No live blog of Georgetown/Lehigh today, since I'm off to Hofstra to cover the New Hampshire/Hofstra game for I-AA.org. I'd strongly suggest logging onto lehighsports.com to get the audio and video of the game if you can't make it - but with 70 degree weather, it should be a great day for football!
Here's my predictions of other games this week:
Patriot League:
Bucknell at Fordham. The Rams beating a Steve Silva-less Holy Cross squad, is one thing. Stopping the triple-option with Dante Ross as the triggerman is quite another. Bucknell 27, Fordham 18.
Colgate at Lafayette. A game which has Patriot League title implications, and which features two teams which need to answer questions. On paper, with two solid teams it should be a close game, and the winner of the turnover battle should win the game. History, though, points to Colgate having the Leopards' number in a big way, winning the last 9 games. It just seems difficult to see Colgate get up emotionally for the game this week after last week's loss, and to see them correct the turnover-itis that plagued them versus Lehigh. Lafayette wins, just. Lafayette 24, Colgate 22.
I-AA Top 25:
#1 Furman at #14 Georgia Southern. Marquee matchup, and in effect a playoff game for Georgia Southern. In a huge rivalry game like this, both squads will give it 100%, which means that the more talented team should win out. That team, clearly, is Furman. Furman 31, GSU 21.
#2 New Hampshire at Hofstra. This is the game I'm going to this week, and it's pitting the A-10 frontrunner versus a team which needs a win to stay alive for a playoff shot. The two best passing QBs in the A-10 (Clarkson and Santos), the best receiving tandem (Colston and Ellis), and the best WR (David Ball). How can there be anything but fireworks? One thing's for sure - one team will be exposed this weekend, and if that team is New Hampshire, the A-10 won't be the same. As for me, I'm rooting for anarchy in the A-10. Hofstra 63, UNH 49.
#3 Montana at Northern Arizona. If Montana struggles here... Montana 38, NAU 3.
#4 Appalachian St. at LSU (I-A). I think the Mountaineers play better than most people think here. If I were a betting man, I'd take App St. and the 70 (or however many) points. LSU 49, App St. 17.
#5 Hampton at Bethune-Cookman. It just... feels like the right time for Hampton to lose. Florida, against a good B-CC team with plenty to play for. It's Hampton's turn to be shocked, and to have their hopes at a seed be dashed. B-CC 30, Hampton 14.
#13 Youngstown St. at #6 Southern Illinois and #18 Northern Iowa at #7 Western Kentucky. It's elimination day in the Gateway with a double feature to die for. Anarchy in the A-10? How about anarchy in the gateway? Here's your anarchy. SIU 41, YSU 20 and UNI 33, WKU 10, making it anyone's race.
#8 UMass at Delaware. Delaware could put a huge dent in UMass' title plans with a win. Continuing the anarchy theme, I'll go with it here as well. Delaware 19, UMass 18.
#9 Eastern Washington at #17 Cal Poly. In effect this is a playoff elimination game for both sides. The difference is the Eagles have already righted the ship, while the 'Stangs are headed in the wrong direction. EWU 41, Cal Poly 22.
McNeese St. at #10 Texas St. Tempting to root for more anarchy, but Texas St. just looks like the best team here, especially at home. Texas St. 38, McNeese 9.
Sacramento St. at #11 Montana St. If Montana St. loses this game... MSU 45, Sac St. 19.
#15 Coastal Carolina at Savannah St. Who'd be crazy to call an upset here? CCU 73, SSU 6.
James Madison at #16 William & Mary. In May, this looked like an A-10 title game. Now, it's looking like the death blow to the Tribe's playoff hopes. JMU 38, W&M 17.
#19 UC-Davis at Stephen F. Austin. The Aggies are too good for an overwhelmed Lumberjack suqad. UCD 37, SFA 21.
VMI at #20 Richmond. Get used to this: "nationally-ranked" Richmond. You're going to be hearing it a lot in the coming weeks. Richmond 40, VMI 17.
Northern Colorado at #21 North Dakota St. NoCo should be renamed No-Can-Beat-NDSU. NDSU 28, NoCo 14.
#22 Brown at Yale. I don't know why I like Yale here, but I do. I don't think Yale goes 0-for-2 in Ivy title elimination games. Yale 31, Brown 30.
#23 South Carolina St. at Howard. The Bison shouldn't pose too much of a problem for the Bulldogs. SCSU 39, Howard 7.
#24 Eastern Illinois at Tennessee St. I think the Panthers are going to prove everyone wrong and be the OVC champs. But this game is just a tune-up. EIU 41, TSU 12.
