For those who are interested - here's my selection of picks for tomorrow's Division I FCS games being played. Last week's picks - Patriot League and Top 25 included - I started out a gaudy 8-0 but was a much more humbling 19-9 the rest of the way, starting me off at 26-9 or 74% on the year.
I missed the biggest upset of the day (Jacksonville State over FBS Ole Miss), just missed picking what would have been the second biggest (Chattanooga over Appalachian State) and made some completely boneheaded picks (UC Davis over Cal? Labmuth over Alcorn State?) making it an awfully bittersweet week despite the record. I did predict Southern Utah would make it within ten points of FBS Wyoming (the actual deficit was eight) and picking Tennessee State over Alabama A&M and Southern over Delaware State were the highlights of the rest of the weekend.
I've got a game to go to (guess which one?), but below the flip are my picks. Just the picks today. (more)
Sports Network Top 25
Cal Poly 31, No. 1 Montana 28. Western State (D-II) won't prepare them for the Mustangs, jacked that they're going to be Big Sky bound next year.
No. 3 Appalachian State 55, Jacksonville 7. The Dolphins have a kicker - unlike the Mocs last week - but the Mountaineers won't need to rely on that to win this time out.
No. 4 Southern Illinois 37, Illinois (FBS) 24. Illinois is terrible, and the Salukis are pretty solid the week after seismic FBS upsets (see: 2008).
Chattanooga 34 No. 5. Jacksonville State 28. Big letdown for the Gamecocks after the huge upset, and the Mocs find their kicker, backup WR Jeff Veres.
Pitt 52, No. 6 New Hampshire 21. New Hampshire is known for their upset-ability - but Pitt is entirely aware of this. Their loss last weekend will not help the Wildcats one bit.
No. 8 Elon 54, Shaw (D-II) 3. QB Scott Riddle gets a bye week after giving FBS Duke a run for its money last weekend.
No. 9 South Dakota State 28, No. 16 Delaware 24. West Chester will not have prepared the Hens well for the Jackrabbits, who are itching to get that Grizzly monkey off their backs.
No. 10 Stephen F Austin 35, Albany 13. While Albany's 3-0 win over Maine was impressive, it should be sobering for them to face an actual offense this week.
No. 11. William & Mary 56, VMI 0. The wrong place at the wrong time for the Keydets.
Virginia Tech 28, No. 12 James Madison 21. Virginia Tech cannot and will not lose this game. Desperate Hokies are not good news for the Dukes.
Missouri (FBS) 38, No. 13 McNeese State 17. And the Tigers are just pissed they're not in the Big Ten.
No. 15. South Carolina State 55, Mississippi Valley State 3. Jerry Rice's alma mater could be the worst team in football, and the Bulldogs should demonstrate that this weekend.
No 17. Eastern Washington 44, Central Washington (D-II) 14. Cupcake city at Qwest Field.
No. 19 Liberty 29, Ball State (FBS) 24. The Flames have come oh-so-close to pulling off the FBS upset so many times, and this - with QB Mike Brown - is the year the pull it off.
No. 20 Weber State 31, Northern Colorado 10. The Bears are getting better, but they're still a long way from the Grillmasters.
No. 14 Northern Iowa 47, No. 21 North Dakota State 3. Bison, meet your daddies. Beating a horrible Kansas (FBS) team was one thing; beating the Panthers in the season opener in the UNI Dome is quite another.
Southern Miss (FBS) 28, No. 22 Prairie View A&M 20. The Panthers have the horses to compete, but I think the Golden Eagles will find a way to squeeze this one out - late.
Central Arkansas 25, No. 23 Eastern Illinois 24. Watch out for these Bears. This could be a great game.
Washington State (FBS) 30, No. 24 Montana State 27. I think this is another FBS game that goes down to the wire - with Rob Ash's squad falling just short at the end.
