a first-team All-Big Sky performer a year ago, was redshirting this season? Probably not.
Strange, who would have been a senior, injured her knee in Northern Colorado’s WNIT win at Wyoming last March. She played on it throughout the summer and finally opted to have season-canceling surgery earlier this month.
Northern Colorado’s other two returning starters, Lindsay Mallon and Kim Lockridge, combined to score 8.1 points per game last season.
The next five teams in the poll -- Montana State, Idaho State, Southern Utah, Portland State and North Dakota -- all return either two or three starters, most with names that make the casual fan ask, Who?
Unknowns? From those five teams, only three players return that were even honorable-mention All-Big Sky last year: North Dakota’s Madi Buck, Portland State’s Angela Misa and Southern Utah’s Hailey Mandelko.
Sacramento State was picked ninth by the coaches, and the Hornets put the “wild” in wild card.
Jamie Craighead, who coached Sac State for four seasons and to three Big Sky tournaments, left the team in mid-September to take over at San Jose State. For Craighead’s replacement, Sacramento State went with Bunky Harkleroad, whose team will play like Craighead’s did, just at video-game pace.
Harkleroad spent the last four seasons at Glenville (W.V.) State, and the Pioneers led NCAA Division II in scoring each of those years. Last year Glenville State averaged 95.3 points per game while going 27-4 and took nearly 50 percent (48.6) of its shots for the season from 3-point range.
Harkleroad has three returning guards -- seniors Alle Moreno and Se’nyce Parrish and junior Fantasia Hilliard -- who will have no trouble adapting to Harkleroad’s new system. Moreno and Hilliard were both honorable mention All-Big Sky selections last season.
The final two teams in the poll, Northern Arizona in 10th and Weber State in 11th, are in various modes of rebuilding.
At NAU, second-year coach Sue Darling lost alpha female Amy Patton, plus Patton’s 1,938 points and equal amount of weighty baggage. With only senior guard Amanda Frost on the list of the team’s returning starters, Darling went with Extreme Makeover: Lineup Edition.
Of the Lumberjacks’ 13 players on its preseason roster, 10 are either incoming freshmen (eight) or transfers (two). Frost and junior forwards Erikka Banks and Raven Anderson are the only two players on the roster who have played a game for Northern Arizona.
At Weber State, a Big Sky-high five starters return, but they make up the core group of a team that went 0-29 last season, so that’s not necessarily a good thing. The Wildcats have lost their last 48 games and have gone more than two seasons since winning their last Big Sky Conference game.
In an attempt to end that losing streak, Weber State scheduled NAIA Walla Walls University for its home opener on Nov. 8.
2013-14 Big Sky Conference preseason coaches’ poll
1. Eastern Washington (6 first-place votes) ... 94 points
2. Montana (3) ... 84
3. Northern Colorado (3) ... 81
4. Montana State ... 74
5. Idaho State ... 56
6. Southern Utah ... 52
7. Portland State ... 45
8. North Dakota ... 44
9. Sacramento State ... 41
10. Northern Arizona ... 19
11. Weber State ... 15
2013-14 Big Sky Conference preseason media poll
1. Eastern Washington (20) ... 308
2. Montana (2) ... 280
3. Northern Colorado (4) ... 268
4. Montana State ... 222
5. Idaho State (4) ... 208
6. Sacramento State ... 186
7. Portland State ... 154
8. Southern Utah ... 128
9. North Dakota ... 120
10. Northern Arizona ... 62
11. Weber State ... 44
Montana Sports Information
Montana hosts Cal Poly in Another Key Big Sky Game Saturday + PDF of game notes
THE GAME: The9th/10th/-ranked ( FCS Coaches’/Sports Network polls) University of Montana Grizzlies (5-1/2-1 Big Sky Conference) continue league play, hosting the first-place (tie)Cal Poly Mustangs (3-3/2-0) Saturday, Oct. 12 in UM’s Washington-Grizzly Stadium (25,217). Kickoff is at 1:37 p.m. (Mountain Time).
GRIZ RADIO: VeteranMick Holien is now in his 21st season as the “Voice of the Grizzlies.” Former Griz (1991-94) wide receiverScott Gurnsey provides in-booth color, while Greg Sundberg serves as the sideline reporter. UM’s flagship station is KGVO Radio, 1290 AM/KVWE 101.5 FM. (The Grizzly Football Radio Network listed on add 1-1-1 of the weekly release).
