If you're a Lehigh fan, daring to take a peek ahead at the I-AA playoff picture, the first thing you want to be keeping an eye on is the Colgate/Holy Cross game in Worcester, MA. But don't neglect the South Carolina St./Hampton and Appliachian St./Wofford games this weekend. In this case it's root for the home teams in Hampton (we want an 11-0 Hampton team winning the MEAC) and Wofford (giving the Mountaineers a critical third loss).
As for the A-10 and Big Sky, it's best to just let the dust settle this week and see where everything ends up.
Here's my weekly predictions of other games this week.
Patriot League:
Fordham at Georgetown. Winless Fordham will be playing their sixth road game in seven games this week, while the "surprising" 3-5 Hoyas will be trying for their first 2-win Patriot League season in their history. Call it a hunch, but I think Fordham pulls it together and gets just enough offense to win this. Fordham 17, G'Town 14.
Colgate at Holy Cross. The biggest Patriot League game of the week. How to break this down? The Crusaders don't turn over the ball, don't get penalized, and gain huge chunks of yards on offense. Colgate has been up-and-down, have a few great talents on offense and defense, and are very hard to figure. If the Raiders don't turn over the ball, they will win. Unfortunately, I think they will, and Holy Cross will take a huge step towards the title. (Hope I'm wrong.) HC 19, Colgate 16.
I-AA Top 25:
#1 Western Kentucky at Western Illinois. I'm done taking Western Illinois the rest of the year. (Which means, of course, you should pick the upset here.) WKU 38, WIU 13.
#2 Cal Poly at #10 Montana. The 'Stangs will show the world just how weak the Griz are this year - in their own house, no less. Cal Poly 35, Montana 6.
Elon at #3 Furman. Furman is way way overdue for an easy win, and they finally get one. Furman 34, Elon 17.
Northeastern at #4 New Hampshire. Although anything can happen in the Atlantic 10, as I'm rapidly discovering, the Wildcats at home should be too tough. UNH 44, N'Eastern 20.
Weber St. at #5 Eastern Washington. Everyone tells me Weber St. is not a bad team, but I don't believe it. EWU 49, Weber St. 13.
#6 UMass at Maine. Anything can happen, and this theoretically could be a letdown game... but I don't see an upset here. UMass 27, Maine 7.
#18 Northwestern St. at #7 Texas St. The Bobcats' first real test of the year against the well-tested Demons. I smell the Demons scalping the Bobcats here big-time. N'Western St. 28, Texas St. 10.
#23 South Carolina St. at #8 Hampton. In effect the MEAC championship game, you've got to believe that the undefeated Pirates are no fluke, and will be playing with something to prove. The Pirates in a blowout. Hampton 49, SC St. 10.
#9 James Madison at Delaware. Beware Delaware with their backs against the wall, at home, with plenty to prove. Delaware 31, James Madison 28.
Towson at #11 William & Mary. Towson may be better, but beating the Tribe in their house is something else altogether. W&M 45, Towson 17.
#12 Appalachian St. at Wofford. Call this wishful thinking if you want, but I think the Terriers spring the surprising upset here. Wofford 21, App St. 20.
#13 Northern Iowa at #25 Illinois St. This should be a playoff elimination game for both squads, though, with three losses, the Redbirds are on the brink anyway. The Redbirds seem to have a lot of fight in them, and if anyone can make that big run for the playoffs, it's them. I see them getting by the Panthers in an instant classic. ISU 35, UNI 34.
#14 Southern Illinois at Indiana St. This one, however, will not be an instant classic, with a mad Saluki team fighting for respect. SIU 44, ISU 17.
Missouri St. at #15 Youngstown St. The Bears are acutally not as bad a team as initally advertised, so I predict a closer game than expected in the Ice palace. I see a Penguin win, though. YSU 28, MSU 24.
UC-Davis at #16 North Dakota St. Though the Aggies are banged up, so are the Bison, and I'm looking at a low-scoring close affair, with the Bison on top. NDSU 14, UCD 13.
#19 Coastal Carolina at Liberty. The Flames, struggling mightily, don't seem to have the horses to pull off the upset. CCU 37, Liberty 7.
#20 McNeese St. at Southeastern Louisiana. Every week I pick the Lions, and every week they disappoint. No more. MSU 49, SeLa 0.
#22 Hofstra at Richmond. Richmond's title hopes end here. Hofstra 49, Richmond 31.
Northern Arizona at #24 Portland St. Nah. PSU 51, NAU 10.