#25 Grambling at Alabama St. This could be a preview of the SWAC title game. However, I think Alabama St. rides their huge win over Alabama A&M over the Tigers as well. ASU 44, GSU 40.
Here's my predictions of other games this week:
Patriot League:
Bucknell at Fordham. The Rams beating a Steve Silva-less Holy Cross squad, is one thing. Stopping the triple-option with Dante Ross as the triggerman is quite another. Bucknell 27, Fordham 18.
Colgate at Lafayette. A game which has Patriot League title implications, and which features two teams which need to answer questions. On paper, with two solid teams it should be a close game, and the winner of the turnover battle should win the game. History, though, points to Colgate having the Leopards' number in a big way, winning the last 9 games. It just seems difficult to see Colgate get up emotionally for the game this week after last week's loss, and to see them correct the turnover-itis that plagued them versus Lehigh. Lafayette wins, just. Lafayette 24, Colgate 22.
I-AA Top 25:
#1 Furman at #14 Georgia Southern. Marquee matchup, and in effect a playoff game for Georgia Southern. In a huge rivalry game like this, both squads will give it 100%, which means that the more talented team should win out. That team, clearly, is Furman. Furman 31, GSU 21.
#2 New Hampshire at Hofstra. This is the game I'm going to this week, and it's pitting the A-10 frontrunner versus a team which needs a win to stay alive for a playoff shot. The two best passing QBs in the A-10 (Clarkson and Santos), the best receiving tandem (Colston and Ellis), and the best WR (David Ball). How can there be anything but fireworks? One thing's for sure - one team will be exposed this weekend, and if that team is New Hampshire, the A-10 won't be the same. As for me, I'm rooting for anarchy in the A-10. Hofstra 63, UNH 49.
#3 Montana at Northern Arizona. If Montana struggles here... Montana 38, NAU 3.
#4 Appalachian St. at LSU (I-A). I think the Mountaineers play better than most people think here. If I were a betting man, I'd take App St. and the 70 (or however many) points. LSU 49, App St. 17.
#5 Hampton at Bethune-Cookman. It just... feels like the right time for Hampton to lose. Florida, against a good B-CC team with plenty to play for. It's Hampton's turn to be shocked, and to have their hopes at a seed be dashed. B-CC 30, Hampton 14.
#13 Youngstown St. at #6 Southern Illinois and #18 Northern Iowa at #7 Western Kentucky. It's elimination day in the Gateway with a double feature to die for. Anarchy in the A-10? How about anarchy in the gateway? Here's your anarchy. SIU 41, YSU 20 and UNI 33, WKU 10, making it anyone's race.
#8 UMass at Delaware. Delaware could put a huge dent in UMass' title plans with a win. Continuing the anarchy theme, I'll go with it here as well. Delaware 19, UMass 18.
#9 Eastern Washington at #17 Cal Poly. In effect this is a playoff elimination game for both sides. The difference is the Eagles have already righted the ship, while the 'Stangs are headed in the wrong direction. EWU 41, Cal Poly 22.
McNeese St. at #10 Texas St. Tempting to root for more anarchy, but Texas St. just looks like the best team here, especially at home. Texas St. 38, McNeese 9.
Sacramento St. at #11 Montana St. If Montana St. loses this game... MSU 45, Sac St. 19.
#15 Coastal Carolina at Savannah St. Who'd be crazy to call an upset here? CCU 73, SSU 6.
James Madison at #16 William & Mary. In May, this looked like an A-10 title game. Now, it's looking like the death blow to the Tribe's playoff hopes. JMU 38, W&M 17.
#19 UC-Davis at Stephen F. Austin. The Aggies are too good for an overwhelmed Lumberjack suqad. UCD 37, SFA 21.
VMI at #20 Richmond. Get used to this: "nationally-ranked" Richmond. You're going to be hearing it a lot in the coming weeks. Richmond 40, VMI 17.
Northern Colorado at #21 North Dakota St. NoCo should be renamed No-Can-Beat-NDSU. NDSU 28, NoCo 14.
#22 Brown at Yale. I don't know why I like Yale here, but I do. I don't think Yale goes 0-for-2 in Ivy title elimination games. Yale 31, Brown 30.
#23 South Carolina St. at Howard. The Bison shouldn't pose too much of a problem for the Bulldogs. SCSU 39, Howard 7.
#24 Eastern Illinois at Tennessee St. I think the Panthers are going to prove everyone wrong and be the OVC champs. But this game is just a tune-up. EIU 41, TSU 12.
#25 Grambling at Alabama St. This could be a preview of the SWAC title game. However, I think Alabama St. rides their huge win over Alabama A&M over the Tigers as well. ASU 44, GSU 40.
Comments