VIDEO & AUDIO STREAMING: gogriz.com/all-access.
LIVE STATS: gogriz.com/all-access.
TWITTER: @umgrizzlies_fb & umgrizzlies_sid.
TV: The Montana-Cal Poly game will be televised byMax Media of Montana’s on its ABC affiliates. Chris Byers of KULR-TV in Billings calls the play-by-play, while former (1988-90) Grizzly quarterbackGrady Bennett will provide in-booth color, and Shaun Rainey is the sideline reporter.
GRIZ LAST GAME ( Montana 42, at UC Davis 7) :Halfback Jordan Canada rushed for two TDs and wide receiverEllis Henderson had two scoring receptions, and the defense was stellar, as the Grizzlies defeated UC Davis in a homecoming contest in Aggie Stadium.
Canada rushed 24 times for 126 yards. Canada has now rushed for 100 or more yards in four of six games this season, and six times in his career. Hendersonhad 3 catches for 63 yards and two touchdowns. Griz junior quarterback Jordan Johnsonwas 12-of-20-0 for 163 yards and 2 TDs.
The Grizzlies racked up 418 total yards, rushed 51 times for 255 yards and 3 TDs, and picked up 25 first downs. Montana executed flawlessly, as they had zero penalties.
Montana’s “D” held UC Davis to 237 net yards and 14 first downs, and registered four sacks. The Griz defense also intercepted two passes. Brock Coyle led UM with 7 tackles and also had a pick, while fellow senior linebackerJordan Tripp added 5 stops, as did sophomore LB Kendrick Van Ackeren. Senior safetyBo Tully had UM’s other interception.
CANADA MOVES UP CAREER LISTS:Canada is now ranked seventh in career touchdowns (19) and 13th in career rush yards (1,637). (See add 2-2-2).
TRIPP MOVES UP LIST: Linebacker Jordan Tripp is now ranked 14th in career tackles with 273. All three senior linebackers:Tripp, Brock Coyle (28th, 217), and J.P. Kanongata’a (31st, 210) are ranked on the Grizzlies’ all-time tackles list. (See add 3-3-3).
GRIZ POW NOMINEES: Canada, a junior from Duarte, Calif., was UM’s nominee for Big Sky “Player of the Week” honors on offense. Coyle, a senior from Bozeman, was the defensive nominee. The Griz did not have a special teams nominee.
CAL POLY SCORES TO DATE: at Cal Poly 38, San Diego 16; at Fresno State 41, Cal Poly 25; at Colorado State 34, Cal Poly 17; at Cal Poly 38, Portland State 34; Yale 24, at Cal Poly 10; at Cal Poly 47, Weber State 0.
SERIES/LAST MEETING: The Griz lead the series 14-2. The Mustangs beat the Grizzlies 35-21 in Missoula the first and only time in 2005 in a first-round FCS playoff game. Montana, which finished 8-4 in 2005, had defeated Cal Poly 36-27 at home in a regular-season contest which had been played about a month earlier that season. The Mustangs went 9-4 in 2005.
LAST TIME THEY PLAYED (Sept. 10, 2011):The Grizzlies out-scored the Mustangs 23-6 in the second half en route to a 37-23 homecoming win that featured seven lead changes and a tie. Cal Poly rushed 64 times for 265 yards and two TDs . Johnson passed for 240 yards and 2 touchdowns, and he also led the Griz with 54 yards rushing.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
2013 Gridiron Power Index (GPI): NDSU Cemented At #1 And EIU Leaps to #2
North Dakota State is cemented at #1 in the Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the index ranking for the NCAA Division I FCS and a top indicator of at-large playoff selection. The Bison have held the top spot since 2011. Eastern Illinois leaped up to #2 and Villanova moved up to the top five.
For conference average rankings, the Missouri Valley Football Conference stays in first with the Colonial Athletic Association and the Southland Conference at two and three. The Ohio Valley and Big Sky Conferences round out the top five.
