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FCS Semifinal Picks

Once again, here are my picks for this weekend's football "final four", the Division I Football Championship, the only NCAA-sanctioned national champion for Divsion I football. (P.S. Did you order yourself a Lehigh Football Nation hat recently - a perfect Christmas gift for that Lehigh football fan on your list?)

Montana over UMass. It's not easy to pick against UMass, especially after their come-from-behind, denying QB Ricky Santos in the final minute, 24-17 victory. But in a very even matchup, you can't deny the fact that the Griz at home have been absolutely dominating. Holding Southern Illinois to 136 TOTAL yards really made me stand up and take notice. If Montana can shot down Minuteman RB Steve Baylark the same way they stopped Saluki RB Arkee Whitlock - and I have every faith that they can - I don't think QB Liam Coen can carry the Minutemen with his arm. In contrast, Montana QB Josh Swogger and the Montana offense have gotten better, not worse, as the playoffs have gone along. At home, it's got to be the Griz. Gleeful Griz 21, StewMass 10.

Youngstown State over Appalachian State. I may get flamed for this one, but I think the "Boone magic" simply isn't going to work against a thoroughly tested Youngstown State team. Like Swogger, Penguin QB Tom Zetts is coming of age at the exact right moment while RB Marcus Mason is hitting his stride, which should prove to be difficult to stop. As for the defense, you can get yards against them, but you had better be careful - the sure-handed unit which forced 4 turnovers last week were a huge difference-maker. Although the Mountaineers have a massive running attack with QB Armanti Edwards and RB Kevin Richardson, they haven't always been sharp, though they haven't needed to be. I get a strange feeling that the Penguins can get the upset here by capitalizing on Mountaineer mistakes. The champions' crown from 2005 is heavier than most people think, and I think the weight of the champion will cause just enough errors on the Mountaineer side to lose this game. Perilous Penguins 37, Morose Mountaineers 31, OT.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I feel the exact opposite.
App State will win because of homefield advantage but I think UMASS will overcome the homefield and the long trip because they are an amazing team.
Baylark will run wild. 150+ yards.
Anonymous said…
Clearly, you've never been to Washington Grizzly Stadium.
Anonymous said…
Clearly the location made no difference. UMASS superior!
Anonymous said…
And once againt the recipe is clear. Control the line of scrimmage, play good defense and RUN the ball. Coen knows what it takes he just needs to get the horses in here to do it.
Anonymous said…
No, I think all we need is for Chuck to pick Lehigh's opponent to win every week....
Anonymous said…
Wow, you got burned on both! UMass won by 2 and Appalachian (who will repeat) won 49-24!
Anonymous said…
As for your "fearless" predictions;
Don't quit your day Job!!!
Anonymous said…
As the first poster on this thread, I feel vindicated with my picks, even though some felt I didn't know the atmophere in Grizzly stadium.

I will wait to see who Chuck picks and I will pick my winner accordingly.
Anonymous said…
Not going to lie to you, those weren't bad picks, except down here at asu we've been unbeatable, untouchable, unsmellable the past 13 weeks. I think the only team in NCAA history to have a 2,000-1,000 QB, 1,500 yd. RB, and a 1,000 yd. WR. With 2 all-americans on defense and all but 3 starters with championship experience how could you pick against us. Speed kills it's what the average team from the south has over the average team from the north. Southern speed at asu prevailed over the Ohio speed from YSU, and the Montana St. speed (or lack there of.) There is nothing extra special about this weeks match-up with UMass, same ol' story, speed wins. We've got the speed, we win. Back to back.
Anonymous said…
Geez, I didn't know UMASS was playing Arizona St. There is only one ASU. Whose your Daddy Appalachian State? UMASS is going to own you. The North is going to do it again, or is that agin?
Anonymous said…
If speed kills... then UMASS will destroy you. They have one of the fastest defenses in the country. I watched the Lafayette game as well as the Montana game, wherever the ball was, at least 4 defenders were right on top of the man with the ball, very fast and very impressive.
UMASS 24-13
Anonymous said…
Chuck, please pick Appy Stat
Anonymous said…
I didn't really give a fig about who won but after hearing that Bozo from Appalachian - GO UMASS!!!!!
Anonymous said…
you guys who are picking Umass are dead wrong. Like the guy said earlier...speed does kill. But, Umass doesnt have the speed, App St does. Edwards, Richardson, and Moore will smoke those Umass defenders. Umass maybe physical and hard hitting, but you cant hit something you cant touch. Watch out 37-21 App St
Anonymous said…
Although UMASS has a strong defense, Appalachian has a very quick offense, although I do have a bias for App, they are quicker than most other teams, including UMASS. I watched the UMASS Montana Game, the reason UMASS got on the ball carrier so quick is because Montana is just as slow. Has anyone checked App's defense, I know UMass has a higher one, but APP has two Buchanan Award Canidates. Jeremy wiggins and Marques Murrell. We also have a player in the competition for best player in 1-AA, Kevin Richardson, a junior. Armani Edwards, a true freshman, is better than last years QB at App, Richie Williams, who won the championship last year! We also have homefield at Chatenooga.
To other bloggers post-1) You are not an App fan if you call them Appy State 2) If you say the North will do it again, it must be App from North Carolina. We did win it last year, not "The North"
Appalachian State is the best ASU.
posted by Appoholic
Anonymous said…
my bad Armanti Edwards
posted by Appoholic
Anonymous said…
What do you know? App won 28-17 Richardson rushed for for touchdowns, and Armanti ran for about 90. UMASS fans are right, App is not a very quick team.
posted by Appoholic
Anonymous said…
Haha, why have all the UMASS fans stopped blogging? Is it because they lost or because they got arrested in the riots? ASU showed why they are the number 1 seed.
Anonymous said…
ASU, going for a three-peat.
Anonymous said…
Well glad to see the appalachian team got to party with meemaw, pa and ma, then take their sisters out on a date
Anonymous said…
Nice crowd App State. bet you couldn't get one full set of teeth among all of them.
Anonymous said…
Is it true that team buses have been pulled over and arrested for trying to smuggle books into North Carolina? Appaholic????

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