No live blog updates today. If you want to the live audio commentary online, I'd suggest going to lehighsports.com to listen to the live play-by-play. Go Lehigh! I will still write my nightly wrap-up later tonight.
As for the A-10 and Big Sky, it's best to just let the dust settle this week and see where everything ends up.
Here's my weekly predictions of other games this week.
Patriot League:
Fordham at Georgetown. Winless Fordham will be playing their sixth road game in seven games this week, while the "surprising" 3-5 Hoyas will be trying for their first 2-win Patriot League season in their history. Call it a hunch, but I think Fordham pulls it together and gets just enough offense to win this. Fordham 17, G'Town 14.
Colgate at Holy Cross. The biggest Patriot League game of the week. How to break this down? The Crusaders don't turn over the ball, don't get penalized, and gain huge chunks of yards on offense. Colgate has been up-and-down, have a few great talents on offense and defense, and are very hard to figure. If the Raiders don't turn over the ball, they will win. Unfortunately, I think they will, and Holy Cross will take a huge step towards the title. (Hope I'm wrong.) HC 19, Colgate 16.
I-AA Top 25:
#1 Western Kentucky at Western Illinois. I'm done taking Western Illinois the rest of the year. (Which means, of course, you should pick the upset here.) WKU 38, WIU 13.
#2 Cal Poly at #10 Montana. The 'Stangs will show the world just how weak the Griz are this year - in their own house, no less. Cal Poly 35, Montana 6.
Elon at #3 Furman. Furman is way way overdue for an easy win, and they finally get one. Furman 34, Elon 17.
Northeastern at #4 New Hampshire. Although anything can happen in the Atlantic 10, as I'm rapidly discovering, the Wildcats at home should be too tough. UNH 44, N'Eastern 20.
Weber St. at #5 Eastern Washington. Everyone tells me Weber St. is not a bad team, but I don't believe it. EWU 49, Weber St. 13.
#6 UMass at Maine. Anything can happen, and this theoretically could be a letdown game... but I don't see an upset here. UMass 27, Maine 7.
#18 Northwestern St. at #7 Texas St. The Bobcats' first real test of the year against the well-tested Demons. I smell the Demons scalping the Bobcats here big-time. N'Western St. 28, Texas St. 10.
#23 South Carolina St. at #8 Hampton. In effect the MEAC championship game, you've got to believe that the undefeated Pirates are no fluke, and will be playing with something to prove. The Pirates in a blowout. Hampton 49, SC St. 10.
#9 James Madison at Delaware. Beware Delaware with their backs against the wall, at home, with plenty to prove. Delaware 31, James Madison 28.
Towson at #11 William & Mary. Towson may be better, but beating the Tribe in their house is something else altogether. W&M 45, Towson 17.
#12 Appalachian St. at Wofford. Call this wishful thinking if you want, but I think the Terriers spring the surprising upset here. Wofford 21, App St. 20.
#13 Northern Iowa at #25 Illinois St. This should be a playoff elimination game for both squads, though, with three losses, the Redbirds are on the brink anyway. The Redbirds seem to have a lot of fight in them, and if anyone can make that big run for the playoffs, it's them. I see them getting by the Panthers in an instant classic. ISU 35, UNI 34.
#14 Southern Illinois at Indiana St. This one, however, will not be an instant classic, with a mad Saluki team fighting for respect. SIU 44, ISU 17.
Missouri St. at #15 Youngstown St. The Bears are acutally not as bad a team as initally advertised, so I predict a closer game than expected in the Ice palace. I see a Penguin win, though. YSU 28, MSU 24.
UC-Davis at #16 North Dakota St. Though the Aggies are banged up, so are the Bison, and I'm looking at a low-scoring close affair, with the Bison on top. NDSU 14, UCD 13.
#19 Coastal Carolina at Liberty. The Flames, struggling mightily, don't seem to have the horses to pull off the upset. CCU 37, Liberty 7.
#20 McNeese St. at Southeastern Louisiana. Every week I pick the Lions, and every week they disappoint. No more. MSU 49, SeLa 0.
#22 Hofstra at Richmond. Richmond's title hopes end here. Hofstra 49, Richmond 31.
Northern Arizona at #24 Portland St. Nah. PSU 51, NAU 10.
No live blog updates today. If you want to the live audio commentary online, I'd suggest going to lehighsports.com to listen to the live play-by-play. Go Lehigh! I will still write my nightly wrap-up later tonight.
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