10/14/2013 GPI TOP 25
Rank School (No. of #1 Ratings) (Rating)
1. N Dakota St (1.00)
2. E Illinois (2.57)
3. Towson (5.14)
4. Northern Iowa (6.00)
5. Villanova (7.29)
6. Coastal Carolina (8.71)
7. Sam Houston St (8.86)
8. McNeese St (9.57)
9. Youngstown St (10.71)
10. Fordham (12.00)
11. E Washington (12.29)
12. Maine (12.43)
13. Bethune-Cookman (13.43)
14. Montana (14.29)
15. S Illinois (15.29)
16. Montana St (16.00)
17. S Dakota St (17.43)
18T. Tennessee St (18.29)
18T. SE Louisiana (18.29)
20. William & Mary (21.14)
21. Samford (22.14)
22. Harvard (22.71)
23. Northern Arizona (23.29)
24. Old Dominion (23.86)
25. S Carolina St (24.71)
CONFERENCE RANKING:
Rank, League, Total Average
1. Missouri Valley Football Conference (28.23)
2. Colonial Athletic Association (32.47)
3. Southland Conference (33.50)
4. Ohio Valley Conference (36.98)
5. Big Sky Conference (41.80)
6. Ivy League (48.50)
7. Southern Conference (49.03)
8. Big South Conference (52.64)
9. Patriot League (60.18)
10. Independents (62.45)
11. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (62.96)
12. Northeast Conference (68.94)
13. Southwestern Athletic Conference (77.63)
14. Pioneer Football League (84.01)
CONFERENCE RANKING DETAIL:
Rank, League, Total Average
1. Missouri Valley Football Conference (28.23)
1. N Dakota St (1.00)
4. Northern Iowa (6.00)
9. Youngstown St (10.71)
15. S Illinois (15.29)
17. S Dakota St (17.43)
47. Illinois St (41.57)
49. South Dakota (43.43)
54. Missouri St (46.00)
57T. W Illinois (50.00)
59. Indiana St (50.86)
2. Colonial Athletic Association (32.47)
3. Towson (5.14)
5. Villanova (7.29)
12. Maine (12.43)
20. William & Mary (21.14)
27. Stony Brook (26.86)
32. James Madison (30.14)
38. New Hampshire (33.57)
41. Richmond (36.43)
43. Delaware (39.14)
78. Rhode Island (63.57)
104. Albany (81.43)
3. Southland Conference (33.50)
7. Sam Houston St (8.86)
8. McNeese St (9.57)
18T. SE Louisiana (18.29)
28. Cent Arkansas (27.86)
44. Nicholls St (39.43)
56. Northwestern St (49.71)
69. SF Austin (56.29)
71. Lamar (58.00)
4. Ohio Valley Conference (36.98)
2. E Illinois (2.57)
18T. Tennessee St (18.29)
26. TN Martin (26.43)
35. Jacksonville St (31.00)
39. Murray St (34.57)
40. E Kentucky (36.00)
57T. Tennessee Tech (50.00)
62. SE Missouri St (52.43)
105. Austin Peay (81.57)
5. Big Sky Conference (41.80)
11. E Washington (12.29)
14. Montana (14.29)
16. Montana St (16.00)
23. Northern Arizona (23.29)
36. Cal Poly (32.86)
37. Southern Utah (33.14)
48. Sacramento St (42.29)
51T. Portland St (44.71)
63. UC Davis (52.71)
73. North Dakota (59.29)
79. Idaho St (64.71)
92. N Colorado (73.71)
94. Weber St (74.14)
6. Ivy League (48.50)
22. Harvard (22.71)
33. Brown (30.43)
42. Yale (37.43)
45T. Princeton (39.71)
50. Penn (43.71)
55. Dartmouth (48.14)
96. Cornell (74.57)
118T. Columbia (91.29)
7. Southern Conference (49.03)
21. Samford (22.14)
29. Ga Southern (28.00)
30. Wofford (28.71)
31. Chattanooga (30.00)
75. The Citadel (59.86)
76. Furman (61.43)
83T. Appalachian St (67.14)
87. Elon (68.71)
98. W Carolina (75.29)
8. Big South Conference (52.64)
6. Coastal Carolina (8.71)
45T. Liberty (39.71)
51T. Gardner Webb (44.71)
53. Charleston So (45.71)
111. Presbyterian (85.71)
118T. VMI (91.29)
9. Patriot League (60.18)
10. Fordham (12.00)
34. Lehigh (30.57)
64. Holy Cross (53.57)
90. Lafayette (71.00)
99. Colgate (76.29)