Bonus Picks
Jackson State 27, Tennessee State 23
Alabama A&M 29, Central State (D-II) 20
Florida A&M 35, Delaware State 21
Navy (FBS) 41, Georgia Southern 9
Southeastern Louisiana 41, UT-Martin 10
Wofford 28, Charleston Southern 14
Youngstown State 19, Butler 15
I missed the biggest upset of the day (Jacksonville State over FBS Ole Miss), just missed picking what would have been the second biggest (Chattanooga over Appalachian State) and made some completely boneheaded picks (UC Davis over Cal? Labmuth over Alcorn State?) making it an awfully bittersweet week despite the record. I did predict Southern Utah would make it within ten points of FBS Wyoming (the actual deficit was eight) and picking Tennessee State over Alabama A&M and Southern over Delaware State were the highlights of the rest of the weekend.
I've got a game to go to (guess which one?), but below the flip are my picks. Just the picks today. (more)
Sports Network Top 25
Cal Poly 31, No. 1 Montana 28. Western State (D-II) won't prepare them for the Mustangs, jacked that they're going to be Big Sky bound next year.
No. 3 Appalachian State 55, Jacksonville 7. The Dolphins have a kicker - unlike the Mocs last week - but the Mountaineers won't need to rely on that to win this time out.
No. 4 Southern Illinois 37, Illinois (FBS) 24. Illinois is terrible, and the Salukis are pretty solid the week after seismic FBS upsets (see: 2008).
Chattanooga 34 No. 5. Jacksonville State 28. Big letdown for the Gamecocks after the huge upset, and the Mocs find their kicker, backup WR Jeff Veres.
Pitt 52, No. 6 New Hampshire 21. New Hampshire is known for their upset-ability - but Pitt is entirely aware of this. Their loss last weekend will not help the Wildcats one bit.
No. 8 Elon 54, Shaw (D-II) 3. QB Scott Riddle gets a bye week after giving FBS Duke a run for its money last weekend.
No. 9 South Dakota State 28, No. 16 Delaware 24. West Chester will not have prepared the Hens well for the Jackrabbits, who are itching to get that Grizzly monkey off their backs.
No. 10 Stephen F Austin 35, Albany 13. While Albany's 3-0 win over Maine was impressive, it should be sobering for them to face an actual offense this week.
No. 11. William & Mary 56, VMI 0. The wrong place at the wrong time for the Keydets.
Virginia Tech 28, No. 12 James Madison 21. Virginia Tech cannot and will not lose this game. Desperate Hokies are not good news for the Dukes.
Missouri (FBS) 38, No. 13 McNeese State 17. And the Tigers are just pissed they're not in the Big Ten.
No. 15. South Carolina State 55, Mississippi Valley State 3. Jerry Rice's alma mater could be the worst team in football, and the Bulldogs should demonstrate that this weekend.
No 17. Eastern Washington 44, Central Washington (D-II) 14. Cupcake city at Qwest Field.
No. 19 Liberty 29, Ball State (FBS) 24. The Flames have come oh-so-close to pulling off the FBS upset so many times, and this - with QB Mike Brown - is the year the pull it off.
No. 20 Weber State 31, Northern Colorado 10. The Bears are getting better, but they're still a long way from the Grillmasters.
No. 14 Northern Iowa 47, No. 21 North Dakota State 3. Bison, meet your daddies. Beating a horrible Kansas (FBS) team was one thing; beating the Panthers in the season opener in the UNI Dome is quite another.
Southern Miss (FBS) 28, No. 22 Prairie View A&M 20. The Panthers have the horses to compete, but I think the Golden Eagles will find a way to squeeze this one out - late.
Central Arkansas 25, No. 23 Eastern Illinois 24. Watch out for these Bears. This could be a great game.
Washington State (FBS) 30, No. 24 Montana State 27. I think this is another FBS game that goes down to the wire - with Rob Ash's squad falling just short at the end.
Bonus Picks
Jackson State 27, Tennessee State 23
Alabama A&M 29, Central State (D-II) 20
Florida A&M 35, Delaware State 21
Navy (FBS) 41, Georgia Southern 9
Southeastern Louisiana 41, UT-Martin 10
Wofford 28, Charleston Southern 14
Youngstown State 19, Butler 15
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