114. Georgetown (88.86)
115. Bucknell (89.00)
10. Independents (62.45)
24. Old Dominion (23.86)
72. Abilene Chri (59.00)
74. Monmouth (59.57)
77. Charlotte (63.00)
95. Incarnate Word (74.29)
122. Houston Bap (95.00)
11. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (62.96)
13. Bethune-Cookman (13.43)
25. S Carolina St (24.71)
66. NC A&T (54.14)
70. NC Central (56.43)
83T. Delaware St (67.14)
89. Florida A&M (70.86)
93. Hampton (73.86)
100. Norfolk St (76.86)
107. Morgan St (82.29)
108. Howard (83.29)
116. Savannah St (89.57)
12. Northeast Conference (68.94)
61. Bryant (51.43)
65. Sacred Heart (53.86)
80. Duquesne (65.43)
83T. St Francis (67.14)
101. Central Conn (79.00)
106. Robert Morris (82.00)
110. Wagner (83.71)
13. Southwestern Athletic Conference (77.63)
60. Jackson St (51.14)
67. Alabama St (54.43)
82. Prairie View (66.86)
91. Alcorn St (71.43)
102. Southern (79.57)
112T. Alabama A&M (87.71)
112T. MS Valley St (87.71)
117. Ark Pine Bluff (90.29)
120. TX Southern (92.00)
123. Grambling (95.14)
14. Pioneer Football League (84.01)
68. San Diego (55.29)
81. Drake (65.57)
86. Butler (67.86)
88. Dayton (70.43)
97. Marist (75.14)
103. Mercer (80.57)
109. Jacksonville (83.43)
121. Morehead St (93.57)
124. Campbell (95.86)
125. Valparaiso (96.43)
126. Stetson (97.43)
127. Davidson (97.86)
...
The Missouri Valley Football Conference has five teams in the top 25; the Big Sky Conference and Colonial Athletic Association have four each; the Southland Conference has three; the Ohio Valley and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conferences have two each; and the Big South Conference, Ivy and Patriot Leagues, Southern Conference and Independents have one each. (Games through 10/13/13)For conference average rankings, the Missouri Valley Football Conference stays in first with the Colonial Athletic Association and the Southland Conference at two and three. The Ohio Valley and Big Sky Conferences round out the top five.
10/14/2013 GPI TOP 25
Rank School (No. of #1 Ratings) (Rating)
1. N Dakota St (1.00)
2. E Illinois (2.57)
3. Towson (5.14)
4. Northern Iowa (6.00)
5. Villanova (7.29)
6. Coastal Carolina (8.71)
7. Sam Houston St (8.86)
8. McNeese St (9.57)
9. Youngstown St (10.71)
10. Fordham (12.00)
11. E Washington (12.29)
12. Maine (12.43)
13. Bethune-Cookman (13.43)
14. Montana (14.29)
15. S Illinois (15.29)
16. Montana St (16.00)
17. S Dakota St (17.43)
18T. Tennessee St (18.29)
18T. SE Louisiana (18.29)
20. William & Mary (21.14)
21. Samford (22.14)
22. Harvard (22.71)
23. Northern Arizona (23.29)
24. Old Dominion (23.86)
25. S Carolina St (24.71)
CONFERENCE RANKING:
Rank, League, Total Average
1. Missouri Valley Football Conference (28.23)
2. Colonial Athletic Association (32.47)
3. Southland Conference (33.50)
4. Ohio Valley Conference (36.98)
5. Big Sky Conference (41.80)
6. Ivy League (48.50)
7. Southern Conference (49.03)
8. Big South Conference (52.64)
9. Patriot League (60.18)
10. Independents (62.45)
11. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (62.96)
12. Northeast Conference (68.94)
13. Southwestern Athletic Conference (77.63)
14. Pioneer Football League (84.01)
CONFERENCE RANKING DETAIL:
Rank, League, Total Average
1. Missouri Valley Football Conference (28.23)
1. N Dakota St (1.00)
4. Northern Iowa (6.00)
9. Youngstown St (10.71)
15. S Illinois (15.29)
17. S Dakota St (17.43)
47. Illinois St (41.57)
49. South Dakota (43.43)
54. Missouri St (46.00)
57T. W Illinois (50.00)
59. Indiana St (50.86)
2. Colonial Athletic Association (32.47)
3. Towson (5.14)
5. Villanova (7.29)
12. Maine (12.43)
20. William & Mary (21.14)
27. Stony Brook (26.86)
32. James Madison (30.14)
38. New Hampshire (33.57)
41. Richmond (36.43)
43. Delaware (39.14)
78. Rhode Island (63.57)
104. Albany (81.43)
3. Southland Conference (33.50)
7. Sam Houston St (8.86)
8. McNeese St (9.57)
18T. SE Louisiana (18.29)
28. Cent Arkansas (27.86)
44. Nicholls St (39.43)
56. Northwestern St (49.71)
69. SF Austin (56.29)
71. Lamar (58.00)
4. Ohio Valley Conference (36.98)
2. E Illinois (2.57)
18T. Tennessee St (18.29)
26. TN Martin (26.43)
35. Jacksonville St (31.00)
39. Murray St (34.57)
40. E Kentucky (36.00)
57T. Tennessee Tech (50.00)
62. SE Missouri St (52.43)
105. Austin Peay (81.57)
5. Big Sky Conference (41.80)
11. E Washington (12.29)
14. Montana (14.29)
16. Montana St (16.00)
23. Northern Arizona (23.29)
36. Cal Poly (32.86)
37. Southern Utah (33.14)
48. Sacramento St (42.29)
51T. Portland St (44.71)
63. UC Davis (52.71)
73. North Dakota (59.29)
79. Idaho St (64.71)
92. N Colorado (73.71)
94. Weber St (74.14)
6. Ivy League (48.50)
22. Harvard (22.71)
33. Brown (30.43)
42. Yale (37.43)
45T. Princeton (39.71)
50. Penn (43.71)
55. Dartmouth (48.14)
96. Cornell (74.57)
118T. Columbia (91.29)
7. Southern Conference (49.03)
21. Samford (22.14)
29. Ga Southern (28.00)
30. Wofford (28.71)
31. Chattanooga (30.00)
75. The Citadel (59.86)
76. Furman (61.43)
83T. Appalachian St (67.14)
87. Elon (68.71)
98. W Carolina (75.29)
8. Big South Conference (52.64)
6. Coastal Carolina (8.71)
45T. Liberty (39.71)
51T. Gardner Webb (44.71)
53. Charleston So (45.71)
111. Presbyterian (85.71)
118T. VMI (91.29)
9. Patriot League (60.18)
10. Fordham (12.00)
34. Lehigh (30.57)
64. Holy Cross (53.57)
90. Lafayette (71.00)
99. Colgate (76.29)
114. Georgetown (88.86)
115. Bucknell (89.00)
10. Independents (62.45)
24. Old Dominion (23.86)
72. Abilene Chri (59.00)
74. Monmouth (59.57)
77. Charlotte (63.00)
95. Incarnate Word (74.29)
122. Houston Bap (95.00)
11. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (62.96)
13. Bethune-Cookman (13.43)
25. S Carolina St (24.71)
66. NC A&T (54.14)
70. NC Central (56.43)
83T. Delaware St (67.14)
89. Florida A&M (70.86)
93. Hampton (73.86)
100. Norfolk St (76.86)
107. Morgan St (82.29)
108. Howard (83.29)
116. Savannah St (89.57)
12. Northeast Conference (68.94)
61. Bryant (51.43)
65. Sacred Heart (53.86)
80. Duquesne (65.43)
83T. St Francis (67.14)
101. Central Conn (79.00)
106. Robert Morris (82.00)
110. Wagner (83.71)
13. Southwestern Athletic Conference (77.63)
60. Jackson St (51.14)
67. Alabama St (54.43)
82. Prairie View (66.86)
91. Alcorn St (71.43)
102. Southern (79.57)
112T. Alabama A&M (87.71)
112T. MS Valley St (87.71)
117. Ark Pine Bluff (90.29)
120. TX Southern (92.00)
123. Grambling (95.14)
14. Pioneer Football League (84.01)
68. San Diego (55.29)
81. Drake (65.57)
86. Butler (67.86)
88. Dayton (70.43)
97. Marist (75.14)
103. Mercer (80.57)
109. Jacksonville (83.43)
121. Morehead St (93.57)
124. Campbell (95.86)
125. Valparaiso (96.43)
126. Stetson (97.43)
127. Davidson (97.86)
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